Chapter 263: “Door Knocking”
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.com
Morris left with a peculiar expression, clutching an antique artillery shell. Duncan, standing behind the counter, watched his departure with a satisfied grin.
“You really gave Mr. Morris that artillery shell,” Alice whispered to herself.
“Actually, he handed the artillery shell to Mr. Morris…” Nina mumbled similarly.
“I’m not fond of artillery shells,” Alice murmured, “not at all.”
“Why not?” Nina asked, curious.
“Because the captain once gifted me eight artillery shells,” Alice replied with a serious tone.
“Enough with the complaints,” Duncan interjected. He looked at the disgruntled Alice and the obviously intrigued Nina beside her, “Where’s Shirley?”
“She mentioned feeling dizzy and nauseous from memorizing the alphabet, so she stepped outside for fresh air,” Nina said, sticking out her tongue. “But I bet she’s already on her way to the next block.”
“Figures,” Duncan sighed, “Considering Shirley’s background and refinement, it’s impressive she manages not to curse in my presence every day.”
Sighing, he turned his head to look out the window. Through the transparent display, the familiar and peaceful streets of Pland came into view.
The streets were bustling with people, and the townsfolk were busy with their daily activities. Nothing unusual had occurred in the lower city today—the brief glitch of Vision 001, the nearly imperceptible flaw on the solar rune ring, the long-abandoned deep-dive mission in the distant north, and the enigmatic symbol left by the ancient Crete kingdom—all seemed distant from this sunlit neighborhood.
He squinted for a moment and, after some time, murmured to himself, “As I thought, Tyrian left early…”
…
At the city-state’s southeastern port, the colossal steel warship Sea Mist was preparing to depart.
The ship, which had sustained significant damage from the Vanished, had undergone several days of “self-healing” and was now more than half restored. The numerous gashes and fissures on its armor belt and deck had fully mended, leaving no trace of damage. The undying sailors busied themselves between the pier and the warship, loading provisions and parting gifts generously offered by Pland.
“We didn’t expect you to leave so soon,” Vanna said, arriving to bid the captain farewell after hearing the news, “The Archbishop had arranged for the Sea Mist to stay as a guest for at least a fortnight.”
“Honestly, I thought I’d be here for a while too, but unexpected issues came up,” Tyrian rubbed his forehead lightly, “There’s a situation in the north that needs my attention.”
Though this seemed like a mere excuse, Vanna had no interest in probing into matters others preferred to keep private. She merely looked at Tyrian with a hint of concern, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, “Forgive my intrusion… Captain, is your face swollen?”
“Just a minor mishap, a small accident,” Tyrian quickly waved his hand, grateful that he had already undergone another day of recovery. If the inquisitor had seen him yesterday, he wouldn’t have known how to explain his head, which had swelled to a significantly larger size.
He promptly changed the subject to avoid further awkwardness: “I’ve really enjoyed my time in Pland and appreciate your gifts.”
“I’m glad you liked them,” Vanna said, smiling as she glanced up at the towering hull of the Sea Mist and the main gun turrets visible from the side. “Even though I’ve heard about it, seeing it firsthand is truly amazing… this ship actually ‘healed’ itself, and those main guns that were completely destroyed have… ‘regrown’?”
Tyrian looked back at his warship, his face glowing with pride at the newly restored guns: “The Sea Mist knows its intended appearance and constantly strives to maintain itself in peak condition. However, those few main guns aren’t quite functional at the moment. They’re still small and need several more days to grow before they can fire standard caliber shells like the other main guns.”
Vanna was taken aback, sensing something peculiar about the way Tyrian looked at his ship’s main guns and the tone of his voice, but she couldn’t pinpoint it…
Fortunately, she wasn’t one to dwell on such details.
At 3:20 in the afternoon, accompanied by a melodious horn, the towering steel warship gradually picked up speed and left the city-state.
Vanna stood on the dock, watching the warship recede into a barely discernible silhouette on the horizon, before sighing and boarding the black steam car that had been waiting nearby.
The driver glanced at the visibly tired inquisitor through the rearview mirror: “You seem worn out?”
