hermitscave

Chapter 327 - Secret Operations

Darkness gripped Yua. Five days after General Dedrick's arrival on the island, it had finally stopped raining. However, the clouds still remained and cut off all contact between the people on the earth and the stars in the sky. Without light from above, it was hard to see even one’s own hand, let alone one's surroundings. However, that wasn't a problem for everyone. In fact, some people thrived in darkness.

Simo looked around, in search of his companions. They had all received the sam...

Chapter 326 - Stuck in the Mud

Several days after he had made his decision on Rapra Castle's balcony, Dedrick arrived near Yua Island together with a new batch of ships. Because of the complex terrain and low visibility around the island's north, a large fleet couldn’t move through the area safely, which was why their enemies had focused on securing the southern coast first. Though because of the bad terrain, it was also easy for Dedrick's ships to move into range of Atau's swimming fortress before they could be intercep...

Chapter 325 - A Search for Meaning

Several days had passed between the first time they had spotted the wall on Yua Island and the landing on the beach. During that time, their enemies hadn't been idle and continued their building project. If anything, they had even sped up their construction, considering how much had changed in such a short amount of time. By now, the short length of wall had expanded along most of the southern coast.

At the same time, the wall had grown in height, from a mere two meters to at least seve...

Chapter 324 - Securing the Landing

At sea, the most important factor that decides victory is information. To some extent, this may also be true on land, but Atau wasn't an expert in that regard. At the very least, an army was less restricted in the direction it could move. Even if it were caught out, retreat was often possible for a land army, or so the captain thought.

In comparison, much of naval warfare was about positioning oneself windward from one's enemy, which many captains considered an unbreakable position, reg...

Chapter 323 - Old Force Opposition

After a meeting with the newly crowned queen of the Green Island, the captains of the Green Fleet came together in a Rasacopa mansion. Ostensibly, they were here to drink and be merry, but everyone knew what they had really come for: to talk about Queen Sumaci's offer and coordinate their response. United, the captains would wield more strength, so their actions were obvious. However, not everyone of them considered these actions natural.

As he looked around the room of experienced men ...

Chapter 322 - Buying Support

A sharp cry woke the drinker from his shallow, bumpy sleep. As usual, the first thing he noticed in the morning was a buzzing and ringing in his ears. With a groan, he tried to rise, but only managed to push his cheeks away with his forehead, his eyes still pressed together.

These days, the mornings were even worse than usual. Maybe it was the dour mood in the city, or maybe simple habit, but he had been drinking a lot more lately. The drab loneliness of his home certainly didn't help m...

Chapter 321 - Distant Threat

By now, Corco was well-acquainted with the sea route between Saniya and Rasacopa. Although he had traveled back and forth several times over the past few years, the scenery hadn't changed much in between trips. Still, he enjoyed standing above deck more than spending his time in the cabins down below. Maybe he was still traumatized from last time, when Sumaci's ship sank with him still in his cabin and he almost drowned. Or maybe he simply enjoyed the salty breeze on his face.

Either wa...

Hello. Back.

Yes, it's that time again. Time to catch up on all the things I failed to do before. Honestly, keeping to a set schedule has been pretty tough these months, as is blatantly obvious from my long absences. Things just keep getting in the way, both in and outside of my control. At this point, I'm honestly surprised that anyone is still supporting me on patreon, and for that, I'm deeply grateful. If only for you guys, I'll make an honest effort to post more consistently.

Yesterda...

Chapter 320 - East Point

 Through the gaps in the Palanquin's curtain, Llamka observed the nervous crowds of Rasacopa. When they were carried past, all the people in the streets stopped in their tracks and stared at them with paralyzed faces.

“They look scared,” Pukia next to her remarked in her usual, childish tone, though this time it was tinged with unease.

“I do not fault them for it,” Llamka replied after a sigh. “Not only were they already made uneasy by the outside threat t...

Chapter 317 - 319 - Parting Gift; Journey Through Sachay; Hidden Courtyard

Hermit's Notes: Similar to that earlier series of chapters... Again, too long for two, so I'm bundling them together like this.

---------

 Meanwhile, as Corco spent the night with maps and plans, others were having their own kind of fun, in their own ways.

Atau's own pulsing headache woke his tired mind. With a groan, he tried to raise his body, but his eyes were pressed closed from pain and his arms felt weak. After a second of struggle, he s...

