Pirate Kingship

The mainland of the Kingdom of Hattings, the royal capital is Kingston.

The hazy drizzle in early August enveloped the entire ancient city.

The quaint and quiet bluestone road of Melrose Street looks darker and shinier in the rain. Churches, theaters, galleries and art centers line up like oil paintings.

If you listen carefully, you can also hear the beautiful music echoing in many Gothic buildings.

Byron, who was wearing an aristocratic hunting suit, and Catherine, who was wearing a violet lady's dress, were sitting in a cafe called "Bluebell" by the river.

Quietly looking out the window, three or five artists were walking together, enthusiastically discussing some of the most popular painting techniques in recent times.

Outside the railing, on the vast River Tame that winds through the entire city, several white swans belonging to the king's private property were combing their feathers, and a small boat carrying several gentlemen and ladies leisurely rowed by.

The two siblings sat opposite each other on the old oak dining table, gently stirring the coffee and sugar cubes in the ceramic cups with a silver spoon.

There are also several extra plates of sandwiches, salads, and the delicious scones that this shop is famous for in the capital.

Byron, who is a "cream and jam party", and Catherine, who is a "jam and butter party", each spread the sauce on each other's lips and brought it to their lips thoughtfully.

"Ah woo~"

The weight of the taste, how to eat snacks, how many sugar cubes to put in the coffee, etc., these childhood sweethearts have been familiar with each other since childhood, and even Violet can't match it in a short period of time.

Catherine seemed to be still the gentle sister. She picked up her napkin and wiped the jam on the corner of her mouth for her crippled brother who had no ability to take care of himself. She said with some emotion:

“The last time we ate together in this cafe was last September.

Bruch and I are about to return to the Prince of Sauronburg territory to prepare for the autumn harvest in the territory, and you are about to board the "Blue Dragon King" to fight the Battle of Dover with the York family.

I originally thought that that naval battle was no different from the War of the Red and White Rose in the past thirty years.

But I didn't expect that so many things happened in the middle.

Looking back now, all the things that happened in the past year were more thrilling than the sum of our experiences since childhood, enough to write a million-word novel about chivalry. "

This Melrose Street is an art street in Kingston. Like University Street and King's Cross Street, it flourished with the support of their uncle Henry VI.

It is home to many painters, musicians, artists, gourmets and various functional buildings. It is one of the most popular pastimes for extraordinary people, nobles, wealthy people and middle-class families.

Naturally, they were all frequent visitors here.

It’s hard not to be filled with emotions when revisiting a place with another identity.

Byron took Catherine's hand, patted the back of his sister's white hand and comforted her softly:

"It's all over. We have captured the Yucatan Island overseas, which is ten times the size of the Channel Islands. The [Blue Dragon King], my father, uncle, and cousin have also returned.

Believe me, it won't be long before we can return here as masters and take over the Ganquan Palace. "

With Byron's [Outlaw Outlaws] and [I Don't Eat Beef] around, even the [Iron Law of Royal Power Magna Carta] that covers the entire city can't monitor them.

There is no need to worry about others hearing the conversation.

Catherine, who had always had full confidence in her brother who had repeatedly performed miracles, nodded vigorously when she heard this.

But after picking up the coffee cup and taking a sip gracefully, he suddenly frowned with white jade-like eyebrows and said seriously:

"There's a serious problem."

"What's wrong?" Byron looked up in confusion.

Catherine pursed her lips, gesturing to Byron to taste the coffee in the cup, and said with some pain on her face:

“Speaking of which, we took advantage of [fiddler crabs]’s deep-sea jump to return all the way from the Bantaan Islands to the mainland, so why do we continue to drink Blue Mountain Coffee?

The Pioneer Pilot Colonial Trading Company received the territory of the Newman family from ‘Tyriel’, especially behind the Blue Mountains, which was most suitable for growing spices and coffee.

I will start building the ‘Blue Mountain Coffee’ brand according to your plan.

