Chapter 333. Worries
"No worries. She really didn't alter my memories. Also, we've been in contact for a long time. She's on our side," Charles patiently explained to his crew members.
With a solemn look on his face, Audric shook his head. "No, Captain. If that woman can really alter memories, then all these memories you have of interacting with her could all be what she planted in your mind; they might all be fake."
Just before Charles could respond and defend Anna, Lily jumped into the conversation. "That's not true! Sister Monster has been around for the longest time now. She already come to look for Mr. Charles three years ago. You guys just didn't know about it.
"Lily, why didn't you tell us about something so important?!" Conor, the Minister of Finance, picked her up from the ground and started shaking her.
"Don't yell at me! You're spitting your foul saliva all over my fur. You guys didn't ask, so why should I suddenly bring it up? Besides, that sister only comes once in a long while," Lily replied as she struggled to get out of Conor's grasp.
"Enough!" Charles' words interrupted everyone. "This matter ends here. Also, it stays among us."
"But, Captain, she's a monster, a man-eating monster! We are going to let her run loose just like that on our island?!"
Charles' gaze turned darker at the question. "What's the difference between a monster and a human? Disperse now; don't crowd around. This matter ends here, and I'm saying this as the Captain."
Noticing Charles' firm stance, the crew members reluctantly dispersed. However, they seemed to have not given up yet as they gathered around Lily and pressed for more details.
The celebratory banquet continued in the uniquely designed hall, with the guests exchanging toast and engaged in conversations.
The ladies adorned elegant gowns, and the gentlemen were clad in suits and ties. As they conversed with each other, maids in short dresses attentively served them with drinks and cigarettes.
However, Charles was not part of the socializing. He didn't like such situations, and the island's residents knew that well.
As the owner of the island, Charles had all the right not to involve himself in all the formalities, and no one with a sane mind would go and fawn over him.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Administration, Leonardo, wore a slight smile on his countenance as he effortlessly mingled with those who came to curry favor with him.
Every so often, he would sneak a glance in Charles' direction. Though three years had passed, if one were to ask if he was truly loyal to Charles, he wouldn't even believe his own words if he gave a positive response.
However, the recent war had an instantaneous effect in suppressing the restless desires stirring in his heart.
As Leonardo recalled the intensely fierce battlefields then, he understood one thing: to gain a lasting foothold in this seascape, relying solely on mere tricks wouldn't last long. If he were to initiate a coup, he would probably meet the same fate as those sea monsters.
Dressed in a crisp suit, he gently traced his fingers around the edge of the translucent glass cup as he thought to himself, Forget it. He can continue being the Governor, and I shall stick to being a minister.
Suddenly, a woman dressed in a form-fitting purple gown with a high slit entered his field of vision. His eyes brightened up upon seeing her.
"Look who's here," Leonardo exclaimed. "Deputy Director Aliya, our island's defender."
Aliya cast a disdainful glance at the man in front of her. "How boring. All the men here are acting like they're something special, but they only know how to talk. If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have come."
Aliya then lifted her wine glass and downed the liquor inside of it. She didn't even acknowledge Leonardo standing right before her as she turned around and walked away.
Leonardo's lips twitched slightly in response. He tried to maintain his gentlemanly demeanor but couldn't stop himself from squeezing out a sentence between his gritted teeth. "Uncultured pirates."
In the distance, a mocking glint shimmered in Aliya's eyes.
"A swindler who deserves to be under the guillotine," she remarked before turning her gaze onto Charles in the distance and then walking straight to the exit.
***
"How is it going with the Origin Essence?" Charles asked as he sank into the plush couch with James standing in front of him.
"Experiments are in progress. Doctor seemed to have found a pattern. He thinks that the more maritime experience one has, the higher the possibility of successfully absorbing the Origin Essence. He said that's why you and Bandages succeeded on the first try."
Charles nodded in understanding. "Remember to develop the newly acquired abilities of those who have succeeded. The manifested abilities from absorbing the Origin Essence are not just a duplication of the relic's powers. The absorbed power is more versatile and special; they can be applied in various other ways apart from battle."
Charles raised his hand and watched the white electrical arcs jumping between his fingers.
While he was using his newly gained power in his previous battles, a sudden realization dawned upon him that there was much greater potential to his power than he had imagined.
A power's potential shouldn't be only limited to combat. His newly acquired lightning powers would prove to be valuable when it came to industrialization. It could serve as a lubricant between different industries.
His instincts were telling him that manifested powers from absorbing relics could greatly aid humanity's technological advancement and help them to easily break through the walls of limitations in various fields.
"Understood. I'll let Doctor know," James replied.
"By the way, Doctor's health is deteriorating. He can just watch over the project, and he really doesn't need to personally oversee every stage."
Hearing Charles' words, a bitter smile appeared on James' visage. "I think the same, but he isn't willing to listen to me. You know how stubborn he can get. He didn't even attend today's banquet. He has gotten addicted to the research and spends every passing minute with those death row prisoners."
Charles nodded in understanding.
Indeed, when Doctor becomes obstinate, he listens to no one. I shouldn't have let him get involved in the first place. But he's already at such an old age. He would probably lose interest after a while. I don't think he's willing to risk his health for the research.
Bang!
A sudden loud noise sounded from above, and the magnificent crystal chandelier that reflected rainbow shimmers in the middle of the hall crashed to the ground. It shattered into countless pieces like a burst of fireworks, eliciting screams from the ladies in the hall.
"James! Don't let anyone else up!" Charles ordered. He put down his wine glass and dashed toward the second floor without a moment of hesitation.
Upon arriving at the second floor, he saw that the furniture that should have been neatly arranged was now scattered with missing legs, and the two women stood separated, one on each side of the corridor.
Anna's hands had turned into black, hollowed tentacles while Elizabeth held her specially-made wooden short staff in a tight grip.
"What's going on?"
Hearing Charles' voice, the two women swiftly kept their weapons away.
"Charles," Elizabeth cooed sexily as she walked up to Charles with a slight smile. "Nothing much; we were just getting to know each other better."
Elizabeth then wrapped her arms around him and said, "I won't be leaving for the time being. When you have time, remember to come find me on my ship. Every part of me misses you."
Elizabeth headed down the stairs. Anna let out a snort as she watched the giantess' back view, "I didn't expect that woman to have something that could resist mental control. Otherwise, I would have already erased every single memory she has of you."
Charles turned to look at Anna with a helpless expression.
"Do you really have to do that?" he asked.
"Of course, I have to!" Anna placed a hand on her waist and sashayed toward Charles. "Were you expecting us to get along harmoniously? Scumbag."
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