Chapter 525
Chapter 525
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 525
Chapter Title: Deep Sea Witch (5)
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"It's out again."
Siwoo dragged an old chest from the corner and pried it open.
Unlike its shabby exterior, it was once more filled to the brim with gold and jewels.
He'd been startled at first, but since about half of the items piled up here came from the treasures of ancient shipwrecks, it wasn't all that surprising anymore.
Gold bars that felt a bit crude compared to the gleaming modern mirrors, jeweled goblets or daggers, coins in various shapes, gems, jewelry, and more.
Treasures ranging from a few kilograms to dozens were just haphazardly stacked inside.
They were old artifacts, so their purity might be lacking, but even if melted down and sold, this quantity would fetch a tidy sum.
And with the added historical value unique to antiques, he couldn't even imagine how much more they might go for.
"Let's see..."
Siwoo rifled through the paper, scanning what looked like an inventory list handwritten by Lurye.
<2015.05.02, Colombia Cartagena sea area, treasure chest, colorful wooden box, medium>
The list, written in her round, bubbly handwriting, noted the acquisition time, location, contents, shape, and size.
As you could see, it was awfully haphazardly organized, so Siwoo was compiling a new one from scratch, categorizing them by material, weight, and type at the very least.
Either way, the second time around was always more proficient than the first.
No matter the slightly different environment, accumulated experience and savvy didn't just vanish.
In that sense, this stint as her slave had gone remarkably smoothly and steadily so far.
It had been three whole days since his promotion from cleaning slave to warehouse keeper.
No special events had occurred, but he'd gotten a rough idea of the Deep Sea Witch, Lurye Nukelavi, as well as the circumstances of this submarine.
Officially dubbed the "Project 941 Akula Strategic Missile Submarine Cruiser," but casually just called the Akula, this sub had been a birthday gift to Lurye from her predecessor Nukelavi, crafted in her workshop.
The crew aboard were actual Soviet soldiers in service at the time, and her predecessor Nukelavi must have been one ruthless witch, because she'd transformed them all into merfolk familiars.
Of course, that was just inferred from the circumstances; he still hadn't figured out exactly how this submarine had ended up in Lurye's hands or what process the crew had gone through to become members of the Nukelavi dynasty.
But one thing he'd confirmed for sure: familiars' intelligence was indeed limited by their algorithms.
He'd tried talking and interacting with the crew he occasionally ran into, but they only repeated mechanical actions and lines, with no real交流 possible.
That was normal, though.
Familiars were originally supposed to have crow-level intelligence, excluding homunculi made by their creating witches, and to turn humans into immortal beings, a significant portion of their cognitive faculties had to be restricted anyway.
On the contrary, the Akula crew's ability to handle high-level tasks like maintaining and operating mechanical systems, plus their somewhat responsive interactions with Lurye, indicated they were fairly advanced familiars.
"Lunchtime already."
Having finished cataloging one chest, it was already one o'clock.
Siwoo left the warehouse and headed to the mess hall.
Lurye was sure to be waiting by now.
She was surprisingly affectionate like that.
For someone who called herself queen, assigning a slave to the warehouse right next to her bedroom, chatting with him personally, and even sharing meals—what a peculiar choice.
But a little thought made it not so puzzling.
As mentioned before, while familiars could "converse," genuine "emotional exchange" was hard to come by.
Lurye, who had spent who-knows-how-long alone on this submarine, must have been lonely.
Siwoo, whom she'd met during that solitary time, probably felt like her first friend.
That explained her peeking while he worked, striking up needless conversations, or rambling on endlessly once they started talking.
Of course, she'd die before admitting it.
"......"
As expected, when he entered the mess hall, Lurye was poking at her caviar with her own spoon.
She glanced sideways without seeming to notice him, then turned her head away.
But the table had his portion properly laid out too.
"Sit comfortably."
"Your grace humbles me."
Now getting the hang of the archaic speech, he bowed politely and took a seat beside her.
"No need for such flattery. To dine alongside I, ruler of this vast ocean—what a fortune any mere slave would stake their life for."
"Wise words, Your Majesty."
The table overflowed with what looked like freshly prepared delicacies.
For reference, the sub's menu—excluding desserts—was exclusively seafood, caught fresh from the sea by the galley chef himself.
"Eat."
With her permission, he began transferring small bites to his mouth.
"How is the taste?"
"Exquisite."
