Lord: I can see loyalty.

The moment I landed, my feet were on slippery cobblestones, and above me was the hazy sky of Port-Rideau.

Vio stepped onto the dock, his boots making a soft "thud" as they crunched on the blood-soaked ground, surrounded by the haphazardly laid corpses of pirates.

In the distance, the remaining soldiers who had narrowly escaped the rain of arrows were fleeing in panic, not even daring to look back.

"My Lord Earl!"

A messenger pushed through the crowd, knelt on one knee, and gasped, "Philip has already escaped!"

Vio raised an eyebrow slightly, but his face didn't show much surprise.

"When?"

"According to the prisoners of war on the dock, as soon as news of the first wave of defeats in the western naval battle came back, he took his confidants and fled west by boat. No one knows exactly where he went."

Vio nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips. "You run pretty fast."

Axel leaned over and spat, cursing, "Damn it, that little thing, he runs away at the slightest sign of trouble. No wonder he's been able to survive in the West for so many years."

"It doesn't matter." Vio waved his hand. "It's better that he ran away; his men are even less motivated to resist."

He looked up into the depths of Frido Harbour, where the towering stone tower was faintly visible—the Frido Stone Tower, Philip's old lair in Frido Harbour.

"Signal Glenn," Vio said in a deep voice. "Full-scale attack."

The messenger beside him immediately lit the beacon he carried, and a thick plume of smoke shot into the sky, standing out conspicuously.

"Pass down the order," Vio's gaze swept over the captains around him, "Do not harm innocent civilians... but if anyone dares to resist, kill them without mercy."

"Yes, sir!"

Jimmy was the first to accept the order, leading a group of knights towards the north side of the port. Gina stood silently behind Vio, awaiting her own mission.

"Gina, take your men south." Vio pointed to the dense residential area and taverns on the south side of the port. "That's where pirates and outlaws gather, be careful."

Gina nodded, gripped the broadsword at her waist, and led a squad of militiamen swiftly into the streets and alleys.

"Axel, come with me." Vio looked at the stone tower and sneered, "Let's go to Philip's lair and see what good stuff he has. That's your favorite part."

Axel grinned, revealing two rows of yellow teeth: "Alright!"

……

South of Frido Port, not far from the landing site, lies the tavern street.

Gina led more than twenty militiamen through the narrow alleyway, the air thick with the stench of alcohol and blood.

The doors and windows of the shops on both sides were tightly closed, and occasionally a frightened look could be seen peeking through the gaps, but it quickly disappeared back into the darkness.

Suddenly, a loud bang came from ahead.

With a loud "bang," a wooden door shattered, scattering fragments everywhere.

A figure rushed out of the tavern, followed by seven or eight pirates armed with weapons.

Gina's eyes narrowed.

The figure had long hair, was tall and thin, and held a long sword in his hand. It was none other than White Shark, who had fought Vio on the ship earlier!

At this moment, the white shark had changed into full gear—clearly not in the style of the Kingdom of Rovia.

The body armor was made of dark brown tanned leather, covered by a chainmail coat that reached the thighs. The shoulders and elbows were padded with extra iron plates, which protected vital organs without hindering agility.

He wore a domed helmet without cheek armor, with a striking red feather decoration on the simple top, and only his sharp eyes were visible below the nose guard.

The longsword in his hand had the same design, but it was clearly much sharper than the previous one, and the blade gleamed with a cold light.

"Damn it, they won't leave you alone." White Shark spat, his gaze sweeping over Gina and the militia behind her, and he sneered, "You think you can stop me with your bunch of people?"

Gina didn't speak, but slowly raised her broadsword.

The white shark's expression changed slightly.

He noticed this woman; unlike the other militiamen, she stood very steadily, her hands gripping the sword with no unnecessary movements, and her eyes were frighteningly calm.

But White Shark did not back down. He took a deep breath, his muscles bulged slightly, and he looked like a venomous snake poised to strike.

The next moment, he moved!

fast!

He's even faster than when he first started on the ship! This time he went all out from the very beginning!

The longsword transformed into a streak of cold light, aiming straight for Gina's throat!

The speed of this strike was almost beyond the limits of what the naked eye could perceive; the blade tore through the air, emitting a sharp, piercing sound.

But Gina did not back down.

She merely turned slightly to the side, letting the blade graz her neck, while simultaneously sweeping her broadsword horizontally, slashing straight at the white shark's waist!

What?!

The great white shark was terrified.

