The rosy dawn cast a golden hue over the sea, tinting the *Dawn's Hope* with a faint, shimmering gold.
Paula held Lee En's hand as they toured the new ship. The hull of the *Dawn's Hope* was crafted from the finest yew wood, sturdy yet flexible, capable of withstanding any tempest. Three massive masts soared into the clouds, their sails full and billowing like the wings of an eagle ready to take flight.
On the deck, a row of iron-framed portholes resembled the determined and majestic eyes of soldiers. At the bow, a carved sea beast bared its teeth, its lifelike form seeming as though it might leap into the water at any moment to wrestle with the waves. Most striking, however, were the ten large-caliber turrets.
The ship's hull was adorned with intricate patterns, colorful lines intertwining in a dazzling display. Even a scene of Lee En battling a gigantic octopus was depicted, revealing the quartermaster's meticulous attention to detail.
Soldiers of the *Dawn Knights* moved through the complex corridors and cabins, their faces filled with satisfaction and excitement. Upon seeing Lee En and Paula, they greeted them with polite salutes.
"Lord Lee En! Lady Paula!"
At noon, Pak and Ruben, among others, took a break from training to visit Lee En on the *Dawn's Hope*, eager to tour the new warship.
"Brother Lee En, this ship is incredible," Ruben remarked.
"And these turrets—truly a dream come true," Evans said excitedly.
He noticed Paula standing beside Lee En but didn't overthink it. Exceptional people often gather together, he thought. Perhaps they were just ordinary friends.
Evans could only console himself with that notion.
"Big brother, we want to join your *Dawn Knights* too," Ayr said, clenching his fists. His motivation, however, was mainly to escape the harsh training of the elderly woman.
Lee En turned to Pak. "What do you think?"
Pak lowered his head, remaining silent. He had no desire to follow Lee En or be constantly protected by his brother, just as he had always been shielded by his uncles and knew nothing of the horrors of monsters.
Lee En understood his answer and patted him on the shoulder. "Since this is your choice, I'll respect it. Everyone, please take care of my younger brother."
With these words, Lee En effectively declined the requests of Evans, Ayr, and Ruben to join the *Dawn Knights*. Though they felt some disappointment, they continued their tour with smiles.
Paula, unlike Nina Owen, treated everyone with kindness, lifting the gloom of their rejection. *If only they could spend time with the goddess like this forever*, Ruben and Evans thought to themselves.
But they were soon summoned back. The elderly woman wouldn't give them extra time; now wasn't the moment to relax.
As night fell, the ship's lights flickered to life, casting a warm glow on the sea like scattered stars.
Paula and Lee En stood on the balcony of the second-floor cabin, sipping magical fizzy drinks and chatting. They hadn't seen each other in days and seemed to have endless topics to discuss. Even in silence, they felt no awkwardness.
It was during this conversation that Lee En learned Paula had been keeping Alexander with her all along. The dragon egg, which should have hatched shortly after the Harvest Festival, had remained dormant since they set sail. Paula suspected Alexander might be a land dragon, restricted by the sea. Lee En disagreed, believing Alexander might simply be waiting for the right place to hatch, such as the Azure Dragon Court.
Their conversation was interrupted by a thick fog at sea.
"What is that?" Lee En narrowed his eyes. He couldn't see through the mist, but he sensed something enormous.
"An attack?" Paula wondered aloud.
The Azure Dragon Court was only about three days' journey away. With the death of the guardian sea serpent, it was natural for the news to reach the court.
Just as Lee En and Paula spotted the fog, the bell in the base's high tower began to toll.
*Dong—dong—*
The ominous sound put everyone on high alert, their eyes turning toward the sea. The bell's tolls carried specific meanings: one for training assembly, two for an unknown monster approaching, and three for an attack.
A sentinel in the high tower had also spotted the shadow in the fog and sounded the alarm.
Tina and Mathis, at the temporary command post in the new base, immediately dispatched knights to investigate.
