dmims Chapter 273 The Mission Remains
Chapter 273 The Mission Remains
Chapter 273 The Mission Remains
"Everything is going well, sir."
David reported back to Dick, his round face beaming with a smile.
"The wind direction is perfectly aligned with our course; the sails of the Chase Dog haven't been taut for this long in a long time!"
Dick smiled and nodded: "Let the rowers rest for a bit."
"Yes," David nodded, "and Miss has been quite well-behaved lately."
Upon hearing this topic, Dick's smile instantly froze.
He said casually, "Really? That's good."
"It's true. Since returning to port, Miss has not made any requests. She usually just stands by the fender and looks at the scenery. She eats all the food that is given to her without leaving a single bite. Haha! I don't know if she learned her lesson from being sick twice, or if she had enough fun on the shore those few days."
Dick frowned and warned David, "You should never joke about someone else's illness, especially someone from your master's family." Hearing Dick's rebuke, David turned pale and quickly bowed his head in apology.
"Excuse me, sir!"
Seeing David's intense reaction, Dick stood there dumbfounded. "What am I doing?" Dick thought to himself, feeling guilty. "He was just diligently reporting something."
But once the words are spoken, they cannot be taken back.
Dick waved his hand: "Go ahead and get busy."
"Yes," David bowed and left.
Dick ran his hands through his hair and exhaled deeply.
He realized that he had overreacted.
But Peggy's illness was indeed a thorn in his side.
Only he knew how bad Peggy's condition was, but he dared not tell anyone.
However, after returning to the port, Dick will report Peggy's condition to Count Pena or Mrs. Farah.
They will certainly hire the best doctors to treat Peggy, and perhaps they will get a completely different diagnosis.
Dick just hoped that he could find a cure for Peggy.
But if that doesn't work, then take her to the library again in six months and ask Miss Harriet for help.
At the same time, we will also settle the debt with the son of the leader.
Mr. Mosley said that Peggy's illness was not acute.
Could it be that Peggy had a similar condition before?
Dick was unsure, but he had to find someone to clarify things.
"Ugh—"
Dick leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling in the cramped space, and a wave of exhaustion washed over him.
But a true rider must never let their guard down easily.
Dikeqiang roused himself and began to move around on the boat.
He still has a lot to learn.
To become an excellent sea conductor, one must first have a thorough understanding of ships.
Therefore, he needs to understand the responsibilities and details of each position on the ship.
He can be considered a beginner when he can handle various positions with ease.
Right now, the worst thing he can control is undoubtedly the sail control.
Raising and lowering the sail and turning the angle are all highly technical tasks that require a great deal of experience.
Dick had tried it many times, but the results were always terrible. He was controlling the foresail, and even if he copied the mainsail's operation, the effect was far from ideal.
take it easy.
Although it seems there isn’t enough time for him to take his time.
However, it is unlikely that anything will happen in the short term that will test his professional competence as the fleet's chief instructor.
Dick came up to the deck and immediately saw Peggy gazing ahead from the bow.
Peggy has been rather quiet lately, and Dick hasn't asked her why.
But probably because she fought with the navigator's son, she suffered a lot of external injuries.
This incident stirred up her longing for her deceased father, thus returning her to the state she was in before Lord Hubert's funeral.
However, Dick didn't know how to comfort her.
He can't do it. Now, when he sees Peggy, he thinks of her illness, and his emotions are completely overwhelmed by worry and regret. He simply can't say anything to comfort her.
Let her adjust her emotions on her own.
Miss Peggy is now fourteen years old, a grown woman, and it's time for her to learn to be a little more mature.
So Dick ignored Peggy.
David said today would be a great day with favorable winds, and he was right.
When the wind is favorable, sailing is the simplest; just keep the sail in the center.
There's no better wind direction for Dick to practice in.
Dick walked down to the front comb and took the rope from the sailor.
There are several pulleys between the cable and the triangular bar of the sail, so even if the sail is under great force, the force transmitted to Dick's palm is very small.
Therefore, Dick could easily control the sail angle.
In this case, the mast can actually be fixed directly to the pole, saving the trouble of complicated operations.
David said that nowadays all sailboats have fixed holes drilled in the comb to ensure that the sails are always tied to the comb at a fixed angle.
But Dick was practicing, so he wouldn't use such a lazy method.
As evening approached, the wind shifted slightly, and Dick soon lost his composure again.
Hmm, it's still not quite right.
Left with no other choice, Dick had to return the rope to the sailors.
