Chapter 115 - 113: A Mark on the Crates

Chapter 115: Chapter 113: A Mark on the Crates

The merchant captain made it exactly four steps before Lucan caught him.

Not with a sword.

Not with a dramatic leap.

Lucan simply reached out, grabbed the back of the man’s coat, and pulled him to a stop.

"Leaving already?"

The captain struggled.

"Get your hands off me!"

Lucan glanced toward Magistrate Selka Venn.

"Am I allowed to hold him?"

Selka examined the open wagon.

"Under the circumstances, yes."

"Wonderful."

Lucan turned the captain around and handed him to the nearest guard.

Arin watched the exchange with mild amusement.

"You’re getting better at following local laws."

Lucan smiled.

"I’ve been practicing."

"Remarkable."

EVE, meanwhile, had approached the crates.

Her attention was fixed on the symbol burned into their wooden sides.

Three interlocking rings.

The same mark found on the mana-aggression devices used by the Red Talon Hunting Company near Hollowbrook.

Arin’s expression grew serious.

He had left that investigation in the Royal Guild’s hands for a reason. The traffickers had been arrested, their victims placed under care, and Captain Ressa Vorn had taken custody of the evidence.

He had no desire to spend his entire journey hunting criminals.

But the symbol was sitting directly in front of him.

Ignoring it would be foolish.

"Selka," he said, "before anyone opens another crate, we should check what’s inside."

The magistrate nodded.

"Agreed."

The freight square was cleared within minutes.

Caldris’s harbor guards established a perimeter while EVE conducted a remote inspection using a compact scanning drone.

The first crate contained ordinary machine components.

The second held reinforced leather harnesses.

The third contained mana-regulation assemblies.

Arin leaned closer to the projected image.

"Those look familiar."

EVE enlarged one assembly.

"Similar construction principles to the aggression devices recovered near Hollowbrook, but the internal configuration is different."

"Different how?"

"These appear to regulate mana flow rather than induce aggression."

Lucan frowned.

"So they’re harmless?"

"Not necessarily," EVE replied. "A device’s intended function depends on its complete assembly and use."

Arin nodded.

"Exactly."

Selka folded her arms.

"Then we don’t assume the cargo is illegal simply because of the symbol."

Arin glanced at her.

"Good."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Surprised?"

"Pleasantly."

The merchant captain was named Joren Vask.

He owned a small coastal freight company operating between several northern ports.

According to his documents, the crates contained industrial mana regulators purchased from a supplier called Threefold Mechanical Works.

The cargo was destined for a licensed workshop in Caldris.

At least, that was what the paperwork claimed.

Selka questioned him in a nearby harbor office.

Arin and EVE attended as technical witnesses, while Lucan remained outside with the guards.

Joren sat across from the magistrate, looking increasingly miserable.

"I haven’t done anything wrong."

Selka placed the shipping manifest on the table.

"Then explain why your declared cargo weight differs from the actual weight by nearly four hundred kilograms."

Joren swallowed.

"Loading error."

"And why the recipient listed on your manifest closed its business six months ago?"

"Clerical mistake."

Selka leaned back.

"Two mistakes."

Joren looked away.

Arin examined the documents.

"Where did you collect the shipment?"

"Northhaven."

"From the manufacturer?"

"No. A bonded warehouse."

"Did you inspect the cargo?"

Joren hesitated.

"Not personally."

Arin nodded.

"Then you may not know what’s inside."

The captain looked relieved.

"Exactly."

Selka tapped the table.

"That doesn’t explain the false recipient."

His relief vanished.

The questioning continued.

Eventually, Joren admitted that he had accepted the shipment from an independent freight broker who offered an unusually high transport fee.

The broker had provided the paperwork and instructed him to deliver the crates to a representative waiting in Caldris.

Joren had suspected something was wrong.

But the payment was generous.

And he had debts.

Arin listened without sympathy or unnecessary hostility.

"Did you know about Red Talon?"

Joren shook his head.

"No."

"The monster-trafficking company?"

"No."

"The aggression devices?"

"I swear, I don’t know anything about those."

EVE monitored his responses but did not claim to possess some infallible lie detector.

Arin appreciated that.

People were complicated.

Fear, embarrassment, and guilt could look remarkably similar.

Selka closed the interview.

"Captain Vask, you’re being held for further investigation into fraudulent shipping declarations. Your vessel and cargo will remain under harbor authority control until we establish their legal status."

Joren lowered his head.

"Understood."

The real surprise came from the fourth crate.

It was smaller than the others.

Heavier.

And protected by a reinforced internal casing.

EVE examined it carefully.

"Arin."

He looked toward her.

"Yes?"

"This one contains a different class of equipment."

She projected the scan.

Inside were twelve compact devices, each roughly the size of a human hand.

Their housings were made from polished dark metal.

Thin mana-conducting channels ran along their surfaces.

And each device contained a small crystal chamber.

Arin frowned.

"Control modules?"

"Likely."

"For what?"

"Unknown without further examination."

Selka looked toward the equipment.

"Can they be dangerous?"

