The ship set sail at least a few minutes later.
Sahmira and Lazhra went off to recruit more candidates, while Lendra explained their strategy.
"We’re planning to enter the inner area. Yeah, it might sound strange, but the area near the coast are actually more dangerous. You’ve heard of the tentacle fish, right?"
Dahr shrugged.
"Never seen one in person."
"What? No way! Damn, well, nothing we can do about that now."
Lendra then launched into an extrely long explanation that lasted nearly 45 minutes.
Dahr managed to pay attention for the first ten minutes, but after that, he just zoned out.
The only thing he gathered was that the fish was almost the size of a house yet more agile than a rabbit.
The only person capable of matching the tentacle fish was an explorer nad Khaedros.
"...oh, actually, there was one more person. And not just matching it—he killed one. Though people accused him of using dirty tricks, and the sample he brought was too rotten to be accepted as paynt. If I rember correctly, his na was Sal—mon? Whoa, where did you guys get that salmon?"
Sahmira and Lazhra returned, carrying a plate of freshly grilled salmon.
"A young man from Nib Village caught it using magic," Sahmira explained, pointing at a lanky blond-haired youth surrounded by a crowd.
"So, is he going to be our next mber?"
"We need soone more useful than just a cook. Besides, having two people with the sa magic technique is pointless."
Suddenly, Dahr felt a hard slap on his back. Lazhra grinned.
"That ans you’re officially in."
"Eh, uh... thanks."
Dahr was more intrigued by what Lendra had said earlier.
’Did he almost say my father’s na?’
But he let it go, figuring it was just a silly assumption.
After setting aside so salmon for rations and preserving it with her magic, Sahmira suggested they rest.
"Night falls in three hours, and by then, the ship might pass the Sacred Tree. If you want to rest, now’s the ti. And rember...
"...when your cabin starts to fog up, just drink the pill. Don’t say anything, don’t listen to anything. Just take the pill, co here, and we’ll wait for dawn together."
"May the First Fla be with you."
Dahr’s cabin was a cramped 2x2 ters, with a wooden bed facing a round window.
He set down his bag and gazed outside. Crystal-clear waves splashed against his face, and his eyes locked onto the silhouette of the towering Sacred Tree, even visible from dozens of kiloters away.
No one knew exactly how long it had existed.
So claid it had been there since the dawn of civilization, growing alongside the world itself.
But according to Dahr’s great-grandfather, the Sacred Tree appeared after the launch of the infamous Intayan magic attack on the Holy Confederation’s forces.
The magic residue was said to have affected not only animals but also caused plant mutations.
Those who ventured too close to the Sacred Tree were rumored to face judgnt.
Sinners would be visited by terrifying creatures—demons that devoured not just their bodies but their souls as well.
anwhile, the pure-hearted would be greeted by radiant angels who would guide them to eternal paradise.
’What a nonsense.’
If that were true, no one would have ever returned from exploring it.
’Wait... maybe that’s exactly their goal!’
Considering how the Intayan were as miserly as they were ruthless, this would be an effective way to control the population.
Just as he was cursing his employers, a knock ca at his cabin door.
Lazhra stood at the entrance, grinning and flashing a playful two-finger gesture.
"Nervous?"
Dahr frowned, looking around.
"Where’s your sister?"
"Oh... have you fallen for her, too?"
Lazhra stepped inside before Dahr could even invite her in.
The cabin instantly felt smaller, especially with Lazhra’s towering fra.
Keeping a comfortable distance was nearly impossible.
"So?"
Dahr looked at her impatiently.
"Nothing, just visiting and making small talk. Isn’t it funny? We grew up as cousins, yet this is the first real conversation we’ve ever had."
’Yeah... probably because you two never bothered to talk to anyone before.’
Dahr scratched the back of his head.
"Didn’t Sahmira tell us to rest?"
"Yep, more like relax. And to do that, there are plenty of ways besides just sleeping."
Lazhra suddenly leaned in, closing the already narrow gap between them. Their faces were now so close that he could feel her breath. Her soft breast pressed against him.
"...lucky for you, I know a more enjoyable way."
Dahr’s eyebrow twitched in disbelief, but before he could react, Lazhra’s hand started wandering lower.
"Hey, what are you—"
"What? You don’t want to? Or would you rather do it with my sister?"
Dahr would be lying if he said no.
After all, among all the won he had t, the twins were by far the most stunning.
Both Lazhra and Sahmira had inherited their mother’s beauty and striking figures.
And their lips...
As Dahr looked closer, Lazhra’s lips were a soft, delicate red—not too bright, dark, or flashy. The kind of red that was subtle yet alluring, like cherries.
And those lips were just about to touch his.
At that mont, sothing in the corner of his eye caught his attention.
Outside the window, thick fog had begun to creep in.
*#*
’Fog?’
Dahr’s eyes widened. It all made sense now.
His hand quickly reached into his pocket for the pill he had kept.
Just as he was about to pop it into his mouth, ’Lazhra’ grabbed his wrist.
"Lucky for you, I know a more enjoyable way."
She repeated the exact sa words.
Dahr struggled to break free, but sohow, ’Lazhra’ was unbelievably strong.
Finally, he made a decision.
Dahr lunged forward and headbutted ’Lazhra’ square in the nose.
It seed she still had normal reflexes—she recoiled, yelping in pain.
Dahr wasted no ti. He shoved the pill into his mouth.
A strange sensation rippled through him, as if a massive wave had just struck the ship, throwing off his balance.
The disorientation only lasted a few seconds, but when it passed, he was no longer facing ’Lazhra’.
The creature before him barely reached his waist.
Its skin was a charred, peeling shade of dark brown.
It stared at him again.
"Lucky for you, I know a more enjoyable way."
Dahr scowled, tempted to punch the thing out of sheer frustration for falling into its trick.
But Sahmira’s warning echoed in his mind.
"...If you see fog, take the pill imdiately, co here, and we’ll wait for dawn together."
’Damn it.’
Dahr yanked the cabin door open ...
... only to find the hallway engulfed in thick fog.
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