The ironclad merchant ship

It also possesses the power of words... When the Mad Sickness is not acting up, it is in a dazed state, acting on instinct, with Paleness face and lifeless eyes... This is very similar to the Primordial One infected people described by Pierre... Lumian read the letter sent by Franca and gained a deeper understanding of the details of this Calamity.

His previous speculations, based on the contradictions in Pierre's answers, demeanor, and actions, turned out to be remarkably close to the truth.

The only difference is that he guessed the Primordial One infected were truly Madman, acting on instinct, while the official intelligence indicated that it was a Humanoid Sealed Artifact, but it did rely on instinct, and had no spiritual intelligence, whether in a normal state or when its Mad Sickness flared up.

Of course, Lumian's guess and reality are not necessarily contradictory. Perhaps it was because the young woman was Corruption or Loss of Control, becoming a true Madman who instinctively spread Mad Sickness, that she needed to be sealed away.

As for why it was sealed instead of directly removed, Lumian could probably guess the reason:

The ability to kill anyone at will, despite its limitations, is still highly coveted. Whether it's the Tribunal, the "Machine and Book Heart," or the Eighth Bureau, if there's a way to seal such a dangerous creature, they would definitely prioritize sealing it. In the future, they might even be able to rely on her to solve other Calamity.

Lumian lowered his gaze and began reading the rest of the letter:

"Other intelligence, that That One couldn't provide due to confidentiality principles."

"Keep an eye out for young women with that kind of image. If you spot one, immediately distance yourself and report it to the authorities."

There was no detailed information about its origin, sealing method, actual manifestation of its power, or how to treat and cure Mad Sickness... Nor was there any mention of the specific sealing level or number... Judging from the anomalies in Daddel and the descriptions in the preceding parts, even if it wasn't a "Level 1" seal, it should still be one of the very special and terrifying "Level 2" seals... Lumian pondered for a while, then stuffed the letter into the "Traveler’s Bag" without burning it on the spot.

At that moment, Lugano was looking behind him with suspicion and uncertainty.

Even with his "Spirit Vision" activated, he still discovered nothing.

Lumian's Messenger, "The Penitent" Bainfel, had already left.

"Let's go." Lumian sighed, reaching out to grasp Ludwig and Lugano's shoulders respectively.

His biggest regret now is that at least a third of the 400 Felkine fare will be wasted.

Later, I'll have to find a few Café for Ludwig to have breakfast at—he can't just eat his fill at one, or it'll seem suspicious.

The next second, Lugano felt himself step into the Spirit World he had just seen, changing from an observer to someone deeply immersed in the layers of rich colors, truly bathed in the illumination of the seven different colored, clear lights from the absolute heights, and "flying" towards an unknown destination under the gaze of indescribable faces and figures.

He felt dizzy, but in just a few seconds, he was on solid ground, surrounded by buildings in off-white, brownish-red, and light yellow tones.

Lumian didn't "Teleportation" too far, choosing the Daddel, which belonged to the Fos City, which was also part of the _book_.

Bathed in the Dawn light, Lumian put on the "Lie" ear clips, took a woolen coat from the "Traveler’s Bag," and in a deserted, quiet alley, changed her appearance and height, and altered her clothes.

In less than a minute, he transformed into a completely different person.

Although it wasn't the first time he'd witnessed it, Lugano was still slightly shaken by the scene:

What an amazing item! What incredible power it possesses!

Whether it was the Silver-White ear clip that allowed a person to freely adjust their height and face within a certain range, or the Coin Pouch that could pull out all sorts of items as if it had no limit to its capacity, these were things he had never seen before. He had only occasionally heard other Bounty Hunter mention that some Official Beyonder possessed superhuman disguise skills.

Lumian tossed the "Lie" earring to Lugano and said to him without any hesitation, "Go get three more fake identities and buy tickets for the Steam train to Gati Port today."

Am I your translator, your guide, or your attendant and follower? Lugano thought to himself as he caught the magical Silver-White ear clip.

He forced a smile and said, "I've never been to the Fous Region before, so I don't know who to ask for a fake identity."

"The principles are universal, and I trust your experience," Lumian replied with a smile.

"Fine, since you paid..." Lugano muttered silently, taking out a change of clothes from his carry-on suitcase.

When he obtained the false identity at the Trier North Train Station, Lumian had already given him 1,000 Felkine for the fee and told him that he would cover any similar expenses thereafter.

After the little boy Ludwig put on the "Lie" ear clips, Lugano carried his suitcase and walked out of the alley.

Lumian immediately activated "Face of Niser," Change his appearance once again. He then led Ludwig, who was still adjusting his height and appearance, and followed Lugano from a distance.

He wanted to see what this "Doctor" would do and how he would behave in an unfamiliar place, in order to determine what problems he was hiding.

To avoid provoking Ludwig, Lumian adjusted his wide-brimmed hat and tossed the man a few long Bread.