"Potentially," EVE answered.

Arin considered.

"Then we keep them sealed until the Guild arrives."

Selka nodded.

"Agreed."

Captain Ressa Vorn answered the communication request less than an hour later.

Her image appeared above the meeting table.

She looked tired.

Very tired.

Arin smiled.

"Captain."

Ressa stared at him.

"Why am I not surprised?"

"Nice to see you too."

"Last time we spoke, you were going to the beach."

"I did."

"And?"

"It was lovely."

Ressa closed her eyes.

Lucan laughed.

Arin continued, "We found some cargo you might be interested in."

EVE transmitted the photographs.

Ressa’s expression changed immediately.

"Where?"

"Caldris Free Port."

She examined the symbols.

Then the internal scans.

For several seconds, she said nothing.

Finally, she looked toward Arin.

"Don’t open the control modules."

"Wasn’t planning to."

"Don’t activate them."

"Also wasn’t planning to."

"And don’t let Victor touch them."

Arin blinked.

"How did you—"

"Because I remember Victor."

Lucan burst out laughing.

Ressa explained that the Red Talon investigation had expanded beyond the hunting company itself.

Several regional workshops had been supplying components to different buyers.

Some products were legitimate industrial regulators.

Others had been modified for illegal animal restraint, forced mana stimulation, or combat conditioning.

The three-ring symbol appeared on both legal and illegal equipment.

That complicated matters.

Arin nodded.

"So the manufacturer isn’t necessarily criminal."

"Correct," Ressa answered. "But someone has been diverting equipment into unauthorized markets."

Selka folded her arms.

"Do you have a warrant for the cargo?"

"Not yet. Your magistrate’s office has local jurisdiction."

Selka nodded.

"Then we’ll preserve the evidence under our own procedures and cooperate with your investigators."

Ressa looked pleased.

"That would be appreciated."

Arin smiled.

"Look at that. Competent people solving problems without me."

Selka raised an eyebrow.

"You’re still standing here."

"An unfortunate oversight."

By evening, the cargo had been secured in a guarded warehouse.

Caldris’s magistrate office began tracing the shipment’s financial records.

Ressa assigned investigators to coordinate with the port authority.

And Arin submitted a technical report comparing the recovered components with those found at Red Talon’s camp.

That was all.

No dramatic raid.

No secret criminal fortress.

No sudden discovery of a world-spanning mastermind.

Just paperwork, evidence, and several professionals doing their jobs.

Arin considered it an excellent outcome.

Lucan disagreed.

"That was disappointingly peaceful."

Arin looked at him.

"You’re disappointed nobody tried to kill us?"

"A little."

"Get a hobby."

"I have one."

"Besides sword fighting."

Lucan considered.

"That’s unreasonable."

The following morning, Arin visited Caldris’s shipyards.

Not because of another emergency.

Because he wanted to see how local shipbuilders worked.

Darek, the dry-dock supervisor, welcomed him enthusiastically.

"Master Elysium!"

Arin smiled.

"Morning."

"Come to inspect the crane?"

"No. I came to look at ships."

Darek grinned.

"Now that’s something I understand."

He led Arin through the eastern construction yard.

Several vessels were under repair.

A cargo ship had been lifted onto timber supports.

Two fishing boats were receiving new hull planking.

And at the far end of the yard stood a half-completed three-masted merchant vessel.

Arin stopped.

"Beautiful."

Darek smiled proudly.

"She’ll be called the Northwind."

Arin examined the hull.

The ship was nearly fifty meters long, built from layered hardwood reinforced with mana-treated structural bands.

Its design emphasized stability and cargo capacity.

The workmanship was excellent.

Arin ran a hand along one of the exposed ribs.

"How long to build?"

"Fourteen months so far. Another six, if everything goes well."

Arin nodded.

"Impressive."

Darek looked surprised.

"Coming from someone who builds moving fortresses?"

Arin laughed.

"Good engineering is good engineering."

They spent the next hour discussing ship construction.

Arin asked about hull stresses.

Darek explained timber selection.

Rian joined them and became fascinated by the methods used to distribute loads across the keel.

EVE compared the ship’s design with historical maritime construction techniques.

At one point, Darek asked whether Elysium could build a ship from metal.

Arin nodded.

"Yes."

"Would it float?"

"Of course."

Darek stared.

"Metal sinks."

Arin smiled.

"Not when you build the hull correctly."

Darek considered.

Then laughed.

"I’d like to see that."

Arin looked toward the unfinished Northwind.

"So would I."

The conversation planted an idea.

Not an immediate project.

Not another enormous construction expense.

Just an idea.

The Civic Exploration Platform was excellent for traveling across land.

Bubble was useful for underwater surveys.

But neither could carry the expedition across an ocean.

If House Elysium wanted to explore distant islands and continents someday, it would need proper maritime capability.

A ship.

Perhaps several.

Arin smiled to himself.

Darek noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

EVE looked at him.

Then narrowed her eyes.

"Arin."

He turned.

"Yes?"

"You’re planning something."

"Thinking."

"That’s usually how it begins."

Rian laughed.

