Embracing Magic - E.M Chapter 86 (Part 1)
After dealing with all the pirates, Darren and his party returned. No sooner had they done so when black storm clouds gathered, and a tempest struck.
The Capleton was a large merchant ship, capable of weathering the storm on its own. If things got tough, they could always seek help from Rodin, a 5th Circle mage.
However, the merchant ship that had been attacked by the pirates was the real problem. It was small, and it had little preparation for the storm.
“They weren’t prepared for pirates, nor do they have anything to hold on to during the storm. That’s how rookies become water spirits when they venture out to sea.”
Even during a storm, the crew couldn’t all retreat to their cabins. They had to adjust the sails somehow to minimize the damage from the wind.
But that small merchant ship had no handholds or long ropes on the deck. It also lacked mechanisms to adjust the sail’s direction from a distance.
It seemed as if they’d removed everything necessary for safety just to load more cargo.
“We don’t have a choice.”
Captain Krondel showed kindness by lowering a rope and tying the wildly swaying small merchant ship to the Capleton.
Thanks to the bulk of the Capleton, the smaller ship avoided the worst of the storm. Though it shook violently for nearly five hours, it somehow held on.
Once the storm passed, the Capleton immediately retrieved the rope connecting the ships. Without looking back, they sailed straight toward the port city of Harson in the Kingdom of Tebia.
During the time the Capleton was rescuing the smaller ship, Rodin returned to the cabin. Larry and Bianca, who had been waiting eagerly, greeted him.
“Big Brother! Are you okay?”
“Big Brother!”
Rodin lightly embraced Larry and Bianca before sitting down. He gestured with his hand.
“Sit down.”
“Why?”
“Here. These are your gifts.”
Rodin took out the bracelets he had completed before heading up to the deck. They were artifacts imbued with a location-tracking spell.
“What is this?”
“It’s an artifact.”
“What does that mean?”
“It’s an object imbued with magic. These bracelets let me know where you are. If it’s late at night and I can’t see you, or something suspicious happens, I’ll be able to find you.”
Larry and Bianca stared at the bracelets for a long time, their faces showing that they didn’t fully understand Rodin’s words.
“Just like last time, you could get kidnapped. That’s why I prepared these. Wear them on your wrist.”
“The water won’t protect us like last time?”
“Undine doesn’t like leaving my side. Forcing her to do something she doesn’t want would be too harsh on her.”
“That’s true. You shouldn’t make someone do things they don’t want to do.”
Bianca was the first to pick up a bracelet and put it on her wrist. It was so large that it spun around freely on her arm.
Rodin took Bianca’s wrist and gently infused the bracelet with a bit of magic. The bracelet shrunk to fit perfectly on her wrist.
“Wow! That’s amazing.”
“It’s magic. Larry, put yours on too.”
“Yes.”
Larry also put on his bracelet, and Rodin infused it with magic to adjust its size. It wasn’t too tight or too loose—just right.
“As you grow, the bracelet might start to feel a bit tight. Since you don’t have magic or aura, it won’t adjust automatically. So, if it ever feels tight, come and let me know.”
“Yes.”
“Got it.”
—
It would take 20 days to travel from the location where they encountered the pirates to Harson.
But those 20 days were more challenging than the previous few months.
As if their smooth sailing had been a dream, they encountered storms every single day.
The relaxed atmosphere on the deck disappeared, of course. The passengers endured the shaking in their cabins, while the crew struggled to manage the ship amidst the storms.
But all nightmares eventually come to an end.
When they were just two days away from Harson, the storm suddenly vanished. The Capleton calmly cut through the tranquil seas.
Two days later, the voice of a lookout echoed across the deck.
“Land ho!”
“Harson in sight!”
The passengers, who had come out onto the deck on this rare clear day, cheered loudly.
Even Rodin couldn’t help but smile today.
The past 18 days had been especially tough. The frequent storms had caused the ship to shake constantly, and Larry and Bianca had suffered terribly from seasickness.
“Big Brother, we don’t have to take the ship anymore, right?”
“Yeah. Once we disembark, we won’t need to get on a ship again. Instead, we’ll be riding a carriage.”
“I like carriages. They’re fun.”
“Hmm, well, after riding in a carriage for a long time, you might find it’s even harder than being on a ship.”
The Capleton slowly approached the docks of Harson. A large wooden plank was lowered, and the passengers disembarked with bright smiles.
This was the Capleton’s final destination. All the passengers were getting off here.
Rodin disembarked last, bidding a regretful farewell to Captain Krondel and giving a light goodbye to Darren, Jefferson, and Sylvia as well.
“Let’s go.”
“Big Brother, are you going to buy a carriage right away?”
“No. It’s a bit late to leave today. Let’s find an inn and get some lunch first.”
As soon as they stepped off, they were stopped at a checkpoint. It wasn’t just Rodin and his group—every passenger from the Capleton was being inspected.
The port city of Harson was practically the border between the Tebia Kingdom and any nation that bordered the sea. They couldn’t simply allow foreigners to enter the country freely, so inspections were a standard procedure.
Rodin presented his mercenary badge, while Larry and Bianca showed the identification badges they had bought in Lantz, allowing them to pass the checkpoint. It was fortunate they had prepared their IDs in advance.
“Big Brother! A stagecoach!”
“Yeah, it’s just like in Lanse.”
The stagecoach system had originally come from the central continent. Someone had seen its business potential and started the same service in Lanse.
“Should we take it?”
“Yes.”
Since they had to ride a carriage anyway.
To reach the Richmond Marquisate, they would eventually have to buy a carriage, and carriages and horses were usually found near the city gates, on the opposite side of the port.
Rodin stood in line with his siblings and boarded a stagecoach. He asked the driver to take them to the inn district closest to the city gates.
The stagecoach ran for nearly an hour before finally stopping. Around them were dozens of inns, and the road at the end of the street led to the northern city gate.
They disembarked and entered the most luxurious-looking inn. Once again, Rodin rented an annex building.
Their stay in an annex in Lanse had been quite satisfying.
It was an independent residence, so they didn’t have to worry about being disturbed by anyone. This allowed him to focus on receiving lessons from the Frouval.
The meals delivered to them were fantastic. There was even a space to exercise in front of the building, and no one complained even if his siblings were a bit noisy.
“This place is even better.”
This time, the inn they stayed in was more advanced than the one in Lanse. The Annex house was a bit bigger, and the facilities were cleaner.
Yet, the accommodation cost was cheaper than in Lanse, about half the price. It almost made him feel like they had been scammed in Lanse.