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After chatting with Tigris for a bit, the Supreme Archmage, who is usually reticent, didn't have much to talk about with Ryan, so their conversation was brief.

The interior of the high elf oceanic juggernaut was nothing like the crowded, bustling environment of human sailing ships but more like a magnificent palace. With the aid of magic, the actual size of the palace was much larger than the cabin itself. At least, it took Ryan several minutes to walk back to his quarters.

The lower deck included a colorful fountain, a library filled with high elf books, storage rooms, and even a music hall. The high elves, even during campaigns and voyages, never abandoned their civilization and pride. Walking on the sturdy lower deck, Ryan passed by many high elves who were elegant and composed. They neither despised nor revered him; instead, they treated him as a mere crew member.

For this trip, Ryan brought only a few people, including the Garon witch Veronica, the sorceress Teresa, his wife Sulia, and Sulia's maid Sylvia. A few servants were in charge of looking after the lady knight.

Tigris provided them with three rooms for their stay, undoubtedly one for Ryan and his wife, one for Teresa and Veronica, and one for Sylvia and the servants.

When Sulia and Veronica opened the door to their room, they were sitting at a small table, sipping flower tea and enjoying elf pastries, chatting casually. In front of Veronica was a high elf magic book, with the power of the wind of light swirling inside it.

"We'll be sailing for about two weeks, reaching Marienburg and then traveling up the Reik to Brunswick," said Sulia, wearing a white fox fur coat and sipping her tea. The aroma of the flower tea filled the room. After spending two weeks at the Fairy Tower in the lake with Ryan, Sulia's youthful beauty had matured into a more refined allure, radiating its own charm: "Don't worry, Veronica, if you... Ryan, you're back?"

"Sulia, Veronica, what are you talking about?" Ryan pulled up a chair and sat down. Despite the juggernaut's large size and the hundreds of crew members, the focus on practical use meant their room, about twenty square meters, only had space for a bed, a table, and a few cabinets: "Where's Teresa?"

"Teresa is still in the library... I just borrowed a book to read tonight," Veronica said with a playful smile. "What, my brave knight, you like to see us three together?"

Garon witch Veronica was dressed in a vintage brown mink coat, her long, elegant legs sheathed in black stockings, petite and lovely feet in black high heels. Unlike Sulia, Veronica wasn't much affected by the cold, hence her consistent attire throughout the year.

"Not really," Ryan shook his head. "Having the opportunity to learn from Lord Tigris is rare for you, make sure to take advantage of it."

Tigris agreed to teach the two witches magic, something Ryan had brazenly requested. Indeed, the two months of instruction had significantly advanced both Teresa and Veronica's magical abilities. Tigris' mastery of magic was so profound that his teaching method of answering every question they had proved immensely beneficial.

"Veronica and Miss Teresa are very diligent," Sulia commented with a smile, praising them as Veronica visibly felt the pressure and modestly dismissed the compliments.

Ryan was amused yet felt a bit sad seeing this. Veronica had always been a fearless Garon witch, but facing Sulia, a duke's daughter and the "official lady," Veronica was cautious and respectful. This was dictated by her status as a sorcerer, where spellcasters in the Old World occupied a peculiar position: on one hand, humans relied on their abilities to combat foes, but on the other, they were suspicious and even openly hostile due to their susceptibility to chaos corruption.

Veronica couldn't overturn the entire order of things, and to stay by Ryan's side, she had to behave this way. In a sense, even a sanctified witch like Margareta served as a consort to the savior Ludwig, and both witches were content with their roles as Ryan's court ladies, which offered them protection and societal recognition—crucial for spellcasters who were otherwise scarcely acknowledged by the populace. Only a few spellcasters ever gained widespread acceptance because they were prone to corruption and turning into chaos adherents.

"This trip to the Empire is unofficial for me, so you need not worry about formal invitations," Ryan spoke softly. "Just enjoy the journey; that's all I wanted

 to say."

"In other words, you could just say this trip is an extension of your honeymoon with Lady Sulia. Why make it sound so grand?" Veronica teased without mercy. "I understand you're considering my feelings, but it's unnecessary. We're all adults here."

"If that's how you understand it," Ryan replied with a wry smile.

"If you need, Miss Veronica, I could lend Ryan to you 'for use' for a while," Sulia also chimed in with a grin, causing Veronica to blush deeply.

The Garon witch didn't refuse, murmuring softly, "Occasionally, depending on the situation."

The tea party continued for a while until Teresa arrived. Dressed in a black turtleneck coat, black straight-leg pants, and brown high-heeled boots, the sorceress exuded a strong presence. She respectfully addressed Sulia as 'madam' before sitting down to join them for tea: "The library is closed now, we can't go back until tomorrow."

