The sky was shrouded in dark clouds, devouring the last remnants of the sunset.
Above the island, one after another, magical tornadoes of chaotic energy appeared. Everything in their path was reduced to nothingness, and all life was obliterated.
Bolts of lightning, like blades tearing through the sky, darted through the dense clouds, accompanied by deafening roars.
The ground trembled violently. The native structures on Golden Island swayed precariously, roads cracked open with bottomless fissures, and the earth shook as if it might collapse at any moment.
Storefronts were shattered by theKuangFeng, goods scattered everywhere, magical lamps flickered dimly, and shop signs swayed dangerously in the storm.
Trees were uprooted like kites with their strings cut, fragments and dust filled the air, and the world seemed to have become a vast battlefield.
In this catastrophe, the faces of the people on Golden Island were blurred by the rain, but the fear and despair in their eyes burned like wildfire.
And this was the result of Dorothy's desperate efforts to maintain control.
The island had already begun to sink slowly into the sea.
Even the merfolk who attempted to escape using their extraordinary powers were swept into the chaotic magical currents.
The Baroness, who had escaped to the sea, looked back at the apocalyptic scene, feeling both relieved and terrified. Had she delayed even a moment longer, she might have perished on the island.
The magnitude of the magical fluctuations was so great that it was unlikely anyone on the island had survived, and the effects even reached the creatures beneath the waves.
The sacred imperial fleet, which had withdrawn in advance, also watched as Golden Island sank.
After receiving news from Fia, Count Holl led the fleet in a direct retreat, sailing away from the island at full speed.
People stood on the deck, gazing at the distant island as it gradually submerged and the magical chaos swirling above it. Their hearts were filled with awe and disbelief.
"What happened?"
"We're lucky we set sail."
"It's like a divine punishment."
"We owe our lives to Fia, the great priestess. Otherwise, we might all have died on the island."
The guards discussed among themselves, attributing their salvation to Fia.
Fia, standing on the deck, looked grave. She had no idea if Leon could resolve this crisis. If he failed, the empire would lose two geniuses.
Count Holl was equally worried. Although Fia had not told him about Dorothy's loss of control, he knew that neither Leon nor Dorothy were on the Blue Whale. That fact alone was ominous.
Parker, furious and filled with self-loathing, pounded his fist against the mast of the Blue Whale. "It's all my fault. If I had listened and boarded the island, my brother wouldn't be in danger. I'm to blame."
The apocalyptic scene terrified Parker, who feared for Leon's life and loathed his own helplessness. As a three-star knight, he could only flee in the face of such power.
His legs still trembled at the memory of the overwhelming magical might that had left everyone in awe.
"Parker, it's my fault. I didn't listen to advice and brought you along. If not for Leon, we'd all be dead. We owe Leon a life."
Ivan said sorrowfully.
"Yes, we owe our lives to Leon. Without him, we'd have died at the hands of those damned merfolk."
"Leon stayed on the island to save us."
The surviving nobles echoed in agreement. Before, they had approached Leon out of self-interest, but now they regarded him as their savior and began calling him "Big Brother Leon."
They were unaware that Dorothy was also on the island, as parts of their memories were missing due to the hypnosis.
Otherwise, they might have been so moved and filled with regret that they would have chosen to end their own lives.
Golden Island, faced with the uncontrolled magic, was like a fragile cake, easily shattered and sinking into the vast ocean.
The crowd watched as a once-thriving island was reduced to nothing in mere minutes, becoming just another legend of the sea. This left their hearts heavy and unsettled.
Tina and Mathilda, standing on either side of Count Holl, also looked grave. They noticed the unusual expression on his face.
"Tina, you're temporarily in command of the Blue Whale and the fleet. I need to check on something."
Count Holl couldn't shake his concern for Dorothy.
"Yes, Count."
Tina and Mathilda knew they couldn't influence Count Holl's decisions and could only obey.
Fia didn't stop him, though she wanted to accompany him. The Count, however, refused her offer.
Count Holl boarded a small boat and returned to Golden Island.
The boat moved swiftly, cutting through the water and leaving a white trail in its wake.
As the boat approached the magical remnants around the island, it was instantly destroyed, leaving only splintered wood.
Count Holl leaped into the water.