Chapter 316 - So Many Plans

 Just as the last sunlight left the king's study in Rapra Castle, a single oil lamp was ignited to extend the day for a while longer.   

After successive visits to the shipyard and the medical research center, Corco had finally managed to get home to his castle by the time the sun went down. But even now he still couldn't rest. After several weeks away from his desk, there was much left to do. This late in the day, Fadelio would have already gone to bed, so he would h...

Chapter 315 - Artemisinin

 “In fact, the workers here were able to extract the artemisinin almost as soon as this physician returned from Arguna,” Itzali explained while they walked over to a corner of the room that seemed especially busy. This place was filled with crates of a long, green stalk, which Corco assumed to be the artemisin grass they extracted the artemisinin from.   

This was one of the many classic remedies of the Chutwa doctors that dealt with malaria. Luckily, Corco had re...

Chapter 314 - Medical Research

 Once their inspection at the military shipyard was done, Corco and Fadelio split up. While the advisor went back to the castle to pen down the new privateering laws they had just come up with, the king was still avoiding his home, and with it all the piled up work. Instead, he walked a short distance on the same island, to Chukru Island's medical research center.   

Before, this place had simply been called a clinic, a place where Corco's team of Chutwa doctors were ...

Chapter 313 - A New Age

 Out in the distance, the high walls of Rapra Castle stretched over the horizon and greeted the return of its fleet. As soon as he saw the familiar roof of the beacon room that capped the castle, Corco's stern face finally eased. All the tension and pressure pressure left his body and mind as if they had never existed. Finally, he was back home.

Despite his worries, the way back from Rasacopa had been smooth for the Homeward and the remaining ships. Ever since their first, sui...

Chapter 312 - Taking Control

 Once again, the mood in the Grand Hall had changed a lot since the previous session. Before, an entire half of the room had been reserved for Tayali and his allies, all huddled together and ready to bombard Sumaci with nonsense complaints every time she tried to push for any changes. Now however, everyone was spread across in the room, with the warriors standing alone like droplets on a windowpane.   

Before, they had been strong together, but now they had lost their...

Chapter 311 - The Power of Rumors

 Spread out across the table were all the treasures of the Green Island's woods and waters. All kinds of nuts and fruits as well as unusual meats sat within bowls of exotic wood. Next to them sat dried kelp, pickled lotus and lightly seasoned fish of all colors and sizes.   

The entire ensemble was collected atop a draped canvas, knitted into complex patterns that reminded Corco of home. While there were many regional differences between the Verdant Folk and the Medal...

Chapter 310 - Conspiracy

 The kings of Rasacopa had always loved to consider their Green Island a unified kingdom, and themselves the absolute rulers of all of its lands. However, only a short walk beyond the city limits would dispel that illusion. Out here, one horizon into the inner island from Rasacopa's western borders, started what the commoners called the 'Green Underworld', the impenetrable jungle of the Green Island.   

Inside, the lay of the land was barely explored. Almost no one wo...

Chapter 307 - 309 - Takeover; Behind the Scenes

These chapters sorta ended up too long for just two chapters, but I don't know how to break them into three... so I'll just post them as a package. Enjoy.

---

 Once again, the members of the Green Court had come together in the Grand Hall to bicker and argue over who was in charge of their island's defense, and over how best to achieve it. Yet the mood in the room had changed much since the last meeting, and the balance of power had shifted. Amused at the insecure looks from ...

Chapter 306 - War Reaches the Island

 While the war had already begun on the Mullu Atoll, the mood in the Green Court was still one of tense anticipation. However, not even that could be felt in the fresh breeze that blew through the palace gardens. In the summer garden in particular, the wind softly swayed the poplar trees and the Daylilies, creating a picture of harmony. Thus, time whiled away, without thoughts and without worries.

However, Sumaci's own thoughts were far away, worried about the war, and about h...

Chapter 305 - End of the Battle, Start of the War

 One by one, Ivo watched his men climb up the rope ladder onto the Homeward's maindeck. Even the unconscious man he had carried with him since had been pulled up in a rope harness. At last, as the final rescuee left in the water, Ivo climbed up himself. His legs gave in from exhaustion and dropped his knees onto the hard wooden boards. Without a care for anything else, he threw off his soaked robes his bulky cork vest. Finally, he could breathe again.

But once he had calmed do...