First, it was given to a large aristocratic family that was friendly with the Greenville family to set the trend, and then the coffee beans were sold back to the mainland at an increase of five times the original price.

Unexpectedly, bluebells with a long history were also purchased from our house.

Now when we buy and drink it ourselves, we always have a subtle feeling of being taken advantage of. At least nine-tenths of a sip is packaging and marketing expenses. "

The Channel Islands, which have a temperate maritime climate, obviously do not produce coffee, but the popularity of this drink was due to the increasingly developed colonies.

The Blue Mountains on Arawak Island, the largest colony in the Kingdom of Hattings, is one of the main producing areas of coffee.

Hearing this, Byron reached out angrily and scratched his sister's tall nose:

"You little miser, Grandet. The three sword moves of the 'Supreme Art': investment, consumption, export, how can you not let money circulate?

Didn't you notice that the spices used here are actually produced in the Golden Empire, and that those unlit whale oil lamps contain products from the Standard Whale Oil Company?

Our goal is an industrial trust. From now on, you have to adapt to seeing our products and industries everywhere when you go out.

When the day comes when a Hetings person's basic necessities from birth to death depend on the Pioneer Pilot Colonial Trading Company, and changing the world is just a matter of words. "

Catherine stuck out her pink tongue cutely.

She didn't have Byron's [Navigation Log], so she couldn't tell the origin of other things.

Now I realize that it is better to sit here and experience the subtle changes in person than to look at those extremely beautiful financial statements in the office, so as to feel the importance of the colonies more intuitively.

Today, one year later, they not only returned to their homeland in a different identity, but also had a profound and long-term impact on this place.

"By the way, Byron, this is probably the strategy you mentioned of surrounding the mainland with colonies and finally seizing the kingdom's power by force, right?"

The most important sunrise industry under their family: Standard Whale Oil Company has already started to operate normally.

When the [Golden Deer] returned from the South Continent, a large amount of whale oil was shipped simultaneously, and support personnel also moved into the first island of the Centaur Archipelago.

A few forces with connections, with the help of [Beast Tamers] and flying beast trainers, also shipped goods to the Old Continent as soon as possible.

As long as it is operated well, this is another road to the throne of the world's richest man.

And Violet also brought the largest batch of whale oil back to her R\u0026D center, the Torrent Fortress, and summoned a large number of high tower sequence [Craftsmen] and [Naturalists] to start attacking.

They have unique resource advantages, as well as technical guidance such as rubber and steam engines. They firmly believe that it will not take long to build the first practical whale oil-powered steam engine.

When the first whale oil-powered steam engine lands, it means that the next season is about to begin!

It is also the beginning of the Holy Golden Empire's dimensionality reduction attack on backward countries.

However, Byron took his sister to visit Melrose Avenue on the first day he returned to Kingston, not just for nostalgia.

It is also because there are a large number of middle and upper class people here, and there are well-informed artists who often go in and out of various noble mansions. It is obviously an excellent place to collect intelligence.

Although Catherine has a good relationship with many old friends of the Greenville family, the succubus Therese also sneaked into the capital in advance after getting the new identity forged by Catherine.

But the timeliness is definitely not as good as seeing it with your own eyes and hearing it with your own ears.

Byron urgently needs to know the first-hand information about the dispute between the royal party and the earl party in the current royal capital.

Just sitting here and drinking coffee leisurely, [Divine Vision] captured intelligence within a few kilometers and sent it to his brain.

Coupled with the [Ship Log] that can be effective as long as his senses reach, one person is enough to replace an elite intelligence force.

Outside the back door of the cafe is a dark street, and a carriage with aristocratic emblems slowly stopped in front of an inconspicuous small door.

Byron recognized that this was Viscount Owen of the royalist faction, who currently served in the city guards and was even one of the chief officers.

The small door opened, and a charming woman stood by the door, lifting her skirt and bowing:

"Your Excellency, you came really early today, please come in."