A small boat set off from the base, heading into the fog. On board were a four-star knight, two three-star knights, a priest, and three slaves.
The four-star knight, Brody, was the same man who had once led the trouble against Lee En. He considered himself unlucky—after crossing the higher-ups, he was not only assigned to base construction for days but now tasked with reconnaissance.
The small boat entered the fog, and Brody turned to the priest. "Is there any contamination here?"
The priest shook his head. "I don't sense any."
Brody, immune to toxins, feared the fog's pollution more than anything. Some sea monsters' contamination was far worse than that of land creatures.
The boat pressed on, and soon the true nature of the massive object became clear—it was a luxurious warship, even larger than the *Blue Whale*! The flag bore the emblem of the Burnes Empire, a gear-shaped totem. Known as the Empire of Artisans, Burnes surpassed the Holy Empire in mechanical engineering, enabling them to craft such a colossal vessel.
The warship was brightly lit, bustling with activity. A poet's song drifted across the water to Brody's ears:
"Oh, Visis lady, tie up your corset,
Cigar, thick and long, have you bought one?
If your cigar is soft and soggy,
Come, try mine instead—"
"Are they throwing a party?" Brody asked his subordinates.
The two three-star knights nodded, pointing at the flag. "It's a Burnes Empire ship. Should we negotiate or return?"
"We must first confirm what we're seeing," Brody said. He ordered the priest to cast a shared vision spell on one of the slaves, freeing the slave's limbs from their restraints. "Now, swim over and board the ship."
Through the slave's vision, the priest could observe the ship's true state.
The slave, under Brody's intimidation, plunged into the water and swam to the Burnes warship. A ladder was lowered, and the slave was pulled aboard.
The priest then saw the scene on the warship through the slave's eyes. The deck was ablaze with lights, a dazzling array of orange, green, and blue. A spotlight descended on the central dance floor, its beam swaying to the music's rhythm. The air was filled with song, smoke, and the lively melody that made one involuntarily sway.
Men in linen suits, their ties loosened, exuded a carefree air, while women in flowing dresses had their light fabrics fluttering in the sea breeze, occasionally revealing enticing glimpses. They held cocktails or sipped champagne, their faces alight with joy. As the band played a lively tune, couples filled the dance floor, spinning and leaping, immersing themselves in the night's revelry.
At the music's climax, cheers and applause erupted. A woman in a red dress twirled gracefully in the center of the dance floor, her skirt fluttering like a red mist on the water. Her dance partner, a man in a Burnes naval admiral's uniform, guided her with elegance, their performance earning thunderous applause.
The priest relayed the scene to the knights.
Brody frowned. "You mean the ship has not just officers and soldiers but also many Visis ladies?"
Visis ladies were infamous for their passion; in truth, they were Burnes Empire's street women.
"Yes," the priest replied.
"True to form, the Burnes Empire knows how to enjoy life. They're even bringing so many women on an expedition to the Azure Dragon Court. How enviable. I'd like to take a look myself."
A three-star knight stroked his chin. They had gone nearly two months without encountering women.
Knights in the Holy Empire were highly sought after by women, especially those of three stars or higher. But at sea, it was different. The few women in the Holy Empire's fleet were either untouchable, like the Imperial Rose Paula, or unapproachable, like Nina Owen, who treated men with disdain.
This made the knights even more nostalgic for the women back home.
"This is no ordinary ship," Brody said, unconvinced. "We should learn from Burnes. Since the Azure Dragon Court is a near-suicide mission, we might as well enjoy ourselves before the battle."
"Perhaps none of us will return alive anyway," another three-star knight agreed.
Brody, however, remained skeptical.
Everyone on the small boat turned to look at him, and only then did he realize he had misspoken. He immediately decided to keep quiet.
Brody gave him a cold glance, thinking to himself, *What bad luck.*
"Your Eminence, please continue to assess the situation on the ship. If anything happens, we will return immediately."
Brody said cautiously.
