Pirate Kingship

Darkness, ice-cold, oppressive...

Byron felt as if he were slowly sinking in the depths of the ocean. The light above his head grew weaker, while the darkness below his feet deepened. His body grew increasingly powerless, his heart increasingly fearful. It seemed he was about to break away from the civilization and order created by humans over millions of years of evolution, to return to the primitive state of living in the deep sea from eons ago.

TWANG—!

A sudden sound of an anchor chain being pulled taut rang by his ears.

Then Byron suddenly... woke up.

He realized that he had just had a nightmare.

He continued to meditate with his eyes closed, gradually calming the all-too-real deep-sea terror, while also pondering his next move.

As my Spiritual Radiance strengthens, the impact from the Primordial Ocean also intensifies. Especially since leaving the Old Continent, the core of the 'Silver Law,' this has become particularly evident. I must begin preparing for the Promotion Ceremony, touch upon the second layer of the 'Silver Law,' complete the new Anchoring, and achieve Professional Level.

Time always flies by unnoticed, and in the blink of an eye, more than twenty days had passed since the Long-range Fleet set foot in the First Circulation Zone.

Thanks to Byron having survived one maelstrom after another, unlocking one secret after another, his Spirituality had already reached 4.5 upon just setting foot in the First Circulation Zone.

During that month, he gritted his teeth and, with determination, drank two cups of 'Angel's Kiss.'

Made with the Third Order 'Blood of Metamorphosis' from a Grand Judge, even he, a practitioner of the 'Holy Grail of Blood,' could not be completely exempt. He had to bear certain side effects.

However, now aboard the Golden Deer, besides Little Hans who had an enviable daddy, he also had a sister. How could a mere side effect of craving "maternal love" possibly trouble him? There was no need to compete with the crew for a cow.

Now another month had passed, and mid-December had come.

With multiple enhancements, Byron's Spirituality had gradually increased to 4.9, and he could no longer put off considering the next Promotion Ceremony for the 'Storm Knight.'

As a superior profession for pirates, the 'Storm Knight' combines the advantages of both pirates of the sea and knights of the land. The higher the level, the more obvious the advantage compared to a mere pirate. The primary Promotion Ceremony at First Rank is a blood battle centered around plundering, during which sublimation is achieved. The stronger the target, the better the effect. There's even a certain probability of directly inheriting some of the opponent's abilities; at this level, I obtained the 'Holy Grail of Blood.'

There are two possible paths for the Second Order Promotion Ceremony. The first is more pirate-oriented, raising the banner of 'Conquest is better than cultivation,' and involves plundering three group targets. These could be merchant ships or small land strongholds. If the loot from a single plunder is of enormous value, it's even possible to complete the promotion on the spot.

The second path leans more towards knights, adopting the spirit of 'every inch of territory must be contested,' and requires expanding territory as a pioneering Lord. The newly opened territory must be no less than 10 square kilometers. It must legally not belong to one's own faction, and all resistance on the territory must be eliminated.

Each path has its own focus, and the Second Order core abilities acquired are different. They represent the freedom of the 'Child of the Storm' and the dominion of the 'Breath of All Things.' Not to mention their formidable powers. In the rigidly structured Glory Ladder System, just this 50% uncertainty alone is already an incredibly valuable advantage.

However, Byron hadn't yet decided which path to take when he suddenly felt something cold like an ice ball being pressed against his stomach.

"HISS!"

He abruptly opened his eyes, only to be faced with Catherine's stunningly beautiful, beaming smile.

The girl sat on the edge of the bed, playing with a wisp of her pale golden hair, her mischievous laugh as clear and melodic as a silver bell.

"Good morning, little Byron."

He was actually in a room in the sterncastle of the Osprey, right next to Catherine's bedroom.

Normally, Transcendents have spiritual warnings that exceed the five senses of mortals. Not to mention a person, even if a harmless little animal entered their vicinity, they would immediately sense the slightest movement and awaken instinctively. But this ability was completely ineffective against Catherine.

Byron trusted his sister implicitly. He was 100 percent certain she would never hurt him, so he didn't even have an instinctual warning. That's what allowed her to sneak in unnoticed.

The same went for Bruh, the Guardian Knight, but the latter's personality was stern and serious, nothing like Catherine's carefree demeanor.

Catherine, who had come to wake him up early in the morning, was still wearing a soft, clean white cotton nightgown. Below its hem, a smooth segment of her calves peeked out. On her slim ankle, she wore a sparkling mithril anklet, while her feet were hidden in his blankets.

Byron looked down and silently lifted his blanket.

