Chapter 288: Secrets of the Pendelton Family
The moment Kellar’s voice echoed throughout the hall, silence smothered the panic. His presence emanated authority, causing the agitated sailors to lie still upon their cots, permitting the healers to resume their work without resistance.
Upon one of the cots, Captain Drake opened his eyes. Regaining consciousness, he scanned every corner of the infirmary until his gaze locked onto two youths lying a few meters away. Confirming both were breathing, he released a sigh of relief and relaxed his shoulders.
Kellar, observing the scene from the entrance, noted that reaction. That concern is not a captain’s worry for common crew... those youths must hold an important identity, the shaman pondered.
Kellar approached the cot with a firm stride.
"I assume you are the vessel’s captain," noted Kellar in a serene tone.
Recognizing the tribal leader, Drake sat up with effort and offered a bow of his head.
"Ship captain and navigator Drake, at the service of the honorable Pendelton family," introduced he himself in a raspy voice.
"I see... It was a grueling journey, was it not? Is everything all right?" inquired Kellar, crossing his arms.
"Yes, my lord... Thanks to your healers," nodded Drake, before glancing side-to-side and lowering his voice. "Is it possible to speak with you in private?"
"Of course, follow me," agreed Kellar, turning toward the exit.
The captain stood up with caution. The two youths he had searched for upon awakening rose from their cots as well, following him in silence.
Seeing all three tailing him outside, Kellar offered a hand sign to the guards patrolling the perimeter. Three rifle-bearing warriors turned and established a protective cordon around the group, ensuring no curious onlookers could approach or overhear the conversation.
Kellar halted beneath the shade of an oak, turned to face them, and laced his hands behind his back.
"Well then, here we are. Tell me, how may I help you?"
Captain Drake surveyed both flanks before taking a step forward, placing a hand upon the shoulders of the two youths, who kept their heads bowed with grief and solemnity.
"Lord Kellar... these are Lady Rosalind and Young Lord Julian," revealed Drake in a tone laden with sorrow. "They are the remaining survivors of the primary bloodline of House Pendelton, the former rulers and archdukes of the trading islands of Oakhaven in the eastern archipelagos."
Kellar displayed no surprise, though his golden eyes narrowed with intrigue.
"The fall of an archducal house?" asked the shaman serenely. "Proceed."
"Our domains were prosperous and peaceful, sustained by maritime trade," explained Drake, clenching his fists with contained fury. "Yet two months ago, the Golden Abyss Pirate Fleet launched an invasion against our capital. They did not strike alone; they brought dark sea beasts summoned from the ocean depths. They besieged our ports, slaughtered the guard, and put the royal family to the sword. Archduke Pendelton surrendered his life on the defensive line to buy time and permit us to escape aboard the flagship, the Grand Nautilus."
"I see... so that warship was the crown jewel of your house," deduced Kellar, recalling the keel of mystical timber and elemental bolts.
"Indeed," agreed young Rosalind, stepping forward with a steady gaze despite her grief. "If we crossed the western ocean, it was neither by chance nor desperation. Our father’s mother, our grandmother—who was a renowned seer throughout the archipelagos—had a prophecy before her passing. She foresaw that we would escape calamity only if we managed to find the Shaman of the Forest of the Sacred Bear. She instructed us that we must surrender to him, for he alone would lead House Pendelton back to greatness."
Julian, the younger brother, locked his eyes onto Kellar with reverence.
"The cargo held within the lower decks is no ordinary treasure," added the youth. "It consists of ancestral relics, naval engineering blueprints, and Oakhaven’s sovereign reserve funds. Fulfilling our grandmother’s prophecy, we yield to you the loyalty of our people and every fragment of maritime expertise we command to forge your fleet."
Kellar surveyed them in silence for several seconds, weighing the geopolitical and military ramifications. Harboring the heirs of a fallen dynasty backed by a prophecy yielded a veteran captain, advanced naval technology, and a warship, yet it also meant drawing the gaze of the pirate armadas dominating the eastern seas.
A smirk formed on the shaman’s lips.
"In this forest, the Overlord tribe fears neither the shadows of the past nor the beasts of the sea," declared Kellar in an authoritative tone. "I accept your allegiance. From this day forth, House Pendelton stands beneath my protection."
Upon hearing Kellar’s acceptance, a wave of relief and gratitude washed over the young heirs. Without hesitation, Lady Rosalind and Young Lord Julian dropped to their knees upon the grass before the shaman, bowing their heads in vassalage.
"We thank you, Great Shaman," declared the young woman, raising her gaze with solemnity. "I formally present myself: I am Rosalind Pendelton, cartographer and expert in eastern maritime trade routes."
"And I am Julian Pendelton," added the youth in a firm voice, "former General of the Archduchy and commander of Oakhaven’s land forces."
Intrigued by the titles they had proclaimed, Kellar focused his shamanic perception to unfold the attribute interfaces of both siblings. Instantly, the data floated before his eyes:
[Julian Pendelton — Attributes]
[STR: 1200]
[DEX: 1500]
[REC: 1000]
[INT: 45]
Holy shit...! thought Kellar, suppressing a gasp of surprise as his pupils dilated. The physical power and agility of this youth were beyond his expectations. If these were the combat parameters of an A+ Rank General, what was an S-Rank general?!
He shifted his gaze to the sister’s interface:
[Rosalind Pendelton — Attributes]
[STR: 200]
[DEX: 300]
[REC: 100]
[INT: 250]
Her Intelligence attribute was more than five times Kellar’s own level. Although he had yet to discover a direct method within the system to increase the INT stat, that figure of 250 confirmed that Rosalind possessed a gifted intellect.
Finally, he took a glance at the captain’s numbers:
[Captain Drake — Attributes]
[STR: 500]
[DEX: 500]
[REC: 500]
[INT: 20]
Drake displayed a balanced physical profile within human combat standards. Yet evaluating these numbers ignited curiosity—and caution—within Kellar regarding the pirate fleet and abyssal creatures that had razed their homeland.
While Kellar trusted in the loyalty guaranteed by the system regarding survivors tied to the quest, he could not ignore the tactical reality: Julian’s strength eclipsed even Freyja’s. Had this youth harbored hostile intent upon arrival, very few forces within the village could have stopped him through physical brute force.