Chapter 164: Call No Answer

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Alice departed, exuding a joy and energy that suggested her happiness would endure for days. In contrast, Duncan stood alone on the ship’s deck, his eyes fixed on a wooden box inscribed with “Nilu.”

Meanwhile, Duncan was also operating another “avatar” in Pland. After leaving the bustling upper district, this avatar was riding a bicycle back to an old antique store. Before leaving a doll shop, Duncan’s avatar had a detailed conversation with its elderly owner about two individuals, Lucretia and Tyrian. Unfortunately, this conversation yielded little new information for Duncan.

The elderly shopkeeper explained that she was merely an average citizen. Despite outliving many of her peers and witnessing numerous historical events, her understanding was limited. She only had fleeting interactions and second-hand stories about Lucretia and Tyrian, both of whom had connections to Duncan.

Onboard the Vanished, Duncan was deep in thought.

He realized that the body he currently inhabited had descendants — specifically, two children who were alive and active in this world. But these were no ordinary children. One had served the powerful the Frost Queen and risen to prominence as a formidable pirate leader in the frigid waters. The other frequently traveled to the fringes of settled regions, embarking on enigmatic journeys and was esteemed among seafaring captains as the “Sea Witch.”

This revelation of having such prominent offspring left Duncan with mixed feelings of anxiety and apprehension.

As the current captain of the Vanished, he knew the importance of maintaining this persona for now. Yet, he struggled with the uncertainty of potentially encountering these children in the future. How should he behave? Embrace them with fatherly affection or maintain a detached demeanor? Should he acknowledge them, or would it be best to act as if they were strangers?

The story shared by the elderly shopkeeper hinted at a turbulent past where the siblings had significant conflicts with their father. As a result, their ships, the “Sea Mist” and the “Bright Star,” had taken different paths from Duncan’s primary ship, the Vanished. This separation was due to an unknown family disagreement, the details of which remained a secret known only to those directly involved.

With a soft sigh, Duncan accepted one fact: the deep familial ties that once connected him with the siblings were most likely broken. Should their paths cross, a heartwarming reunion seemed unlikely.

Leaning down, Duncan carefully lifted the wooden box labeled “Nilu.” Inside its velvet-lined interior was a miniature doll, no more than a few inches in height. This doll, crafted a century earlier, was now an added “crew member” of the Vanished.

Unanswered questions lingered: Was there a genuine link between this doll and Lucretia? And did Lucretia still have the doll named “Luni,” which she acquired a hundred years ago?

When Duncan first acquired Nilu, he hadn’t thought much of it. But now, holding the intricately designed wooden box, a flood of emotions and questions filled his mind. With the box in hand, he walked towards the captain’s private chamber on the ship.

As he walked, he noticed the peculiar goat head diligently manning the helm, as usual. However, the moment Duncan entered the chamber, the creature’s incessant chattering began, “Ah, Captain! How splendid to see you return to your quarters! I noticed you’ve brought quite a haul from the city-state. We, your ever-loyal crew (and I might add, there are quite a few of us), are eagerly hoping for an upgrade in our meals. With your permission, I’d be delighted to offer some culinary guidance to Miss Alice and ensure…”

Clearly annoyed, Duncan interrupted the creature with a stern look, “Enough. I’ve had my fill of your bizarre doll concoctions. I prefer my meals not to resemble the regurgitated contents of some nightmarish entity. Now, where exactly are we, and how much longer until we reach Pland?”

Unfazed, Goathead replied cheerfully, “Captain, our course towards Pland is swift and steady. We’ve used multiple spectral boosts, almost grazing the very fabric of reality itself. By my calculations, the city-state is just ten days away. And soon, Captain, you will experience the Vanished’s true power. We will show Pland that we are not to be trifled with.”

Duncan’s piercing gaze silenced the creature momentarily. After a long pause, Goathead humbly added, “A devoted first mate, like myself, always strives to be attuned to his captain’s needs and moods.”

Duncan nodded in acknowledgment. “Very well.” Clutching the wooden box, he started towards his sleeping quarters. Midway, he paused, deep in thought. After a moment, he asked, “How do you think Tyrian and Lucretia would react upon seeing me again?”

He crafted this question carefully, aiming to gather crucial information without revealing any potential ignorance. He avoided directly asking about the siblings’ past or their interactions with the Vanished, as these questions might hint at his unfamiliarity. His query was shrewdly framed, considering his assumed identity and his existing rapport with the loquacious creature.

