Chapter 246
Chapter 246
Chapter 246
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 246: Lan Qi Just Feels That Life is Peaceful
The silver-armored priest quickly passed through the corridor of the second deck. The ship swayed lightly under his feet, but his steps were steady like a mountain.
He first went to the captain’s cabin and retrieved a logbook, then once more walked up the staircase to the upper deck.
When he returned to the deck, the situation was still as calm as when he had left. A group of silver-robed priests were guarding the tied-up sailors.
All of the priests turned their attention toward the silver-armored priest at the same time, waiting for the leader’s command.
It seemed no battle had taken place, or if there had been enemies, they had been so weak that the silver-armored priest didn’t even need to act to deal with them.
In a corner of the deck, Viscount Francis was being closely guarded by several silver-robed priests. His expression remained calm, even indifferent.
From the slight furrow of his brows, it could be seen that whether he chose to compromise or not, his attitude toward this group of cultists would never change.
The silver-armored priest glanced at Viscount Francis and walked toward him. Their gazes met for a brief moment, and the air seemed to solidify. The sailors watching nervously swallowed their saliva—perhaps their fate and lives would be decided in the next second.
The coldness in Viscount Francis’s eyes grew heavier. He knew that this silver-armored priest had merely gone to search the captain’s cabin and retrieved their logbook.
Though he did not know what use it had, Francis only knew that the greedy demands of the other side would not change.
At that moment—
The silver-armored priest suddenly produced another document. After comparing it with the logbook, he turned to the silver-robed priests beside him and said:
“Untie them.”
Everyone froze at the unexpected command. After a moment of hesitation, the silver-robed priests still obeyed, untying the sailors.
“Viscount Francis, today was actually just an anti-terror drill we organized on our own initiative. We’ve frightened you.”
The silver-armored priest bowed slightly in apology.
“Are you trying to intimidate me?”
Viscount Francis was silent for a moment before he spoke.
He suspected he hadn’t quite understood the man’s veiled words.
“No. We never intimidate others. I only wanted to remind you through action that there are those who hope this accident becomes real. If I had simply approached you and said this, I believe you would not have been able to calmly believe me. So perhaps my method was a little extreme—please forgive me.”
The silver-armored priest handed Viscount Francis both the itinerary document and the opened logbook. It seemed his purpose had only been to confirm one thing.
Viscount Francis glanced at the content of the document and quickly realized where this itinerary—exposing his movements—had come from.
He also realized which person in the city had leaked it, intending to harm him.
“Earlier I wasn’t sure if this could serve as evidence. Now that it’s confirmed, I can hand it over to you as a gift. This is our sincerity.”
The silver-armored priest smiled as he spoke.
“…I will not consider this your goodwill.”
Viscount Francis couldn’t guess the schemes in their hearts.
But this itinerary was enough to be used as evidence in the provincial court.
“It doesn’t matter. Soon, you’ll see our new face. This is only the beginning.”
Leaving those words behind, the silver-armored priest led the silver-robed men away, bidding farewell to the viscount.
“…”
Viscount Francis stood alone on the deck, slightly dazed.
The sailors, on the other hand, hugged one another and cheered as though they had survived a great ordeal. Yet the viscount himself still could not relax.
“Viscount Francis, my deepest apologies.”
His bodyguard approached, speaking with guilt.
“It wasn’t your fault. These cultists were too strong. I almost dragged you down with me.”
Viscount Francis leaned on his cane; his back seemed stiff.
He couldn’t make sense of what these cultists of the Resurrection Church were really planning.
Was it truly, as they said—
An exercise?
Or was there some greater master behind the scenes?
He shook his head, lit a cigarette from his case, and took a puff.
…
The merchant ship sailed on the calm sea for several hours.
Around five in the afternoon—
The sky began to glow with the colors of sunset: pale orange, violet, and soft pink interwoven. The sun sank slowly, leaving one last streak of golden light at the horizon.
The sea reflected the hues of the sunset, shimmering with waves like countless diamonds inlaid upon its surface.
The paint on the ship’s hull was peeling a little, making it look aged, yet that only gave it a certain retro charm. The sailors, finally done with work, gazed at the distant shoreline with relaxed expressions.
The merchant ship was slowly approaching the harbor of a quiet town.
Inside the wide cabin—
Because Lan Qi had no luggage, after a friendly reminder from the sailors, he quickly left his room and walked down the corridor toward the exit where the gangway would soon be lowered.
There, Viscount Francis, his secretary, and his bodyguard were already waiting.
After Lan Qi greeted them, the viscount—just as before—showed no airs. He invited Lan Qi to join him later for dinner at the lord’s manor.
“Tonight, stay in our manor’s guest room.”
Viscount Francis leaned on his cane as he spoke to Lan Qi.
For tutors invited from other regions, they had always offered the same hospitality.
But most of those tutors had only stayed for a few days before leaving.
Some, in their impatience, had even tried to punish Zestira, going so far as to physically discipline her. In the end, they left with burns or unconscious from electrocution, carried off to the doctor.
This brown-haired, green-eyed youth appeared gentle enough—at least unlikely to be angered by his daughter and end up hurt after a conflict.
“Thank you, Viscount.”
Lan Qi smiled gratefully.
“Mr. Rocky, earlier—did you know what happened on the ship?”
The viscount hesitated for a moment, glanced at Lan Qi, then asked.
“In the morning, the ship stopped for a while, but it didn’t seem like much happened.”
Lan Qi thought back and spoke of what he felt while in his cabin.
When the ship had stopped, Cat Boss had used telekinesis to float outside and peek at the deck. Since Cat Boss had reported the situation wasn’t urgent, Lan Qi had chosen to use Friendship Forever Bug to send a telepathic message calling the silver-armored priest, instead of directly using Wonderful Notes to turn the ship into a ghost ship and saving the viscount himself.
“I see.”
Seeing Lan Qi’s innocent and oblivious look, Viscount Francis quickly dismissed his suspicions.
Truly, he was just overthinking because of age.
It wasn’t possible that the silver-armored priest had originally harbored ill intent, then after going below deck and meeting this young man, been moved by his words and changed his heart.
Such absurd notions were less useful than simply praying more to the goddess—that this scholar from the southern continent could at least endure his disobedient daughter.
(End of Chapter)