Chapter 1292 The Puppeteer Behind the Scenes <TOC> Chapter 1294 Conia
Translator: SumTLMan
“Have you seen a ship?”
This cryptic message from White Bear left the group in a sea of confusion.
“Do you mean to say that they are presently on that ship? Have they already boarded it to make their escape?” inquired Suis with an air of uncertainty.
White Bear shook his head, a faint, inscrutable blush tinting his visage, “It isn’t quite as you think. To employ a prophecy spell to glimpse the future with my level of power… is a daunting endeavor. Yet, retracing the footprints of a past set in stone is relatively straightforward. Hence, the ship I’ve seen should be the one they boarded to reach Edge Island.”
Although White Bear didn’t pinpoint an exact location, this sliver of insight could unravel a tapestry of implications.
Let’s start with the premise that they traveled to the Old Land Continent by ship!
“Generally speaking,” Sanders mused, tapping his fingers lightly against the tabletop, “those who travel by ship are often wizard apprentices, left without a means for long-distance voyages. A formal wizard, unless on a peculiar mission, would seldom linger on board a ship. Such peculiar missions are few and far between: overseeing, guiding, or being for hire — all rare instances indeed.”
Angel chimed in, “So, you’re suggesting that our mystery person might be a wizard apprentice?”
In truth, this hypothesis held water. They had previously deduced that King Guman wouldn’t likely tether his essence blood to the ‘Bloodline Tracing’. For any damage to this essence would deal a staggering blow to King Guman, an irretrievable loss, potentially shadowing his future prospects.
If it wasn’t King Guman’s life essence, then the possibility of the master of the Scarlet Sovereignty being a wizard apprentice certainly loomed large.
Sanders weighed in, “I can’t assert this with utmost certainty, but we can’t rule out the possibility either.”
Angel cast his gaze upon White Bear once more. Initially, his concern for the master of the Scarlet Sovereignty was faint and distant. But now, knowing the necessity of addressing this lord to awaken the servants influenced by the Scarlet Sovereignty, and to possibly grant them a life within the Wilderness of Dreams, his involvement became indispensable.
“What does that vessel resemble?” inquired Angel, conjuring an ethereal mist which gradually sketched a blurry ship within its midst.
White Bear squinted, shaking his head, “Not such a small ship, it’s a large cargo ship.”
In response, the ship’s silhouette within the illusion grew twice in size, now resembling a typical cargo vessel.
“The masts are scarlet, it boasts four decks, the crow’s nest sports a unique emblem… and the ship’s prow showcases a proud, spread-winged bald eagle…” White Bear detailed. With every word, the illusion became crisper, bringing forth the cargo ship from the depths of obscurity.
All eyes were keenly fixed on the spectral cargo ship.
“Judging by its design, it seems similar to White Shell Shipping Company’s vessels,” Angel whispered, looking at the ship hovering at the center.
Having boarded the ‘Bohemia’ and ‘Cloud Conch’ of the White Shell Shipping Company in the past, Angel was somewhat acquainted with the company’s ship styles. This particular design bore a striking resemblance to the company’s signature aesthetic over the recent decades.
Sanders nodded in affirmation, “Indeed, it’s from the White Shell Shipping Company. Their shipping schedules, be it departure, arrival, or even crew details, are well-documented. Perhaps a visit to the company’s branch office is in order.”
Angel concurred. Behind the White Shell Shipping Company stood the colossal Sky Mechanical City. Dropping the name of Midora or brandishing an access card from the research institute might just grant them some privileges.
Lost in such thoughts, Suis suddenly declared, “I recognize this ship.”
All eyes turned toward Suis in a fleeting moment of shared curiosity.
The visage of Suis darkened considerably, even his customarily stoic face betrayed signs of evident distress. With clenched teeth and palpable anger, he spat out his words, “The vessel’s name is ‘White Headed Gull,’ belonging indeed to the White Shell Shipping Company.”
“White Headed Gull?” Sanders raised an inquisitive brow, “How do you come by this knowledge?”
“Because… upon my return, it was this very ship I boarded!”
Suis’s proclamation reverberated amongst them like a detonated bomb, rendering the assembly speechless for an interminable moment.
“In seeking resolution for some matters concerning Eureka’s mental trauma, I journeyed to Summer Dew Ridge to consult with Eliza. On my way back, I chanced upon a message from Merayesha, inquiring if I’d be willing to be on watch on the White Headed Gull. Knowing that the ship’s destination was the Old Land Continent, I readily accepted this commission.”
By this juncture, the storm clouds on Suis’s countenance appeared so heavy, one would think them ready to burst into a deluge.
The gathering, witnessing the dark demeanor of Suis, began to fathom the depth of his perturbation in recounting this episode.
If he had returned on this very ship to the Old Land Continent, it implied he shared the voyage with that harbinger of calamity! Furthermore, Suis, as the escorting wizard, had inadvertently provided sanctuary to this nefarious character who not only reached the Old Land Continent safely under his protection but also managed to deceive him later. A Fellow Passenger was the very root of Suis’s burgeoning rage.
A hush fell upon the assembly. Sanders, breaking the silence, inquired of Suis, “Given that this individual accompanied you here, the timelines and locations align. The pressing question now is, who are they?”
While wrath consumed Suis, his discipline as a formal wizard, especially in emotional management, was beyond reproach.
