Chapter 216: Hello, Joan of Arc
After dinner, Liang En finally managed to evade his mother's questioning. For parents, getting close with the opposite sex always prompts a few more inquiries to ease their minds.
"Turns out she's alive!" Leaving his parents behind on the way back to his estate's ranch, Liang En's face displayed a surprised expression. He'd always thought historical Servants were in a state of the dead, never considering this possibility.
As he opened the ranch gates and walked toward his room, he unexpectedly noticed a slightly slender figure standing at the doorway of the second-floor building.
When Liang En approached, the figure, placing her right hand over her heart, gave a slight bow, speaking in a gentle voice, "Mon seigneur—"
At that moment, Liang En noticed the card of his "Historical Servant (SSR)" in his mind had shifted from its previous dull state to illuminated. Moreover, the notation in the parentheses had disappeared.
More importantly, he felt a unique connection with the girl before him, as though they had been close friends for a long time.
"Are you the Joan of Arc from history?" Liang En directly asked the girl to confirm.
"That's just what others call me, in the past, present, or future. I am simply Jeanne d'Arc, a Frenchwoman. But of course, you may call me Jeanne," she earnestly explained in response to Liang En's inquiry.
"Alright! Jeanne—since that's the case, you can call me by my name too, no need for formalities," Liang En said, opening the door and gesturing for her to enter.
"Let's go inside to chat. It's getting late, it's chilly outside, and the porch light is out. It feels a bit silly standing here and talking," he continued.
Upon entering, Jeanne untied the headscarf she wore. It was then that Liang En realized Jeanne's appearance was completely different from what he'd imagined.
Honestly, upon learning that his historical Servant was this young girl, Liang En's first mental image was the tough woman portrayed by Luc Besson in the movie about Milady Wojciech.
But now, that portrayal seemed like mere speculation by the director. Perhaps he thought that as a warrior, Joan of Arc should have the tough, manly temperament.
However, in reality, it was quite the opposite. At least from Liang En's perspective, the lady was fit, resembling the physique of a swimmer—not bulky but not slender either.
Moreover, she had shoulder-length black hair and blue eyes, quite beautiful to behold. Her demeanor exuded a lively spirit entirely different from her appearance.
Although this contradicted most people's perceptions, it remarkably aligned with the description of Joan of Arc in a letter from Charles VII's courtier, De Boulainvilliers.
The letter described her as quite beautiful but with a masculine air. Her voice was soft and feminine; she ate and drank little, enjoyed horses and armor, and was extremely energetic when armored, even wearing it for six consecutive days and nights.
Thinking about it, Joan of Arc, a nobody at the time, managed to gain trust upon her first meeting with the then-heir, Charles VII. Looks likely played a significant role.
After all, if it were someone with an ugly face, they might have been driven away by the nobles' soldiers or attendants before meeting the real ruler.
As for not visibly having muscles, that was normal. Female warriors in actual combat tended toward skill rather than strength, so they typically didn't exhibit visible muscle bulk.
Not to mention, for warriors in the era of real weapons, if their bodies lacked sufficient fat, they wouldn't withstand prolonged battles.
For instance, the protruding bellies depicted in ancient Chinese generals' portraits were realistic descriptions. Those muscular men, full of power in movies or games, wouldn't have survived in ancient battlefields.
Of course, this principle only applied to elite professional warriors of ancient battlefields. Temporary conscripts had diverse physiques, as they weren't provided resources for such concerns.
"What drink would you like? I have milk, cocoa, green tea, and local beer," Liang En asked, approaching the seldom-used open kitchen and opening the fridge.
"Cocoa, please. Not too much sugar," Jeanne said. Observing the surroundings with interest, she seemed quite curious about the house.
"Can you tell me how you got here?" Liang En, after preparing two beverages with cocoa powder, placed them on the table and sat opposite Jeanne, inquiring due to the method used.
"Well, it's like this, sir—no, Liang En..." After taking a sip of the hot cocoa, Jeanne explained her experiences during this time.
