Heidrick Flembent, Judge and Captain of the colossal ship, sat in his oversized chair, the flickering ambient light casting a shadowy glow over the command room.

He peered across the desk at Revol, his second in command.

A young-looking man with tall hair and simple clothing.

"Is everyone aboard, Revol?" Heidrick asked, his gaze sharp.

Revol, a lean, wiry man with a penchant for precise details, nodded confidently.

"Yes, Captain. All passengers, crew, and special groups have boarded. We’re fully ready to set sail."

Heidrick leaned forward, his fingers tapping slowly on the armrest.

"And what about the organizations? Particularly the mages. Any notable parties joining us?"

Revol allowed himself a slight smile as he prepared to deliver his meticulously organized report.

He cleared his throat, meeting the captain's expectant gaze.

"Certainly, Captain. We have an intriguing assembly this time."

Revol began, referring to a small leather-bound ledger in his hand.

"First and foremost, the Dark Father Organization has boarded."

"They bring with them several highly skilled magicians and a few strategic operatives that might pique our attention."

Heidrick grunted, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Dark Father... always a crowd-pleaser," he mused, sarcasm dripping from his words.

It is easy to see that Heidrick knew about Dark Father and does not like the organization itself at all.

Revol smirked, continuing,

"Then we have members of the Third Circle aboard."

The captain’s brow raised.

"Interesting. And here I thought they’d have more of a guard escort after their latest... incidents."

"They prefer to operate on their own terms."

Revol replied, eyes glinting with amusement.

He flipped a page in his ledger, and his voice dropped a notch.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"Now, next up, we have a group from the frozen realm—Frost Elves specifically."

Heidrick scoffed.

"As long as they don’t go freezing my ship’s hull, we’ll get along just fine."

He gestured for Revol to continue.

"Naturally, Captain," Revol replied smoothly, a faint grin playing on his lips.

"Now, alongside these groups, we also have our Blue Hope Soldiers—our own crew, as you’re well aware. They’re equipped with magical swords and crossbows, making them formidable forces themselves. They should help keep the peace aboard, should any ‘issues’ arise."

Heidrick chuckled dryly.

He thought his crew should not be counted as a special group, but even he has orders from above. So the crew members, especially the ones responsible for the security, counted as a special group like other organizations.

"I don’t doubt it. Go on."

Revol flipped to the next list.

"We’ve also permitted some low-level criminal organizations access. They’re minor compared to Dark Father, but clever. Our staff will keep a close eye on them."

"Good," Heidrick muttered. "Who else?"

Revol straightened up slightly, glancing down at the ledger.

"We’re also housing a few non-magical but influential organizations. They may not have spellcasters among them, but their power lies in sheer influence and numbers."

"Non-magic types," Heidrick repeated with an arched eyebrow.

"They’ll be easy to handle, at least."

"Yes, but they’re ambitious. And we also have the Dark Sickle." Revol continued.

“Ambition has a way of burning itself out,” Heidrick replied thoughtfully.

"Interesting mix this time, Revol. If Dark Sickle is here, we can expect many things will go down on the journey."

Revol nodded, snapping the ledger shut.

"Indeed, Captain. This variety of passengers, alliances, and potential rivalries may make for quite a dynamic voyage."

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Revol hesitated just a moment, his lips tightening in a controlled smirk before adding,

“There’s one more group worth mentioning, Captain. The Sylind Family. They’re a new player, but their leader is a peak Level Four mage—a strong one at that—and their connections with the Third Circle run deep.”

Heidrick remained silent, his gaze intensifying as he processed the information. Revol went on,

“The Sylind Family’s not just allied with the Third Circle—they’ve also managed to stir up enmity with a handful of the other groups.

It’s likely they’ll be looking for confrontations, possibly even before we reach Rudmer. As I believe their destination is Rudmer Island...”

A heavy silence settled over the room as Heidrick's jaw clenched slightly.

He turned his gaze out toward the harbor, watching the passengers as they boarded.

The idea of his ship—a masterpiece of magic and engineering—being used as a stage for someone else’s battles didn’t sit well with him.

“They think they can turn this vessel into their personal battleground,” he finally muttered, voice low.

Revol, picking up on the unspoken tension, nodded respectfully and, without another word, left the captain to his thoughts.

As the door clicked shut, Heidrick leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled. His eyes narrowed, sharp as steel, and he whispered to himself,

“Let them try.”