The Wizard of Fairy Tale World

Chapter 130: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada!

"Your Majesty, we are setting sail!"

"Our destination: the royal port of the Western Asia Kingdom."

At White Kingdom’s harbor, a beautifully decorated flower ship unfurled its sails and set off.

The sky was clear and cloudless, the sunlight glimmered on the ocean’s surface, and the wind blew strong, puffing up the ship’s sails.

On deck, sailors sang sea shanties, their spirits high with excitement.

They knew that Queen of White Kingdom was about to meet the King of the Western Asia Kingdom.

The two nations were set to discuss maritime trade and navigation rights.

Rumors had long spread among the sailors—Western Asia Kingdom’s ships had the aid of merfolk guides, who helped them avoid storms, whirlpools, and reefs with ease.

Such privileges made the other seafaring nations of the Western Continent envious.

For sailors, this was an incredible opportunity—if the Queen’s negotiations succeeded, White Kingdom’s fleet could also gain the protection of the merfolk!

This critical summit—one that could alter the destinies of both nations—had, of course, been orchestrated by the great Sage Rhine before his departure.

As both a strategist and a trusted friend of the Western Asia Kingdom, his hand was evident in the plan.

On the Deck

Not long after departure, a restless figure dashed back and forth across the deck.

"So exciting! So exciting! This is the ocean? So blue! So much water!"

A small wooden puppet ran wildly across the ship, its exaggerated movements drawing everyone’s attention.

"Stop running around, Pinocchio. You should rest now—when we arrive at the Western Asia Kingdom, you’ll need to perform your puppet show," a soldier scolded.

The soldiers grabbed the wooden puppet by its long nose, preventing it from running off.

"Let me go! I want to see the ocean! This is my first time on a ship!" Pinocchio wailed.

As he struggled, his gaze accidentally fell on one of the accompanying soldiers.

Unlike the others, this soldier was remarkably short, standing out from the rest.

"Why is he so short? Can a soldier even be that tiny?"

But, as a puppet lacking common sense, Pinocchio didn’t dwell on it—his curiosity was fleeting, and the next moment, he was distracted again.

A dense mist began to rise over the sea.

Thicker.

And thicker.

"Strange… Your Majesty," a sailor reported.

"When we set sail, the sky was completely clear, but now this fog has appeared out of nowhere."

"Sailing in such dense fog… we have no way of knowing what might happen."

The sailors hurried to inform the Queen in her cabin.

"No need to worry. Keep sailing."

The Queen’s voice was calm and firm, dismissing the sailors with a wave of her hand.

"So, they’ve finally come."

She lifted her head, gazing out at the ever-thickening fog, recalling Rhine’s words and the plan they had devised before parting.

"I want to capture the Eastern Witch, Your Majesty. But to do so, I will need your cooperation…"

Beside her, the short soldier—the same one Pinocchio had noticed—stood with his hand resting on his sword.

"Don’t worry, Your Majesty," the small soldier reassured.

"By the end of today, both you and White Kingdom will be safe."

His sharp gaze shifted toward the window, piercing through the fog as though he could see the hunters lurking beyond.

One by one, Enderland’s warships silently crept through the mist, like hawks stalking their prey.

Hidden by the fog, they maintained their distance from the flower ship.

No insignias.

No banners.

The warriors of Enderland had removed all emblems of their empire.

This hunt—this great hunt—was, officially, not tied to the empire at all.

"The fog is getting thicker."

"The Eastern Witch of Oz has completed her weather manipulation ritual, summoning this sea fog as promised."

"The target is approaching the ambush zone. Estimated time: one hour."

"Enderland warriors—prepare for battle! The hunt begins in one hour!"

The captain’s command rang through the decks.

Through the thick mist, Enderland warriors raised their bayonets, shouting a battle cry, breaking into rousing imperial song.

One by one, black iron cannons were positioned.

Soldiers heaved heavy cannonballs, moving carefully across the rocking decks.

"For the Empire!"

The bold imperial hymn echoed through the fog.

The clanking of artillery, the thud of cannonballs, and the metallic clash of weapons created a rhythmic overture to their war anthem.

In this fervor, none of them noticed—

As Enderland’s warships prowled like venomous serpents, watching their prey…

Deep beneath the ocean surface, something else was watching them in return.

A group of merfolk scouts observed the hulking warships above, their dark silhouettes casting shadows in the waters.

"Everything is proceeding as planned."

The merfolk commander gazed at the battleships without surprise, his voice calm.

Behind him, a familiar, elderly figure emerged from the deep blue abyss.

Her long, green hair drifted like seaweed, her ancient gaze unwavering.

"The Coven of Witches… it’s time we settled this once and for all!"

Rhine and Aurora rode their horses, moving leisurely through the forest path, surrounded by escorting soldiers.

A beautiful bird suddenly soared from the sky, landing gracefully on Rhine’s arm.

As Rhine extended his hand, the bird chirped rapidly, as if whispering a message.

Rhine simply smiled, stroking the bird’s soft feathers before feeding it a small treat.

Satisfied, the bird sang a cheerful tune and flew away.

Beside him, Aurora leaned in, her voice low and cautious:

"Well, Sage, how is it?"

"Everything is proceeding smoothly," Rhine replied calmly. "Just stick to the plan."

Hearing his assurance, Aurora’s concern faded, and she nodded in relief.

Then—

The sharp neighing of horses broke the peaceful air.

The entire escort force halted.

"Who’s there? Get out of the way!"

The leading soldiers shouted at the cloaked figure standing dead center in the road.

The man was shrouded in a pitch-black cloak, his hood pulled low over his face.

"Apologies, apologies," the man chuckled softly.

"I simply wished to pay a visit to White Kingdom’s great Sage—the esteemed magician, Lord Rhine."

The soldiers hesitated, glancing at each other uncertainly.

Should they allow him through?