"Esteemed Mr. Fool, please inform Mr. World that I have already reported the matter of Ince Zangwill to the Church of the Evernight…"
The pleasant, brisk voice echoed in his ears, and the deep crimson before his eyes faded. Klein looked out through the captain's cabin window at the richly colored Spirit World outside the Black Tulip, his expression slightly relaxed.
He pondered for a moment, and only when his spirituality subtly stirred did Klein's eyes shift. The Black Tulip simultaneously changed course, crashing into a vibrant patch of color.
After a not-so-violent jolt, the crimson moonlight entered his vision. Klein's expression returned to indifference, and he instantly swapped places with his Beyonder Marionette, appearing on the deck, gazing at the Golden Dream, which was rotating its broadside cannons and beginning to stand guard not far away.
"No need to be nervous, this isn't Ludwig."
After reassuring the extremely nervous crew members who had seen the Black Tulip's flag, "Vice Admiral Iceberg" Edwina Edwards walked out of the captain's cabin.
Her clear, light-blue eyes, like a spring, looked at the Black Tulip, which had voluntarily stopped approaching, and at Klein, who stood at the ship's rail. Edwina gently stroked her palm, and a light-golden scroll ignited into flames.
Under the crimson moonlight, specks of brilliant starlight sprinkled down, condensing into a transparent long bridge that continuously extended forward, landing on the deck of the Black Tulip.
This is a Polymath's imitation… Klein mused to himself, observing this ability which was remarkably similar to what "Admiral of Stars" Cattleya had displayed at the Pirate Gathering.
Without hesitation, taking his Beyonder Puppet Ludwig with him, Klein pressed the brim of his semi-tall silk top hat and stepped steadily onto the long bridge formed by starlight.
Watching the adventurer, whose appearance was refined and courteous but whose eyes held a hint of madness, walk towards the Golden Dream, Danitz, who was behind Edwina, froze for a moment, then quickly lowered his voice:
"Captain, isn't it too risky to let such a dangerous fellow board? Or perhaps…"
A very familiar sense of hunger suddenly rose in Danitz's heart, causing his remaining words to catch in his throat. He stiffly turned his head and found that the adventurer who had left a deep impression on him had already stepped onto the deck.
Unconsciously lowering his head, Danitz chuckled twice dryly, then silently hid behind Edwina.
4000 pounds… 2300 pounds… 1200 pounds… As he swept his gaze over the watchful crew members, who were eyeing him with suspicion, a series of numbers flashed through Klein's mind.
"Good evening, Mr. Adventurer!"
"Please convey my respects to that esteemed Death Consul."
Recalling the message brought by Archbishop Lucca Brewster from the Church's main headquarters, the strange symbols in Edwina's eyes faded, and her gaze shifted from the Black Tulip back to Klein.
Klein, who was also secretly observing the Golden Dream, did not find the demigod of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom whom he had observed from Sefirah Castle's true vision last time.
After Edwina finished speaking, he feigned nonchalance and revealed the pure white feather that Mr. Azik had gifted him with his letter, speaking in an indifferent tone:
"I have received confirmed intelligence that 'Disease Admiral' Tracy, whom we previously planned to hunt, is currently in the Fog Sea, at the Lip Islands in Segar's territorial waters."
"However, she has already advanced to a demigod, and that renegade Archbishop of the Church of the Evernight, Ince Zangwill, is also on the Black Death."
Looking at Edwina, whose expression suddenly turned serious, Klein paused and added in a low voice:
"That Ince Zangwill, in order to advance to a demigod, once desecrated the bloodline of the Consul. Therefore, he must die!"
Glancing at the pure white feather, Edwina did not question why a Sequence 5 would arrogantly claim to deal with two demigods. After a moment of contemplation, she responded in a cool voice:
"I will convey this information."
Klein watched Edwina turn and return to the captain's cabin, also falling silent.
Segar, like Lenberg, also worshiped the God of Knowledge and Wisdom. In order to avoid unnecessary negative reactions from the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom due to his subsequent actions, he could only use Azik's identity to exert influence.
As a force cultivated and developed by the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom in the Five Seas, under the current tense world situation, the news of two demigods gathering in Segar's territorial waters made Edwina the only suitable person Klein could think of to convey the message.
Edwina's unique secret art isolated their conversation from the outside world. All the crew members, including Danitz, only saw their captain return to the captain's cabin with a solemn expression, but they didn't understand what had happened.
In this somewhat somber atmosphere, a deep, muffled voice came from the Black Tulip, connected by the starlight bridge not far away:
"Gehrman, are these all the pirates you're preparing to give me for experiments?"
Klein's face darkened. He manipulated his Marionette to pull Frank, who was about to jump onto the starlight bridge, away. Looking at the surrounding crew members whose expressions had suddenly turned hostile, he coughed lightly and pointed to his head:
"He's my assistant. He suffered a slight injury here during a previous adventure and often talks nonsense. You don't need to mind him."
"Hmm, as a guest, I think I should be able to get a room to rest in!"
-----------------
Southern Continent, East Balam, Harvest Plain, north of the Haagenti Plains.
As Loen's largest colonial city in East Balam, Vartek was also the Church of the Evernight's most important diocese in the Southern Continent.
In the deepest part of the Gothic cathedral in the city center, which was only slightly smaller than Backlund's St. Samuel Cathedral, Nighthawks Senior Deacon, "Eye of the Goddess" Ilya, handed the still-warm telegram to Archbishop Randolph Carter opposite her:
"News from the Holy Cathedral. That rebel is now in the Fog Sea."
"That place is far from Loen, and the situation is quite complex."
"Moreover, with the Amantha Front currently tying up most of the Church's forces, the Holy Cathedral's intention is that the airship should temporarily remain in the Southern Continent. You can take a few elite Red Gloves to continue tracking and confirming."
Randolph Carter withdrew his gaze from the telegram and nodded. After a moment of contemplation, he still asked:
"Can you tell me where the Holy Cathedral obtained this intelligence?"
Ilya shook her head, finally admonishing:
"You have one month. If you still have no clues, temporarily abandon this pursuit and immediately return to defend the Amantha Mountains."
Randolph Carter slowly nodded, then rose and drew a crimson moon on his chest. His figure vanished into the rich colors, and in an instant, he arrived at the resting room beneath the cathedral.
The Red Gloves squad, who had just returned from destroying the Rose School of Thought and Highland Resistance secret strongholds and had finished their holy water purification and prayer meditation, were resting there.
Looking at the suddenly appearing Archbishop, whose expression was extremely serious, Daly and Leonard, who was sitting in the corner of the room reading a poetry collection, both held their breath, a strange premonition inexplicably rising in their hearts.
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