A torrential rain poured down. The moment Lynn stood atop the city wall, he was drenched through.
He raised a hand to stop the guard captain, Hood, from stepping forward to salute.
Raising his voice, he asked with concern, "What's the situation over by the stranded ships now?"
Guard Hood replied loudly, "My lord, aside from the first ship—several dozen sailors came ashore, formed up along the coastline, then entered the mangrove forest not far away. As for the two ships behind it, they rushed into the shallows, but not a single figure came down from them. Following your orders, this subordinate dared not send anyone out to investigate."
Through layers of rain, Lynn looked north. There wasn't a single person to be seen along the shoreline.
Rainwater seeped from his hairline down his cheeks. He raised his voice again and asked, "Then what about those blue-eyed monsters on the ships?"
Hood shook his head again, indicating he didn't know.
Wights couldn't swim. Once they entered the water, they would only sink—they couldn't float. Even though the Ironborn ships were stranded in shallow waters, without the ability to swim, there was no way for them to reach the shore.
Seawater was corrosive as well. Creatures that were already nothing but rotting flesh—if wights soaked in the sea for any length of time, even their bones would probably soften.
Lynn guessed that those wights were still trapped on the ships.
However, why the Ironborn sailors who escaped had formed up and gone into the mangrove forest left Lynn uncertain.
He looked toward the nearby coastline.
Wave after wave crashed onto the beach. The tide surged and retreated, and the ships on the sea rose and fell with the swells.
Massive waves rolled over, flinging shrimp, crabs, and fish onto the shore—then another wave swept in and swallowed them back into the sea.
Right now, it was only a torrential rain. The true storm had yet to arrive.
In the distance, the coconut trees along the coast were bent nearly to the ground by the wind. Waves battered the three stranded ships, crests almost spilling over the gunwales and slamming onto the decks.
Lynn was soaked from head to toe, feeling a chill carried by the rain.
"My lord, why not go rest for now? I'll keep watch here," Hood said with concern.
The feeling of wet clothes clinging to his body was awful, but thinking of those blue-eyed monsters, Lynn had no desire to rest. The Others were within his territory—until they were eliminated, he couldn't have peace of mind.
By now, it was already late.
Under the dark clouds overhead, the colors of the entire world had dimmed.
Lynn turned to Hood and said, "If there's still no movement, arrange for scouts to check the stranded area. If we keep waiting, it'll be dark."
"My lord… what exactly are those monsters?" Hood asked, seeing the constant tension on Lynn's face and unable to help himself.
Rain dripped from Lynn's soaked bangs like a curtain. He shook his head slightly, eyes fixed on the northern shoreline. His expression was hard to see as he said, "They should be Others."
At those words, Hood's hand gripping his sword hilt trembled.
Just then, a shout came from the watchtower: "Look—three more ships are entering the harbor!"
Lynn turned his gaze toward the docks.
The ships entering port were two fishing boats from Fishing Village Harbor. Rodat and Harry Kane had returned. Lynn felt a weight lift from his heart—看来 the battle at sea was already over.
However, when he saw the other vessel entering alongside the fishing boats—a massive three-masted ship—his brows knit slightly.
A Flint family ship. It seemed they had no choice but to enter the harbor to avoid the storm.
These people must know something; otherwise, they wouldn't be following behind Iron Islands merchant ships.
Lynn's gaze sharpened, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.
He said calmly to Hood, "Send word—permit them to dock. Have their leader come into Fishing Village Harbor City to see me. As for the rest, have Rodat keep an eye on them. The Flint family sailors are not allowed to enter the city; they can only remain within the port."
"Yes… my lord. I'll go at once."
Since the Flint family had taken the initiative to come ashore, Lynn planned to first find out the full story.
Fishing Village Harbor, the Lord's Manor.
Lynn changed into a clean set of clothes.
Old Maester Hill accompanied him to meet the visitor from Widow's Watch.
What Lynn hadn't expected was that the visitor turned out to be a noblewoman. At her side stood a young, petite, and beautiful female bodyguard.
