Chapter 564

A palace? Lumian hadn't expected to harvest information that Lato Giallo had never mastered from Norfi.

He deliberated for a moment and said:

"What does that palace look like?"

Is it a treasure left behind by the ancients, or the residence of some nature spirit?

Is the Sea-Praying Ceremony utilizing that kind of power within the palace?

Norfi shook her head:

"My mother couldn't describe it specifically either, she just told me that the palace is different from all the buildings on land, with a peculiar shape, smooth curves, reflecting a certain metallic luster, and the whole thing is silver-gray."

Lumian sketched the appearance of the palace in his mind based on Norfi's description, but lacking detailed morphological support, he could only imagine the general color.

He smiled and said:

"If that really is the palace of the sea, do you really think the two of you can destroy it?

"You can't even deal with Lato Giallo and his subordinates, what will you use to break through the guards of the Sea Kin, what will you use to evade the anger of the sea?"

Norfi was silent for a few seconds and said:

"I have a way."

She didn't say what the way was.

What way could allow a "Child of the Sea" like you, whose strength is likely below Sequence 7, to destroy the palace of the sea? That is an existence capable of putting the entire sea area into gale-force winds and giant waves... Lumian muttered, suddenly having a guess:

Is Norfi so confident because she has other collaborators, and she didn't return to Santa Harbor without making any preparations?

As his thoughts raced, Lumian cast his gaze toward Bartner.

Bartner Conte, who had unknowingly distanced himself two or three steps from Norfi, had just re-hung his rapier at his waist and hidden his revolver.

After feeling Lumian's gaze, he laughed sheepishly:

"I'm just providing assistance, responsible for commanding the ship. You might not know, but I once served as a second mate for a period of time, and only later became an adventurer."

His meaning was, I don't really know what Norfi's method is either, I don't actually care whether she can succeed, providing a certain amount of help has already fulfilled my duty as a lover.

It's clear that you come from a good background, your clothes and grooming are very refined... But I previously thought you left home and came to the sea to be an adventurer because you were obsessed with the adventure stories of Gehrman Sparrow. Now it seems you were originally recommended by your family to serve as a second mate on a ship to accumulate work experience, but after doing it for a while, you resigned to become an adventurer... Lumian didn't know how to evaluate Bartner's romanticism, so he scanned him and said:

"Do you know that this matter is very dangerous?"

Bartner cleared his throat and said:

"I thought the 'Children of the Sea' wouldn't be too strong, Norfi and I have sparred before."

Lumian stared at Bartner for two seconds, withdrew his gaze, and looked at Norfi:

"What do you plan to do next?"

He didn't directly ask if the other party had any collaborators hiding in the dark, but instead took a roundabout approach to lower Norfi's vigilance, to see if he could find some clues from her words.

Norfi pursed her lips and said:

"We have already been discovered and targeted by people from the Fishermen's Guild, it's impossible to proceed according to the original plan. Next, I plan to hide, hide until the Sea-Praying Ceremony ends."

"Why not just leave?" Bartner asked "on behalf of" Lumian with some surprise.

He had thought that after their purpose and identities were exposed, Norfi would decisively abandon this operation and wait for the next Sea-Praying Ceremony to think of another way.

Norfi was silent for a while and said:

"If the Sea-Praying Ceremony succeeds, and I am still in Santa Harbor, then as a 'Child of the Sea' with relatively pure bloodline, I should be able to obtain a certain bestowal..."

She paused, her gaze looking toward the ground:

"Although that might make me become a humanoid lizard sooner and faster, it can also improve my strength..."

There was a not-so-obvious sadness hidden in her words.

Bartner watched blankly, opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.

Lumian raised his hand to press the golden straw hat on his head, and simply evaluated it with that famous line from the Great Adventurer series of novels:

"This is a gift, and also a curse."

Seeing Louis Berry turn to leave, Norfi thanked him sincerely again:

"I don't know how to express my gratitude, if you have anything you need help with, you can come find me."

"You can also find me." Bartner echoed.

He hesitated whether to continue staying with Norfi or leave Santa Harbor directly.

Lumian's gaze swept across their faces, and he suddenly smiled and said:

"As it happens, I have something for you to do."

Norfi was stunned for a moment, then nodded gently:

"Please, give your orders."

…………

After saying goodbye to Norfi and Bartner, Lumian returned to the Solo Hotel from the shadows.

Just as he left the darkness in the corner of the master bedroom, he saw the "Knight of Swords" standing next to the curtains that let in a hint of crimson moonlight, watching him without a sound.

Why do you always appear in scenes like ghost stories... Is this a trait of a "Wraith," or a manifestation of being affected by the potion? Lumian slandered inwardly, and said sincerely:

"Thank you for providing help."

The "Knight of Swords" did not respond to this, but looked at Lumian and said:

"After controlling Lato Giallo, you seem to have changed your original plan?"

Lumian immediately laughed:

"Your intuition is very sharp, but the time point at which I changed my mind might be a bit earlier than you said, or perhaps a bit later."

