Chapter 455
The goods were lost.
The crews were dead.
Those three sentences circled around Duke De la Pole’s mind. He sat there in a daze.
Albert wiped his face and looked at the Duke.
The noblemen also looked at Duke De la Pole.
“My condolences, Duke. I knew how important shipment was.”
.....
“Duke, everything will be all right.”
Duke De la Pole couldn’t hear their voices. That shipment was indeed very important.
He started the business when his father was still alive and he had yet to take his father’s title.
He was a great strategic businessman. He also had a friend who would understand the weather.
The two of them worked together and started the business. Thus, never before his ships were destroyed due to sea storms.
Thus, he became bolder and sent more ships risking his wealth.
While others worried about their wealth and risked less, he risked everything and became wealthier.
That’s why most of the noblemen look up to him and respect him.
His family was proud of him. He had no obstacle to deal with when he took the title. The Queen also favored him because he was so powerful.
He became the third most influential man in Tybu. Nothing could go wrong with him.
Furthermore, He became someone who never faced setbacks.
He was a person who was born to be successful.
People would call him ‘Magician’ in secret.
This time too, he risked his fortune to send the goods.
Who knew his friend’s prediction would go wrong?
Duke De la Pole went pale.
Albert was worried enough. Looking at the Duke’s expression made him worry even more.
He said, “Duke, please get a hold of yourself. We have to go back to the mansion. Please come with me.”
Soon, Duke De la Pole came back to his senses.
He looked at his assistant and said, “Let’s go back.”
Albert sighed in relief. He was worried that the Duke might have a heart attack.
Duke De la Pole went back to his mansion. Without meeting his family, he strode toward his office.
When Albert closed the door behind them, Duke De la Pole threw whatever there was on the table in anger.
“Arghhh! What is happening? Why did the ships get destroyed? The most expensive medicines and drugs were there. It cost a fortune to send them.”
He yelled like a madman.
Albert flinched when he saw his employer’s sudden outburst. Duke De la Pole never lost his control before.
‘Well, I cannot blame him. With the money the Duke was supposed to earn, we were supposed to buy weapons for it. It’s all the Duke and Her Majesty the Queen’s plan.’
‘To go against the magic Tower, they needed to prepare lots and the weapons would help us the most. But now that the Duke lost a fortune thanks to the sea storm, what will happen now?’
He could only worry.
He admired Duke De la Pole more than anyone.
That’s why he was desperate to become his assistant.
He looked at him in concern and asked, “Duke, are you all right? Shall I call the doctor?”
Duke De la Pole took his time to reply. He controlled his anger and said, “No, there is no need to call for the doctor. I’m fine.”
As he replied calmly, Albert was relieved. “Then, shall I go and investigate the reason behind the sea storm? Maybe some of the crew are still alive.”
“Crews?” Duke De la Pole sneered. “They are nothing but worthless slaves. Only the captains were my actual henchmen. Now they all died. They are worthless now. Just leave them in the ocean to die.
“As for Her Majesty, I’ll write a letter to her. We have to give her the unfortunate news.”
“And what about the fortunes you lost?” Albert asked.
Duke De la Pole said, “You know me, don’t you Albert? I always have a backup plan. Yes, I lost a fortune and I can gain them back. I just need to do some things.
“Let’s go out. I heard that some products arrived in the capital. We have to check if those products are good enough to sell.”
“Okay, I’ll ask the coachman to prepare the carriage.”
Albert left Duke De la Pole alone.
He stared at the map that showed all the lands he owned. His expression became serious.
‘How did this happen? My partner was always right about the weather. We found the safest route. We always used that route to send the ships.’
‘All the captains were familiar with the route. The slaves were working for me for over ten years. Everything was under control.’
‘There was nothing suspicious in the weather. There was no sign of climate change. We knew everything about the ocean and when the storm would start. Then why now?’
Duke De la Pole wrecked his brain to try to figure out why his ships were destroyed. However, nothing came to his mind.
Then suddenly, something came to his mind.
Memories.
The words of the person he met in the morning.
“You will find out what happens when you insult the Mistress of the Magic Tower. When you do, don’t come here to beg.”
“You think I’m unable to do certain things. You have no idea what my position is capable of.”
“Different circumstances? Indeed, we will. That will be very soon.”
It was Mistress Silverstar of the Magic Tower who told him those lines.
She was calmly threatening him.
“It couldn’t be done by the little Mistress of the Magic Tower, could it?” he muttered.
Chills ran down his spine.
He recalled how ruthless Arthur, the Master of the Magic Tower, was.
Arthur killed people without blinking once. He loved bloodbaths. He liked torturing people who harmed society.
He didn’t ask for forgiveness when he killed the Crown Prince.
He merely expressed his condolences by sending a letter which was written by Ovior.
He was bold, ruthless and brave. Nothing could make him scared.
Duke De la Pole thought Arthur’s wife could become his weakness.
Following the plot, his daughter Evely De la Pole disrespected her at the ball.
To his surprise, Arthur didn’t even lift a figure. Instead, he got a letter from Arthur’s wife, the Mistress of the Magic Tower.
Some low-quality gold, jewels and silk couldn’t appease her. It all ended with a threat from her.
And then, his ships were destroyed which was never supposed to happen.
“This must be it. It was that bitch who destroyed my ships. If I find any clue, I will destroy her for doing something like that.”
He promised with anger rising in his mind.
—————-
“Thank you for the help, Ovior. I knew I could count on you.” Veronica was smiling ear to ear.
Ovior stared at her expressionlessly before replying, “It’s always a pleasure to harm a bastard. And thanks to your plan, I was able to visit the ocean after a long time.”
“It’s my first time in the sea too. I wish Arthur was here,” saying that Veronica looked at the ocean. She missed Arthur.
.....
Right now, there were in the largest ship that Ovior owned. His father was a merchant and so they still owned some ships.
After Veronica talked to Duke De la Pole, she decided to stick to Arthur’s plan.
Arthur gave her some intel about Duke De la Pole’s ships and told her how to sabotage his business.
At first, she thought it was extreme.
Since Duke De la Pole didn’t compensate her properly for his daughter’s misbehavior, she decided to go with her husband’s plan.
She asked Ovior for help.
Ovior didn’t have much to do since Catherine and Ironin were helping him.
Also, Veronica planned to keep the head of the Magic Tower high.
Thus, he decided to help her. He teleported Veronica, Sebastian and Arthur’s group of assassins to his ship.
The ship sailed soon. With his magic, he teleported the entire ship to the location where Duke De la Pole’s ships were heading.
Veronica looked at the ships and told Ovior, “Let Duke De la Pole see my wrath.”
After that, Ovior used earth magic to create some stones which made the captains of Duke De la Pole’s ships move their ships away from the course.
They never saw anything like that and they got scared.
After changing the course, they had to face the sea storm. For a decade, they didn’t face any sea storm let alone a fierce storm like that one.
They couldn’t keep up with the storm. The crews panicked.
The thunders burned down the flag, the main masts and the foremasts.
There was nothing the crews could do. When the ships were on fire, they had to abandon the ships.
When Ovior’s ship came, they were over the moon thinking they were rescued.
Without knowing they were almost dead thanks to Ovior, they keep thanking him, Sebastian and the other assassins.
Sebastian led them to a dry space and gave them food and water. Unlike the captains, the crews were slaves. They never had a proper meal for years.
When they thought everything was under control, something happened.