The Unicorne didn't return to Coral Island until a month later.
Having obtained new clues on Earth's surface, Charles was eager to head straight for Chaotic City Sodoma, but the crew couldn't hold up anymore.
Giant butterflies, Gods, Vampires—the journey had etched exhaustion on everyone's faces.
Charles didn't push them; he knew no one was made of iron. The sailors needed rest, as did the Unicorne.
The temporarily attached turbines were overburdened, and with the sonar's damage to the hull, the Unicorne needed a major overhaul.
Standing on the ship, Charles tenderly touched the rail and whispered low, "You've worked hard, my companion."
"Mr. Charles, it seems your voyage hit some rough patches. Did you encounter any dangers? Why such severe damage?"
The speaker was Wood, the man who had sold Charles the ship.
At that moment, Wood felt surprised; he hadn't expected to see this ship again, believing it would have sunk to the depths by now.
He suddenly had a premonition that this young man before him might just stand a chance of becoming the Island Governor.
"How much altogether?" Charles had no time for idle chatter.
Wood hurriedly passed over the bill. "Replacing the turbines, plus refitting the deck. The total repair cost is 1.21 million Echo."
Signing his name on the bill, Charles calculated his remaining funds.
Subtracting the repair costs from the previous 1.6 million Echo, and deducting the sailors' wages, only 150,000 were left.
It seemed like a lot, but for an exploration ship's treasury, it was a perilous figure. If the next voyage brought in no income, the entire Unicorne would be immobilized.
He intended to set sail for Sodoma next, a journey destined to yield no reward, which troubled him greatly.
While pondering, Charles walked toward the exit of the shipyard.
As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Audric, wearing sunglasses, standing by the roadside as if waiting for him. "What are you doing standing here?"
"Mr. Charles, is there still a place on your ship for one more sailor? Please allow me to join your crew." An agitated Audric bowed his head toward Charles's approaching footsteps.
"Sorry, my crew is full." Charles firmly rejected him, brushing past to continue toward the distant dock.
It wasn't that he discriminated against him for being a Vampire but rather no ship could use a blind man. What could a blind painter possibly do on board? Paint portraits for the sailors?
Before he had gone far, a frantic Audric fumbled his way toward him. "Captain Charles, I'm not a burden; I've advanced, I have new abilities."
A black cloak covered the blind Vampire, undulating incessantly; within two short seconds, a black bat flitted above and below Charles.
"Captain Charles, I'm now a Baron; I've acquired the ability to transform. When I'm a bat, I don't need eyes to see."
Looking at the bat half the size of his arm, Charles shook his head. With a flick of his right hand, a revolver appeared.
With a "pop," the bat hit the ground, morphing back into the blind Vampire, clutching his wounded left shoulder, his expression one of agony.
"If you want to live, stick to painting."
Listening to the footsteps that gradually faded, Audric hesitated for two seconds, then suddenly shouted, "Captain! Aren't you going to Sodoma to find sunlight? I visited there 40 years ago, I can guide you!!"
"I don't need your help, I have my own connections."
Audric's face showed urgency as he hastily spoke again, "Mr. Charles! I can be a strong fighting force for you. Even though I'm blind, I am still a vampire. My combat strength is surely no less than that of your crew!!"
After a while, Charles's voice rang in his ear, "Aren't you afraid of sunlight? Why do you want to follow me?"
Audric's face revealed a bitter smile. "You might not believe me, but the salary of one of your sailors for a single mission is more than I could earn in several years. I am envious. I'm a man who no longer wishes for much, just to have a job and to live a steady life."
Looking at the vampire before him, Charles had an odd expression on his face. This was the first time he had seen a vampire in such dire straits.
"Captain Charles? Are you still there?"
"You're in as a sailor on the Unicorne."
"Thank you, Captain!!"
Diary Entry
August 3, Year Eight
Three days ago, my crew and I safely arrived at Coral Island.
The blind vampire joined my team. His personality is somewhat timid, which I'm not very pleased about, but as a sailor, he should be just fine. His ability to transform into a bat could come in handy as a lookout at crucial moments.
Vampires possess a powerful healing ability. Since all of the last group of sailors died, I need to find some that won't die so easily.
Next, I plan to head to Sodoma to find that kind of sunlight that can be kept in a box. If it truly is sunlight, then there must be a way to reach the Earth's surface.
"Click." The door was pushed open.
As Charles, who was recording his diary, turned to look, he saw Lily the Rat, with drooping ears, entering with her mice.
"Where have you been?" Charles asked.
A despondent Lily climbed up the bedsheets onto the pillow, and lay there despondently. "I'm not telling you..."
Charles shook his head, closed the diary, and stood up. "I'm going out for a bit, watch the house properly."
The rat's head buried in the soft pillow perked up. "Mr. Charles, where are you going?"
"It's Saturday today. All the captains should be gathering at the Explorer Association. I'm going to see if there's any news."
"That sounds fun! Take me with you!"
"Stay and watch the house." Charles, indifferent, pushed open the door and walked out.
Watching the door being mercilessly shut, Lily punched the pillow in a huff. "Mr. Charles, you're so annoying!"
After punching a few times, she flopped onto the pillow. "Hmph, if you won't take me, I'll go to sleep. Just wait until you go to sleep tonight, I'll annoy you to death."
Time passed slowly, and a drowsy Lily was startled by a knocking sound.
Looking at the persistently knocking door, Lily became panicked. "Who's there? There's nobody inside!"
With a "click", the door lock was forcibly broken, and a ghastly tentacle monster appeared at the doorway.
Seeing the twisted tentacles and the angry giant eye, Lily screamed in terror. The brown mice immediately surrounded her and bared their sharp teeth at the intruder.
The ghastly tentacle monster, seeing the screaming rat, rapidly transformed. A seductive, mature woman with a fiery figure appeared in the room.
Lily's eyes widened at the sight of the beautiful woman before her. She recognized the woman, the same one the blind painter had depicted.
"To think it was just a rat; you gave me quite a scare. When I heard a woman's voice, I thought Gao Zhiming was cheating behind my back."