The moment Lucretia took the delicate hairpin from his hands, Duncan felt a profound relaxation deep within his heart.
It was a sensation located in an imperceptible corner of his soul, a feeling impossible to articulate with mere words. It felt as though a long-delayed mission was finally complete. Even if his physical body had forgotten what that mission was, a sigh still echoed from the sentiments ingrained deep in his spirit.
“I hope you like it,” Duncan spoke after a brief pause, his voice gentle. “I’ve forgotten many things, but I remember that this hairpin was meant for you.”
“I heard from Tyrian,” Lucretia nodded, and at some point, she felt the hesitation and anxiety that had been weighing on her for days dissolve. Even though she had communicated with her father via a crystal ball in the past, it was apparent that only a real-life meeting could alleviate those worries. “Regardless, it’s good that you’ve returned ‘to this side’.”
Duncan nodded in agreement, then shifted his gaze towards the elven scholar who had been trying to keep a low profile from a distance.
“Master Taran El,” Duncan said with a soft smile, attempting to sound approachable, “Here we are, meeting again in the real world. I’m delighted to see you safe and sound. There’s much I’d like to discuss with you.”
“No… No need for formalities,” Taran El hastily waved his hands dismissively, “Just call me by my name. I’ve admired you for a long time, the great explorer Captain Duncan. I mean, when you were… alive… when you were still human… I…”
As Taran El stumbled over his words, Duncan silently observed him while Lucretia quietly pulled out a wand that resembled a magician’s stick, pointing it directly at Taran El’s nose.
“Frog or snake?” she said in a calm voice, hinting at a menacing undertone.
Taran El raised both his hands in a surrendering gesture, looking pleadingly at Duncan, “What I meant was, a century ago, I began admiring your reputation, but unfortunately, we never had the chance to meet.”
Duncan couldn’t help but laugh at the amusing character of the elven scholar, “Is that the truth?”
“Absolutely,” Taran El said earnestly, “As a scholar deeply interested in the frontier, I’ve always wanted to connect with genuine explorers, to learn about the world beyond our civilization from them. I’ve even dreamed of embarking on a journey to explore the great veil barrier myself. Unfortunately, such a grand adventure is beyond my reach…”
“It’s alright. Now you have a chance to get to know me better,” Duncan replied with a nod. But as if he suddenly recalled something, he turned to Lucretia and said, “Oh, I have something else for you.”
Lucretia looked confused for a moment. Then, as she watched, Duncan raised his hand in a summoning gesture. The flaming portal that had appeared on the deck earlier hadn’t vanished. With Duncan’s motion, it expanded rapidly, and a cavity seemed to form within the swirling flames. After a brief eruption and fade, a large wooden crate appeared on the deck.
Perched atop the crate was a fluffy, white-feathered dove.
The dove, named Ai, tilted its head. One eye looked at Lucretia, while the other seemed to be glancing elsewhere. “Hey, please accept your delivery and give a five-star rating, okay?”
Lucretia stared at the scene, puzzled by the talking dove. Her eyes then drifted to a metal plaque on the side of the crate.
“This is the spirit lens Tyrian prepared for you—of the highest quality,” Duncan pointed to the crate, “You haven’t forgotten, have you?”
“Ah, no… I haven’t,” Lucretia’s eyes shifted slightly, hinting at her embarrassment. She quickly changed the subject, pointing at the dove who strutted confidently on the crate, “Is this ‘Ai’ my brother mentioned? And what did she mean by ‘five-star rating’?”
“Don’t mind that. Most people can’t understand the dove’s way of speaking,” Duncan waved it off. He gestured for Ai to land on his shoulder and signaled Lucretia to lead the way, “Leave the lens on the deck for now. Handle it later. Let’s find a place to discuss matters.”
“Alright.”
Led by Lucretia, Duncan, and Taran El made their way to a “reception room” located in the middle section of the deck.
It was a spacious upper cabin with large windows close to the side of the ship. Through these windows, visitors could observe the ship’s side power structure and its ethereal tail section, which seemed always cloaked in mist.
Approaching the window, Duncan curiously examined the exterior view, studying the unique characteristics of this ship, which, though different from the design of the Vanished, bore an equally eerie vibe. He was especially intrigued by its ghostly tail end. After a while, he remarked, “This ship looks nothing like the Sea Mist.”
