Chapter 17 01.0017: "I'm definitely not a voyeur"

The Huntress pointed to a dense row of black ropes at the very bottom of each side of the mainmast.

"Stationary stays are used to support the mast from the side to resist wind forces."

Horatio blurted it out almost instantly.

Farida blinked and quickly opened the book to look for it.

[God of Heaven, he was actually right?!] Farida found it incredible.

Horatio added, half smiling:
"Because these ropes will not move once they are laid, they are coated with pine oil or asphalt to increase durability."

[I have rigged these rigging myself on the sail training ship.]
"…It must be a coincidence! What about this?!" Farida was panicked, but the arrogance of the nobles forced her to continue to be stubborn.

Her slender fingers traced the ropes that held the boat's beams.

"Here are the yard halyards. Look."

Horatio gently pulled on the rope, pulling the sailboat's boom up and down.

Farida was speechless. After a long while, she asked, "How do you know this?"

"That's not important, Miss Hood, I only care about what the reward is." A smug smile spread across Horatio's face.

"Tsk, what do you want...don't go too far."

"Your gloves."

"what???"

Farida's cheeks suddenly turned red, like ripe apples.

"You... do you know what you are talking about?"

"Ah? It's just a pair of gloves, why are you so excited?" Horatio looked at Farida strangely.

He wanted gloves just to avoid leaving fingerprints and thus avoid being discovered.

The girl hesitated to speak, stood there twisting her head for a while, and finally, reluctantly, took off her lace silk gloves and handed them to him.

The moment he took the gloves with residual warmth, Horatio vaguely remembered a saying:
'In Victorian times, there was no difference between asking for an unmarried woman's silk gloves and asking for her original silk stockings off her legs.'

[It is understandable. After all, people’s preferences vary. Some people like legs while others like hands. It is hard not to be misunderstood if you directly ask a girl for silk gloves to wear on your hands.]
"Ahem, don't get me wrong, I just want to avoid leaving fingerprints."

Horatio forced himself to remain calm as he put on the silk gloves that still retained the girl's warmth. The gloves were only big enough to cover half of his palm.

In order to avoid leaving fingerprints, I have to make do with it.

However, the girl looked at him resentfully the whole time, as if he had really asked her for the original stockings.

The remaining 500 meters of the journey was a torture. He was silent all the way and was stared at with strange eyes. It was not until he followed Farida to her father's study that he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is this your first time here?"

"Ah."

Farida looked around nervously. "I have my own study. My father's study is also his office. There are many top-secret documents of the Imperial Navy in it. So don't rummage around after you go in. Otherwise, no matter where you are, he will find you and dig your eyes out."

"So terrifying..." Through various negative descriptions of the captain, Horatio developed a deep awe of him without even meeting him.

"Everyone knows that he is the Lord Captain, but few people know that my father has been promoted to the chief of the Gothic Fleet's military intelligence headquarters and has been promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral of the Red Flag Navy."

Rear Admiral Red Banner of the Military Intelligence Command of the Gothic Fleet?

Horatio's eyes rolled. As a member of the Coast Guard in his previous life, he had systematically studied naval history and knew the meaning of this title today.

The Imperial Navy was a creation of a group of Nottingham British people, and its naval structure was highly similar to that of the British Royal Navy in the Age of Sail.

A combat fleet is usually divided into three parts and commanded by an admiral, a vice admiral, and a rear admiral.

The red flag is draped on the stern of the vanguard fleet, symbolizing attack and bloody battle. This position is usually held by a vice admiral, and only those who have experienced life and death in the vanguard battle are qualified to be promoted to admiral.

This fleet is usually composed of fast capital ships and multiple frigate squadrons.

Officers like Captain Alexander Hood, who were particularly brave in combat but were blocked from promotion due to their age and lack of qualifications, were also allowed to serve as commander of the vanguard fleet and were honored with the title of Red Flag Rear Admiral.

The core fleet, that is, the main fleet, is usually commanded by an admiral, with the holy white flag flying on the stern. It is the key force that determines the outcome of the entire naval battle, so it must be commanded by the most experienced naval generals.

The largest, strongest and most powerful warships in the entire fleet will be commanded by the core fleet.

At the same time, due to the high casualty rate of vice admirals under the aggressive tactics of the Imperial Navy, such as ramming, torpedoing and boarding, there is a shortage of admirals with suitable qualifications. Not every operational fleet can be equipped with an admiral. Those gifted vice admirals can also be selected to serve as the commander of the White Flag Fleet and be honored as the White Flag Vice Admiral. Captain Samuel Hood of the Hood family is now a White Flag Vice Admiral.

