Raising Legends in Roger’s Shadow

Chapter 339 339: Buns and Wild Greens

Reid's blood mist split into countless tiny hands, each one skillfully manipulating tools as he worked on repairing the mast of his small boat.

Even if he had never done it himself, he had at least seen it done before.

After all these years at sea, he should… probably… be able to fix it.

Meanwhile, Joy Boy had been strictly forbidden from coming within three meters. He could only squat at a distance, staring longingly. His large hands twisted restlessly, as if they might reach out at any moment to "help."

Thunk.

With a soft knock, Joy Boy's finger unconsciously stretched forward again, poking the base of the newly raised mast.

"Wow, it feels really sturdy!"

The veins on Reid's forehead bulged instantly.

The blood mist around him boiled, condensing into a massive hand that slammed down hard onto Joy Boy's rubber head.

Smack.

Half of Joy Boy's head flew off like elastic and snapped right back into place.

"You idiot! Keep your rubber hands off my ship! How many times do I have to tell you, don't touch it!"

Reid's furious roar echoed across the deck.

"Ow…" Joy Boy rubbed his head and retreated to a corner, sulking. He fiddled with his fingers, muttering quietly, "I just wanted to see if it was sturdy…"

The little girl sat quietly to the side, watching everything unfold.

Her ice-blue eyes moved between Reid and Joy Boy.

After a moment, she silently took out a small piece of dried meat from her pocket and held it out toward Joy Boy, who was crouched in the corner drawing circles in the air.

She could sense that neither of them meant any harm.

And Joy Boy's simplicity stirred something in her. Perhaps pity.

Or something close to it.

In her mind, a thought quietly formed:

Poor guy… he turned into an idiot at such a young age.

Joy Boy's eyes lit up instantly. Just as he reached out

"Hm?"

Reid's cold gaze swept over.

Joy Boy's hand froze midair.

The girl silently pulled the dried meat back.

Over the past few days, a warship bearing an unfamiliar royal flag had been drifting toward them. It looked worn, even slightly chaotic, and its slow approach carried a sense of hesitation… and fear.

Reid was the first to notice.

His crimson eyes shifted toward the ship, and the blood mist around him rippled faintly.

Joy Boy, however, was still stuck in the double blow of "don't touch the ship" and "no dried meat," absentmindedly fidgeting with his fingers, completely unaware.

"Hey, rubber head," Reid called out impatiently.

"Mmm…" Joy Boy sulked.

"Idiot! Someone's coming. See if they're here for you."

Only then did Joy Boy look up, staring at the approaching vessel with confusion.

"Huh? Isn't that the group from before…"

The royal warship stopped at a distance and lowered a small boat.

A middle-aged man dressed like a minister climbed aboard, his robes dusty and his face pale with fear. Two equally trembling guards accompanied him as they carefully rowed closer.

The man climbed onto the rubber ship's deck.

He did not even dare meet Reid or Joy Boy's eyes.

With a heavy thud, he dropped to his knees, his voice choked with sobs and terror.

"Great ones… please! I beg you! Save our country!"

He knelt there, tears streaming down his face, crying out with raw emotion:

"Our royal family… they're not human! They're devils!"

"They don't care about the lives of the people! Ordinary citizens can barely afford to eat!"

"They kill on a whim! A single wrong word, a wrong gesture, even the slightest disobedience, and people are dragged off to mine or build palaces. Countless have already died!"

"Our entire country is on the brink of collapse! Sirs, please save us! Only people with your power can stop them!"

Joy Boy listened.

The silly grin had long vanished from his face.

His brows were tightly furrowed.

"Is your country really that bad? Then… why ask us? We're just passing by."

The minister seemed prepared.

His words came out smoothly, as if rehearsed countless times:

"Because you are strong! We have already heard of you! A miraculous bouncing ship, a master who controls blood mist, and an ice-like young girl. You easily defeated the royal pursuers! Power like that can save our nation! We have come with our last hope!"

He slammed his head against the deck repeatedly.

The speech sounded reasonable.

Desperate.

Full of admiration for strength.

But when Reid's crimson eyes swept over him, casually interrupting with a seemingly irrelevant question, the tone shifted.

"You know about us already?"

"Yes, of course! We heard of your heroic deeds "

"Oh?" Reid's voice was calm. "Heard from where? We only shook off our pursuers yesterday. And our reputation there wasn't exactly heroic. Cold-blooded pirates. Villains of the sea. Normal people don't call us heroes."

"Uh… yes… that is…"

The minister faltered immediately, cold sweat forming on his forehead.

"I-it was merchants! Yes! Merchants fleeing that region! They saw your deeds! They saw that you didn't slaughter everyone, so… so you must be merciful!"

Reid continued, almost lazily:

"What kind of minerals does your country produce? What do your people usually eat?"

"Mi-minerals… there are… some…"

Sweat dripped faster.

"What do they eat?"

"Buns. Wild greens."

When describing the royal tyranny, he kept repeating the same phrases.

Heavy taxes. Exploitation. The people suffer.

But when asked for specifics, laws, or even the names of the royal family, he either dodged the question or claimed ignorance.

"When are taxes collected?"

"The 1st, 15th, and 30th of every month."

This time, his answer came instantly.

Without hesitation.

There was even a strange confidence in his eyes.

The kind that did not allow for mistakes.

Reid listened quietly.

A cold, mocking smile slowly formed at the corner of his lips.

The fear was real.

But it did not seem to be fear for the people.

It felt more like fear of those in power.

And this entire performance…

Sounded like a script rehearsed in advance.

Carefully designed to win sympathy.

And manipulate it.

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