Chapter 412: At Sea

Standing on the deck of theWhite Agate, Ebner waved farewell to Gaston, Miss Gwyn, and the others who had come to see him off.

As the steam whistle blew and the hybrid-powered vessel began to slowly pull away from the dock, Ebner returned to his cabin. There, he constructed aSpiritual Wallto seal the room, then carefully prepared aSpirit Summoning Ritualto establish communication withVice Admiral IcebergEdwina Edwards.

Ebner's journey to Bayam had several purposes. First, he needed to formally take possession of the estate gifted to him by Cullen and pay its management fees. Without proper upkeep, the plantation's valuable crops might soon fall into neglect.

Second, this move would help separate his identities asDetective Ebner BrianandDr. Strange. These identities had overlapped significantly, and while their connection wasn't yet a major issue, Ebner knew it was only a matter of time before inconsistencies raised suspicions. By basingEbner Brianin Bayam and sendingDr. Strangeoff to stir up trouble elsewhere, he could maintain the integrity of both personas.

Third, he was committed to developing atravelorteleportationmystic art, usable even at Sequence 6. This would allow him to truly inhabit two identities across different locations without arousing suspicion.

Ebner was aware that completing such a mystic art on his own, even with the spatial knowledge he had derived from thePure White Eye, might take him a year or more. However, with the insights provided inRoselle's Golden Armor Technique: Aries, along with the assistance ofVice Admiral Iceberg, he was confident they could streamline the process.

Lastly, Bayam, as the capital of the Rorsted Archipelago and the focal point of Ruen's colonial administration in the Sonia Sea, was a thriving hub of activity. It offered both a wealth of information and easy access to extraordinary materials, making it an ideal base for long-term operations.

---

Ebner recited the ritual incantation aloud:

"I beseech you to allow me to communicate with 'The Mentor in Pursuit of Knowledge, The Researcher of Spirit World Entities, The Iceberg of the Sea, Hailing from Lenburg: Edwina Edwards.'"

As the chant echoed through the sealed cabin, a chilling presence descended and enveloped him.

Ebner's lips curled into a faint smile. The ritual had succeeded, meaning Edwina was within 500 nautical miles! The day before, his attempt to establish contact had failed, wasting both materials and spiritual energy.

Activating thePure White Eye, Ebner expertly channeled the frosty, eerie sensation into his right hand, initiating communication with Edwina through paper and pen.

True to her inquisitive nature,Vice Admiral Icebergagreed to his request without much deliberation. At one point, she even playfully twirled a pen using his fingers, a habit clearly picked up during her days as a student in Lenburg.

Though inwardly amused, Ebner took the opportunity to suggest, "I've recently improvedRoselle's Dream Summoning Ritual. It now allows someone to safely enter a dream I designate through a simple ceremony. Would you like to try it?"

Edwina paused her pen-twirling. After a moment's consideration, she had his hand write in response:

"Describe the ceremony in detail."

She trusts me greatly... Is this the influence of the God of Knowledge ? Ebner pondered this briefly before nodding and explaining the modifiedReverse Dream Summoning Ritual.

---

Back aboard theGolden Dream, Edwina sat in her captain's quarters, pondering for a moment. She then stepped outside to issue a command to her first mate, theGourmetBruce Wells:

"Change course for Bayam."

"But Captain, didn't we just resupply at the Rorsted Archipelago?" asked Danitz, her bewildered quartermaster.

"I have business to attend to," Edwina replied calmly.

"What business?" Danitz asked without thinking.

Around them, the other sailors perked up, clearly eager to overhear.

Edwina's pale blue eyes shimmered as she gave a succinct response:

"Academic research."

Before anyone could press further, she returned to her cabin and sealed the room with spiritual energy. There, she began preparing the ritual Ebner had just taught her.

---

Edwina recited her own invocation:

"I beseech to enter the Dream Garden of 'The Erudite Scholar of Mysteries, Researcher of Dreams and Space, Hailing from the Unknown: Dr. Strange.'"

Her voice reverberated through the sealed chamber, and she saw the flame of her ceremonial candle suddenly surge. Moments later, she sank into a profound sleep.

As aMysticism Magister, Edwina had multiple ways to forcibly wake herself. However, intrigued by the ritual and trusting Ebner's intentions, she allowed the spiritual energy to guide her consciousness into the dream realm.

When her vision cleared, she found herself in a vast library filled with towering bookshelves. Nearby, Ebner, clad in hisDr. Strangeattire, sat at a desk sipping coffee.

"Good morning, ma'am," he greeted her with a smile.

"Tea or coffee?"

Edwina didn't immediately respond. Instead, she surveyed the dreamscape, noting its authenticity. After sensing the atmosphere with her abilities, she remarked hesitantly,

"This dream feels incredibly real—unlike ordinary dreams."

Of course it does. I spent days grinding for the points to create this space! Ebner mused, though he simply replied vaguely,

"This dream was crafted by a higher being."

Edwina nodded thoughtfully, her pale blue gaze settling on Ebner.

"It seems you've gained some control over this dream. It's an excellent venue for role-playing. Even a typical demigod would struggle to deal with you here."

As someone well-versed in such matters, she quickly deduced the advantages this dream realm offered for maintaining a facade.

Ebner made no effort to conceal his intentions from the perceptive Edwina. With a smile, he shifted the conversation to their shared research into spatial mysticism and presented her withRoselle's Golden Armor Technique.

Edwina's interest was piqued. She began perusing the book, sparking a lively discussion with Ebner.

---

On the outskirts of the Rorsted Archipelago, theBlack Deathsilently approached an isolated, uninhabited island. This location, used for storing supplies and smaller vessels, served as a waypoint forVice Admiral AilmentTracy's slave trafficking operations.

As the ship docked, Tracy addressed her crew from the bow:

"Other than those on rotation, everyone else gets five days off. You can head to Bayam or any of the nearby island towns."

"Long live the Captain!" the crew roared in unison, even the infamousSilver-TonguedMisol Jin, a pirate with a bounty of 5,400 pounds.

Bayam's bustling streets and renownedRed Theatermade it a magnet for pirates, despite the risk of being apprehended by the city's numerous official Beyonders. For Misol Jin, the allure of Bayam's pleasures far outweighed any concerns about danger.

Standing at the bow, Tracy turned to her red-haired subordinate, Elaine, and said,

"We're heading to Bayam too. I need to visit the Grand Library to retrieve the continuation of Roselle'sHeroseries."

Elaine clenched her fists to suppress her excitement and replied meekly,

"Yes, Captain."

On Tracy's other side, her blonde maid's expression darkened at this exchange.

---

Back in Backlund, Klein woke up to find a note on his coffee table. Written in neat, restrained handwriting, it read:

"Meet at the rear entrance of Bravehearts Bar, 10 p.m. tonight."

"10 p.m..." Klein murmured, glancing toward the window. He let out a quiet sigh before a determined smile spread across his face.

(End of Chapter)