After answering in a somewhat mystical way, he smiled and explained:

"How can there be a plan initially formulated that is executed to the end without any changes? That's not a 'Conspirator,' that's omniscience and omnipotence.

"During the process of a plan, one must adjust their attitude, correct corresponding directions and details based on feedback obtained, new information, and changes in the situation, all while ensuring the real goal remains unchanged."

Therefore, hiding one's true purpose is very important.

It's like how there can be many paths between the starting point and the destination, but there is often only one destination, and it's the easiest to be blocked and ambushed.

The "Knight of Swords" listened quietly, didn't speak again, and disappeared from the window without a sound.

Lumian washed up and went to bed in a relaxed state, sleeping until six in the morning.

After having the breakfast provided by the hotel, he instructed Lugano to take Ludwig to the street to buy some snacks.

Watching their backs being blocked by the closed bedroom door, Lumian returned to the master bedroom where the curtains were still drawn, pulled out the armchair attached to the desk in the dim environment, and sat down.

I don't know how much time passed, when he suddenly discovered points of brilliance lighting up in the depths of the dimness.

He immediately felt himself floating in mid-air, with no land under his feet and no backrest behind him.

Lumian watched this deep void and starry background with an unchanging expression, and saw Juan Oro, the president of the Fishermen's Guild, dressed in formal attire and leaning on a cane, walking over step by step from the distance.

Lumian looked at the old man, didn't speak, and remained silent.

He also didn't show any surprise, as if he had long anticipated Juan Oro's arrival.

After the distance between the two sides narrowed to a certain extent, Juan Oro, with his wrinkles trembling slightly, spoke to himself in Intis:

"Milo Village was once destroyed, and the Sea Kin who came to land were also destroyed, but today, we are still standing here.

"As long as the sea is still there, as long as the starry sky is still there, as long as Santa Harbor hasn't become a forbidden land of death, no matter how big a blow we suffer, or whether we have lost all our descendants, we can always walk out from the depths of the sea again, rebuild Milo Village, and restart the Sea-Praying Ceremony.

"On this point, whether it's the clergy of the 'Earth Mother' Church, or their combat monks and nuns, they can all prove it.

"If we 'Children of the Sea' are really forced to the edge of a cliff, we definitely have the courage and determination to drag our enemies into the abyss with us, because we all firmly believe that the spirit is immortal, and firmly believe that our village can be rebuilt and will not go extinct."

The meaning of you saying so much is to tell me that the Fishermen's Guild and the Sea Kin of Milo Village are not afraid of threats, have the ability and courage to be destroyed together with powerful enemies, and that the corresponding heritage will not be cut off, and will walk out from the depths of the sea again later? This is equivalent to warning me not to go too far, otherwise they are not afraid of completely tearing off the mask and perishing together... Lumian understood the hidden meaning of Juan Oro, didn't answer, and watched the old man quietly, waiting for him to continue.

In Juan Oro's blue-as-the-sea eyes, the figure of the great adventurer Louis Berry with black hair and green eyes was reflected, and he said in a low voice:

"What exactly do you and the people behind you want to do, and what do you want to obtain?

"We will not allow the Sea-Praying Ceremony to be destroyed again, nor will we give up everything established in Santa Harbor."

After discovering that the great adventurer Louis Berry is not only strong himself, but also has a force hidden behind him, and his helpers are equally powerful, he feels this is a tough nut to crack. If he really forces it, he might break his own teeth, so he came to negotiate to see if he could trade certain interests for the other party's retreat? Just now he was stating his bottom line and strength, so I wouldn't make random demands, leading to a situation where neither side has room to retreat and can only bite the bullet and confront each other? Lumian wasn't surprised at all, looked left and right, and said:

"Why isn't there a chair? I'm used to sitting while chatting."

After Juan Oro was silent for a moment, the armchair Lumian had just sat on appeared behind him, and his own posture returned to what it was before.

Lumian looked at Juan Oro, the president of the Fishermen's Guild, and said calmly:

"If I said I never thought about destroying the Sea-Praying Ceremony, would you believe it?"

"Never thought about destroying the Sea-Praying Ceremony..." Juan Oro, with his deep wrinkles, frowned slightly and repeated this sentence.

Lumian continued:

"As long as you are willing to let go of the innocent, such as that fake 'Sea Viceroy,' we aren't opposed to cooperating."

"Cooperation?" Juan Oro looked with unconcealed surprise at the great adventurer who had forcibly intervened in the affairs of the Fishermen's Guild as soon as he arrived in Santa Harbor, broken into the "Sea Viceroy's" mansion, blown up the main building of the Fishermen's Guild, and almost beaten his grandson to death. He doubted whether his ears had become dull like other old men.

A smile gradually appeared on Lumian's face, he leaned back slightly against the chair, snapped his fingers, and ignited a cluster of crimson flames:

"Yes, cooperation."

(End of chapter)