Halsey remained still for a moment, Salem's warning lingering in the quiet cabin.
"Careful of Alain Rouge?"
She frowned slightly, the earlier smile fading. "What are you talking about?"
The shadowy cat shifted on the bed, his form rippling like smoke disturbed by a breeze. His luminous eyes remained fixed on her.
"In truth," Salem said slowly, his voice carrying a rare seriousness, "this warning did not come from me."
He flicked his tail once.
"It came from your teacher."
Halsey's brows knit together.
Salem continued, "After receiving the Beyonder characteristics you delivered, your teacher conducted several rounds of divination on them. At first, he merely sensed a vague unease… but the deeper he looked, the worse they became."
The cat's glowing eyes dimmed slightly as he spoke.
"His spiritual intuition reacted strongly. Strong enough that he immediately began investigating the cause."
Halsey felt a faint chill rise in her chest.
"And?" she asked quietly.
Salem's tail stilled.
"He eventually traced the source of the warning… to Alain Rouge."
Silence filled the room.
"But," Salem continued, "every attempt to probe further failed. Divinations and such returned with nothing. Even his spiritual intuition, normally precise, was blocked."
His voice lowered further.
"That absence of answers only made the warning stronger."
Halsey's expression slowly changed from confusion to concern.
"So… you're saying…" she murmured.
Salem finished the thought for her.
"It suggests that whatever is involved with Alain Rouge… surpasses your teacher's level."
Halsey inhaled quietly.
Her teacher was already a terrifyingly powerful Beyonder.
"If that's the case," she said slowly, "then an Angel must be involved."
Salem gave a small nod.
"That is the most likely explanation."
He glanced toward the door briefly before continuing.
"There is still no concrete evidence. Only warnings, intuition, and the complete absence of answers. But the risk of danger is real."
Halsey stood there in thought for a moment before shaking her head.
"That doesn't make sense."
Salem's ears twitched.
"Alain didn't act hostile," she said. "If anything, he was helpful. Friendly even. He helped Lars and me board this ship in the first place."
Her voice slowed as a memory surfaced.
"Wait… there was something else."
Salem's glowing eyes narrowed slightly as Halsey continued, recalling the conversation.
"He knew an old story my teacher once told me. About a man seeking knowledge from an ancient well."
For the briefest moment, Salem's shadowy body tensed, but Halsey didn't notice.
"If Alain knows that tale," she continued thoughtfully, "then there's a chance my teacher already knows who he is."
Salem immediately cut in. "If that's true," he said sharply, "then the situation is worse than we thought."
Halsey blinked.
Salem's tail flicked slowly. "It means Alain Rouge may have connections to forces far older and far deeper than we anticipated."
He exhaled quietly before continuing.
"Your teacher's instructions are simple: maintain the status quo."
Halsey looked at him.
"For now, observe. Watch how events develop. Stay cautious… and stay discreet."
"Why doesn't he just come here himself?" she asked.
Salem gave a soft snort. "For two reasons."
He raised one claw from his paw. "First, he is already occupied elsewhere."
A second claw extended. "Second, appearing here would be dangerous. Not only because of Alain Rouge… but because this ship belongs to the Mandated Punishers."
He glanced toward the ceiling.
"And where the Mandated Punishers gather, the Church is never far behind."
Halsey nodded slowly. That makes sense.
Salem then tilted his head slightly. "Which cabin is Alain Rouge staying in?"
Halsey pointed casually toward the wall. "Right next to ours."
The shadow-cat turned toward that direction. His glowing eyes narrowed as he focused.
The air around him subtly distorted as he attempted to peer beyond the wall.
A second later, his body stiffened, only ever so slightly.
Salem slowly withdrew his perception. "Hm."
"What is it?" Halsey asked.
"He's careful," Salem muttered.
His eyes glowed faintly.
"I can't sense anything unusual… which is exactly the problem."
Halsey frowned.
Salem continued quietly. "He's most likely using high-level concealment within that room."
He looked back at her.
"Remember what your teacher taught you."
His voice softened.
"Patience, caution, and observation."
Halsey nodded once. "I remember."
The room fell quiet again.
