Section Five: The Port of Victoria (Part One)

The Plantagenet Dynasty lies at the easternmost edge of the Western Continent, an isolated island not far from the mainland. It is said that this island was torn away from the continent in ancient times, and thus it is, in truth, a part of the continent itself. The island is immense, with many places suited to be fine harbors. The Plantagenet Dynasty is the sole ruler of this isle. Once, it accepted the doctrines of the Radiant Church, but during the Church’s organized crusade, a rift formed between royal and divine authority. Rumors had it that the Church, taking advantage of Emperor Charles’s campaign, sought to support his brother in usurping the throne. Yet Emperor Charles returned in time, crushing the conspiracy. This not only led, indirectly, to the failure of the crusade meant to open the eastern route, but deepened the schism between crown and church. From then on, Emperor Charles declared a policy of glorious isolation. His descendants faithfully upheld this principle, avoiding involvement in the continent’s internal strife and focusing instead on trade with merchants from the Far East.

On nautical charts, this largest eastern island sits precisely on the border between the Swan Sea and the Libra Sea. Victoria Harbor, located in the Swan Sea, is a fine port in the southeast of Plantagenet. As maritime trade flourished, the number of ships entering and leaving this port each day became astonishing. But today, every vessel in Victoria Harbor was stunned, even the Royal Ark Fleet guarding the harbor was alarmed.

A gigantic sea bat surged forward, its waves almost capsizing several small Kirk-class freighters. Yet the imposing Pompey, mountain-like on the bat’s back, and the following Fishi people silenced all protests. The sea bat halted five kilometers from Victoria Harbor; the Fishi people did not attack the port or other ships, merely waiting quietly for something.

Victoria Harbor was in uproar. Who were the Fishi? The greatest pirates of the sea. And the sea bat? That was the Fishi’s “warship,” their mount for long-distance raids. Only when a Fishi unit undertook extended hunts would they deploy such giant sea beasts—the sea bat being the finest among them, usually possessed only by high-ranking Fishi.

The entire Royal Ark Fleet mobilized, first scouting the Fishi. Although they had a sea bat, the unit numbered at most a thousand, while the Ark Fleet boasted over 150 vessels and nearly eight squadrons of naval soldiers, not counting port staff. Though their strength far exceeded the Fishi, the fleet did not provoke war, merely kept watch at a safe distance.

The Fishi paid the human fleet no mind. After half an hour, a human merchant ship sailed along the path cleared by the Fishi, stopping outside Victoria Harbor. People glimpsed a delicate figure leap from the merchant ship onto the giant sea bat; then the bat swiftly departed from the harbor vicinity.

This astonished people even more—the Fishi had escorted the merchant ship? Who was the mysterious woman who leapt onto the sea bat? The answers remained elusive. The Celeste had become a frightened bird; though Helen had left the ship and returned to the Fishi, they kept their promise and took no revenge. Captain Kaplan hurriedly replenished supplies, spent a single night, and departed Victoria at top speed, heading south to Herdasin.

The sea bat drew farther from the Celeste. The mermaid princess Helen bit her lip, watching it vanish within the harbor. Suddenly, Pompey knelt on one knee. “Your Highness, it is our incompetence that has caused you distress. Yet I once promised that man that if you returned safely, I would let them go this time. But rest assured, I have remembered the name of this ship. I will have all Fishi keep an eye out for it; if we encounter it again, I will smash it to pieces with my giant anchor.”

“Oh, no!” Helen cried out, then realized her lapse and blushed, explaining, “You mustn’t do that. How could you let the Will family’s honor be tarnished because of me? Though I suffered a small grievance, I won’t blame you for it. Pompey, I know your loyalty—you even brought me my favorite oysters. Your Will family is second only to us sirens in nobility; your words represent the dignity of the ocean warriors. And that human named Wei is extremely powerful; you mustn’t risk yourself.”

Helen used every compliment she’d heard from her father, Emperor Sargon, about the Will family. Pompey noticed nothing amiss, moved to tears by the princess’s magnanimity—even the final admonition not to risk himself, he did not mind Helen’s suggestion that he might be less than Wei.

The loyal Will commander hastily said, “Thank you, Your Highness. But we cannot let them off so easily. We Fishi are masters of the sea; humans are but guests. We have never suffered such a loss, especially not when it concerns you.”

Helen was startled—she hadn’t expected Pompey to remain unconvinced. She had spent six days aboard ship, chatting with Wei Wujie from the third day onward, growing ever happier. When she left, she felt a faint reluctance, though she would never admit it. She was drawn to the things Wei Wujie described; were it not for her pride, she might have asked him to keep her captive a few more days, ideally to take her ashore for a look. But as the most distinguished siren princess of the Western Fishi Empire, she simply could not lower herself to request such a thing from a human thief.

She no longer resented Wei Wujie; indeed, she rather liked hearing his voice. In the end, apart from a few pearls lost from her gown, she suffered no real harm. Helen no longer wished to trouble the Celeste, feeling this showed her generosity—so if she met Wei Wujie again, he ought to be grateful for her magnanimity, and she could then naturally ask him to show her the wonders he’d spoken of.

It was a perfect idea. So Helen solemnly addressed the Will commander, “For the sake of the Will family’s honor, I forbid you from rashly seeking out the human ship called the Celeste. I order you, as princess, not to pursue them further.”

The Fishi aboard the sea bat were unimpressed, but though Helen was not yet of age, she was the most distinguished among them. None openly objected. Pompey sensed something was amiss, but since the princess spoke in defense of his family, he opened his massive mouth and released a bubble, unable to utter a word in protest.

Helen’s next words quickly betrayed her motives. “Of course, I understand your loyalty to me, and the royal dignity of the sirens must not be slighted. Therefore, I permit you to attack other human merchant ships from now on—let them know we are the true masters of the ocean!”

The little mermaid clenched her fist; hearing there was plunder to be had, the Fishi abandoned all attempts to understand the contradictions in the princess’s words, and eagerly began searching for targets at sea.

PS: Happy holidays, everyone! I’ll be away on the second, back in a few days, so I’ll post a bit more today and again in a few hours. I should be home around the sixth.