Showing Weakness to the Enemy

Good. Things were developing in the direction I wanted.

I should respond passively and reveal my identity passively, without giving anyone the sense that I was actively involved, minimizing the chance of provoking the hostility of that unknown Beyonder.

Sifa gathered his wandering thoughts and rose to his full height. With a natural expression, he replied, "That's right. My father is Baron Baisen Disraeli. As I told Joyce before, once we reach the harbor, I'll contact my father and have him hire a Lawyer to defend us."

Sifa tried his best to look righteously indignant. "Gentlemen, everyone here, myself included, has taken part in more than one dangerous battle."

"Certainly, our hands were stained with blood during those battles. But their nature was just; they were acts of defending our own lives. I cannot tolerate such things being equated with crimes."

"I'll have the Lawyer fight for the fair treatment we deserve and protect our reputations. We are not murderers!"

Joyce gripped his pocket watch tightly, clutching that important item as he echoed, "Mr. Sifa is right. We aren't murderers. We don't need to flee or hide!"

"We deserve fair treatment!"

In the dining hall, the others were stirred by Sifa and Joyce's words and began responding one after another.

Seeing this, the captain pressed his hands down slightly, signaling everyone to quiet down before saying, "In that case, we'll head for Enmat Harbor."

The moment the captain made his decision, cheers erupted throughout the dining hall.

After the cheers subsided, Sifa cleared his throat, adjusted his top hat, and spoke to the blond, hawk-nosed young man in an embarrassed yet slightly apologetic tone.

"Joyce, would you be willing to move into first class? My bodyguards and servants are all dead."

"The room suddenly feels rather empty. Living there alone always leaves me uneasy."

He then looked at the captain. "Also, I'm quite concerned about what happened in second class last night. I keep feeling that those Lunatics weren't all dead. Perhaps one or two are still hiding somewhere on the ship."

The experienced captain easily understood Sifa's meaning from his expression and words.

I'm scared. I need protection!

Considering that he was a young nobleman, such a reaction was perfectly normal.

The captain was just about to ask whether anyone else was willing to move into first class to protect this important person whose fate concerned everyone aboard.

The burly man from earlier stood up. "Young Master Sifa, if you don't mind, I'm willing to move over with you."

"My name is Brando. I'm a former Royal Army sergeant. I took part in the colonial wars on the Southern Continent, and my skills haven't dulled."

"For the sake of going home to see my two lovely children, I swear I'll do everything I can to protect you."

Clearly, the captain was not the only one who had understood Sifa's unspoken meaning.

Half genuinely pleased and half pretending, Sifa said, "That would be wonderful, Mr. Brando. During our time aboard, I'll pay you the appropriate wages for a temporary bodyguard."

"Of course, that will have to wait until we disembark. After all, my wallet is already in the hands of the King of the Five Seas."

Brando was somewhat surprised, but he still waved his hands. "No, no, no. Hiring a Lawyer to defend us has already helped all of us tremendously. How could I possibly take payment from you?"

But Sifa insisted, "Please accept it, Mr. Brando. They're two separate matters."

"Well, all right. Thank you for your generosity."

Brando did not refuse again. Because of the King of the Five Seas's visit, he had lost all his belongings. He also had two children to support, and the wages of a temporary bodyguard would at least be enough to sustain him after he returned home until he found another job.

Seeing Brando agree, Sifa also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that he had completed the second step of his plan: showing weakness to the Beyonder hidden among the crowd.

This was extremely important.

Looking at the entire incident, that unidentified Beyonder had not killed everyone aboard the ship. Sifa believed that if the person had wanted to, he should have been capable of doing so.

Therefore, allowing a small number of people to survive might have been necessary for some reason.

Under such circumstances, as long as Sifa did not appear threatening, he would most likely be overlooked.

So how could he make himself seem harmless?

Naturally, by showing weakness.

Based on that judgment, he had put on the performance just now.

With their route decided and Sifa providing legal assistance, everyone seemed to see a bright future. The atmosphere in the dining hall shed its previous heaviness and became cheerful and lively.

After finishing breakfast, Sifa returned to the cabins with Joyce and Brando.

The two men went back to their own rooms first to pack their belongings before moving into first class later.

Sifa returned to his room alone. Not long after he shut the door and removed his top hat, someone knocked.

"So soon?"

Without putting his hat back on or picking up his cane, Sifa opened the door. However, it was not Joyce or Brando outside, but a round-faced young man.

Tris.