Her gaze shifted to the bed, where the three artifacts Salem had delivered rested neatly atop the blankets.
Halsey moved toward the bed and began unwrapping the cloth bundles one by one.
The first revealed a round, bright silvery locket, its surface polished like a mirror, faint symbols etched along its rim.
The second was a dagger, slender and wickedly sharp. Its blade shimmered a dark, poisonous green, while the hilt was wrapped in worn leather. The metal carried a faint oily sheen that suggested venom rather than polish.
The final object made her pause.
It was a mask made of gray, shriveled skin, thin and cracked like something peeled from a corpse long ago.
Halsey studied the three items silently. Salem flicked his tail, watching her reaction.
"Your teacher did the best he could under the circumstances," the shadow-cat said. "Creating artifacts like these without serious side effects isn't simple, you know."
He hopped lightly onto the bed, luminous eyes reflecting off the silver locket.
"The first one is called the Ghostly Mirror."
Halsey lifted the locket carefully.
"When you open it," Salem explained, "you won't see your normal reflection. Instead, you'll see three possible forms: a Werewolf, a Zombie, or a Wraith."
Halsey's brow raised slightly.
"Choose one," Salem continued, "and the artifact will transform you into that creature. You gain its abilities… and its weaknesses."
He tapped the locket with a claw.
"But the reflection inside won't stay the same forever. Slowly, the image will begin changing, returning to your human form."
Halsey looked down at the small mirror inside the locket.
"When that transformation finishes," Salem said calmly, "you won't return to normal."
His glowing eyes met hers.
"You'll become the creature permanently."
Halsey closed the locket slowly.
"The safe limit?" she asked.
"About fifteen minutes."
Salem stretched lazily before continuing.
"And if you simply wear the locket as jewelry, it will still affect you. You'll constantly feel a chilling cold… not real cold, just the sensation of it. And sometimes you'll hear faint screams."
"Echoes," he added casually. "Very distant ones."
Halsey placed the locket back on the bed.
Her gaze moved to the dagger.
Salem followed her attention. "The second artifact is called Moonshine Strike."
Halsey picked up the blade carefully.
The weapon felt light, almost unnaturally so.
"It enhances speed," Salem said. "Strikes with that dagger are faster than most people can react to. And the blade carries a very potent poison."
Halsey tested its balance with a small motion.
"However," Salem added, "the dagger encourages recklessness."
"How so?"
"While wielding it, users tend to act impulsively. Aggressive. Sometimes even angry without realizing why."
Halsey smirked faintly. "That sounds inconvenient."
Salem shrugged. "Only if you lose control."
Her attention then moved to the final item.
The skin mask. Halsey lifted it between two fingers, examining the gray, wrinkled texture.
Salem's tone lowered slightly. "That one is called Husk."
"The moment you wear it," he continued, "your body will gain the durability and toughness of a Zombie. Stronger resistance, stronger damage. You'll also gain frost-like attacks similar to those creatures."
Halsey turned the mask slowly.
"And the price?"
"The longer you wear it," Salem said plainly, "the more you become a Zombie."
Her fingers paused.
"Hunger increases, the instincts dull. Eventually… the transformation becomes permanent."
He tilted his head slightly. "Like the locket, the safe usage time is roughly fifteen minutes. But that limit increases depending on your sequence."
Halsey nodded thoughtfully. "And removing it?"
Salem's tail flicked once. "There are a few ways."
He looked at her meaningfully.
"The simplest one is fire. You burn the mask off your face."
For a moment, she simply stared at them.
These were dangerous tools, but also quite useful.
Salem watched her silently, his glowing eyes reflecting the faint lantern light of the cabin.
Outside, the sea rolled steadily beneath the hull of the ship.
Halsey carefully placed the artifacts back onto the bed, then turned toward the shadowy cat.
"Thank you, Mr. Salem," she said sincerely. "And please convey my gratitude to my teacher as well."
The cat's luminous eyes blinked slowly.
"He already knows," Salem replied with casual confidence. Then his tone softened slightly. "You've always been one of his favorites, after all."
Halsey smiled faintly at that.
Salem's form began to ripple, shadows loosening around his body as if preparing to dissolve. But before disappearing, he paused.