The sea turned red with blood, attracting many sea monsters.
However, the magical chaos still lingered, annihilating even D-level sea creatures that dared to enter.
C-level creatures managed to breach the area but were soon confronted by Count Holl, who was consumed by rage.
Fearing his daughter might have been devoured by these beasts, he slaughtered every sea creature, ripping them open to search for any sign of her.
As time passed, the sea creatures avoided him, sensing the aura of death emanating from him.
Count Holl's search yielded only the mutilated remains of merfolk, leaving him deeply uneasy.
On the Blue Whale, the atmosphere was heavy with tension.
"We shouldn't have let the Count go back. If something happens to him, do we continue to the Azure Dragon Court or return to the empire?"
Mathilda asked.
Tina's silver hair danced in the wind as she glanced coldly at Mathilda. "You'll wait for the Count's return and face his judgment."
Mathilda frowned, knowing he bore responsibility for the events. He could have stopped the nobles from disembarking but had turned a blind eye.
The night sky was pitch-black, and the sea was calm. The Blue Whale, along with over a hundred ships, shone brightly like floating stars.
The flickering lights of the ships cast a warm glow, and the sea breeze carried the sound of waves gently lapping against the hull.
The rhythmic pounding of the waves against the ship created a soothing melody, like the sea's lullaby.
The Blue Whale's lights were the brightest, resembling the vibrant life of a small city.
From the ship's deck, the lights outlined the silhouettes of the vessels, where people stood in silence, gazing in the direction of the now-vanished Golden Island.
Their expressions were somber, their hearts heavy with the events they had witnessed.
Finally, Count Holl's tall, blood-soaked figure appeared on the deck.
He looked like a warrior who had emerged from hell, his presence striking fear into the hearts of all who saw him.
"Count, you're back."
Tina's eyes flickered with joy. Though she had many admirers, her true love was Count Holl. Seeing him return safe filled her with more relief than anyone else.
Count Holl carried Leon on his shoulder and held Dorothy in his arms. Their faces were obscured by blood, though the sea had washed away some of the gore.
"Return to your posts."
At his command, the crew dispersed, leaving only Tina, Mathilda, Fia, Parker, and the others.
Parker, Ruben, Ivan, and the others were shocked to see Dorothy, recognizing her even through the blood covering her face.
Parker rushed to Count Holl. "Let me take care of my brother."
Count Holl nodded and handed Leon over to Parker before taking Dorothy below deck.
Ruben and the others wanted to follow but hesitated, instead staying with Parker as he carried Leon to his quarters.
Fia, seeing that Leon and Dorothy were safe, also prepared to rest.
"Fia."
"Elizabeth?"
Fia turned to see Elizabeth.
"The Archbishop wants to see you."
"Understood."
Fia replied indifferently and followed Elizabeth to meet Archbishop Isaac Taylor.
Leon awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of snoring. He smelled something unfamiliar in the air, and his brow furrowed slightly.
Opening his eyes, he saw Nina Owen.
"Nina, what's going on here?"
Leon's gaze fell on the nobles scattered across the room. The cramped quarters were filled with young aristocrats.
Parker even slept with his head on the edge of his bed.
"I'm sorry. They insisted on staying to care for you. I allowed it because they are your devoted followers."
Nina explained.
Devoted followers?
Leon rubbed his brow, confused. His memories were still hazy, stopping at the point when he and Dorothy were clearing the chaotic magical terms.
He had to admit that the legendary witch's terms were incredibly difficult to clear.
The pain had been so intense that both he and Dorothy had lost consciousness and likely fallen into the sea.
Fortunately, they had succeeded in clearing the terms. Otherwise, they would have likely been devoured by the merfolk.
The pain of clearing the terms still lingered, a harsh reminder of their ordeal.
In reality, they were indeed swallowed by a giant sea monster. If it weren't for Count Holbert killing 66 C-level sea monsters, they might have truly perished.
By clearing the out-of-control entries of Dorothy, Leon obtained 12,000 points (totaling 8,930,600 points).
The fact that he gained such a high number of points in one go was enough to show that Dorothy's loss of control had surpassed the harm caused by other witches' loss of control.
