Carefully sensing the "message" intercepted by the Pure White Eye, Ebner's spiritual intuition raised no alarms, indicating that the knowledge infused by a higher being of this pathway was not dangerous.
Even so, Ebner didn't read it immediately. After a moment of thought, he decided it would be safer to wait until he could access the Sefirah Castle to review it.
"I still have two hours of study time with Mr. Fool that I haven't used this week…" he mused. With that plan in mind, Ebner took off his Doctor Strange cloak and returned to his dress shirt, vest, and trousers.
Next, he sorted his extraordinary items back into his luggage, except for Lilith's Tears, Ring of Light, and Heart of Flame. Only then did he open the cabin door and step onto the deck.
Appearing openly like this would help to distance himself from "Doctor Strange."
Unexpectedly, as soon as he arrived on deck, Ebner noticed that many of the sailors aboard the Aarunheim displayed looks of fear and anxiety—even Captain Miss Gwyn seemed to be forcing herself to remain calm.
As for Lydia, she still wore a calm and collected smile, which helped ease the nerves of the sailors who were secretly glancing her way.
Just then, young Terrance saw Ebner and rushed over, saying in a panic, "Detective Bryan, I was just about to look for you…"
"What's going on?" Ebner calmly asked while summoning a Halo of the Sun.
With a flash of golden light, a wave of invisible power rapidly spread, washing over everyone on deck like a wave.
In an instant, the anxiety and fear vanished from all the sailors, including Miss Gwyn and young Terrance, as they seemed to regain their courage.
Only Lydia's previously cheerful expression shifted slightly as she wrinkled her nose in mild dissatisfaction. As a vampire, she wasn't too fond of the effects of the Halo of the Sun.
Terrance, feeling the warmth and courage, thanked Ebner before composing himself and explaining, "It's… it's that 'Seagull' Hill spotted three ships closing in on us from different directions!"
"Oh, and Hill is an extraordinary animal—a seagull—that Lydia keeps."
Why didn't I see it on my way back? Oh, right, I came through the sea… Ebner's expression remained calm, though he'd just sunk a ghost ship. He then asked, "Do you know who they are?"
He wasn't surprised that Lydia had an extraordinary animal companion; after all, the Sequence before Vampire is Beast Tamer.
"It's the 'Madman' Reem, with a bounty of 1,500 pounds, and his 'Great Shark' pirate crew," Terrance replied, hesitating before adding, "He… he's likely after revenge for being humiliated at Twin Island's dock…"
Twin Island? Humiliation? Since Ebner had been preoccupied with "Vice Admiral Iceberg"'s commission, it took him a moment to recall. When he had arrived on the island, he had used Authority and Dragon's Might to intimidate a group of pirates for convenience… So, this "Madman" Reem was one of the unlucky pirates he'd used to make an example?
After a bit more thought, Ebner asked, "The one who wet his pants?"
"Yes, Detective Bryan." Terrance couldn't help but laugh despite the lingering tension in his heart.
So it really is him… Is he actually delivering bounty money and characteristics to me? I seem to recall he's a Barbarian… Hah, these pirates are so generous and hospitable.
With that level of strength, even if I weren't here, he still wouldn't be a match for Gwyn and her crew.
But then again, the "Madman" commands a pirate crew with three ships… so that's probably where his confidence comes from. Shaking his head, Ebner didn't take the pirate crew too seriously but quietly reminded himself not to use any methods Doctor Strange had used, just to avoid arousing suspicion.
After reassuring young Terrance and helping him completely relax, Ebner approached Captain Gwyn with a smile and asked, "If it came to a boarding battle, how confident are you in securing a victory?"
"I won't lose to Reem… but Lydia and Terrance aren't combat-focused Beyonders… I'm worried…" Gwyn answered, somewhat unsure of herself.
Maybe Terrance really isn't skilled at direct combat, but Lydia is a vampire—how could she not be battle-ready? She's holding back, isn't she?
After considering this for a moment, Ebner confidently replied, "Then I'll create an opportunity for you to duel the 'Madman' one-on-one."
He was now focused on avoiding drawing too much attention to himself or exposing too much strength, so as not to let anyone connect him to "Doctor Strange."
So, this time, he'd let Captain Gwyn take the spotlight, gain fame, and attract attention!
Sensing the powerful confidence in Ebner's tone, Gwyn began to relax, her mind drifting back to when they had hunted a giant serpent in the underwater cave.