This woman's reaction speed was much faster than expected; she is definitely not weak!

He mustered all his strength to parry, and the swords clashed, sending sparks flying.

clang--!

The immense force struck, causing White Shark's arm to tremble, his hand to go numb, and he staggered back several steps, nearly falling over.

How can this woman be so strong?!

Gina gave him no chance to catch his breath.

The broadsword was swung up again, slashing down with a whistling sound!

Her swordsmanship was not fancy; every move was the simplest and most direct slash. But combined with her terrifying strength, each sword strike was like a giant hammer falling!

The great white shark gritted its teeth and endured the blows, perfectly parrying each strike, sparks flying everywhere.

But his arm became increasingly numb, and the web between his thumb and forefinger split open, with blood dripping down the hilt of the knife.

He tried to create distance and use his speed advantage to maneuver, but Gina gave him no chance. Every sword strike forced him to take the hit head-on, leaving him no room to breathe.

The pirates beside them were also subdued one by one by the militia and were completely useless.

"Damn it... damn it!"

The great shark roared inwardly.

He was a warrior of the Imperial Gertnerburg, working for the Royal Guard, and had received the most rigorous training, having killed countless powerful figures.

But because he made a mistake, he had no choice but to hide in this lawless land. But... how could he die at the hands of a woman in such a place?!

He exerted all his strength, slashing his long sword diagonally, trying to force Gina back and then take the opportunity to escape.

But Gina did not back down.

She let the blade slash toward her while simultaneously thrusting her broadsword straight in!

"laugh--!"

The long sword sliced ​​across Gina's shoulder, shattering her leather armor and causing blood to gush out.

But at the same time, Gina's broadsword had already pierced through the white shark's chest!

White Shark stared wide-eyed, looked down at the blade embedded in his chest, then looked up at the expressionless woman before him. His lips moved, but no sound came out.

"you……"

Gina drew her sword, and blood gushed out.

The white shark swayed, then knelt down, collapsed forward, and never rose again.

Gina glanced down at the wound on her shoulder, without frowning, and simply turned to look at the dumbfounded militiamen behind her.

"What are you standing there for? Keep moving."

The militiamen seemed to wake from a dream and responded in unison.

……

North of Frido Port, the aristocratic district.

When Jimmy led his knights into a mansion, he was dumbfounded. Instead of resistance, they were met by a group of nobles kneeling in neat rows.

"My lord knight! My lord knight, spare my life!"

The leader was an obese middle-aged man wearing a wrinkled silk robe, his forehead banging against the ground with a loud thud.

Behind him knelt a group of equally richly dressed men, women, and children, trembling and not daring to lift their heads.

"We're innocent! We were forced into this collusion with the pirates! It was that devil Philip who threatened to kill our whole family if we didn't obey!"

Jimmy's gaze swept over the group, coldly observing them.

"Forced?"

"Yes, yes, yes! We were forced into it!" The obese man looked up, tears streaming down his face. "Sir, you were sent by the kingdom, weren't you? We've finally waited for this day! We've been hoping day and night for reinforcements from the capital to rescue us!"

Jimmy's lips twitched, and he almost burst out laughing.

"Open your dog eyes and look carefully," he pointed to the emblem on his breastplate, "We are from the Earl of the South, not from the capital."

The group of nobles were stunned.

"South...Southern Border?" the obese man stammered. "You mean...that dirt poor Southern Border?"

Jimmy squinted.

"What did you say?"

"No, nothing!" The obese man waved his hands repeatedly, his face pale. "The Southern Territory is wonderful! The Earl of the Southern Territory is wise and mighty, his power resounding throughout the land! We should have submitted to the Southern Territory long ago!"

Jimmy, too lazy to deal with them anymore, waved his hand and said, "Arrest them all and take them back for questioning. Anyone with problems won't get away with it."

The knights swarmed forward and tied the nobles together like a string of grasshoppers.

Outside the mansion, more and more people poured into the streets.

They were initially terrified, thinking it was an internal strife among the pirates and that they were about to suffer again.

But they soon discovered that these armored, disciplined warriors were completely different from the pirates.

"It's the kingdom's army!" someone shouted.

"The kingdom has finally sent someone!"

Cheers rose and fell, the crowd grew larger and larger, and some of the bolder children even ran up to the knight.

Jimmy, mounted on his horse, cleared his throat and shouted, "Listen up, everyone! We are men of the Southern Earl, not from the capital!"

The crowd fell silent for a moment.