Finally, there is the rear guard fleet, which is responsible for supporting and serving as the reserve fleet. It is commanded only by rear admirals and flies a blue flag. Usually, the fleet only contains highly maneuverable warships and is not as strong as the vanguard and main fleet.

This fleet is responsible for cleaning up the void battlefield and pursuing fleeing ships. Once the war becomes stalemate and needs to go to the front line, it means that the war has become quite brutal.

Warships are offshore all year round and need to return to port for repairs and replenishment. This is a relatively long process, taking anywhere from several months to decades.

During this period, the returning officers will be assigned to serve in the functional departments of the Navy Department, or sent to the naval prison on the planet to serve as tribunes (commanders) or tribunes (lieutenants).

Since Farida's father is currently serving as the chief of the Gothic Fleet's military intelligence headquarters, that means he will not set sail for a while. If she leaves any clues here and is charged with stealing fleet secrets, then no one can save her except the old emperor.

Farida pushed open the intricately carved mahogany door, and the light from the corridor illuminated a gap in the dim study.

Since Farida herself had never been in here before, she fumbled for the light switch for a while.

Just as she reached out to press it, Horatio stopped her.

"Don't move!" Ever since Horatio activated the Machine Soul Affinity, he had a vague feeling about the Machine Soul.

Logically speaking, the soul of the light switch shouldn't be so violent and impulsive... unless...

Horatio turned on the lazier switch of the machine spirit next to him, and the large chandelier in the study came on.

"This may be a trap to confuse intruders." Horatio looked at the row of switches and said.

Farida let go of her hand, but her expression didn't care: "I have turned off the power of the security measures."

"How do you guarantee that your father's study doesn't have an independent power supply?" Horatio raised an eyebrow.

"..." Farida was speechless and curled her lips.

[How come he seems to know my family better than I do?]
Horatio let out a long breath.

"This study... is so big, it's a man's paradise." Horatio couldn't help but admire it.

The room was tidy and organized. On the eastern side were desks and filing cabinets, and on the western side were dozens of mahogany bookshelves filled with books, making it feel like a library.

Looking more closely, this is simply a private paradise for men. Behind the large desk, on the wall-high cabinets are various warship models, including a three-masted sailing ship. In addition, there are countless models of various aircraft, tanks, knights and Titans.

There was also an unfinished painted Retribution-class battleship on the neatly arranged table.

"I didn't expect your father was a plastic man."

"Plastic guy...?"

"Emmmm, just understand it as a model enthusiast." Horatio had never seen this lord captain, and the scene before him made him doubt the rumors from the outside world.

How could a crazy, grumpy old man patiently paint a battleship with a paintbrush?

Uh...but maybe it's only at this time that I can calm down.

As he was thinking, an open thick book on the table caught Horatio's attention. The feather pen was not on the pen stand, but casually inserted in the ink bottle. It was obvious that the writer had gone out in a hurry when he was halfway through writing.

[Take a look before looking for clues? No, let's look for clues about the ring first.] The desire to verify the identity was in fierce conflict with his curiosity.

[What if that's the clue?]
Horatio glanced at the huntress. She said she would keep an eye on him, but she had just entered her father's study and was looking around the bookshelves like a child who was curious about the adult world. Although this tall and strong sister really couldn't be called a child.

Horatio moistened his throat with saliva, but curiosity eventually overcame the business he had to do, and he sneaked over.

"The Imperial Law Department has given up investigating the accident eight years ago, and the task force has been disbanded. I am so close to the truth, but I have to give up the current investigation results. Theresa, what should I do? How can I avenge you? I swear on my life that this matter will not end."

"I used almost all my connections and finally persuaded His Excellency the Fleet Commander-in-Chief. The Navy Personnel Committee held a meeting and decided to appoint me as the chief of the Gothic Fleet Military Intelligence Command. This means that I can use my authority to continue investigating the truth of this matter. This is really good news! Theresa, I will make everything clear. I will catch those insects hiding in the dark one by one and hang them with my own hands! To comfort your soul in heaven."

"Theresa, that guy's case may actually be the key to uncovering the truth."

"I'm sorry, Theresa. The Navy Department has assigned me and Vice Admiral John Bean to plan a special operation for the Navy to control the entire 'Vegas' area. I have to temporarily interrupt the investigation. But I'm very happy. This is your proudest achievement back then. Now, I finally have the opportunity to continue to build on your dream."

Horatio gasped. Wow! This is the personal log of the Fleet Military Intelligence Commander!

The handwriting was quite neat, and it looked like it was written by an educated person, but some parts were blurred by water. However, Horatio was more willing to believe that it was tears.

[Hiss, who is “that guy”? I can’t stop watching, let’s take another look…]
Horatio, worried but unable to suppress his curiosity, picked up the page with his gloved fingers and turned the page.

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(End of this chapter)