Three days later, the Kingdom of Lvneel.
The Haritch XIX, a massive warship, slowly entered a crescent-shaped bay harbor.
Standing on the foredeck, Cross could see towering, fortified artillery towers rising from the cliffs flanking both sides of the bay.
From a distance, he could even faintly make out the thick, pitch-black barrels of the cannons extending outward.
Within the bay, a veritable fleet of vessels bustled like a hundred rivers converging into one, merchant ships, cruise liners, warships... An ocean of white sails created a truly majestic spectacle. Even General Humil, who stood nearby, couldn't help but be amazed.
"This… this is what a true great nation looks like!" General Humil marveled.
"Oh~ is this country really that powerful?" Cross asked, tilting his head curiously.
"Of course! The Kingdom of Lvneel is one of the foremost powers of the North Blue, its military might is so formidable that it doesn't even require Marine protection!" General Humil explained.
"The Kingdom of Lvneel… That name sounds familiar somehow." Cross rubbed his chin, trying to recall where he'd heard it before.
"If you're from the North Blue and haven't heard of the Kingdom of Lvneel, then you've surely read The Great Liar, Mont Blanc Noland! It's a classic children's tale!" General Humil said.
"You mean… Noland's homeland was the Kingdom of Lvneel?!" Cross's eyes lit up in realization. He had indeed read The Great Liar, Mont Blanc Noland as a child. The story mentioned that Noland hailed from the Kingdom of Lvneel.
Of course, Cross knew that while The Great Liar, Mont Blanc Noland was a fairy tale adapted from real history, widely dismissed as a joke, there were major discrepancies between the story and what truly happened.
Most notably, the "City of Gold" Noland spoke of had, in fact, existed. He hadn't lied.
However, it wasn't that the golden city had sunk into the sea due to tectonic shifts, as Noland speculated before his death. Instead, it had been blasted skyward by a powerful Knock-Up Stream and now rested atop the Sky Island in the White-White Sea!
"That's right. That book may have made Lvneel the butt of a continent-wide joke, but the Kingdom of Lvneel's actual strength is not something anyone can mock," General Humil said solemnly. "We're talking about a nation with a population in the millions and an army of two hundred thousand!"
"That strong?!"
Cross's eyes widened in disbelief.
Then it dawned on him, four hundred years ago, the King of Lvneel had led an expedition to search for the City of Gold, as described by Mont Blanc Noland.
With Norland guiding them, they had crossed the North Blue and made their way to Jaya in the first half of the Grand Line. That feat alone spoke volumes about the military power the kingdom once wielded.
If the king hadn't had such faith in his kingdom's strength, he never would've dared to cross oceans into the perilous Grand Line in search of a mythical city.
Suddenly, within the crowded harbor, General Humil spotted an empty berth and quickly pointed toward it.
"Count Cross, we can dock over there!"
"Got it."
Cross nodded, then patted the wooden railing lightly with his palm.
The next moment, without a single sailor touching the helm or adjusting the sails, the massive warship began turning on its own and steered smoothly toward the indicated berth.
Within moments, the ship pulled into position and stopped. The heavy iron anchors dropped automatically, the ropes on the masts unraveled themselves, and the great white sails furled up neatly on their own. It was as if the ship had a mind of its own!
"Amazing!"
"Incredible!"
"With this, we won't even have to lift a finger anymore!"
"…!"
The sailors gathered on the deck murmured in awe at the surreal scene unfolding before them.
Only General Humil watched it all with a complicated expression and let out a dry chuckle. "Looks like from now on, you could sail solo if you wanted to."
"Hahahaha!" Cross burst out laughing. "It may not be the strongest ability out there, but it sure is convenient!"
Then, with an effortless leap, he jumped from the nearly twenty-meter-high deck down to the wooden pier, scanning the bustling harbor in front of him with curiosity.
He had been in this world for fifteen years, and this was the first time he'd traveled to another island, another country.
Compared to the Kingdom of Tobias, the Lvneel harbor was clearly much more prosperous. Sailors and dockworkers bustled everywhere, hauling cargo. Well-dressed merchants and nobles on holiday were a common sight.
After all, the Kingdom of Lvneel occupied a large island, with a massive harbor, seven cities, and dozens of villages. With a powerful military to keep pirates at bay, merchants flocked here in droves.
At that moment, General Humil descended from the ship as well, carrying a gangplank and accompanied by over a dozen soldiers in plainclothes. They each held heavy briefcases and came to stand beside Cross.
"What's our next move?" Cross asked.
"If you're tired, Count Cross, we can rest for the day at a hotel and make contact tomorrow," General Humil offered.
"I'll follow your lead on the deal, General. I'm feeling great!" Cross grinned.
Truthfully, it surprised even him, whether it was this body's natural gifts or something else, he hadn't experienced a hint of seasickness. In fact, he felt perfectly suited to life at sea. The only complaint he had was the bland food.
"In that case, I'll go ahead and reach out. Once we wrap up the deal, we can take a few days to rest and explore the Kingdom of Lvneel!" General Humil declared.
"Sounds good. Let's finish the job before anything else," Cross nodded, approving the plan.
General Humil then exchanged a few words with the local port tax officer who had come to collect tariffs. Once the official had been dealt with, he pulled out a Den Den Mushi to contact the black-market arms dealer.
Pere pere pere pere... click!
The Den Den Mushi connected. A strange, cackling laugh rang out.
"Kunhahahaha~ So you've arrived, have you?"
"Yes, we're in the Kingdom of Lvneel. We're ready to deal. Just give me the time and place," Humil replied.
"Kunhahahaha~ I like people who get straight to the point! Three o'clock this afternoon, just outside the city on the east side. There's a grove of palm trees, look for a red brick warehouse."
"No problem. I'll be there on time."
"Then I'll be waiting. Kunhahaha~"
Click.
The call ended.
General Humil stared at the now-sleeping Den Den Mushi, a conflicted expression on his face. He scratched the back of his head.
"What's wrong?" Cross asked, noticing his hesitation.
"The voice on the line… doesn't sound like the guy we talked to before," Humil said, frowning.
Cross furrowed his brow slightly in thought. "Could be they've just switched handlers. The Den Den Mushi worked fine, and they knew about the deal."
Humil nodded but still looked uneasy. "Either way, we're counting on you for security this afternoon, Count Cross."
"Leave it to me." A confident smile appeared on Cross's face as his left hand lightly traced the hilt of the katana at his waist.