abnabooks Chapter 445 - 350 New Members and News of the Pirate King
Chapter 445 - 350 New Members and News of the Pirate King
Chapter 445: Chapter 350 New Members and News of the Pirate King
"Member of Parliament, please open the window. There’s a letter for you from Miss Delia."
Hearing the childish voice of the messenger, Byron hurriedly opened the window to let the seagull flap its wings and fly into the room.
Noticing the numbered copper ring on its foot, he nodded to it amicably.
"Mr. 9526, are you delivering a letter from Delia again? Thank you for your hard work."
The seagull messenger comically bowed like a human and handed the satchel it carried to Byron.
"Yes, Your Excellency. Here is a personal letter from her. The other one is important intelligence that she, acting as a liaison, is relaying to you on behalf of the Lighthouse Union. Oh, and as usual, the Lighthouse Union’s postal services are free of charge for members of Parliament."
These seagull messengers were tamed and had their potential developed by Beast Tamers. The exceptional ones could not only talk but even possessed the intelligence of a seven- or eight-year-old child. Even the dullest ones, after being trained as "newsboys," could at least say: "Hello!" "Five Copper Furls," and "Please pay for the newspaper!"
Currently, papermaking on the continent was still undeveloped, leading to high paper prices. Combined with the need for air delivery over the sea, a copy of the "Lighthouse Weekly" was not cheap. A single newspaper could buy five standard Fur Breads; it simply wasn’t something the common populace could afford. Anyway, their low literacy rate also meant they had little use for such a thing.
It’s worth mentioning that the Pioneer Guiding Colonial Trading Company, under his direction, had begun inspecting sugarcane plantations and sugar mills. They were preparing to purchase large quantities of sugarcane pulp to kick-start an "industrial paper production" project. Advanced papermaking was crucial for the spread of knowledge. Comparatively, in a future era, this would be an industrial marvel on par with photolithography machines.
In the present, the Church’s millennia-long clampdown on knowledge and suppression of scholars had just ended. Consequently, the demand for knowledge and books from all social classes was insatiable. Only ample paper and sufficiently low learning costs could meet the prerequisites for the wide dissemination of culture and an explosion of technological advancement. All subsequent developments in science and culture would be built upon this humble medium of knowledge.
If Byron pulled this off, without needing recognition from the Church or the Pope, the Silver Code itself would surely grant him the title of Sage. All the artists from Peridot would have to sing his praises. Byron’s plan to invest in the Church, intending to exploit the upcoming turmoil for backstabbing and looting, seemed audacious yet aimed precisely at their vulnerabilities. A host of Cardinal Bishops and Saints sought eternal life and to become Angels on Earth through "Heaven’s Gospel" and the Blood of Immortality—Byron had no intention of letting them succeed!
He then personally took out the two letters from the satchel.
The first was a reply from Delia to Byron.
"Captain, if you truly don’t mind that small, mission-unrelated flaw of mine, I am willing to accept your invitation to serve as the Navigator and Prophet on the Golden Deer. I don’t care much about the distribution of the spoils; I just hope to one day have the chance to see World’s End."
The letter was brief, accepting Byron’s job offer.
On a ship undertaking elite exploration into the unknown world, a full crew configuration typically included: Captain, Artisan, Adventurer, Hunter, Gourmet, Navigator, Beast Tamer, Singer, Navigator, Naturalist, Doctor, and Prophet; combat roles were considered absolutely core and standard.
Byron possessed the professional abilities of a Storm Admiral, his Sailing Logbook [Echo of History], and the [Desire Compass]. He himself could serve as the most exceptional captain and Navigator, and also fill in as a naturalist and doctor. Other key positions could be adequately filled by many core members who had studied forbidden knowledge and climbed the Ladder of Glory. At least they wouldn’t constitute a fatal weakness for a pirate ship.
But the most crucial Lighthouse Sequence Navigator was exceedingly rare. The Golden Deer lacked at least a Second Order, trustworthy Navigator capable of undertaking exploration missions in the World Serpent’s Celestial Current Belt. Such a combat-weak profession was seldom chosen by individuals; it was typically cultivated specifically by major powers.
The Lancaster Party, exiled to the Bantaan Archipelago, and the crew of the Flame Rose that arrived with Violet, did have a few such individuals.
However, after inspecting them, Byron was not very satisfied. He had confidence in himself and his Sailing Logbook, believing he would eventually reach the first rank among explorers and lead the Great Nautical Age. In the overseas world—filled with various dangers, Evil Spirits, the Bizarre, Old God’s Kin, and even the offspring of Old Gods—only a top-tier Navigator, or at least one with top-tier potential, would be competent. Moreover, leading humanity’s exploration of the unknown world was an excellent opportunity for growth for every Navigator. He hoped this crucial individual could stay with their team until the very end, completing the exploration of the Echidna Triangular Circulation and perhaps even a full circumnavigation of the world. This decision concerned the lives of all crew members—it was better to have no one than someone mediocre!
After much consideration, he turned his attention to the Lighthouse Union, a vast organization boasting many top-tier Lighthouse Sequence Transcendents. In the end, he chose Miss Delia, the liaison who had served him a few times and whom he knew best.