Any questions for the captain? Danyz frowned, watching Germán Sparrow leave the room, unsure of the real purpose behind his visit. "What exactly is this man after? Money? Wealth? He certainly had the time and opportunity to take out the heads of 'Steel' McVitt and 'Bloodthorn' Hunterly—receiving over ten thousand pounds in rewards, even after his share—yet he didn't do it. On the contrary, he generously shared my prize spoils. That's contradictory. When he first heard I was 'Flame,' his immediate reaction was to target a reward of three thousand pounds. According to the captain, that doesn't make sense. Why would he deliberately forgo the reward? Unless... unless he had a better, safer way to secure it—or specifically reserved it for someone else? Ah... he had already anticipated the arrival of the 'Substitute.' He has his own network and intelligence channels! Now everything makes sense! "Plus, there might be that half-god who killed Zilinger—gosh, there's a hidden, powerful organization behind Generalman Sparrow! "Danius was so startled by his own deduction that he instinctively reached for bodily gestures to convey his feelings, only to remember his left arm was still fractured, and instantly gritted his teeth in pain. This only deepened his anxiety; he now feared meeting the captain with such a dangerous, unpredictable figure. He even began to suspect that Generalman Sparrow's true objective might simply be the captain's 26,000-pound reward! In a one-on-one duel, that madman might not even prevail against the captain, and we still have the first, second, and third mates, plus several chief officers—yet behind him stands an organization of formidable strength! To harm the captain, they'd have to step over my body! Danius straightened his chest, lifted his chin, and exuded a sense of noble, self-sacrificial determination. He raised his hand to smooth his hair, gave a long, thoughtful hum, and murmured to himself: "Let me observe a bit more—perhaps Geremán Sparo truly just wants to ask a few questions." Subconsciously, he glanced around, noting that both the "sky carpet" and the "shadow cloak" were still there, unmissing. "So, Geremán Sparo has left all the things that belong to me. Does he not fear that I might take the opportunity to escape? Or perhaps he quietly took my hair, for divination purposes?" "No, no—he's a madman. If he needs my hair, he would simply walk over, reach out, and pluck a strand himself. He wouldn't sneak around doing it... Ah! He has a powerful, hidden organization behind him! Maybe, maybe right now, members of that organization are quietly watching me, waiting for me to leave, waiting for me to go find the captain... quite cunning!" "Geremán Sparo has deliberately gone out!" Danius felt, with experience and insight, that he had grasped the truth of the matter. He paced back and forth for a few moments, then settled back into the armchair, silently mocking, "I'm not moving! I want to see what you're really planning! I won't put the captain in danger!" A little past 3 p.m., on Ximim Island. This island, too part of the Rosted Group, lies the farthest from the "City of Generosity," Bayam, and requires nearly five hours by passenger steamship to reach. During his journey, Kline purchased a set of local attire and bought a small suitcase for his changed garments, spending a total of fourteen soules—less than one pound. That's quite reasonable, just the change of a formal suit. Wearing wide-legged trousers, a coffee-colored thick jacket, and a light brown baseball cap, Kline presented a rather unremarkable local appearance as he stepped off the ship and entered the somewhat aging harbor of Ximim Island—having spent time shopping and transforming his image, he missed the 9 a.m. ferry and had to take the one at 10 a.m. Thinking about the expenses involved in this role, he couldn't help recalculating his current financial situation once more: "The 'Faceless' trait sold for 3,825 pounds, and the pirate's bounty brought in 3,000 pounds. Though these 6,825 pounds haven't yet been received, as long as the 'Hanged Man' remains undiscovered, they can be considered part of the budget. "The thank-you gifts from the Dornas, plus the money left in my own purse, amount to 255 pounds scattered here and there. "I found 26 pounds, 11 shillings, and 8 pence in the 'Steel' Mavith's belongings. "Ah, and there are still five 'safety' gold coins. "Recently, I've been rather short on funds—my total barely amounts to a pound and a bit. That's truly pleasant. "So, adding it all up, I now have 7,110 pounds, plus the exceptional 'Nightmare' trait, the fishman's swim bladder—both of which are quite valuable." "Think about it—just this one catch, I've earned a £3,000 reward plus the extraordinary 'zombie' trait, which itself is worth £3,000 to £5,000. That's seven to eight thousand pounds right there. And this is only a 'steel' Mavitt combined with 'blood-tinged thorns' Huntley and Skall, with quite a bit of waste. Hunting pirates is truly a rewarding job—fulfilling justice, punishing wrongdoing, protecting the vulnerable, and achieving sudden wealth all in one go." Cain unconsciously turned his head toward the side, and there, the sea water appeared noticeably clearer than on the Bayam side, as if a large, luminous, emerald gemstone, glowing with golden radiance under the sunlight. Indeed, it makes perfect sense that generations of adventurers have ventured out to sea in search of wealth—even after accounting for the lingering spirits of ancient maladies, the residual essence of the six-winged stone ghouls, the golden spring water from Sunya, and other