MERCHANT ADVENTURER

Lord Bromwell

Although the letter of war declaration had been delivered into our hands, yet the hardest part was the waiting game. We waited with bated breaths for the enemy to attack. Would they come by water or by land? Lord Crohn and his men had figured out the enemy might divide their forces into two, one moving by boat and the other to march on land.

In his war room, Lord Crohn came up with a series of complex strategies to repel the enemy. However, most of the strategies involved massacring the enemy, and not leaving a single person alive.

I asked Septimus if killing mortals would build up some kind of retribution from the heavens, but Septimus only laughed.

Then he told me, "Mortals are the playthings of the gods. Their deaths mean little to us. In fact, there once were gods who flooded the earth, ending all life. When mortals are extinct, the gods band together to create more."

After hearing Septimus' reply, I suddenly felt small and unimportant. Before, although I didn't have any delusion thoughts of being important, but I felt my life had significance. Under Septimus' explanation, I felt like all I did would not matter.

However, Midas jumped into the conversation to say, "Don't listen to him Casper. You are important. Without you, the people of Salsburg would still be living in misery. As a mortal, you should focus on helping your fellow mortals. Do not concern yourself with the ways of the gods. They do not think like mortals. Everything they see and do comes from the fact that they cannot die. Therefore, to them, life doesn't mean anything. In a way, those who are immortal cannot understand life the way that mortals do."

Her words comforted me. Yes, I wasn't here to be a mere plaything to the gods. I will live my life well, helping my fellow mortals. As for the work of the gods, it is beyond my reach. I would not trouble myself with such things.

Eventually, scouts returned with news of the enemy. Just like Lord Crohn's prediction, the enemy did come both by water and by land. The enemies approaching by land were attacked by the Lakeburg army.

As for those traveling by boat, we could only patiently wait for them. A measure of their success was found in their advanced warships. These warships were well-armed with cannons. They moved not by the help of the wind, but by oars, that stuck out from the hull of the ship. This type of manpower meant the ship wouldn't have to rely on chance to move. From where I stood, on the lookout deck, I could tell these ships had been constructed with much thought.

When the first warship docked, an entourage walked down the gangplank. Among them was a finely dressed man. It was obvious from a glance, this was Lord Bromwell.

Lord Bromwell had a rather gentle, small face. Unlike what I thought a tyrant lord might look like. I had imagined him to have a square jaw and more muscular, tanned face. Yet, his face was frightfully pale and hollow. His gaunt eyes retreated behind a nest of creases.

As he moved towards us, I could see his gracefulness.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Lord Cassius Bromwell."

Midas inhaled deeply before saying, "It's Eris."

"Eris?" I repeated the unfamiliar name.

Author's Note:

Eris is the Greek goddess of conflict and discord.