Looking at the scattered figures on the distant docks, Charles licked his cracked lips. "Let's dock first, go straight to the locals."
By the time Charles and his companions disembarked from the ship, a crowd had already gathered, staring at them without blinking.
Just as Charles was starting to feel a bit uneasy under the gaze, two middle-aged men in customs uniforms made their way through the crowd.
One of them, a man with deep frown lines on his face, posed a question. "Who is the Captain? Where is your ship from? Foreign vessels aren't allowed to dock here, don't you know?"
Charles stepped forward and explained the situation in detail while inquiring whether there was a shipyard on the island.
After Charles finished speaking, there was no response for a while, until he saw the two middle-aged men staring at him as if they were petrified.
Several seconds later, they came to life, their expressions visibly warmer. "Yes, sir, take your ship to the east side, there's a ship repair yard there,"
Second Officer Krona leaned in close to whisper to Charles, "Captain, are the people on this island a bit slow to react?"
Charles wasn't sure, but these were minor issues. Perhaps it's some special trouble caused by the island...
When Charles steered the Unicorne into the ship repair yard, he was informed that replacing the turbine would take a month.
Though it was a long time, there was no choice; the turbine was the heart of the steamboat, and without it, the Unicorne couldn't return to Coral Island.
After Charles had paid the deposit and walked out of the docks, he saw the islanders were still standing motionless, watching them.
Their parched lips prevented them from paying much attention to local customs as Charles led the crew into a desolate inn and they feasted heartily.
Looking at the crew, now burping contentedly, Charles said, "Replacing the turbine will take a month. The locals seem a bit xenophobic. Everyone, be safe and steer clear of trouble."
The crew, comfortably leaning back in their chairs, murmured their agreement in twos and threes.
However, when Charles distributed their payment for the mission, everyone perked up.
James hesitated with the Echo Coin in hand, "Captain, this mission failed, and now the Unicorne needs a new turbine. Maybe we should save this money—"
"It's all right. You should still take what you're owed. Everyone rest well during this time."
Charles, who had previously been frugal to save money for a ship, didn't mind these expenses now. After such a disaster, if a bit of paper notes could unite the crew's spirits, it was a worthwhile deal.
The moment they received their money, all the crew could scarcely stay seated; grinning, they walked out arm in arm.
Charles, of course, knew where they were heading. For men who make a living at sea, this was standard practice, and it was actually Charles, always thrifty, who was considered the odd one out.
That night, Charles had a nightmare, dreaming he was sinking into the water again, the colossal, menacing humanoid monster turning to look at him.
He shouted and cried out until, drenched in cold sweat, he awoke. There was no seabed, no monster, only the peeling ceiling of the inn.
"Mr. Charles, did you have a nightmare last night?" Lily said, bouncing onto his chest.
Charles sat up and took out his pocket watch, realizing he had slept for 11 hours, something unprecedented.
As he got out of bed to head to the washroom, he discovered an envelope at his door.
Opening it, he found a passage written in beautiful cursive.
Mr. Charles:
The life aboard the Exploration Ship was just too dangerous for me, I couldn't stand it any longer, and I have decided to return to shore, forgive me for not taking leave of you in person.
Once a sailor Sifler
"Sigh..." Charles crumpled the envelope into a ball and threw it into the trash heap beside him.
"It seems that money alone isn't enough to keep people's hearts, some have been scared witless."
Charles's mood didn't fluctuate much, considering the circumstances, it was reasonable that some would leave.
Calculating the time, it should be evening now, Charles walked out with Lily.
The differences in the harbor district weren't so distinct, but as Charles stepped into the so-called Crown District, he immediately noticed the contrast between the islands.
The attire and architectural styles were completely different from those on Coral Island, with every man on the street donned in suits and carrying canes, and the ladies in various lavish outfits appeared exceedingly graceful.
Not sure if it was just Charles's impression, but the inhabitants of this island seemed to have an above-average look, with significantly more handsome men and beautiful women than on other islands.
But no matter how attractive they were, the habit of staring at people hadn't changed.
Being gawked at like a monkey wasn't a pleasant feeling, so Charles stopped a man passing by and asked, "Excuse me, could you tell me where the Explorer Association is? I couldn't find it in the harbor district."
"The Explorer Association? What is that? I've never heard of it."
You've never heard of it? Charles's face was full of surprise. To his knowledge, most of the Earth Sea's islands were discovered by explorers.
Although the Association was a loose organization, it formed a symbiotic relationship with the Governors of the islands, and its influence was substantial in all human-inhabited areas.
If this place didn't even have an Explorer Association, could it be that this island had no contact with the others, and was an isolated island?
While Charles was lost in thought, the fellow he had been talking to had already turned and walked away.
After pondering for a moment, Charles walked directly into a nearby library, and soon he found various sea charts. After comparing them, Charles quickly located the position of the current island.
He traced a line on the sea chart and said with a relaxed expression, "Thank goodness, although this place isn't recorded, it's not too far from Coral Island. If the ship is repaired and sails quickly, it will take at most 15 days to get back."
Having purchased various new and old sea charts, Charles walked out of the library.
He stood on the bustling street and was momentarily stunned; the ship was being repaired and the current coordinates were confirmed, but now he didn't know what to do.
If it were the old Charles, perhaps he should continue to train his physique and shooting skills in preparation for future adventures.
But thinking of the increasingly severe auditory hallucinations, Charles wondered if he had been too tense since arriving, never taking a moment to rest.
"Trying to relax might be good for the hallucinations."
With this thought, Charles turned to look at Lily on his shoulder, "Let's explore this island."
"Yes!" Lily's ears perked up immediately at the mention of going on an outing.
Tall spires, vivid reliefs, and long windows with colored glass.
Although Charles wasn't much of an art connoisseur, he could still see that these buildings were crafted with extreme care, something the new island of Coral Island, with little heritage, couldn't compare to.
"Mr. Charles, what is that? It looks delicious!"