materials provided by the "Master of Secrets," the remaining funds would be sufficient to allow me to purchase a decent estate here, in the Desea Bay region, in the colonial settlements of the southern continent, particularly in non-urban areas. The countryside of Runa is said to be exceptionally beautiful; if I ultimately cannot return, I might consider settling there. Moreover, I still hold a 10% stake in the Beckland Bicycle Company—returns on that investment are expected to be solid. With this confidence, Caine straightened his posture and began contemplating the future. After a series of boundless imaginings, he turned his attention to more practical matters: whether to sell the extraordinary properties of the "Nightmare," or to return it to the Church of Night, or to commission artisans to transform it into a magical artifact. It depends. The ideal solution would be to sell it to the Church... The "martyr" Kline, who had taken away two potions from the Night Watchers, wasn't entirely sure about this. At the same time, he hoped the small "Sun" would soon reach Sequence 7, gaining eligibility to access methods for combating the spiritual contamination of extraordinary traits. As for releasing the "Priest of Light" within the gloves, he wasn't in a rush. The small "Sun" had just obtained the Sequence 7 potion formula and didn't have immediate needs for it, so there would be a long wait. Moreover, the "Priest of Light" proved exceptionally effective against the pirate faction led by the "General of Blood," far surpassing the capabilities of the "Sun pin." As his thoughts settled, Kline entered the port town. The inhabitants were mostly of local origin, with skin tones resembling aged copper, naturally wavy black hair, and a distinct aroma of long-standing exposure to spices. After changing his appearance and confirming Rini's condition as well as whether any news of Winter's death had arrived, Kline found a quiet corner, brushed his face, and transformed himself into Winter—someone with a more defined facial structure and a slender, tall build. Holding his suitcase, he walked to the outskirts of the town and spotted Rini's winery. The girl with the blonde hair no longer seemed like a young woman; compared to Winter's memory, she appeared noticeably more mature. She was sweeping at the entrance, with few people passing by. Inhaling deeply, then slowly exhaling, Kline felt a wave of hesitation settle within him. As a strong keyboardist, he was familiar with method-driven and experiential performance theories, but lacked deeper understanding—so he had to rely on his own intuition to grasp Winter's emotional state and the appropriate demeanor in this situation. Finally, closing his eyes, he stepped forward. Rini heard the footsteps, lifted her head, and looked at the visitor. Her mouth hung slightly open, half-expressing a sound of surprise, before she straightened her face and asked, "How did you suddenly come back?" Remember, you're just performing... Klein smiled and said, "I'm here to say goodbye." He spoke in his local dialect, with a slightly awkward blend of Bayam accent. —— The language of the Rossmore Islands also stems from ancient Foskian, a variant distinct from the one Klein, being half a historian, found manageable after a bit of effort and time. "Goodbye?" Rini asked, slightly taken aback. Klein turned his head toward the side, smiled, and said, "I'm chasing a treasure. I'm not sure when I'll return." "At that point, I'll arrive with a large sum of money, purchase a country manor, plant rubber trees, establish a vineyard, build my own mill, cellars, and blacksmith shop—so that the air is filled with the aroma of various spices. Then I'll hire a few slaves and servants, just like those noble families. Hah, still one thing is missing." He managed to overcome the prickling sensation spreading across his skin, turned to look directly into Rui Ni's eyes: "I'm still missing a wife—the lady of the manor. 'Rui Ni, I like you. I'd like to marry you. I'm saying this today not to expect an answer, but because I'm afraid I'll never have another chance to tell you." Rui Ni listened quietly, then suddenly burst out: "Went! You're a coward!" Ah... that reaction seems a bit off. Kline deliberately adopted an expression of surprise. Rui Ni, speaking softly, continued: "Three years ago, three years ago—I had already been ready to go with you to Bayam. Yet, you never said a word! You're a coward!" You're such a coward! "Now that you're telling me, what good does it do? You're about to sail off—maybe you'll never come back!" She grew more and more agitated: "When you finally say it out loud, you'll feel relieved, free of regret. But what about me? Will I keep waiting for you to return, year after year, suffering through it all? You're so selfish!" With that, she swung her broom and struck hard at Wint opposite. Klein stepped out after using the talisman, pushed Rini who had been sitting against the wall and had settled onto the ground, then quickly left, retreating to a distance to watch the ending unfold. Rini soon regained consciousness, realizing she had drifted off to sleep without noticing, and the events of just now seemed like a dream. She remained seated there, motionless for a long time. Suddenly, she buried her head and emitted a sharp, thin, plaintive exclamation, as though it had been squeezed out from deep within her throat: "Went, you selfish one!" Klein, now feeling somewhat settled, sighed and changed his appearance before departing. He would have to stay on the island of Ximim overnight, as the ferry to Bayam only departed in the morning.