According to her, guided by a divine calling, Liang En saved her soul and allowed her to be reborn in a church school in France, hundreds of kilometers away from here.
Now, Jeanne's identity in this world was an orphan adopted by a convent. Her delay in coming was due to just finishing high school exams, hence being busy with a pile of tasks.
"It seems the power of the card is much stronger than I previously judged." Listening to Jeanne's story, Liang En felt he had underestimated the power of his card. After all, creating a living person exceeded his imagination.
However, what was better than he imagined was that Jeanne was not at her original cultural level. Through the memories granted by this card, she possessed knowledge to live in the modern world and a cultural level equivalent to high school.
"After preparing everything, I came over. I'm pleased to serve a noble master like you."
"How did you find your way here?" After Jeanne's explanation, Liang En looked puzzled. He hadn't felt her presence before, making it unlikely she had found him through supernatural means.
Especially when Jeanne arrived, Liang En was leaving. If she had used supernatural means to find him, she should have followed him in another direction, not remained at the ranch.
"Since coming here, your identity and detailed profile appeared in my mind. So, I specifically downloaded your photo online, took a plane, then a bus to get here," Jeanne explained while looking at Liang En.
"However, to gain a better understanding of you, I worked as a temporary ranch hand in your estate and got to know about you from everyone here."
"Thank you very much for your approval." After Jeanne's explanation, Liang En genuinely smiled. He felt proud that Jeanne acknowledged his character.
"So, can you tell me what your plans are?" Now understanding how Jeanne arrived in this world, Liang En earnestly asked about her future plans. After all, this historical Servant wasn't a ghost as he'd imagined but a person.
Attitudes toward a human and a ghost naturally differed, especially when the human was someone very respectable. Therefore, Liang En wanted to know Jeanne's thoughts personally.
"Of course, to follow you. Death has released me from loyalty to Charles VII, and now France no longer needs my saving. So, naturally, I'll serve you as your attendant."
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Chapter 217: New Member
Since the arrival of Jeanne d'Arc, Liang En felt that the atmosphere in his family's ranch had become livelier than before.
Especially after getting familiar, Joan, who was just a little over 17 in physical age, displayed a vibrant energy typical of young girls. She seemed to uplift the entire ranch, making it noticeably more lively.
Initially, Liang En found it a bit odd because he subconsciously thought that a saintly figure like her would appear solemn, perhaps even burdened with a deep sense of solemnity.
Later, he realized that Joan was just 19 when she sacrificed herself, essentially a young girl. So, shedding the weight of her responsibility gradually revealed her youthful nature.
Though she had only been at the ranch for less than a month, she had already built a harmonious relationship with most of the ranch and even the townspeople. It didn't seem like she had only known them for a few days from the way they greeted each other.
It seemed the historical records were indeed accurate; Joan possessed a unique charm that naturally made people feel fond of her.
As there weren't many field trips recently and a pile of work awaited, Liang En spent the next few weeks solely at his ranch completing these written tasks.
During this time, Joan began fulfilling what she deemed a vassal's duties, such as helping Liang En manage the ranch and preparing meals for him.
However, after Liang En tasted Joan's cooking for the first time, he opted to have her fetch meals from the farmworkers' cafeteria for them to eat together.
As a daughter of a small landowner and a military figure, Joan indeed knew how to cook. However, her culinary style was from six or seven centuries ago, making it somewhat challenging for modern tastes.
"Ah, finally finished this phase of tasks." One morning, after completing his work, Liang En stretched lazily and said to Joan, who was quietly reading nearby.
Perhaps feeling regret about her lack of knowledge in her past life, Joan, upon arriving in this world and gaining that knowledge, developed a fondness for reading. Whenever she had free time, she immersed herself in books, especially after learning about Liang En's line of work.
"You should take a good rest now." Liang En suggested. "Back when I was in the military, whenever I found a moment, I made sure to rest instead of keeping myself constantly occupied."
"You're right, so why don't we go out for a ride?" Liang En suggested, standing up. "I remember having a membership card for a nearby stable. We could go horseback riding together."
