Stephen sought inspiration.
Dave Padorn thirsted for revenge.
Putting aside the arrogant scion of a great family, Dave Padorn, Bairon didn't particularly hold any fondness for the enigmatic Stephen either.
They both wanted to find Seasoft, but Bairon didn't.
He even entertained the idea of letting Seasoft remain hidden until the White Gull docked at Sail Town, allowing her to disembark.
"Clean up the room?" Seasoft looked around in surprise.
Indeed, the room was in disarray, and it was entirely her doing.
"How about this? I'll pay double the fee. You can get one of the sailors to come in and tidy it up," Seasoft suggested cautiously.
After witnessing Bairon effortlessly deflect her full-powered Wind Blade, Seasoft had a sinking feeling.
Bairon was leagues ahead in power.
Under his dominant might, Seasoft's only leverage was threatening the White Gull, but Bairon had plenty of options.
However, she never imagined that all Bairon would request was for her to tidy the room.
Although the request was simple, Seasoft didn't want to linger any longer.
Bairon's presence outside the door was intimidating.
So, she decided to offer double the amount to settle the matter.
"How much do you have?" Bairon inquired.
Seasoft tilted her chin, "I have 105 gold coins and 56 silver coins."
Clearly, the 102 gold coins were an advance payment from Mr. Dave.
That meant, prior to this, this female magus was worth only 3 gold coins and 56 silver coins.
Bairon never thought there existed a magus even poorer than himself in this world.
And she seemed proud of it!
She was a woman without any sense of money; she was bound to face hardships in the future.
Bairon decided to pocket a small sum to teach her a lesson.
"Then, place your purse on the table and continue tidying," Bairon commanded with an authoritative tone.
Seasoft was taken aback for a moment before exclaiming, "This is robbery!"
"Robbing a thief isn't robbery. Robbing a magus even less so. No magus tower would ever entertain such a claim," Bairon responded, pulling up a chair to sit by the door.
He urged, "Hurry up, before those searching the ship for you reach the first-class cabins."
His words weren't a threat, but a simple fact.
Apart from the sailors whom the captain had ordered back to their stations, numerous men on the White Gull were lighting candles, searching every corner for the Elf.
"You just wait!" With resentment, Seasoft took the purse from her waist and threw it onto the table.
She then bent over, starting to fold the bedding she had haphazardly messed up.
But as Seasoft bent down, her body formed a perfect silhouette.
Bairon, seated by the door, had a flawless vantage point.
"Like what you see, Lord Stewart?" Seasoft remarked with a sardonic smirk.
Bairon suddenly inquired, "Have you been to Margaret's room?"
"How did you know?" A flash of surprise crossed Seasoft's face.
"You visited Stephen's room as well?" Bairon continued.
"I've been to all of them," Seasoft said with gritted teeth, as if recalling a particularly distasteful memory.
Bairon's eyes narrowed slightly, "What were you looking for in the first-class cabins of White Gull?"
"Obviously valuable items, gold coins, jewels," Seasoft replied nonchalantly.
A magus playing the role of a thief aboard a ship, even pretending to be a courtesan, all for money?
Bairon couldn't tell if Seasoft was genuinely naive or just pretending.
He leaned towards the former, especially since she didn't mention the Golden Ticket.
In the Provincial Alliance, where the Golden Ticket system existed, those tickets were the most precious items.
Based on this, Bairon deduced that not only had Seasoft not found what she was looking for, she had also failed to pilfer any valuables from other first-class passengers.
A pity, Bairon mused.
As Seasoft finished straightening the bedding, she knelt to tackle the luggage she had ransacked.
"Among the first-class passengers, you seem to be the poorest," she taunted, folding clothes neatly and placing them back into the suitcase.
Bairon's luggage held nothing but clothing and stacks of books, ranging from childish tales to dull histories.
However, Bairon was far from poor.
Having received generous gifts from William Jona and Margaret Jona, combined with his previous savings, Bairon's wealth had accumulated to nearly ten thousand gold coins, not including a level 4 mana core.
Naturally, these valuables weren't left in his suitcase but kept close on his person.
Still, in terms of what was visible, maybe Seasoft wasn't wrong in her taunt.
