[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-city-of-desire-kingdom-building":3,"chapter-city-of-desire-kingdom-building-city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-640":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","City of Desire [Kingdom Building]",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1846760,2449,"Chapter 643: Turbulent Sea","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-640",640,"\u003Cp>Proofread by Thomas F\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barb Utsa\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You should at least take a break for dinner,\" advised Hen. \"I will,\" I replied, but continued moving across the ship's deck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sea is turbulent today, making it the best time to practice my latest skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feather's Grace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is a balance plus movement skill. It is a rare skill among the Warrior Class, usually. Only those of Lv. 20 and above, get it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is a fantastic skill, but I wish I had a pure movement skill since I already have Madam's Grace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These two skills are different; Madam's Grace focuses on flexibility of movement. It works very well with curved, serpentine paths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feather's Grace, on the other hand, works best on the straight path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Madam's Grace has mental aspects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It charms and speeds up my thoughts a little, —butFeather's Graceis really a physical warrior skill at heart. It boosts balance and, when I choose, lets me reduce five pounds of weight at will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am using both of my skills together, on top of being very drunk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I need to practice these skills while intoxicated. I fight best in this state, and practice will strengthen me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bam!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once more, I crashed against the pole. Hitting my head hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fuck!\" I cursed and massaged the spot. It would have really helped if I had skills like Rock Skin or Hard Body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I massaged the spot for a while before practicing again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is much harder to practice the skills in a turbulent sea than in a calm one, but it is where I will learn the most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have been at sea for two weeks. It is a great time to practice my skills, and I have been doing that daily, incorporating the lessons I learned on this trip into my practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially the tips I got from Drakon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That man is a truly powerful but also a great drinking partner. He is interested in me, which he never hid, but I didn't sleep with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I liked the man and wanted him to be a friend. Sleeping with him would have only made things complicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minutes passed, and I practiced under the turbulent sea. The ship became tipsy, shifting its floor and sending water waves onto the ship's deck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some directly crashed on me, and a few waves had nearly dragged me into the sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing that bothers me is the cold. The water is colder than when we journeyed over three months ago, and I am getting wetter, making things even more difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I braved through it. I need to get used to it. My chosen path will make me fight in conditions worse than this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sister Barb, it is getting dangerous. You should stop for today,\" said Gloria through the door to the deck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing her, I stopped. I have been doing this for a while and am tired. She is also right about the danger, but there is a mage. If I slipped into the sea, she would haul me out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it had been a calm sea. I wouldn't need the mage's help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Graceful Madam, it may not be pure speed skill, but it has another element. That helped me walk on water using it; the result was even better when combined with Surefooted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had tried it many times in the calm sea. I am very good at it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I walked toward her, watching the turbulent sea on this dark night. The only light I could see was from a convoy of ships around us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We are traveling in a protected convoy, with mercenary ships protecting us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It cost a lot of money, but Master Silver paid unhesitatingly for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shouldn't have; the trade route is relatively safe, and naval agreements between several kingdoms protect this vital trade route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I entered inside, and it was a lot better than the outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is warm and comfortable; many staff members sat in the common area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This ship is bigger than the one we came to Oton on. Currently, we have not only our people but also a good number of staff from the Tranquill Bathhouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at them before turning to my suite. It is the biggest on the ship and has a great view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the only thing I could now see was waves crashing on the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly removed my clothes and showered before walking out. The dinner cart was already waiting for me. I ate before sitting on the chair and watching the waves crashing against the large window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am tired and want to sleep, but I have a game of cards with my teammates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had taken me a lot of effort to create a bond with them, but this mission had produced some distance. I tried to fix it but realized we would always have some distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I will always be a madam, but I am also a mercenary. I will need to learn to live in both worlds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knock Knock!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hurried knock appeared on my door suddenly. A frown appeared on my face, and I appeared by the door by the Madam's Grace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What happened?\" I asked as I opened the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other side is Hen and Rev, and they have their business faces on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We have received the message from security that a group of ships is coming in our direction,\" replied Hen. Making my heart skip a beat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hostile?\" I asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I genuinely hope it is not; the naval battles are dangerous, especially in weather like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They don't know for sure, but they had asked to be prepared,\" she replied. It made me want to curse hard, but I took a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ask them and also inform Lord Silver,\" I said. \"I already sent the message to Greltheaven,\" she replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since we are in the middle of the sea, it will take some time for the message to get delivered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded and stepped back into my room. I picked up my sword, shield, and bag and left my room with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Barb, what happened?\" asked Tara, seeing me hurrying. \"I hope it's nothing, but it could be pirates,\" I replied in Privacy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Pirates!