A middle-aged man with a sinister face got off the carriage in a cloak and said unceremoniously:

"Don't talk nonsense, the invitation letter you sent to my manor said that there are high-quality goods just obtained from the slave trader Remit, is it true?"

The woman said seriously:

"Of course, the theme of this time is a monster party.

We have prepared the Lone Reef Bull Demon, Swamp Giant Squid, Forest Giant Monster, Iron-backed Hippopotamus, Spore mantises and other good stuff, and they also recruited people of this kind.

But I want to remind you that you must be careful of those spore mantises, and run away quickly after the job, because they have a unique habit of eating males after the wedding night. "

The Viscount was not only not afraid, but his eyes were shining:

"What do you know, this is a disadvantage? Shouldn't it be a more exciting selling point?

Quick, take me in and take a spore mantis, if you go too late, it will be taken away by others."

The first conversation from [God's Vision] made Byron spit out all the coffee in his mouth.

"Cough, cough, cough"

He knew that the private lives of the upper nobles were decadent and they played extraordinarily, but he still didn't expect that they would spend to this extent.

"Are you sure there is no missing word "mother" behind these monsters, not monster mother, but monster?

This is already a curiosity beyond the scope of human beings, okay?"

And this kind of place is actually hidden in the art street of Melrose Avenue. Obviously, the boss behind it has a lot of connections.

If time goes back to a year ago, and cousin Edward is here, Byron will definitely urge him to criticize it in person.

Just like the countless troubles the two brothers have caused since childhood, one is bold to make suggestions, and the other is brave to move forward.

But now the information in the building is immediately blocked.

"What's wrong?"

Catherine saw that Byron seemed to be choked, and hurriedly helped him clean up.

Byron waved his hand, not intending to share this explosive scene with his sister.

"No, nothing.

I just suddenly feel that our succubus Miss Therese has a long way to go in the social work of the royal aristocratic circle.

She may not be extreme enough!"

Byron prepared himself mentally, and after carefully re-identifying several times, he finally heard what he wanted to hear.

This conversation came from a nearby army officer salon.

Several extraordinary officers of the fortress sequence were chatting while playing whist cards.

A school officer spoke first:

"Hey, guys, did you go to the engagement ceremony of Miss Isabel of the Earl of Warwick and George, Duke of Clarence, half a month ago?"

Others shook their heads:

"No, the family elders won't let me go."

"I didn't go either. At that time, I was cooperating with the navy on offshore escort missions.

But I heard that the scene was very lively, and there were countless dignitaries, rich men, military officers, and extraordinary people attending. What's the matter? Is there any unexpected situation? "

The school officer who spoke first had a mysterious face and quietly lowered his voice:

“That’s right if you didn’t go!

At that time, I was ordered by the Privy Council to lead people to maintain order. I also recorded the guest list in detail and submitted it to the Privy Council and the Star Chamber.

Guess who didn’t go to that engagement party?

His Majesty’s biological brother was engaged. Not only did His Majesty himself not attend, but most of the royal party also did not attend!

After the banquet, I saw with my own eyes the Duke of Clarence cursing His Majesty with a black face.

Do you think this looks like the royal party and the earl party are trying to reconcile through marriage? I’m afraid the fun is yet to come. "

As soon as these words came out, the army officers present could not help but look solemn.

Traditional military units such as the Army and the Knights have always been the exclusive preserve of the aristocracy, and officers, big and small, must at least be from the Knights.

Their sense of the situation was much sharper than ordinary people, and they immediately felt something unusual.

However, some people hesitated for a moment and forcefully explained:

"Duke George is His Majesty's younger brother. He is one of the three magic suns represented by the miraculous signs. It is also the legal basis for the White Rose York family to be favored by the Creator.

If His Majesty himself did not agree, he would not allow the Earl of Warwick and Duke George to mess around, right? "

Some people sneered:

"Can't you see it now?

