Not long after.
Franka carried Ryan out of the dining room.
This banquet was supposedly to celebrate Ryan's first birthday, but in reality, it had little to do with him.
Ryan also did not like being with those men who smelled of blood, so he obediently lay in Franka's arms.
At this moment, Ryan inexplicably felt curious about what would become of Javier and Kent.
Javier was certain to die without a doubt, but what about Kent?
Soon, as he passed through the corridor, Ryan knew the answer.
Through the wide window, he was able to see several black flags swaying in the wind outside the manor, and at the top of those flags, two heads - one large and one small - were hanging prominently!
Thick blood slowly slid down the flagpole.
This was the pirates' punishment for traitors, and equally a warning to those who might harbor rebellious thoughts!
Ryan's little face turned deathly pale.
Some things are completely different when you know about them versus seeing them with your own eyes.
Even though Ryan had long been aware of the bloodiness and cruelty of the pirate world, when this scene truly broke into his view, he realized that his mental preparation was far from sufficient.
Just then, a warm palm covered Ryan's eyes.
Franka's gentle voice sounded in his ear.
"Ryan, you're cleverer than I imagined, but actually, I wish you could be a bit duller."
Her tone carried a hint of subtle guilt.
If Ryan was born into an ordinary family, he naturally wouldn't have been exposed to such cruel scenes so early, but since he is the son of a pirate, the blood he will be stained with in the future will certainly not be scarce.
"In the past, Leon would not have used such methods, but after having me and you, he must become more ruthless than before."
"Only in this way could he intimidate those with malicious intentions..."
Franka gently soothed the infant while softly murmuring to herself.
Rather than confiding in Ryan, it seemed more like she was trying to convince herself - how could a elf like Franka possibly enjoy such bloody carnage?
If they don't do this, the ones who might be killed in the future could be their entire family!
Ryan was not yet able to speak, so he buried his head in his mother's chest, trying to convey his comfort in this way.
At this moment, he finally understood.
If Leon were to die unexpectedly in battle, would the other pirates spare his widow and orphans out of sympathy?
No, absolutely impossible.
The "Flawed Divergence" of the tome has already provided the answer. If they were unfortunately caught, the treatment of mother and son would only be more tragic! The victor is king and the loser is a bandit, survival of the fittest - this is the iron law of the pirate world!
The sea does not believe in tears.
At dusk.
In the dim golden light, a modified Clark-type sailboat with an iris pattern on its sail entered the port of Black Ensign Island.
This ship's style was completely different from other pirate vessels.
Even if the "Black Ensign" were placed beside it, it would be like a malnourished, skinny boy from the slums encountering a plump, affluent lady adorned with jewels.
The difference is obvious at a glance.
A crude pirate might describe this ship as -- "Damn, I really want to fuck her!"
The pirates on Black Ensign Island who saw this ship at this moment unanimously maintained their silence.
It was not a fear of the ship itself, but a reverence for the iris pattern.
It comes from the Alexander Clan of the Lanster Empire!
Nowadays, the Lanster Empire is the most powerful kingdom on the continent, wielding the world's most formidable naval fleet, and had even launched two eastern expeditions against the Far Eastern Archipelago.
The Alexander Clan was one of the most prominent clans in the Lanster Empire.
The founder, Augustine Alexander, was also one of the founding members of the Lanster Empire.
The iris is precisely the emblem of this clan.
In the Alexander Clan, there was an unwritten rule.
Only ships that have sunk three enemy vessels are allowed to paint their clan emblem on their sails.
Because of the glorious battle records left by these Iris Clan ships at sea, pirates had grown accustomed to calling them -- Bloody Iris!
At this moment, the pirates were somewhat unable to comprehend.
How would the proud and aloof Iris Clan possibly come to visit their island?
The reason behind this was known to only a few people.
In fact, on Black Ensign Island, only the Ryan family knew that Leon's true name was... Leon Alexander!
Yes, this pirate who had been thriving in the Chaotic Sea in recent years was indeed once a member of the Iris Clan.
As for why he left Alexander Clan and became a pirate on the Chaotic Sea, that's a very long story.
For now, let's set aside those past events.
At this moment, looking at the ships entering the port, Leon's expression was solemn.
He was well aware of the reasons why Alexander Clan was visiting Black Ensign Island.
The Alexander Clan places paramount importance on bloodline heritage, every child across all branches, including illegitimate ones, had to undergo blood lineage testing, with entitlements determined by test outcomes ranging from educational provisions to financial allocations and hereditary privileges.
The best time for testing is when the child is one year old.
Leon's greatest concern was not that Ryan's bloodline assessment would turn out poorly -- on the contrary, he was worried that the result would be too good!
With his understanding of the clan, once they discover a child with excellent bloodline, they would forcibly bring them back to the clan to receive the clan's unique education.
If the child's parents agree, they can also be brought to live on the clan estate.
If they disagree, they will directly find a couple within the clan to serve as the child's adoptive parents.
In both cases, Leon could not accept it!
"My darling..."
Franka held Ryan, walking to Leon's side, her face showing a hint of worry.
Leon looked at his wife, then glanced at the infant in the swaddling clothes, a resolute light flickering in his eyes.
Leon said in a low voice: "Ryan is our son, and I won't let anyone take him away."
"If things get to the worst-case scenario, we'll just abandon Black Ensign Island and start over in the Far Eastern Archipelago!"
Ryan stared blankly, his eyes wide open.
Who will take me away?
Why father starts over from the beginning?
Ryan did not understand the situation at all, but for the first time, he saw such a heavy expression on his father's face.
Shortly after, a tall and thin elderly man dressed in a butler's attire walked down the deck alone and approached Leon.
"Long time no see, Leon."
The old butler smiled slightly, speaking in the distinctive royal capital accent of the Lanster Empire.
Even though his behavior and manners were quite ordinary and could be considered polite, he still gave off an inexplicable sense of arrogance.
It was the pride etched into the bloodline of the Alexander Clan!
Leon responded calmly: "Uncle Andrea, it has indeed been a long time."
Looking at Leon before her, a hint of regret flashed in Andrea's eyes.
"With your capabilities, you could have easily secured a seat among the Thirteen, so why be a mere pirate here?"
Leon smiled lightly and said: "When I left the clan, I already said that my own life will be decided by me!"
"Besides, Uncle Andrea, you didn't come here just to catch up with me, did you?"
"That's true."
Andrea turned his head to look at Ryan in Franka's arms, his tone unusually soft.
"What a beautiful child, I hope he can inherit the great and ancient [Divine Blood]"
As he spoke, he gently touched Ryan's forehead with his hand.
This novel is first serialized on LetsNovel. LetsNovel is a new novel platform committed to providing authors with a highly free creative environment, ultimately delivering more high-quality online fiction to readers.
