Hidden Danger

The Great White Shark, captain's cabin.

Arthur flipped through a book made of linen paper, containing records of a tradition passed down from...

The book was only five pages long, yet it had cost him a gold coin. He had bought it from a down-and-out pirate.

Arthur couldn't understand a word of what it said. It was similar to the Latin commonly used in the Old Continent, but the words became unfamiliar when combined.

Few people in the Age of Discovery could read stories written in Old Latin.

He would use [Research] to decipher the document and learn Old Latin, laying the groundwork for his future identity as a scholar.

Parrot Gro suddenly spoke. "Great captain, this island is fraught with danger. Be careful not to let filthy trash sully your sacred boots."

Danger everywhere?

Arthur raised an eyebrow and looked at the parrot statue. This extraordinary creature, who loved to toy with dreams, had discovered something unusual on Blue Bay Island.

He tapped his fingers on the table. "Tell me what happened."

"Oh! Esteemed captain, your loyal navigator, Parrot Gro, loves to play and frolic with dreams."

"Recently, while teasing some interesting dreams, I encountered a chaotic mass of desire."

Arthur frowned. He couldn't understand what Parrot Gro meant.

"Be more specific."

"Oh! He's an extraordinary being, and an extremely wicked one at that. In his dreams, he's depraved, cruel, and arrogant."

Parrot Gro suddenly tilted his head, thinking of the best comparison.

"Even if the fellow you encountered last time had a dream while sleeping, it wouldn't be more wicked than this one."

"Their auras are quite similar. They should be extraordinary beings from the same Pathway."

The fellow he had encountered last time had been utterly wicked. Parrot Gro was referring to a heretic from the Black Devil Order.

Arthur's heart sank. His gaze pierced through the wooden planks and landed on the inn on Blue Bay Island.

Someone from the Black Devil Order was hiding on Blue Bay Island. What were they after?

Last time, the Black Devil Order had attacked the Jasmine to retrieve the Moon Bone brought back from the New Continent.

What did Blue Bay Island have that the Black Devil Order coveted? Could it be one of the precious items at the Old Wood Ship Auction?

Or did the Black Devil Order have some other scheme?

According to the announcements from the Church of Light and other Orthodox Churches, the Black Devil Order delighted in bloody massacres and cruel sacrificial rites.

"How many days has the dream you encountered been appearing on Blue Bay Island? When did it disappear?"

Parrot Gro stammered, "Well... um..."

"Great captain, frequently entering dreams can make extraordinary beings wary. Besides, that person's dream only appeared once."

"It appeared on the night of October 8, then vanished in an instant."

Arthur immediately grew alert. October 8 was the day they had returned from attacking the Jasmine. That night, he had also convened the Society of Hours.

Had the fleeing heretic from the Black Devil Order come straight to Blue Bay Island, rested there for a night, and left?

Or had he used extraordinary means to alert other heretics from the Black Devil Order, who came to Blue Bay Island in advance to scout it out? Was their target still the Moon Bone that had been taken away?

Arthur paced once around the captain's cabin, then went up on deck and called Kaia over.

"Oh! Our esteemed Lord Arthur!"

"Starting today, our Great White Shark Pirate Group is an honorary pirate group of the Tudor Dynasty, too!"

Arthur nodded slightly. "I need you to look into something. Ask around quietly, and find some old-timers on Blue Bay Island."

Kaia thumped his chest. "Leave it to me, Captain. Asking around is easy. Everyone in the bars on Blue Bay Island knows us!"

"Find out which ships arrived on Blue Bay Island on October 8, and who their captains were."

"Understood!"

Back in the captain's cabin, Arthur sat at the table, thinking about the path ahead.

If all went well, he would obtain the Scholar Potion and become extraordinary as he had hoped.

He also planned to change his identity, in keeping with the Moth Principle, and leave his past behind.

Then, with Arina Stuart's recommendation, he would attend England University to study languages, before revealing a little of his talent for them.

A rising star in linguistics would emerge in the Tudor Dynasty.

"The only problem now is making sure the plan goes smoothly. I can't afford to die before then."

The heretics of the Black Devil Order shouldn't be targeting me. The Moon Bone was taken away by Arina.

After the Jasmine sank, only the Great White Shark survived. Would the Black Devil Order seek revenge?

Arthur put himself in their shoes. If someone had ruined his perfect plan, he would certainly find a chance to retaliate.

In the light of the sun, attacking a Sequence 7 of the Darkness Path, and a noble of the Stuart Family at that...

That was far more difficult than going after a mere pirate captain.

I'm in danger!

Arthur realized it clearly. He needed to protect himself.

"Should I tell Father Roberto at the Church of Light directly, or Deacon Wallace at the Shadow Temple?"

He shook his head and dismissed the idea.

He couldn't explain where his information had come from, especially when this was only a suspicion.

Arthur crossed his hands and closed his eyes in thought. Then, he suddenly stood and walked over to the calendar, looking at the date.

October 14, 1601.

The Old Wood Ship Auction would be held tomorrow, as would the Society of Hours.

His [Research] on "musket" + "Dread" would also reach the end of its countdown.

"Hah..."

"It looks like tomorrow will be a very important day."

As he was about to fall asleep that night, Arthur received a prompt:

A beautiful mermaid appeared before him, singing a heavenly melody amid the rolling waves.

[Mermaid Book, deciphering complete.]

[Deciphering rewards: Mermaid Book, Mermaid Book (Latin), and Sea Race Language (Beginner).]

Arthur tapped the table, and fine ripples appeared before his eyes, like the rippling surface of the sea.

A fish-skin book appeared among the ripples, followed by its Latin version, and finally a ball of light.

[Sea Race Language (Beginner)]

Giving Mr. Red Grail a translated copy of the Mermaid Book directly would seem too mechanical, not mysterious enough.

Arthur entered his dream and arrived at the Secret Sect Long Table, returning the Mermaid Book to Mr. Red Grail.

He first skimmed through the Mermaid Book (Latin), then used the mist to reproduce its contents.

Through a [Rite] of bestowal, he transmitted the contents directly into Mr. Red Grail's mind.

Once he had done that, Arthur absorbed the "Sea Race Language," infusing the spirituality into his body. Ancient Sea Race syllables appeared in his mind.

"Extraordinary languages tied to the occult—Old Latin and Ancient Hermetic Language. I need to hurry up and learn them."

The Piranha.

Edmond Tide was resting when the vague, imposing figure of Mr. Mansus suddenly appeared in his mind.

An invisible mass of knowledge poured into his mind, and the Mermaid Book dropped to the floor out of nowhere.

He closed his eyes and absorbed the contents of the Mermaid Book, an ancient text about the merfolk of old. He murmured,

"The bloodline of merfolk, the call of the sea, the ancient monarch... So that's how it is."

Edmond Tide opened his eyes. Their gemlike deep blue held the answer to a question that had troubled him for many years.

He closed his eyes and devoutly raised a hand to his heart. "Praise Mansus!"