Upon hearing the commotion, Parker was the first to wake up. He looked at Leon with a mixture of surprise and joy.
"Brother, you're awake. That's great! We were all scared to death."
"What? Brother Leon is awake."
Ruben rubbed his eyes drowsily, leaned against Evans, and continued sleeping.
"Brother Leon is awake."
Evans pushed Ruben away, wiped the saliva Ruben had left behind with a look of disgust, and said, "Brother is awake, so why are you still sleeping?"
Ayl and Viscount Wilson were also woken up by Evans' loud voice. They all gathered around Leon's bed. "Brother, you've finally woken up. That's wonderful."
"If it weren't for Brother, we would have died this time."
"Did the others get killed? They didn't come back with us."
The four of them chattered noisily. Nina Owen gave them a cold stare. "Keep it down."
The young nobles immediately became obedient. It seemed that during Leon's coma, she had already disciplined this group of youngsters.
"I'm fine. You should all go back and rest."
"But we haven't properly thanked you yet, Brother."
Ruben looked at Leon excitedly. He wanted to ask about Dorothy, but Leon didn't seem willing to say much.
"Go back. Brother told us to, so let's go. We'll visit Brother again tomorrow."
Evans said.
He was actually older than Leon, but calling him "Brother" felt natural.
"Let's go, let's go."
The group bid farewell to Leon and left, with only Parker remaining in the room.
"Parker, do you have something to say?"
Leon looked at him, confused.
"Brother, this is all my fault. I should have listened to you earlier. I shouldn't have snuck onto the Blue Whale or gone to Golden Island. I shouldn't have wanted to go on the expedition."
Parker lowered his head, speaking in a tearful tone.
This time, he truly realized his mistakes. Before, Leon had always said that the Three Star Knights were nothing, and although he didn't argue back, he had always felt that he was already very capable. That was until he was kidnapped by the merfolk and found himself completely helpless, even being locked up in a cage like an animal.
Although Parker didn't remember what happened afterward, he knew that without Leon, he would have died, just like the other nobles.
This experience taught him a deep lesson and severely bruised his pride and confidence.
Leon looked at his defeated younger brother and patted him on the shoulder.
"Parker, it's good that you know your mistakes. Don't be so stubborn in the future. Grandfather isn't here to take care of us, so we have to take care of ourselves. I know you didn't want to go to the island on your own. It's just that your friends went, and you were worried about their safety, so you followed."
This was indeed the case. Parker had tried to persuade Ruben and the others, but they wouldn't listen. They insisted on going to the island, and Parker, as the only one among his friends with superhuman abilities, felt he couldn't abandon them, so he followed.
"I'm sorry, Brother. I—"
Parker bit his lip, his eyes turning red as tears fell involuntarily.
He thought Leon would definitely not understand him, but now he realized he was wrong.
Leon didn't blame him at all. Instead, he comforted him like a true older brother.
Parker felt extremely wronged and also afraid. He had just experienced life and death, and the despair of being powerless.
Nina Owen chose to temporarily withdraw. She hated seeing men cry, even if it was a 14-year-old boy.
Parker knelt by Leon's bed, crying like a child.
Leon rubbed his head. "You're over two meters tall. Don't act like a child in front of your brother. Wipe your tears and scram. Don't disturb my rest."
Parker didn't get angry at Leon's scolding. Instead, he felt an indescribable joy.
He wiped his eyes, stood up, and said, "Brother, I'll leave. If you need anything, just call me."
"Scram."
Parker smiled as he walked to the door, then turned around and looked at Leon longingly. "I'll just be outside."
"You don't need to. Go back to your room and rest."
Defeated, Parker could only sulkily return to his own room. He now obeyed Leon's orders 100%, not daring to disobey him in the slightest.
"Nina, call Phoebe over."
Leon was now extremely weak and needed to replenish his blood.
Since Dorothy was probably being taken care of by Count Holbert, he could only choose another Silver Devotee.
"Master, I can also offer my blood."
Nina Owen volunteered to be Leon's blood donor, but Leon had a phobia.
The thought of Nina Owen being a woman in her fifties, formerly an old man who liked to throw parties for himself, made Leon unable to accept it.
Seeing Leon's disgusted gaze, Nina Owen felt malice from the Progenitor for the first time.