Dick had never seen Lord Hubert steer a ship; was his skill truly that good?
But it probably is.
Dick looked towards the bow of the ship; Miss Peggy was nowhere to be seen. He guessed she had gone back to her room sometime ago.
After dinner, Dick returned to the board.
Dick had to continue his daily martial arts practice as usual.
Ordinary sword wielding is a required course for Dick, and it is what tempers Dick's character.
Since leaving the library, Dick has also been practicing karate.
He had to get used to fighting unarmed; since there was no real combat experience, he had to start with daily practice.
In the past, Dick believed that he was no longer qualified to learn the skills described in that book.
But right now, "How to Train Your Dragon: Uriel's Fitness Guide" has nothing to do with Annie, and he no longer needs to carry that burden in his heart.
Anne—I must forget this woman as soon as possible.
Mr. Mosley said the book might have a subtle influence on his mind.
But so far, Dick hasn't felt anything.
But since he said that, Dick had to be careful.
Despite only having a few brief encounters with Mosley, Dick increasingly felt that the man was unfathomable.
The library contained a vast collection of books. Dick casually flipped through a few and discovered that they were all filled with descriptions of strange and unusual powers.
Since Dick could gain power from the book he had in his hands, he had no reason to doubt that the other books were fabrications.
Mr. Mosley seemed very familiar with the books in Dick's hands, so did that mean he knew all the books?
So, does that mean he possesses a large and powerful force?
If that were true, Dick could understand why Mr. Mosley always wore such a nonchalant expression.
Dick refocused his attention on the practice.
These past two days, Dick has been studying the books again.
He suddenly realized that what he had learned was only the basics.
The content that follows seems to be the essence of this book.
Could it be that the hidden danger Mr. Mosley mentioned lies in what follows?
Dick tried to use the newly learned secret technique.
He channeled his power and then directed it to the area he had targeted.
Pterosaur Feathers!
As soon as he used his power, Dick felt his shoulder blades lift his carapace high.
He could tell that his part was probably harder than a block of iron right now.
However, Dick felt something was strange.
The defensive effect of "Fire Dragon Scales" is clearly no less than this ultimate technique, and it is even more flexible, without the restriction of being applied to any part of the body. However, why bother to record the ultimate technique "Pterodactyl Feather" and even define it as "essence"?
But since Uriel chose to record these techniques, there must be a reason for it, and Dick only needs to learn them all.
Dick practiced two new moves, but didn't notice anything unusual.
Is it because I haven't practiced enough?
However, this practice was not without its benefits. Dick discovered that the armor severely limited the execution of this technique.
It is said that Uriel was a warrior at the end of the mythological period, perhaps when lighter armor was more popular.
Dick, a modern man, was naturally unable to figure out the truth, but he felt that he should practice more armor removal combat.
After practicing for a while longer, Dick's training finally came to an end.
When he was about to go back to rest, he found Miss Peggy sitting at the door of his room, seemingly watching him practice.
As soon as Dick walked in that direction, Peggy turned around and went back to her room.
Dick didn't understand why Miss Peggy always liked to appear when he was practicing martial arts.
But it doesn't matter, as long as Peggy doesn't cause trouble, she can do whatever she wants.
The days that followed became monotonous.
Every day is a repetition of the past, with nothing unexpected happening.
Compared to when they came, the wind was much better on the way back, and Peggy was much more well-behaved.
So in less than half a month, the Chasing Yellow Dog had already returned to the port.
When Peggy heard that Dick had sent men to escort her back to the castle, a look of displeasure appeared on her face.
However, he didn't say much and obediently accepted the arrangement.
Dick could only feel fortunate about this.
His first task was to report to Lord Pena.
He went to the Earl's study.
As Dick entered, a maid who was adjusting her collar brushed past him.
He didn't pay much attention and immediately reported Peggy's situation to Peña.
"What? Peggy's on your ship! Damn it! How could you— I sent out several teams to search for Peggy's whereabouts from all directions, and even put up a bounty for her, but to no avail."
"Hmm, Sir Dick Buchanan, I know you're always so composed. Was this Peggy's idea on her own?"
Dick wanted to admit it.
But he quickly realized that if he confirmed Peggy's idea, Peggy would probably be punished and confined to her quarters.
With her serious illness and uncertain future, Dick hopes that she can at least enjoy the present moment.
So Dick chose to lie.
Although this was by no means a chivalrous act:
"No, it was my own idea—I heard that Miss Peggy had never left the Montero Hills, so I thought I'd take her to see the outside world."
