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Chapter 80

The Third Sea District.

If the forward base in Eurus had been destroyed, it would have significantly hindered the activities of the Rank C expedition teams active in that area, as well as the Rank B expedition teams in the Fourth Sea District, Zephyros. The loss of a supply and maintenance hub would have made their expeditions significantly more dangerous.

News of Hyne’s heroic actions in resolving the crisis echoed across the Atlantis Maritime Alliance the very next day. It was around that time that Njord, the captain of Aquamarine, sought Hyne out.

“...I\'m not sure what they talked about, but after that, Hyne joined Aquamarine as one of its members.”

“She was an interesting person!” Frances chimed in.

“She always spoke menacingly, but she was the first to take care of new members when they first joined. Even Uncle Dentuso called her ‘sis’ in private!”

“She was even more boisterous when she drank, but her magical prowess remained the same even when drunk. I heard Aquamarine had to compensate for thousands of gold coins because of her.”

“Ah, that\'s true. But she always paid it back with her own money.”

Lorelei, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up, timid like a turtle peeking out of its shell, “Um, excuse me... Are you a friend of my master...?”

“It’s normal to not recognize my face, but I haven’t come across many people who didn’t even know my name. I’m Jack Russell, the Chief Elder of the Atlantis Magic Tower. Hyne and I once collaborated on a magical research project about the general circulation of the ocean currents.”

“Oh! I-I’m sorry! I don\'t go out much, so... I’m really sorry!” Lorelei\'s face turned bright red as she bowed repeatedly, so flustered that he even bit her tongue. She was the complete opposite of her master, Hyne.

“Reaching Class 6 at your age is a testament to how talented and hardworking you are, but are you really Hyne\'s successor? You don\'t resemble that bandit-like woman at all.”

“I am! Master Hyne was worried about that too, so she told me to refrain from outside activities until I reached Class 6.”

“Ah, I see.” Russell nodded, seemingly convinced. “That’s understandable. Being a Class 6 Mage, you\'ll be respected anywhere, and no one will dare underestimate you based on appearance alone.”

Mercenaries and adventurers without proper guidance could still reach Class 4 on their own. With luck and talent, they might even get to Class 5, but Class 6 was a totally different story.

Reaching Class 6, which was just a step away from being an Archmage, required innate talent, relentless effort, as well as excellent mentorship. Even Rank A expedition teams would often accept a Class 6 Mage without even conducting an interview.

“So that means it hasn\'t been long since you reached Class 6, right? Seeing that you just came here.”

“Bingo!” Frances confirmed while drawing a circle in mid-air.

“That’s why I brought her in quickly before anyone else could! Lorelei, you won’t regret joining Aquamarine.”

“Do-do you think so...?” Lorelei asked hesitantly.

“Absolutely! You’ll take Hyne’s place as the second Wave Catcher! I\'ll even give you a nice cabin!”

Lorelei\'s dull eyes briefly sparkled at the thought. Her master Hyne was like a parent to her, and the idea of following in her mentor\'s footsteps resonated deeply within her timid heart.

Thus, it was no surprise that Lorelei was uncharacteristically determined when she gave her answer.

“...I\'ll join Aquamarine.”

“Wow! That’s a great decision, Lorelei!” Frances cheered, thrilled at having recruited three mages in one single day.

“With a Class 5, a Class 6, and even a Class 7 Mage! Even though two of them were brought in by Leonard, it doesn\'t matter! We could still recruit more people for backup forces, but we could easily manage small-scale Rifts with our current lineup!”

The addition of Jack Russell alone far exceeded the minimum requirements for a team to be Rank A. Jack Russell could single-handedly overpower the Santa Maria expedition team in their prime, which Christopher Conrad had led before his death.

In addition to that, with a Class 5 and Class 6 Mage added to the lineup, even the strict Bermuda wouldn’t be able to reject them.

The One-Eyed Archer, Ninian; the high-ranked Wind Spiritualist, Vivian; the Whale Hunter, Spearman Galano; the Class 5 Mage, Esther; the Class 6 Mage, Lorelei; the Class 7 Archmage, Jack Russell; and finally, Leonard, the genius swordsman of the Cardenas family who had bested Christopher Conrad in a duel.

Even excluding Marianne, who’s in charge of guarding me, we have seven members. The deep region of the Fifth Sea District might be a stretch, but we could easily handle the outer region.

Frances quickly assessed the situation. Then, she clapped her hands to get everyone\'s attention and proudly declared, “I\'m going to apply for a rank assessment on our expedition team! Right now!”

Within thirty minutes, Bermuda dispatched an executive to Aquamarine.

***

In the aftermath of the staked duel, Carmen fell from her position of executive, and the man who filled in her spot was Benjamin.

His career wasn’t particularly remarkable. As a former adventurer who had barely made it to Rank A in his youth, his endeavors after retiring mainly consisted of mediating conflicts and contractual issues between adventurers for Bermuda.

However, he had been promoted to an executive position overnight.

“Damn it,” Benjamin cursed, not at all pleased with his rapid promotion. Everyone would clearly find it suspicious.

Although he didn’t have a knack for faction strifes or political maneuvers, he had enough connections within Bermuda to understand the situation.

The Aquamarine Expedition Team, a thorn in the side of the Council of Atlantis, had not only gained the support of the Magic Tower\'s Chief Elder, Jack Russell, but had also ousted an executive who had tried to obstruct their revival.

In this situation, carelessly getting involved could very well incur the ire of either the Council of Atlantis or the Magic Tower, or both.

