Tiana

Kronos knew it was Gner the moment he heard that obnoxious tone.

He turned and saw Gner's face.

"Nothing much. I'm just stuck on a few things with my spells." Kronos rubbed his brow, feeling a headache coming on.

Gner came over and slung an arm around Kronos's shoulders. "Come on, work on your spells while we're aboard the ship. Now that you've decided to go out, whether it's to clear your head or act as a Warlock, focus on that. Stop thinking about everything else."

Seeing how relaxed Gner looked, Kronos felt himself unwind a little. Then he asked, "Enough about me. How's your potion digestion coming along?"

Kronos had never actually told Gner about the acting method. Although the Church had no authority over the nobility, there was still an unwritten rule among them: the acting method could not be taught to anyone outside the family.

But since Klein could find a way to hint at it to Captain Dunn, Kronos could naturally do the same for Gner.

In fact, Gner had already noticed something was up back in Backlund. After all, what noble scion spent every day figuring out how to pick fights?

If he was simply obsessed with fighting, why did he seek out opponents from different pathways, or even take on gangs single-handedly? And why had he suddenly stopped fighting after advancing?

It was only when Kronos discussed acting as a Warlock with Gner aboard the ship that Gner fully understood: this was a way to gain control over a potion faster.

But Gner did not ask. He knew that if Kronos had not said it outright, it meant he could not conveniently do so. And since Kronos had not hidden it completely, he wanted Gner to know.

"It's working great. The digestion hasn't stopped at all. I feel like another week should be enough," Gner said lazily.

Listen to him! Is that something a human being should say? The digestion hasn't stopped? Kronos was so envious that his teeth ached.

Gner suddenly noticed the vicious glint in Kronos's eyes. Realizing he had made himself a target, he hurried to salvage the situation.

"Sure, I'm digesting it fast now, but the next sequence won't be like this. You know I don't like using weapons. I can handle a war blade a little, but I'm hopeless with everything else." Gner's survival instincts were working overtime.

Since Gner was telling the truth, the "vicious glint" in Kronos's eyes slowly faded, and he turned to serious business.

He took a sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it to Gner. "This is the potion formula for Sequence 7 Weapon Master. Keep an eye out for the ingredients whenever you can. If you wait until you've finished digesting your potion to start looking, you'll be leaving it a little late."

Marquis Argyle had actually opposed letting Gner advance so quickly. After all, a little generosity earned gratitude, but too much could breed resentment.

Moreover, if Gner's progress slowed after reaching Sequence 7, it could upset his mental balance. Many people grew impatient for precisely that reason, and some even lost control.

Kronos, however, believed that power should be brought under control as soon as possible. Waiting until it was needed, only to find there was no time left to master it, was what led to real disasters.

Gner said nothing. He simply took the paper, glanced at it, and slipped it into his pocket.

Then Kronos said, "Tiana Island isn't like Damir Island. It's more than four times the size. We can't wander around blindly based on whatever we hear, like last time."

The moment Gner heard that, he knew Kronos already had a plan, so he said directly, "Whatever your plan is, just tell me."

Kronos got straight to the point. "You like bars anyway, so go to one. Ask around about unusual places. You know what we're looking for."

"I'll find somewhere to get a detailed map of the island first. I looked at the map aboard the ship, and it was so crude you could get lost following it. Then I'll ask around properly about the island's terrain."

"We'll meet at the harbor entrance this afternoon and plan our route then."

Naturally, Gner had no reason to object. Drinking and chatting were right up his alley.

They set off at once, each heading toward his own destination.

Kronos entered a bookstore. It was surprising to find one on an island like this. Never mind here-even small cities on the mainland rarely had bookstores.

But the moment Kronos stepped inside, he instinctively activated his Eyes of Mystery Prying. This was no ordinary bookstore. He had sensed the presence of supernatural power.

The bookstore was small. Apart from rows of bookshelves, there was only a young man slumped over the counter.

Walking up to the counter, Kronos found the young man sound asleep. There was a Beyonder characteristic inside him, too, but it was probably inherited. Its strength was clearly below Sequence 9.

Just as Kronos was studying the young man intently, the bookstore door opened again, and a middle-aged man walked in.

Kronos looked back. Mystery solved. This middle-aged man was a Beyonder, so the young man behind the counter was probably his son.