The priest nodded slightly.
Meanwhile, the slave who had boarded the luxurious warship was stunned. He had never seen so many beautiful women or such a lavish party on the sea.
"Who are you? Why are you out here on the water?" a soldier from the Burns Empire asked coldly. From the man's clothing and demeanor, he had identified him as a slave and now regretted rescuing him.
"I am a slave of Lord Brody. Lord Brody is a knight of the Holy Empire. We were far away and thought your ship was a monster."
The slave told the truth, as his master had never taught him to lie.
The soldier immediately reported the slave's words to his superior. An officer came to the slave and said, "Go tell your lord that since we've met in these forbidden waters, we are all brothers of the Human Alliance. There's no need to distinguish ourselves from one another. If he wishes, he is welcome to come aboard and join the party."
The people from the Burns Empire were extremely hospitable, which made the slave feel honored.
He had initially worried that he might board a ghost ship and die without a proper burial, but now he could return alive to report. What good fortune!
Meanwhile, the priest carefully observed the massive ship through his vision. Though he hadn't boarded it, from the exterior alone, nothing seemed amiss.
The slave bid farewell to the officer and dove back into the sea, swimming to the small boat to deliver the good news to Brody.
The slave's safe return at least ruled out immediate danger.
Brody nodded in satisfaction, but he had no desire to board the massive ship. "Let's go. We'll return and report."
"Sir, there are Vis ladies on the ship. Why don't we go aboard and have some fun before reporting?"
"Agreed. It would be a good opportunity to investigate any potential dangers."
The two knights, who had been restrained for a long time, were eager to go. In truth, they had been tempted since hearing the sailors' lewd songs. It didn't take much imagination to figure out what kind of "massages" those women could offer.
Brody turned to the priest. "What do you think, Your Eminence?"
The priest examined the slave and found no signs of contamination. "The people on the ship appear normal. It's safe to interact with them."
"Very well. To show the goodwill of the Holy Empire, we should board the ship."
Brody adjusted his shirt collar, but a button suddenly fell off. This shirt had been sewn for him by his mother before his expedition. Brody was a superstitious man, and he picked up the button, changing his tone.
"If you insist on going, I won't stop you, but I'll return first. Let me warn you: though our relations with the Burns Empire are good, they have already stood against us by attacking the Dragon Court behind the emperor's back. If you're captured as prisoners of war, don't blame me."
Hearing their superior's words, the two three-star knights, though eager to experience the Vis ladies' hospitality, could only suppress their impatience and follow Brody back.
The slave gazed longingly at the brightly lit warship as the small boat began its return journey. But they soon became lost in the thick fog.
"Damn this fog! It's blocking our view."
"I feel like we've been sailing for two or three hours and still haven't left this foggy area."
"Can't we just head back? All we can see are the Burns Empire's ship lights."
The knights were discussing.
The priest held a compass, but its needle was spinning erratically due to the strange magnetic field.
"This is too strange. We can't go back now."
Brody gave the order: "Don't turn back. Keep moving forward. We'll eventually return to base."
"Yes, sir."
Led by Brody, the two knights, three slaves, and the priest spent another two hours navigating the fog before finally escaping it. When they saw the base's lighthouse, they all looked like survivors of an ordeal.
"Thank goodness we're out of that cursed fog!"
"Indeed. I now think that big ship is definitely suspicious."
The knights praised Brody.
Brody smiled, pointing to his eyes. "Your eyes can deceive you, but intuition never lies. My sixth sense has always been accurate."
As the reconnaissance team's boat approached the base, the base's bell suddenly rang again.
*Clang, clang, clang!* "Damn it! Why would there be a monster nearby at a time like this?"
The team members turned nervously to look at the sea but saw nothing but the thick fog.
"Maybe the sentries made a mistake? They scared me to death."
Brody patted his chest.
"Yes, they must have made a mistake," said the three-star knight.
"Perhaps we should check if there's something in the water."
Brody suggested cautiously and decided to return quickly.