"You idiot!" Peña roared angrily. "This is outrageous! Peggy is an unmarried woman, yet you, a grown man, are taking her all over the world. Have you considered the impact on her? Your actions are tantamount to kidnapping."
Dick immediately knelt on one knee: "My lord, I am willing to accept the punishment."
"Of course you have to be punished! First, you'll be fined a year's salary, and the tax revenue from your territory will be doubled!"
Dick bowed his head: "Yes, sir."
"Don't think that's the end of it. Your position also needs to be punished, but I need to discuss this with Master Horny before making a decision."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Get out!"
"I have one more thing to report."
"Spit it out!"
"Miss Peggy—she's sick!"
"What?!" Count Pena's reaction was one of shock.
Afterwards, Dick told Peggy about Peggy's condition.
"How could this happen—"
After hearing this, Pena covered her face with a headache.
Dick, not forgetting his business, said, "Sir, based on the diagnosis, Miss Peggy's condition doesn't seem to have been sudden. Therefore, I was just wondering if Miss Peggy has any medical history?"
Upon hearing this, Pena began to recall:
"I remember that Peggy was seriously ill when she was a child, but my memory of it is not very clear—though you can ask your mother about it."
"Of course you don't remember!" Mrs. Farah launched into a tirade after hearing this. "You embarrassed your father quite a bit back then because of women!"
Pena's face instantly turned bright red: "For nobles, that kind of thing is very common."
"Yes, but your father is a loyal dog," Farah said sarcastically. "He's a model of nobility, and what are you? You know nothing about your sister's illness!"
Pena seemed very angry, with an air of wanting to refute, but in the end, she didn't say a word.
Dick couldn't help but interject, "Madam, what exactly is going on?"
Mrs. Farah glanced at Dick, and her emotions finally calmed down:
"That was when Peggy was four years old. She suddenly fell seriously ill, and Hubert was not in the territory at the time. I thought I was going to lose my little daughter."
"In the end, it was my brother who sent many capable people to suppress Peggy's illness and save her life."
"On the very day Peggy woke up, Hubert finally returned home. Peggy, having not seen her father for a long time, greeted Hubert with a bright smile."
"That night, Hubert got up in the middle of the night and stood alone by the window for a long time. And since then, he has rarely left the territory."
Dick's eyes widened. "Madam, are you saying that Lord Hubert's refusal to go out all these years is actually for Peggy's sake?"
"At least a large part of the reason is that he couldn't be by his daughter's side when she was seriously ill, and he has been feeling very guilty and regretful. I can feel that."
"Therefore, he also doted on Peggy, spending time with her every day. This was his fourth time becoming a father."
But he never treated the other children the way he treated Peggy.
Dick nodded: "So what exactly is Peggy's illness?"
Mrs. Farah shook her head: "No one said the specific name of the disease back then, it was just a prediction that Peggy wouldn't live past fifteen, and she's exactly fourteen now—"
At this point, Mrs. Farah suddenly began to sob.
Pena immediately stepped forward to comfort her: "Mother—"
"I don't need your comfort. You're completely irresponsible towards your sister. If Sir Buchanan hadn't happened to take Peggy away, I'm afraid—"
"Yes, this is a great achievement, cough cough."
Pena coughed twice, then turned to face Dick. "All the previous punishments against you are rescinded, and I will reward you later."
"Thank you, sir."
But Dick didn't care about any of that. He looked at Farah and asked, "Madam, how should Miss Peggy's illness be treated?"
Mrs. Farah shook her head sadly. "The doctor said there was no cure. But if Hubert were still here, he would surely have found a way. But he is already gone." "Alas, Sir Buchanan, I must apologize to you. Actually, I understood what Hubert meant when I heard that he had betrothed Peggy to you."
"He hoped you could save Peggy. That's why I didn't decisively reject the marriage. I'm sorry we lied to you about this; we didn't tell you Peggy didn't have long to live."
Dick bowed: "It's alright, madam, I don't mind."
Mrs. Farah looked at Dick: "Sir, if I'm not mistaken, even knowing Peggy wouldn't live much longer, you would still be willing to marry her?"
Dick nodded.
"Unfortunately, your motivation wasn't based on emotion," Farah shook her head.
It doesn't matter if there are no feelings involved.
Dick was a knight-errant, and he kept his mission firmly in mind.
Since Lord Hubert entrusted Peggy to him, even though Peña had broken off the engagement and even though he and Peggy had no connection anymore.
But the mission remains.
Dick vows to save Peggy!