Her heart churned once again.
She was clearly the protagonist of the world, so why was she being rejected?!
Well, even if she was being disliked by the Progenitor, it was still an honor.
After comforting herself, Nina Owen left Leon's room to find Phoebe.
Not long after, she returned to Leon's side.
"Master, High Priest Phoebe has been taken by Archbishop Isaac Taylor for a meeting and hasn't returned yet."
"En."
Leon responded faintly, lying in bed and deciding to rest to alleviate his physical fatigue.
Unfortunately, this fatigue had put him in an extreme state of bloodlust, his eyes turning bloodshot.
Nina Owen saw his condition and felt a bit worried.
"Master, I'll go catch a few people to replenish your blood."
As a bloodthirsty assassin herself, Nina Owen naturally understood the feeling of bloodlust. At times like this, it was easy to bite through the target's neck.
She didn't want to be bitten by the future Evil God, so helping him find ordinary people was the best solution.
"It's not necessary. You can go."
Leon said.
With the "Desire Control" entry, he could completely overcome his physical needs. It was just extremely tormenting.
At times like this, he could only comfort himself by thinking about the gains from this Golden Island expedition.
First, he had obtained the "Canvas," the blessing originally meant for Lucy. The ability of the canvas was extraordinary. Although the mermaid Baya depicted on it only had the power of an ordinary witch, that was limited by Lucy's imagination. If he could draw something that surpassed the existence of this era, what would happen?
Second, he had obtained eight mermaid crystals. These crystals were likely the materials for creating artificial witches. Apart from creating witches, he wasn't sure if they had other uses, but they were undoubtedly priceless. Even if sold on the black market, they could fetch a good price.
Third, he had gained valuable information.
Firstly, the merfolk liked to disguise themselves as ugly mermen on the surface of the water. Most merfolk possessed the ability to transform, and to take human form, they had to "eat humans."
Secondly, there would be events like the one hosted by Lucy, the "Feast of the Sea," held once every six months, inviting merfolk who enjoyed eating humans.
Thirdly, the Frank family had been secretly trading with the merfolk nobles underground. The higher-ups of the Church must also be involved. All the Church's witches and the Guardian Bureau's witches came from ordinary people, not chosen by the gods.
Perhaps witches were indeed created by the gods to reclaim the power of the fallen angels, but those were the original witches, not the artificial ones.
Original witches were extremely rare, and Leon only knew Dorothy.
Lastly, killing mermen would result in being marked by them, making one a target of pursuit at sea.
In connection with this, Leon checked his own entries. The "Bounty Hunter of the Merfolk" entry had been cleared.
Clearing this red entry had required almost no effort, and the points gained were only 200.
Dorothy and Phoebe's "Bounty Hunter of the Merfolk" entries also needed to be cleared as soon as possible. Otherwise, the Blue Whale would definitely be targeted by the merfolk sirens.
Golden Island was so dangerous. Did Count Holbert, as a Seven Star Order Knight, really not know about it?
Why would he choose to resupply here?
Was he also involved in the transactions with the merfolk? Did he go to sea not just to expedition against the Azure Dragon's Court but also to complete other secret tasks?
No, the Frank family wouldn't entrust such matters to people outside their Order family unless this secret wasn't a secret among the high-ranking members of the Order families.
If that possibility was ruled out, there was another possibility.
Tina had previously saved a mermaid on Golden Island and thus obtained the "Mermaid's Blessing," although this blessing was no different from a curse. She had gained the ability to hypnotize, and she wasn't a witch but a knight.
Knights could possess superhuman abilities beyond martial skills, which was tempting for many.
Count Holbert was leading the expedition to the Azure Dragon's Court to strengthen his army's power. To enhance their strength, he intentionally allowed the soldiers to rest on this dangerous island, essentially letting them encounter the mermaids and gain their superhuman abilities.
So, the military turned a blind eye, allowing humans to be taken. It was another form of trade between humans and merfolk.
Here is the translation of the provided Chinese text into English, maintaining the original structure and ensuring natural and contextually appropriate language:
---
Li En didn’t expect that this time, all the captives were nobles, and he happened to stay at that special inn and rescued a group of them.
