Chapter 233: Chapter 237 Insomniac People
The flas in the mirror receded, and the majestic figure gradually disappeared into the darkness, but the mysterious symbol Captain Duncan had shown remained vividly in his mind.
Maurice left the storeroom and after a glance at his sleeping wife, approached the writing desk under the window. He took out paper and a pen, and using the cold, luminous night light from outside, while his mory was still clear, he sketched the strange, ancient symbol.
Subsequently, the knowledgeable old scholar furrowed his brows as he looked at the drawing on the paper, falling into a brief contemplation.
Even scholars who had passed the strictest exams at the Academy of Truth were baffled by the sight of this symbol—of one thing he was certain: that this was neither a symbol used by any City-State, church, or official organization, nor did it conform to the norms of mystical symbols.
According to the captain, it was an emblem carried by several ascetics who had visited Holoss a hundred years ago, and now, he had suddenly beco interested in the emblem.
As a “family mber” of the captain, Maurice did not intend to pry into the captain’s secrets, but he was extrely curious about those mysterious ascetics—what kind of “person” would carry such an odd amulet and manage to catch Captain Duncan’s attention once again after a hundred years?
...
After a long contemplation, Maurice sighed lightly, carefully folded the paper, placed it in the drawer of the writing desk, and locked it ticulously.
He planned to wait until the sun rose the next day then search through books about ancient City-States and secret societies in his study—although the god of wisdom had blessed his Believers with exceptional mory, even the best mory could have its gaps. Perhaps there was sothing about the symbol in his collection?
If he could not find any clues in his own collection, he would investigate a few major libraries in the City-State and the archives of the universities in the Upper City District. Although he had left his university position many years ago, his old connections and influence were still intact; borrowing so precious books wouldn’t be a problem.
If there were no records in all of Plunder about this matter, then he would have to write letters or send telegrams to old friends in places like Rensa—so of his pals, who were well-studied in history and mysticism, might be able to help. Even if they couldn’t, their universities and research institutions might.
No matter what, this was the first task the captain had given him—he had bestowed upon him the miracle of resurrection, and now, at last, he had a chance to be of help.
Thinking thus, Maurice’s restless mind, upset from insomnia, unknowingly settled fully. He felt as if he had rediscovered the vigorous, goal-driven enthusiasm he had when he first entered the academy, and with that enthusiasm…
The long-lost drowsiness also surged forth.
…
Terrian had been tossing and turning in bed for hours, still devoid of any urge to sleep.
He could scarcely recall the last ti he suffered from such severe insomnia. As the commander of the Mist Fleet, captain of the Sea Mist, he possessed strong self-discipline and a strict routine. His sleep and wake tis were usually as precise and controlled as a machine—except for today.
Various thoughts and images surged endlessly in his mind, interspersed with nurous yellowed and trivial mories: the flas in the mirror; his somber, majestic father; the exploration ship that had set sail amid cheers and acclaim; the ship’s silhouette returning from Subspace…
Even the encounter near Frost waters with Holoss and the words the Frost Queen had said at the beginning of the “Deep Trench Plan”—
“There are terrifying things beneath the deep sea, but under the deep sea, there also must be all the answers.”
Terrian sat up from the bed.
He looked toward the wall not far away, where the mirror that had once hung had been taken down, now lying quietly face-down on a nearby table, leaving a slightly lighter oval trace on the wall. The case for placing the Crystal Ball and its lenses was at the foot of the bed, locked anew, and other parts of the room with mirrors or smooth reflective surfaces were also covered with cloth.
But those white cloths covering the mirrors made the room appear even more gloomy and eerie under the cold radiance of Creation of the World, as if it was a dwelling place for specters.
Nevertheless, Terrian was not afraid of any ghosts. He had a shipful of undead sailors, a cursed living battleship, and several secret bases that often produced bizarre, horrifying illusions—compared to his father, ghosts were hardly terrifying.
After pacing back and forth in the quiet, eerie room for a few minutes, Terrian’s gaze landed on the suitcase at the foot of the bed. After a slight hesitation, he picked up the case.
Perry had already flown back to the ship to report his safety. As a captain, it wouldn’t be proper to go next door to wake up his subordinates for a card ga to relieve his boredom; it might be better to see what Lucille was doing.
Perhaps she was suffering from insomnia just like him.
He turned on the electric light, placed the case on the table, and opened the lid. The crystal ball, surrounded by complex lenses and curved connecting arms, appeared before his eyes, and as Terrian reached out, but before he even activated the lenses, the device started humming, and the crystal ball at the center lit up rapidly.
