Chapter 249: Never Be Drunk

"…Only if we can take this entire place back on to our ships!" 

"Perhaps we can tear down this manor separating it in to different portions loading them on to our ships, and then sail away with it!" Helio on the side joined in the fun.

"Hahahaha…" The others broke in to a chain of laughter. "If our bunks and quarters on the ships are as beautifully decorated like this, I would get my wife and daughter on to the ships as well!" 

"Even if it is as beautiful as this the stinky stench of yours will remain there!" 

"Hahaha…" 

Antonius laughed too for a while and sighed too. "Aye, indeed, it is the deepest regret that we cannot bring the building along with us back in to the ships, and bring them all the way to our new outpost in Palatia, and decorate our new 'Antinionople', perhaps with all these artefacts we can even surpass the work of Constantinople!"

"HAHAHA…."

Hearing these comments by even the admiral himself Anjelo could no longer resist the worries in his mind coming forward and advised to Antonius loud and clear. "Admiral! We are no longer pirates roaming in the seas!" 

Antonius is startled, Abraham is started with that laughter frozen on his face, and Helio is startled too then looked down at his feet with a little bit of shame accumulating in his mind. 

After a few seconds Antonius came down from the throne personally and grabbed Anjelo's hands saying earnestly. "Aye, thank you, old man. Indeed, we are no longer that same old bunch of pirates, and indeed we need to start transforming our living environment, habits and how we look at things. Alright lads! Let me announce one thing! The ships and the sea are no longer our only hopes, from today onwards we shall have a second home, that is the land."

"Aye, admiral!" 

"Now, lets get back to real business.." Antonius turned back on to the throne. "There are still a lot of work that needs to be done for this city…."

…

Meanwhile, back at the gate of Romania, at the east side of Thessaloniki. 

The biggest contributor in the siege of Thessaloniki, our dear Nikolas, can be seen riding on a donkey with his steward behind him walking by the side of the Varangians entering the city in groups. Even now Nikolas is still carrying his wine flask and drinking as he rides his donkey, wobbling on the mount with a flushing red face and talking crap to his steward and the surrounding people at the same time.

"Don't…. Dont just look at how Antonius looks so powerful with all the army and ships he have…Looks so good damn tough and glamorous… A few years back, he is just nothing but a pygmy pirate roaming around on the sea begging me for money! *Burp* Damn… Time really change fast isn't it? A prick that is under arrest by every lord last time, has turned in to… a boss! Antonius… Am I right?" 

The drunk Nikolas expected a reply from Antonius thinking that the admiral should be just behind his back following him. Though to his confusion no one responded, realising that Antonius might have dumped him and went away Nikolas turned around feeling neglected and angered.

"Antonius? Antonius De'Ricci? Where are you?!" After a few shouts he ordered the Varangians and marines marching past his side. "Where has this prick head Antonius De'Ricci go? You people! Now! Go find that Antonius De'Ricci for me! Tell him to come here! To me!" 

His steward hurriedly came up blocking his master's mouth preventing the words from entering the wrong ears and get all of them in to deep trouble. He persuaded. "Sir, please stop, if your words are to be heard by the admiral, we shall all be persecuted!" 

"Hmph, admiral? *Burp*" Nikolas shook the hand of his steward off his mouth and continued ranting. "I am not looking for what ever admiral you are talking about, I am only looking for that…. That man called Antonius! Hey you! Where is Antonius De'Ricci, get him over here!" 

"Sir, you are drunk!" 

"No! I am not drunk! I am fully awake!" 

"Sir, please stop…. Before you get us in to trouble…" 

"Huh? What trouble? *Burp*, I see new trouble brewing here, the only trouble now is that Antonius De'Ricci is not here! Antonius De'Ricci! Where the heck are you!" 

In the middle of the mess Nikolas summoned not Antonius, but instead his words of nonsense attracted Yuri, who was here with his Varangians scouting the walls finding potential defence weakness that the enemies might take advantage of, and arrived here after hearing reports from his man about this Aegean merchant he had never liked before. Yuri stood there under a tree folding his arms and watched this clown perform.

Just then, a few citizens of Thessaloniki that looks like students passed by, wearing white robes and carrying books. Nikolas took a peek at them with his shaking head and made a contempt laugh, then he turned to his steward and continued ranting. "Hey, pal, do you know what is the most unique thing that this *Burp* Antonius guy have among all the lords?" 

"Sir. I beg you... Say no more…" 

"Is that he is a freaking illiterate man! Can you imagine? An ignorant man ruling over the two seas and the city of Thessaloniki, which is the centre of education in the entire region filled with scholars of erudition… A noble who don't even know how to write a single alphabet! Can you imagine?" 

"Sir, but I heard that the admiral has been studying…"

"You heard you heard, all you can hear is hoax and rumours that Antonius De'Ricci wants you to hear!" Nikolas interrupted impatiently. "But I saw! *Burp* I saw with my own eyes, that this so called admiral, must consult his man for even reading and writing a letter! He…"

Yuri's level of tolerance has reached its max, he tsked and walked straight towards Nikolas in wide steps, and with a force no one can resist Yuri pushed this clown off his clown falling on to the solid ground landing on his back side. Then Yuri simply stood there folding his arms watching Nikolas get back up standing after several failed attempts and falls. 

Nikolas stood back up still wobbling, feeling dizzy from both the fall and the strong level of alcohol he failed to recognised Yuri standing before him, who is wearing his full set of armour and an iron mask plating covering his face. He cleaned the dust and dirt on his robes, then admonished this armoured giant in a threatening tone. "You sucker! How dare you! Do you know who I am! Let me tell you, if I am to go to the admiral… *Burp* now and demand you head, you shall not see the sun light of tomorrow! Now, quick, kneel down before… *Burp* me, and I can still try to forgive you!" 

Yuri just stood there watching this man with a cold smirk and replied sarcastically. "Oh, really? I cannot see the sun light of tomorrow? Oh I am so God damn afraid!" 

"Of course!" Nikolas pointed his index finger in the direction of the walls of Thessaloniki. "Go ask your admiral, if it is not for me, taking such a great risk going around carrying out the plan, almost getting myself killed for a couple of times, will that admiral of yours ever be able to even see the walls of Thessaloniki? Listen up, you bunch of ill mannered tom dick and harries will not be able to enter this gate *Burp* This gate over here, if it is not for me! Me!" 

Yuri walked forward holding his wipe and intimidated in a freezing. Imperil mood. "Listen up, I do not want to cause any trouble here Nikolas, but if you continue talking trash and spreading rumours about the admiral, I shall chop down your head right here." 

But instead of getting afraid and submit, Nikolas guffawed lightly again, poured down the last bit of wine in the flask, and threw it away. He then shouted out pointing directly on to the fore head of Yuri, spreading a mouthful of alcohol odour right at his face. "You illiterate piece of crap, who knows nothing but muscles and blades… *Burp*….

"….Even if your admiral is here, he too must obediently follow behind my donkey giving me another bottle of wine… Don't you want to chop down my head? Come! Have it! If you really have the wits, go ahead! And then report back to your admiral with my head! Maybe he shall give you a reward or two!" 

Yuri narrowed his eyes. 

"Come! Go ahead! Chop my head! That is what you said!" 

A crowd of civilians began gathering up in the surrounding spectating and gossiping at Yuri and Nikolas. 

"Where is your blade! You stupid soldier, fine! I bet that you don't have the guts to…"