532 “Real” Map
Among the nations of the Northern Continent, only the Lord of Storms in Loen wielded authority over the sea. Yet, sailors, sea merchants, and adventurers loyal to other deities sought to evade shipwrecks, brutal weather, and the need for specific protection. This led to various compromises and unique circumstances.
Certain Churches established subsidiary gods, Angels, and Saints endowed with storm and sea-related powers for followers with corresponding concerns. Take, for instance, the Sea God of the Church of The Fool.
In some Churches, believers were tacitly permitted to hold a partial belief in the Lord of Storms.
Other Churches turned a blind eye to the folklore beliefs flourishing in ports and islands, allowing the performance of specific rituals without requiring the presence of clergymen.
The sea prayer ritual of Port Santa in the Feynapotter Kingdom fell into the latter category. Its folklore was believed to trace back to the Fourth Epoch. This annual event, overseen by the Church of Earth Mother, was modest and confined to this port; it lacked any widespread publicity.
In essence, nearly nobody—neither the locals of Port Santa nor the merchants, adventurers, or pirates frequenting the shores of the Fog Sea—
was aware of such a sea prayer ritual.
After gathering the pertinent details, Lumian made an initial assessment that either Bard or Ultraman, the culprits behind the sea prayer ritual pranks, were likely locals of Port Santa or actively engaged in maritime affairs.
Considering that Bard’s work, “Emperor Roselle’s Secret Chronicles,” had been specifically handed over to Trier’s underground booksellers for publication, Lumian leaned towards the belief that Ultraman had been the instigator of the problems at Port Santa’s sea prayer ritual.
Despite the fact that “Emperor Roselle’s Secret Chronicles” seemed more suited for sale in Intis, Lumian reasoned that if Bard had a permanent residence in the Feynapotter Kingdom, it would be wiser to publish it under the Feynapotter Kingdom’s name before discreetly selling it to Intis. This precaution was to avoid drawing the attention of Intis’s secret police.
Many Beyonders had underestimated the vigilance of ordinary police officers and investigators, resulting in unwanted attention and arrests by official Beyonders who got wind of the news.
Upon learning that Batna and his female companion desired to witness Port Santa’s sea prayer ritual, Lumian waved with a grin.
“Me too!”
He stepped back from the window, biding his time until nearly noon to compose a letter detailing his recent encounters and the handling of Burman’s “legacy.”
After folding the letter and wrapping it within the folds of the fake treasure map, Lumian summoned Rabbit Chasel once again.
The rabbit-like spirit creature still sported its gold-rimmed glasses and a small, blurry half top hat.
Silently observing for a few moments, Lumian then handed over the items destined for Franca and Jenna.
“Thank you,” he said politely.
That’s basic courtesy!
“No need to thank me,” replied Rabbit Chasel, removing his half top hat and executing a slight bow.
Lumian’s lips twitched as he witnessed the mutated Rabbit of Knowledge disappear from the room.
He was worried that this rabbit might unpredictably draw its gun and finish off the sender at any given moment.
The next time around, he resolved to caution Jenna against imparting such dangerous knowledge to Rabbit Chasel!
…
Trier, within the Quartier de la Cathédrale Commémorative, Apartment 702 at 9 Rue Orosai.
Franca glanced at Rabbit Chasel, adorned with its half top hat and gold-
rimmed glasses. Leaning closer to Jenna, she whispered, “Isn’t it too dangerous to let it read the Adventurer series?”
Jenna smiled and replied, “Don’t you find Rabbit Chasel adorable? Furthermore, a messenger can encounter danger. Reading more about Gehrman Sparrow might make it stronger.”
Franca had only briefly raised the issue but shifted her focus to unfolding the fake treasure map and letter, reading it with earnest attention.
“Wow, Lumian’s efficiency is impressive. He aimed to punish Burman for his sins and managed to complete the hunt in less than twelve hours!
“The Beyonder characteristics didn’t form Sealed Artifacts with mixed abilities; instead, they emerged and merged separately. Could it be because Burman no longer harbored madness and paranoia before his death, and his emotions had calmed down?”
“Heh heh, there’s no need to inform 007 so quickly if we encounter similar cases in the future. Lumian might resolve it himself within a day. Everything will return to normal, and world peace will prevail. That way, 007 won’t blame me for always causing trouble for him.”
Franca had previously informed Jenna that the code name of her collaborator among the authorities was 007.
So fast? Demon Warlock isn’t weak… Jenna couldn’t believe it.
That was a criminal with a bounty of 600,000 verl d’or. All the verl d’or she had seen so far added up to less!
Lumian’s bounty amounted to less than 100,000.
Franca pursed her lips and remarked, “Think about his experiences in Trier and the items and abilities he possesses. He’s simply a supermodel, alright? If he were to be released, it would be equivalent to a dimensional reduction strike on Beyonders without any special traits. He wouldn’t be much inferior to most Sequence 5 Beyonders!”
