Pirate Kingship-Chapter 642 - 453: Return to the Homeland, Death God is Here (6300 merged)!

「The Kingdom of Hightens, the Royal Capital of Kingston.」

In early August, a faint drizzle enveloped the entire ancient city. The quaint and quiet bluestone roads of Melrose Street appeared even darker and shinier in the rain. Churches, theaters, galleries, and art centers were closely packed together, resembling an oil painting. If one listened carefully, they could also hear beautiful melodies echoing among the numerous Gothic buildings.

Byron, dressed in noble hunting attire, and Catherine, wearing a lady's dress in violet, were sitting in a coffee house by the river named "Bluebell." They quietly watched groups of artists walk by, passionately discussing a recent popular painting technique. Outside the railing on the broad Temm River, which wound through the city, a few of the King's private white swans groomed their feathers. A small boat carrying several gentlemen and noblewomen glided past leisurely.

The siblings sat opposite each other at an oak dining table that seemed to have some years to it, gently stirring sugar cubes into their coffee with silver spoons in ceramic cups. Additionally, several plates of sandwiches, salads, and the shop's scrumptious scones, famous throughout the Royal Capital, were placed on the table. Byron, a member of the "Cream-Then-Jam Party," and Catherine, of the "Jam-Then-Cream Party," each thoughtfully spread the other's preferred toppings and offered them to their lips.

AH, NOM~

Differences in taste, preferences for eating desserts, the number of sugar cubes in their coffee—these and other traces of a shared life, familiar since childhood, were things even Violet struggled to equal in a short period.

Catherine, still seeming the gentle older sister, picked up her napkin to wipe jam from the corner of her disabled brother's mouth. She said with some emotion, "The last time we ate at this coffee house together was last September. Bruh and I were preparing to return to the Sorenburg Principality for the autumn harvest, while you were about to board the 'Blue Dragon King' to join the York Family in the Dover Sea Battle.

"I thought that sea battle would be no different from the Red and White Rose War of the previous thirty years. Yet, I never expected so many things to happen in between.

"Looking back now, the events of the past year have been more thrilling than all our experiences from childhood combined. It's enough to fill a million-word knight novel."

Melrose Street is Kingston's artistic hub, flourishing under the support of their uncle, Henry VI, much like University Street and King's Cross Street. It housed many painters, musicians, artists, gourmets, and various functional buildings, making it one of the favorite leisure spots for Transcendents, nobles, the wealthy, and middle-class families. They, too, had naturally been frequent visitors.

Returning to old haunts in a different guise, one can't help but be filled with countless emotions.

Byron took Catherine's hand and gently patted the back of her fair hand, softly consoling her, "It's all in the past now. We've already seized Yucatan Island overseas, which is ten times the size of the Strait Islands. The 'Blue Dragon King,' Father, Uncle, and Cousin have all returned.

"Believe me, it won't be long before we can return here as masters and take charge of Ganquan Palace."

With Byron's 'Outlaw Madman' and 'I Don't Eat Beef' abilities, even the 'Royal Iron Rule - Great Charter' that covered the entire city couldn't monitor them. They didn't need to worry about their conversation being overheard.

Catherine, who always had full confidence in her miracle-working younger brother, nodded vigorously at his words. However, after elegantly sipping her coffee, her jade-like brow furrowed. She said with a serious face, "There's another serious problem."

"What is it?" Byron looked up in confusion.

Catherine pursed her lips, motioning for Byron to taste the coffee in his cup. Her face showed a hint of distress as she said, "Speaking of which, we used the 'Barnacle Crab's' Deep Sea Leap to travel all the way from the Bantaan Archipelago back to our homeland. So why are we still drinking... Blue Mountain coffee?

"After the Pioneer Guiding Colonial Trading Company took over the Newman Family's lands from 'Tilly'—especially the Blue Mountains, which are most suitable for growing spices and coffee—I started building the 'Blue Mountain Coffee' brand according to your plan.

"First, we gifted it to the great noble families friendly with the Grenville family to set the trend. Then, we sold the coffee beans back to our homeland for five times the original price.

"I didn't expect that the historic Bluebell also sources its stock from us.

"Now, when we buy it ourselves to drink, there's this subtle feeling of being fleeced. It's like at least ninety percent of every sip goes to packaging and marketing costs."

The Strait Islands, located in a temperate marine climate, obviously don't produce coffee. The popularity of this beverage is thanks to the increasingly developed colonies. The Blue Mountains on Arawak Island, the Kingdom of Hightens' largest colony, are one of the main coffee-producing regions.

Hearing this, Byron playfully tapped his sister's high nose bridge and said with mock annoyance, "You little miser, Gelongtai! The three sword moves of the 'Supreme Art' are investment, consumption, and export. How can money circulate if not like this?

"Haven't you noticed that the spices used here are actually from the Golden Empire? And that the unlit whale oil lamps contain products from the Standard Whale Oil Company?

"Our goal is industrial trusts. You need to get used to seeing our products and industries everywhere when you go out from now on.

"One day, when a Harkins, from birth to death, can't live without the goods and services provided by the Pioneer Guiding Colonial Trading Company, changing the world will be a simple matter."