That stable membership card was one of the several cards Mr. Skoode had given Liang En during a yacht auction in Canada, and it was the only one for a place in Ireland.
"Horseback riding? That sounds fantastic!" Excited about the prospect, Joan, being a knight, was immediately thrilled at the idea. "It's been a while since I rode a horse."
"Exactly why I suggested it." Liang En chuckled. "I'm not sure if the place is spacious enough for a good run, though."
The stable was about a 20-minute drive west of Dublin, a well-equipped and expansive professional facility. After Liang En presented the membership card at the reception, they were quickly guided to a lounge area.
"Is it crowded here now?" Sitting on the sofa in the lounge, Liang En asked, somewhat puzzled. Given it was a high-end stable, it shouldn't have had many people theoretically.
"Yes, there's a study group from China here, so our instructors are occupied," the attendant apologized, smiling.
"But these students are just here for an experience, so in about 20 minutes, the instructors should become available, and then you can ride."
"Wow, that's a privilege." Liang En couldn't help but feel a bit moved at the idea. Considering he never even had school outings in his previous life, the disparity between schools was immense.
"But my riding skills are decent, and so are my companion's," Joan added, a little perplexed. "Is it necessary for an instructor to accompany us?"
"Apologies, miss, but rules must be followed," the attendant replied apologetically. "Since it's your first visit, we have to have a safety officer confirm your skills."
"Understood. Adhering to rules is essential. Let's wait a bit longer, then," Joan smiled and nodded. As a soldier, she appreciated the strict local regulations.
With refreshments and books in the lounge, the wait wasn't unbearable. After Liang En and Joan finished two cups of cocoa, the attendant came in to inform them they could head to the grounds.
"Nice to meet you both. I'm your temporary safety officer, Hans." As Liang En and Joan arrived equipped at the stable, they saw a sturdy man holding two horses, waiting for them.
"They've been fed and rested adequately, so you can mount them now. However, since it's your first time, I'd recommend starting with a slow walk," Hans advised.
"Understood." Liang En and Joan nodded simultaneously, then mounted their horses. However, while Joan's movements were fluid, Liang En's were a bit stiff.
After all, his knowledge had been ingrained, and in two lifetimes, he'd hardly ridden horses, so not showing any unease was already commendable.
As it was a high-end stable, the surrounding horses all appeared impressive. The ones Liang En and Joan were riding were local English thoroughbreds.
Though not as esteemed as Arabian or Hanoverian breeds, the sleek muscles and satin-like coats of these horses showed they received meticulous care.
Apart from the stable's horses, there were many well-bred horses owned by affluent individuals. For instance, they saw an Arab man in robes and a turban leading a group of purebred Arabian horses nearby, brushing past them.
Nearby, in a separate enclosure, three or four children, accompanied by trainers, leisurely rode around on Shetland ponies.
Since Liang En and Joan were in the VIP section of the stable, where people were sparse, they quickly attracted attention.
Especially when Joan mounted her horse, she naturally exuded a commanding aura unique to leaders. To those around, her demeanor effortlessly projected aristocracy.
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Chapter 218: True Knights
As an upscale equestrian center, people didn't just come here to ride horses. For many, riding was secondary; the real importance lay in connecting with others through this platform.
Inside a nearby building, several people gathered, awaiting the staff's preparations at the equestrian center. They conversed with familiarity, puffing cigars, savoring red wine, and mingling with acquaintances.
These horse owners were affluent enthusiasts, and the horses they brought were of considerable value. For instance, the man by the window puffing on a cigar was a tycoon in the construction industry, and today, he had a pureblood horse worth £500,000.
Next to him stood an Arab sheikh; the pureblood Arabian horse he had his professional trainer walk earlier belonged to this sheikh.
"Who do you think they are?" While waiting, the group gossiped like everyday people would. Those allowed in the VIP area all had backgrounds, sparking curiosity about these newcomers.
"I don't know; this is my first time seeing them," the Arab sheikh remarked. "But personally, I believe their backgrounds must be quite deep."
