Chapter 99 - Vlad moving for Rain Islands & Soldiers prepared
Seated on a simple chair fitted with soft fox hides was a young man who looked to be around 16 or 17 years old. Beside him was seated a girl around 19-20 years old with long white hair that cascaded down her waist, along with a light makeup that matched her white snowy skin while wearing some casual clothing.
The young man's eyes looked sharp as he ended talking to a snail transmitter in a calm manner, while his dark-green eyes looked serious.
"I'll try to arrive to assist you at the fastest speed I can. All you have to do Flex is hold on and not do anything stupid."
From the snail, the voice of the young officer resounded back in a respectful way.
"Yes, your Highness. For now I will test a bit the waters in taking the merchants and the boys back. But if they turn out hostile I'll try to play it down and if a conflict ensues use Valor as a fortress."
"Good, you have it planned down. Try keeping tabs with the ones inside. Okay, Flex. I understand your predicament, I'll end the call now, if you still want to talk with Aldenis, he's on the line. Take care of yourself."
"Thank you for your time, Your Highness."
*Gotcha*
Placing the receiver back on the snail, he didn't even have time to say something that the young woman seated next to him grabbed his hand and asked.
"You'll take me with you this time. You've left me out on too many adventures."
"Sigh. Sofiya do you really like danger so much? Why are you so headstrong about me taking you on the sea and especially in dangerous situations?"
"You're too protective, dear. At the end of the day, I also have to fight and try to protect you. Do you think I enjoy myself seated here and looking at the kids while you could possibly die?
No, I hate myself for not being there with you in your worst days and moments. Now, after training with the sword and polishing my marksman skills, I'm confident that I can protect myself even against those guys who can use haki or those who hold devil powers."
"The situation inside the city has been stable, there's also little Robert to watch over the orphanage. Also that giant sleeping in the forest doesn't seem to be waking anytime soon."
When Sofiya said that, she placed her head on Vlad's forehead, staring at his green eyes confidently.
"My love, why can't you let me be selfish and know that you are safe? I still don't have a perfect control on those powers and if something unthinkable happens while you are with me, I couldn't forgive myself."
Vlad wrapped his arms around Sofiya's body and gave her a kiss on the lips.
"But I know you're a smart and tough woman and you proved yourself so many times. You even learned my swordsmanship in record time. I know your capabilities, but I'm just selfish, wanting to know you safe."
Returning the kiss and holding Vlad's hands, Sofiya responded in a tender voice.
"It's fine. I can take care of myself, my prince. I'm no longer the girl you met two years ago, my powers grew that not even little Robert can't understand how I did it.
My power will only keep growing along with yours. You just have to watch me from the back, dear."
Caressing her back, Vlad gave her a warm smile and replied casually.
"Fine you won this time. Let's prepare, go change in your adventure gear. Do it fast since I don't like playing with my good soldiers' lives."
Raising from the soft seat along with Vlad, Sofiya said to him as she was going to change her clothes.
"You're right dear, I also as their Dutchess can't just leave them stranded on that island to die. They have a bright future ahead of them, alongside us."
"Indeed, they just only started tasting some small gains. Their glory will only grow as years flow. Now, let's end the chit-chat, my lady."
Sofiya smiled at Vlad and rushed to their private room, and slowly after entering, he could hear the sound of clothes frantically hitting the floor.
'What is she doing? Isn't she going with that adventure gear of hers? Why does she always likes to look stylish even when we're going on rough terrains?'
'Sigh, well. Women are indeed mysterious creatures. I'll notify Robert with a letter once he comes back home that I'll be away for this night and the following days.'
Then after 5 minutes, the white-haired beauty came back in front of the young man wearing some comfortable clothes, black leather trousers, a white buttoned shirt that showed her developed chest, and a dark hunting jacket along with a tied hair. She even put on black lipstick on her lips to match with her clothes.
"Phew, sorry for the wait, let's go, fast, we can't have our good men die at the hands of those bastards."
"I still can't guess what's in your mind when taking so much time to change. You're already the most beautiful woman I've seen in my life."
She walked to him in a feminine manner and planted a kiss on his lips, leaving a dark aftermath on them.
