Black Sail
Chapter 291: CCXCI. Bloodbath in East Sea

Chapter 291: CCXCI. Bloodbath in East Sea

In the manor, the wedding ceremony unfolded.

At noon, 12 o’clock.

The ritual proceeded smoothly and without disturbance, devoid of any accidents.

Following the impeccable Old Wei, who led the coffee shop owner dressed in a white wedding gown onto the stage, the band played an elegant and melodious tune that fit the ambiance perfectly.

The ceremony officially began.

Caroso, as a professional, had also changed out of his deep brown ronin attire and into a black priest’s robe, instantly exuding an air of clergy.

After reciting a series of incantations from the teachings of the god of love to begin, he followed with the standard procedure, asking whether each party was willing to stay by the other’s side, in sickness and in health, to become each other’s wife, each other’s husband.

The coffee shop owner was on the verge of tears.

Claude tried his best to not be too nervous; he cared more about the ceremony itself than its process.

Having returned to the scene, Liszt looked gloomy, preoccupied with other matters.

The rest were cheering and hollering joyously, but coming from the pirates, it sounded more like howling, causing both the owner above and Claude to struggle to keep a straight face, sharing a smile.

This completely dispelled the previous sentimental atmosphere, and they became immersed in happiness.

Shadi, the best man standing aside, scanned the bridesmaids. "Damn, I’m surrounded by beauties."

Not only were Izumi and the signboard girl among the coffee shop owner’s bridesmaids, there were also some of her friends from the island.

Some of them showed a keen interest in Shadi, conveying messages through their eyes.

"May the creator of the world, the benevolent god, and the Holy Spirit of eternal vows in the Holy Spirit Temple, bless you both. From now on, you shall be joined together, in harmony, honoring god and staying true to your path, in peace and happiness, loving and cherishing each other, through better or worse, never to part."

Caroso closed the scriptures.

Now, Claude could say he had a license to wield a gun.

"You may now kiss the bride," Caroso reminded.

What followed were scenes not suitable for children, with ribbons drifting all around the venue.

"So... so jealous!" Rein could no longer contain himself. Now that was what you called truly sealing the deal with a wife and progeny.

There was supposed to be a segment for guest speeches, but Claude feared the pirates couldn’t utter anything decent, so he scrapped the segment and moved straight to the feast.

"Finally, it begins! Weddings are so boring!" Fafna grumbled, having already drowned her cravings in over ten liters of juice.

The bride and groom went from table to table offering toasts.

With this, the ceremony was successfully concluded. The afternoon’s card games and dinner weren’t as important; those who wanted to come could come, and it didn’t matter if others didn’t.

The mood at the Black Sail’s table, however, was decidedly somber, as Fen informed everyone about what had just happened, which was potentially fatal. Of course, the navy wouldn’t arrive immediately, but it was a backing for Doringger.

Doringger didn’t have the clout to get the Yisu Country’s navy to show up for him.

"Now that our power has grown so much, and Doringger is not in the castle, why not just charge in and take over?" Mika suggested. He was extremely satisfied with his current status and had no intention of letting go without a fight.

Liszt’s gaze was icy. "Damn it, my hands are full of shards, and without three Kagomes and three Kikyos, there’s no way to explain this."

Fen shook her head. Taking territory is one thing—rashness can settle it—but holding that ground is another matter. When Doringger returns with his great army and the moving fortress, with aid coming from all directions, it’s your head on the line for a game.

"Claude’s wedding is over, and my people are all here, so there’s no need to wait until tomorrow. We can leave this afternoon, the sooner the better."

Ox had no appetite for food, knowing what this meant. Time was pressing, and they had to deal with the matters of Dead Man Bay swiftly.

He desired Dead Man Bay not just as a stronghold, but as a strategic location to serve as a bridgehead with the Mirror Sea, to hold aloft the flag once borne by a Warlord.