Upon hearing Duncan’s casual “review,” Lucretia’s expression became slightly uneasy. “It’s been a long time, and both the Sea Mist and the Bright Star… have evolved considerably from your original designs. To survive in the ‘borderlands’, I’ve made many bold modifications to this ship. I hope you’re not upset about that.”
“Change is natural and can be beneficial,” Duncan replied with a smile. “The Vanished has also undergone many alterations. If you were to see it now, you’d be quite surprised by its current state.”
Step aboard the Vanished? For a moment, Lucretia appeared to be lost in thought, perhaps recalling distant memories or perhaps thinking of her brother, who had boarded the Vanished several times and intermittently contacted her, occasionally startling her.
She quickly snapped back to reality and nodded at Duncan, “I’ll… visit it.”
She then raised her head slightly and called out louder towards the door, “Luni, you can come in now.”
The door opened, and to Duncan’s curious gaze, a clockwork doll, bearing a striking resemblance to Lucretia but made entirely of metal, ceramic, and leather, entered, pushing a trolley laden with drinks and snacks.
As the gentle sound of gears turning accompanied her, the clockwork doll approached the table and gave Duncan a slight bow, “It’s a pleasure to see you, old master.”
“You must be Luni?” Duncan couldn’t help but examine the intriguing doll more closely, “I found your ‘sister’ Nilu in Pland’s doll shop. To be honest, the two of you are quite different.”
“When you first saw me, I was just a simple three-part doll,” Luni replied politely, her internal mechanisms producing soft ticking and clacking sounds. “Back then, I couldn’t think or speak. It was my mistress who gave me life.”
“Incredible technology,” Duncan remarked, looking at Lucretia. “However, I now have a ‘doll’ aboard my ship that can think and speak. Perhaps Luni and she could become friends.”
“I’m aware. My brother told me about Anomaly 099,” Lucretia nodded, “Luni is indeed curious about Miss ‘Alice’, but… is she truly safe?”
“Perfectly safe,” Duncan assured, waving his hand dismissively, “Of all things aboard the Vanished, she’s the most harmless. Even a bucket could overpower her…”
Lucretia looked puzzled.
The young witch slowly began to grasp what her father meant when he earlier mentioned, “The Vanished has also undergone many changes”…
At this moment, Duncan finally shifted his attention to Taran El.
Under the elf scholar’s nervous gaze, Duncan adjusted his posture and asked with a serious expression, “In your elvish legends or traditional beliefs, is there any mention of the term ‘Dream of the Nameless One’?”
Taran El blinked in confusion, “Dream of the Nameless One?”
Realization then dawned upon him, “Are you referring to the dream I was trapped in before? Are you suggesting… that dream has a name, called the ‘Dream of the Nameless One’?”
“If the information is correct, that’s what it’s called.”
Duncan confidently confirmed this and proceeded to share all the intelligence he had acquired, albeit through some “coercive methods,” from a group of cultists. He laid out everything, including the possible role that the Enderss might play in the shadows and even his own speculations. He even shared his prior discussions with Agatha, withholding nothing.
As Duncan narrated, Taran El gradually forgot his initial anxiety and became deeply engrossed. Even Lucretia, sitting beside him, leaned slightly forward, her face occasionally revealing a contemplative expression.
This information, although obtained from heretics, sounded dangerous and tantalizing for a scholar passionate about research. It might be closely related to blasphemous heretical teachings, but behind them seemed to hint at certain hidden knowledge and mysteries.
Once Duncan concluded his exposition, an extended silence enveloped the room. The two scholars present were deeply engrossed in their thoughts. After what felt like an eternity, Lucretia finally broke the silence, “Is this information reliable? I’m not doubting you, but these cultists are notoriously cunning. Even church inquisitors, experts in dealing with heretics, often struggle to extract information from such individuals.”
“It’s reliable,” Duncan assured with confidence in his tone, “I employed some highly effective interrogation techniques. Ah, would you like a detailed account of the process?”
Both Lucretia and Taran El were taken aback, and without hesitation, they simultaneously shook their heads.
“Alright then,” Duncan seemed slightly disappointed, “What are your thoughts now? Mr. Taran El, any speculations on this so-called ‘Dream of the Nameless One’?”
After pondering for a few moments, Taran El carefully responded, “In all of our elvish tales and traditions, there’s no mention of this term. At least, I can assert that this term doesn’t originate from the elvish language. However, if we focus on the concept of ‘dreams’… our race does indeed have numerous tales related to it.”
Duncan immediately showed interest, “Oh?”
“Have you ever heard of… the Great Demon God, Saslokha?”
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