Farewell at the Dock

Chapter 100 Farewell at the Dock (Now Available)

That evening, Lina's long-cherished wish finally came true.

It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that Ye Wei'an carried her back to her room.

The next morning, Lina, the head maid who was always the first to get up, surprisingly slept in late.

When she appeared before everyone with a touch of languor and an undeniable radiance, Ellen, who was constantly being urged by her, immediately seized the opportunity.

"Lina! The sun's already high in the sky, why are you only just getting up?!" Ellen leaned over and grinned mischievously.

"—I'm sorry, Ellen." Lina, knowing she was in the wrong, didn't argue back.

"Was it because you were too tired from arranging the purchases yesterday? Or did you not sleep well last night?" Ellen asked with concern.

Speaking of last night, a barely perceptible blush flashed across Lina's face, then she calmly poked Eileen's forehead: "You talk too much! Is breakfast ready yet? Master has many meetings today."

Eileen's attention was easily diverted.

Poor Ellen, she had no idea what she had missed.

And so, Lina and Amarune tacitly kept the matter a secret.

Ye Weian was exceptionally busy for the next two days.

The deals he made at the "Dragon Knights Club" began to materialize one by one.

Ye Wei'an's smuggled goods were sold at the dock and acquired by a buyer at a satisfactory price.

A large amount of gold coins flowed into Ye Wei'an's hands, but within a few hours they immediately flowed out again, turning into tangible supplies.

Excellent weapons and armor, sturdy tools, long-lasting food, warm clothing, and campsite materials—boxes and bags were loaded onto Ye Weian's moored fleet.

The ship's hold was being filled at a visible rate.

The soldiers and civilians who remained on the ship praised the food they had been eating for the past few days, as delicious meals ordered by Ye Weian from the "Golden Goblin" tavern were continuously delivered to the ship.

Steaming hot stew, fresh bread, and plenty of soup—these Susar specialties boosted the morale of those about to embark on their journeys, making them work extra hard and incredibly efficiently when carrying goods.

Seeing this, Ye Wei'an went to the halfling owner of the "Golden Goblin" tavern again, settled the balance in advance, and made a new request: he hoped to meet several chefs who participated in this large-scale food supply, especially the ones whose skills were most highly praised.

In consideration of the gold coins and potential future cooperation, the boss readily provided a list and helped make connections.

Ye Wei'an personally interviewed the halfling chefs on the list, inviting them to join the pioneering team with double the salary and promising to help them run their own restaurants on the territory in the future.

Perhaps driven by their innate yearning for adventure, or perhaps swayed by the promise of money and a bright future, a total of seven halfling chefs, along with their families, joined Ye Wei'an's team.

On the morning of the third day, the dock was shrouded in a thin mist and water vapor.

Ye Wei'an's fleet is making final preparations before departure.

Valona and Marans arrived at the dock early to see Ye Weian off, but unexpectedly, they saw an unexpected figure at the agreed place—Leah True Silver.

Or rather, Princess Ledera Obieschiel.

"Rede—Miss Rea? What brings you here?" Maranse was taken aback.

"Why can't I come?" Redra retorted.

"I—I'm not blaming Your Highness—I'm asking why you're here—" Marans looked at Redra, then at Yevian at the bow of the ship.

"Lord Ye Wei'an is my friend, and I've come to see him off," Redra said, then ignored him.

This made Maranse's thoughts even more chaotic.

Valona, ​​on the other hand, was not surprised at all by Redra's arrival.

But at that moment her attention was drawn to something else.

She noticed that Ye Wei'an had a black-haired woman by his side.

The younger sister was someone he had met before.

At this moment, Amarune, dressed in leather armor, stood quietly to the side and behind Yevian, looking heroic and dashing.

Valona blinked her bright blue eyes, immediately recalling the scene at the club that night, and a pang of sadness welled up in her heart.

When Ye Wei'an stepped off the gangplank to greet her, she deliberately drew out her words: "I was wondering why Aklav had been acting like he'd lost his soul these past few days. Turns out, you've managed to 'lure' Miss White Wave, the one he's been longing for, onto the ship."

As she spoke, her gaze drifted toward Amarune behind Ye Weian.

"No wonder someone was so chivalrous that night, rescuing the damsel in distress. Now I understand."

