Chapter 112. Assistance from the Western Seas
"Mr. Charles, will the Coral Archipelago sink as well?" Lily asked as a tinge of worry flashed across her eyes.
Charles remained silent and patted Lily on her furry head in response. Pushing open the ornate doors of the Bat Tavern, he headed straight for his room.
Evidently, he had no answers for her. Logic had no place in the Subterranean Seascape. Even mere survival was considered a luxury. The only way to escape and live without fear was to find the entrance to the surface.
Their problems would be resolved once they found the entrance.
The moment Charles sank into the plush sofa in his room, the weight on his shoulders seemed to have melted away. With the gentle glow of the fireplace bathing the room, Charles drifted into sleep.
After an unknown period of time, Charles was suddenly jolted awake by a nightmare.
He noticed Linda standing beside him, but he had no idea how long she had been waiting. He took the pocket watch out and realized that he had slept for four long hours.
"Mr. Charles, this lady arrived two hours ago. I wanted to wake you up, but she told me not to and insisted that I let you sleep," Lily said as she stood perched on the windowsill, her eyes never leaving the world outside.
Charles kept his pocket watch and addressed Linda, "How're things? Has Kord returned?"
Linda shook her head. "The Sacred Acolyte has yet to return to the branch chapel."
A trace of disappointment surfaced on Charles' visage. However, he had also expected the same. Another dreaded waiting game was ahead, and he really hated the wait.
"Does Salin have any family?" Charles asked. After all, they were allies, and if Salin's family were in need, he would do whatever he could to assist.
"Yes, I'm his wife." Linda's calm tone took Charles by surprise.
"You are his wife? Then why aren't you the slightest bit sad over his death?" Charles raised an eyebrow in doubt.
Linda answered in an indifferent tone as though she was discussing the death of a stranger. "Why do I have to be sad? Couples are matched in the Divine Light Order. I don't hold much feelings for him, and it's the same for him."
Charles carefully studied the bald woman before him, seemingly to verify the authenticity of her words before saying, "You may go first. If Kord returns, notify me immediately."
Linda nodded in affirmation. She turned and wordlessly left the room.
Days felt like years as Charles earnestly and anxiously waited for Kord's return. He had tried to alleviate his anxiety through painting, but it hadn't been much of a distraction.
It was undoubtedly a torture in itself that he already had his hands on the nautical chart, but he had to wait for someone else. If not for Laesto's warning that his mental contamination needed treatment by staying ashore, he would have abandoned Kord and headed for the island himself.
However, the arrival of someone soon provided some distraction from his anxious thoughts.
Lying stark naked on the bed, Charles let out a deep breath. Massaging his temples, he asked, "Didn't you form a fleet to conquer the island? Why are you back?"
With her cheeks flushed red, Elizabeth emerged from under the blanket and placed her head on Charles' chest. With a faint smile on her face, she felt his rapid heartbeat echoing from within him.
"We encountered some issues on that island."
"You haven't gotten rid of 1002 yet?"
Elizabeth's long locks swayed across Charles' chest as she shook her head.
"Yeah, that thing's quite a foe. Explosions, corrosive acid, freezing, we tried them all. Even after we destroyed it and reduced it to the size of a fingernail, it swiftly regenerated. We’re wondering if it can even be considered a living being."
Memories of the creature that could animate everything surfaced in Charles' mind. It was truly a formidable adversary. However, the fact that they still hadn't conquered it after months was unexpected.
"Does that mean the island is a lost cause?"
"Not quite. The Gunther Family of the Western Seas reached out to me recently, claiming that they have ways to deal with it."
"The Western Seas? Those arcanists have ways to deal with 1002?"
"Yes. The Gunthers are a renowned family of sorcerers in the Western Seas. Rumor has it that their patriarch can even easily modify a human's soul and even alter their memories, consciousness, and cognition."
Charles frowned. "I doubt that will work. Even if he’s powerful, how can he alter 1002 when he can't even get close to it? And it remains debatable whether that thing has a soul or not."
"I'm not sure of the specifics, but they assured me that they will surely take care of 1002. But in return, they demanded twenty percent of the island's land as compensation. What do you think?" Elizabeth asked.
"Why are you asking me about this? It's your island, and it's your sole decision to make."
Elizabeth lifted her head from Charles' chest and stared at him with her deep blue eyes. "Have you forgotten? I told you half of the island belongs to you. Surely, I would need to consult you over such a significant matter."
"It doesn't matter to me, so you can make the decision," Charles remarked. He really couldn't care less about that island.
"All right, I'll agree to their conditions then."
Just then, Charles suddenly propped himself up as a wave of suspicion washed over him. He stared at Elizabeth in the eyes and asked, "Your memories haven't been altered by them, have you?"
Once bitten, twice shy. Ever since the incident with Anna, he had grown exceedingly cautious about such matters.
Elizabeth let out a chuckle and said, "Rest assured, they haven't. They had tried controlling a few governors in the past, but after those people came to their senses, the Gunthers suffered a dire backlash.
”They wouldn't dare let history repeat itself in the Northern Seas, especially with many eyes watching them."
Elizabeth traced a slender, fair finger across the jagged scars on Charles' chest. In a soft whisper, she purred, "My dear, you have accumulated more scars."
"Just some minor injuries. I got grazed by something in the water." Charles answered nonchalantly and stood up to put his clothes on.
Two soft arms draped over his shoulders from the back and encircled Charles' neck in a loving embrace.
"Charles, can't you reconsider? Once the Gunthers deal with 1002, that island will be ours. We can build our new home soon, and the whole island will belong to us," Elizabeth whispered seductively into Charles' ear.
Charles gently removed her arms from his shoulders and continued putting on his clothes. "I still have my own matters to deal with. Once I'm done, if you still wish to be with me, you can come along."
Staring at the broad back in front of her, a glint of sorrow reflected in Elizabeth's gaze. Was the legendary "Land of Light" more important than a habitable island?
Charles stood by the window and peered downward. He watched as Elizabeth left with an entourage in tow. She had yet to become a governor, but there was no denying the aura of authority and power she exuded.
The gentleness she displayed earlier was gone and had been replaced with confidence and determination on her delicate visage. The captain of the Black Rose was back in her element.
The door behind Charles creaked open, and Lily scampered in with her group of mice trailing behind her.
Charles' gaze darted around the room to make sure that there weren't any traces of his lovemaking with Elizabeth before he approached the gunner.
"Back so soon? Didn't you go out to play?"
Lily nimbly climbed up from Charles' pants to stand on his shoulder. With a look of hesitation, she then asked, "Mr. Charles, can I discuss something with you?"
"What's the matter?" Charles picked up the furry white mouse and gently cradled her in his palms.
"The other crewmates receive wages, right? As a gunner, shouldn't I receive wages as well?" Lily's question hung in the air.
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