"My gift for the sweet words. You know that changing my clothes and look is my lucky charm."
Vlad touched his lips a bit and nodded as if understanding what Sofiya said.
Following that, he wrapped his arms around her defined and developed waistline, picking her in his embrace before crimson wings began sprouting from his back and taking off from the ground. They moved for the seashore who only had a modified light ship that contained 3 packed wind sails.
"Oh my. My, my. It's been a while since you've taken me to the skies."
"You don't ask me to do that. Also I have a limit on how many times I can turn my crimson wings."
The night's strong winds began blowing and grazing Sofiya's soft skin, making the girl laugh a bit.
"Vlad in the future if we need to get somewhere quickly, use this method. Ahhh, this wind feels so good, as if I'm one with the sky."
"Any time, my love."
When Vlad landed on the ship's deck, he placed Sofiya, who was in his carry, down.
He walked to the backside of the ship, raised his hands and blood started to flow from his hands, quickly solidifying as if began morphing in the shape of a rotating wind turbine while Sofiya only looked at him concerned.
"What's the use of that construct? Is that one of Faust's ideas?
"Yes and no. While I indeed asked for his thoughts on the functionality of this blood construct, this is in a sense my idea. Like the watermills, only that this one uses the rotating effect and the winds to speed up the ship."
"Hmph, why are you listening to that foolish pervert, just talk with me about your ideas that you aren't sure about. Argh you made me remember that guy. If you haven't stopped me back then his hands would be now on a sea journey."
"Haha you're still this angry at him? Haven't I given him a good punch in his face to teach him a lesson? Maybe you'll see him in another light in the future, he promised me some good inventions by the end of this new year."
"In the winter? Doesn't he take breaks? This Faust for sure is a weirdo to spent all his days on some crazy ideas."
"You think you're normal, Sofi? You should see your face when you're reading those books of yours, all day long, constantly arguing with what the author has wrote on the story."
"Don't bring that subject. That should remain between only us." replied Sofiya while her snowy face turned a bit rosy from embarrassment.
Yet she recovered and looked at Vlad with her emerald eyes in a slightly angry look.
"Fine, fine. I'll not talk about that. Everything is ready with the construct. Now let me unfurl the sails and we're good to go."
Pointing toward the sails, a blood stream began gushing from his palm, moving like serpents toward the sails on the three masts.
While the serpents moved toward the mast's and started climbing the sails, Sofiya who looked at Vlad's bloody palms, said with a slightly concerned tone.
"Love, are you sure this process of bleeding out will not affect your health?"
"Everything is fine, that's how my abilities work. Also I have a larger quantity of blood compared to normal humans, so playing around with my manipulation abilities and letting myself laze around should be fine. Sigh, I know you hate seeing me bleed, but that's a normal process for me."
"That's what you've been telling me for 2 years, yet I still can't get used to it." said Sofiya, still looking concerned at Vlad's bloody hands from the deck.
"Well, you have to try and not look at me as if I'm a dead person. Now, now. Everything is settled with the ship, let's go to Rain Island."
The blood turbine started rotating slowly before it began going faster. Staring at Sofiya from where he was, he gave her an evil smile before saying to her.
"Go grab onto something, the ship will shake a lot under the strong winds. If you don't your makeup will only be admired by the sea."
"You!? Wait, wait, not my makeup. Let me grab on something."
When she barely managed to grab on a support, the speed the ship was sailing increased even exponentially.
"Aaaaa, this isn't fun at all. Slow, make it go slower Vlad. I feel something stirring in my stomach. Arghh, who made me go on the sea at night!?"
Still smiling evilly at her, he only commented with.
"This night time weather is really good with us, my dear. I barely can hear you up here."
Sofiya looked up to where Vlad was seated casually on the top of the captain cabin and retorted.
"If you don't slow it down a bit more, say goodbye to touching me for three month."
"You little!? That's emotional blackmail. My soldiers' lives depend on how fast I can arrive at the Rain Islands."
"Flex clearly said that tomorrow is the day when that person will act. Also, don't bring blackmails in our talk. Who do you think I've learned it from?
Argh, this shaking sure isn't to my liking." ended Sofiya while grabbing on her support harder while the ship was shaking around uncontrollably.
