Winged Doll

Back aboard the Great White Shark, Arthur began rallying the sailors, preparing them for a brutal battle.

"Everyone, get ready to fight. This time, we're going to make a fortune from the raid."

"If we succeed, every sailor will get a share of at least ten gold coins!"

A collective gulp sounded across the deck.

Even experienced pirates rarely came across such a fat target. One good raid could keep them living it up for a month or two!

After rallying the sailors aboard, Arthur ordered them to stay ready. They would have all the food and drink they could manage for the next three days. Nothing was to be held back.

The captain's cabin.

Arthur took four candles from a drawer, along with an old but cleanly polished musket and the materials needed to perform the [Molting Technique].

The Golden Palm Leaf he had put under [Research] had, after a day of study, become a straw doll woven from golden palm fibers.

A pair of tiny wings sprouted from the doll's back.

A Tier One, document-class contraband item: the Winged Doll.

Arthur called upon the power of the Moth. Transparent threads connected his palm to the doll, and the Winged Doll stood up from the table.

The Winged Doll's effect was simple: under its user's control, the doll could perform very complicated movements.

Negative effect: if the Winged Doll was controlled for too long, it would take on the controller's appearance and gradually replace them.

"The final part of the rite. A substitute for the old body."

Four candles, the Winged Doll, and the cannon that had been with him the longest. Once the rite was complete, he would leave his past behind.

Next, he would attack Rhine Island and create chaos, then seize the opportunity to perform the rite of the Molting Technique.

Arthur wrapped the candles, doll, cannon, and flint in a leather coat. Then he took out a piece of cotton cloth and wrapped up Parrot Gro.

He also had the gold coins issued by the Theocracy. Arthur performed a rite to offer them to the Secret Sect Long Table, storing them there for the time being.

He combined the Whale Herder Sword with Despair and put them under Research to synthesize a contraband item. This time, it would take even longer.

Countdown: 2 weeks.

Arthur had no choice but to abandon this synthesis for now. The previous Despair Waltz and Fear Musket had shown how rigid the rules for contraband items could be.

Synthesizing them again would only waste time. He was better off waiting for suitable materials to make a new contraband item.

Sitting in his chair, Arthur closed his eyes and sent his consciousness into White Sand Island.

[He descended upon White Sand Island.]

Arthur opened his eyes. He stood atop a palm tree, while waves lapped against the shore beneath the still moonlit sky.

Insects chirped in the woods, one after another. Far away, a campfire lit the sky, its crimson flames climbing wildly.

"Someone's made a fire over there. Are those the natives from before?"

He turned to look back the way he had come and used his position to work out where Twin Coconut Beach was.

It was in the direction of the fire lighting up the night sky.

Arthur climbed down from the palm tree and beat his insect wings, flying toward the fire. Passing a shrub, he spotted a wriggling caterpillar.

He struck and cut the caterpillar in half, filled his stomach, and continued on.

The firelight fell across his face, driving back the darkness and cold. The stones around the fire's edge glowed red-hot, with two groupers roasting on them.

Two natives sat around the fire, chattering away.

Arthur hid in a dark corner, listening to the two whisper to each other. He couldn't understand a word they were saying.

But—

He secretly used his mantis arm to cut off some of his leg hair, then prayed to himself:

His mind filled with mist. He indirectly recorded the two natives' conversation. It didn't matter if he couldn't understand them; he could just study it.

He lay there all night. Only after the natives fell asleep in the second half of the night did he withdraw from his exploration.

He stepped through the Pure White Gate and arrived at the Secret Sect Long Table. Arthur lightly tapped the tabletop, and the natives' conversation appeared in the form of mist.

He put the sounds recorded in the mist under [Research]. The countdown was ten minutes.

Ten minutes later.

[Language analysis complete. You have acquired Inca Language (Beginner).]

Arthur raised an eyebrow, absorbed the Inca Language, and learned a new language from the New Continent.

The language of the Inca Empire had no written form. They used "quipu"—knotted cords—to keep records.

The distinction between spoken language and writing made it difficult to learn.

He lightly tapped the tabletop. The mist replayed the natives' conversation, revealing an astonishing secret.

"Tubala, why are we working with those people?"

"Gabala, the sun has already set. Only the light is eternal. Our tribe has to survive!"

The man called Tubala continued, "The Royal Navy has promised to provide our tribe with a brand-new plantation."

"As long as we work with them, our people can survive and have the chance to go to the glorious Old Continent."

Gabala said gravely, "But we can't complete the mission on this island!"

"No! We'll wait for our chance! At most seven days from now, the navy's informant will send word."

"That's when we'll make our move!"

Tubala said confidently, "This island is very important to certain nobles on the Old Continent."

"The strange plants growing along the beach will be worth a lot when sold to merchants from the Old Continent."

"When we leave, we'll take the island's treasures with us and trade them for steel tools from the Old Continent."

Gabala made a sound that meant nothing in particular, and the recording cut off at the sound of snoring.

Their conversation had revealed a great deal.

The Royal Navy usually referred to the Tudor Dynasty's navy. Were the natives conspiring with the navy to attack the pirates?

He had heard the two of them mention an informant among the pirates.

Arthur furrowed his brow slightly. They knew the value of Twin Coconut, and still planned to take it with them when they left?

Looks like I'd better strike first and get my hands on Twin Coconut.

After resting for a while to recover his mental energy, he descended upon White Sand Island again. The sun was rising on the horizon.

Daylight wasn't a good time to make a move.

Arthur hid in a corner, listening to the two natives talk as a way to pass the time while he lay low.

"Tubala, when will we be warriors like the chief?"

"That takes precious treasures. Our tribe is too poor."

"Tubala, you're the third-smartest person in our tribe. Could you become the new priest?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"The priest's son has already become a shaman. He'll be our tribe's next chief."

Gabala grumbled in discontent, "That fool's even dumber than I am. How can he be fit to lead our tribe and restore the glory of the Sun Era?"

"Gabala! Don't say that outside!"

"I know!"

The two natives hunted fish along the nearby beach, spears of stone in hand.

The sun rose and set. When night came, the two went to sleep.

Arthur got up and walked over to Twin Coconut. It was only when he examined the coconut tree up close that he noticed what made it special.

A pair of large coconuts grew on the tree, joined together at one part, like a single enormous, fat coconut.

This was bad news.

He would have to cut through the stems of the two coconuts before he could pick the fruit of Twin Coconut!