The Diana company was run by Duke Odin. It was the cash cow for House Odin, who had a monopoly on pomelo fruit, of which the Miseral Kingdom was the main producer. It was one of the major trading houses. Said company had supposedly been seized by state officials, but perhaps they were conspiring to prevent further exposure of their misdeeds by letting the mayor escape.
If the mayor was caught, the company president would go down with him due to his own involvement. Hence, the president had aided his escape, and the Master of Luwak Street had schemed to expose them both at once. Most likely, she had struck a deal with someone from the Merchants’ Guild. That about summed it up.
Glancing over when someone called my name, I realized that a navy ship had finally arrived on the scene. There weren’t many mercenaries left. Some were beginning to surrender, and the sounds of clashing swords and battle cries had started to fade.
As I watched Randy come out of the ship with a plump man in custody, I swung down my sword and declared the game won.
Upon returning to the harbor, we found the locals had formed a large crowd, turning the whole affair into a spectacle. Between the tensions with Maldura and the arrest of their lord, there had been a number of incidents in the region as of late, and now all the merchant vessels in the state-seized harbor had been blocked from setting sail. Meanwhile, there had been a commotion over an arrest at sea.
No doubt everyone had come to see what all the fuss was about. From the deck, I could see the fear and trepidation on the people’s faces as they wondered what lay in store for them.
At last, I understood the Master of Luwak Street’s true goal. As loath as I was to dance to her tune, we’d been following her script ever since we boarded the ship she’d prepared for us. Besides, I couldn’t deny that the setup worked just as much to our benefit.
I called Glen’s name, nudging him toward the crowd with my eyes. My long-serving retainer swiftly picked up on my meaning and shouted from the deck to get their attention. “Greetings, citizens of Kelk Harbor, company personnel, and sailors! Lend your ears to the first in line to the throne of Sauslind, His Highness Prince Christopher!”
The crowd buzzed with surprise at the mention of my title. If the prince had traveled all the way here from the royal capital, their lord’s crimes must have been more serious than they thought.
After shaking my head to toss my windblown hair out of my eyes, I looked out over the townspeople. As a hush slowly but surely fell over the crowd, I announced in a booming voice, “Duke Odin, the lord of the Hoover Domain, was recently arrested on the charge of treason, and we intend to bring every last one of his crimes to light. Nevertheless, trade will continue unimpeded. As will our friendly relations with the Miseral Dukedom. The harbor will be reopened to ship traffic within the next few days. Furthermore, the day we establish diplomatic relations with Maldura is close at hand. Kelk Harbor is certain to become an important hub in the future. I swear upon my name as Prince Christopher that this city shall see its golden age yet!”
The crescendo of cheers that followed was enough to rock the entire city. Joyful cries echoed on the sea breeze, praising both the prince’s name and the kingdom itself.
Beside me, Glen marveled at how gung ho and hot-blooded the townsmen were. As I thought to myself that he and his little brother were no better, I was reminded of an important lesson. Some people would never be satisfied until they saw a concrete display of power, not vague notions of authority or royal prestige. I’d learned that the hard way from the recent military uprising...but I felt like this incident had served as a further warning to me. History would repeat itself if I relied too much on cheap power.
As I made my way down the gangplank, addressing the cheering crowd in a manner befitting the crown prince, I cast a glance at the man who was happily tagging along behind me. “You helped the Master of Luwak Street set the stage, didn’t you, Alan?”
Alan played dumb at first, only to break out into a beaming smile moments later. He rubbed the tip of his nose like one of the harbor children. “What can I say? I wanted to hear the sound you’d make at sea, Prince Chris. The sound of our future—one that echoes across the blue skies of this realm.”
His smile had a radiant glee to it, not unlike when we’d first met and he’d agreed to serve under me. It was the look of someone taking a chance on his future, one that hinted at all the emotions he carried deep inside.
He had a musician’s unique sensibility. I couldn’t claim to understand it. Still, I chuckled and said that if I had struck a chord with him, he was free to play all he liked.
Most likely, my and the Master’s interests aligned to some extent. Kelk Harbor was the western gateway along the continental highway and Sauslind’s main port city. Now that trade on the open seas had been suspended and the harbor was beset by uncertainty, someone had to step up to lift the spirits of the townspeople and the city as a whole. If the harbor remained in the doldrums, it would soon fall into decline and crime rates would soar. That would spell just as much trouble for the ruler of the backstreets. To that end, she must have been keeping an eye on those who might have helped the mayor escape—all so that she could stage this grand capture once I came into town.
Once again, I found her sheer cunning almost infuriating. It was a trait she shared with Alan, and the thought had me wondering if perhaps he had what it took to become the next Master of Luwak Street. Never mind what the man himself would have to say about that.
While I toyed with the idea of seeing the Master one last time while I was in town, I went about the business of tidying up in the aftermath. I listened to detailed reports of how the city was faring, ventured out to ascertain the information for myself, and took the opportunity to speak with the townspeople and sailors. Rumors spread that the crown prince was staying in city hall, and lords and local aristocrats came all the way from neighboring domains to pay their respects.
Annoyed, I wished I could tell them to spend that precious time combating the plague back in their own domains, but this was part of my role as a member of the aristocracy. Biting down a sigh, I humored the visitors and even had in-depth discussions with the ambassador from the Miseral Dukedom about the future of our trade relations.
Just when I’d picked out a temporary replacement for the mayor and the cleanup process was nearing its end, I received two messages: news of Alexei’s return to the royal palace and a letter from Elianna. My heart fluttered in my chest, but the joy I felt was short-lived. The next piece of news hit like a blast of ice and snow to the spring blooming inside me.
Lady Elianna Bernstein, the crown prince’s betrothed, has returned to the Bernstein Domain, along with General Bakula of the Black Wing Knights.