I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 543 The Witty Elf Advisor

"Misunderstand?"

When the Pirate King heard the elf on the other side say that, he just found it particularly funny.

“There is no misunderstanding. This is revenge, our revenge against the elves.”

The Shanghai Pirate King stated unequivocally... "Although this operation was for capturing spirits to satisfy personal desires, it was not for revenge."

But to deceive others, one must first deceive oneself. The Shanghai Pirate King is now deceiving himself, and he has succeeded in doing so. Therefore, when he speaks, he is at ease, and his tone is solemn and full of unquestionable indignation.

Elunor was full of doubts.

"Sir, please tell me what we did?"

"Attack."

The Shanghai Pirate King said without hesitation.

"Last autumn, our nation's first fleet visited Casarina Island, which then belonged to the Macon Union. On the way back, at night, a magical ship that could influence and create illusions attacked the fleet's flagship, and a group of half-elf magic swordsmen boarded it."

In the sudden battle, we suffered over a hundred casualties, and one of the King's Guards was captured, interrogated, and tortured to death. We know and confirm that his body is on the Blue Flame Isles.

Elunor's heart sank.

The scene described in The Pirate King—nighttime, a magical ship that creates illusions, half-elf magic swordsmen and shieldmen boarding—every detail here is like a key, precisely unlocking a certain lock in his memory.

Mirror Sea Brigade, led by Hobert.

And then there's his infamous magical warship, the "Mirror Moon," whose hull is enchanted with advanced mirroring magic, allowing it to perfectly conceal itself under moonlight and even create false images.

Elune disliked the Mirror Sea Guild simply because Hobert and his men were a group of morally ambiguous individuals. They were a group of pure-blooded elves who held half-elves and humans who served the Blue Flame Kingdom in utter contempt.

Half-elves are considered consumables within the Mirror Sea Guild.

Unfortunately, even though they are consumables, many outstanding half-elf swordsmen are still willing to join the Mirror Sea Guild, simply because it is one of their few social ladders.

The Mirror Sea Guild looked down on half-elves, but the upper echelons of the entire Blue Flame Kingdom were even more corrupt and arrogant.

The Mirror Sea Brigade is nominally employed by certain nobles of the Blue Flame Kingdom to clean up the rampant slave traders and pirates in the open sea. However, they are ruthless and unpredictable in their actions, and sometimes they do not mind blurring the boundaries of their targets in order to achieve their goals or obtain extra spoils.

Attacking a human fleet from the continent without magic, plundering their property, and even kidnapping a seemingly important person for interrogation... these kinds of things are completely within the Mirror Sea Brigade's business scope, or rather, on their gray income list.

In an instant, Elunor understood everything.

Why were the Bagnians so angry? Why did they act under the banner of revenge? Why were they able to pinpoint Moonstone Harbor so precisely and launch such a ferocious attack?

The root of all this was a raid on their nation's fleet, initiated by a third-party elven force.

Aelunor felt a wave of dizziness. Not from fear, but from a profound sense of absurdity and powerlessness. The Blue Flame Kingdom, Moonstone Port, he and his missing kin had suffered such an undeserved calamity because of the despicable actions of a group of mercenaries and pirates.

He opened his mouth, wanting to explain, wanting to tell the human commander in front of him, who was filled with rage, that the attack was not launched by the official forces of the Blue Flame Kingdom, but by a group of mercenaries who were not fully under his control.

But he swallowed the words back down his throat.

What could he say?
To say, "That wasn't us, it was another group of elves"?
Such an explanation would likely be seen by the other party as nothing more than a weak and feeble excuse and sophistry.

In their minds, all elves are a unified whole, and the actions of the Mirror Sea Brigade are seen as a provocation and attack by the elves against Bagnia, for which the Blue Flame Kingdom must be held responsible.

Moreover, even if the other party reluctantly believes it, will they give up? Will they turn their ship around to seek revenge on the Mirror Sea Brigade, which may be wandering in some unknown sea area, instead of letting go of the rich Blue Flame Islands that are right in front of them?
Elune was almost certain that it wouldn't.

This massive fleet, carrying the will of revenge and the desire for plunder, will not easily give up because of a misunderstanding.