"Look at that girl's demeanor; that's no ordinary air she carries. I dare say several princesses in our country can't match her grace."
"And the young Asian man may seem ordinary, but if you observe, you'll notice the girl's attention is constantly on him. It feels like she's his attendant."
"Look, they're starting." Liang En and Jeanne d'Arc finished warming up, obtained the coach's permission, and started urging the horses to run.
Initially slow, the horses gradually picked up speed, then swiftly galloped. Slowing down, speeding up, sprinting, turning—the two horses, under Liang En's guidance, displayed exceptional agility.
"Why do I feel their riding posture differs from ours?" After observing for a while, the construction tycoon holding a wine glass suddenly remarked.
Though not a professional rider, as an equestrian enthusiast, he had a certain understanding of horses and riding techniques. He quickly noticed the distinctive posture of Liang En and Jeanne d'Arc.
"It's a rather old-fashioned riding style, something only hereditary nobles might adopt," the Arab sheikh, more knowledgeable in this area, explained.
"The gentleman seems to have learned it after adulthood, so his riding posture appears somewhat rigid. But the girl's fluidity suggests she's been practicing since childhood."
The sheikh was quite discerning; Liang En's stiffness stemmed from a lack of practical experience aligning with theory, making his posture less natural compared to Jeanne.
While Jeanne wasn't born into a noble family, as the daughter of a militia leader, she had practiced riding since childhood, especially in that tumultuous era, consciously learning how to ride at home.
Not to mention her two years in the military, battling across territories, which naturally advanced her horsemanship. In that era, a commander who couldn't ride bore no military responsibilities.
While historical records portray Jeanne as excelling in inspiring morale and leading troops with her banner rather than charging with a sword, it didn't imply she lacked prowess in riding or combat.
According to legend, during her entry into Orléans, zealous residents accidentally set her banner on fire, causing chaos. Amid the confusion, Jeanne rushed forward on her horse and used its hooves to stamp out the flames.
There's also a story about a raised stone on Saint Aedan Street in Poitiers, where an elderly person claimed to have witnessed Jeanne effortlessly mount her horse while wearing armor.
Additionally, the Duke of Alençon mentioned Jeanne's ability to march in armor for extended periods and skillfully use a lance on horseback.
"Wow, she's amazing! When can I ride my lily flower as fast as she does?" The tycoon's daughter approached the window, admiringly watching Jeanne riding at full speed.
Though unaware of Jeanne's exact age, judging by her appearance, she seemed no more than a young girl. However, based on birth records, Jeanne was evidently the oldest among them.
"To reach that level, it takes more than just practice; one needs a certain talent," the tycoon advised his daughter. "For instance, these two, with adaptive training, could easily become professional riders."
Of course, Liang En had no idea that conversations were happening about him behind closed doors. After riding a few laps, they stopped. He gestured toward some equipment in the distance and asked the coach, "Can we use those?"
Liang En had spotted a fenced-off area with classic knightly training equipment made of wood and stainless steel. He recognized these as traditional knightly training props.
"Sorry, that's a private facility owned by one of the shareholders." The coach glanced and replied, "I can inquire, but I'm not sure if they'll allow it."
"Please, go ahead and ask." Glancing at Jeanne by his side, Liang En said, "Of course, if it's possible, that's great. If not, it's okay."
Finishing his statement, they rode away from the entrance. Upon circling back, they saw the coach waving a flag, signaling them to stop.
"Is there something wrong?" Liang En asked the coach, puzzled, as he noticed not just the coach but seven or eight well-dressed individuals who didn't seem like staff.
"This is Mr. Talaal, the owner of that private practice area and a shareholder of our equestrian center." As Liang En approached, the coach introduced the young man in a robe and turban among the group.
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Liang." The Arab man warmly greeted Liang En. Evidently, Mr. Talaal, having checked Liang En's status as a shareholder, had come out with the equestrian center's VIPs.
Quite generously, Mr. Talaal agreed to allow them the use of the area, requesting only that he and a few friends could watch from the sidelines while they rode.