The noblewoman entered the hall of the manor and looked at Lynn seated before the dais. She smiled proudly and said with meaning, "I never imagined that on the eastern coast of the North, there would be a young and handsome talent like you hidden away."
Lynn replied calmly, "Countess, you flatter me. My territory is only about fifty square kilometers, with no more than three hundred residents—hardly worthy of the word 'talent.' Moreover, the eastern coast belongs to the North; Fishing Village Harbor is under White Harbor's jurisdiction and has nothing to do with the Flint family."
Hearing this, a strange glint flashed through the woman's eyes. "And yet you also have a powerful force capable of defeating several hundred Ironborn, don't you? But tell me—have you already guessed who I am?"
A sly look appeared on Lynn's face. He raised his long brows and blinked. "Could it be that Widow's Watch has another woman as noble and beautiful as my lady?"
The Flint Countess was over forty, yet every inch of her exuded aristocratic grace. Her looks and bearing were both exceptional, and the mature charm she displayed at her age was deeply captivating.
At his words, the noblewoman merely chuckled softly.
But the expression on the face of the female swordsman in fine steel plate armor beside her was far more colorful.
Lynn looked at the female swordfighter with interest. Seeing her small hand resting on the hilt of a beautifully crafted fine-steel longsword, her face set as if she wanted to devour him alive, he couldn't help but find it amusing.
The Countess Flint pursed her lips and said, "You certainly know how to talk. However, I recall that the lord of this small fishing village was named Rothschild."
"That was my father," Lynn said. "He passed away several years ago."
"That's unfortunate. I once met Sir Rothschild—it was ten years ago, at the Harvest Feast in Winterfell."
Lynn didn't believe it at all. A small lord like Fishing Village Harbor wouldn't leave any impression on a countess. Still, respecting another's performance was basic courtesy.
He played along. "My father also had a deep impression of you, my lady. He once praised your peerless beauty."
The two exchanged polite pleasantries.
Lynn was almost dragged by the countess into acknowledging her as a godmother. He hurriedly stopped it and pulled the conversation back on track.
With a seemingly joking tone, Lynn said, "Could it be that my lady has come because of the Others?"
"The Others? Those are creatures from ancient legends, with very little concrete evidence. Could it be that you have seen them yourself?" The Countess Flint's expression didn't change, her demeanor still calm.
With everything already laid bare, continuing to act like this wasn't exactly proper. Lynn frowned.
Taking a deep breath, he reminded her, "Some blue-eyed monsters that can't be killed by cutting."
The countess was still pondering, but the female swordsman beside her couldn't help widening her eyes and blurting out, "Where are those monsters? You must burn them with fire—that's the only way to destroy them completely."
"Mm, I know that," Lynn said, narrowing his eyes and nodding slightly. Then, in a guiding tone, he asked the swordswoman, "Where did they come from? From Widow's Watch?"
"No—it's from the Lands of Always Winter—"
The Countess Flint's face darkened, and she sharply scolded her guard, "Enough!"
Only then did the swordswoman realize she had been led into a trap by Lynn. Aware she had misspoken, she glared at him with a pair of beautiful, icy eyes, while Lynn wore an utterly innocent expression.
"So it's true?" Lynn blinked, shifting his gaze to the noblewoman as he spoke slowly.
"It's true," the Countess Flint nodded helplessly.
At the same time, she continued, "They came from the direction of the Wall at the edge of the North. At first, there was only one Other, but…"
Her tone hesitated, as if she wasn't entirely certain.
A trace of bitterness appeared on Lynn's face as he interrupted, "But later, many more appeared, right?"
The countess gently closed her eyes. "Yes. Outside Widow's Watch, blue-eyed monsters are everywhere. Fortunately, the castle gates were tightly shut, so I can't return for now. These things vanished over a thousand years ago—how are you so certain these monsters are Others?"
That was something Lynn couldn't answer. Instead, he asked, "My lady, then why did those monsters appear aboard Iron Islands merchant ships?"
...
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(End Chapter)