This chapter is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Filled with childlike wonder, Shirley leaned over the railing, gazing into the dark, seemingly Boundless Sea with eyes wide in awe as they shifted into the spirit realm.
The surrounding sea had turned pitch black, and the sky churned with a turbulent mix of black, white, and gray, creating a chaotic, oppressive atmosphere. Usual maritime landmarks were absent, replaced by strange, blurry shadows on the horizon that seemed to watch over the world.
Nearby, Dog lay on the deck, stretching his neck to pull on Shirleyâs arm with a chain, his paws clinging to the wooden planks. He barked a loud warning, âHey, donât sway like that! Be careful not to fall off!â
âWhy are you suddenly so cautious, Dog?â Shirley teased, nonchalantly sitting on the railing as she fixed her windswept hair. âHavenât we always played on the deck before?â
âThis is the deeper level of the spirit realm!â Dog replied urgently, his voice tinged with fear. âIf you fall here, itâs not like before; you might never come back!â
Ignoring his warnings, Shirley continued to sit on the railing, her laughter echoing over the sea. It wasnât until Duncan came over and playfully tousled her hair even more that she shifted her focus. âYou werenât this excited when we first set sail. Whatâs got you so thrilled about leaving the city-state now?â
Shirley expressed her dissatisfaction, âIâm tired of Wind Harbor. The city has nothing tasty to eat, just bookstores and mechanical workshops, no fun spots, and certainly no good foodâŚâ
Amused and slightly exasperated, Duncan looked at Shirley, who seemed genuinely upset by her culinary experiences in Wind Harbor. He reminded her, âThe places weâre going to probably wonât have better foodâactually, weâll be at sea for quite a while.â
âThatâs okay, the food here isnât too bad, and at least I wonât be dragged around bookstores by Nina every day,â Shirley responded with a light laugh, viewing their departure as a welcome change.
âOn the ship, you miss the city; in the city, you long for the seaâŚâ Dog muttered from his spot on the deck, reflecting on Shirleyâs ever-changing moods. âAll you ever think about is having fun. These past days, Nina has practically visited every bookstore in the cityâŚâ
Shirley quickly dismissed him with a wave of her hand, saying in a slightly annoyed tone, âOh, Dog, please stop nagging me like an old lady; itâs really starting to give me a headacheâŚâ
Duncan chose to remain silent, simply smiling as he watched Shirley and Dogâs routine bickering. Then, as if alerted by an unseen force, his gaze sharply turned, focusing on a specific point over the distant ocean.
Simultaneously, a shadowy figure appeared beside him. Agathaâs voice softly emerged from the shadows, informing him, âThe Bright Star has completed its journey and is now seeking a portal to manifest at our location.â
Understanding the urgency, Duncan responded with a firm nod, âUnderstood, go ahead and guide Lucy on her path.â
As Agathaâs silhouette dissolved into the ether, Duncan watched as a surge of shadows rippled across the dark waters near the Vanished. These shadows intertwined and swirled, and from their chaotic dance, a vast, enigmatic, and awe-inspiring ship began to emerge from the mist. The Bright Star, initially a faint and elusive specter with only its rear visible, gradually solidified as it neared the Vanished, its once indistinct form rapidly gaining clarity and substance until it became fully tangible.
The Bright Star had made its majestic entrance into the spirit realm, aligning its course with that of the Vanished.
Perched on the railing, Shirley stretched her neck to take in the supernatural sight, exclaiming with animated wonder, âWowâjust look at that!â
Her attention was then drawn to a tiny, snow-white paper boat that gracefully rose from the deck of the Bright Star. Carried by a gentle breeze, it sailed across the murky waters between the two ships, eventually landing smoothly on the deck of the Vanished.
From this small vessel, Lucretia, dressed in black with raven hair, disembarked alongside her clockwork companion, Luni.
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
Alice, who had been drying fish on the deck, looked up at the arrival and joyfully called out, âLuni! Youâve arrived!â
Hearing her name, the clockwork doll turned, her mechanical face lighting up with delight as she opened her arms wide, exclaiming, âAlice!â
The two dolls enthusiastically clasped hands and twirled around the deck, their reunion brimming with joy that seemed to transcend their brief separation.
As Alice proudly displayed the dayâs catch of sun-dried fish, she noticed Luni was particularly eager to share something as well.
âAlice! Look at this, my mistress has upgraded me with a newâŚâ Luniâs voice bubbled with excitement as she reached up to her head and, with a gentle tug and a distinct âpopâ sound, detached her head right in front of everyone on deck.