Liang En didn't see anything wrong with the request. Although these classical knightly training methods might have been confidential in the past, they were now just intriguing skills.
Thus, the group quickly moved to the private training ground. Liang En and Jeanne picked up some training weapons and began practicing.
"Wow, this is incredible!" Watching Jeanne charge on horseback and skillfully, after just two attempts, use her lance to remove a small metal ring hanging on a pole, the tycoon's daughter exclaimed in awe.
"This is a form of classical knightly training, much more traditional than what circulates in today's social networks." Mr. Talaal, as a son of a sheikh, quickly recognized what Jeanne was doing.
"But the technique this young lady is displaying isn't simple; it's unlike those medieval enthusiasts. She seems to have received genuine knightly education."
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Chapter 219: Completion of the Fairy Tale
Clearly, Joan of Arc thoroughly enjoyed her time at the racetrack. When they felt they'd done enough, they joined the onlookers in the building on the racetrack.
As it was mealtime, they skipped the previous lounge and headed to a self-service restaurant to eat and chat.
Given it was their first meeting, their conversation revolved around peripheral topics like horses and equestrianism.
When it came to discussions about investments, finance, or luxury items, Liang En and Joan of Arc were less knowledgeable than the others present. However, their expertise in matters concerning horses was another story.
The knowledge Liang En gained previously and Joan of Arc's battlefield experience in dealing with horses fascinated the group.
Their interaction flowed smoothly until evening fell, and reluctantly, they dispersed, making plans to meet again when they had time.
For Liang En, meeting these people expanded his network. Though they were just acquaintances for now, deeper connections were possible in the future.
"I thought you might not enjoy these gatherings," Liang En remarked while driving home, with Joan of Arc seated beside him.
"To be honest, I quite enjoy conversing with everyone," Joan of Arc shrugged. "Especially when it's polite small talk like this. Interacting with people is interesting."
"I've noticed that even though time has changed a lot, the core of human interaction hasn't altered much over centuries, especially when dealing with those of status."
"That's humanity for you. Despite rapid technological advancements in your era, many fundamental aspects remain unchanged." Liang En sighed, reflecting on Joan of Arc's words.
"By the way, you mentioned learning to ride a motorcycle and drive. You even hired a coach recently. How's that going?"
"I've mostly grasped riding a motorcycle, but driving a car still needs a bit more work," Joan of Arc said, a bit frustrated. "Reversing and parking are the trickiest parts. Horses definitely didn't move backward."
Back at their ranch, with time to spare, Liang En and Joan of Arc tidied up and then spent time in the study—one reading, the other writing and drawing.
Their situation had changed from when Joan of Arc stayed in the farm dorms. Since Liang En's return, she resided in the main house, even in a guest room adjacent to Liang En's own.
Initially puzzled by this arrangement, Liang En, being a single young man, found it awkward to share living space with a single young woman, especially in conservative Irish rural settings influenced by religion and tradition. Such living arrangements often sparked gossip.
However, when Liang En suggested Joan of Arc move out on the first evening, her expression turned grim. Fortunately, after his explanation, she quickly recovered and explained her reasoning.
For Joan of Arc, Liang En was her chosen liege for life. According to knightly traditions, unless a knight had their own territory, they stayed close to their liege.
To her, the ranch represented Liang En's domain, and the second-floor annex of the ranch, her room, was Liang En's castle. As a landless knight, it was her duty to reside there.
She even believed, if not for gender differences, it would be appropriate for a close attendant knight like herself to sleep on the floor in Liang En's room.
Though this practice may sound odd today, it was commonplace in that era. For a liege lord, allowing a knight to sleep in their room was the ultimate expression of trust, and for the vassal, it was a tremendous honor.
Of course, such arrangements were facilitated by the fact that lords back then had sizable rooms, ensuring a considerable distance between them.
Also, societal norms and perspectives regarding gender were vastly different from today, particularly in distinguishing between men and women.
For instance, in that era, in many European regions, kings and high nobles would have a group of distinguished individuals present during their wives' childbirth to ensure the child had noble lineage and wasn't substituted.