[Kingmaker] is a title that has long been legendary and has covered half of the continent. It must have some very powerful special effects.

Looking at the king's party and the earl's party who are now evenly matched, when foreigners come to our Hattings, they may think that what they see is not the king and the earl, but the king and the "One Word Side by Side King". "

The school official who spoke first added:

"I also heard that His Excellency, Baron St. Byron of Stromgarde from the royal party, has made great achievements in the Southern Continent, and Ganquan Palace is busy preparing for a knighthood ceremony for him.

This is a very loyal minister who is famous far and wide. Even I can recite the slogan: 'If loyalty is not absolute, it is absolutely disloyal.'

The Earl of Warwick will probably not sit back and watch that His Excellency successfully ascend to the throne. I think there will be another storm this time. "

Byron couldn't help but raise his eyebrows when he heard this, and was impressed by the acumen of these army officers.

The middle and lower-level officials, gentry, big landowners, big businessmen, etc. in the kingdom now all think that there will finally be reconciliation between the royal party and the earl party.

Only the core members of the two parties and some thoughtful people realized that the undercurrent was surging in the royal capital and that a storm was coming.

Byron guessed that it was probably because of the upcoming big operation that Earl Warwick, who was already in a tight manpower situation in the vortex, took no further action after launching a [Social Clock] assassination on him.

The fragments of the zero-level holy relic [Sword of Damocles] could not cut him, so they temporarily stopped.

Warwick's biggest opponents now were Edward IV, the Privy Council, Queen Elizabeth's father Richard Woodville, and brother Frith Woodville.

But so far, the situation at the top level in the country is still calm.

Even because of the continuous expansion of colonial interests, Byron, the colonial governor, shone brightly in the colonial war in the southern continent.

The kingdom's cake is getting bigger and bigger, and it even seems to be cooking in a fierce fire, making it prosperous.

Many literati who were dedicated to singing praises also published articles in the "Kingston Daily" praising Edward IV's wise leadership.

But the moment Byron stepped into the royal capital, he keenly sensed the coming of a storm.

“It is precisely because the huge interests of the Southern Continent and the whale oil power revolution lie before us.

The two parties, whose conflicts are already irreconcilable, will definitely start a dispute again over who takes the first bite of fat. After all, no matter how the distribution is divided, it is impossible to satisfy both parties at the same time.

It’s just that we don’t yet know what incident will be used as the trigger for a certain family to take the lead in launching an attack.

But one thing is true, before and after my earl conferment ceremony, the royal capital will definitely not be peaceful.

Not only is Warwick unwilling to give in, but even Edward IV, who regards me as a loyal minister as a test subject of the "Immortality Project", may not take the initiative to make some fuss.

Bringing the Guards here is definitely a wise choice. "

Jingle bells.

At this moment, the bell hanging on the door of the "Bluebell Cafe" rang, and two men with clothes mostly soaked walked in together.

Sitting at the table next to Byron and Catherine.

At a glance, the information about this strange pair suddenly appeared on the logbook.

The young man holding a beech pipe in his hand is named Sherlock, and he is a third-level [sheriff] in the Tribunal sequence.

He has the title of baronet and is not yet a member of the aristocratic class, but he is stronger than an ordinary knight. This allows him to join the extraordinary profession of the judgment sequence.

The other one was a little younger than him, with a handsome face and a monocle in his left eye. His name was John Watson, and he was a second-level [doctor] in the hospital sequence.

There was a very obvious smell of river water on both of them, and they had obviously just gotten off a boat in the Tame River not long ago.

Having just ordered a lot of high-calorie food, [Doctor] John Watson was devouring it while complaining to [Sheriff] Sherlock:

"Dear Mr. Sherlock, could you please stop playing reasoning games in public?

Especially when everyone on the same boat is a murderer, but you are not in your own jurisdiction at all and cannot get the blessing of the law!

My Creator, in the murder on the luxury cruise ship [Orient Express] on the River Tame, all the passengers and crew were conspired to commit the murder.