"Hm..."
Lurye made a subtly dissatisfied face.
Time to amp up the flattery a notch...
"How could shellfish not be delicious when graced by Your Majesty's favor?"
"Hmmm!"
Lurye beamed with satisfaction. Perfect.
At first glance, it might seem like the taming was complete.
Maybe it was time to gauge the mood and mention contacting his worried lover? It could wrap things up nicely.
But no—such careless complacency had to be reined in.
Just look at the crew for proof.
Her predecessor Nukelavi had been a witch fully equipped with an exile mindset.
Not only that, but the "Pipe of Dagon," which manifested the abyss to hunt humans and recharge mana, was hers too.
Lurye, having spent years under such a witch, had likely absorbed some of that worldview.
So far, she seemed gentle as a lion toward Siwoo.
She was pleased now that he was flattering her, but who knew when she'd turn if things went awry.
"You've been thorough with your duties."
Anyway, their relationship was still progressing smoothly, so after a brief silence, Lurye struck up conversation again without fail.
"How could this servant shirk the task entrusted by Your Majesty? I merely repay your trust by serving the great Nukelavi Kingdom faithfully."
Honestly, less "conversation" and more a comedic skit where sycophantic pandering made Lurye ecstatic.
"Ho, as expected of a man who became a witch—wise indeed. The greatness of this Nukelavi Kingdom goes without saying."
Getting excited, Lurye launched into an even grander boast.
"History praises as 'great king' those who held the widest territories. But that title stems from ignorance. Who do you think was the greatest king in terms of territory that you know of?"
"Hm, the Queen during the British Empire era, or Genghis Khan..."
Siwoo realized from her expression that she wasn't seeking a serious answer.
"I wouldn't presume to know. Please enlighten me."
Lurye shook her head as if to say he had no choice.
"Do you know that this world's surface is 70% ocean and 30% land?"
"Is that so?"
"Indeed it is. And all the seas are my domain."
Really now?
He kept the question to himself.
"From the Arctic Ocean to the Antarctic seas, I, Lurye Nukelavi, who rules this vast ocean, am the greatest king all humanity should revere!"
"As expected of Your Majesty."
Lurye huffed excitedly and continued her monologue.
"I'll tell you alone. Even at this very moment, I am slowly conquering the world."
"Pardon...?"
A chill suddenly ran down his spine.
Conquering the world.
To the uninformed, it sounded like absurd delusion, but the Deep Sea Witch had the power to make it real.
At least, unless another witch intervened, no modern weapon could stop her.
With Kether Duke's death confirmed and the mortal world in chaos—one of the rampaging public enemies wasn't Lurye, was it?
The word "conquest" on her lips carried that ominous vibe.
They hadn't spent much time together yet, and his trust in her wasn't deep.
But setting aside his personal safety, he hoped she wasn't a bad person.
"No need for such surprise. I don't know the details, but sea levels have been rising by an average of 3.12mm per year for the past 30 years."
"......"
"In time, even more territory will fall under my rule. Thus, even the heavens cooperate to extend my reign from the five oceans across the continents!"
"Magnificent!"
Thank goodness it was nothing serious.
Relieved by her hearty laugh, he praised her with genuine ease.
"Come to think of it, I have a question for you."
Her laughter fading, she scooped up more caviar and asked.
"Yes, anything."
"Is it true that Kether can't move?"
"For now, yes."
"Meaning you don't know the details."
"Yes, that's all I've heard secondhand..."
Lurye nodded knowingly.
"With Kether's era gone, mine draws ever nearer. If I overcome the trial my master left, I'll soar even higher."
"A trial?"
"Curious?"
Her face lit up like she was dying to spill, so he nodded.
She spilled it eagerly, as if she'd been waiting.
"When an apprentice witch inherits a stigma, it takes time to fully master it. You know that?"
"Yes, I'm aware."
"For cozy witches inside Gehenna, maybe not an issue, but for one like me lingering in the mortal world, that grace period is fatal. Of course, I could overcome the risk, but what if? My master prepared for that."
He was about to ask what that trial was exactly.
When the siren lamp in the corner of the mess hall began spinning silently.
The flashing red light bathed the room threateningly, and Lurye's relaxed post-meal expression hardened instantly.
"We're under attack. Follow me."
"Pardon? Under attack?"
An attack out of nowhere?
Siwoo floundered, but Lurye bolted for the control room without proper explanation.