"Yes, we're guests on this high elf ship, so let's respect their rules," Ryan suggested boldly. "Once we reach Brunswick, feel free to buy whatever you want; it's on me."

Ryan had collected a substantial sum from his wedding gifts, including a donation of fifty thousand gold crowns from Duke Schultz of Marienburg alone. Now financially comfortable, Ryan had recently started a large ranch between the forest and the town and was planning to upgrade the stables and knight training grounds, further expanding his town.

With a sufficient population, it was time to further develop his domain, as development was the key to prosperity.

After the tea party, Veronica and Teresa left early to rest and meditate, preparing for another day of magic study. The arrival of Tigris gave them a chance to catch up with Ryan, so they dedicated all their energy to learning from him.

In the room, only Ryan and Sulia remained. Ryan, with a teasing smile, scooped up the knightly lady and they collapsed onto the bed in the corner of the room, playfully questioning, "Sulia~ why are you smiling so strangely? It's not like you."

"Ryan, both your court ladies are ambitious," the knight shook her head. "Well, Miss Teresa is one thing, but why haven't you had a child with Miss Veronica after all these years together?"

Ryan shrugged and whispered in his wife's ear, "It's due to my bloodline constraints. To prevent my lineage from chaos corruption, until the spirit patterns are fully matured, Veronica can't conceive. We've been apart more often than not, and her spirit patterns are still not fully matured."

"How can they mature?" The duchess blushed deeply, almost embarrassed to ask such a personal question, recalling what happened during their honeymoon in the tower: "Ryan, the lady repeatedly advised us to have a child soon, you need an heir."

"An heir? Heh~" Ryan chuckled internally, kissing Sulia's sweet lips. "It's getting late, my lady. If you want a child, I can't do it alone."

"Ryan... together..."

...The sea breeze blows...

Sailing on the sea is quite a tedious affair. After the initial excitement wore off, Ryan and his party felt out of place on the ship. Due to language barriers and different lifestyles, plus the high elves' inherently aloof and proud demeanor, Sulia's servants were unhappy, and they mostly confined themselves to their rooms to minimize outings.

Teresa and Veronica focused entirely on their magical studies, while Ryan and Sulia continued their honeymoon nights, largely undisturbed.

After a week of sailing, they arrived at Le-Angron.

The chilly sea breeze swept over the giant waves hitting the ship's side as Sulia, clad in a coat and boots, clung to Ryan's arm, standing on the deck looking towards the distant Le-Angron Castle.

Le-Angron Castle is one of the greatest wonders of the Old World, established during the glory days of the Elf Empire and was the first trade port the high elves opened in the Old World. After the high elves withdrew, the castle was abandoned. When the Bretonnians crossed the Grey Mountains, a cavalry tribe discovered this massive, deserted castle and decided to settle there.

The castle's most spectacular feature is the gigantic lighthouse, over ninety-five meters tall, said to illuminate the sea within a twenty-kilometer radius. The castle walls are so smooth they look like a giant marble sculpture, extending from the lighthouse to the mainland, wide enough for ten soldiers to march abreast.

"It's beautiful, a symbol of the former Elf Empire," Sulia remarked, holding Ryan's arm and pointing at Le-Angron Castle. "This isn't the first time I've seen this castle, but it amazes me every time."

"This was the last place from which the high elves withdrew from the Old World," Tigris joined them, the Supreme Archmage of the

 high elves gazing at Le-Angron's lighthouse and sighing lightly. "The last battle of the War of the Bearded also took place here. Phoenix King Caledor II died in this battle, beheaded by the Supreme King of the Dwarfs, Gotrek Starbreaker. The Dragonmaster family line ended in this battle, and the art of dragon taming was lost. The Phoenix King's crown, blessed by the elf gods, was seized by the dwarfs and is still kept in the Hall of Eternity on the Peak of Forever, weakening the collective strength of the elf gods... Since then, the elf gods have strictly forbidden the newly made Phoenix King's crown from leaving Osuan."

The high elves once dominated the world, with the Elf Empire ruling over all, except the dwarfs and Slaan, all races prostrating before them. Fleets setting sail from Osuan crossed continents, bringing astronomical wealth back to Osuan annually.

Now, the past glories are just memories, leaving only the human-occupied Le-Angron Castle and its gigantic lighthouse, like fragments of past splendor, for the elves to reminisce and mourn.

"I'm very sorry," Ryan said after hearing the story, choosing a neutral response.

"There's nothing to regret. Caledor II brought this on himself!" Tigris snorted disdainfully, shaking his head. "The real tragedy is the end of the Dragonmaster family line."

"The Dragonmaster family?"

Updated! Second update today!

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