Chapter 704 - Setting Sail
The sounds of seagulls and crashing tides rhymed beside Angor’s ears as he slowly opened his eyes. The view outside the window reminded him of several years ago, when he would also gaze through a small window on The Redbud as he watched the unknown world.
As he emptied his mind to enjoy the view, a gray seabird wearing panda costume landed on the windowsill and called at him.
“Good morning, Toby.” Angor waved a hand casually, and following Toby’s demand, he slowly climbed out of bed.
A standing mirror nearby perfectly reflected his wiry, well-toned inverted triangular-shaped body. His messy hair after sleep did nothing to hide his personal charm.
While getting washed and dressed, he heard someone knocking on his door.
“Mister Padt, Chief Officer Helen of The Limpet is here. She needs to know when you’re coming. The ship is bound to depart within an hour.”
“Will be there soon!” Angor replied.
“Thank you. I’ll tell her so.”
“You said it! We’ll have the rest of the stash, and you will NOT get your hands on anything again!” The others agreed to Hami’s “offer”.
While most of the apprentices continued looking through the crates, some of them joined Boro to read The Mirror together. The crisis at the Evernight Kingdom had not reached Brute Cavern yet. They all wished to know how their organization was going to prepare against the matter.
“Stop accepting visitors, forbid apprentices from leaving the city, decrease quests that involve fieldwork… Assigned workers apart from those working inside the Evernight Kingdom shall return to the HQ at once…”
Everyone was shocked to see the message. Even Hami left his items and came to read the magazine more carefully.
“Did they just say that we will stay here longer?”
“So that’s why they sent us resources so generously! They meant to keep us here!”
“I knew it! I should never have accepted this damn job!”
Boro sighed. “Perhaps the organization is protecting us from harm. Maybe the HQ isn’t exactly safe right now.”
“But that Padt guy just came from there. Safe or not, we can ask him!”
“He already left,” said Boro. “Maybe he went on a recruiting mission just to escape from the crisis… Oh right, Mister Padt said he left me something in his room.”
Boro went upstairs and returned with a simple-looking silver cape in his hand.
The item looked plain from afar. But when looking more closely, people saw inconspicuous gray patterns, which looked like sea tides, weaved on the cape.
“What the heck is that, old man? Wait, I feel energy signatures,” an apprentice commented.
Boro carefully removed a piece of note attached to the cape.
The fat apprentice moved closer and began reading the note aloud, “Mister Boro, this is called the ‘Swimmer’s Bless’. It’s used for hiding your presence from detection, and it can help you breathe underwater and stay safe from water pressure. Consider it a reward for giving me the detailed schedule chart. Hope you enjoy it.”
His voice was trembling when he finished reading.
“This is like a Blood Shark Suit but way better!”
Hami stared at the item with pleading eyes. “Mister-Mister Boro, I—”
“Quit it!” the fat apprentice interrupted. “You will not take ANYTHING from now on, right?”
“But this is not from the HQ! It’s an extra gift for Boro!”
“Ah, so you know it’s not for you? Didn’t you say that mister was a coward and that Boro was helping him to no avail? Changed your mind already?”
Hami couldn’t find the right words to retort this time, so he only tried his best to make himself feel better. “But maybe this is a fake! I saw him working, and he was only using cheap materials!”
Boro was checking the cape, and he suddenly pointed to the inner lining of the cape’s hood.
“This emblem…”
The others heard him and looked his way. They saw Boro pointing at an embroidered picture, which was a lion entangled by thorny vines. Also, the picture was pulsing with faint energy ripples.
“I think I just saw it from somewhere.”
Everyone turned around to look at The Mirror magazine, which was left on a desk nearby.
It showed exactly the same emblem on its cover.