That afternoon, Arin gathered the expedition’s engineering crew aboard the platform.

He displayed a simple concept drawing.

A medium-sized exploration ship.

Not a battleship.

Not a floating fortress.

A vessel designed for long-range travel, scientific surveys, cargo transport, and limited underwater support operations.

Rian leaned forward.

"Are we building that?"

Arin shook his head.

"Not now."

Lucan looked disappointed.

Arin continued, "We’re exploring the requirements. Materials, shipyard capacity, propulsion, maintenance, crew training, and costs."

EVE nodded approvingly.

"A feasibility study."

"Exactly."

Victor raised his hand.

"Can it have cannons?"

Arin stared.

Victor smiled.

"Just asking."

The feasibility study revealed several problems.

A ship large enough to support long-range exploration would require substantial materials.

Its propulsion system needed careful design.

The crew would require maritime training.

And constructing the vessel would occupy a major shipyard for months.

Arin reviewed the estimates.

Then nodded.

"Good."

Rian blinked.

"Good?"

"Yes."

"That’s a lot of problems."

Arin smiled.

"Which means there’s a lot to learn."

EVE laughed softly.

That evening, Selka invited Arin to a meeting with several representatives from Caldris’s Port Assembly.

The discussion was informal.

They wanted to understand House Elysium’s commercial interests.

Arin explained that he was exploring possible future maritime projects.

Not requesting territory.

Not seeking exclusive harbor rights.

And certainly not planning to annex Caldris.

One elderly merchant looked almost disappointed.

"You don’t want a private dock?"

Arin smiled.

"Not yet."

"An exclusive warehouse?"

"No."

"Preferred tariffs?"

"No."

The merchant frowned.

"Then what do you want?"

Arin considered.

"Good partners."

The room went quiet.

Selka smiled.

"That," she said, "we can discuss."

The meeting ended with a simple agreement.

Caldris would provide access to public shipbuilding specifications, local maritime expertise, and ordinary commercial services.

House Elysium could commission feasibility studies and negotiate future contracts under the same laws as other businesses.

No exclusive concessions.

No special political privileges.

No permanent obligations.

Arin considered it a productive beginning.

Later that night, he returned to the Civic Exploration Platform.

Lyra and Luna were sitting in the family lounge.

They had arranged their souvenirs from Caldris across a table.

Small wooden birds.

Polished stones.

Miniature ships.

And several bags of sweets.

Arin approached.

"Having fun?"

Lyra nodded.

"Yes."

Luna held up her wooden bird.

"It still flies!"

She activated the tiny mana crystal.

The bird fluttered across the room.

Then landed on Lucan’s head.

He froze.

Everyone stared.

Then Luna burst out laughing.

Arin laughed with her.

Lucan sighed.

"I have become a landing platform."

After the girls went to bed, Arin joined EVE on the observation deck.

Caldris’s harbor lights shimmered beneath the night sky.

Ships rested quietly at their moorings.

The distant sea reflected the moon.

EVE leaned against the railing.

"Today was productive."

Arin nodded.

"Very."

"The cargo investigation is proceeding through proper authorities."

"Good."

"The shipbuilding feasibility study has begun."

"Also good."

"And Lyra has requested permission to purchase a second boat."

Arin slowly turned.

"What?"

EVE smiled.

"She says the first investment should be diversified."

Arin stared.

Then began laughing.

The following morning, the expedition prepared to leave Caldris.

The platform’s maintenance checks were complete.

Supplies had been replenished.

The crew had enjoyed several days of rest.

And Arin had acquired enough information to keep his engineers busy for weeks.

Selka met him outside the city gate.

"Leaving already?"

Arin smiled.

"There’s a lot of world left."

She nodded.

"That there is."

Then she handed him a folded chart.

Arin opened it.

It showed the northern coastline beyond Caldris.

Several old roads.

A chain of forested valleys.

And a mountain pass leading inland.

Selka pointed toward the pass.

"If you’re looking for somewhere interesting, try the Northglass Highlands."

Arin raised an eyebrow.

"What’s there?"

She smiled.

"Beautiful scenery. Old mining roads. A few independent settlements."

Lucan leaned forward.

"And?"

Selka laughed.

"And weather that changes its mind every ten minutes."

Arin smiled.

"Sounds lovely."

The Civic Exploration Platform departed Caldris shortly before noon.

Its tracks rolled across the northern road.

The city gradually disappeared behind the hills.

Arin stood on the observation deck with EVE and Lucan.

The wind was cool.

The sky clear.

And the mountains ahead rose like a pale blue wall against the horizon.

Lucan smiled.

"Another adventure."

Arin nodded.

"Another road."

EVE examined the route.

Then looked toward him.

"Arin."

"Yes?"

"The Northglass Highlands have unusually variable mana conditions."

He smiled.

"Interesting."

"And several sections of the old mining road are marked as unstable."

"Even better."

Lucan laughed.

EVE sighed.

"I knew you would say that."

Arin looked toward the distant mountains.

Then smiled.

"Well, let’s see what they’re hiding."

Chapter End