Chapter 241 Duchy of Germany

Karida was eager to return and naturally went straight to find a ship that could take her back. However, when she inquired at the shipyard management center, she learned that the earliest vessel bound for the Azure Kingdom would not depart until two days later. This route was not one of the main shipping lanes of the Crodi Archipelago; it was mostly used by merchant ships that occasionally took passengers on their return trips.

Disappointed by the news that they had to wait two more days, Karida felt a bit let down, but Old Wang seemed quite content with the schedule.

"What's the rush? Life isn't about rushing into the next one."

"The ship owner will come to process the departure formalities tomorrow. If you want to board, you can come by then, but I can't specify the exact time..." The manager said lazily, then noticed five shiny silver lireos being offered to him.

The lazy expression on the manager's face vanished instantly, replaced by a warm and welcoming smile.

"It doesn't matter if the time is uncertain. You two can leave your contact information, and I'll book a cabin for you as soon as the ship owner arrives. The Nisan is a large ship; taking on a couple of extra passengers is no problem at all! Where are you staying?" He said enthusiastically, "Once I've arranged everything with the ship owner, I'll send someone to inform you!"

Karida asked indifferently, "Which inn nearby is relatively clean?"

"Of course, the Debong Royal Hotel. It's right in the heart of the port, very easy to find. Ha ha, just looking at you two, I can tell you're people of means. There's no need for me to boast about the conditions at the Debong Royal Hotel."

Karida nodded, "When you hear from the ship owner, please have someone deliver a message to the hotel. We'll provide a reward then."

"Got it!"

Leaving the management center, Old Wang gained a new understanding of Brother Da. It turned out that Brother Da wasn't ignorant of social graces or unaware that things often required money. Back in Rose, this guy had just been pretending to be clueless in front of him!

Damn, truly a Card Skinflint, a term he hadn't used in a long time, how cunning!

The Debong Royal Hotel was located on Ten Directions Street in the heart of the port, just as the clerk had described. The area was indeed very clean and bustling. The surroundings were lined with shops selling luxury brands and large auction houses. The human navy headquarters of the Crodi Archipelago was also here, right next to the Debong Royal Hotel. The massive emblem of the human navy, featuring crossed cannons and swords, along with the red and blue colors symbolizing the blood-stained sea, made the navy headquarters look particularly majestic and solemn.

This part of the street was much cleaner compared to the messy dock area. There were no random wanted posters lining the streets; instead, they were all concentrated on the bounty wall at the navy headquarters.

It was a large white wall, about ten meters long and three meters high. On the right side, roughly two-thirds of the space was filled with high-reward wanted posters and bounties. Sess's portrait was prominently displayed among them, near the top.

This portrait was far more detailed than the small advertisement-like images outside, clearly the work of a skilled artist who had depicted Sessius's appearance with remarkable accuracy, allowing Old Wang to recognize him at first glance. The portrait looked quite new, indicating it had been recently updated. The bounty was not the nineteen million euros he had heard about on the ship, but a full twenty million, suggesting it had been recently increased.

Above Sessius, Old Wang saw 'Redbeard' Carlos, the name he had heard most often over the past two days on the ship. Carlos was a rugged-looking human with a large cigar in his mouth and a striking red beard, with a bounty of twenty-one million.

On the right wall, many portraits were also posted, but these were not wanted notices. Instead, they were various missing person posters, marked with offers of substantial rewards.

"Pirates don't always kill their captives; most want to exchange them for ransom. But when a ship is raided, there can be hundreds of hostages, each claiming they can pay a ransom to stay alive. Pirates don't have the patience to sort through all of them, so this practice emerged," Karida pointed to the missing person posters. "These are posted by the families and friends of the victims, proving that they have the means to pay the ransom and are willing to do so. Pirates often send someone to check these out, then claim to help rescue the person in exchange for the ransom, before releasing them."

"But what if the family or friends don't know the ship was raided? Or if they post the notice on another free island where the pirates don't see it?"

"Ships usually have a sailing deadline. If they exceed the time, it's definitely an accident. Relatives who want to save their loved ones will come here to post notices. Besides pirates, bounty hunters also help investigate and rescue people, as long as the person returns safely." Karida said calmly, "If the notice is posted in the wrong place and the pirates don't see it, leading to a wrongful execution, that's just bad luck."

Old Wang felt a sense of sorrow; life was truly cheap at sea. Damn, what a savage society!

The Navy Headquarters exuded authority and power, while the adjacent hotel was low-key and elegant, with round-topped castle architecture and a fountain garden at the entrance, creating a luxurious and noble atmosphere. This was the Debon Royal Hotel.

Debon was the third-ranked super-duchy in the League of Blades, renowned for its martial artists. The Debon Armed Corps was one of the world's invincible armies, known for winning battles with fewer troops. It was a key force in the League of Blades' resistance against the Nine Gods Empire, making the duchy extremely powerful.

Moreover, the Debon people were meticulous and thorough in everything they did, from high-end technologies like runes, forging, and potions to ordinary industries like commerce and service, setting industry standards. Their rigorous spirit was highly respected, and the Debon Royal Hotel, a chain under the royal family, was well-known throughout the League of Blades for its excellent reputation.

As soon as they arrived at the entrance, a waiter in a top hat ran over to greet them, bowing and carrying their luggage, addressing them respectfully as "Sir" and "Madam."

Unlike the sea races' appreciation for gold, the interior decoration was relatively simple, mainly in white tones. A crystal chandelier, nearly ten meters long, hung from the five-story ceiling, sparkling with luxury. The furniture and decorations in the hall emitted a faint sandalwood scent, all made from high-quality sandalwood.

While the sea races didn't particularly appreciate this human taste, it suited Old Wang's palate perfectly. Even Karida's face showed a rare hint of relaxation, giving her a sense of being home.

After booking two rooms, it was still early, so Old Wang suggested they visit the local market.

This was a free island, where many scarce materials from the mainland, which were often sold at sky-high prices, were actually quite affordable. For example, the cores of giant seaweed, a precious ingredient for potions, had been something Old Wang had long coveted at Clara's auction house but couldn't afford at ten thousand euros each. Here, he heard they cost less than a quarter of that price. He couldn't leave empty-handed, and of course, he had to bring Sister Da along; shopping was a woman's favorite activity, after all.

Sister Da, indeed, couldn't resist the allure of shopping. Her spirits lifted at the prospect, and she agreed readily, "I have some things to buy too, so let's go together."