The team members agreed and sped toward the base.
*Boom!* A sudden cannonball hit the water in front of the small boat, nearly capsizing it. The three slaves, being ordinary people with poor balance compared to the knights and priest, fell into the sea.
Brody didn't even have the heart to care about the slaves, for he realized the shots were coming from their own base's ships.
"What's going on?"
"Sir, maybe the sentries mistook us for enemies and opened fire."
The knights said.
Brody frowned and grabbed the loudspeaker, shouting, "It's me, Knight Brody! I was sent on a reconnaissance mission by Commander Tina. We're back!"
The ships ceased fire, and the soldiers relayed Brody's words to Tina, who quickly came to the deck of the Blue Whale.
She used binoculars and saw Brody waving. To her horror, Brody was impatiently tearing at his collar, ripping off a large piece of skin from his neck, yet he seemed completely unaware. His companions were in worse shape: one was missing half his head, and another had a dark hole in his chest.
The priest looked the most normal, covered only in seaweed.
The sentries must have seen this and sounded the alarm for a monster.
Tina furrowed her brows. Brody was in such a state yet could still speak normally, which was unnatural. But since communication was possible, she couldn't let the reconnaissance team go to waste.
She grabbed the loudspeaker and said to Brody's team, "Brody, report what happened after crossing the fog."
"Yes, Commander Tina!"
A glimmer of hope flickered in the knight's eyes.
"Why isn't Commander Tina letting us return to report?" the other three-star knight wondered.
Brody felt annoyed and shook off the sticky human skin on his hand, replying through the loudspeaker, "Commander, after crossing the fog, we saw a warship from the Burns Empire. They were hosting a party, and there were some Vis ladies aboard. Nothing seemed unusual. They invited us to join them, but we declined and decided to return. On our way back, we got lost in the fog but managed to find our way after some time."
Brody suddenly felt hungry and looked down to find his lower body gone, yet he felt no abnormality. He continued, "Commander, may we return first? We've been at sea for hours and are starving."
"Brody, first finish your report. Besides what you've described, what else did you encounter at sea?"
Tina asked seriously.
"Commander, I've already reported everything. The fog can disorient people. There's nothing more to add."
Brody grew more impatient. He had hoped to return, take a hot bath, and eat three steaks, but now he was being detained at sea by the imperial army.
"What did you encounter during those hours of being lost?"
Tina asked.
"We encountered nothing," Brody replied.
"Let the others report."
Tina had the priest and the two knights report as well, and their accounts matched Brody's.
"Brody, here's your second task: return to that ship and continue negotiations. Tell the Burns people we appreciate their hospitality, and we will visit them. At sea, humans are united."
"Yes."
Facing orders from Commander Tina, Brody, as a soldier, had no choice but to obey, even if he desperately wanted to return to the Blue Whale.
He now suspected something was wrong with his team but found nothing unusual when he checked himself, the two three-star knights, and the priest.
Brody paid no mind to the three drowned slaves. He turned the boat toward the fog, leading his team back into it.
Tina used her binoculars and watched as the small boat disappeared into the fog. She then turned and hurried back to the command center.
Inside the command room were gathered Holm Earl, Yar Frank Earl, Bishop Ethan Taylor, Sam Isaacson Earl, the heads of the three knight orders, and the commanders and lieutenant commanders, as well as the leaders of the Dawn Knights, Leon and Paula.
The alarm signaling the approach of monsters rang twice in a row, gathering all the high-ranking officials here.
"Count Holle."
Tina looked at Count Holle with a solemn expression and said, "Brody's investigation team was completely wiped out, but they believe they are still alive and have brought back intelligence."
These words plunged everyone in the command room into silence, and the atmosphere instantly became oppressive.
Count Holle furrowed his brow.
"What intelligence?"
Tina organized and summarized Brody's report before speaking, "First, the massive object in the dense fog is a giant ship from the Burnes Empire, with a hull capable of carrying at least around 2,000 people and estimated to have 40 cannons."