Jenna recalled the dangerous situations she had faced alongside Lumian and nodded in agreement.
“What do you mean by dimensional reduction strike?”
Franca, slightly surprised by Jenna’s question, took a moment before explaining, “It’s akin to an adult bullying a child or a demigod bullying a Low-Sequence Beyonder.
“Furthermore, think about it. A half-mad Beyonder like the Demon Warlock is mentally, psychologically, emotionally, and physically problematic. He was completely countered by Lumian’s Symphony of Hatred. When facing him, all you need to do is be wary of the strange combination of abilities and avoid provoking him into a monster. Lumian has the experience, so he won’t be careless.”
Jenna muttered, “Now that you mention it, why do I feel that killing the Demon Warlock isn’t too difficult?”
“You can’t put it that way. It can only be said that the forced switching of pathways will indeed make one very powerful and dangerous, but it also has huge flaws and many problems. It’s easy to target,” Franca corrected her before continuing reading Lumian’s letter.
After she was done reading, Franca sighed with excitement and said, “The sea sounds so fun, and the scenery is beautiful. If it weren’t for the mission, I’d want to be an adventurer at sea and hunt pirates!”
Jenna, leaning against the sofa and reading the letter from behind, felt a longing in her heart.
Who wouldn’t love to travel? It was just that they hadn’t had the luxury before.
Franca regained her composure and clicked her tongue.
“Lumian is truly generous. He actually donated all the bounty and spoils of war to establish a charity fund. Sigh, actually, I understand his thoughts…”
Until now, she had been covertly providing for the family of her body’s original owner until now.
As Franca and Jenna conversed, they both performed Magic Mirror Divination.
Their answers were unanimous: The map was real!
“Whether it’s Burman or the immortal islander, Harrison, they both admit that a portion of this map is fake. It can’t help adventurers reach Resurrection Island, and they might even encounter great danger along the way… What’s fake about it?” Franca pondered, casting her gaze at the treasure map.
On the map, the location marked as Resurrection Island lay deep within the Fog Sea. The westernmost colonial island of the Intis Republic, Aroca, was still quite a distance away.
…
Can’t distinguish the fake parts? Lumian shook his head after receiving the reply and continued reading the information about spirit world creatures in his hand.
His primary focus was to find any introduction to the Arden evil spirit that Burman had summoned from the depths of death.
Lumian flipped through the information until evening, satiating his hunger in his room. Grabbing the golden straw hat he had recently taken a liking to, he descended to the deck and entered the bar.
By that time, the Flying Bird had already departed Port Farim. As expected, Batna and his female companion sat at the bar counter, engaged in animated conversations with the surrounding passengers about Demon Warlock Burman’s demise.
“We don’t know which adventurer did it either. If it hadn’t been officially announced, we wouldn’t have known that Burman had been killed. No one in Port Farim’s adventurer circle knew about it in advance!” Batna held the Lanti Proof and said excitedly, “To think that such a powerful adventurer remains hidden in Port Farim! Indeed, we can’t be arrogant or conceited. Perhaps the tramp sitting by the roadside is a powerful figure!”
Spotting Lumian pushing his way through, Batna whistled.
“You’re staying in first-class? Are you that rich?”
“I’m not considered rich,” Lumian replied with a smile as he settled onto a barstool. “I just feel that accidents can happen at any moment at sea, and I can be killed by pirates at any moment. So, why not try to pamper yourself? What’s the point of saving up money when you’re dead? Since you’re an adventurer, you have to lead a carefree life because who knows if there’ll be a tomorrow.”
“Since you’re an adventurer, you have to lead a carefree life because who knows if there’ll be a tomorrow…” The female adventurer beside Batna whispered Lumian’s last sentence, seemingly touched.
Batna took a sip of the Lanti Proof and chuckled.
“However, the prerequisite is that you have some savings. Otherwise, if you end up having fun today, you’ll go hungry tomorrow.
“Man, 600,000 verl d’or. I wonder which adventurer obtained Burman’s 600,000 verl d’or. And the items on him…”
Batna revealed a yearning and envious expression.
Lumian picked up the absinthe he had just requested and took a sip, savoring the faint bitterness lingering in the fragrance.
…
In the following days, the Flying Bird calmly navigated towards the Feynapotter Kingdom. Philip, the security supervisor, found it surreal.
Is the bad luck over? Did the major problem disembark? Did Demon Warlock Burman’s death stem from the major problem entering Port Farim?
Just as Port Santa was only a day away, Philip observed his subordinate deliver a telegram.
“Boss, it’s from your comrades in Port Farim.” The subordinate handed the folded telegram to Philip.
What happened in Port Farim that requires me to be informed? Did the major problem cause trouble in Port Farim and trace it to the Flying Bird? He unfolded the telegram and scanned its contents.
“The adventurer who hunted Demon Warlock Burman is suspected to be on your ship. His name is Louis Berry.”
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