Caught off guard by Duncan’s inquiry, Goathead took a moment before replying cautiously, “Are you referring to… your offspring, Captain? My apologies, but you rarely mention them, so I’m unsure if it’s my place to comment on such personal matters. However, if you insist…”

The usually verbose creature seemed to struggle with its thoughts before continuing, “Based on what I know, another face-off with Tyrian seems likely, similar to the incident near Frost’s domain. He tends to favor aggressive negotiations, often involving artillery. As for Miss Lucretia, I believe she might prefer a more cautious approach, possibly keeping her distance.”

Duncan maintained his composure, but internally, he realized two startling truths.

First, he recalled a past conversation with Goathead mentioning a clash near Frost’s domain. The significant detail was that this confrontation involved Tyrian and the Vanished, a fact Duncan had initially overlooked.

Second, the creature’s immediate reaction was peculiar. It pointedly noted that Duncan rarely discussed Tyrian and Lucretia with him. This made Duncan wonder—had this creature never personally interacted with the siblings? Was its knowledge solely based on Duncan’s occasional references?

Wasn’t this very creature an original member of the Vanished’s crew?

A fleeting but sharp glint passed Duncan’s eyes, but he maintained a neutral expression. He nodded at the creature’s words and continued to his private chamber without further comment.

Once inside his bedroom, the heavy oak door shielding him from the outside world, Duncan’s whirlwind of thoughts began to calm.

He took a deep breath and carefully removed the doll “Nilu” from its wooden confines, placing it on his desk. For a long time, he simply observed the tiny figure. Overwhelmed by a sudden urge, he softly said, “Greetings, I’m Duncan.”

As expected, there was no response.

It was just a doll, devoid of life.

A light chuckle escaped Duncan’s lips, a mix of amusement and slight embarrassment. He was glad the walls of his quarters were thick enough to ensure privacy. He reached for a drawer and pulled out an exquisite item.

It was a meticulously crafted hairpin, its design reminiscent of cascading waves and delicate feathers.

Alice had found this piece during one of her explorations of the ship. The hairpin evoked an unexpected pang of nostalgia in Duncan, reminding him of the emotions tied to the original owner of his current form.

“There’s a possibility this belonged to Lucretia,” Duncan whispered. “Could it have been a gift that was never given? Or perhaps the lone relic she left aboard the Vanished?”

Duncan held the hairpin gently, allowing the sunlight streaming through his window to dance across its surface.

With a gentle gesture, a verdant flame sprung from Duncan’s fingers, swiftly engulfing both the hairpin and the doll “Nilu.”

Focusing intently, Duncan tried to sense any latent supernatural energy within these items or any subtle connection that might lead him to deeper truths.

To his dismay, the vibrant flames gradually dimmed, and neither “Nilu” nor the hairpin showed any supernatural response.

Could these artifacts be mundane and devoid of magical resonance? Or was Lucretia’s distant location, on the fringes of the known world, weakening the latent “bond” in these objects so much that even Duncan’s ethereal flame couldn’t detect it?

A puzzled expression crossed Duncan’s face as he summoned the ghostly flame once more. Driven by a feeling he couldn’t quite explain, he called out to the void, “Lucretia… Lucy?”

Hoping to forge a deeper connection, Duncan used Lucretia’s affectionate nickname, thinking it might elicit a more profound response than her formal name.

Yet, silence reigned.

After what felt like an eternity of hopeful anticipation, Duncan’s heart sank, and with a hint of sorrow, he extinguished the ethereal flame.

Simultaneously, in a distant land at the edge of the Eternal Veil, a meticulously crafted clockwork doll named “Luni” froze while dusting a table.

Luni was no ordinary doll. Over the years, Lucretia’s persistent and innovative modifications had transformed this once simple toy into a sophisticated “alchemical being,” a marvel of “mechanical ingenuity.” Suddenly, an eerie, high-pitched sound of gears grinding against each other resonated from within her, accompanied by metallic squeaks and groans.

The ornate winding key in Luni’s back unexpectedly detached, clattering to the floor. Her arm, reinforced with a unique alloy blend, went slack, and an unsettling wisp of azure smoke began to waft from a crack in her pristine, maid-like exterior…

For those that just want to support me, you can follow the link to paypal donating. Sadly you won’t be able to get the benefit of reading ahead 

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