In just a mont, Lucille’s figure appeared in the crystal ball.
Wearing a gossar gown, her black hair cascading over her shoulders, the mysterious “Sea Witch” now looked at her brother with an exhausted face.
“Brother, I can’t sleep.”
“I can’t sleep? You could find amusent with your dolls or conduct your magic experints,” Terian said sternly, still serious, “I am currently planning the developnt for the Mist Fleet…”
“But your hair is as ssy as if it had been tumbling on a pillow for four hours,” Lucresia spoke lightly, “Is this a new posture for planning developnt?”
“…”
Terian was silent for a few seconds, looking exhausted: “Do you have any good suggestions for treating insomnia? Use your clever wit as a ‘witch’… Never mind, forget I asked.”
The siblings fell into a brief awkward silence, then casually chatted for a bit, though both seed to deliberately avoid touching on sothing crucial. Gradually, however, the conversation inevitably began to converge toward a certain direction.
“…I just made so ‘modifications’ to Luny,” Lucresia said, “I’ve enhanced the protection on her joints and added a small container for storing holy oil and protective runes next to the sphere that holds her ‘soul.'”
“Do you think this will stop Father from contacting you through ‘Niru’ next ti?”
“It won’t, but maybe Luny won’t freeze up completely next ti,” Lucresia’s tone carried a hint of helplessness, “She was actually quite traumatized by the last freeze, and we had a serious conversation about it just now.”
Terian grew curious: “A conversation? What did you and your doll talk about?”
“She advised not to get tense, and I persuaded her to take things easy.”
Terian: “…”
They fell silent again, but this ti the silence didn’t last long before Terian suddenly spoke: “Actually, I was just considering sothing.”
“Considering what?”
“Do you rember the last thing Father said today?” Terian spoke slowly, “He said he had found Luny’s sister ‘Niru,’ and ntioned that the doll had never been sold…”
Lucresia’s expression shifted slightly: “You an…”
“That ans the shop is still there—do you rember where that doll shop is located?” Terian’s expression beca serious, “I only rember that it’s sowhere within Plunder.”
Lucresia slightly furrowed her eyebrows in recollection while Terian continued to speak slowly: “If Father really did ‘purchase’ Niru from that doll shop, then it reveals a critical piece of information: he had set foot in the Plunder City-State in so manner before its encounter with historical pollution, even moving about openly…”
“Have you considered that Father might have deliberately revealed this clue to us?” Lucresia suddenly said, “Now that you’ve thought of these things, maybe that’s exactly what Father wanted you to investigate.”
Terian was silent for a few seconds before speaking: “I’ve considered that possibility—but even so, you know I can’t let this clue go.”
“…I only vaguely rember the location of that shop,” Lucresia said, “It should be at the edge of the Upper City District, near an intersection close to the southern Lower City District. The owner was an elf lady… I saw her a century ago, and she seed quite old then, but considering the lifespan of elves, the owner is likely still her.”
Terian nodded lightly, silently noting down the information Lucresia provided.
…
A slight sea breeze had picked up, and Holoss swayed slightly in the waves as Duncan sat at the navigation desk, sowhat boredly studying the fog-laden sea charts in front of him.
His body located in the Plunder City-State had already gone to sleep, but his “original body” on board the Holoss hardly needed any rest. Consequently, night sailing turned into a rather dull ti, especially with the double restrictions of it being unsuitable for reading at night or at sea, preventing him from bringing over the recreational books purchased in Plunder to relieve the boredom, intensifying the tedium.
After all, he couldn’t always amuse himself by exploring the ship—no matter how large Holoss was, there was a limit to exploring it.
“I’m even tempted to wander around the Spirit Realm knocking on glass, calling up Fenna and Terian for a ga of cards,” Duncan sighed in boredom, glancing up at the goat head, “It’s hard to say with Fenna, but Terian is probably not sleeping tonight…”
“If you really do that, he’ll probably have insomnia again tomorrow night,” the goat head imdiately said, “But honestly, your idea is really attractive, full of thrilling effects and amusent—are you planning to knock on whose first?”
“I was just saying,” Duncan glanced at the goat head, his gaze sweeping over the sea charts again, but suddenly, as if he rembered sothing, abruptly looked up, “How long till sunrise?”
“…About three hours,” the goat head roughly estimated, “If it rises on ti today.”
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