The First Magic World War

Before setting off, Francis Drake instructed only one thing, "A few pirate leaders, you must send them to Notruden; that's our military achievement. The rest is up to you."

Charles still hadn't figured out how to delay for a few more days.

Nor had he figured out how to discreetly get rid of Chatham.

He hadn't expected that James Cook and Francis Drake had no intention of taking him away, not even the pirate crew, wanting only a few leaders.

He agreed immediately, with utmost sincerity.

After all, with Chatham's six pirate ships, he was only one ship away from completing the maze-ification, the two had helped him enormously.

While Charles was relieved to have escaped one calamity, he was also deeply concerned that the mobilization of two of the Inglima Empire's navy flagships, Magical Alchemy Warships, could not possibly be for a trivial reason.
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He just hoped that James Cook and Francis Drake's actions were not aimed at the Fars Empire.

Three days after James Cook and Francis Drake left, a merchant ship from Notruden brought a letter from the Augusladin High Priest, telling him to finish his "private affairs" and make his way to Notruden as soon as possible.

Charles was overjoyed and immediately announced the conscription of the merchant ship. Under the stupefied and enraged gaze of the shipowner, he informed him that it was just a joke.

No one knew that beneath this "joke," Cappadocia City had quietly completed its maze-ification. A thought leaked out from the diary: Charles Mecklen attacked and occupied Cappadocia City, repelled and captured Chatham's fleet, the maze-ification was completed, gaining two passages that directly connected Machu Picchu and Silver Pigeon Fort.

The diary also hinted at a second maze-ification opportunity. But Charles decisively chose to let it go, as he didn't have the confidence that he could procure another eighteen ships in a short time, all the more so since the Augusladin High Priest was already summoning him, and it was time to head to Notruden to meet up.

Charles left the fleet made up of pirates, slaves, and Cappadocian citizens to Simon and Cruz, the former Patrol Army Superintendent and proprietor of the first merchant ship.

Without any trial, he had Chatham and several key subordinates beheaded, their heads boxed up, and with his original crew, he followed the merchant ship that brought the letter to Notruden.

After all, as a person of Fars, bringing a fleet to Notruden could easily lead to a diplomatic dispute.

During his time in Fars, Charles had heard of Notruden's prosperity being second only to Strasbourg. Yet, when the merchant ship entered the port of Notruden, he was nonetheless astonished by the prosperity of this emerging city.

Notruden was a port city, with a river running through it and into the ocean. Along the banks of the river, the Englima People had built numerous grandiose structures that resembled marvels, constructing at least more than two hundred bridges, in a style that was quite medieval punk.

Once Charles disembarked the ship, he hired several carriages, and with his team, headed straight for the embassy street in Notruden.

The embassy streets of the Old Continent nations were home not only to the embassies of various countries but also to their own administrative organs, including the political office, Patrolling Army, and so on.

First thing, Charles went to the Patrolling Army on embassy street, turned over the heads of Chatham and his key subordinates, and wrote a document portraying James Cook and Francis Drake as heroes who had rescued foreign envoys, taken down Cappadocia City, and defeated the pirate fleet.

He had promised Francis Drake and would naturally not go back on his word.

James Cook and Francis Drake were both exceptional individuals of the Inglima Empire with limitless futures, and while Charles didn't know if he'd need them in the future, he still tried to forge good relations.

After dealing with this matter, Charles then went to the Fars Empire's embassy, where, possessing the documents of a diplomatic envoy, he quickly obtained accommodation. However, when he inquired about the Augusladin High Priest with the embassy staff, everyone professed ignorance.

Charles asked around and only found out that the High Priest's life in Notruden was rich and varied, often leaving early and returning late, or even not coming back at all, behaving like an unusual "social butterfly."

He also visited Viscount Duranni, the second-in-command of the mission, who owned property in Notruden, and had gone home on the second day, never to reappear.

Charles wandered around the embassy but failed to encounter any high-profile individuals nor understand what he was supposed to do.

In both his past life and the present, Charles had never been a diplomat.

After pondering for a moment, he decided to go out and get to know Notruden, while also shopping for a couple of weapons.

Diplomatic personnel couldn't carry many weapons because if discovered, it would cause trouble, so before landing on the island of Notruden, Charles sent his antispace weapons and the magic gun pouch back to Machu Picchu via Mind Passage.

He had lent the Silver Knight to Belisa, and feeling that the former maidservant could fully exploit the weapon's advantage, he did not take it back. Now he only had a magic stabbing sword, Blood Rose, which was not within the restricted range.

Since Charles made a tidy sum in Cappadocia City, he wasn't short on Inglima Empire gold pounds.

As soon as he left the embassy street, he could feel someone tailing him.

Charles turned and saw two of Notruden's Patrolling Army, realizing it was necessary surveillance. He gave a friendly wave and continued his search for weapon shops.