[Vol. 7] Chapter 66: Showing Off? I'll Make You Fly!
Violet had seen plenty of weapons far more advanced and futuristic than these, especially those on Spirit Veil Immortal Island, which completely defied logic. But when it came to an entire nation possessing such technology, it was an entirely different matter.
The Austre Empire clearly wasn’t just following the same path as Earth’s industrial revolution. Instead, they had combined magic and technology, creating something entirely new. It was hard to predict just how powerful this fusion could become.
At the very least, during Earth’s industrial revolution, there was no way they could have built something like the [Graeme] war machines or mass-produced human enhancement devices. And they definitely couldn’t have created a thousand-meter-long steel battleship that could maneuver across the ocean with ease.
There had to be some kind of magic involved in all of this.
Just as the priestess was secretly marveling at the many new and unusual military weapons, the true leader of the fleet, after more than ten six-to-seven-meter-tall [Graemes] completed their movement, finally arrived aboard the [Noah's Ark].
Four people stepped forward, two men and two women. Among them, it was obvious that the two leading figures were.
A stern-looking man in his forties, wearing a deep blue military uniform, a military cap, and a sheathed sword at his waist.
A red-haired woman with a striking curvy figure, dressed in a standard magic robe and a wide-brimmed hat, though even that couldn’t hide her impressive proportions.
The moment they set foot on the deck, the middle-aged officer swept his cold gaze over the gathered crew. His face had the kind of expression that made it seem like everyone owed him a few hundred gold coins, completely emotionless, exuding the strict and impartial air of a government enforcer.
Behind him stood a younger man in a matching military uniform, who bore a strong resemblance to the older officer, probably his son. The young man wasn’t particularly focused on the situation at hand. Instead, his gaze kept drifting toward the fourth member of their group.
A green-haired girl in a short, practical dress, who appeared to be the youngest among them. The way he looked at her made it painfully obvious what was on his mind.
But the moment his eyes finally landed on Violet and the other women, each with their own unique beauty and charm, his expression instantly changed. His eyes widened, his mouth slightly opened, and for a brief moment, he looked like a lovestruck fool.
That was, until the green-haired girl next to him let out a cold scoff, snapping him out of it. He quickly straightened up, awkwardly trying to fix his expression before anyone noticed.
Meanwhile, the red-haired woman in front of him, whose short hair and flawless, almost translucent skin suggested she wasn’t human, also seemed aware of what had just happened. However, her expression remained indifferent, as if she had no interest in any of this. It looked like she was just here to go through the motions and get it over with.
Violet quickly sized up their group dynamic, already getting a general idea of their relationships. She had no intention of backing down, so she confidently stepped forward and spoke:
“This ship belongs to me. We’re a long-distance merchant fleet returning from open waters. We’re unarmed and have no weapons on board. So, dear sirs and madams, why have you stormed onto my ship like this? What exactly do you want from us?”
"Hmm..."
Noticing the young man’s reaction, the middle-aged officer subtly shifted his gaze back to Violet, his eyes scanning her up and down. His glance briefly swept over the others behind her before returning to her, and for a split second, a strange glint flickered in his pupils.
"This feeling... Are you a [Holy Arts] practitioner?"
His tone was calm, yet carried a certain weight as he continued,
"State your name, nationality, and provide proof of ship ownership. This sea is now under the sovereignty of the Austre Empire. The Imperial Navy has the authority to monitor and control all vessels entering or exiting these waters. Open the ship’s hold and prepare for an inspection."
Hearing his commanding tone, the priestess frowned slightly.
So it wasn’t going to be that easy after all...
Their approach was aggressive, but to some extent, it was understandable. After all, the [Noah’s Ark] was massive. Even though it appeared to be a simple, unarmed wooden ship, its sheer size alone was enough to make any military force wary.
Moreover, the fact that the officer specifically mentioned the [Holy Arts] likely meant that he had sensed her divine aura and mistakenly assumed she was a cleric from the Holy Empire, or at the very least, someone closely tied to the Church.
That explained his hostility.
After all, relations between the Austre Empire and the Holy Empire had been deteriorating. The two factions were already engaged in proxy conflicts, supporting smaller nations along their borders in an increasingly intense cold war. The two major alliances that Sethlin had mentioned earlier were both led by these two rival powers.
A ship that might be affiliated with the Holy Empire suddenly appearing in the sea controlled by the Austre Empire? It was no surprise they’d jump at the chance to investigate, or even fabricate an excuse to cause trouble.
Violet quickly took in her surroundings, covertly scanning the Imperial soldiers and the [Graeme] units standing nearby.
They were still holding their positions for now. But she had no doubt that if she refused, or if the officer gave the order, they would move in immediately.
She had no intention of clashing with the Austre Empire’s military here, but that didn’t mean she was about to tolerate this kind of interrogation. Let alone allow them to board her ship.
Forget the Merfolk still inside, [Noah’s Ark] held many secrets that she couldn’t let anyone see.
"My name is Violet. May I ask how I should address you, General?"
"Insolence! Are you trying to negotiate? A lowly commoner dares to ask for the General’s name? Seize her immediately!"
Before the middle-aged officer could respond, the young man in uniform behind him suddenly lashed out, as if he had been waiting for an excuse to cause trouble. Without hesitation, he shouted the order, and the nearest [Graeme] instantly raised its massive, slab-like metal hand, swinging it down toward Violet with crushing force!
At that moment, the Spirit Veil tribesmen, including Hongyan, all reacted at once, their eyes turning icy cold as they prepared to counterattack.
But before anyone else could move, a smaller figure darted forward, even faster than the others. A young yet chilling voice rang out, carrying the weight of a dragon whose reverse scale had been touched.
"Are you looking for death… insect?"
"BOOM!!!"
A massive shadow was sent flying, slamming into the deck with a deafening crash.
The [Graeme] struggled to get back up, but the sheer force of the impact had shattered the center of its palm, snapping the joint at its shoulder. Its entire metal arm hung limp, barely attached, leaving it unable to regain balance. The once-mighty war machine floundered helplessly, flipping over like an overturned turtle.
"Who… were you just calling a lowly commoner?"
The one responsible for this scene, a petite, blonde-haired girl, barely 1.2 meters tall, casually blew on her tiny, unscathed fist. Her golden, slit-pupiled eyes burned like the sun, locking onto the young officer who had given the attack order. Her gaze held the weight of a death sentence.
"I-I-I…!"
Despite the fact that she was just a childlike figure, the young officer couldn’t stop his face from turning pale. His legs trembled uncontrollably, and for a brief moment, it was as if he had forgotten how to breathe.
It wasn’t until now that the surrounding soldiers finally snapped out of their shock. Without hesitation, they raised their weapons in unison, all aiming at the group in the center of the deck!
The middle-aged officer was visibly shaken by the young dragon girl’s terrifying strength, but unlike his subordinate, he had better composure. He quickly took a half-step back, subtly positioning himself behind the remaining [Graemes] and the two women at his side. However, he refrained from ordering an immediate attack. Instead, he forced himself to speak in a harsh yet slightly unsteady voice.
"What do you think you're doing?! Are you declaring war on the Imperial Navy? On the Austre Empire?!"
Violet glanced at the petite figure standing protectively in front of her, noting that even though Xiao Guang had struck the [Graeme], she had deliberately avoided harming any humans.
After a moment of thought, the priestess calmly reached out and patted Xiao Guang’s head before turning to the middle-aged officer and the two women beside him. Unlike the younger officer, these two seemed shocked but not entirely afraid.
With an even and composed tone, Violet spoke.
"General, we are not criminals. Don’t you think your men’s actions just now were a bit… excessive?"