Byron did not make a decision immediately, but turned to the next page instead.
The Sailing Logbook autonomously recorded his daily schedules and experiences from the day he awoke on October 17th up to today.
The account of the day of the great Iron Anchor Bay battle was especially detailed, the number of pages surpassing the total of all other days combined.
It contained not only Byron’s own observations and experiences but also all the valuable intelligence that the Sailing Logbook had collected from the minds of the Law Mages when he turned them into Undead Servants.
Whenever Byron had free time these past few days, he would repeatedly consult it, looking for any clues or information he could use.
"The Chief Justice, Dudd Light, had the highest authority and was personally responsible for controlling the indescribable entity of extraordinary scale, ’Touch of the Kraken’.
The secrets he could access were no less than those of the supreme commander, Norwich York.
It seems that both of their direct superiors could only be Edward IV, and all orders came directly from him.
The external justification for launching the battle at Iron Anchor Bay was: Iron Anchor Bay, the largest Pirate Harbor in the Old Continent, harbored seventy percent of its pirates.
If we could clear Iron Anchor Bay, it would be equivalent to eradicating the last pirate stronghold in the Old Continent.
This would prevent them from ever threatening the homelands of various countries, especially the security of Hightins, an island nation near the continent.
Byron flipped to another page, looking at a phrase Edward IV had inadvertently mentioned:
"The action against Iron Anchor Bay is not an isolated case; both Lancaster and Iron Anchor Bay are actually parts of a certain plan."
He felt that this phrase might just be the key he was searching for.
Solving [The Navy Department’s Conspiracy] unexpectedly also increased the decryption rate of [The Revival Prophecy] by 4%.
This indicated that there was indeed an intrinsic connection between the two incidents, rather than them being isolated events.
"Speaking of commonalities between Lancaster and Iron Anchor Bay. First, we are both branches of the descendants of the Bayfolk mentioned in the prophecy; second, we are not so devout to the Church and the creator. Next, to confirm whether [The Shadow Behind the Red and White Rose War] is a conspiracy against all Bayfolk, we just need to check if other Bayfolk branches are also experiencing troubles."
At this step in the decryption, others might feel at a loss where to start, but Byron had a clear grasp of the continental situation.
He immediately thought of a place.
After the collapse of the North Sea Empire, established by the ancestors of the Bayfolk along the North Sea Coast,
The common ancestors of Lancaster and the York Family established the Kingdom of Hightins, while Violet’s ancestors went back to their old pirate ways in Iron Anchor Bay.
On the Eternal Night Peninsula, the largest tract of former North Sea Empire territory, several Bayfolk Descendants also established their own nations.
Among them, three Bayfolk Nations of varying sizes formed a loose alliance for mutual protection—the Kalmar Union.
"I heard some time ago that they were fighting fiercely over the control of the Union, with even a great noble being assassinated in the streets. If problems emerge within the Kalmar Union after some time and that particular faction still wins, I probably would know who that ’shadow behind the war’ refers to, and then..."
A cold light flickered in Byron’s eyes as he squeezed four words between gritted teeth:
"Move out immediately!"
What a joke. If it was really the Church of the creator that was behind it all, attempting to prevent the fulfillment of the Bayfolk prophecy by pre-emptively erasing them, then with Byron’s modest means, confronting the Holy See situated in The Holy Silver Empire would be out of the question. Even the lower-level diocesan cathedrals or parish sanctuaries could squash him like a fly. Already having an undying vendetta from the White Rose, and possibly spoiling the Church’s plans, why run away any later? Should he wait for the Inquisition of the religious courts to come and perform an execution by fire?
The best way to keep a field free of weeds is to plant crops in it. To completely get rid of the traces of Woden, [The God of Prophecy, Royal Authority, and the Mad Hunt Deity], you cram the Bayfolk’s minds full of faith in the creator. Even if we don’t look at the final result, this assumption also seems entirely reasonable.
"Facing these treacherous traitors of the York Family, I had the audacity to meddle a bit, relying on the authority of the [Iron Laws of Sovereignty]. But if I encounter those ruthless types from the Order of Sanctity, I would immediately be sent back to square one, being just a mere First Order Servant. Was I really deluding myself into thinking I was a Child of Destiny who could ignore Class and kill at will? Moreover, the powerful [Mad Hunt Legion] had already been expended, and now, there was nothing in the shadows, no sense of security whatsoever. What a pity, such an opportunity to personally eradicate a Third Order Transcendent and a bunch of Second Order ones is truly once in a blue moon. I wonder when the next chance will come. After considering everything, no matter what the situation with the Kalmar Union turns out to be, it’s best to hide overseas for a while. Once I’ve quietly grown stronger and have enough power, I can then return to this increasingly mysterious and treacherous battlefield."
Byron leaped up from his chair.
Looking through the captain’s cabin window, he gazed at the Pirate Harbor being rebuilt and repaired, and the vast white fog that surrounded Iron Anchor Bay.
The threat of ’Touch of the Kraken’ to Iron Anchor Bay had been temporarily removed, and as long as they didn’t have internal issues, it would remain an impregnable fortress.