Alice, usually calm and composed, was momentarily taken aback by this surprising actâbut quickly composed herself, realizing this was Luniâs new special feature. Her expression turned to one of delighted surprise: âAh, you can do that too!â
With a nonchalant gesture, she detached her own head from her neck, joining Luni in a quirky yet endearing moment, both holding their heads aloft as they giggled together, âWe⌠are⌠now⌠the same!â
Following this, the two dolls began to engage in playful antics on the deck, much to the amazement and shock of the other onlookers.
While initially intending to discuss the Bright Starâs adaptation to the spirit realm with Lucretia, Duncan found himself captivated by the odd display from Alice and Luni. He was momentarily convinced that even the most peculiar corners of subspace would scarcely offer such a spectacle. After a few seconds of stunned silence, he regained his composure and approached Lucretia, who was walking towards him, âWhatâs going on here?â
Lucretia, also slightly shocked by the scene, glanced at the dolls as she explained, ââŚI just made some modifications to Luni⌠After her head accidentally detached last time and caused some issues, sheâs been incessantly asking me about Aliceâs detachable head. Eventually, I got fed up and decided to modify her jointsâŚâ
Pausing, Lucretia observed the dolls flaunting their detachable heads with a mix of bewilderment and resignation, ââŚBut I didnât expect this!â
ââŚWell, as long as theyâre enjoying themselves, dolls⌠have their own peculiar ways of entertainment and interaction,â Duncan remarked, trying to regain his focus despite the distracting antics of Alice and Luni. He redirected the conversation to the matter at hand, ââŚDid the transition go smoothly?â
Lucretia, momentarily distracted by the dollsâ frolic, refocused on Duncanâs repeated question. She tapped her forehead thoughtfully and began, âIt was somewhat chaotic, but manageableâŚâ
As she directed her attention towards the Bright Star, steadily navigating beside the Vanished, her thoughts became clearer.
âThis is the first time the Bright Star has ventured so âdeeplyâ into such navigation⌠Typically, only its stern partially enters the spirit realm. To be completely âsubmergedâ like this⌠itâs an entirely new âexperienceâ for both the ship and myself.â
Duncan smiled, his voice tinged with excitement, âThe journey will be swift. The Vanished is well-versed in deep diving the spirit realm. Moreover, the White Oak and Black Oak have previously escorted the Vanished at these depths. In this realm, it will take us less than two days to meet up with the âreturning shipâ, and weâll be well hidden from any prying eyes.â đđđđŽđđđˇđŻâ´đŁđŽđ.đ¸â´đŽ
Lucretia, momentarily silent, looked up at Duncan. She visualized her father, surrounded by ethereal green flames, his expression filled with confidence and pride, just as she remembered him.
After a brief pause to shake off her nostalgia, she asked, âWhatâs the latest on the churchâs movements?â
Duncan provided an update with casual confidence, âWeâll be joined by two modest-sized fleets from the Storm Church and the Death Church. The Storm Church has sent their flagship âTideâ along with its accompanying vessels, while from the Death Church, weâre expecting the âResolvedâ and âUnresolved,â two well-known sister warships, and their support ships. These are said to be quite formidable,â he explained nonchalantly. âHowever, what I truly value is the expertise the crews bring. In the unpredictable and peculiar waters of the border seas, the insights of a learned scholar can often be more valuable than sheer firepower.â
With a note of caution in her voice, Lucretia interjected, âBut sometimes the knowledge of a scholar can bring greater dangers⌠Near the border, those restless âshadowsâ tend to surface more frequently than elsewhere.â
Duncan, with a raised eyebrow showing mild intrigue, responded, âIsnât that preferable?â
Lucretia seemed taken aback for a moment, her response trailing off into silence.
Changing the subject, Duncan asked with a gesture of his hand, âLetâs set that aside for now. How is the âsaintâ? Did you bring it along this time?â
Lucretia confirmed with a quick nod and a subtle, satisfied smile, âItâs here, securely locked in the deepest holding cell of the Bright Star. You can rest easy; its condition is stable. Iâve rejuvenated its vitality as much as possible while ensuring this âSaintâ has no way to escape. Should the need arise, I can bring it out at any moment.â
âNot just yet,â Duncan replied, shaking his head slightly as he looked toward the tumultuous, dark horizon of the seas, âWeâll summon the âSaintâ when we reach the âholy landâ of those Annihilators. That will be its time to serve our purpose.â