Deep Sea Embers

The elderly elf woman appeared puzzled by the “customer,” who didn’t seem to be there for doll shopping. However, after a brief moment of confusion, she greeted him with a smile, unaware that the towering, one-eyed man before her was the same boy who had purchased something from her shop alongside his sister a century ago: “Ah, welcome to Rose Doll House, feel free to browse.”

Pausing briefly, she casually remarked, “We don’t often see customers like you.”

Tyrian’s gaze slowly swept over the environment.

Assorted dolls, aged shelves, ornately carved stairs, the warm and tranquil ambiance, and the smiling elderly woman.

Faded shards of memories gradually assembled, creating a familiar scene that melded with the current view. It was only natural that the elf shopkeeper wouldn’t recognize him – he had changed significantly since a century ago with a hardened appearance from pillaging the frigid sea.

Tyrian subtly altered his expression, attempting to soften his features. He’s aware of the intimidating aura he exuded, which made ordinary people uneasy merely by being in his presence.

“I’d like to ask about something,” Tyrian didn’t know if he had successfully modified his expression. He had lost the ability to remember how a typical person should behave and speak when entering a store, “Have you ever sold a doll named ‘Nilu’ here?”

After a moment’s thought, he added, “A one-third scale doll, about this tall – adorned with a classical court style and an exquisite dress.”

The elf shopkeeper hesitated before replying uncertainly, those eyes glimmering with bewilderment: “Yes… we did have such a doll. It had been in the store for many years before someone bought it not too long ago. But why do you ask?”

“What kind of person purchased it?” Tyrian felt his pulse quicken. He hadn’t anticipated finding a lead so effortlessly and that his father had actually procured the doll from the shop so openly, “When did this occur?”

The elderly shopkeeper, taken aback by Tyrian’s overly enthusiastic response, grew even more cautious, “I apologize, but I cannot divulge information about our customers. It’s a rule of doing business.”

Tyrian was momentarily taken aback, not anticipating this answer. He quickly considered his options, hesitating for a few seconds before seemingly making a decision, “You don’t recognize me, do you?”

“Recognize…?” The elderly shopkeeper furrowed her brow, scrutinizing the unfamiliar human before her with confusion, “I don’t remember serving a customer like you – most people who come to buy dolls from my shop are women, young men selecting gifts for their partners, or fathers choosing presents for their daughters.”

“It’s because the last time I was here was a very long time ago,” Tyrian unveiled an unusual smile, “Do you recall, a hundred years ago, a brother and sister who took away a doll named ‘Luni’ from here?”

The elderly shopkeeper paused, then slowly widened her eyes, gazing at Tyrian in disbelief, “Ah, you are…”

“I know you might not believe it, but I have something to prove my identity,” Tyrian quickly thought of an item, retrieving it from his pocket as he spoke, “Elves like you are well-informed, so you should have heard about me… Take a look at this.”

As the elderly elf woman listened and accepted the piece of paper handed to her with bewilderment, she unfolded it to reveal a large portrait at the top, accompanied by the text of a wanted notice, a bounty, and the official seal of the Frost City-State…

“I should have some notoriety,” Tyrian stated earnestly, “Technically speaking, our family is quite famous… although perhaps not for something commendable.”

The elderly shopkeeper: “…”

After some time, the elderly elf woman managed to compose her expression, looked at Tyrian, and uttered a peculiar sentence, “It really is you.”

Tyrian seemed to sense that something was off and smiled sheepishly, “It’s me.”

The old woman contemplated for a moment, “So many years have passed… there’s so many zeroes after your name now…”

Tyrian tugged at the corner of his mouth, “The bounty… is indeed substantial, but it’s just for show. They add a zero every four or five years anyway, and no one will claim the reward.”

“I’ve never met someone who carries their own wanted notice as proof of identity, let alone a notorious pirate,” the elderly elf woman’s expression finally returned to normal as she refolded the wanted notice and handed it back, murmuring, “I did hear about the Sea Mist docking in port and wanted to go see the excitement. I didn’t expect you to come here first. How is your sister?”

“She… is living more carefree than I am,” Tyrian replied, then glanced at the elderly woman with an odd expression, “I thought you would be frightened. Most ordinary people have that reaction when they meet me – even in places beyond the Cold Sea.”

“I’ve encountered my share of peculiar things, and you’re not the only pirate I’ve met. Besides, the city-state has declared the Sea Mist is a guest invited by Pland, so whatever happens in the northern seas is not our concern,” the old woman muttered as she walked toward the counter, her mutter transforming into a scolding, “But I must say, being a pirate isn’t a proper job, it’s not sustainable, and it doesn’t sound good. Look at your sister, at least she has a lifelong honorary title in the Explorer’s Association. Of course, I’ve also heard that your relationship with the northern city-states is rather complex…”

Tyrian’s mind buzzed, and he felt that he had just witnessed the poise and composure of a long-life span race. He had to quickly interrupt the old woman’s rambling, “The Sea Mist fleet has already changed; the retaliation against the northern city-states and plundering are things of the past. Now, we mainly rely on collecting protection fees…”

Not waiting for the old woman to respond, he decisively concluded the topic and forcefully redirected it, “Can you tell me now who bought the doll?”

“Oh, it was a middle-aged man around your height… perhaps even a bit shorter, and quite thin, as if he wasn’t in good health,” the old woman didn’t hesitate this time and spoke, “But I don’t think you’ll be able to find him; there are so many people in Pland. Were you planning to reclaim the other doll you couldn’t buy for your sister back then? Ah, that’s such a shame, if only you had come earlier… Wait a minute, I just realized, how did you know someone bought ‘Nilu’?”

Tyrian didn’t answer her question but frowned involuntarily.

Someone shorter than him, thin, and in poor health… It couldn’t be his father.

Could it be… one of his father’s subordinates?!

After regaining his humanity and reason, had he already started recruiting new subordinates? What was his goal? To rebuild the Vanished fleet?!

Tyrian pondered many things for a moment, only coming back to his senses when the elderly elf woman called his name twice. Then he thought of something and immediately inquired, “Besides purchasing the doll, did the customer say anything else? Did he take anything else?”

“He said… We just had a normal conversation,” the elderly shopkeeper recalled, “He seemed like a customer who genuinely loved dolls, and he was very concerned about the dolls’ repair and maintenance. He learned a lot from me; oh, that’s right, he also bought a wig and matching hair accessories, seemingly for his own doll.”

Tyrian’s expression froze, “…A wig? What kind of wig?”

“A golden, long, straight hair, life-sized wig, I remember it quite well,” the shopkeeper said, and suddenly thought of something else, “Oh, I have a similar one here; you can take a look.”

As she spoke, she turned around and went to search through the storage room under the stairs.

Tyrian wanted to say it wasn’t necessary, but he didn’t have time, and at that moment, another peculiar knocking sounded from nearby, capturing his attention.

It sounded like someone tapping on a window from outside.

Tyrian looked puzzled and turned his head towards the source of the sound, finding a beautiful woman with waist-length blonde hair standing outside the window, gently rapping on the glass.

The admiral didn’t react at first, but when he saw the woman’s face clearly, he instantly froze in place as if struck by lightning.

The woman’s appearance… was identical to that of the Frost Queen, Ray Nora, from half a century ago!