"That's not fair. I wanted to test this new ship to the limits."
Yet as he said that, his eyes glowed a bit red, and the turbine began slowing itself down, making the ship be more stable compared to when he was going at maximum speed.
Sofiya, who could finally stand on the ship's deck without getting seasick, jumped to where Vlad was seated and rested her head on his lap while holding his hands.
"Are you angry at me?" asked Sofiya while looking at Vlad's calm expression and silent self.
"No at all. Well, maybe a bit. I would be fine waiting one month or two months, but three? No way. I'm still in my growing period where my body goes crazy. I'll boil myself in that manner."
"Oh my. My prince you better don't be too demanding on me in the future."
"My Dutchess, have I ever forced you into doing anything you disliked? It should be me saying that, you succubus."
"That's not true. You're clearly loving it too, don't make it sound as if I'm a pervert. It's the book's fault."
When Sofiya said that, she played around with Vlad's shirt buttons, acting innocently around him.
Meanwhile, Vlad, who had half of his attention on using his blood powers in steering the ship on the good route, commented while glancing at Sofiya's slightly rosy face.
"Yes, those books of yours are the problem. You should change your preferences."
"Maybe if that stupid author stops writing or drops dead."
Vlad just smiled a bit and continued using his blood powers to steer the ship, and rather quickly, in only 10 minutes, he arrived at the periphery of Valent City.
Here he could see the lamp fires lighting the buildings of the city. There was still activity in the city, but he didn't stop here.
Keeping his route until exiting the range of Kaysang Sea's, uninterrupted by the marines' ships and their patrol, who usually docked on the port because of the night.
The blood turbine slowed down even more as Vlad steered the ship in the direction of Rain Island.
"We'll arrive on the Rain Islands in about 3 hours if we keep the top speed."
Sofiya just nodded her head as she was admiring from the top of the captain's cabin the beauty of the dark sky illuminated by the stars and the bright moon.
"Vlad, can you tell me some stories while we're sailing about those Olympic Gods you've told me when we were bored?"
Vlad looked at the skies and white moon and then at Sofiya's face, who looked at him with a curious face as if she was a little girl who liked stories.
Stroking her hands, he smiled a bit as he asked.
"What god do you wish I talk about this time?"
"Hmm, there's so many gods in that story of yours. This night is so beautiful, let's go with Nyx."
"Ohh, the Goddess of Night? You really like her or something?"
"Yes, I love how she's strong and beautiful, and even feared by the chief of gods Zeus."
"I see, look at the dark sky, it's clear that Goddess Nyx heard everything you just said there. Well if my lady wants to hear about the Night Goddess who am I to not tell about her glory?"
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Back on Valor at the shores of Rain Island, Flex already gathered all his soldiers at this late hour together with his 2 brothers Levon and Yetty and started saying to them in a serious tone.
"Boys, we have a mission for tonight. We'll move for the village and start taking our merchants back. Along the way we'll also help Valen and the others to get back safely."
"Prepare your weapons and be ready for the fight."
"Sir, should we deal with those indigenous guys who were spying on us from afar?"
"Capture them without alarming them since the night can give us a big advantage, also I don't want to be called a butcher for killing almost 30 of their so-called warriors."
"Yes sir!" replied the 100 soldiers in an orderly manner.
"Sshh guys, are you retards? Keep it quiet since those indigenous bastards probably still think that they hold the advantage of their home ground."
The soldiers looked around themselves, and soon the crowd dispersed, moving for the weaponry zone.
After 10 minutes, they came back, all of them holding on to a rifle and some cold weapons tucked on their waist belts, from daggers to swords, one guy even took a spear that he held it by his back.
"Okay guys let's start first by clearing out those indigenous guys. Remember don't alert them."
The soldiers saluted Flex and the 2 brothers and quickly formed groups of 10 people that started walking out of the ship and spreading themselves out on the shores of the ship in a rapid manner.
"Brother Flex, we should also assist the boys. Since for some of them it's probably their first mission of this type."
"Yes, let's get going, little Valen needs our help to get out." replied Flex to Levon as he grabbed a short sword and a dagger.
