Chapter 200. Embark!
Hearing Elizabeth's words, Charles' pupils constricted ever so slightly. Despite the twelve years—or, to be exact, nine, after discounting those three years—this was the first time that he had heard something as shocking as this.
As he recalled the appearances of the various natives he had encountered, obscene graphic images of how they could possibly copulate with humans raced through his mind.
"Charles, you must trust me. In the Sea of Mist, giants that tower over three meters are just the most ordinary existence. The deeper you venture, the more grotesque and unimaginable beings you'll find. They can't even be considered humans anymore!" Elizabeth's voice was filled with distress.
"Why would they do that?" Charles' brows furrowed together.
"I don't know. Perhaps it has to do with the bizarre gods and deities they worship. My grandfather once saw them worshiping something."
Elizabeth stepped closer and clutched Charles' arms. Staring him in the eyes, she pleaded, "Never ever get involved with them. Their atrocities don't end there. They dabble in slave trading, too, and no one knows what they do with the humans they buy. I doubt they are merely buying the humans to offer as sacrifices."
The atmosphere thickened with a weighty silence. After a pause, Charles spoke in a soft yet firm tone, "I'm sorry, but I have to go there. That place has what I seek."
"What could you possibly want? You're a governor now! Tell me, we can search for it together!" Elizabeth's visage was colored in desperation. She could fathom why Charles wouldn't heed her words.
"There's no need. I just need to personally make the journey to the Sea of Mist just once."
"What if they are lying to you? What if they capture you? They don't care whether you are a governor."
Charles cast a fleeting glance at the letter in his hand. He then firmly shook his head. "That won't happen. Just to be clear, I don't trust them; I trust the person who connected me to them."
"Why do you have to go there?!" Elizabeth shouted in apparent frustration. She had already laid out the risks involved so clearly, and yet Charles remained stubborn about his plans.
"The Curse. I have been cursed by the Divinities. I have to go there to break the curse. Otherwise, I won’t have much time left."
Elizabeth froze at the sudden revelation. As a former exploration vessel captain, she knew all too well the gravity behind Charles' words. Chewing on a long fingernail, she paced the room with evident nervousness. Abruptly, she stopped and turned toward Charles before saying, "I'll go with you then."
Without a moment of hesitation, Charles shook his head and said, "No. Elizabeth, return to your island. This is my own problem, and I have to deal with it on my own."
Elizabeth tried to convince Charles, but she was eventually dissuaded. In the end, she departed the island. It wasn’t that strange, as she was preparing to depart the island, anyway.
Elizabeth described the Sea of Mist to be extremely dangerous, but this particular voyage was arranged by Anna. As such, Charles didn't believe that there would be any real danger. If he had to pick one person he could trust in the whole of the Subterranean Seascape, it was Anna—the one who shared his memories.
Moreover, if Anna had really wanted to harm him, there was no reason for her to save him when he was lost in his fantasies and had lost his sanity.
Soon enough, the news of Governor Charles' imminent voyage spread rapidly across the island. The crew of Narwhale quickly made their preparations.
Regarding the sudden impromptu trip, Charles felt the need to explain the situation to his temporary allies.
"No worries. Take your time, child. I'm in good health, and I can wait till the day you find the exit." As usual, the Pope sounded ever so amicable and devoid of any hierarchical airs.
Just as Charles was about to leave, he recalled Elizabeth's words. He turned around once more to face the Pope's stone statue and asked, "How much do you know of the Sea of Mist in the southern waters?"
"I'm sorry, but most of the Order's influences are in the Northern and Eastern Seas. We know little about the southern region, apart from the fact that those towering beings are somewhat xenophobic."
Seeing that he wouldn't be able to acquire any valuable information, Charles turned and left the Divine Light Cathedral.
Left alone in the room, the Pope reverently removed the triangular mark on his forehead. He then brought it to his lips and landed a soft kiss on every corner.
"O Almighty God of Light, everything is going according to Your divine prophecy. They've begun to act, but rest assured. I'll soon find and liberate You. Just wait a little longer... Just a bit more..."
***
A distraught-looking Margaret plopped onto her bed, her vacant eyes gazing at the chandelier overhead.
Wearing a sympathetic look, Gina, her head attendant, approached with a bowl of egg custard. "Miss, please take at least a bite. You haven't been eating much ever since you came back. You'll starve yourself at this rate."
Margaret shook her head. "I don't have any appetite. Leave me be. I want to be by myself."
"Miss, forget about him. Why don't we request Governor Daniel to conquer his island? And we can get rid of him then." Gina suggested.
Margaret tightly gripped the bedsheet in response but remained silent.
Suddenly, the door swung open with a resounding clang, and an agitated Jack stormed in. His left arm was encased in fresh bandages, hinting at a recent injury.
"You're back? How did it go? Did you tell him that you were the one who rescued him then?" Jack immediately fired a series of questions.
Margaret shook his head. "I'm less significant than a passerby to him. No wonder I don't even have a place in his dream. All along...I was merely just a hostage to be exchanged for money."
"And so?" Jack's voice grew louder with evident frustration. "What about the trade collaboration between Whereto and Hope Island? And the alliance proposal? What did you promise me before making the visit?!"
Margaret remained silent, her heart seemingly shattered from her recent encounter with Charles. Gina rushed over, her face painted with concern. "Mr. Jack. Miss is already very upset. Please don't lash out at her further."
Jack forcefully shoved Gina aside and stormed toward his sister. Grabbing the lace collar of Margaret's dress, he violently yanked her off the bed and onto the ground.
"Do you have any idea of the precarious situation we are in now?! Our Cavendish Family might be totally wiped out at any moment! And here you are, playing the miserable damsel who lost her love?? Love?! How the fuck does love matter now?!"
The vein in Jack's forehead pulsed with rage as his face contorted with anger. His usual jovial and humorous demeanor was nowhere to be seen.
***
Meanwhile, on the inky dark expanse of the sea, Charles sailed after a convoy of cargo ships along a well-charted route. This time, he didn't set sail alone. The route toward the Southern Seas had been well explored, but traveling with merchant vessels would spare him from unnecessary trouble.
Standing by the window, Lily stared in amazement at the colossal cargo ship sailing alongside them. "Mr. Charles, don't we have a huge ship, too? Why are we not taking that?"
Charles lifted his gaze from the nautical map he was reading. "The larger vessels lack agility. They are too slow and hence unsuitable for exploring islands."
"Then, we can just increase its power!"
Charles let out a chuckle. "Perhaps you can try to invent a vessel like that. As per the current technology in the Subterranean Seascape, this is as fast as we can get."
The Governor's Navy boasted a diverse fleet of ships, many serving as floating fortresses and packing considerable firepower.
However, they weren't particularly useful when it came to exploring islands. Additionally, a larger ship demanded a larger crew, which would inevitably increase the potential for chaos and conflict.
"Mr. Charles, look! There's a light above!" Lily suddenly squeaked.
Charles approached the window and saw a lighthouse beam cutting through the darkness. They had arrived at the Southern Seas.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l