While this tradition has evolved and continues in some noble families today, only women are permitted to witness childbirth compared to the past.
Due to these reasons, when Liang En suggested Joan of Arc move out, it was akin to challenging her loyalty, considering her customs.
After understanding the different perspectives across eras due to her prior knowledge, Joan of Arc didn't interpret Liang En's command as an insult.
However, regardless of the previous exchange, Liang En arranged the nearest bedroom to his own for Joan of Arc to occupy.
Apart from lodging, Liang En also covered all of Joan of Arc's expenses. After all, she entrusted her entire being, including her life, to Liang En, and he naturally had to fulfill the obligations corresponding to that authority.
Presently, this investment seemed more than worthwhile. Besides cooking, Joan of Arc excelled in household chores, significantly improving Liang En's quality of life.
According to Joan of Arc, while Liang En, as a scholar, couldn't assist her in academic pursuits, supporting him with good household management at this time was her responsibility. It allowed her liege to focus more on scholarly pursuits.
Thanks to this assistance, Liang En simultaneously worked on compiling an ancient Egyptian dictionary, assisting Type-Moon in designing game backgrounds, and reimagining Grimm's Fairy Tales in his mind. Not only were these tasks moving forward, but their progress was swift.
By late October, Liang En successfully organized over 200 Grimm's Fairy Tales stories with illustrations and was preparing to publish them.
Although it was an adaptation, Liang En put significant effort into the work. Besides removing stories unsuitable for children, his greatest challenge was translating Chinese into German.
Luckily, having obtained the "German Linguist (R)" card earlier, he managed to translate Grimm's Fairy Tales during this brief break, then translated them into English.
Interestingly, the issue of illustrating, usually challenging for ordinary people, was straightforward for him. Given his ability to replicate simple drawings from his mind, he, with his master-level sketching skills, completed 15 to 20 drawings on average daily.
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Chapter 220: Setting Sail
Regarding the publication of the novel, Liang En didn't plan to directly release a physical book. Instead, he intended to test the waters online first. After some consideration, he decided to target YouTube.
Thanks to Pierce's earlier help and his participation in an online program, combined with sporadic sharing of archaeological and historical tidbits, his YouTube account had garnered over thirty to nearly forty thousand followers.
While this might seem small compared to celebrities and influencers, it was sufficient for launching a children's fairy tale.
Fortunately, due to his prior desire to disseminate various materials, Liang En had purchased a scanner for himself. This allowed him to upload his illustrations from home.
According to the plan, he aimed to upload a piece of fiction and an illustration to his account every day, gradually spreading the story to the world.
However, during the initial week, he didn't upload any adapted stories but instead shared photos of the Grimm brothers' manuscripts he had found earlier, along with his reasons for compiling this fairy tale.
According to his online explanation, these fairy tales were inspired by the Grimm brothers' earlier efforts in collecting German folk tales. Hence, he spent time collecting and slightly modifying these tales.
The reason for framing it this way was primarily because the stories in "Grimm's Fairy Tales" were two hundred years old, often containing elements incongruent with modern sensibilities.
Hence, simply disseminating these stories would surely invite criticism and possibly tarnish the stories' content with certain negative connotations.
But by presenting the compilation of these stories as a restoration of ancient literary works, it could garner more tolerance from the audience.
Moreover, as a scholar in history and archaeology, delving into writing fairy tales felt odd, yet framing it as a historical restoration felt more reasonable.
Judging from the feedback Liang En received after posting the first batch of Grimm brothers' manuscript photos, there was significant interest, especially among Germans.
In line with everyone's expectations, the day after uploading all the available material, Liang En uploaded the first fairy tale, "The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids," in German, English, along with illustrations.
Seeing the culmination of his busy work in this period, Liang En felt relieved, but just as he planned to take Jeanne d'Arc to Dublin for a stroll, he found an email from Egypt in his mailbox.
The email contained excavation permits. After more than half a year, the Egyptian authorities had finally sent them. With these documents, he could embark on the long-awaited excavation in Egypt.
