The first mate led a group of sailors into the cabin.
Frank felt a weight pressing down on him, "May the Seven Gods protect us. I hope this Windless Expanse isn't vast."
Dave chastised, "Why are you panicking? We've only just entered the Windless Expanse. Can't we just row a bit backward and exit?"
Frank stared blankly for a moment, turning to Bairon.
"You deal with this idiot," Bairon muttered, his gaze still surveying the crowd on the deck.
"Alright, let me explain," Frank sighed. "Mr. Padorn, a naturally occurring Windless Expanse isn't as you imagine."
"It's... akin to the principle of a bubble."
"Do you understand the nature of bubbles? When you toss a tiny object into one, for a fleeting moment, the object is thrust to the very center of the bubble."
"The White Gull is like that tiny object. Abruptly pulled into the heart of this Windless Expanse spell field, this bubble, and then thrust to its very center."
Frank gestured as he explained.
In truth, a magus should understand this better than commoners.
Many naturally occurring and highly dangerous spell fields are managed by magi from the magus towers.
Of course, the local Civic Hall would have to pay a fee for their services.
But out at sea, no city or national Civic Hall is willing to foot the bill.
Thus, encountering a Windless Expanse at sea meant you were simply out of luck.
"Then let's row with the oars. Tell the sailors and passengers that I'll pay them double!" Dave Padorn declared.
Frank didn't agree.
Such "good news" would only make the situation worse, an idea only a brainless young master from a prominent family could come up with.
Fortunately, there was a more reliable magus aboard. Frank turned to Bairon again.
This time, he finally took a moment to ask, "Mr. Stewart, what are you searching for?"
"Where is Stephen? Why haven't I seen him yet? Even if he got drunk, he should've been awakened by now, perhaps from hitting his head on a cabin wall or something," Bairon inquired.
"It is indeed strange. I'll have the sailors search for him. Hopefully, he hasn't knocked himself out somewhere," Frank mused, signaling a sailor to come over.
But as the sailor approached, the first mate dashed out of the cabin, his face filled with panic and eyes brimming with fear.
An ominous feeling spread across the deck with his every step.
"Captain, all the oars are ruined!" the first mate exclaimed, trembling.
Frank asked, "What do you mean 'ruined'?"
"They're shattered, broken in half! Someone maliciously destroyed them, all of them!" The first mate gestured, swallowing hard.
Running back and forth had nearly drained him of energy.
Soon after, several sailors emerged from the cabin, each holding the remnants of oars so badly broken they were beyond repair.
Under the fierce midday sun, Frank felt a winter chill creeping in.
Bairon rushed to the first-class cabins.
"Could that bumpkin be packing his things, planning to flee on his own?" Dave Padorn sneered about Bairon.
Suddenly, as if struck by a realization, he glanced around.
Seeing no one paying attention, he scurried towards the aft of the ship.
Bairon reached the first-class cabin section and located Stephen's room.
Channeling his "Flesh" spell, he kicked the door open with a single powerful strike.
The room was empty, but there was a piece of paper on the table, a few lines written on it, appearing like a letter prepared in advance.
Bairon stepped in and picked up the note, scanning its contents.
"To the Captain of the White Gull, Frank, the noble magus Mr. Stewart, the beautiful half-Elf maiden, and others. The Sea God has awakened, and we shall return to his embrace."
"Cult of the Dark Deity?" Bairon whispered.
On the Röntgen Continent, while most common folk revered the magus tower, and a few held beliefs in the Light Faith, these weren't the only spiritual inclinations.
In dark, secluded corners of the world, there still existed various odd and obscure religious beliefs.
Among these, those that posed harm to the common people were labeled by the magi as the "Cult of the Dark Deity".
Stephen's note mentioning the "return to the embrace of the Sea God" led Bairon to deduce that it referred to a "Sacrifice of the Living", which meant worshipping some form of malevolent deity.
But making such an assertion now might be premature.
Bairon's eyes narrowed slightly.
Did Stephen have something to do with the emergence of the Windless Expanse? And how did he vanish?
Wait, it was that thing!
A realization suddenly dawned on Bairon.