On the contrary, this explanation might even be seen as proof of the elves' cowardice and hypocrisy, further enraging them.

Looking into the Shanghai Pirate King's eyes, filled with hatred and unwavering faith, he knew that any explanation of the misunderstanding would be futile at this moment.

The truth, sometimes, does not bring peace; instead, it may become a catalyst for accelerating war.

The solemnity in Elunor's emerald eyes was almost tangible.

He realized that the situation he was facing was a hundred times more complicated than he had anticipated.

The path to peace seemed to have been completely blocked the moment he glimpsed its starting point.

He remained silent for a few seconds, and finally spoke in an extremely strained tone, trying to make a final effort, even if it was just to buy a little bit of time, or... to find the slightest chance of a turnaround.

"Commander, there may be some hidden details about the events you described that neither of us is aware of."

On behalf of the Blue Flame Kingdom and Mooncrown City, I guarantee that we will thoroughly investigate this matter. Could you please calm down and give us some time…?

His voice sounded somewhat faint in the sea breeze, and even he himself felt that his words seemed so pale and powerless at this moment.

So, Elunor sighed and decided to change his approach.

"Regarding the magic ship you mentioned, I have a rough idea. I roughly know who was responsible. Those elves are not from an official force..."

"who are they?"

The Shanghai Pirate King became interested, feeling there might be some plot details to uncover.

"The Mirror Sea Brigade is a mixed group of pirates and mercenaries who serve some elven nobles."

"You'll hand them over?"

Upon hearing this, Elunor sighed once again.

"Your Excellency, from a rational and political perspective, this is not an option."

The Shanghai Pirate King looked disdainful.

"So, you've chosen to protect them?"

“If that were the case, I wouldn’t have come here and revealed the attacker’s identity.”

Elunor sighed again, looking somewhat helpless.

"I hope to be on your ship, setting sail with you, while my people and ship can leave with the message."

"kindness!?"

The Shanghai Pirate King's vigilance increased because of these words, and he looked at Elune with suspicion.

"Don't look at me like that. I know this won't stop the war, and I can't get my country to hand over the Mirror Sea Brigade. My purpose in doing this is simply to let my country know why the war started."

"Then why did you stay?"

"In order to let you know who the Mirror Sea Brigade is... when the Blue Flame Kingdom's fleet goes to war with you, the Mirror Sea Brigade will also participate in the war according to the kingdom's conscription order. I can let you know who your real enemy is."

The Shanghai Pirate King was stunned. He stared at the elf in front of him, as if he were seeing the other party clearly for the first time.

A few seconds later, he burst into laughter, not mocking, but with a hint of incredulous admiration.

"Hahaha, interesting, really interesting!" The Shanghai Pirate King slapped his thigh.

"If I understand correctly, you mean you, an elven diplomat, are going to stay on our Avengers' ship and, once we get to the battlefield, point out to us... Look, that guy on that ship over there, that's the one you should really be killing?"

Elunor shrugged, a smile that was almost helpless on his face. The smile seemed particularly abrupt against his solemn expression, yet strangely harmonious.

"To be precise, that's the idea. After all, in the midst of a chaotic battle, accurately locating a specific target can effectively increase the efficiency of revenge and reduce unnecessary... well, friendly fire?"
From a cost-benefit perspective, this is very worthwhile.

These words, tinged with a touch of shrewd calculation yet undeniably realistic, came from the mouth of an elegant elf, causing the Shanghai Pirate King and his lieutenants to chuckle.

The tense atmosphere strangely eased a little at that moment.

The Shanghai Pirate King has inexplicably developed a liking for this guy.

"You are the strangest elf I have ever seen."

The Shanghai Pirate King shook his head, his tone inquisitive.

"Instead of defending your kingdom to the end, you're in a hurry to help us find the real culprit?"

Aren't you afraid of being seen as a traitor by your own people?

Elunor's emerald eyes flickered slightly, like cunning light and shadow flitting through the forest.

"Your Excellency, first of all, I am a pragmatist, and the first step in being pragmatic is to recognize reality. The reality is that war cannot be stopped by weak excuses, but perhaps it can be ended more quickly by reducing the information gap. Secondly..."