His glowing eyes narrowed.
"And one more thing."
Halsey looked up.
"Make that burly hunter take a bath," Salem said flatly.
Before she could respond, the shadow-cat dissolved into drifting wisps of darkness, which quickly vanished into the corners of the room.
Silence returned to the cabin.
Halsey stood there for a moment, staring at the empty space where Salem had been.
Then she coughed awkwardly.
"…I'll tell him."
…
Elsewhere aboard the ship.
Jack sat in a chair beside his bed.
A golden mantle rested across his shoulders, the fabric shimmering like woven sunlight. Threads of gold and faint traces of ink ran through it like delicate veins, giving the impression that the garment had been stitched from morning rays themselves.
His head was slightly tilted toward the wall.
Toward Halsey's room.
Behind him, the projection of Knowledge Emperor Roselle Gustav stood near the table, moving with the smooth obedience of a marionette. The historical figure's dark-red coat shifted faintly as the projection placed a large brown book onto the table.
The cover looked aged, its edges worn by time.
The black raven, Hugan, flicked his wings and hopped closer, momentarily abandoning his careful study of the Beyonder characteristic and the lifeless Worm of Spirit resting nearby.
He leaned forward and read the title.
"Hm… Humi's Book of Secrets."
The raven tilted his head toward Jack.
"For such an artifact," Hugan said slowly, "you certainly went through an unnecessarily convoluted process."
Jack smiled faintly beneath his dark-purple tinted spectacles.
"It serves two purposes," he replied calmly. "A test… and concealment."
Hugan's glowing eyes narrowed. "From prying eyes?"
"Exactly."
The raven studied him for a moment before speaking again.
"You know that messenger earlier was no ordinary messenger."
Jack didn't even hesitate.
"I knew that the moment it arrived."
His gaze briefly drifted toward the suitcases resting on the floor beside the table.
Then toward the window.
The latch suddenly lifted with a soft click.
The window swung open.
Wind surged into the room, rattling loose papers and stirring the mantle across Jack's shoulders.
Jack snapped his fingers.
The air froze, the window closed shut and the wind vanished.
When Jack turned back, a white raven now perched beside Hugan.
It was Moonan
Her feathers shimmered faintly beneath the fading concealment symbols.
"I've returned," she said calmly.
Jack leaned forward slightly. "Well?"
Moonan's voice lowered.
"Northeast of our position… there is a ship."
She paused briefly. "A sinister one."
Hugan glanced toward her.
"It emanates distorted laughter… and cries. Almost like echoes of madness."
Her feathers ruffled slightly. "And beneath those sounds… are sounds of a heartbeat."
The room fell quiet.
Moonan continued carefully. "I sensed great danger from it, hence I did not approach too closely."
Jack's eyes narrowed behind the purple lenses. Laughter from a sinister ship… And heartbeats.
He lampooned silently to himself. The Death Announcer?
Pirate King Agalito's ship was infamous for its unnatural echoes of laughter.
But the heartbeat…
That reminded him of something else.
Something Nivlek had mentioned. The Rose School of Thought and their experiments in the Southern Continent.
Jack remained silent as the pieces turned in his mind. And Moonan continued.
"There were two more ships nearby."
Jack leaned forward. "Describe them."
"One was an ancient-looking three-masted sailboat," she said.
"And the other?"
"A gigantic sailboat. Its flag carried an eyelash-less eye surrounded by ten stars."
Hugan lifted his head slightly.
"The deck, cabins, and spars were covered with mysterious symbols. It looked like a massive ritual site rather than a ship."
Jack nodded slowly. "Queen of Stars… and the Stormbringer."
The ravens remained silent.
Jack leaned back in his chair. "If those two are gathering," he said calmly, "then the ominous ship you saw must be the Death Announcer. The infamous Pirate King Agalito."
Neither raven argued.
Jack eventually turned toward Moonan and courteously bowed his head with a gesture. "Well done."
Moonan dipped her head in acknowledgment.
"You can assist Hugan now."
Both ravens returned to the table.
The Roselle marionette continued observing the symbols with silent precision.
