[Vol. 7] Chapter 64: The Meaning of Strength
The group exchanged glances, and after a brief moment of silence, the fox-eared young man, who had the most experience in such matters, spoke in a serious tone.
“If we strictly follow the Austre Empire’s laws, then without any of the required documents, we would be classified as illegal immigrants from foreign waters. At best, we’d be denied entry and forced to leave. At worst, they could seize the ship and all its cargo, imprison the crew, and interrogate them on charges of espionage.”
“I originally arranged for someone to meet us at Layla Port through the connections of the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild. That way, our trade convoy could bypass the usual inspections and dock without issue. But I never expected… that we’d run into the Austre Empire’s naval fleet just as we were about to arrive. This is a real problem.”
Violet raised an eyebrow.
“So, you’re telling me these government officials go out of their way to check the paperwork of every ship they come across? Do they really have that much free time?”
“Well… normally, they wouldn’t bother with small ships along the way,” Nitila admitted, scratching the smooth scales on her cheek, looking slightly embarrassed.
“But our ship is massive, and we have a large number of merfolk warriors on board. The Austre Empire is notoriously strict when it comes to monitoring foreign races entering their territory. Unless their fleet commander is in the middle of handling an emergency, they’re almost guaranteed to stop and inspect us.”
“As you know, we’re already in their territorial waters, so legally, we don’t have the right to refuse an inspection. And the Austre Empire is known for its aggressive diplomatic stance. If things escalate, there’s even a chance this could lead to armed conflict.”
“I’m really sorry, Miss Violet. My original plan was to escort you within a hundred kilometers of the coast before turning back with my troops to avoid any unnecessary conflict with the Austre Empire’s coastal patrols. That distance should have been perfectly safe, but now… seriously, why did the Austre Empire’s main fleet suddenly set out to sea out of nowhere?!”
“Alright, this isn’t your fault,” Violet reassured her, offering a few comforting words to the anxious and frustrated merfolk princess. Then, she turned her gaze back toward the massive fleet steadily closing in on them.
“So, Miss… what should we do now?”
“At this distance, they’ve definitely spotted us already. Should we change course and avoid them? [Noah’s Ark] is fast enough that regular warships won’t be able to catch up. And since they’re an official navy, they wouldn’t be allowed to chase us for too long without a direct order.”
As Violet considered Ming Lan’s whispered suggestion, spoken at a volume only the two of them could hear, she quickly shook her head.
“Don’t forget, the merfolk are still in the sea. The Austre Empire’s warships might not be able to catch up to [Noah’s Ark], but do you really think they can’t catch up to people swimming with their bare bodies? Even if we order all the merfolk to board the ship, it would take a long time. By then, trying to escape would already be too late.”
“Besides, this ship is too recognizable. If we flee now like we’re guilty of something, the Austre Empire will probably issue a wanted notice along the entire coastline before long. And when that happens, the people you arranged might not even be able to help the merchant group dock safely. That would be the worst possible outcome.”
“Then… what do you propose?”
“We wait and see. We haven’t done anything wrong. As long as we bring up certain influential connections, the Austre Empire will have to show some restraint. After all… a navy doesn’t run without money, does it?”
She exchanged a knowing glance with Ming Lan, who immediately understood and nodded before leaving. Then, Violet turned to Nitila.
“Your Highness, given the situation, we need to act wisely. Please gather all your people from the sea as quickly as possible and have them hide in the ship’s cabin for now. As long as we’re not seen as a heavily armed foreign force, our position will be much easier to defend.”
“Understood! I’ll take care of it right away! Qiaoqiao, Hongyan, help me pass the message!”
“Mm!”
“Got it!”
Seeing that Violet had already made up her mind, Nitila didn’t hesitate. She and the two women immediately split up and leaped from the deck into the sea. Thanks to the Merfolk Pearl gifted by Queen Anies and their extensive training, they could now move freely in the water.
Once her subordinates and companions had all left, the black-haired girl stepped to the edge of the deck, gripping the railing as she gazed at the massive fleet in the distance. It had clearly adjusted its course and was now accelerating toward them. She silently pondered for a moment before turning her head, only to find a small blonde girl had somehow appeared beside her. Violet smiled.
“Did we wake you up? Sorry about that… looks like we ran into a little problem.”
The newcomer was, of course, the little dragon girl. Having only recently been "born," Xiao Guang currently had far greater needs for food and sleep than most people. With nothing else to do, she spent most of her days either eating, learning from Violet, or napping.
Violet wasn’t sure how long this phase would last, but since her little companion needed it, she did her best to provide the best possible care. Just moments ago, the tiny dragon had been dozing comfortably on the deck, basking in the sunlight.
But with all this commotion…
Like a little cat, the tiny dragon girl rubbed her cheek against the black-haired girl's hand as she stroked her. She shook her head, her golden eyes, bright as the sun, glancing at the massive fleet approaching in perfect formation. But to her, those grand warships looked as small and insignificant as marching ants. Their reflections barely registered in her eyes before quickly fading away.
After a moment, she tilted her head slightly, looking puzzled.
“Master, why are you so cautious and wary of those fragile metal scraps? Based on the magic they contain, if you really wanted to, you could easily turn them all into wreckage floating on the sea. Or… do they actually have some hidden weapon I haven't noticed?”
It was clear that Xiao Guang had been awake for a while and had overheard most of the previous conversation. Even though she had yet to recover her past memories, her ability to assess an enemy’s strength remained as sharp as ever, perhaps even more so.
Hearing her words, Violet smiled fondly, her palm shifting slightly to gently stroke the young girl’s silky golden hair, softer than the finest silk.
“You really haven’t changed at all. I remember you asking me similar questions before, why bother making friends with beings far weaker than ourselves? Why choose to talk, negotiate, or trade as equals when we could simply use force to get what we want?”
“Xiao Guang, maybe you don’t remember now, or maybe you never truly understood or accepted my answer. But I’ll tell you again.”
“Take this situation as an example. Yes, if we fought with everything we had, we could probably wipe out this entire imperial fleet. But what would that give me? Senseless slaughter? A sea of fire and wrecked ships? Or perhaps the worship or fear of those on board?”
“The greater the power someone holds, the more they must respect and restrain it. Strength can solve many problems in this world, but life isn’t meant to be filled with nothing but destruction and violence.”
“Remember this, resorting to force should always be the last option, the final trump card, not the first choice. We have intelligence, we live in a society, and we are not mindless beasts that only know how to tear and devour.”
“True strength isn’t about relying on brute force alone, but knowing when and how to use it wisely. Do you understand?”