He paused, his tone carrying a unique self-deprecating humor.

"If my sacrifice, whether honorary or physical, can make the people I care about, such as my family still in Mooncrown City, or my subordinates who are about to return with the truth, live a little safer, then this deal is worthwhile."

As for the label of traitor… let’s discuss how history books will write it when we’re all alive until the end of the war. Perhaps then I can sip afternoon tea while drafting my own defense.”

The Shanghai Pirate King was completely amused by this elf.

This elf NPC is quite a character.

Calm, rational, with a worldly-wise sense of humor, even willing to put himself on the chessboard as a living piece.

"Alright, Eluneor, is that so?"

The Shanghai Pirate King stroked his chin.

"Your proposal is interesting. I can allow your ship to leave, taking with it what you call a message, but you..."

He looked at the elf meaningfully.

“You can stay, but not as a living map to identify enemies, but as my… well, special advisor. After all, I know too little about you elves, especially that Mirror Sea Brigade.”

Elunor bowed slightly, her movements still elegant, as if she were receiving not an arrangement that was almost imprisonment, but a formal appointment.

"It would be my pleasure to serve you, Your Excellency. I hope my knowledge will be of some benefit to your expedition."

He looked up, a subtle smile curving his lips.

"At least, it will allow your anger to be directed in the right place."

Looking at this spirit who maintained his composure and humor even in adversity, the Shanghai Pirate King felt, for the first time, a spark of interest in this revenge that went beyond mere plunder.

This elf is perhaps far more useful and interesting than he imagined.

"Make way for the other two to leave, and arrange a cabin for Advisor Elunor."

The Shanghai Pirate King gave instructions to his adjutant, then added a sentence.

"Treat him well, he is our honored guest and guide."

Elune gave the Pirate King a smile, then turned to his two subordinates and whispered instructions.

While Elune and the Pirate King were talking, the two elves remained mostly silent, made no unnecessary movements, and showed no change in expression. Clearly, they were very familiar with Elune's personality and style of doing things, which was not surprising.

Soon, the two elves saluted Elunor, then turned and walked towards the side of the boat. With a clean and swift flip, they disappeared from the sight of Elunor and the Pirate King.

After the two elves left, Elune looked at the Pirate King once again.

"Sir, now that we have reached an agreement, may I ask for your name?"

"The King of Pirates of Shanghai".

"Hey?"

After Makon translated the sentence with difficulty, Elunor's elegant smile froze instantly, and her emerald eyes were filled with undisguised confusion and... a hint of absurdity that she was trying hard to suppress.

He tilted his head slightly, as if doubting his own ears, or wondering if the translator in Macon had developed some kind of hearing impairment during his long voyage.

"Shanghai... the King of Thieves?"

He carefully repeated the strangely pronounced combination, each syllable pronounced extremely slowly and clearly, as if he were tasting a fruit with an extremely bizarre flavor.

"Please forgive me, sir, are you saying... Shanghai, is that a place name?"

And the King of Thieves…

He paused, his expression becoming even more subtle.

"In the translation, this doesn't seem to be a word combination typically used for formal titles?"

He chose a very diplomatic way of putting it, but his eyes clearly said it all.

"Are you kidding me? Who would call themselves the King of Thieves, and even use such an unheard-of place name?"

The Shanghai Pirate King was secretly delighted to see the elf trying to be polite yet looking utterly bewildered.

The comedic effect of this culture shock is exactly what players like him enjoy.

He tried to keep a straight face and nodded in a serious manner.

"That's right, it's the Shanghai Pirate King. Shanghai is my hometown, a place that's...very, very far away. As for the Pirate King..."

He paused, then spoke with an almost proud tone.

"It means that in that sea area, I am the undisputed king."

Elunor remained silent for an even longer period, clearly undergoing a fierce internal turmoil.

He seemed to be trying to reconcile this rough, straightforward, and even somewhat...bandit-like title with the image of the human commander in front of him who could command a huge fleet and whose words were full of shrewdness.

After a long while, Elunor finally spoke with a sigh.

"Well, this is probably just a cultural difference between elves and lands without magic."

(End of this chapter)