Chapter 553

Lu Mian watched Noelia's back disappear into the corridor and felt that he should add a catchphrase—"You Feynapot people."

However, Noelia's kindness also reminded him that investigating the Sea-Praying Ceremony was definitely not an easy or simple matter; the risks hidden within were enough for the Church of the Mother Goddess of Earth to take seriously.

But for Lu Mian, many dangers could be avoided and were things he would not actively seek to contact.

Because his true purpose was not to investigate the truth of the Sea-Praying Ceremony, end the influence of this folk custom on Santa Harbor, or stop many humans here from hovering on the edge of becoming monsters. All he wanted to do was figure out the details of that "April Fool's" prank, use that to track down "Salted Egg Superman" and "Bard," and execute them one by one. Santa Harbor had many problems and many festering sores; he had no need to poke them and could withdraw in time.

Hiding one's true purpose was one of the rules for Lu Mian playing the "Conspirator"!

This allowed others to misjudge his choices at critical moments and make wrong responses.

After closing the door, Lu Mian took the golden straw hat, sat in the armchair, smiled at the corridor, and muttered to himself with great interest:

"Who will be the next one to provide information?"

"Rubio Paco, who clearly dislikes 'Sea Maidens' and hates these kinds of things, or those families who lost their Fishery Guild commissioner positions years ago?"

Under the bright sunlight outside the window, Lu Mian took advantage of his state of proficiency in the Highland language to quickly flip through the textbooks he had bought, hoping to remember and master a bit more relevant knowledge. He couldn't wait until the effect of the charm ended and his brain had left no traces.

About an hour later, he heard unfamiliar footsteps in the corridor.

Dong, dong, dong—his door was knocked on once again.

"Who is it?" Lu Mian asked using very simple Highland words.

"The books you bought have arrived." The one who answered was the hotel owner, Ota Guillaume, who used Intis.

The books I bought? When did I buy books? Lu Mian stood up thoughtfully, opened the door, and took a book with cheap packaging but quite vibrant colors from the old man's hands.

The title of the book was "Touring Feynapot."

Lu Mian pretended not to understand the title written in Highland and laughed at himself:

"I have to wait for my translator to come back and tell me. Relying purely on a dictionary, I might not finish reading it by the time I leave Feynapot."

Old Ota expressed understanding:

"When I first arrived in Santa Harbor, seven or eight partners shared a dictionary for Intis and Highland. No one dared to go out alone, but after staying for a while and constantly forcing myself to communicate with the locals, I slowly learned to communicate simply. Honestly, Highland and Intis are actually very similar."

Lu Mian chatted with Old Ota for a few sentences, took the book "Touring Feynapot," turned back to the room, and sat back in the armchair.

He immediately turned the book over, let the side that could be flipped face down, held the spine, and kept shaking it.

A folded piece of white paper fell out from inside.

Lu Mian reached out to catch it, flicked his wrist, and unfolded the white paper.

What was written on it was Intis:

"'Sea Maidens' are also not allowed to leave Santa Harbor and are not allowed to marry outsiders, but over so many years, there have always been exceptions."

"Feynapot women love romance and chase love before marriage, and those in Santa Harbor are no exception. In these thousand-plus years, many 'Sea Maidens' have chosen to flee to uphold their love or freedom. Among them, thirty or forty have succeeded. The most recent one occurred over twenty years ago. That 'Sea Maiden' married an Intis person and gave birth to a child. It is currently unknown if she is still alive because the Fishery Guild has been hunting her down."

"Her child is named Norfi. You should know her; she has already returned to Santa Harbor."

Norfi? That lover of Bartner Kong Tai? She was actually the child of a "Sea Maiden" and had even brought "companions" back to Santa Harbor to witness the Sea-Praying Ceremony... When Lu Mian was on the "Flying Bird," he occasionally felt that Norfi had something on her mind, but he never thought she would have such a close connection to the Sea-Praying Ceremony.

This made him suspicious of Norfi's true purpose in returning to Santa Harbor, and that guy Bartner Kong Tai might fall into an indescribable nightmare for the sake of a romantic encounter.

Lu Mian moved his gaze down and read the last paragraph:

"Once outside this sea area and Santa Harbor, the magic brought by the Sea-Praying Ceremony will significantly weaken. Targeting goals in other regions, the Fishery Guild often can only resolve them by hiring adventurers, bounty hunters, and professional assassins."

Was this sentence telling him that despite causing trouble and investigating the Sea-Praying Ceremony, as long as he could escape Santa Harbor and stay away from this sea area, the Fishery Guild commissioners would have no way to deal with him? Lu Mian didn't know who had passed on the piece of paper and the corresponding intelligence in his hand—after all, he hadn't seen many people's handwriting in Santa Harbor—but he clearly felt the other party's longing and expectation.