Mr. Bryan is always so reliable… she thought, though outwardly she asked in a steady tone, "What should I do?"
"Nothing. Just wait for my arrangement," Ebner replied with a slight smile, a preliminary plan already forming in his mind.
Meanwhile, the three ships of the "Great Shark" pirate crew had come within sight of the sailors, moving in a triangular formation to encircle them.
Seeing this, Ebner nodded to Gwyn before vanishing from sight.
Lydia, who had been listening to their conversation, noticed that the captain still seemed worried, so she approached to reassure her. "Don't worry, that detective isn't just anyone. Even if he took down the whole crew on his own, it wouldn't be surprising."
Gwyn's eyes lit up as she glanced at Lydia. "You seem to know Detective Bryan well?"
After a moment's hesitation, Lydia decided not to hide it any longer, given that Karen would probably show up within a few days. She nodded, "He's a friend of my brother's."
Noting the worry in Lydia's expression, Gwyn speculated, "Did Detective Bryan tell your brother where you are? Will… will you be leaving soon?"
She paused, pressing her lips together before patting Lydia's shoulder with a forced smile. "It's probably for the best. A girl your age shouldn't be roughing it with me, risking life and limb… it's better to return to your family."
A girl my age? If I told you my real age, you probably wouldn't believe it… Lydia thought, but she too felt reluctant to part from the captain who had cared for her. After a moment of thought, she removed a wide belt from around her waist, handed it to Gwyn, and said with a sniffle, "Captain, take this belt as a little token from me."
"Talking like that before a battle isn't a good omen…" Gwyn joked, though she was surprised by the belt's unexpected weight as she took it.
Even though I'm a Weapon Master, I can feel its weight! And Lydia, a Beast Tamer, has been moving around freely while wearing it?
Before she could finish her thought, Gwyn sensed the extraordinary quality of the belt with her Weapon Master abilities. She lifted one end, gave it a light shake, and it transformed into a golden sword coiled with a snake motif.
Seeing that Miss Gwyn had quickly grasped how to wield the belt as a weapon, Lydia smiled and said, "Detective Bryan said he'd give you a chance to duel the 'Madman'… with this sword, your odds are even better."
"This is too precious… I can't accept it…" Gwyn firmly shook her head, returning the sword to belt form and handing it back to Lydia.
Although she admired the sword and had never owned a proper extraordinary weapon, she felt she couldn't accept such a valuable gift without reason.
"Who said I was giving it to you? This is just an added investment in the Aarunheim. As captain, you can use this public asset during battles," Lydia replied, having already prepared for Gwyn's reaction.
At this, Gwyn had no further grounds to refuse. After a brief hesitation, she nodded. "In that case, I'll increase your stake to 30%."
"Great. If I do leave, I'll let Terrance exercise my rights as my representative," Lydia said, casting a glance at the young man who was still somewhat isolated from the sailors.
Gwyn smiled knowingly but didn't comment, instead asking curiously, "Does the belt sword have a name?"
"It does… Roselle created it as a flawed prototype in his youth and later gave it to my brother… to my family. Its official name is 'Golden Serpent Sword'… but I prefer calling it 'Belt Sword'."
…
Onboard the flagship Great Shark of the pirate crew, the "Madman" Reem was so fixated on his nearby "prey" that he unknowingly stepped forward, only to feel something underfoot.
Looking down, he found a Loen gold coin. Feeling pleased, he picked it up, muttering, "Picking up a coin before battle… the gods are watching over me! Seems I'll not only wash away the previous disgrace but also capture those two pretty girls."
As his fantasies grew more vivid, his first mate interrupted, "Captain, their ship is within range. Should we signal the other ships to fire?"
Displeased at having his daydreams interrupted, Reem snapped, "Fire? What if my beauties get hurt?"
"No, signal them—no firing allowed. We'll board together."
The first mate was initially taken aback by the order but, seeing no obvious issue, left to deliver it.
"I can't let those rough men harm my beauties… I'll capture that long-legged girl myself!" Reem said proudly.
Meanwhile, standing undetected beside him, Ebner's lips curved in a slight smile.
The target had taken the "bribe," naturally becoming prideful, reckless, and losing focus, leading to a misjudgment!
With this setup, a subtle "mental suggestion" could guide things exactly as he wanted.
(End of Chapter)