Admiral Edwena didn't register any change in expression as she listened to Gorman Sparrow's suggestion to consider it further; she simply nodded calmly. "No need to rush." It seemed as though she believed such a significant transaction required her to return and seek approval from the hidden organization behind her—was that the issue I couldn't handle? Was it a matter of lack of funds? Klein muttered to himself, closed the volume of "Grosel's Travels," and asked in a low tone, "Do you know who the author is? What became of the previous owners of this book?" "That's also why I believe its value is at least eight thousand pounds." Three-thousand-year-old books containing characters not only giants and elves, but also human monks, nobles from the Solomon Empire, and soldiers from Runa—concepts that only emerged in later ages! A magical book harboring prophecies? Or perhaps someone deliberately used ancient vellum? But what significance would that hold—merely a simple prank? Caine deliberately gave a slight upward curve to his lips, yet remained expressionless. "The name of the giant is Grolser. Could the author be Rolsar?" "No. The name Rolsar itself originates from a breakdown of the giant language, and underwent a second transformation when the ancient Fussak language evolved into the Intis language, acquiring a different meaning..." Edwena explained the etymology of the name Rolsar in detail, leaving Caine momentarily stunned, as if he had returned to a classroom. He nodded gently, then said without much variation in tone, "If this is an ancient text, I'm curious—why would a frost giant dragon be called the 'King of the North'? What path and sequence would it correspond to?" Edwenna lifted her gaze from The Grolde's Travels and looked at Caine. "Before the first亵渎 stone appeared, there was no concept of paths and sequences, and many creatures didn't adhere to such structures. In that era, chaos and madness were the prevailing themes. "Some dragons might gather together numerous exceptional traits related to frost—such as the frost of the sorceresses, the frost of the undead, or the frost of the weather mages—thus endowing them with powerful strength and high status. Of course, such convergence inevitably brought about death and instability. "This means that if the dragon didn't perish, it would inevitably become a monster—yet dragons themselves are already monsters." "If there are so many similar products among dragons, giants, and elves, then the Second Age being known as the 'Age of Darkness' becomes understandable... Caine paused, speaking to himself as if in inquiry: 'This results in a waste of exceptional traits.' Edwenna glanced at him for a few seconds, then said: 'King Roscel had once said: "What is separated must eventually come together; what comes together must eventually separate." 'Did the King say that? I understand the first part—it's just another way of expressing the Law of Aggregation of Exceptional Traits. What about the second part? Does it mean that when aggregation reaches a certain point, separation and repulsion tendencies emerge? When entities that don't naturally belong to the same path are haphazardly and chaotically combined, does this trigger a separation effect? The more chaotic the mixture, the stronger the mutual repulsion?" "This kind of thing, the Emperor wouldn't casually say to anyone—definitely not something that would circulate outside his inner circle. Last time, I deduced from the dream-reading technique and the lady's surname that she was a descendant of Edward, one of the Four Knights of the Emperor's Ascension. That's quite a possibility indeed. After the Emperor's passing, her family fled to Lünburg and gradually embraced the faith of 'the God of Knowledge and Wisdom.' What a wonderful teacher—she truly answers every question! After a brief tour, Edwenna led Caine out of the gallery and into the captain's room in the pirate restaurant. "The special dish here is yogurt, which can be served with strawberry jam or topped with honey," Edwenna pointed to a row of food items outside the door. "There are also several excellent fish spreads—unidentified deep-sea varieties, not yet named." While speaking, she gestured for Caine to serve himself, returned to her room, and took the initiative to set an example. Caine selected a yogurt that appeared to have been prepared by someone else, added a few spoonfuls of honey, and then carried the plate, placing slices of pork sausage and creamed bread circles onto it. During this time, he