(Celebrating with an update for three thousand followers.)
Duncan climbs the mast to look out, seeing Saxon warships in the distance, somewhat resembling Viking dragon-headed warships, constructed with fish-scale wooden shells, but not very large, measuring about twenty meters in length and five meters in width.
In this era, the most advanced warships are the Empire’s quinqueremes, which are nearly fifty meters long and five meters wide, accommodating three hundred rowers simultaneously.
During the polytheism’s peak, when the Sea God was still worshiped, the Empire had built the Celestial Crow Ship, but it had long been scrapped, and no one made such large warships later. Due to its geographical advantage, the Italian Peninsula led in nautical technology; it had conquered Egypt as early as B.C. (Mediterranean shipbuilding technology was top-notch in the era.)
"We should be near Dover now."
The narrowest part of this strait is just about 30 kilometers wide, and Duncan feels that, with his current physical condition, he could swim across it if he were alone.
"They’re coming after us," a sailor exclaimed.
Among the Germanic Barbarian Race, the Franks and Saxons currently boast the strongest combat skills, especially the Saxon pirates, notorious throughout a nearly century-long invasion history. They equate to early Viking pirates at their peak, worshiping mainly Odin and Sol.
Duncan wore a severe expression as he descended from the mast, testing the wind direction with his hand.
Due to the strong wind on the sea, the aim crosshair from an omniscient perspective would sway, and even the correction of combat skills was significantly weakened.
This era’s sea battles were quite primitive; true engagement likely meant boarding combat.
These sailors can’t defeat the Saxon pirates.
Duncan wasn’t very confident, mainly worried about the safety of the witches.
They’re really weak in close combat.
It was then that Crow Queen-Triss walked over, staring at Duncan, saying, "Are you confident?"
With a grave expression, Duncan hesitated and said, "Too few guards; these sailors probably aren’t their match."
—Saxon pirate ship (high morale) (natural sailors).
Crow Queen-Triss nodded slightly and said, "Leave it to me, then."
After saying that, Crow Queen-Triss turned to gaze at the Saxon pirate ships, walked to a discreet corner of the deck, knelt on one knee, making a praying gesture, perhaps preparing magic.
The world’s magic limits are immense.
"The wind direction is favorable to us!"
"They can’t catch up with us."
The sailors on the deck were excited, loudly praising the Sea God, with a slight change in sea winds allowing them to gradually leave the enemy behind, without worry of being pursued by pirate ships.
Can she control the wind’s direction?
Watching Crow Queen-Triss rise, Duncan felt this woman truly reliable and reassuring.
He reflexively turned to take a look at the tense Anya behind him.
Compared to Crow Queen-Triss, Duncan had never seen Anya exhibit any formidable supernatural means; unlike a true witch, she seemed more like an exquisite household item.
However, she was indeed wealthy.
Born into an old Roman aristocracy, a noblewoman from the Empire’s upper class, owning her fleet, with bags full of gold.
Anya was devoted to Aphrodite’s Esoteric Buddhism, a branch of the Goddess of Beauty-Venus, merging with Greek beliefs that specially served Aphrodite’s deity of desire and beauty. Her supernatural ability was likely various charming means to please men, but unfortunately, Crow Queen-Triss wiped it out with three lashes.
(Frightened Anya never dared to use charming witchcraft again, roughly equating to spells that charmed humans.)
At the mountain people’s encampment, Anya had many schemes, but ultimately she herself became the fur coat, becoming a part of Duncan and Crow Queen-Triss’s emotional play.
Yet she’s not truly the peaceful type; she may be quiet now, but that doesn’t mean she won’t cause trouble in the future.
The true civilization era in Great Britain was brought by the Roman Empire.
And here the Empire established the British Province, began urbanizing the plains, during which Londinium, Ebola, and Londinium were built. There were no real big cities here; most were medium to small settlements, with Londinium evolving into modern London in later generations. (Henceforth referred to directly as London; most city names will use modern ones for convenience.)
Around A.D. 407-410, Rome’s last legion withdrew, the British Province was abandoned, London started to decline, with many residents relocating, but soon Celtics replenished it, turning it into a large town with thousands of people.
Duncan’s group’s original destination was Londinium, but it had been occupied by Saxons, with surrounding areas as conflict zones.
After the Roman Empire’s legion withdrew, the British Isles entered the era of kings.
Upon stepping onto Great Britain’s coastline, Duncan slightly relaxed; sea battle heavily restricted personal combat skills.
He wasn’t Beowulf, able to hunt sea monsters or exchange bodily fluids with banshees and sea spirits in the waves.
Even if the Holy Grail’s blood power took effect, Duncan was at most half a Beowulf right now.
After mastering most combat skills, his strength entered a bottleneck period, possibly needing to hunt supernatural monsters to acquire more special abilities.