"Miss Valuna, you've misunderstood." Ye Wei'an was well aware of her little mood and smiled frankly. "When I took action, it was indeed because I couldn't stand it. But recruiting Miss Bai Lang was for another, more important reason."

"Oh?" Valona crossed her arms, looking like she wanted to hear what kind of nonsense she was going to come up with.

"What reason? Could it be that she's particularly good at dancing, so she can help you relax and unwind during the long voyage?"

'

She became increasingly sarcastic as she spoke, unaware of the barbed tone in her voice.

Ye Wei'an couldn't help but chuckle and shook his head: "Amarun is indeed skilled in dancing, but what I value are her other talents."

He straightened up slightly and said in a low voice, "She is an exceptionally talented wanderer, with top-tier talent and strength. I need a companion like her to explore the perilous land of Thun."

"Wanderer? Top-tier?" Valona chewed on these two words, her jealousy replaced by doubt.

She quickly connected the clues in her mind: "a highly skilled wanderer," "appearing at the club," and "disguised as a maid."

A startling thought flashed through his mind like lightning: "Wait—could she be the legendary—"

"Shh—" Ye Wei'an placed his finger to her lips, interrupting her about to utter the name.

"Some things are better left unsaid. Miss Bailang is my companion now; let bygones be bygones."

Having received a positive hint, Valona's jealousy dissipated considerably, replaced by a sense of excitement and pride at discovering the secret.

It turns out that Lord Ye Wei'an quietly recruited the legendary "Shadow of Silence" to his side!

That's amazing!

Her face immediately brightened, even showing a hint of smugness.

Lina, who was standing nearby, saw everything unfold. Watching her master easily win over a jealous noblewoman with just a few words, she could only shake her head inwardly and sigh: Her master's skill in dealing with girls was becoming more and more masterful.

Valona's mood improved, then she remembered something else: "Oh right, I said I'd introduce you to some reliable knights, but you declined. I thought it was a pity, but it turns out you already had better candidates!"

Ye Wei'an laughed and said, "It's not that I'm refusing your kindness, but I feel that my men and I are of lowly status, and I'm worried that those arrogant Susar knights might look down on my pioneering team, which would only make things more awkward."

"They wouldn't dare!" Valona exclaimed immediately. "You're now an important friend of the Golden Feather family!"

"Even the public—" She almost let slip, then quickly glanced at "Leah" beside her and corrected herself, "Even our family values ​​you highly! Who would dare look down on you?"

Ye Wei'an said at the opportune moment, "Not all nobles are as understanding as Miss Varuna. It is my good fortune to know a lady like you."

Valona was overjoyed to hear this, and her smile grew even brighter.

Ye Wei'an's thinking was very practical: most of the knights of Susar had their own backgrounds and titles, and were proud. But he and his men not only all came from the borderlands, but none of them even had a title.

Inviting those arrogant Susar knights to join the party could easily breed a sense of "condescension." If the treatment, position, or future promises offered were not satisfactory, internal conflicts could easily arise.

He didn't show it on his face, but simply comforted Valuna, "I appreciate your kindness. Don't worry, once I've achieved something in Thun and obtained a suitable status, I'll definitely come back to trouble you to introduce me to them."

Valona understood, but she was still somewhat disappointed.

However, she quickly composed herself, took out two letters sealed with sealing wax from her small bag, and handed them to Ye Weian.

"Since you won't let me introduce you to someone, you can't refuse to help you this time, can you?"

Ye Wei'an took the letter and looked at the emblem and handwriting on the sealing wax.

One letter was signed Count Fanig Haiyin, and the other was addressed to Valona Jinyu; both letters were addressed to a viscount named Kasian Haiyin.

"This is----?"

"You should know the Haiyin family, right? One of Cormier's prominent families," Valona explained. "Kasian Haiyin is the son of Count Fanig's elder brother, a very capable man. Last year, he also chose to go to Thun Territory to develop it, and it's said that he has established a foothold in the Maloren Resting Place on the western side of the Thun Plain."

She pointed to the letter in Ye Wei'an's hand: "After you enter the Thun Plains, there's a high probability you'll pass through his territory. This letter was written by Earl Fanig on behalf of my father, who made a request to him. The other letter is my personal letter of introduction. The Thun Plains are fraught with danger; having more friends is always better than having more enemies. We might even be able to share resources and support each other."