"Second, there is a party being held on the Burnes Empire's ship, attended by poets and Viscountesses, with the number of Viscountesses exceeding 200."
"Third, the dense fog causes ships to lose their bearings and increases the return time."
"Fourth, the Burnes Empire's ship is heading in our direction."
Tina added, "However, this intelligence was brought back by Brody's team, and their condition appears to be contaminated, so the accuracy of the information needs to be verified."
"Only by understanding what exactly happened to Brody's team can we determine if this intelligence is accurate."
said Earl Yar Frank.
"It's like this, but I suspect the sea fog is the key. Passing through the fog leads to contamination without one's consciousness noticing, which is dangerous in itself. We need to dispatch a five-star rider to possibly gather effective intelligence."
Tina said.
"Five-star knights? Are you treating five-star knights like potatoes? They're everywhere?"
Calvin, the captain of the Flame Knights, was extremely dissatisfied with this. His officer, Franz, had previously been humiliated by Leon, losing the face of the knights, and now his subordinate Brody had also died on a reconnaissance mission. Yet Tina was still asking for five-star knights to act as scouts, which was simply treating the lives of knights as worthless.
Calvin, in addition to being the captain, also held the rank of vice-admiral in the navy, though he had less actual power than Tina.
In fact, the captains of the three major knight orders all held the honorary rank of rear admiral. Only the captain of the Dawn Knights, who was just a lieutenant, was the lowest-ranking person in the high-level meeting.
But Leon didn't care; he didn't even want to attend this meeting.
"If not a five-star knight, they won't have the ability to heal and will end up like Brody's team."
Tina said.
"These are just your speculations. Whether the fog is the problem or they encountered something they can't remember, everything is unknown. I think we should send ordinary soldiers to try again first and see if it's an issue with the fog."
Calvin said.
Earl Yar Frank nodded slightly, "I agree with this approach. The cost of losing a five-star knight is enormous."
"We have so many soldiers, and the teleportation portal has also been established. We just need to invest magic stones to start it up; there's no need for knights to test it."
said Earl Sam Isaacsen.
The two earls had expressed their opinions, leaving only Count Holle to finalize the decision.
Count Holle was hesitating; ordinary soldiers were indeed numerous, but could they obtain accurate intelligence?
In Dorothy's pocket, the dragon egg Alex nudged his mother, conveying his desire to go on that ship.
Dorothy, who doted on the dragon egg, naturally wouldn't refuse her child's request. She said, "Ladies and gentlemen, let me go. I am a witch, and neither curses nor contamination will affect me."
"No."
Count Holle immediately rejected Dorothy's proposal.
He would rather go on the reconnaissance mission himself than send Dorothy on such a dangerous task.
"What Miss Dorothy said is correct. As a witch, she would indeed be able to minimize casualties and ensure the accuracy of the information."
said Major General Mathesis.
Almost everyone had formed an instinctive dependence, turning to witches for solutions. So, no one else raised objections, and the two earls also looked at Count Holle.
"Dorothy hasn't gone to war yet, but since she has, she should fulfill her duties like everyone else."
said Earl Sam Isaacsen.
He had hoped that the Queen of Auguras would be from his own Isaacsen family and had never liked seeing Auguras and Dorothy getting too close, so he didn't have much affection for Dorothy.
"Daddy, let me go."
Dorothy looked at Count Holle sincerely.
"I'll go with Dorothy."
Leon, who hadn't wanted to get involved in this matter, was actually here to find clues about Catherine. Maybe the people from Burnes, who had fought against the Azure Dragon Court, might know something.
Seeing that Leon, a six-star blood knight, had also volunteered, Count Holle finally agreed.
Mainly because he understood his daughter very well. Even if he disagreed, if Dorothy really wanted to go on that ship, she would still sneak off on her own.
"Remember, your safety is the most important thing."
Count Holle reminded them.
"Understood."