A burst of crimson flames emerged, igniting the white paper filled with words. Lu Mian leaned back, drinking the most famous Manzan wine of the Feynapot Kingdom—this was a white wine produced in specific regions without added water—while idly flipping through the "Touring Feynapot" written in Highland.

The author of the book praised the various staple foods and beef, mutton, and pork of the Feynapot Kingdom but dismissed the local tobacco, believing it was no different from smoking chili peppers directly.

After another while, Lu Jianuo returned to the suite with Ludwig, carrying a pile of street snacks such as grilled baby octopus, grilled lamb kidneys, fried small fish, fried potatoes, corn egg pancakes, and grilled pork rolls.

Lu Mian had already put down the book "Touring Feynapot," stood up, and said to Lu Jianuo:

"Don't forget to change your appearance tomorrow to get our new identification documents. Also, find out where Bartner Kong Tai is in the next two days; I want to find him for a drink."

"Alright, alright." Lu Jianuo didn't understand why his employer suddenly wanted to find that exquisitely dressed adventurer, but he believed it definitely wasn't as simple as just drinking.

After giving these instructions, Lu Mian took the sun straw hat, walked toward the door, and said casually:

"I'm going out for a walk and will be back before dinner."

"Do, do you need a translator?" Lu Jianuo asked instinctively.

Lu Mian smiled:

"Just a walk to figure out the surrounding terrain; I don't need to communicate with anyone."

"Rest assured, I won't get lost."

Lu Jianuo said "Mm" and didn't ask further.

He believed that with his employer's level of body language, communicating simply with people wouldn't be a problem.

After leaving the Solo Hotel, Lu Mian walked on the street with the posture of a stroll.

He was actively creating opportunities for those who tried to contact him and also wanted to see if the people from the Fishery Guild would take the opportunity to attack him.

…………

Solo Hotel, inside the fifth-floor suite.

After Ludwig finished drinking the grape juice with a slight fermented taste, he jumped off the chair and stomped toward the washroom.

Lu Jianuo continued to sprawl on the sofa, not wanting to move at all.

Having taken the child out for nearly two hours, he felt it was necessary to rest and recharge his energy for going to bars and other places at night to find out Bartner Kong Tai's whereabouts and witness the enthusiastic Feynapot ladies.

Ludwig entered the washroom, lifted the toilet lid, and half-closed his eyes.

While he was urinating earnestly, a thin black shadow quietly crawled out from the shadow in the corner.

The main body of that shadow was a finger-thick insect with long, stiff hairs on its surface, like some kind of moldy food.

Its stiff hairs drifted, extending toward the surroundings like tentacles, wanting to grab every object it touched.

While twisting, this black shadow silently darted behind Ludwig. It suddenly stood up, and its head drilled toward the other party's cervical spine.

Just at this moment, it saw the little boy's brown eyes.

It suddenly froze there, maintaining the posture of a snake raising its upper body.

Ludwig had finished urinating at some point and turned his body halfway.

He reached out his right palm and grabbed the black shadow.

The black shadow did not put up any resistance.

The next second, Ludwig, the little boy with baby fat on his face, stuffed the black shadow into his own mouth.

Amidst obvious chewing sounds, the lower half of the black shadow twitched upward, joining the blurry flesh in front.

In just the time it took to blink twice, Ludwig ate the black shadow like he was eating Feynapot noodles.

He licked his lips, revealing an expression that he wanted another serving.

…………

Outside Aquinas Street, inside that cafe that liked to place a bouquet of flowers on every table.

Lu Mian, who had walked all the way here, encountered two street fights and bought a skewer of Santa Harbor-style grilled baby octopus to eat, but no one quietly approached to stuff something into his hand or whisper a few words to him, nor was there any attack from the shadows.

Looking at the still bright sky and the brilliant sun, he chose the most cornered and hidden position in the cafe, ordered a cup of Tolier coffee with milk, and patiently tasted the bitterness within the rich aroma.

Time passed second by second. A woman wearing a blue veil to cover her appearance and a vibrant long dress suddenly sat opposite Lu Mian as she passed by.

She looked left and right a few times and quickly lifted the layer of blue thin veil hanging from the edge of her hat.

She was not a she; he was a he.

This was a man dressed in women's clothing, with clear features, gray-blue eyes, and an irrepressible tension in his expression.

Lu Mian's pupils dilated instantly.

He recognized this man in women's clothing.

He was the current "Sea Viceroy"!

He was that "Sea Viceroy" who accepted Marta's kneeling and was served by multiple maids inside that church-style building!

He came to find me? It was actually him who came to find me? Lu Mian felt both surprised and inexplicably thought it was reasonable.

Seeing that the great adventurer Louis Berry recognized him, that "Sea Viceroy" lowered the blue veil, letting it cover his face again.

Immediately after, he lowered his voice and said in Highland, full of longing and worry:

"Save me! Save me!"

PS: The third update is here, requesting a minimum double monthly vote~ Wishing everyone health and peace for the whole family in 2024!

(End of chapter)