This is indeed a practical and precious gift.

In unfamiliar territory, a potential ally is worth far more than money.

Ye Wei'an carefully put the letter away and sincerely thanked her: "I will remember this kindness, Valona."

Thank you so much."

Upon hearing this, Valona blushed slightly.

After hesitating for a moment, she suddenly whispered, "Um—Mr. Ye Wei'an, may I—make a small request?"

"Please tell me your request, and I will try my best to fulfill it."

"Before I leave—could I have a hug? Just as a farewell between friends." After she finished speaking, she seemed to feel that the request was a bit abrupt and quickly lowered her head.

Ye Wei'an felt a warmth in his heart as he looked at the young lady from the Jin family in front of him.

Without the slightest hesitation, he opened his arms wide: "Of course, my friend."

Valona's eyes lit up, and she immediately stepped forward, almost throwing herself into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and burying her face in his chest. Ye Wei'an gently hugged her back and patted her back.

After Valona, ​​Princess Redra—Rhea Truesilver—came to say goodbye.

She was much more reserved than Valona.

"Miss Leia, thank you for coming to see me off," Ye Wei'an said first. "I am even more grateful to the talented people you introduced me to before: the craftsmen who are skilled in water conservancy, the clerks who are familiar with government affairs, and the agricultural experts—these are more precious to me than gold."

He was truly grateful to the princess.

The educational level in Ferenc is such that, while it's not fair to say that everyone there dropped out of prenatal education, at least graduating from primary school would be considered a high achievement.

Someone like Ye Wei'an, who only graduated with a bachelor's degree, can't be called a public intellectual; he's practically a prophet!

He was an illegitimate son who wasn't even a legitimate nobleman, yet he managed to convince such a large group of people to be loyal to him; at least 30% of that could be attributed to his educational background.

In such an environment, anyone with basic reading and writing skills is considered a rare talent.

If, in addition to this, one possesses a certain professional skill, then no matter which lord they are placed under, they will definitely be sought after.

Given Ye Wei'an's power, he shouldn't be able to recruit such a person.

All I can say is that Radla was his lifesaver.

What's even more remarkable is that all the people Ledera introduced to Ye Wei'an were from commoner backgrounds.

In fact, such professionals are more common among the aristocratic class, who have better educational opportunities, than among commoners.

But just as Yevian had said when he rejected Valona, ​​he couldn't afford to employ a talent from a noble family.

Talented individuals who are proficient in politics, water conservancy, and agriculture, and who come from commoner backgrounds, are often concentrated in the hands of the royal family.

"I'm glad I could help you." Redra's eyes crinkled into a smile. "There are so many things to consider when we head to the Thun Territory. I hope they can really come in handy."

After a brief conversation, a subtle silence suddenly fell between the two, completely different from their earlier chatter and laughter with Valona.

After a moment, Redra finally couldn't hold back and spoke up: "You and Valona were chatting so happily just now—why are you so speechless when it comes to me?"

Her tone carried a hint of bitterness she herself didn't realize: "Am I just too bored? Or do you prefer Valona's type to me?"

Ye Wei'an shook his head: "Of course I don't find you boring. It's just that I always feel, Miss Leia, you—"

It seems there's something they haven't told me.

Upon hearing this, Ledera's heart skipped a beat.

She instinctively avoided Ye Wei'an's clear gaze, a pang of guilt rising in her heart, and whispered:

"I'm sorry, but I—"

The apology was abrupt and unrelated, but Ye Wei'an understood what she meant.

"No need to apologize." His tone softened. "Everyone has their own reasons and things they need to protect. It's okay, I can wait. Until the day you feel you can tell me."

The other party's understanding only deepened Redra's sense of guilt.

She looked at Ye Wei'an again: "Yes. Thank you."

She then composed herself and said in a more relaxed tone, "Remember to write to me. I'm very interested in your pioneering work in Thun. I want to know what's really going on there."

"Of course," Ye Wei'an promised, "I will write it down for you in detail, Miss Leia."

Redra nodded slightly, preparing to turn and leave.

"Wait a minute," Ye Wei'an suddenly called out to her.

Leda paused and turned to look at him.

Ye Wei'an smiled gently and opened his arms naturally, just as he had done to Valona earlier.

Before you leave, don't you want a hug? Just between friends.

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