Deep Sea Embers

“I sense he’s not the same erratic and disorderly subspace entity he was half a century ago. Now there appears to be a sense of ‘humanity’ and ‘rationality’ within him. However, it feels unfamiliar to me,” Tyrian spoke with a furrowed brow, “Although he still recognizes me, I’m uncertain whether he remains the same father we’ve always known… The transformations are significant.”

The woman with black hair on the opposite end of the crystal ball remained silent for a few moments before commenting, “Well, at least it sounds like an improvement from what it was like half a century ago.”

“You can say it like that… Half a century ago, I stood at the bow of the Sea Mist and gazed upon that silhouette, wishing it wasn’t him, and now I’m face to face with him again, only to wonder if it’s truly him… Either way, the Vanished hasn’t caused as much devastation as it did before.”

Lucretia remained silent momentarily, pondering over something before bringing up a topic, “Do you recall what I informed you during our last conversation? Luni unexpectedly broke down and mentioned that the ‘old master’ was searching for me… It appears that our father is genuinely plotting something.”

“What could he be planning?” Tyrian furrowed his brow, “Is he intending to resume his previous unfinished expedition? Or perhaps reassemble the Vanished Fleet?”

“I’m unsure,” Lucretia admitted.

Suddenly, an obscure interference materialized in the crystal ball, and several automated magical devices behind Lucretia appeared to malfunction, emitting a faint crackling noise. A group of automatic magic puppets scurried over to investigate the equipment, appearing flustered.

“What’s happening over there?” Tyrian became apprehensive, “Do you need to tend to the equipment behind you first?”

“Don’t worry, the puppets can handle minor issues, and they’re insignificant compared to the major storm brewing at the border,” Lucretia reassured Tyrian calmly without glancing back at the frenzied commotion. “I’m almost through this unstable sea.”

“What are your plans for exploration?” Tyrian asked, “This time you won’t directly rush into that fog, right? I must remind you, the border is not a safe place…”

“I was tracking something, and it suddenly emerged near the border with tremendous energy, plunging into the sea, but the onboard equipment failed to capture its exact image,” Lucretia explained composedly. “Don’t worry, I’m still within the Eternal Curtain and haven’t ventured into the dense fog yet. Once I locate that object, I’ll forward you the image. If it’s something that can be extracted, I’ll cut a piece for you as a souvenir.”

Tyrian waved his hand dismissively upon hearing this, “No need, I don’t want any ominous souvenirs sent my way, and I’d rather catch a few peaceful hours of sleep.”

Lucretia didn’t seem to mind and continued casually, “By the way, did you purchase a spirit lens for me?”

Tyrian was taken aback, and his voice sounded a bit unnatural as he replied, “Um… It might have to wait a few days. You know, that item requires some luck to obtain…”

“Did you forget?” Lucretia inquired.

“Of course not, I haven’t forgotten. Several suppliers I know are currently out of stock, and the four major churches do have the goods, but the procedures to obtain them are too complicated,” Tyrian explained.

“You did forget, didn’t you?” Lucretia repeated her question.

“I’m doing my best,” Tyrian said solemnly, “There must be another way to acquire it without resorting to theft.”

“It appears that you did forget,” Lucretia responded calmly by nodding, as if she had already anticipated the situation. “It’s alright, I understand you’re occupied, and it’s difficult to request such a favor.”

Tyrian’s face visibly relaxed upon hearing his sister’s understanding tone. However, he became tensed again when he heard the second half of the sentence from the opposite side of the crystal ball: “Then I’ll ask the day after tomorrow.”

Tyrian: “…”

The burly pirate wiped his forehead, appearing as though he had something to say, but before he could utter a word, the sound of flapping wings emanated from the window, interrupting his movements. This was followed by the sound of pecking against the glass.

“Wait a minute, something is happening on my end,” Tyrian said hurriedly, his expression turning to one of surprise as he looked up. “Perley?!” he exclaimed.

Tyrian immediately rose from his seat and opened the window, allowing the large, colorful-tailed parrot to enter. Perley flapped its wings and landed on the table, squawking loudly, “Perley!”

Tyrian settled back into his seat at the table, eyeing the large parrot suspiciously. “What are you doing here?” he questioned. “Did you escape from the ship? Or did Aiden send you?”

“Ah! Aiden sent Perley!” The large parrot spread its wings and exclaimed, bobbing its head back and forth. “Perley has a message, an important message!” Aiden said… Aiden said…” it continued squawking.