"Do you need a priest to accompany you?"
Although High Priest Ethan Taylor disliked Leon's extraordinary talents, Leon was currently a special believer.
He at least had to put on a show of courtesy.
"Not necessary. Major Priest Fey is with me."
Leon said indifferently.
He wanted to convey that Fey had taught him much about the church's knowledge and that there was no need for other priests. However, considering that this might seem like he was betraying his comrades, and since Fey was still part of the church, he rephrased his words.
But this statement instantly darkened Ethan Taylor's expression.
Because Ethan Taylor believed that Fey had died at sea, and this was his own order.
Yet Fey was being treated as a hero by the secular navy for delivering crucial information.
Leon's words were undoubtedly stirring up conflict between him and the secular navy.
This made Ethan Taylor dislike Leon even more, and he almost hoped Leon would perish during this exploration mission.
Leon and Dorothy didn't bring any assistants and boarded a small boat powered by magic stones.
The two of them headed toward the sea of dense fog.
Dorothy happily took the dragon egg Alex out of her pocket. "Alexander, Mommy's taking you out."
"Looks like it's this guy who wanted to go on the ship."
Leon suspiciously looked at the dragon egg.
The dragon egg tilted its body and jumped from Dorothy's palm onto Leon's head, messing up his soft golden hair.
Leon quickly grabbed the dragon egg. "Not even hatched yet and already wants to ride on Daddy's head? Looks like you need some proper discipline."
The dragon egg immediately jumped back into Dorothy's hands.
The small boat quickly reached the fog-covered sea area.
Leon also became vigilant, constantly paying attention to whether he or Dorothy had any negative status effects on their heads.
The intricate patterns on the dragon egg glowed with a faint purple light, and the dense fog began to dissipate.
Leon noticed that the egg was absorbing the sea fog.
In less than a moment, the strange fog was completely absorbed by the dragon egg Alexander.
A circle of gray patterns appeared on the surface of the eggshell. The egg happily spun a few times before burrowing into Dorothy's pocket, like a pig that had eaten its fill and was now taking a nap.
The visibility at sea became extremely clear, and the gigantic Burnes warship also came into view.
As Brody and the others had reported, there was indeed a party on the ship, and Leon also heard the poets reciting verses about the Viscountesses. He had to admit that Burnes' poets were truly disgraceful.
But there were differences between this warship and Brody's detailed description. The ship was not new; it was covered in rust and seaweed, as if it had just emerged from the deep sea. The partygoers were dressed elegantly, but their bodies were partially decayed, emitting a rotting stench. Their skin was pale and oozing pus. If not for the music and dances adding an eerie vitality to the ship, it would have resembled a ghost ship from an ancient battlefield.
Leon couldn't even see the status bars above their heads anymore, which meant they were all dead, yet still retained the will to act.
"If there were anyone alive, I would know what happened."
Leon said regretfully.
Dorothy also furrowed her brow. "At this speed, the ship will reach the naval temporary base soon."
"Let's go and take a look. If the people on board can still communicate, maybe we can make them change their course."
Leon said.
Dorothy nodded.
The two of them jumped onto the deck of the giant warship.
Brody, seeing Leon and Dorothy, waved happily. "Lieutenant Leon, Lady Witch, you're here too."
Although he didn't like Leon, seeing a fellow imperial citizen on a Burnes ship made him want to be friendly.
Especially since Dorothy was there, the danger was certainly gone.
Not just Brody thought this way; the priest and the two three-star knights also believed the same. They slightly bowed to the two.
Dorothy politely greeted them in return.
Leon continued to pretend he couldn't see anything. At times like this, not seeing was better than seeing.
Fortunately, Nina Owen hadn't come; otherwise, even the dead on the ship would be looked down upon with contempt. To die and still be despised was truly a sad fate.
A Burnes naval officer in red, who was dancing with a lady, walked over, looking at Dorothy in surprise.
"I've never seen such a beautiful miss. May I have the pleasure of inviting you to dance?"