Confronted with Sanders’ conundrum, Suis, suppressing the raging inferno within, regained his composure swiftly, “Aside from a cursory scan upon embarking, which revealed the strongest entity aboard to be a third level apprentice, I refrained from further investigation. I spent the subsequent hours secluded in my chambers, engrossed in the art of potion-making.”
In essence, Suis remained in a quandary, uncertain about the identity of the shadowy puppeteer lurking in obscurity.
For a moment, the matter seemed to have reached another impasse, an unsettling deadlock.
“In all likelihood, we may need to make inquiries at the subsidiary of the White Shell Shipping Company,” mused Angel, immersed deeply in thought.
At that juncture, Suis interjected, “Although I’m not acquainted with the passengers aboard, the apprentice wizards on the White Headed Gull Ship should be privy to this affair.”
“That may be true,” retorted Angel, “but where can we possibly find these apprentices? Is it conceivable that, after all this time, they haven’t departed from the Old Land Continent?”
Suis, choosing silence over words, shifted his gaze towards Leon. Following their discussion about the Scarlet Sovereignty, Leon had remained taciturn, his entire attention riveted on a parchment concealed in the inner pocket of his armor. It was only when Suis turned his attention to him that Leon seemed to snap out of his reverie.
Leon exclaimed, “Apprentices, apprentices… Ah, yes! A few days ago, two wizard apprentices trespassed into the manor!”
After a brief interlude, the duo materialized in the grand hall.
However, one appeared utterly deranged, as Suis swiftly restrained him. The incessant, frenzied struggles accompanied by sporadic flashes of crimson in his eyes betrayed the influence of the Scarlet Sovereignty’s power over him.
The other, in stark contrast, seemed frail, with a pallor hinting at exhaustion. Even the slightest movement caused beads of sweat to form on her brow. The sight of so many powerful wizards, especially the legendary Phantom Master, left her dumbstruck, scarcely daring to breathe.
These were the apprentices who had intruded upon Pat Manor days prior. The unhinged apprentice, hailing from Gravity Forest, was known as the ‘Silent Treant’ Henry. The female apprentice, originating from the Hurricane Tower, was christened ‘Twin Serpents’ Feilin.
Drawing from Leon’s words, the two apprentices had together ventured into Pat Manor. In a twist of fate, they came across Eureka, who had lost her sanity. Unfortunately, Henry found himself under the sinister influence of the Scarlet Sovereignty. As luck would have it, just before Eureka could inflict further harm, Suis arrived in the nick of time, diverting her attention away.
While Eureka was led away by Suis, Henry remained, his mind clouded and aggression heightened, showing an insatiable thirst for blood. Taking advantage of Feilin’s momentary distraction, he ambushed her from behind.
The ambush dealt Feilin a significant blow. She yearned to flee the manor, but while entering the Sealing Circle was a walk in the park, exiting was like trying to escape a labyrinth. Left with little choice, Feilin engaged in combat with Henry. Though she was a serpent-controlling witch, her snakes wielded elemental attacks, which were significantly dampened in the Old Land Continent. As the battle raged on, the tide turned against her, leaving her in her current dire state. Had Suis not returned to rescue her, Feilin would have likely met her demise.
Leon’s recounting of the tale stirred memories within Angel. Upon their arrival at Pat Manor, they had noticed traces of a skirmish at the entrance, deducing it was the handiwork of two feuding apprentices — who were presumably the very Feilin and Henry they now confronted.
“Why did they come to the manor?” Angel turned to Leon, seeking answers.
Leon whispered, “According to Feilin, they were drawn here by some energy fluctuations. But I find her tale hard to swallow, for from our initial observations, they seemed more prepared than just curious.”
Despite his skepticism, Leon had prodded Feilin multiple times, only to receive the same story. Left with no choice, he had to accept it. Previously, Suis had been entirely engrossed with Eureka, leaving the intentions of the two apprentices shrouded in mystery.
“Now that we are all here, she wouldn’t dare lie. I’ll interrogate her once more,” Leon voiced his intention, taking a step forward. However, before he could approach Feilin, Suis had already beaten him to it.
With a face as grim as a stormy night, Suis remained silent. Under his intense gaze, a surge of raw mental energy burst forth, plunging straight into a terrified Feilin’s mind.
In the very next heartbeat, Feilin’s visage took on a glazed, vacant look.
“What is your name?” Suis inquired with a discerning tone.
With an expression devoid of consciousness, as if adrift in a vast ocean, Feilin answered haltingly, each word heavy and deliberate, “Feilin… Galantriel.”
“Why have you and Henry come here?” the question echoed like a pebble thrown into a still pond.
With every question and its subsequent response, Feilin, as if compelled by an unseen force, laid bare all she knew, her revelations tumbling forth with uncanny candor.
From her account, a part of the reason she and Henry ventured to Pat Manor was indeed due to sensing an energy fluctuation. However, the anomalies at Pat Mansion weren’t their discovery, but were brought to their attention by another. It’s as if they were beckoned, lured even, to this place not entirely of their own volition.
And this persuasive entity, the puppeteer behind the scenes, went by a name that shone with a lustrous sheen: Gold.
Chapter 1292 The Puppeteer Behind the Scenes <TOC> Chapter 1294 Conia