Bairon thought of the dozen or so bottles of medicine in his suitcase; those were his most treasured possessions, and he couldn't afford to lose them.
"I smell the ocean. Are you on a ship?" Old John asked from above.
Whether it was a trick of the ear or not, there seemed to be a hint of nostalgia in his voice.
"Yes."
Bairon nodded, speculating in his heart. This "sensing" probably served the same function as Charlotte's "perception." He just wondered about the differences between the two.
Charlotte spoke up, "There's something valuable on the ship."
"Oh?" Bairon looked up in surprise at the sculpture. If Charlotte deemed it a "valuable thing," its quality must be exceptional.
"There's an aura, akin to the abundant life force of the Elf kind, roaming the ship," Charlotte affirmed.
"Elf?" Bairon was taken aback. "This ship set sail from Aule Harbor. Could an Elf have boarded it?"
Ever since the Elf Queen was defeated by the first Giant King, Elves became prey in the eyes of humans, subject to whims and mistreatment.
To avoid calamity, the remaining Elves retreated to the edges of the continent, eventually disappearing into the depths of primeval forests and out of human sight.
Although the Provincial Alliance's Citizens Assembly Hall had since issued decrees against slavery and mandated equality among races, forbidding the elite from capturing Elves as slaves and pets like in the northern Pangboton Kingdom, it remained rare to spot a pureblood Elf within the Provincial Alliance territories today.
Even Elf hybrids were keen on concealing their lineage.
Learning that an Elf might be on the ship, Bairon was astonished.
However, he soon pieced together the logic.
The travel agency of San Sorus hadn't deceived Dave Padorn, after all.
Aule Harbor was indeed the city most likely to have Elf sightings in the entire Röntgen Continent.
That's because just beyond that city lay those very same uncharted primeval forests.
It was reasonable to think that an Elf might have boarded the White Gull from Aule Harbor.
"It's not an Elf, but the Elf-kind's Legacy Treasure," Charlotte clarified.
"Legacy Treasure!" Bairon's eyes sparkled with excitement.
A so-called "Legacy Treasure" referred to naturally existing Magic Circuits. Once infused with Mindergy, they could manifest spell effects.
Most of these items predominantly originate from the Elf kind.
As for how they acquired them, it remains a mystery to outsiders.
Following the defeat of the Elf Queen and the subsequent fall of the Elf realm, these treasures scattered from the vaults of the Elf kingdom, only to be termed as "Legacy Treasures" by human magi.
Had it been an Elf on the ship, Bairon would've been content just to catch a glimpse, curious to see what a pureblood Elf truly looked like.
But Charlotte mentioned it was a Legacy Treasure of the Elf lineage!
Bairon's interest was piqued even more!
Every magus in the Magus Tower understood that additional resources were pivotal for increasing one's power.
Bairon began to consider how to unearth this treasure.
Firstly, openly revealing his identity and scouring every nook and cranny of the ship with the imposing stature of a Battle Magus was unwise.
That would equate to robbery.
Once the White Gull docked, the local Magus Tower would undoubtedly be alerted, turning Bairon into a fugitive.
As a wanted man, taking Evelyn to San Sorus to meet the healer would be tantamount to walking into a trap.
Wiping out everyone on the ship to ensure silence was out of the question.
Bairon wasn't that heartless.
Moreover, a magus's power should be wielded against fellow magi.
Using it on civilians could lead to grave consequences.
It would mark the beginning of one's fall, ultimately transforming them into a Dark Magus.
Additionally, not openly revealing his Battle Magus identity had another reason: Bairon was still unsure who possessed the item.
If the holder turned out to be a Battle Magus as well, a confrontation could very well lead to the ship's destruction, dooming everyone aboard.
Even a magus proficient in Levitation couldn't traverse vast seas; their Mindergy wouldn't sustain them.
"You must find it. The Elf lineage's Legacy Treasure is vital for solidifying a magus's Mindergy," Old John advised.
That was precisely what Bairon needed.
For Bairon, the immediate concern wasn't that his magus level was too low, but rather that he had advanced too rapidly, causing his Mindergy to become unstable.
Should a magus's Mindergy falter, they risk becoming a Dark Magus.
For this very reason, since advancing to the Intermediate 3rd Ring Magus, Bairon had refrained from training in the "Battle Illusion Realm."