Verifying this guess was simple. All he needed to do was check the military records the next day to see if there were any new entries of the "Mermaid's Blessing."
"Forget it, I won’t think about it anymore."
Li En sat up abruptly, got dressed, and went to the captain's quarters. Through the porthole, he saw that Peachley was already awake and cuddling with her father. Feeling reassured, he left.
Although Earl Hol seemed furious, he wouldn’t dare punish Peachley.
He put on his invisibility cloak and quietly made his way to the door of Isaac Taylor’s quarters.
From the breathing and heartbeats, there were at least ten people inside the room.
Besides the archbishop and Fia, there were probably eight other priests.
"Fia, as a priest, don’t you know the principle that one must not harm mermaids or sea witches at sea?" Isaac Taylor questioned coldly.
"I’m sorry, but I had no choice. I had to act to protect myself."
Fia replied.
"Why didn’t you ask us for help?" Isaac Taylor asked, though he already knew the answer.
He was angry because Fia wasn’t obedient. On the Blue Whale, aside from Fia, almost no other priests would actively approach Li En.
Isaac Taylor disliked Li En, but he had no way to deal with the young noble from the Sirente family. So, he could only take it out on Fia.
And Fia had given him a perfect excuse.
While all the priests were on the Blue Whale, she had gone to the Golden Isles with Li En and Peachley.
Even though the information Fia brought back saved the entire Holy Empire fleet, Isaac Taylor still believed Fia needed to be disciplined.
"At that time, even if you, Archbishop Taylor, had gone, I believe nothing would have changed," Fia said honestly.
This was tantamount to saying that Isaac Taylor didn’t have the ability to rescue her.
The priests whispered among themselves, discussing Fia’s audacity.
Even Elizabeth, the high priestess, slightly furrowed her brows. She hoped Fia could be more tactful, but Fia clearly wouldn’t learn such social skills.
"Regardless, Fia is back, and she brought important information. Archbishop, I think—"
Elizabeth tried to plead for Fia, but was interrupted by Isaac Taylor before she could finish.
"Elizabeth, leave. This doesn’t concern you."
"Yes, Archbishop."
Elizabeth glanced at Fia with concern before leaving. Though their relationship was only that of colleagues, Elizabeth sometimes envied Fia. She was braver than herself.
Isaac Taylor’s gaze returned to Fia.
"Did you use the Saint Raymond Purification Array?"
"Yes, Archbishop."
Fia’s expression remained calm.
"Alone?"
Isaac Taylor pressed on.
Fia didn’t respond.
"It seems you leaked the Saint Raymond Purification Array to Li En Molya and Peachley Hol, violating the Church’s laws. This is enough to send you to the trial court."
Isaac Taylor’s eyebrows rose slightly, having finally found a legitimate reason to punish Fia.
According to the Church’s laws, the archbishop had the authority to privately deal with violators outside the country’s borders.
"The third section of the Church’s Code, Article 31, states that S-level Church arrays must not be revealed to anyone outside the Church," Fia said slowly.
"Correct. It seems you still remember the law."
Isaac Taylor nodded slightly, acknowledging Fia.
Fia continued, "But Article 31’s supplementary provisions state that if it’s a priest candidate or a special believer, it can be an exception."
"Peachley Hol is a priest candidate, but what about Li En Molya? He’s just a Silver Believer, without the authority to know the Saint Raymond Purification Array," an elderly priest said on behalf of Isaac Taylor.
Fia didn’t respond, but her expression said everything.
The seven priests and Isaac Taylor revealed looks of shock.
"Could it be that Li En Molya has become a Special Believer? How is that possible?"
"This is impossible! There’s no way there’s an 18-year-old Special Believer!"
"Fia, you must take responsibility for your words."
The priests buzzed with discussion, even their faith wavering slightly.
"Enough."
Isaac Taylor silenced them, his expression stern as he looked at Fia.
"Don’t fabricate ridiculous lies to escape punishment."
"Archbishop, I haven’t said anything. It’s you who’s guessing. But I can tell you, your guesses are correct. Li En Molya has indeed become a Special Believer and has gained divinity. If he wishes to enter the Church, his status would already surpass mine, and soon, even surpass yours."
As Fia finished speaking, Elizabeth, who had been listening by the door, froze completely.