Unsurprisingly, he found her icy cold bare feet pressed against his belly, chilling him to the core and instantly dispelling all sleepiness.

Seizing her ankles, he was about to launch a tickle counterattack when he saw his sister looking at him with pitiful eyes, "Sleeping alone is too cold, aren't you willing to help me with such a small favor? Weren't you supposed to be my Guardian Knight, my knight in shining armor, my... my lord Governor?"

Byron immediately deflated, gritted his teeth, and pulled his foot and the blankets back under the covers.

Unlike the popular notion that noble offspring marry early, only about 6% marry before the age of fifteen. If you consider the median, it's 20 years for women and 22 for men. A noble's marriage is no trivial matter. It's not only about having children but also involves a series of inheritance issues. To retain family wealth intact and expand family interests through alliances, noble circles considered their children's marriage a social duty, leading to later ages for first marriages.

Noblewomen, unless they could rise to become Transcendents, had only two choices: to marry or to enter a monastery and live in solitude until their death.

As the victor, York had sent all the Lancaster widows, including the former Queen Margaret, to the monastery. He had 'graciously' bestowed upon Catherine the right to marry. But he had not only interfered with her lands, setting her inherently at odds with the Kingdom of Castile, but had also turned a blind eye to the Royal Hound, Vincent, swallowing her up, skin and bones.

Moreover, it is customary for a woman to change her surname after marrying a man, and her dowry comes under the man's control.

Of all the men in the fleet who covertly coveted the beautiful Countess, if not a hundred, then surely at least eighty. Many took action to court her in person, only to be turned away by Byron, using both the guise of Royal Hound Vincent and Pirate General Bill. During this period, he had brutally broken the limbs of more than one suitor, finally quelling that swarm of reckless suitors.

Indeed, he truly became Catherine's Guardian Knight in every sense of the term.

"Oh, and there's a surprise today."

Feeling her feet sufficiently warmed, Catherine made a silly face, jumped off Byron's bed, and, already in a pair of high heels, walked to the table. She lifted the cover of a mysterious silver serving dish.

"Ta-da, happy birthday, little Byron!"

On the table sat a clumsily made cake.

However, the writing on it was beautiful.

—Happy Every Day.

"It's my first attempt, so it's not that great. To ensure it's fresh, I woke up before dawn to make it. It's still a bit chilly, and my hands and feet were freezing. You little rascal, serving your big sister is the least you can do, understand!"

Though Catherine spoke humbly, she stood with her hands on her hips, chest puffed out, beaming with pride, clearly delighted with herself.

Then she threatened fiercely, "But, you have to eat it all with gratitude, and if you dare say it tastes bad, you're dead!"

She even waved her tiny, delicate fist at him, completely lacking in any threat.

Byron, however, had forgotten that today was actually his 18th birthday. There wasn't a grand royal coming-of-age celebration or expensive gifts, only an unsightly cake. But he had the most precious thing: a sister who always remembered his birthday.

His eyes slightly blurred, he stepped forward and embraced the girl, circling Catherine's slender waist with his arms and pulling her tightly.

"Thank you, sister!"

This was the sole familial affection he had left from two lifetimes; he never wanted to let it slip away again. He silently vowed to ensure she would no longer face hardship and would live a life as happy and... wealthy as a princess!

The two then hid in the room, stealthily sharing the birthday cake, bite for bite.

Byron recited the 'Spring Flow Inscription' of the Warrior's Cup, then washed up and changed clothes before walking out of the cabin with Catherine.

Freshwater is precious at sea, and under normal circumstances, even the Fleet Commander could only wash once a week, using rainwater collected by servants. But the Warrior's Cup, this Miracle, was like a Divine Artifact during long sea voyages. Providing an endless supply of freshwater was a lifesaver for Catherine, who loved cleanliness. Having to bathe only every few days would have driven her mad.

A bell rang out suddenly from the Flagship.

With the dawn light, they saw a small island ahead, its lighthouse emitting a warm and reassuring glow.

Here, the First Circulation Zone was weakening, gradually beginning to submerge beneath the sea surface. Spotting the lighthouse meant that in about three days, they would leave the First Circulation Zone and enter the Bantaan Archipelago.

And it was time for the Golden Deer to depart ahead of schedule to fulfill the first task given by its new boss.

Gazing at the Flagship ahead, Byron's eyes were steely.

Old man, if you get even a single copper coin's worth of benefit from this, I'll take your surname. No matter what's on Tayman Brak Island, it will belong to us, this Lord! Now, I think I know which Second Order Promotion Ceremony I'll choose.