noticed a young man in a white shirt and black jacket, wearing a colored tie—more resembling a clerk than a pirate—approaching the "Ice Mountain Admiral" Edwenna, speaking softly to her. The man had a pleasing appearance, with hair that was golden at the tips and darker at the roots, neatly falling to each side. His eyes were a pale, lake-green hue, his nose straight, and his lips thin, giving off an air of trustworthy reliability. "Don't be fooled by his appearance—he's just a fish-can of wolves, full of stench!" Daniz had arrived at the pirate restaurant at some point, now standing beside Caine, and murmured his disdain. Caine glanced at him briefly, said nothing, knowing Daniz would volunteer the explanation himself. Before Daniz could speak, the man beside him—slightly rounded at the waist—interjected in a slightly sharp tone: "He's Third Mate, Jodsen. Once a nobleman and a pirate, he claimed to want to steal our captain's heart, but ended up getting a good beating and staying on board to receive education—dog's breath!" "In short, he's not a good man!" Daniz emphasized. "Not a good man!" another pirate with dark, iron-gray skin agreed. Why do you always seem so consistent? Klein thought for a moment. "The 5,200-pound reward case, 'The Necktie,' Jodson? Sequence 6?" Indeed, it was the classic Germann Sparrow reaction. Daniz glanced over toward him, speaking with a mix of disdain and a hint of apprehension. "His strength isn't particularly strong—he's just odd. When we fight, suddenly, I can't use fireballs anymore, while he can mimic my flame abilities." That description felt familiar. Klein instinctively turned his gaze toward Jodson, recalled the details, and remembered where he'd heard this before: it was very similar to the seal known as 'The Vessel Thief' behind the Charnis Gate in Tinggen City! Klein couldn't recall the exact seal number, but he clearly remembered that it could temporarily steal another's extraordinary abilities. What was the corresponding pathway? Klein turned his gaze back, noticing that Daniz and his two companions were now sipping their drinks, attentively watching Jodson. To learn that Danyz had revealed her sacrifice to Cavitua, Caine took a cup of beer, carried his tray, and casually remarked as he walked toward the captain's dining room: "You all like her, don't you?" "I'm a bit puzzled—does this refer to the gold coins from Roon, or from Intis, or Fesac, or perhaps others? Their weights and gold content vary significantly." Kline thought for a moment and said, "Roon's gold coins." After all, these are the most valuable ones... anyway, I don't have to pay out of my own pocket." He added mentally. Edwenna nodded. "Do we also have to pay upon receiving the reply?" "Different spiritual beings have different preferences," Kline murmured. He knew that Edwenna, as a researcher of spiritual beings, would understand his meaning. Moreover, he hadn't lied—he had simply omitted the option that the messenger's owner could cover the cost. "Yes," Edwenna replied seriously. "I once tried to find a messenger, but had to compose the incantations myself. It was both dangerous and difficult to achieve satisfactory results, so I eventually had to give up." "This is one reason; the other is that the simulated undead powers cannot be used to seal contracts. 'Your incantations have given me much inspiration,' said Kline, silently savoring his breakfast, without offering any additional explanations, since this knowledge came from Mr. Azk, and he would not share it freely without prior permission. After the pleasant yet quiet breakfast, the 'Golden Dream' approached the private harbor and docked, setting Kline and Daniz ashore. Daniz turned back to gaze at the ship, glowing with golden light, and suddenly sighed: 'I feel my friendship has already sunk into the sea!' Kline adjusted his hat and remarked calmly: 'Alliances can be formed between those who have experienced failure.' '...' Daniz wasn't sure whether to feel glad or sad. After successfully changing his identity, obtaining official documentation, and securing a return ticket to Bayam, Kline finally found his private space. He entered the bathroom, ascended to the gray mist, and began to browse the prayers of the followers of 'Poseidon'. This time, what first caught his eye was the bearded rebel leader Karat: "Hail the great deities! We have located the whereabouts of the red-haired Ilean; she is hiding within the Intis Consulate. This has been confirmed jointly by a laundry maid and a gardener."