She had never imagined Li En’s talent could be so extraordinary. He was already a Special Believer at his age, a speed that could allow him to catch up to the Pope in just a few years.
"My God, Li En Molya is so formidable."
Elizabeth muttered to herself, covering her mouth and glancing around nervously. Fortunately, no one was nearby.
She didn’t know that the Li En she was praising was standing not far behind her, hidden under his invisibility cloak.
"I suddenly regret being distant from him all this time. If he becomes the Pope, he won’t make things difficult for me, will he?"
Elizabeth was deeply worried. In her mind, Li En was already the most suitable candidate for the papacy.
After all, he had become a Special Believer at just 18 years old.
Li En’s mouth twitched at Elizabeth’s thoughts. Did he seem like someone so petty and vengeful?
"It’s impossible!"
Isaac Taylor stood up from his seat, his eyes cold with murderous intent as he approached Fia.
"Do you dare swear before God that everything you said is true?"
"I dare swear before God that Li En Molya has indeed become a Special Believer."
This statement caused everyone in the room to gasp.
They were all staunch supporters of the Pope and against the rise of a wild genius.
They had witnessed the rise of a wild prodigy—no, this couldn’t be called a prodigy anymore, only a monster.
They had seen a wild monster rise, a feeling that was truly unbearable, like having ants crawling on their skin.
"If that’s the case, then Fia has not violated the law," a priest said, beginning to waver and side with Fia.
But the others still followed Isaac Taylor’s lead, awaiting his decision.
Isaac Taylor, on the other hand, was still immersed in the overwhelming shadow of Li En’s rapid rise.
In fact, Isaac Taylor had only recently become a Special Believer himself. His talent was already exceptional within the Taylor family and even within the entire Church.
But compared to Li En, his talent was negligible, a blow to his long-held pride.
"Could he truly be the chosen one of God?"
Isaac Taylor sat back down, his expression heavy, almost oblivious to the discussions around him.
"It’s impossible. The Pope is the one closest to God."
He muttered to himself, composing his emotions.
"Regardless, Fia, you violated the rules by killing mermaids at sea. You must be punished. Give her a ship and let her return on her own."
Isaac Taylor’s decision was almost a death sentence for Fia. A high priest marked by mermaids, drifting alone at sea, was nothing more than a living target.
Elizabeth covered her mouth, unable to believe what she had heard.
Though she wanted to plead for Fia, she knew her words would carry no weight before Isaac Taylor.
On the Blue Whale, or in this sea region, Isaac Taylor was the highest authority of the Church. He had the power to arrange any priest, even Earl Hol couldn’t influence his decisions.
"Damn it."
Elizabeth clenched her fists.
"I understand."
Fia wasn’t dissatisfied with the outcome. She knew she had been marked by the mermaids, and leaving the Holy Empire’s fleet as soon as possible was also a sign of loyalty to the Empire.
Seeing Fia’s calm expression, Isaac Taylor and the priests felt even more displeased.
They had wanted to see Fia beg for mercy, to see her ugly face as she pleaded for her life. But instead, they could only watch as Fia left with dignity.
Fia pushed open the door and saw Elizabeth, who looked apologetic.
"I’m sorry."
"I couldn’t do anything to help you."
"It’s fine, Elizabeth. Thank you for your kindness."
Fia smiled faintly and passed by Elizabeth.
Elizabeth paused, her long hair falling down and blocking her view.
"It seems we need to make another deal."
A familiar voice sounded in Fia’s ear.
Fia turned back in surprise but saw no one.
She returned to the room, intentionally lingering for a moment before closing the door.
---
This translation maintains the original structure, tone, and context of the Chinese text while ensuring natural English expression.
Li En removed his invisibility cloak and appeared before her.
"Now that you're the president, Fia said I must obey you unconditionally, so there's no need for a trade," Fia said indifferently.
"Hey, this is kind of embarrassing. It makes me look like I'm taking advantage of you."
Li En leaned closer to Fia, lowered his head, and sniffed her scent. "Perhaps you should take a shower first."
"Perhaps you should find somewhere else to bite."
Since returning to the Blue Whale, Fia hadn't had a chance to shower. The smell of seawater and blood still lingered on her, making her scent somewhat fishy overall.
