The great ship carrying Sophia cut across the glittering sea, leaving a long foaming wake.
Silver Sand Bay faded into the horizon behind them, swallowed by the blue line where sea t sky.
Inside Sophia’s private cabin on the second deck, Bella sat on a hard wooden stool in the center of the room, stripped of her armor and weapons, dressed only in a plain tunic.
Across from her, Sophia’s eyes shone with curiosity, the priest Samuel’s gaze was deep and assessing, while the captain of the guard lood like a tower—arms crossed, muscles tense, his sharp eyes never leaving Bella for a second.
Even unard, a gold-rank could still threaten the Hero.
“With the Eyes of Truth, no wonder you recognized us as Church people.” Samuel noted, watching the silver light flickering in Bella’s pupils. “But it seems you haven’t fully mastered the ability yet.”
“Fully mastered?” Bella frowned.
“Eyes of Truth? What’s that?” Sophia asked, checking Bella’s status panel.
Samuel explained:
“A very useful, though rare, detection skill. It not only reveals traces left by others, but can also roughly discern their strength and abilities. So in the Church have been blessed with it.
And from what I know, those who possess it can choose when to activate it. Unlike her—her silver eyes are shining all the ti.”
Sophia nodded. Seeing Bella’s expression of dawning realization, she couldn’t help but smile—so this girl knew less about her own skill than others did.
What she didn’t realize was that without guidance, without panels, most ordinary people could only grope blindly, spending years to understand their gifted abilities.
“You’re the one Silver Sand Bay is hunting, aren’t you?” Sophia asked.
“Yes.” Bella admitted without hesitation.
“Aren’t you afraid we’ll hand you back?”
“I’ve t Church priests before. They helped . They were good people. I don’t believe the Church would side with slavers… right?”
Her gaze shifted to Samuel. “Or am I wrong?”
Sophia gave no answer, instead asking: “Why did you kill that… what was his na?”
She hadn’t bothered to rember during Oruk’s shouting earlier.
“Horn,” Bella’s hands clenched at the na. “Simple. He killed my friend. A very important friend—worked to death as a slave under his tornt.”
She then recounted how she had followed her friend’s trail to Silver Sand Bay, only to learn the truth of his brutal death at Horn’s hands.
Once she confird it, she had used her Eyes of Truth—awakened at level 40—to track Horn for half a month, learning his routines until she found a chance to strike.
But what had revealed his movents also betrayed her own—the ever-glowing silver eyes. Exposed, she had no choice but to hide beneath the Church’s ship.
“All that for revenge?”
“For a friend I trusted with my life.” Bella shrugged, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“And now? What will you do?”
“If you don’t hand back to Silver Sand Bay, I’ll return to the kingdom and search for my father.”
Sophia looked at Samuel, who shook his head.
“I’m afraid not. We can’t afford even the slightest risk.”
The guard captain’s hand was already resting on his sword.
He knew the girl was innocent, but compared to humanity’s survival, any sacrifice was acceptable—his life, his honor, hers.
Feeling the pressure weigh on her, Bella closed her eyes.
Through the Eyes of Truth, she knew the gulf between them. Resistance or escape was hopeless.
“There’s no need for this,” Sophia suddenly said. “Bella, I can’t let you go. But will you stay with ? Think of it as a long-term contract, a few years at most.”
“Yes.”
Bella agreed instantly, without hesitation. She understood she had been caught up in a secret Church mission. This offer was likely the greatest rcy she would be shown.
“My lady…”
The guard captain frowned, and Samuel tried to object, but Sophia raised her hand to silence them.
“She’s not lying, is she?”
Samuel paused two seconds, then nodded. Bella had drunk a truth potion long before this conversation—lying was impossible without special ans.
“Then it’s decided,” Sophia said firmly.
Samuel could only relent. Forcing a different outco against the Hero’s will might create division, costing more in the long run.
Still, so precautions would be taken. On this girl nad Bella, he would leave behind a safeguard…
Suddenly, Samuel’s eyes widened. He strode quickly from the cabin.
“What’s happening?” Sophia remained seated. She was still weak—at tis like this, doing nothing rash was her best help.
Samuel narrowed his eyes at the horizon, where a tiny black speck floated. A ship, perhaps.
But… how could it be a ship?
His senses picked up sothing large drawing near. At first he thought it a sea monster.
The distance was still far, its form unclear.
The other vessel seed to notice them too. Under Samuel’s gaze, it turned course quickly, clearly intent on avoiding them.
Satisfied, Samuel stepped back inside. Curious, yes, but fewer surprises made for safer journeys.
——
Had it co closer, he would have been far more astonished, perhaps even muttered at the strangeness of the world.
For it was indeed a ship—one pieced together from rough planks glued with mycelium, dragged across the waves by two rmaids.
Its crew: one Puji and one mushroom man.
“Boss, shouldn’t we ask for directions?”
Aboard the Mushroom, Dylan looked back at the receding great ship.
They had been wandering lost at sea for three days. Surely they needed guidance.
“Ask? Ask what! That ship’s crawling with gold-ranks! Go near and they’ll chop up the Pujis and toss you to the fish! We’ll steer clear and just follow the direction they ca from. No need to ask!”
Dylan blinked, surprised at what sort of ship that was. But in the end, he nodded, agreeing with the boss’s choice.
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