Ludwig didn't complain about wanting something hot or good; he obediently started eating, letting Lumian lead him to follow Lugano.

It was early morning, Bar were all closed. Lugano headed straight to the nearest market, found a "patrolman" who appeared to be Gang member, and used money to pave the way, learning who to contact for a fake identity.

Throughout the entire process, he behaved no differently than an ordinary Bounty Hunter.

Lumian was neither disappointed nor pleased. He calmly followed Lugano until he had bought another ticket for the Steam train, then removed the "Face of Niser" and reunited with his companion.

Luxury Hotel room near the sea in Gati Port, Upper Coastal Province.

Lumian stood in front of the large Glass Window and saw the azure sky as if it had been washed clean, contrasting beautifully with the clear, pure ocean below, which resembled a jewel.

The clear, high-pitched calls of Seabirds echoed as gleaming silhouettes moved among the white clouds, white sand, and ship masts, allowing Lumian to feel the cool sea breeze even without opening the window.

This is one of the main ports for products from the industrial cities on the West Coast of the Sea of Mist to enter the Sea of Fog. It is famous for its trade and shipbuilding and is quite prosperous.

Contrary to the perception of Trier residents that the north has little Sunlight, Gati Port enjoys abundant Sunlight year-round, and autumn is not particularly cold.

As Ludwig chewed, Lumian admired the sea view and the distant port outside the window while waiting for Lugano to buy tickets for the ferry to Santa Port in the Kingdom of Feynapotter.

Just then, Bainfel, the "Penitent" who was unusually tall and dressed in Black Clerical Robe, emerged from the void again and silently handed a letter to Lumian.

"Thank you," Lumian said habitually.

Then he took the letter and unfolded it:

"The Mad Sickness in Daddel has been brought under control. The severely infected townspeople have been cleansed, and those with mild infections have been treated, but the Sealed Artifact has not been found."

"According to intelligence gathered at the scene, she had returned to normal several days ago, left Daddel, and her whereabouts are unknown. The subsequent spread of her Mad Sickness was based on the spontaneous spread of that severely Corruption ocean of the mind."

"The townspeople's unusual behavior of not wanting to leave Dardell, yet not forgetting to tell passing travelers about their Mad Sickness, must also stem from that Corruption ocean of the mind. Well, according to the new term Anthony learned, it's the Collective Subconscious Sea, which, together with the Personal Consciousness Island and the Spiritual Sky, forms the Mind World."

"Be careful what you do next. I'm afraid you might get drawn Past into the Mysticism Calamity caused by that Sealed Artifact."

"Didn't manage to catch that Sealed Artifact..." Lumian clicked his tongue in slight frustration.

To be honest, there was nothing he could do about it. By the time he arrived in Daddel, the other party had already left, but the Calamity was still continuing and worsening.

At 3 p. m., Lumian, along with Lugano and Ludwig, boarded the merchant ship "Flying Bird" bound for the Santa Port in the Kingdom of Feynapotter.

They chose First Class, which was Suite with a master bedroom, a children's room, a servants' room, a living room, a Washroom, dedicated Waiter, access to the most upscale Restaurant and the only Cigar room, worth 700 Felkine, close to Charlie's annual income as a Hotel Waiter.

Lumian both cares about money and doesn't care about it that much. He cares about it because his Past experiences and his Older Sister's teachings make him instinctively calculate and feel sorry for money. He doesn't care about it because his money comes relatively "easily." For example, he sneaked back to the Breeze Ballroom at night and took 30,000 Felkine from the safe in one go. He has only spent a small part of it now.

Moreover, he already has the Potion Formula, Main Ingredient, and some Auxiliary Ingredient for the next Sequence, so he has little motivation to accumulate money for the time being.

Besides, as a loyal reader of the "Great Adventurer" series, he knew very well that there were many moving human treasures at sea, and if he really needed money, he would be happy to Imitation his idol and Harvest.

The "Flying Bird" is the latest type of Steam- powered ship, made entirely of steel, with no sails, only smokestacks belching out plumes of steam and masts providing watchtowers.

Its overall color is Iron Gray, with some areas painted in alternating red and gold. It has a wide deck and numerous gun emplacements. In terms of displacement, passenger capacity, speed, and sturdiness, it far surpasses the classic sailing warships. Compared to those outdated vessels, it is like an adult looking down on a child.

Before the incident in Cordou Village, Lumian had also thought about traveling at sea, like the Great Adventurer Gehrman Sparrow, and used this to Temptation his Older Sister, but Aurora postponed this trip until after he graduated from university.

In the spacious and bright lounge of First Class, Lumian gazed at the azure ocean outside the window, his thoughts wandering elsewhere.

Ugh!

Amidst the Whistle, plumes of steam billowed from the "Flying Bird" ship's chimneys.

The massive ironclad merchant ship slowly departed from Gati Port amidst the hum of its machinery, heading towards the Depths of the Sea.

The cries of Seabirds echoed through the clouds.