She extended her hand to Li En.
Li En didn't hesitate at this point about whether to bite her neck or her hand; he was already quite composed.
He hadn't bitten Elizabeth because he was afraid of exposing the secret, even though many people already knew it. It wasn't until Fia's face turned pale that Li En released his bite and cast a high-level healing spell on her, restoring her condition.
"Thank you, I feel much better," Li En said.
"I should go back. It's not because of the church, but simply because my curiosity has brought trouble to all of you. It might even get many people killed."
Fia said this somewhat self-deprecatingly.
"You're actually being self-deprecating?" Li En looked at Fia in surprise. "This makes me wonder if you've grown a heart."
"I already have one," Fia weakly retorted.
"Alright, don't be discouraged. Thanks to you, I've gained quite a few benefits."
Li En licked his lips.
After losing his sense of taste, he could no longer savor the deliciousness of the silver cultists' blood. But his physical strength had been restored, which was a tangible gain.
"If you want to go back, at least let me clear the 'Mermaid Purge' entry for you."
Fia wasn't resigned to her fate; she just understood herself too well and didn't want to bring more trouble to the fleet. However, she didn't want to die either.
After clearing the entry for Fia, Li En smiled and said, "I'll have Uncle Hall assign two knights to guard you. You can return and research the mermaid crystal first. I'll wait for your good news."
"Alright, President."
"I still prefer it when you call me Li En."
"Alright, President."
Li En left Fia's room, put on his cloak, and prepared to return to his own quarters. As he walked down the corridor, he saw Tina and Medea. They seemed to have been summoned by Count Hall and were heading toward the captain's quarters.
Out of curiosity, Li En followed them. As soon as he entered the captain's quarters, Count Hall called out to him.
"Li En, since you're here, you might as well listen in."
"Sorry, Uncle Hall."
Li En removed the hood of his cloak, revealing his head.
Tina and Medea looked at Li En in surprise, though their mental fortitude was strong enough not to be startled.
Dorothy winked at Li En; her condition was excellent. Through the magic she transmitted, Li En could sense that Dorothy had grown stronger. It seemed that even the original witch could become stronger by clearing out of control entries.
Li En had learned some new knowledge.
"Medea, how many nobles died in total?" Count Hall asked.
"A total of 32 people," Medea replied, bowing her head. "After the expedition ends, I will voluntarily surrender to the military court."
"Medea, I know this was the Emperor's order, and I won't blame you. But this must not happen again. At sea, you must obey only me."
Count Hall looked at Medea with a sharp gaze. Medea straightened her body and saluted.
"Yes, Count."
"Tina, how many people have obtained the 'Mermaid's Blessing'?"
Count Hall looked at Tina, who bowed.
"Only 76 people have obtained the 'Mermaid's Blessing' due to the short time," Tina replied, elegantly adjusting her silver hair.
Tina's words confirmed Li En's earlier speculation. The reason Count Hall had the fleet resupply here was to allow more ordinary soldiers to gain the 'Hypnosis' ability.
To be precise, not ordinary soldiers, but knights. Having 76 knights who had acquired the 'Hypnosis' ability was already good news for the army on the battlefield.
This also indicated that Count Hall, or the higher-ups in the military, had already mastered the method to obtain the mermaid's blessing: "Use magic stones to accelerate the process. Reduce the time spent in the Court of the Azure Dragon from two months to half a month."
Count Hall gave the order.
"Yes!"
Although Tina was somewhat surprised, she would choose to unconditionally obey Count Hall's orders.
The fleet had not used magic stones to accelerate progress before because if a giant sea monster attacked during the acceleration process, it would disrupt the process, and attempting to accelerate again would consume more magic stones.
But this time, Count Hall had killed so many C-level sea monsters in one go that he believed there would no longer be any new C-level monsters attacking the fleet.
There was another reason: Dorothy had been marked by the merfolk. Since they couldn't let Dorothy risk returning alone, they had to accelerate their journey to the Court of the Azure Dragon.
The Court of the Azure Dragon was not within the territory of the merfolk and sea witches.
Additionally, the resupply on Golden Island had not been completed. If they followed the original route and schedule, it would undoubtedly increase food consumption.