\" she is shocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We don't know yet, and it might be something else, but stay down here,\" I advised, moving quickly to follow after my team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Be careful,\" she said from behind. I nodded and kept moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, I reached the door, and the spell covered me before I stepped onto the deck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heavy rain crashed against me, but it didn't wet me. A pale blue energy layer around my body protected me from it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked around and saw a turbulent sea, with lightning flashing every few seconds. It had become wilder than before, with waves crashing against the ship and splashing the water on the deck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked around for the pirate ships when I saw the captain approaching us. He is an older man in his seventies with a crooked leg, but that didn't stop him from moving smoothly across the deck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is a naval veteran who fought in many battles before joining the private shipping company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stopped beside Rev and me with a bad expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Pirates?\" asked Rev. \"Worse, it is the bastards of Severfang Alliance,\" he spat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shit!\" I cursed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before leaving, Master Silver had provided me with an extensive dossier of information. It had the information on the Severfang Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is a small alliance of pirates, but powerful, with every raid of them having at least ten Lv. 3o with them. They are also one of the worst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They murder, ravage, and rape. They take hostages, but rarely, preferring to loot and disappear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is a bounty on them, and many pirate groups in the alliance have been hunted and executed, but they fill back their numbers pretty quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is no dearth of people wanting to join them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is the command planning to do?\" asked Rev. \"Right now, they are negotiating, but I am not putting much value in it,\" he replied before suddenly whipping his head to the left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bastard!\" he cursed. Looking at the two ships on the left, they are moving faster than the rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's clear they are running away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shouldn't we be doing that as well, captain?\" asked Rev, but the old man shook his head. \"It's the worst thing we could do right now,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those bastards have surrounded us and are coming from all sides,\" he replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had just done that when I finally noticed things in the distance as the lightning brightened up the sky for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I immediately whipped out the spyglass and looked. I could see the three ships, but I saw more of them as I moved the spyglass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These are small ships called cutters; pirates love them. They are fast and nimble, easy to loot and run.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom, Boom, Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The negotiations failed!\" the captain informed me, and at the same moment, I heard cannons from the mercenary ships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mercenary company that the convoy hired is large and famous. They know how to deal with the pirates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miss Utsa, please get back in the safety of the cabin; it's going to get ugly very soon,\" the Captain advised. \"Then I better stay here,\" I replied while Rev laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took out the armor pieces and began wearing them a moment later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There goes my night in the legacy,\" he muttered under his breath and walked away before shouting orders to the crew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mercenary ships have started arranging themselves around the ships. Two of them have arrived to our left and right, with mages forming a bridge and sending mercenaries to our vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, a middle-aged bald man came toward us, with rain striking across his body. He had no spell or skill active against the rain and didn't seem to need it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Captain, Mr. Rev, I am Garid Cabe; I am taking control of the ship's security,\" he informed in all business voice before turning to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked like he wanted to say something but simply sighed, seeing me ready to fight with armor and weapons in my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a few words, he begins ordering men to their position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cannons blasted toward the pirate ships, which were getting closer to us. Two of them had even reached the ships, which sailed faster in a panic, and I could see pirates boarding them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at pirate ships coming at us; nineteen of them were coming at us from all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We have more ships than them, but pirate ships are densely packed with men. Some don't even have guns to manage the weight of the boats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cannonballs soon approached us, but mages defended while we waited for the pirate ships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the first pirate ships reached the convoy and went for the merchant ship. The security ships stopped it, but the pirate ship behind it moved ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are only seven security ships, so they can't stop all pirate ships. That's why they sent mercenaries to each ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More and more pirate ships approached the merchant ships and began boarding them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could see many pirates falling into the sea and getting killed in the process, but more were boarding the boats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's brutal out there,\" said Hen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She is a veteran of many battles, but the naval battle is entirely different, especially when heavy rain and waves crash against the boats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nobody on my team other than Elis and Yora has any experience in a sea battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minutes passed, and the pirate ship closed on us. It is crammed with people hollering and roaring madly, making killing gestures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing it, I couldn't help but shudder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mages and archers attack. Do not let the pirates board us,\" he roared while I readied myself. Drinking all the alcohol, I had stored in me before taking it out of the bottle and gulping it down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have the feeling that this will be the most brutal battle, I have ever fought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surviving will be challenging, but that is not the only thing I must do. I have to make sure none of my charges die, not the girls or the other staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could feel the people looking at me strangely, but I didn't say anything and gulped the alcohol as much as I could with the Stored Gulp before taking the last of it in my mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seconds passed, and by the minutes, pirates reached us, ramming their ship against ours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Board!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap on Patreon below to read over 20 Advanced Chapters.Become aFree Memberand enjoy theCharacter Art, Maps, and other interesting things.\u003C\u002Fp>",2117,"2026-06-09T06:55:03.455Z",1,"novelbin.me","7357aecc9ec86f66ca683d40424e3a233df37758ba3ae3d9b57d42f022000554","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-641","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-639",917,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcity-of-desire-kingdom-building-cover.jpg"]