Chapter 304 - Melee

 Heavy weighs the crown. Only now that he wore one was Ivo aware that this phrase was more than hot air from the privileged and powerful.

Back in Saniya, Ivo had felt that the life of a king was surely grand. Yet when he lived it himself, it didn't seem all too fun. When Admiral Atau had asked for volunteers to imitate King Corcopaca in their most recent mission, his fellow sailors had been hesitant.   

On the one hand, the Medalans on board wouldn't dare i...

Chapter 303 - Fireball

 As the Verduic war began in earnest, Phuyu looked on in shock. In the distance, the cannon fire still continued, but apart from him, no one on the Medalan flagship seemed concerned.

“Laqhis, we have confirmation of their numbers.”

Right after the start of the battle, the captain of their ship came towards advisor Phuyu and the king to give a report.

“Go ahead,” the king replied, though his eyes were still trained on the distant battle.

Chapter 302 - Decoys

 Today, the waves of the Verduic Sea were rough. To protect himself from their influence, Phuyu had hidden below deck. Otherwise, he would have been singled out for his sea sickness again, like he always was at sea. It was a great point of shame for him, who was one of the Verdant Folk.   

According to their own myths, they were all children of the sea, formed from of water and foam. If those old stories were true, he must have been an orphan. After a while of silent ...

Chapter 301 - Everyone Has a Plan

 In a bright and open room within the Green Court, Tayali sat and stared out of the large, open window, onto the distant sea. He really wasn't made for the land. Instead, he would much rather be out there on the green waves, and live a life of freedom and adventure.

However, someone had to do the dirty work. If the old king had gotten his wishes, their old ways of raiding along the Verduic Sea's coastlines would have slowly faded away like salt in the rain. Now the old king wa...

Chapter 300 - Forgotten Wisdom

 After the court session had been dissolved, Corco and Sumaci had a long discussion in private. In the end, they realized that they had to adjust their plans, by a lot. With the local warriors riled up against all foreigners, and the next moves of their enemies still unknown, they were in a much more passive position than they had first thought. In the end, they had to come up with a plan that either put the locals on their side, or with one that wouldn't have to rely on Rasacopa's warri...

Chapter 299 - Obstacles Everywhere

 Within the Green Court's Grand Hall, Corco sat in a quiet corner to the side, as he observed the mess of an argument that was happening in the room. Much of the bad mood came from the warriors, because Sumaci had done something outrageous in their eyes. When she entered to discuss Rasacopa's current military challenges, Sumaci had taken a seat atop her father's throne.   

While the local warriors certainly didn't like it, they also wouldn't dare to voice their opinio...

Chapter 298 - Clearing Up the Fronts

 Back in the Lady of Green's private quarters, mother and daughter sat together for the first time in over a year. Between them, the lady's servant had placed a full pot of tea, before she and Sumaci's maids had excused themselves to give the family some space for their reunion. As soon as the maid had left the room, Sumaci spoke up.

“I'm sorry I wasn't here when...” Her voice trailed off and she lowered her head, before she tried again. “I left you all alone when you ne...

Chapter 297 - Expected Reception

 Once they were done with introductions, Corco, Sumaci, and Lady Sisa took their seats atop the elevation at the head of the room. As the host of today's event, the lady sat in the middle, with Corco on the right and Sumaci on the left. They were flanked by Saniya's warriors who acted as guards for both him and Sumaci. In addition, Sumaci had taken two maids from Saniya with her to handle her daily necessities. The two trusted warriors of Rasacopa, the ones Corco suspected of creating tr...

Chapter 296 - Unexpected Reception

 While the two fleets were having a standoff outside of Rascaopa's harbor, Tayali sat deep in thought within the Grand Hall of the Green Court. He watched the backs of Corco's messengers, who left after they had announced the arrival of the King of the South and his new queen.   

“Some good news at last. I believe we should get ready to welcome the princess with the honor she deserves,” Phuyu said. The old man with the spindly figure stood to the left of the king'...

Chapter 295 - Bad Signs

High above the green waves of the Verduic Sea, two flags were swinging next to each other atop the same mast. One depicted the silver triquetra on purple, the new flag of the Kingdom of Southern Medala. The second was the sigil of the Green Island of the Verdant Isles, a simple white banner that depicted the old Yakua symbol for 'green'.   

Rather than put one above the other, both flags had to fly side by side. It had been a pain to set them up this way and guarantee that...