"I understand," Bairon nodded in agreement.
The world of the Dark Tower once again returned to silence.
Bairon approached the entrance of the Dark Tower, casting a glance at the golden 'Equity' scale.
He sighed in relief upon seeing the parchment remained in its place, although his name inscribed upon it still struck him as an eyesore.
After inspecting the parchment, Bairon took out the level 4 mana core.
Given that both Charlotte and Old John had only a rudimentary understanding of crafting spell equipment, Bairon hadn't been in a hurry to use the mana core to unlock the door to the "Crafting Illusion Realm."
After a quick survey of his surroundings to ensure everything was in order, Bairon seated himself cross-legged beneath the stairway, adjacent to the sculpture, and began his Meditation.
Although Meditation could also help in stabilizing Mindergy, due to Bairon's novice level of Meditation techniques, the effects were gradual.
...
Time swiftly flowed by.
It was now the third day since the White Gull had departed from Sailport, sailing the vast expanse of the ocean.
Bairon emerged from the realm of the Dark Tower, returning to the confines of his room in the real world.
It was 8 o'clock in the evening.
The slender crescent of the moon and the scattered stars weren't enough to illuminate the world fully, yet the ship on the vast sea continued its voyage.
The cool moonlight streamed into the cabin.
Sitting at his desk, Bairon toyed with a carving knife under the glow of the moonlight.
A few walnuts on the table rolled back and forth with the ship's sway.
The waves in this sea region were relatively rough, which surprisingly was beneficial for practicing his carving skills.
However, Bairon decided to take a day off from his work.
There was a more pressing matter at hand.
After three days of observation, Bairon had pinpointed the owner of the Elf lineage's Legacy Treasure.
To be more precise, he had identified the prime suspect—Captain Frank!
This captain had been sailing non-stop since departing from Aule Harbor, even navigating through the treacherous nights.
However, William·Jona had once casually mentioned that ships usually refrained from sailing in the dark waters of the night.
"Knock, knock, knock—"
The sound of knocking echoed from outside the door.
A sleeping Evelyn rubbed her eyes in response.
Approaching the door, Bairon opened it to see Mrs. Margaret·Jona, her daughter Anna, a maid, and a butler standing outside.
The maid held a suitcase, and the butler cradled a small locked wooden box, standing a little distance away.
"Bairon, is it alright if I address you by that name?" Margaret asked with a smile.
Life aboard the ship was stifling. Both crew members and passengers sought companionship for solace.
However, Margaret and Anna weren't particularly fond of the other first-class passengers.
Even Stephen had lost considerable favor due to that theatrical display.
So, aboard the White Gull, the only people Margaret felt comfortable conversing with were Bairon and Evelyn.
Over the past few days, Margaret had frequently dropped by, and the two parties had become quite familiar with each other.
However, this was their first visit during the evening.
"Of course," Bairon nodded in response to her question about addressing him by his first name. He then inquired, "What brings you here tonight?"
"Well," Margaret began, "Captain Frank just informed me that we'll be arriving at Sail Town in about three hours. Anna and I are preparing to disembark." She gestured toward the suitcase held by the maid.
He's sped up again... Bairon had calculated the journey, and based on White Gull's original pace, they shouldn't be reaching Sail Town until noon the next day.
However, Bairon wasn't particularly worried.
His destination was San Sorus, which was closer than Frank's intended destination, Rustburg in the Pangboton Kingdom of the Kingdom in the North.
To reach San Sorus, even at the current speed, it would take at least another two days of sailing.
"Well, congratulations on reaching your destination ahead of schedule," Bairon said with a smile.
"Thanks to Captain Frank and his crew," Margaret said reflectively. "I'll have my butler prepare some bread and soup for them at the port."
She sighed, "The journey hasn't been the most pleasant. Anna has expressed her regret about this trip several times."
Anna blushed, shifting her gaze elsewhere.
"Mr. Stewart," Margaret signaled. The butler stepped forward, handing the wooden box to her. Margaret then offered it to Bairon. "You're heading to San Sorus, right? Consider this a small token of appreciation from us. I hope it might be of some assistance to you."
"Thank you," Bairon said, accepting the box gratefully. Any assistance related to San Sorus was welcome.
"We'll take our leave now, Mr. Stewart. Please send our regards to Evelyn. We should head to the deck to prepare for our disembarkation," Margaret announced.