So they gave me Carmen’s position, expecting me to be in charge of Aquamarine.

Benjamin knew that, but he couldn’t refuse. Running from the Council of Atlantis or the Magic Tower would also mean facing retaliation from Bermuda itself. That was why he wore a distressed expression as he walked along the docks in broad daylight.

Aquamarine, huh... What a nostalgic name.

Anyone who had been an adventurer with Bermuda, or had been active in the Atlantis Maritime Alliance for a long time, was familiar with that name. Even Wild Hunt, who had risen to Rank S following Aquamarine’s disappearance, never claimed to have surpassed Aquamarine.

Aquamarine had written many legends at the forefront in those days when the seas used to be far more ruthless and chaotic. Benjamin was also active as an adventurer back then. Though he hadn’t even been close to keeping up with Aquamarine, simply living in the same era as them was dazzling and a point of pride.

...That’s right, from the day Aquamarine fell, my dreams vanished too. I realized that there were no heroes or adventures that would last forever in this sea.

Back then, Benjamin sensed that the activities and countermeasures of the Council of Atlantis and Bermuda were suspicious, but he lacked the power and courage to investigate.

Eight years had passed since that day, and the fragments of a long-lost dream resurfaced.

“Aquamarine...”

As he was walking, Benjamin lay eyes on a ship, white and pristine like marble, looking as though it had leaped out from his memories. From the dock, it appeared white, but out at sea, cutting through the waves, it transformed into a translucent sky-blue, like seawater.

The entire hull shimmered like waves, so beautiful that in the old days, bards would wait at the dock for their return just to catch a glimpse and find inspiration from the sight of the ship.

The heart truly is fickle...

Despite the ship\'s unchanged beauty, people no longer marveled at Aquamarine\'s splendor, not even Benjamin himself. He had forgotten the overwhelming emotion that had struck him when he first saw Aquamarine docked, so powerful that even when he closed his eyes at home, the image remained.

Remembering this, he muttered, “You’re still beautiful, huh...”

Feeling ashamed of how he had aged and grown shabby in the eight years since, Benjamin closed his eyes tightly.

It was then that a voice responded, “Right? Every time I see it, I’m amazed too.”

“Hmm?!”

Surprised by the reply to his murmur, Benjamin looked up to see who had spoken to him. Her luscious onyx-black hair was fluttering in the sea breeze. Her eyes were as blue and clear as Aquamarine itself, sparkling as if they could see right into his soul.

It was Frances Ler von Okeanos, the remarkable young woman who had revived the legendary expedition team from the annals of history.

“Nice to meet you, Captain Frances,” Benjamin greeted her cautiously, bowing slightly.

However, she responded unexpectedly, “Huh? This isn’t the first time we meet though?”

Benjamin was taken aback.

“You’re Benjamin, right? The one who received my father’s hat? I think it was when you got promoted to Rank A. He gave it to you as a gift, didn’t he?”

“O-Oh... You remember that?” Benjamin asked, his veneer of composure shattering as his face flushed.

The memory came back clearly—randomly meeting Njord and the other Aquamarine members at a tavern where he was drinking alone to celebrate his promotion. He had received an old hat from Njord as a congratulatory gift.

Thinking back, Frances had been in someone’s arms back then, watching his overjoyed face, unbefitting of his age at that time.

“I have a good memory! It’s been a long time! Are you still keeping my father’s hat safe?”

“Ehem, it’s in a vacuum-sealed container I bought from the Magic Tower. It’s my treasure, and I won’t give it back even if you ask for it.”

“Ahahaha! Don’t worry, I wouldn’t do that. Besides, it’s way too big for me!”

Frances laughed heartily at his joke and then gave a signal with her finger toward the ship, prompting for a ladder to the deck to be lowered.

The tense atmosphere softened. Though it seemed like an insignificant connection, Frances had a knack for making the most of such bonds. Anyone with fond memories of Aquamarine could be won over with just a few words from her.

Lucky me. To think the executive in charge of Aquamarine is someone who once received a gift from my father? I can definitely win him over to our side.

Frances was well aware of Bermuda’s disorganized internal affairs. She knew Benjamin was in a precarious position, unsure whether to side with the Council of Atlantis or the Magic Tower. He had essentially been thrown to the wolves.

Aquamarine needed someone to be their eyes and ears within Bermuda, and Benjamin would fit that role perfectly. Even though he was just a figurehead, he was still an executive. If he continued to amass achievements, he would eventually become a force to be reckoned with.

This was a chance to sway Bermuda, which leaned slightly toward the Council of Atlantis, back to a neutral stance.

If I use the Chief Elder’s influence to make him think we have a close connection with the Magic Tower and inform him that Lorelei is Hyne’s disciple, stirring up nostalgia for the old days...

Compared to the Council of Atlantis, which was likely to harm him, or Bermuda, which had thrown him aside, Aquamarine would seem like a much closer ally. Frances could see through Benjamin, to the very bottom of his heart.

As Frances’s mind raced through countless scenarios, her eyes flashed with determination and clarity, her train of thought moving with a speed and precision that even the fastest martial artists wouldn’t be able to match.

Though she had no talent for mana cultivation or magic, Njord had always believed that Frances would eventually surpass him as an expedition team captain.

“It\'s a shame we’re just a remnant of royalty in name, Fran.”

The transcendent warrior knew.

“If Okeanos were still standing, you would have been acknowledged as the greatest queen this continent had ever seen.”

Indeed, his dear daughter truly possessed the qualities of a ruler.