Above deck, an extra layer of asbestos was placed under the grill to prevent embers from being blown out by the wind and scorching the deck.
The obese chef, wearing an apron and a tall white hat invented by Roselle, kept applying a secret seasoning mixture of basil, fennel, sea salt, pepper, and lemon juice to the tender, long strips of white fish with a fine brush, turning them frequently to ensure even heating on both sides.
The Merfolk's belly was full of fat, and as it dripped down, it made the coals stored under the iron net hiss and flames leap up.
An enticing, exotic aroma gradually filled the air, and Klein took one inhalation after another.
A round table and chairs were set up in front of him, with a uniquely shaped bottle of wine on it. The wine was golden-red in color and seemed slightly viscous when swirled.
" Sonia Blood Wine, brewed from the sap of sweetwood trees native to the area around Golden Spring, is like thin honey mixed with blood. It tastes sweet and smooth, but it's very easy to get drunk on. If you fancy a lady and want to invite her for a drink, you might consider this. It will make her drink too much without her even realizing it, haha, provided you have a high enough tolerance." Captain Elland Kag introduced half-jokingly, noticing Klein's scrutiny.
As expected of a former Sailor, he naturally possesses a knack for bawdy jokes... Klein sat down, maintaining his aloof demeanor:
"A true adventurer does not become addicted to alcohol."
Krivis, who was next to him, nodded:
"Adventurers are only allowed to drink alcohol when they return home."
"That's a real shame." Elland turned to Donna and Denton, who were curiously examining the Sonia Blood Wine, and chuckled. "This isn't something underage children should experience."
"I've tried it, it's really delicious!" Donna immediately retorted, "But... but then I unknowingly fell asleep and slept for the entire afternoon..."
"I remember you had two drinks that time!" said the young gentleman Denton enviously.
Elland did not satisfy their craving, but ordered the crew to give the siblings each a cup of sweet iced tea, casually explaining:
There are quite a few southerners on this ship.
Denton withdrew his disappointed gaze, looked at the Merfolk whose valuable materials had been taken, and said with a touch of naivety:
"Actually, it's not that scary. It's just a rather large, particularly ugly fish with four limbs!"
Donna glanced at her younger brother:
"Congratulations, you've finally grasped its essence."
She then looked longingly at Krivis and Elland:
"Uncle, uncle, are there many Monster like this in the sea?"
Merfolk do not possess extraordinary abilities beyond imagination. To ordinary people, they are roughly equivalent to sea monsters or the prototypes of legendary monsters.
Elland chuckled:
"No, similar Monster are rarely seen in the main shipping lanes and surrounding waters. They have been almost completely wiped out long ago. You are very lucky to have encountered a Merfolk and seen such a creature."
"Think about it, if I could frequently hunt Monster worth 200 pounds or even more, I certainly wouldn't be the captain of a passenger ship. I would organize my own hunting boats and chase after those gold pounds!"
That makes perfect sense! Klein secretly applauded.
Based on his observation, the extraordinary material on the Merfolk's body must be its swim bladder; its azure, water-like luster made it seem like a gemstone.
Krivis picked up the black tea the Sailor had just brought, smelled it first, and then took a sip:
"Only by deviating from the main shipping lanes and venturing deep into the ocean, which is often shrouded in fog or Storm, is there a decent chance of encountering such Monster, but that is extremely dangerous."
"Besides the scaly Merfolk who can climb, legend has it that those seas also harbor Naga, who have the upper body of a human and the lower body of a giant serpent. They have six arms and are incredibly agile."
Elland took over the topic:
"There are also giant octopuses whose spit-out fluids can Corrosion many people clean; terrifying sea monsters that can capsize a ship with a single nudge; mermaids whose songs are so enchanting that you never want to leave; blue Dragon that can create lightning; and giant birds whose flapping wings can stir up hurricanes. Hehe, I've never seen any of these; they're all legends from the sea. Nobody knows if they're true or not."
The mermaid... Klein's expression remained unchanged.
"That's very interesting," Donna exclaimed with a look of longing.
Denton looked left and right, and seeing that Klein hadn't spoken, he asked curiously:
"Uncle, you're an adventurer too. Have you ever seen Monster like this before?"
Klein paused for a moment, then slightly curled the corners of his mouth and said:
"I saw it once. There were five of us when we unexpectedly encountered a Merfolk. After a fierce battle, we finally defeated it."
This is his real experience in Tingen City, and his first direct confrontation with out-of-control official Beyonder.
At the time, he and Old Neil were asked by Swain, the owner of the " Evil Dragon Bar," to help eliminate a mutated " Sailor."
Thinking about this, Klein felt a pang of nostalgia and a touch of melancholy, and the forced coldness and sharpness on his face softened considerably.