Since he had anticipated obtaining this permit beforehand, Liang En had long been preparing for this.
For instance, he had established contact with the Coptic people through a man named Daniel successfully and had leveraged connections from the Swedish maritime merchant Skoode and Countess Doris to arrange many things in the village.
Perhaps it was due to returning favors, or maybe because they believed Liang En always found valuable things during his treasure hunts, both sides were willing to sponsor his upcoming excavation on the Sinai Peninsula.
Among them, Mr. Skoode was the most enthusiastic and had expressed his intention to personally join this excavation and exploration on his expedition yacht.
According to Mr. Skoode, since retiring and diving into treasure hunting, he hadn't found anything meaningful. Hence, he hoped this time, accompanying Liang En, would lead to a successful discovery.
Therefore, apart from taking Jeanne d'Arc, Fan Meng, and Daniel, Liang En would also have a 16-person excavation team led by Mr. Skoode accompanying them for the treasure hunt.
Meanwhile, Countess Doris helped Liang En's team secure vehicles and various supplies for use in the desert. She also leveraged her connections to establish reliable contact with the Egyptian authorities and ensure the trustworthiness of Daniel and the Coptic group.
Thanks to these prior arrangements, Liang En and his team set out just three days after receiving the permits, with their luggage prepared well in advance.
Normally, leaving on the same day would have sufficed, but because Liang En wanted to take his three ravens with him, several days were required to process the necessary paperwork for their air travel.
Considering the lower security on the Sinai Peninsula where they were heading, bringing these little fellows along could provide an extra layer of security for the expedition.
Upon establishing a soul connection with the three ravens, Liang En discovered that although they had been well-fed and housed at the ranch, they still preferred accompanying their master for an adventure.
After all, ravens were naturally curious creatures, and traveling the world with their master seemed more interesting than staying put in a safe place all day.
Moreover, with their enhanced intelligence, their curiosity seemed to have increased after their intelligence enhancement.
After leaving them at home last time, they had dismantled numerous shiny items like coins or glass beads, causing quite a bit of trouble.
So, in situations like the present one, Liang En preferred to bring them along to avoid these creatures causing havoc at home.
Because of the sponsors, they gathered in London and flew to Naples before boarding Mr. Skoode's expedition yacht, heading directly to a small port called El Tor at the southern end of the Sinai Peninsula.
Soon enough, the four of them arrived in Naples and headed straight to the docks. As arranged earlier, Mr. Skoode's ship was already docked there.
"Alright, everyone's here. Let's set sail," said Mr. Skoode as they arrived at the ship's side, having notified them beforehand. He stood on the deck, greeting them.
Thus, the four immediately dragged their minimal luggage along the gangway into the cabin. With the door slowly closing, amidst the deep and melodious sound of the ship's horn, the super expedition yacht slowly departed from the dock, commencing its journey to Egypt.
"Jeanne, are you feeling unwell now?" When the ship sailed far enough to obscure land, Liang En suddenly noticed Jeanne d'Arc's complexion turning slightly pale.
"It's just that I'm a bit nervous sailing on the sea for the first time. I'll be fine in a while," Jeanne replied softly, shaking her head. "It was the same when I flew on a plane last time, but I got over it quickly."
Indeed, after about fifteen minutes, Jeanne's expression returned to normal. She then joined Liang En on the aft observation deck.
"We'll arrive at our destination in three days. Until then, we can enjoy the calm Mediterranean view."
As soon as they stepped onto the deck, Liang En heard Mr. Skoode outlining the journey's plan. Evidently, for this wealthy individual, this was a dream trip.
For Liang En, since the other party was willing to unconditionally spend so much money and effort sponsoring this journey, accommodating the slightly slower pace didn't matter.
After all, excavation work couldn't be completed in a day or two. Being among the first group to receive permits, a slight delay wouldn't affect their original action plan.
"Oh, the things you asked for earlier are prepared. They're in the helicopter hangar." After chatting for a while, Mr. Skoode approached Liang En and whispered. "You can go check them out now."
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