Golden Fishing Rod

The reason was simple—Jiaye was the protagonist!
And protagonists? They were cockroaches that couldn’t die!

Forget her absurd luck—just look at what she had now:
A mountain of legendary treasures, divine pills, and mystic herbs.
With these, healing wasn’t a question—it was just a matter of time.

In fact, Black thought Jiaye’s injury was worth it.
Yes, she was hurt—but in that chamber, she’d seized two god-tier artifacts!

[Solaris Orb] and [Avalon Token]!

These two items would skyrocket her power.

Black didn’t even feel jealous.
He was happy.
Jiaye was a key force against the final boss—the stronger, the better.

Thinking this, he pulled out the Violet-Gold Dragonbone wrapped in black cloth.

After removing the cloth, he stared at the bone—glowing faintly, its patterns shimmering as if echoing with distant dragon roars.

One could only imagine how terrifying this Jade Dragon had been in life.

Such a resilient material—an SSS-rarity—should be forged into a 6-star weapon to fulfill its purpose.

But alas—this bone wouldn’t become a weapon.
It would humbly serve as a fishing rod.

[Create Golden Fishing Rod from Violet-Gold Dragonbone?]

Black tapped Confirm.
A flash of light—and the bone transformed into a pure golden fishing rod.

“Why does it look so… unimpressive?”

This golden fishing rod looked exactly like the ones he’d used back on Earth—just gold-plated.

[Skill: Never Returns Empty-Handed Fisherman – Ready to activate at any time]

But no matter.
As long as it could yank Jörmungandr out of the sea, the dragonbone wouldn’t go to waste.

After finishing preparations, Black lay back—hand in pocket—about to nap—when he felt something off.

His fingers touched something soft.

He pulled it out—a black lace undergarment.

Wait—wasn’t this from Elizabeth’s wardrobe?! How did it get in my pocket?!

He wanted to yell: “Who put this here?! Is this some kind of moral test?!”

He was a gentleman—upright and pure—surely he didn’t sneak it in himself?

He raised his hand—ready to toss it into the trash—but couldn’t let go.

Huh? Why is this underwear so sticky?!

Sigh.
Fine. He’d return it when he had the chance… though that seemed impossible.

Might as well keep it as a souvenir from his village days!
Just a souvenir—definitely not for perverted reasons.

Convincing himself, Black shoved the lace underwear back into his pocket.

Staring at the ceiling, he decided it was time to go outside and gather intel.

His wounds were healed. Time to rejoin the world.

Sure, Housekeeper Mary was terrifying—but she wouldn’t throw him to the sea dragons, right?

So, with false confidence, Black left the room—stepping onto the deck—right into Mary’s line of sight.

Moments later, the entire Hodir echoed with Mary’s screeching and Black’s wails.

Hss…

After Mary finally stopped yelling, Black’s ears were blessedly quiet.

He’d underestimated this housekeeper’s cruelty.

Her punishment?
Clean the deck for three nights straight!
Drink only seawater!
Eat only herring cans!

Damn it! If it weren’t for his dream of returning to the village and living peacefully, he’d throw this tigress into the sea for the dragons!

Grumbling, Black scrubbed the deck.

After three hours, he finally got a break.

That’s when idle chatter from a group of maids reached his ears—four words catching his attention.
He instantly perked up.

“You know? In a few days, we’re having the Azure Ball!”

“Really? A ball during such a tense time?”

“Absolutely true! I heard it from the housekeeper herself!”

“If the royal family has time for a ball, then those rumors about the empress being assassinated must be fake!”

“Exactly! The empress is wise and mighty—an Emperor-Tier Swordsman! How could anyone assassinate her?”

“Hehe, the Azure Ball! Awesome! There’ll be literary contests and sword duels! I’ve been stuck at sea for so long—I’m bored out of my mind!”

“Same!”

Bits of conversation floated over.

When Black heard “Azure Ball,” he was surprised—then quickly remembered.

The Azure Ball was a unique maritime event, dating back to shortly after the Dragonheart Empire’s founding.

Life at sea was monotonous—and with sudden sea dragon attacks, crew and passengers lived under constant stress.
Over time, this caused mental breakdowns.

To relieve pressure, provide entertainment, and spread gossip—the Azure Ball was born.

But holding it during such a sensitive period?
Clearly, the royals aimed to disprove rumors.

To ease anxiety, shatter fear.

A smart move—Black actually admired it.

In the game, the Azure Ball was a key scene.
Jiaye stole the show, revealing her brilliance for the first time.

She caught the attention of male side characters—those “You’ve caught my interest”霸道总裁 moments.

A massive popularity boost.

Unfortunately, Jiaye probably couldn’t attend this time—she needed to heal.

But no big loss.
This arc mainly existed for the protagonist to show off and gain character favor.

Plus, she’d obtain the Dragonvein Fruit—a rare item that boosted power temporarily.

But it meant little to Jiaye.

Overall—even if the protagonist missed it, the plot wouldn’t change.

For Black, the ball had no real meaning—but it did have one benefit:
Endless food.
He could sneak in and eat like a king!

Perfect. Decision made.

Yet, Black had no idea—days later, he wouldn’t attend the ball as a deck cleaner.

He’d go as a Royal Princess’s Guard.

The reason? Simple—he’d been targeted.

By Princess Alice.

……

At the top of the Hodir, a cabin offered an excellent view—overlooking the entire deck and surrounding seas.

The decor was minimalist—only black and white.
Swords lined the walls. Shelves piled high with sword manuals.

Clearly, the owner was strict, serious.

In the parlor, a graceful young woman leaned by the window—reading a literary book.