The salty night air carried the st of the sea as Captain or’s ship cut through the dark waters, its prow slig through the gentle waves. The moon hung high, casting silver light upon the o's surface, illuminating the debris floating ahead.

  “What the hell is this?” uttered under his breath, gripping the railing as he narrowed his eyes at the scattered wreckage clogging their path. The water was littered with broken pnks, shattered barrels, and remnants of old ships, f their fleet to slow down signifitly.

  His grip on the spygss tightened as he raised it to his eye, sing the inplete port in the distance. Shadows moved atop the walls—too many to be a simple night watch. His stomach ed.

  “Captain! I think they were expeg us!” one of his knights shouted from behind, his voice ced with panic.

  or’s worst fears were firmed when he spotted figures on the wooden ptform he port’s edge. A woman stood at the ter, illuminated by the flickering torchlight. Even from this distance, her anding presence was undeniable.

  Ravenna stood on the raised wooden stage, a regal yet practical coat of deep bck, its golden embroidery shimmering uhe moonlight. Her sharp, pierg eyes locked onto the ining ships like a hawk spotting prey.

  She turned slightly, catg Hughes’ gaze on the half-built wall. With a subtle movement, she raised her hand, gripping a small torch. A moment ter, a flicker of light returned from the wall—his signal of readiness.

  Satisfied, Ravenna reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a delicate white jasmine flower. Faint magical runes glowed on its petals as she crushed it between her fingers. The moment the flower disied, an invisible force amplified her voice, sending it rippling through the air like ahereal and.

  “I invaders! You dare set foot in my dukedom?” Her voice rang out, cutting through the wind and crashing waves. “You and your wretched vist sponsor will learn the price of crossing Ravenna Sorius. I will personally see to it that you leave this p s—or not at all.”

  Her words carried a devilish charm, thick with authority and unwavering resolve. The very air around the port seemed to hum with an ominous energy, as if fate itself had tilted against the approag fleet.

  The moment Ravenna’s voice reached the ships, an eerie silence fell over the deck. The so-called ‘pirate-knights’ stood frozen, their faces pale as if the life had been drained from them. It was not just the revetion that their arrival had been anticipated—it was the chilliainty that she knew who they were.

  Captain or’s throat went dry. His mind raced through the implications. “If she knew of our arrival, then she must have already informed the imperial court. We’re finished.”

  His pulse hammered against his skull as he turned sharply, barking out an order.

  “Retreat! Turn the ships around! We’re heading back to open waters!”

  If they could escape into the o, they could wait out the storm, ying low for months until they received word of the vist’s fate. Supplies wouldn’t be an issue—as long as they lighteheir load. We’ll just dump the sves in the sea if we have to.

  Just as he finished his and, a streak of silver pierced uhe starry night sky.

  A javelin, glinting uhe moonlight, shot toward them at a terrifying speed. It smmed into the main mast with a deafening crack, splintering the wood like paper. Shards flew in all dires as the crew ducked for cover.

  Before or could process what had happened, another came. And another.

  Javelins rained down with unnatural precision, each strike severing a vital piece of the ship’s rigging. The sails tore apart, their tattered remains fluttering uselessly as the mast groaned uhe relentless assault. The ropes snapped, sending crew members tumbling across the deck as the mast finally gave way.

  BAM!

  The wooden pilr colpsed, its massive frame smashing into the deck with a thunderous crash. or barely had time to roll out of the way, but not before a flying splinter grazed his cheek, leaving a thin, bleeding cut.

  Struggling to his feet, he looked around in horror. The other ships had suffered the same fate. Their sails were in ruins, their retreat severed before it could even begin.

  “T-They cut off our escape…” he muttered, eyes wide with disbelief.

  The crew around him remained motionless, their faces mirr his shock. The precision. The speed. The sheer number of steel javelins. None of it made sense.

  “Ballistas shouldn’t be able to fire like that.” That was the only thought running through his head.

  On the Port Jo

  Ravenna’s smirk widened as she observed the destru. sound curled from the ballista ptforms, the meisms still humming from their rapid assault. The sails had been shredded in perfect sequence, leaving the enemy utterly stranded.

  She exhaled in satisfa, then turned her attention to the floati in her vision.

  [Reputation System Log]+9 Points: Captain or is stunned and dreading the terattack’s tinuation.+9 Points: Knight Ja is stunned and dreading the terattack’s tinuation.+9 Points: Knight Nealson is stunned and dreading the terattack’s tinuation.

  “Hmm… So his name is Captain or?” she mused, tapping her .

  Raising another jasmine flower, she crushed it between her fingers, letting her voice echo across the battlefield once more.

  “So, Captain or,” she said, her voice dripping with amusement. “Will you surrender, or shall I tinue?”

  Her words were apanied by the ominous creaking of reloaded ballistas.

  On the Broken Ships

  Captain or stood frozen, his body stiff as though the very o breeze had turo ice. He ched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white, his breath uneven. Sweat trickled down his temple as the full weight of the situation sank in.

  This was supposed to be a simple raid—a qui-and-out mission, an effortless mission. But instead, they had sailed straight into the jaws of a perfectly id trap.

  His stomach ed as Ravenna’s voice echoed once more across the shattered remains of his fleet. It wasn’t just that she khey were ing—she kly who he was.

  “How?”

  His mind raced through the possibilities. Had someorayed them? Had a spy infiltrated the vist’s ranks?

  Then it hit him. She hadn’t sunk them.

  With those monstrous ballistas, Ravenna could have easily turheir ships into floating coffins, leaving no survivors to tell the tale. But instead, she had specifically aimed for their sails, leaving them stranded, vulnerable—but alive.

  “Why?”

  or’s eyes widened in realization, his heart pounding in his chest.

  “The sves.”

  “Damn it!” he cursed under his breath.

  There was no other reason for this attack strategy. Ravenna was ruthless—known for swift, decisive a. If her only goal had been to elimihem, she would have done so the moment they ehe port. But by sparing them, by rendering them uo flee, she had made her objective painfully clear.

  There was someone valuable among the prisoners. Someone worth saving. If he could figure out who, he could turn this situation around.

  His expression hardened as he snapped out of his daze, spinning on his heel to face his men.

  “Get below deow!” he barked, his voice cutting through the stunned silence. “Secure the sves! Move!”

  His crew hesitated for only a sed before scrambling into a, boots thudding against the wooden pnks as they rushed toward the hatches.

  or’s mind raced as he struggled to piece everything together. If Ravenna was willing to let them live just to retrieve someohen whoever it was held serious importanough to gamble aire fleet’s escape.

  “Who could it be? A noble? A high-ranking official?”

  It didn’t matter. If Ravenna wahem, then they were now his only leverage.

  Gritting his teeth, or straightened his bad cast o goward the port. The princess stood there, still watg, still waiting, pletely in trol.

  But the game wasn’t over yet.

  If he pyed his cards right, he might just find a way out of this nightmare.

  Read 12+ Advance Chapters by being a Patron : 49. spired art 3: On The Eastern Dunes