"Mr. Sifa, I came to thank you." Tris smiled warmly.

Sifa quickly stepped back twice. "Please come in, Mr. Tris."

Tris entered the room and looked around, sighing sincerely. "As expected of a first-class room. It's spacious, luxurious, and impressive."

Sifa said half-jokingly, "If you like it, you can move in as well. There are still empty rooms anyway."

"Is that so?"

Tris's smile was gentle, and his eyes held a thoughtful look, as though he were seriously considering Sifa's suggestion.

Seeing that expression, Sifa immediately regretted it.

Originally, Sifa had only intended to invite Joyce. Brando joining them had already deviated somewhat from his expectations.

After all, he was someone with a "secret."

With too many people around, Sifa would have trouble summoning that mysterious tome and would be unable to study it. If Tris joined them as well, Sifa could foresee that he would not be able to accomplish anything for the rest of the voyage.

"Thank you for the invitation, but I prefer living by myself."

Fortunately, Tris declined politely, making Sifa secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

On the surface, however, he put on a regretful expression. "All right, what a pity. I thought I'd have a chance to spend time with you."

"Over the past few days, your courage has earned my admiration. I truly hope I can become friends with someone like you."

Tris chuckled. "I'd also be delighted to make the acquaintance of a noble."

"Speaking of which, I sincerely thank you."

"Thank you, Mr. Sifa. Thank you for the legal assistance you've provided. If not for you, we might really have had to consider going to the City of Generosity."

Sifa smiled and shook his head. "Compared with what you did for us, I've only done something insignificant."

"You're too modest."

Tris paused, and the smile gradually disappeared from his round face. "Mr. Sifa, I wonder if you feel the same way."

"I keep feeling that this Catastrophe is anything but ordinary. Behind this incident, I can vaguely smell the scent of a conspiracy."

Yes, yes, yes. That's exactly what I think too.

Sifa nearly blurted it out, exposing his true thoughts.

Fortunately, he restrained that impulse in time and instead asked, "Why do you say that?"

"Don't you find it strange?"

Tris asked in return, "After being looted by pirates, we should have worked together and united to overcome the crisis."

"But then, all of a sudden, the crew and Sailors started fighting among themselves over a trivial matter, and the situation rapidly deteriorated. In a very short time, it became a bloody incident, causing everything that followed to spiral out of control."

Thoughts flashed through Sifa's mind one after another.

Why did he want to discuss this with me?

Could Tris be a Beyonder? Could he be the mastermind? Was he testing me?

Sifa was startled by that thought, but he soon felt that it was impossible.

Up to this point, Beyonder factors were merely his own speculation. He still could not be certain.

And if a Beyonder really was involved, that person had remained hidden and had never appeared.

Why would he suddenly reveal himself just to test Sifa?

Perhaps Tris was his accomplice.

Perhaps Tris had been guided by him.

But regardless, I needed to stay on guard. Perhaps Tris's appearance was meant to test my thoughts.

"Now that you mention it, I also feel that this entire matter is unusual."

"But..."

Sifa shrugged and spread his hands. "Let the police worry about such things. Right now, I only want to get ashore safely. I'm not considering anything else."

Directly denying it would have seemed far too deliberate.

Agreeing with Tris's view but not wishing to investigate further, choosing to protect himself, was what a normal person would do.

Knock, knock, knock!

Someone knocked on the door. Joyce and Brando should have arrived. Sifa inwardly thought, Perfect timing, then stood with a smile. "Please wait a moment. I'll get the door."

But Tris rose as well. "No, I still have things to do. I'll be leaving."

"Then I'll see you out."

Sifa escorted him to the door and opened it. Sure enough, Joyce and Brando were outside.

They were somewhat surprised to see Tris. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Tris turned and left.

Only after the young man disappeared around the corner did Sifa withdraw his gaze. He raised a hand in an inviting gesture. "Come, gentlemen. Let me show you all the rooms here. You can choose whichever ones you like."

July 1st.

Sunday.

Enmat Harbor was as bustling as ever. As one of the Loen Kingdom's coastal ports, ships departed from or returned here every day.

On a passenger liner that had returned only yesterday, several Sailors were scrubbing the deck.

As one Sailor straightened up to rest, he suddenly narrowed his eyes.

He saw a passenger liner with its sails raised and steam billowing from it preparing to enter the harbor.

He also saw an emblem on that ship. It consisted of multiple purple flowers clustered together in a spiral pattern.

That was the emblem of the Clover.