They were exposed in public by you, the intruding Sheriff, and they immediately prepared to kill and silence them, adding two more names to the autopsy sheet.

Although I am a doctor, I have never thought about lying on the autopsy table. It feels terrible.

If we hadn't encountered the patrol boat of the city guard, neither of us would have been able to come back.

Moreover, since I met you, I feel like I have never had a stable life, and even the hair on my legs is almost gone. "

The [Sheriff] Sherlock on the other side didn't look much better. He took a moment to mutter in a low voice while eating.

"Relax, old man, I am a man who will create a [detective] career in the Inquisition sooner or later. How can I die so easily?

Not only is it necessary to master the corresponding prerequisite knowledge, but obtaining positive feedback from criminals and audiences through public reasoning is also an important part of the ceremony.

And the most important thing in a detective is a heart to fight crime!

Even if I die, I will die before you. "

Byron heard their conversation clearly and couldn't help but look up at them curiously.

“The Sheriff is not a powerful combat profession.

No one who dares to say "I bet you don't have bullets in your gun" is the best bodyguard in the world. How dare he imitate others and become a detective?

You are so brave! "

Moreover, Byron also discovered something unusual from the Sheriff, Mr. Sherlock.

A legacy title - [Sin Buster]!

Just like [Fairy Regrel] and [Children's Guardian], they are ancient titles passed down from generation to generation.

Similar titles in the Old World include:

[Earl of Huntington, the thief Robin Hood], [Jack the Ripper], [The Old Man of the Mountain, Hassan Sabah], [Monster Hunter, Van Helsing], etc. There are at least hundreds or thousands of them in total.

The inheritance methods vary.

For example: [Fairy] will randomly descend on women who are naturally extremely beautiful, giving them blessings and curses.

The same goes for [Sin Buster].

When it is in a state of ownerlessness, it will choose an object with various qualities such as a sense of justice, camera memory, deductive reasoning, and calm rationality as its inheritor.

Positive effect: Justice is coming! Every time, you can arrive at the scene of the crime as soon as possible and get first-hand information.

Negative effect: Death is coming! In the eyes of others, murders will happen wherever you go. You are a veritable god of death!

Moreover, this title is passed down extremely quickly. Others only pass it down to eight generations, but it can be passed down to eighty generations.

It’s because the [Sin Busters] of the past were too easily defeated by excessive sin.

It is somewhat similar to Byron's own entry [Historical Correcter], destined to be involved in various whirlpools.

Seeing this, Byron couldn't help but frown.

I feel that if I get too close to such a guy, the whirlpool of fate will most likely produce some special chemical reaction.

I was about to call my sister, who had already eaten and drank enough, to make a temporary strategic shift.

Suddenly, I heard the [doctor] John Watson at the next table remind his friend in a low voice:

"By the way, why do you order such expensive snacks? We don't have that much money at all."

Shylock didn't care:

"Eat first, don't be afraid, it will only take a while"

Before he could finish speaking, a scream sounded from the back door of the cafe:

"Oops, someone's dead——!!!"

This is not a colony where the dead are commonplace, but a royal capital with the best security. The Red and White Rose War was not even fought here.

The residents of the royal capital, who had never seen many big scenes, suddenly panicked.

Only [Sheriff] Sherlock stood up slowly and wiped his mouth, straightened his tie, and winked at his friend:

“You see, although I’m not very lucky, I always encounter cases wherever I go.

But as long as the person is dead, there is no need to worry about collecting money. This is a common thing, just get used to it.

Now it's time for the detective to step in and deliver justice. "

As he spoke, he strode towards the back door of the cafe.

Byron also stopped, and [Shen Jian] followed and swept past the streets at the back door.

But it was discovered that what happened was the hidden building where the "Monster Party" was held.

Immediately, new writing suddenly appeared on the logbook, [Secret: The death stranding incident under the dispute between the two parties, historical influence 28]!