"South...Southern Border?"

Whispers arose, but soon an old man stepped forward and spoke in a trembling voice, "We are extremely grateful to the Earl of the Southern Border for his intervention, which wiped out the pirates and rescued us!"

"That's right, thank you, Earl of the Southern Border!"

The cheers rose again, even more enthusiastic than before. They didn't care where the army came from; they only knew that these knights had saved them.

Jimmy smiled slightly but didn't say anything more.

East of Frido, towards the southern border.

Glenn had already led the militia across the wilderness and could see the smoke rising into the sky from afar.

"The signal has arrived." He gripped his greatsword tightly and strode forward. "Advance!"

Behind him, hundreds of militiamen echoed in unison, their footsteps thundering as they surged toward the port of Frido.

……

Frido Stone Tower.

Vio pushed open the heavy oak door, and a scent mixed with perfume and sea breeze wafted out.

The inside of the stone tower is more spacious than it appears from the outside.

The first floor is a hall, covered with thick sea animal skin carpets, and several oil paintings hang on the walls, all depicting naval battle scenes. Most of them were commissioned by Philip to satisfy his vanity.

In the corner were several large boxes, their lids half-open, revealing a golden gleam inside—almost exactly the kind of pirate treasure Vio had in his mind.

Axel leaned over, lifted a box, and whistled.

"Not bad, this guy has looted quite a bit."

Vio ignored the gold and silver and went straight upstairs.

The second floor houses the bedroom and study, crammed full of all sorts of odds and ends, including artworks looted from various places, ledgers recording transactions, and several hand-drawn nautical charts.

"These are very useful, take them all back," Vio said, pointing.

Axel responded and beckoned a few pirates in to move the goods.

The third and fourth floors... are mostly warehouses, filled with all kinds of materials and goods.

Up to the fifth floor.

Vio pushed open the last door, which led to a small room with simple furnishings, consisting of only a table and a few shelves.

On the shelf were some strange things: oddly shaped seashells, broken and unfamiliar coins, and several sealed jars.

Vio's gaze fell on an inconspicuous wooden box on the table.

The box wasn't big, only about the size of a palm, and its surface was engraved with intricate patterns. He reached out, picked it up, and opened it.

There was a ring inside.

The silver ring band is set with a deep blue gemstone, whose interior faintly shimmers with light, as if it contains a miniature ocean.

"This is..." Vio squinted, somewhat surprised by the craftsmanship.

Behind him, Axel leaned in for a look, and his expression suddenly changed.

"This thing is actually in Philip's hands?!"

Vio turned to look at him: "You know him?"

Axel swallowed hard and lowered his voice: "Your Excellency, this ring... originally belonged to Timothy."

Vio raised an eyebrow.

"Timothy? That female pirate?"

“Yes.” Axel nodded. “It’s said to have been passed down in her family. She always wore it, but it was lost during a voyage five years ago. At the time, there were rumors that Philip had stolen it, which is why their relationship has been strained ever since…”

He paused, then added, "No wonder Timothy never explicitly rejected Philip's cooperation; it turns out the ring really was in Philip's hands, and she didn't dare to completely turn against him."

Vio looked down at the ring, lost in thought.

A moment later, he closed the wooden box and put it into his pocket.

"We must keep this safe; it should be very useful."

Axel grinned, understanding perfectly.

The group soon arrived at the top of the Frido Stone Tower, where Vio opened the window and went out onto the terrace.

As rumored, the entire port of Frido can be seen below.

On the docks, warships from the southern border stood in neat rows, while on the streets, knights and militiamen began patrolling to maintain order.

In a square, more and more people gathered, looking up at the stone tower that had once been occupied by Philip.

The wind was strong, causing Vio's cloak to flutter wildly.

He took a deep breath and practiced breathing techniques, making his voice resonate almost throughout the entire harbor:

"Residents of Port-Rideau!"

The crowd quieted down, and countless eyes focused on that young figure.

"I am Vio Ross, Earl of the South!"

"From this day forward, this port no longer belongs to Pirate Philip, nor to any other pirate!"

"You will no longer be ruled by pirates!"

The silence lasted for a moment.

Then, cheers erupted like a tsunami!

"Long live the Earl of the South!"

"We're back under the kingdom's rule?!"

People cheered and jumped for joy, perhaps it was just a performance and not from the heart, but that was enough.

Vio stood atop the stone tower, watching this scene with a smile on his lips.

The port of Frido is now under my control.