Lord of the Oasis

“Your Highness, there is a letter from the Elf Kingdom,” the soldier reported when Kant walked into the Senate Hall early in the morning.

“It arrived this morning?” Kant asked indifferently as he walked to his desk and sat down.

The letter, which was embossed with Elf Kingdom’s national emblem, was right on top of the pile of documents.

“Yes,” the soldier replied.

“It takes approximately half a month to travel from here to the Elf Kingdom. Devitt and the others should have been on the sea for at least half a month now,” Kant murmured in a low voice after reading the letter.

“This ship doesn’t dock!” A soldier rushed to the railing on the deck and retched into the sea.

“Those ships that can dock won’t be required to go out for missions.” Another soldier walked up beside him at the railing, grimacing as he endured the painful churning of his stomach.

“But there’s still half a month to go. You have to hang in there.” A third soldier put his hands on the shoulders of the two men and said.

“Austin?!”

“It’s strange. For someone who suffers from motion sickness even from a carriage ride, why doesn’t a choppy sea affect you?” A soldier shook his head in puzzlement.

“I don’t know either. Maybe it’s because my attributes are compatible with the sea,” Austin said smugly.

“Stop talking nonsense. Can you help me back to the lounge? My legs are like jelly now from all the vomiting,” the soldier who had been leaning over the railing retching interrupted weakly.

“I think you should go to the Infirmary instead,” Austin suggested, raising his eyebrows in concern.

Straight after, he lifted the soldier over his shoulder and walked in the opposite direction towards the Infirmary.

“Life at sea is so boring,” exclaimed Devitt, who was observing from the side.

“Isn’t life in the army boring too?” Claremont asked with a smile.

“You are right. It’s the same everywhere. It’s just that my mood is different.” Devitt pondered and replied smilingly, “Claremont, you must be really happy. You seem much more relaxed since boarding the ship.”

“Not really. I just want to cherish the moment in time of danger.” Claremont shook his head in a relaxed manner. “It’s probably a way to relieve stress.”

“It’s pretty good.”

The sea in the late autumn was rough even on sunny days.

With no end in sight, strong rolling huge waves rose and collapsed. People on the ship could hear the loud crashing sound the waves made.

To think that a large ship that could easily accommodate thousands of people was so helpless in the middle of an endless sea. Whether it sank or sail, it could only be determined by God.

“By the time the next letter arrives at Caradia, it should be a month later already,” Kant said with a sigh.

He had never been so concerned about a team out on a mission.

But then, these soldiers were sent to carry out missions beyond the boundary of the Nahrin Desert and they had no information at all about the place.

“Send Aubrey to the Senate Hall,” Kant ordered a soldier.

“Yes, Your Highness.” The soldier bowed and left.

“Captain Aubrey, His Highness Kant has summoned you to the Palace,” interrupted the soldier. Aubrey was practicing boxing at the Palace’s training ground.

“Did the scout send news?” Aubrey stopped boxing and asked.

“Yes.” The soldier replied.

“Ok. I will change my clothes and go to see His Highness right away.” Aubrey unclenched his fist and told the soldier.

Aubrey hurriedly arrived at the door of the Senate Hall.

“Your Highness Kant.” Aubrey bowed.

“Captain Aubrey, I have not seen you for a while.” Kant said, “The Elf Kingdom’s messenger sent a handwritten letter from Devitt this morning.”

Kant retrieved the letter from the pile of documents and handed it to Aubrey.

“They should still be at sea.” Aubrey took the letter but didn’t open it immediately.

“Yeah. It seems to be going smoothly so far,” Kant replied.

“That’s good.” Aubrey nodded.

“The island they are going to hasn’t been officially claimed as the territory of any country yet. But there are many races of nomads on it. After the elves sent people there for the first time, they also set up a site thereafter. Kant added, “In due course, the people at the site will be able to send reports back to Nahrin Desert on the news of the soldiers.”

“This is made possible entirely because of the elves’ contact,” Aubrey commented.

“The elves are more cautious in the way they do things now. It should be related to the changes after the war with the Undead,” Kant said. “I am still assured of their performance.”

“Yes,” Aubrey replied. “Thank you, Your Highness, for updating me on what’s happening at the frontline.”

“It’s fine.” Kant shook his head. “After all, I promised I would.”

“… Then I’ll return this letter to Your Highness.” Aubrey handed the letter back with both hands. “I just wanted to make sure that they’re safe. I shouldn’t be privy to the details of the mission.”

Kant looked up and took the envelope back without a word.

“Your Highness, if there’s nothing else, I shall take my leave,” Aubrey said.

“Alright,” Kant replied.

“We’re finally reaching!”

A soldier sitting in the captain’s cabin could not help but shout excitedly when he saw the shoreline in the distance.

“Land!!”

The soldiers who were gathered on the deck also shouted joyously as they closed the distance between the ship and the harbor.

“Soldiers, you have arrived at Crow Island. Please pack your belongings and prepare to disembark.” The ship crew announced through a loudspeaker.

Upon hearing this, the soldiers rushed back to their cabins to retrieve the bags that they had packed last night.

“All Caradia soldiers, please gather on the deck. Line up and disembark.” Claremont took the loudspeaker from the crew and commanded loudly.

The Caradia soldiers and the Elven soldiers lined up in two square formations.

The first row of soldiers in the two square formations proceeded to get off the ship via the gangway.

“The next row of soldiers to follow,” Devitt ordered.

After all the soldiers got off the ship, Devitt and the others disembarked too, followed by the crew members.

“We’ve finally reached land.” A Caradia soldier sighed with relief.

“When I was on the ship, I felt like I’m treading on cotton,” another soldier said while stamping his feet.

“I have the same feeling. When stepping on wooden planks on the ship, you can feel them swaying. Nothing beats standing on solid ground.”

“Where are the site people from the Elf Kingdom?” Devitt asked as he looked around.

“Could it be them?” Claremont asked hesitantly, pointing straight ahead.