Afterwards, Jack stood. "Excuse me for a moment." He walked into the adjacent room of his suite and closed the door behind him.
Inside the quieter chamber, he stretched his hand toward the empty air, toward the void of history.
After pulling four times, the air rippled with a figure emerging from the fog of history.
Tall and imposing, with long bright-red hair fell across his shoulders like strands of burning copper. His military uniform bore the disciplined elegance of an Intis general, fitted cleanly across his broad frame. It was the Intis general, Nivlek Sauron.
For several seconds, the projection's gaze remained clouded.
Then clarity returned, the stiffness vanished and the figure straightened.
Nivlek looked directly at Jack.
"What is it this time?" he asked with faint irritation. "Summoning my projection at a moment like this."
Jack smiled slightly behind his purple lenses.
"I have a situation developing at sea, and I thought you might enjoy hearing about it."
The projection of Nivlek Sauron studied Jack in silence for a moment.
Jack leaned casually against the table, adjusting the purple lenses resting on the bridge of his nose.
"Two of our fellow Tarot Club members are approaching this region," he said calmly. "Alger Wilson and Cattleya."
Nivlek gave a faint snort. "And?"
"They'll be meeting somewhere in these waters very soon."
The Weather Warlock's expression didn't change.
"I fail to see why that should concern me," Nivlek replied flatly. "Petty maneuvering between saints is hardly worth my attention."
Jack raised a finger. "That's what I thought too."
Then he added lightly, "Until I realized something else might also be nearby."
Nivlek's gaze sharpened slightly.
"You remember the target you lost in the Southern Continent?"
The room seemed to grow heavier.
Nivlek's eyes narrowed.
"It's here… On the Death Announcer."
For a brief moment, the projection's expression froze.
Then understanding dawned. The faint irritation in Nivlek's eyes vanished, replaced by something far sharper.
Interest.
Jack folded his arms. "If that ship is truly the Death Announcer," he continued, "then it will not travel alone."
Nivlek's gaze hardened.
"Abomination Suah."
Jack nodded. A faint smile curved Jack's lips.
"If the target is present… then the Abomination will likely appear as well. Guard dogs rarely stray far from their master's scent."
Nivlek's eyes glinted faintly.
For the first time since appearing, the projection looked genuinely engaged.
"So you're telling me," he said slowly, "that thing who escaped me in the Southern Continent… might present itself again?"
Jack nodded.
"And this time," he said lightly, "you might be able to leave a deeper impression."
The air grew heavier with Nivlek's rising intent.
But before it could escalate, Jack raised a hand.
"Unfortunately… we cannot attack the ship."
Nivlek blinked, then his expression darkened. "What?"
For the briefest moment, the projection's aura flared with restrained anger.
"You summon me with news of my targets and then tell me we can't strike?"
Jack didn't react. Instead he simply adjusted his glasses.
"We cannot destroy the ship," he repeated calmly. "The creature aboard it must remain intact."
Nivlek's eyes flashed.
Jack continued before he could speak again.
"The Outer Deities' forces must continue their activities uninterrupted." The words settled heavily in the room, yet Jack's tone remained casual. "If we disrupt them now, certain events may never occur."
Nivlek slowly calmed. "The Vortex incident."
Jack smiled as he nodded.
His irritation faded, replaced by reluctant understanding. "So you intend to let them proceed."
"For now."
Nivlek folded his arms. "Then why summon me?"
Jack's smile widened slightly. "Because we don't need to attack the ship."
He leaned forward slightly. "We just need to separate the dog from the kennel."
Nivlek's eyes sharpened again. "You can lure him away?"
Jack nodded once. "I have a way."
He tapped the table lightly with a finger. "If Suah leaves the Death Announcer, even briefly… that gives us a window. It will be a short ambush, just long enough for you to strike."
Nivlek's gaze burned with renewed interest.
Jack continued calmly, "Not enough to kill him, but enough to leave a mark."
Before Nivlek could respond, Jack raised his hand again. "However…"
Nivlek frowned. "What now?"
Jack's smile turned slightly sly. "There's one small requirement before we begin." He leaned back in his chair, then said lightly, "You'll need to make a wish first."