"Hello, I'm the owner of this shop. What can I help you with?" The middle-aged man extended a hand when he saw Kronos.

Kronos reached out and shook it. "I just arrived on Tiana Island by ship. I'd like to buy a map so I can explore."

"Of course. Elvis, get our guest a map of the island." The middle-aged man called to his son.

The young man had already woken up. He rubbed his eyes, then fetched a map and handed it to Kronos.

"Could I also ask you about interesting places on the island? A map alone doesn't really give me a clear idea of what they're like."

By now, Kronos had more or less confirmed the owner's affiliation, having spotted the Church of Knowledge's symbol on the wall beside the counter.

He was probably a believer in the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, and might even be an informant for the Church of Knowledge. But that did not matter to Kronos.

On the contrary, he was the perfect person to make use of. Was anyone better suited to providing information than someone from the Reader Pathway?

Besides, Beyonders of this pathway loved showing off their knowledge. They might volunteer information even about things you had never heard of.

Sure enough, the middle-aged man grew excited at the question. "You've certainly come to the right person. I wouldn't dare say I know everything about this island, but it's close."

That settled it for Kronos. This man could be no higher than Sequence 7. With that personality, it would be a miracle if he could master the Keeper of Knowledge potion-Sequence 7, also known as Detective.

But that did not matter. He was willing to talk, and Kronos was willing to listen. That was enough.

"I've lived on Tiana Island for a full eighteen years. I've been practically everywhere on it. As you probably know, islands generally have mountains, and since Tiana Island is a long strip running north to south, there's a mountain range here."

"The range isn't very long, but it does have some resources. There's an iron mine on its eastern side. Apart from the harbor, that mine accounts for all of Tiana Island's income."

At that point, Kronos interjected, "Then what do the island's farmlands mainly grow?"

His weeding experience on Damir Island had left Kronos wary enough to ask in advance.

The owner chuckled. "How could this island possibly support agriculture? It's mostly mountainous, and there's the iron mine, too. Large-scale farming simply wouldn't sustain anyone. The young, able-bodied islanders work at the mine, while the older ones and the children head into the mountains to gather wild delicacies. That's basically how everyone gets by."

"So the island's villages are all built along the mountains?" Kronos made a reasonable deduction.

"That's right. Apart from the harbor town and the town beside the mine, everyone lives along the mountains. If you want to travel around, just make a circuit of the range. You'll always find somewhere to stay."

"What about deeper in the mountains? Are there any villages there?" Kronos could only stay on the island for five days at most, which was not enough time to circle the mountain range.

More importantly, Kronos believed that the harsher people's living conditions were, the easier they were to "fool."

"It's a good thing you asked me. Someone else might not know." The owner started showing off again.

"When I first came to the island, I often went hiking alone. I came across several villages in the mountains that way. I've kept in touch with them ever since so I can buy better-quality wild delicacies to sell." By this point, the owner could no longer conceal his pride.

"First, let me make one thing clear: I'm not a merchant," Kronos said, spouting nonsense with a perfectly straight face.

"I'm just an ordinary adventurer. A route around the mountains would be too uneventful for me, so I'd like to head deeper in and have a look. Could you mark the locations of the villages you know? I'd like to visit them."

The owner hesitated. Those high-quality wild delicacies brought him a considerable income, after all. It would be trouble if someone else learned about them.

Noticing his hesitation, Kronos traced a Triangular Sacred Emblem over his chest and continued, "I'm a believer in the God of Steam. I can swear on my faith that I'm not going into the mountains to buy wild delicacies for profit."

He only dared say this because he was protected by time concealment and was not in the Church of Steam and Machinery's territory. Otherwise, he would never have spoken so carelessly about matters of faith.

Even so, he only dared invoke the God of Steam. There was at least some connection between them. If he mentioned another true god and drew their attention, it would be no laughing matter.

He was not reckless like Klein, who made charms using the Eternal Blazing Sun's blood, walked around Backlund posing as a believer in the God of Steam, and even called out the Lord of Storms' true name for no particular reason. Did he really think true gods had no temper?

If the Evernight Goddess had not been the first to discover him, and if she had not possessed authority over concealment, he would long since have been exposed to the gods' gaze, with none of his secrets hidden.