"Five people?" Donna asked, while discreetly counting the people who had just participated in the battle.
1, 2, 3... She realized that only her three uncles had actually killed the Merfolk.
Before Klein could answer, Elland spoke up, looking slightly surprised:
"An unexpected encounter?"
"Yes," Klein answered readily.
"Were there any casualties?" Elland pressed.
Klein shook his head and said:
"Some minor injuries."
"An unexpected encounter, and you took down a Merfolk with just five people... You guys are amazing," Krivis commented.
His partner Cecil also nodded in amazement.
The battle was brief and swift; the Merfolk seemed utterly vulnerable. However, both she and Krivis knew that without the pre-prepared bait, the hallucinogenic effects and subsequent fatigue from the Merfolk, the deadly threat of the peppermint balm, and the two borrowed rifles, countless lives would have been needed to kill a single Merfolk.
"Indeed, very impressive." Elland glanced at Klein thoughtfully.
That's a team of four Sequence 9 and one Sequence 8... Klein said with a half-smile and a half-sigh:
"I was very young at the time, and I hadn't even experienced much combat; I was just a pure support."
"Uncle, you're still very young!" Donna nodded vigorously.
I like hearing that... Klein keenly noticed that Captain Elland had relaxed considerably because of his words.
At this moment, several crew members brought over a large ceramic platter, on which were fried fish pieces that had turned golden brown, sprinkled with basil leaves for garnish, and an enticing aroma wafted through the air.
Elland raised the glass filled with the Sonia Blood Wine and offered a toast:
"A beautiful night, with the Storm raging!"
"What a lovely evening!" Donna and Denton cheered, each taking a sip of their sweet iced tea.
Klein chose to clink his teacup against the other person's.
He forked a piece of meat from the Merfolk's ribs and found it firm and sturdy with little fat. However, after absorbing vegetable oil, its dryness was compensated for, and it released an unforgettable elasticity and meaty aroma as he chewed it.
It was indeed a little less plump than my cheeks were now, but it was good enough, better than all the fish I had ever eaten in Backlund and Pritz Harbor... Klein exclaimed with satisfaction.
Elland put down his knife and fork, took a sip of Sonia Blood Wine, and sighed, continuing the previous topic:
"At sea, the most dangerous thing is not Monster, but pirates."
"They sailed their ships wherever they pleased, and no one could prepare any advance warning."
"Captain, are we going to encounter pirates?" Denton asked with some concern, swallowing a piece of fried fish.
Elland laughed:
"The route to the Rorsted Archipelago is the safest in the world, with colonial islands available to stop at every two or three days, and Royal Navy and Church of Storms ships frequently patrolling along the way."
"Even if some pirates were to wander here, they wouldn't do anything too outrageous. After witnessing our cannons, they would at most demand some compensation."
Seeing that the two underage children had calmed down, Elland added:
"But if we travel south from the Rorsted Archipelago, or continue east, we will have to rely on the Lord's protection."
"Many pirates are active in these areas, hunting for secret treasures with naval and church ships. If we are lucky, we will reach the Southern Continent very smoothly and reach every place, but if we are not lucky, we will encounter quite powerful pirates, including the seven pirate generals and even the fleets of the Four Kings."
"However, you don't need to worry too much. Since Nast became the ' King of the Five Seas ' and established some rules for navigation at sea, most pirates will just plunder your money and won't do anything too outrageous."
"Among them, the one we fear most is the captain of the ' Black Tulip,' ' Admiral of Hell Ludwell,' who will order his men to kill everyone on board and throw these innocent people into Hell. Next is ' Admiral of Blood Senor,' who loves blood and allows his men to commit all sorts of evil deeds. Many young girls have been raped by them and then sold to different islands..."
Donna shuddered upon hearing this and instinctively changed the subject:
"I've heard, I've heard, that there are many treasures at sea!"
"There are legends of treasure, but most of them are false," Elland said, glancing at Krivis. "There are six stories with the most tales and the most famous ones. The first one is ' The Death's Key.' Legend has it that at the end of the Fourth Age, the Death of Death, who unleashed the Pale Calamity, was killed by the Seven Gods, but did not perish on the spot. He attempted to return to the Southern Continent, stirring up violent storms and creating insurmountable obstacles that completely severed the sea route Northern Continent. This is the origin legend of the Raging Sea. However, he ultimately did not return to the Southern Continent and disappeared into that ocean."
At this point, Elland sighed with longing:
"It is said that in a Concealment place in the Raging Sea, a treasure left behind by the Death awaits the person who possesses a specific key to find and open it, but no one knows what that key looks like or where it will appear."
"Second on the list is the Fountain of Youth, located deep within the Sonia Sea. Legend Agarito, the King of Immortality and one of the Four Kings, drank Fountain of Youth its waters."