But continuing to be a pirate in the North Sea Region was truly a future without prospects.
On land, not a single piece of unclaimed territory remained, the resources for transcendent beings were relatively scarce, and the major maritime routes were divided among the great naval powers.
Byron knew that if he wanted to realize his grand plan of a Pirate Fleet and a military dispatch company, he needed ample space to expand.
The Bantaan Archipelago, the closest group of islands to the mainland along the southern sea lanes, was without a doubt the most ideal place.
"It’s settled. Once I get the Privateering License and join the White Rose camp, I’ll apply to the new Boss to go to the Bantaan Archipelago."
Just then, a crisp and pleasant female voice came from shore:
"Byron, come and see what good thing I’ve brought you."
The owner of the voice didn’t stop, and as she spoke, she hopped onto the Golden Deer like the wind, her light footsteps drawing closer.
Byron stepped out the door and, unsurprisingly, saw Violet already standing in front of his cabin.
His eyes suddenly brightened.
Today, she wasn’t wearing the practical shirt and trousers she usually fought in, but a ladylike dress with pure white lace and a pair of Crystal High Heels.
Her silver hair was tied back simply with a gem-blue ribbon, the same color as her eyes, leaving only a strand of silver at her forehead, playful yet carrying a hint of scholarly air.
Although Miss Violet, the Gunpowder Artist, hadn’t embarked on the Transcendent path of the Hall Sequence, she still exuded an innate grace and vivacity.
Even with Byron’s composure, he couldn’t dare to utter the word "ordinary" again.
"Come on, follow me and see what a Third Order Artisan and art student’s skills can produce."
Violet naturally took Byron’s hand and led him to the bow of the ship, pulling a brand new Figurehead out of her Traveler’s Sack.
The moment Byron laid eyes on it, a flash of gold twinkled in his gaze.
Bruh, Gus, Eight Fingers, and the other sailors who were practicing swordsmanship beside them also gathered around curiously.
"How about it? The new Figurehead has been successfully modified. Doesn’t it look completely different from the old one?"
The girl’s eyes curved like crescents, ready to receive endless praise.
Indeed, the original Goddess of Vengeance, which had brandished a torch and dagger with a ferocious face, had completely transformed into a different visage.
It had shrunk to half its size, turning into the likeness of a child with a pair of antlers on its head.
Behind it spread a pair of wings, and in its hands, it held a small bow and arrow, decidedly non-threatening and somewhat harmlessly cute.
Even if Red Beard were to resurrect, he would definitely struggle to recognize it.
However, the change in appearance was secondary; the most important thing was how much of the Figurehead’s abilities had been retained.
Byron placed his hand gently on the top of its head and activated "Echoes of History," prompting a line of text to automatically emerge in the Sailing Logbook.
[Figurehead: Avenging Angel]:
"Unique effect: Vindictive.
Shout for the enemy to surrender. If the enemy does not surrender, or even dares to retaliate, they will have chosen death and will be marked by the Figurehead.
An invisible anchor connects both parties, forcibly locking the enemy as the ship’s mortal foe.
The bow and arrow in the hands of the Avenging Angel will release a glow that envelops all the cannons onboard, granting them a temporary blessing.
In this state, firing the cannons will lead to a 30% ballistic correction, indirectly increasing the hit rate by 30%."
The original ability of the Goddess of Vengeance was [Hatred Mark], which kept the target ship within one’s firing range—a divine skill for slower Third-Rate Ships but useless for the World’s Fastest Three-Master, the Golden Deer.
The second ability was a counterattack bonus triggered upon being hit.
Although now combined into one ability, the passive reception of damage turned into proactive attack, and the ballistic correction went from 20% to 30%. It became even more suitable for the Golden Deer, which was known for its speed and attack power.
"Not bad, I am very satisfied. Miss Artist, your craftsmanship is simply wonderful."
Although it was second-hand, Byron cherished the gift nonetheless.
The Golden Deer itself was a second-hand pirate ship; its pets were a bunch of second-hand sharks, and now he obtained a second-hand Figurehead. All were relics he inherited from his previous captains. As a loyal confidant, how could Byron disdain the profound kindness of his former bosses Bloody Eye Salman and Red Beard Edward? Right. Their spirits in heaven would surely be very comforted.
"Besides, starting a business is tough. What’s wrong with picking up second-hand goods? Even if they were ninth-hand, it wouldn’t matter if they were still functional."
Byron knew that his situation of seeking ’charity’ from kind-hearted people was actually not too bad. Many descendants of fallen nobles or wandering knights liked to find wealthy and prominent... ahem, ’second-hand’ noblewomen, or rather, Widows. Regardless of their appearance, or even their age, the key was the potential to leap to success, saving at least twenty years of struggle!
In this group, the most popular, naturally, were noble young ladies with no male heirs who had large "second-hand estates." Each year there was no shortage of news about Knights dueling to the death over jealousy and rivalry for such ladies. Just one success story could motivate countless successors to follow suit. Who, after all, could resist such temptation?
At that moment, he suddenly heard Violet, who had always been resolute and decisive, say in a voice tinged with embarrassment from behind him:
"That... good citizen, may I ask you a question?"