"I'm not here to dance."
Dorothy replied.
Dorothy declined the admiral's proposal.
The admiral, however, did not take offense. The people on the ship noticed that the dense fog had lifted, and they were now immersed in joy.
"Great, the fog has finally cleared. We can head back to headquarters now."
"Yes, this damned fog has finally disappeared. I always said it was some natural phenomenon, not any monster."
"Come, let's raise our glasses."
The crowd clinked their cups together, spilling alcohol across the deck. Most people were too intoxicated to hold their liquor, and the drink went in one end and out the other.
Witnessing this eerie scene, Leon asked calmly,
"Admiral, how long were you stranded in the fog at sea?"
"We encountered the fog a month and a half ago."
The admiral replied, "But fortunately, the fog has now dispersed. You've brought us good luck. Come, join our feast and share our wine and food."
In response to the admiral's invitation, Dorothy slowly shook her head.
"Admiral, we're not here to attend a banquet. We'd like to know about the situation with your country's attack on the Azure Dragon Court. If it's convenient, that is."
"Naturally. At sea, humans must unite. Follow me."
The tall, burly admiral smiled and said. His left eye accidentally fell out, but he casually picked it up from the ground, put it back in its socket, and said indifferently, "My monocle keeps falling lately. How rude."
Leon and Dorothy exchanged a glance and followed the admiral across the deck, passing through the dance floor and entering the cabin.
Brody and the others also followed. As the Holy Empire's scouting team, they had no reason to stay outside and continue celebrating.
The dimly lit cabin creaked as the wind seeped through the cracks, making a mournful sound. The wooden planks were rotten, and stepping on them produced a tooth-grinding creak. The walls were covered in overgrown moss, and occasionally, one or two beetles could be seen scurrying through the damp environment.
Faint candlelight flickered in a corner of the cabin, casting patchy shadows that seemed to tell the story of the ship's former glory and current desolation. The air was filled with the smell of dampness and a hint of seawater, which together irritated Leon's nostrils.
At the far end of the cabin stood an old, rusty helm, covered in salt and shell fragments. Even in this dim space, the carved patterns on the helm could still be faintly discerned. They had once been exquisite but were now reduced to blurry traces.
In the corner of the cabin, some tattered ropes and a damaged wooden box were piled up. The edges of the box were warped, as if deformed from long exposure to seawater. The box was empty, but the faint scent of wood from its former contents still lingered.
The admiral led them to what looked like a captain's quarters that had been abandoned for a century. He poured each of them a cup of coffee filled with seaweed and said confidently,
"Have you ever seen such a magnificent warship? Yes, this is the *September Flower*, the masterpiece of the top craftsmen of the Burns Empire. Come, try our coffee."
The admiral lit a cigar, sat down on a collapsed sofa, took two puffs, and asked,
"Why aren't you drinking?"
"I prefer red tea," Leon said.
Dorothy agreed.
This seaweed coffee was truly undrinkable.
Brody and the priest, however, drank it without hesitation.
"Very well. I'm willing to share the information, but you must tell me what's wrong with my ship."
The admiral's gaze suddenly turned sharp.
He had always felt that something was wrong with the *September Flower* after encountering the fog, but he could never quite put his finger on the problem.
His intuition told him that the witch before him could provide the answer.
Dorothy nodded slightly. "Of course, but you must tell us first."
"Very well."
The admiral began recounting their attack on the Azure Dragon Court.
"Five months ago, our fleet arrived at the Azure Dragon Court, but to our surprise, there were no military forces stationed there. The island was teeming with life, full of plants and animals, but there was no sign of civilization, no Azure Dragon tribe, let alone their treasure."
The admiral paused, then continued, "We suspected we had found the wrong place. Perhaps that island wasn't the Azure Dragon Court after all. We established a temporary base on the island and sent the fleet out to continue exploring. The *September Flower* was one of those ships, but we were enveloped by the fog not long after setting sail."