“Handling paperwork is far more mentally exhausting than battling heretics with a sword,” Vanna replied, stretching her neck and casually reclining in the back seat. “Besides, I’ve been struggling with insomnia lately.”
The steam core rumbled, and gears and linkages sprang into motion. Listening to her superior’s complaints, the driver couldn’t help but smile: “At least the city-state has been peaceful recently—no heretics, no monsters, no unfortunate souls trapped in the night. The night guards haven’t encountered any twisted sightings in the darkness for several consecutive days… There’s always sunshine after a storm, right?”
Vanna pondered her subordinate’s comments, then slowly responded after some time, “True, the nights have been more tranquil lately than ever before. Even in the darkness that often envelops the lower city and sewers, there’s no longer any commotion.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
“…Yes, it’s a good thing,” Vanna murmured softly, adjusting her position in the seat and closing her eyes. “I’ll take a short nap; wake me when we get to the cathedral.”
“Understood.”
As her subordinate replied, Vanna already felt herself drifting into a light slumber, with the mechanical sounds of the car and the noise outside the window gradually fading away.
She was, indeed, quite exhausted, having been unable to rest well for many days.
The city-state’s order had been fully restored, and all the follow-up work was systematically nearing completion. The paperwork had been handled, and there were no issues with the reports for the cathedral or the various negotiations with city hall—behind this “smooth progress” lay days of fatigue.
After bidding farewell to the unique “visitor,” the Sea Mist, she could finally catch her breath.
At least before the Grand Storm Cathedral arrived in Pland and before meeting Pope Helena, she should have a few days to recover.
A gentle night breeze suddenly caressed her cheek, bringing with it a cool, invigorating scent and the sound of waves colliding with a ship’s hull.
Vanna’s eyes snapped open, and she found herself in an unfamiliar room.
Her surroundings included elegant, classical furniture, intricate tapestries from the previous century adorning the walls, dark-hued shelves and wine cabinets tucked in the corners, a thick woven carpet occupying the room’s center, and a carved coffee table and chairs atop the carpet. At that moment, she was seated in one of those chairs.
Vanna abruptly stood, assuming a defensive posture like a cautious animal, ready for anything around her.
The next instant, she spotted a window nearby—the window was wide open, and though it had been daylight when she dozed off, the scene beyond the opening was now enveloped in darkness. A chilly night wind blew into the room through the window, casting a cold, luminous glow over the windowsill. Within the glow, she could faintly discern the rolling sea in the distance and the glimmers of light upon the water that resembled liquid silver.
Vanna’s gaze was involuntarily drawn to this scene, and then, as if she had made a sudden realization, she rushed to the window and peered up at the sky outside.
An… incomprehensible entity appeared there.
It was a glowing, circular object reminiscent of the sun’s core, yet it was neither blinding nor searing. Instead, it resembled a radiant disc with a cool sensation, silently hovering in the sky while exuding a tranquil and serene aura.
Vanna gazed blankly at the peculiar light, and for a moment, she felt as though her thoughts had been lulled into a serene state by the radiance. After an indeterminate amount of time, she pondered sluggishly:
“What is that?”
“Could it be the cooled sun?”
“Where did the fissure in the night sky vanish to?”
“Where is this place?”
Then she glanced back at the unfamiliar room.
The exterior was a rolling sea, the room was strange, the sky beyond the window was eerie, and the bizarre celestial body… Given her recent experiences, the answer didn’t seem difficult to deduce.
But this occasion appeared different from the others; this time… she didn’t encounter that horrifying ghost captain.
Vanna thought as much, but as if to contradict her thoughts, the next moment, she suddenly sensed a presence drawing near.
“Knock, knock, knock.” Someone rapped on the door.
He didn’t forget to knock this time ?
?
I am the one who knocks
-A Polite Person
Duncan said he will knock the door the next time he meets her. Lol.
So, the Earth’s moon, then? I guess it would be an amazing sight for someone who’s never truly seen a celestial body.
did he really just perhaps corrupt her with the image from a past forgotten? that’s a bit much MC! she might actually go insane, just due to the weird contrast, even if no supernatural stuff is involved and he shields her.