The large parrot appeared to be struggling for a moment, causing Tyrian to look at it with bewilderment. After a prolonged pause, the parrot suddenly screeched out loudly, to Tyrian’s surprise, “Make some fries! Make some fries!”

Tyrian: “…?”

Lucretia, on the other side of the crystal ball, also heard the commotion on Tyrian’s end, and her voice sounded doubtful, “Brother, is Perley hungry?”

“…No, Perley was supposed to convey some other information, but it appears that the message was intercepted,” Tyrian reacted promptly. As the owner of Perley, he was well-acquainted with the parrot’s behavior and Aiden’s personality. His expression quickly became grave. “Perley, has something happened aboard the ship?”

The large parrot tilted its head to look at its master, repeating the phrase “Make some fries” several times with no apparent meaning. Suddenly, it stopped and appeared to recall something, and then it excitedly screeched out, “Blood Compass!”

Tyrian furrowed his brow slightly, “Blood Compass?”

“Point to the city-state!” The large parrot flapped its wings vigorously and shouted excitedly, “Blood Compass points to the city-state!”

Tyrian was taken aback for a moment, and then he reacted swiftly. His expression changed, and he looked up at the crystal ball before him. “Lucy, he’s…”

“Brother, you must leave Pland immediately,” Lucretia spoke urgently from the other side of the crystal ball, not waiting for Tyrian to finish. “This could be a trap!”

Tyrian remained frozen and unresponsive to his sister’s warning. Instead, he sat there motionless like a statue, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

“Brother?” Lucretia sounded puzzled. “Did you not hear me?”

“Lucy, he’s…” Tyrian’s voice trailed off as he broke the silence. “… Opposite of me,” he finally whispered.

The voice from the crystal ball fell silent.

Across the table from Tyrian, a decorative mirror with an oval frame was suspended in mid-air, surrounded by a faint green flame. Within the flickering of the flame, a majestic figure stood within the mirror, calmly observing him on the other side.

“First and foremost, this is not a trap,” the figure within the mirror began to speak,” and I am as surprised as you are for being here.”

“The second thing is that I am finished, so now I’m here to see what you’re doing.”

Tyrian remained silent and motionless while Lucretia grew increasingly uneasy on the other side of the crystal ball. She could not see what was happening on Tyrian’s end, which added to her anxiety. Finally, she whispered, “Is he really there?”

Tyrian’s expression remained impassive as he reached for the box on the table and rotated the crystal ball and lens group towards the other side. “Say hello to Father,” he said flatly.

As Tyrian made his move, Lucretia’s voice became more urgent, and she spoke more loudly. “No need, there’s no need to turn around,” she said hastily.

Unfortunately, it was already too late as the crystal ball and lens group rotated, exposing the image of their father. In addition, Duncan was also peering through the mirror, observing the woman inside the crystal ball.

This was their initial encounter, and within his own mind and body, he had no recollections of having a strong relationship with the other person except for a vague and sentimental impression.

He experienced a similar sensation when he encountered Tyrian before, but now, standing before Lucretia, there appeared to be another emotion… guilt and remorse.

Is it because the father owed her more? Or is it because of the last gift that couldn’t be delivered?

Duncan didn’t know which, after all, he’s only assuming this identity for the moment and not actually the real Duncan.

“It’s been a while, Lucy.” He gives the lady a nod as a formal greeting.

“Uhh…..” Lucretia’s countenance was typically composed and enigmatic, earning her the “Sea Witch” nickname. However, the current circumstance seemed to baffle her more than even the unpredictable “border”. She nervously stood there as though she was transported back to the distant past, to the afternoon when she first destroyed her father’s navigational equipment. “I… It’s been a while…” she stuttered in response.

Subsequently, the atmosphere in the room lapsed into a melancholic silence, with Duncan wordlessly gazing at the two “siblings” before him. This tacit pressure appeared to travel through the crystal ball and into the vast expanse of the Boundless Sea. Lucretia struggled to find a topic to alleviate the tension, but after some hesitation, she eventually blurted out, “You… the frame suits you rather well…”

Duncan: “……Huh?”

“I am referring to the patterned frame. It matches your personality quite well,” Lucretia hastily clarified, sensing the need to explain herself. “It exudes a sense of restraint and modesty, which suits you perfectly.”

“……Huh?”

“Especially when you’re hanging on the wall…”

Duncan was dumbfounded: “What exactly are you trying to say?”

Finally, Lucretia shifted her gaze away from Duncan and looked towards Tyrian as if seeking his guidance. “Help me…” she mutters.

Tyrian sighed and pushed the suitcase containing the crystal ball aside. He then rose to his feet and approached the frame, “What brings you to us?”