Pillar of Yita

Affia looked at the little boy in front of her. It had only been two months, yet he was already taller than her. ”Pasha,” Affia gently wiped the corner of her eye and said dazedly, ”Could you keep me company for a chat?”

”Huh?”

Pasha seemed a bit hesitant. ”But Captain Ade wants me to go over.”

That pesky Captain Ade again.

The Little Princess thought to herself.

...

Fang Hong sneezed and looked around in confusion, but didn’t see Papalarians anywhere.

He put down the tool in his hand and, together with Hilveld behind him, focused on Lady Aierna, the box next to the Chairman, and the letter in the box’s hand, which had a shiny silver seal affixed to it.

”It’s a letter to you from the Grand Princess, and His Majesty has also written a message on it.”

Lady Aierna began to speak.

”The King of Sand had his coronation ceremony a week ago, but you didn’t attend. Princess anticipated that you might be caught up, as the construction of the Seven Seas Traveler has reached a crucial stage.”

”She wrote asking if you needed any assistance, and everything in Quistack is going well. The rebuilding is proceeding in an orderly manner, and the events from a month ago are gradually becoming a memory in people’s hearts...”

”Everything is getting back on track. She and His Majesty Aleph plan to re-establish the fleet heading to the Second World, fulfilling the ideals of former King Barbaltan and Queen, for the Istania People...”

Lady Aierna pressed the silver seal with her hand. ”In the letter, Princess said, Captain Ade, she hopes that one day you will take on the role of Grand Commander of the fleet, inheriting the legacy of her mother’s brother, the Great Explorer Gayaxi.”

Fang Hong’s mouth dropped open, thinking to himself, how could this be? He’s only a newcomer, barely a Captain, and now suddenly expected to be the Commander of the Istania Large Ship Group?

This felt a bit like a decided fate, and he immediately felt it was wrong, intending to refuse, and was about to say—you should find someone else who is more suitable.

But Lady Aierna stopped his words first, ”Ade, Princess understands what you’re thinking, but she’s not referring to now, rather one day in the future. The formation of the ship group will take a lot of time, and by then, perhaps you’ll already be an experienced Captain.”

”She sent you something and entrusted me and the Little Princess to bring it to you.”

As she spoke, Aierna turned around and took the item from the box’s hands and handed it over with both hands.

Fang Hong gazed at the item, and for a moment, he was embraced by a sense of quiet.

Not just outward tranquility, but inner peace.

It was a sword, with a scabbard bearing marks of wear and tear, and even a chipped hilt.

But as Fang Hong reached out and grasped the sword, he felt as though he had suddenly returned to that decisive combat of the past, that life-and-death struggle with Dika, and every person who sacrificed themselves in that great battle.

Over a month had passed.

Yet in his heart, wasn’t the emotion of that moment still stirring constantly?

This sword was a witness to their shared battles; he had once seen the Grand Princess wield this sword, leading the Istania People out from the shadows of the past.

Yes, tomorrow might be better—

He looked up at Lady Aierna, understanding in his heart that this request was one he could no longer refuse.

”Alright, one day...” he said softly.

Aierna quietly observed the young man in front of her, as the Princess always believed he was the most unique Holy Chooser she had ever encountered. And in her heart, she felt the same; she had never seen that glorious era—the time when two worlds transformed hostility into friendship.

But the brilliance of the past was ultimately passed down, conveyed through human carriers.

A noisy commotion came from outside the shipyard.

Fang Hong snapped back to attention, looked in that direction, and softly asked the others:

”What’s happening?”

”Some Blind Followers are spreading rumors harmful to the Royal Household outside, but they were identified by the people.”

Luo Yu, holding a book, walked in from outside and replied, also looking in that direction, ”Actually, the rumors detrimental to the Royal Household have been gradually reversed recently. People have already started to see clearly what really happened that day.”

Fang Hong couldn’t help but be a bit dazed for a moment.

Yes.

”The Grand Princess, King of Sand Barbaltan, Her Majesty the Queen...”

”What they did was ultimately not in vain.”

”And people will ultimately understand—”

Yet he was somewhat silent, only asking another question:

”By the way, where did Parker go?”

For a moment, no one could answer this question.

Except for a young girl.

...

”Mr. Parker, thank you for bringing me to this place.”

The gentle girl, leaning on a wooden wheelchair, allowed the Tansnier Sky Sea’s gentle breeze to play with her strands of long hair.

Her skin was snow-white, yet her eyes had a hint of a smile as she nodded slightly to the Papalarian next to her. The girl looked up at the tall statue being erected by people, the man in the statue had once been the ruler of this land.

And also, her ’father’—

Parker shook his head, ”Actually, I don’t know what’s so interesting about this place.”

He shook his head, as well as the head of Miss Nini sitting on top of his, who was giggling with excitement, ”Actually, Nini and I discovered a place that’s much more interesting than here.”

”It’s a treasure trove with many valuables, presumably the Tansnier Crafting Association’s underground vault, and we could explore that place later.”

Affia squinted at the two of them and smiled, saying:

”Mr. Parker, you’ll get confined by Captain Ade again.”

Hearing this, Parker’s face couldn’t help but darken.

He suddenly didn’t want to speak.

And at the other end of the plaza, there were also two people watching the magnificent statue being erected.

However, both Ye Hua and Star seemed somewhat absent-minded in their gaze.

Ye Hua turned back at this moment and looked at Star’s quiet face. After a while, he finally asked, ”Did you find out...?”

Star looked up, gazing at the expression captured on the statue. The distant eyes of King of Sand Barbaltan seemed to be watching the land he once loved deeply. But what was it he was so deeply attached to?

Were they the memories of the past?

Star remained silent and thoughtful for a good while before slowly nodding.

The wind whipped up the tops of the palm trees and lifted the sand over the Sand Sea, and the lightly swirling dust seemed to come from a time long forgotten, from a distant faraway place.

...