"What are you doing?" Hearing the commotion, Seasoft hurried over, standing at the doorway, her face etched with curiosity as she peered inside.
Evelyn was right behind her, equally curious, watching Bairon.
The two of them seemed to have grown closer.
"Someone left a note for you." Bairon handed over the piece Stephen had written.
Taking it, Seasoft read and re-read it, her brow furrowing. "How did he know I'm a half-Elf? Wait, how did YOU know I'm a half-Elf?"
Her face was a mix of astonishment and doubt.
Bairon replied, "Every move you've made on this ship has been manipulated."
"It wasn't manipulation. Someone kind has been helping me," Seasoft corrected.
"A kind person who made you masquerade as a vulgar theatre actress, a prostitute, a thief, and finally let you be bound by Dave Padorn?" Bairon retorted with a cold laugh.
Seasoft's face crinkled in confusion, contemplating the veracity of Bairon's words.
However, Bairon didn't wait for her to process it.
Pointing at the note, he said, "That 'kind' gentleman is the one."
Seasoft's eyes widened in disbelief.
Before she could voice another question, Bairon had already stepped around her, leaving the room, heading back to the deck.
The news of the oars being destroyed had already spread among the passengers and crew. Despair and cries filled the deck.
Frank sat crouched on the ground, his gaze distant and desolate.
Bairon approached him. "Do you have any smaller boats?"
"You mean lifeboats? We had some before, but not anymore," Frank replied with a bitter smile, weakly pointing in a direction.
Bairon followed the direction of Frank's pointed finger.
Out on the water, a small boat bobbed, its lone occupant clumsily rowing with the sole remaining oar.
That figure was unmistakably Dave·Padorn.
"That's the only one?" Bairon inquired again.
"Yes," Frank nodded.
"Good," Bairon said, giving Frank a light kick. "Pull yourself together, Captain. There's still hope."
Frank looked up, disbelief in his eyes. "What do you mean?"
"This Windless Expanse isn't natural—it's Stephen's doing. And then he disappeared. No, he didn't just vanish; he's still somewhere on this ship," Bairon asserted confidently.
"Are you sure?" Frank quickly stood up. The absence of Stephen up till now was indeed suspicious.
Just then, Seasoft and Evelyn joined them.
Seasoft handed over the note Stephen had left behind to Frank.
After reading it meticulously, Frank crumpled the note in anger.
"That damned Stephen, I even upgraded him to first class for free!"
Bairon calmly responded, "Send out the crew to search the entire ship immediately. He must still be on board."
"You're right," Frank agreed with a nod.
"The only small boat is currently being commandeered by our unfortunate Mr. Padorn. Stephen couldn't have just vanished into thin air; he has to be here!"
"To the first mate," Frank shouted, "Mobilize everyone! Search every inch of this ship!"
"What are we looking for?" came a reply.
"That bastard Stephen, a cultist!"
Frank roared in fury.
"Also, have someone guard our food and water supply. If need be, hang a few thieves. I don't want to solve the Windless Expanse problem only to die of thirst later," Bairon cautioned.
"Of course," Frank replied. Turning to the ship's navigator, he relayed Bairon's advice.
"We will find him!" Frank declared, his fists clenched.
The ship's crew swiftly mobilized, the weight of the earlier despair somewhat lifted.
"Once again, thank you, Lord Stewart. You possess the noblest character in the world," Frank expressed gratefully.
"I don't," Bairon replied with a wry smile.
"Huh?" Frank looked puzzled.
Bairon chuckled, "Now, let's discuss another pressing issue."
"Is there something more important than finding Stephen?" Frank immediately tensed up.
Bairon posed the question, "How do you think Stephen created this Windless Expanse?"
"Perhaps he's a magus?"
"He is undoubtedly a magus. But to conjure a Windless Expanse vast enough to halt a three-thousand-ton sailing ship, he'd need to be at least a Master Magus," Bairon smirked.
"And if he were a Master Magus, he wouldn't be hiding, right?"
"True. What's next?"
Bairon pointed at Seasoft, "Why weren't you surprised to learn she's a half-Elf?"
Seasoft exclaimed in shock, "Why does even the captain know I'm a half-Elf?"