Once all the clothes were neatly folded and the suitcase was laboriously pushed back under the bed, Seasoft stood and approached the wooden table.
Spotting the carving knife and walnut, she hesitated momentarily, her hand drifting towards the sharp tool.
"Breaking into my room was your first mistake, throwing a Wind Blade spell at me was your second. Touching my carving knife would be your third. Don't push my limits," Bairon warned.
Seasoft withdrew her hand, quickly organizing the walnuts and other odds and ends.
Ten minutes later, the room was restored to its former state.
"Can I go now?" Seasoft inquired.
"My advice would be for you to stay put," Bairon suggested. "Once the White Gull docks at Sail Town, I'll find a way to sneak you among the disembarking passengers."
"I'm not leaving the ship," Seasoft declared with determination.
"There's a horde on board looking for you. "
"Even as a magus, they can wear you down with sheer numbers, depleting your Mindergy. A magus without Mindergy is no better than a common farmer; they will catch you," Bairon cautioned.
While Seasoft, being a regular human, might not fetch as high a price as an Elf, an enraged Dave would be more than willing to offer a hefty sum of gold coins as a reward for her capture.
The outcomes would likely be the same in either scenario.
"I haven't found what I'm looking for. I'm not leaving," Seasoft emphasized.
"So, what are you looking for?" Bairon said, massaging his forehead.
Bairon's plan was crystal clear.
He needed the White Gull to reach San Sorus as quickly as possible and, in the few hours before the ship docked, to steal the Legacy Treasure hidden in Captain Frank's quarters.
Ideally, Bairon would have loved to throw both Seasoft and Dave Padorn overboard, ridding himself of their interference.
However, the reality of the situation made that option challenging.
Thus, Bairon would have to devise another solution.
For instance, by politely escorting Seasoft off the ship.
"It's none of your business," Seasoft retorted.
"And please, stop meddling. I went through so much trouble to incite the sailors to halt the White Gull, only for you to get it moving again. You've made my life difficult!"
Bairon replied, "Anchoring a ship in the open sea is simply a waste of the passengers' time."
"I didn't need it to stop for long, just two days," Seasoft said. "You should show me some respect. That way, when you reach Aule Harbor, you'll have an extra friend."
"You're from Aule Harbor?!" Bairon exclaimed, scrutinizing Seasoft more closely.
She didn't have pointed ears, but her eyes were a striking shade of emerald green.
One of the distinguishing features of an Elf.
It all made sense now.
She was of mixed heritage – half Elf!
Could it be that what she was searching for was the Legacy Treasure of the Elf lineage?
The pieces of the puzzle finally fit together.
With this revelation, Bairon felt a sense of clarity.
However, another question immediately arose.
"Haven't you been to the captain's quarters?"
"Why would I go there?" Seasoft countered.
So, she hadn't been there.
Bairon let out a sigh of relief and continued, "Who told you that if the White Gull stopped at sea for just two days, you'd find what you're looking for?"
"Why would I..." Seasoft began, but her voice trailed off.
A voice echoed from the corridor outside.
"Mr. Stewart, where are you?"
It was Stephen's voice.
It seemed he had finished his interview.
Bairon gestured to Seasoft with a beckoning motion.
Seasoft blinked in confusion.
With a hint of exasperation, Bairon pointed to the money pouch on the table.
Gritting her teeth, Seasoft tossed the pouch over.
Bairon tied the pouch around his waist, then turned to exit, promptly shutting the door behind him.
"Oh, there you are."
Although the corridor was dimly lit, the sound of the door closing had drawn Stephen's attention.
"How did the interview go?" Bairon inquired.
"Oh, quite well. Mr. Padorn's experiences have given me a wealth of inspiration!" Stephen exclaimed, patting the notebook in his hand.
Bairon thought there was something odd about that statement and managed a professional, though somewhat forced, smile.
"I've found out the whereabouts of that unfortunate theater troupe manager and his colleagues. Let's interview them next," suggested Stephen.
Bairon pointed out, "We only have half an hour before the White Gull docks."
"Time is indeed of the essence. Who do you think should be our next interviewee? The unwitting members of the theater troupe or the indignant passengers?" Stephen pondered.
Bairon raised an eyebrow, "Indignant?"