The person most eager for success was undoubtedly Wolman; he could hardly stand to wait a moment longer and wished he could fly to the Great Wetland. It had been several years since he had last returned to visit.

"Good, Taylor’s fleet is also rented, and their manpower hired. A bit more preparation is necessary—taking some building materials needed to construct an outpost, summoning some workers. We need to plant our flag in the New Continent, and I will depart with the fleet. Haywood, Mika, Shadi, Rein, these people will come with me. The First Officer shall remain on the island, Caroso and Fafna are also there; I’m reassured."

Liszt was bound to reap benefits from the New Continent, and since he had seized half the shares at that evening banquet in the castle, he had to fully utilize them.

"Company funds are still plentiful."

Fen reminded him to display the attitude of someone ready for big endeavors. Liszt couldn’t be stingy with money—it was the biggest chip in contending against Doringger.

"I understand. Doringger has ordered the pirates not to plunder—that’s directed at us. We’ve become thieves through and through. However, it’s of no consequence. Qi Liwenkui will also have their work starting tomorrow. From now on, whether it’s pirates from the island or outside forces or any factions, we’ll hire them all. Some to assist Qi Li and Wenkui, others to intercept the route to Iron Soul Island, specifically targeting those who wish to trade in the New Continent without my approval. As for balancing the two efforts, it must be adaptive to the situation. The budget is twenty thousand Golden Dragons, Fen, you decide. This is a major decision; it requires two-thirds approval. Who’s in favor, who’s against?"

After Liszt had spoken,

there was no surprise that all members of the board unanimously approved.

Liszt paused for a moment, then, after a long silence, he spoke, "I want to purge the East Sea. Everyone must listen to me."

His expression at this moment was terrifyingly serious.

Liszt hadn’t been raised in fear; Doringger was wicked, and he was even worse.

All the core members were somber. Big, tough jobs were no longer the right descriptors.

This was... a monumental undertaking.

The evening came quickly.

As a wealthy man, even though Claude had invested four thousand Golden Dragons in company shares, he still had a few hundred Golden Dragons on hand—more than he could spend on ordinary expenses.

Now with a family, it wasn’t possible to continue staying at the Black Sail Inn with his wife, not with those rough-and-tumble 3D pirates—3D standing for D-grade in character, education, and intelligence.

As things stood, the exterior of the city seemed safer than the Inner City. He had bought a simple two-story residential house as their new abode, and its décor tended toward Aran’s metallic Gothic style.

Unopened mountains of gift boxes filled the bedroom of the wedding house; the island’s rough folk were generously face-saving, as he had already received nearly a hundred Golden Dragons in gifts. The various decorations also added a cozy touch.

As for the private time between Claude and his wife, with the physical fitness of Aran’s Military Officials, it was, of course, wild and unmatched.

They had now entered post-coital chat mode.

For adults, post-coital conversation sometimes brings more happiness than the act itself—it’s the true unification of two people.

The coffee shop signboard girl lay on Claude’s chest.

Claude had also come to know her past. She was originally the fiancée of a baron from the Beima Duchy. However, before they could marry, her family encountered a tragedy, and her fiancé also perished. Due to this connection, she had become a target, fleeing to Heaven Port, sheltered by the Black Sail group, a fate so full of vicissitudes it was difficult not to feel pity.

The Black Sail group wasn’t exactly a bunch of monstrous villains but could be described as lawless ruffians; surprisingly, Claude found his own experience since boarding their ship to be quite nuanced.

Liszt might have killed and set ablaze, but he was indeed a good person.

"Can you... stop going to sea from now on?"

"Of course. I’ve already spoken with Liszt. There won’t be any more assignments. I’ll always be in Heaven Port and here with you."

His wife was overjoyed.

They immediately started the second round.

Claude knew he was deeply mired in the muck.

He only hoped his child could make something of himself—in Aran...advance in rank, and he would use every means necessary to pave the way for him.

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