Looking at the scattered figures on the distant dock, Charles licked his cracked lips. "Let's pull in first. We can ask the locals directly after we land."
By the time Charles and his crew disembarked, a crowd had already gathered, staring at them unblinkingly.
Just as Charles was starting to feel unnerved by their stares, two middle-aged men in customs uniforms pushed through the crowd and approached them.
One of them, a man with deep smile lines, asked, "Who's the captain? Where is your ship from? Foreign vessels aren't permitted to dock here. Didn't you know that?"
Charles stepped forward, explained the situation in detail, and asked if the island had a shipyard.
After Charles finished speaking, he received no response for a long moment. The two middle-aged men in front of him simply stared, motionless as statues.
Several seconds passed before they finally stirred, their expressions visibly warming with enthusiasm. "Yes, we do, sir. Just steer your ship to the east; you'll find a repair yard there."
Second Officer Krona leaned close to Charles's ear and whispered, "Captain, are the people on this island always a bit slow on the uptake?"
Charles wasn't sure, but he chalked it up to a minor issue. Perhaps it's just a strange quirk of the island.
After Charles guided the Narwhal into the repair yard, he was informed that it would take a month to replace the turbine.
It was a long time, but there was no other choice. The turbine was the heart of a steamboat; without it, the Narwhal had no way of returning to Coral Island.
After paying the deposit, Charles walked out of the shipyard and saw the islanders were still there, staring unmovingly at him and his crew.
With parched lips, they could no longer be bothered with strange local customs. Charles led his crew into a quiet inn, where they ate and drank their fill.
Watching his crew burp contentedly, fully satiated, Charles spoke up. "Replacing the turbine will take a month. The locals seem a bit xenophobic, so everyone be careful and stay out of trouble."
Lounging comfortably in their chairs, the crew members casually agreed in their small groups.
However, when Charles handed out the pay for the mission, everyone instantly perked up.
Holding the Echo Coins, James hesitated before speaking. "Captain, the mission was a failure, and the Narwhal needs a new turbine. We shouldn't be taking wages for this…"
"It's fine," Charles replied. "Take what you're owed. All of you should get some proper rest during this time."
Charles, who had once been frugal to save up for the ship, wasn't too concerned about the money now. After surviving such a disaster, he felt it was a bargain if some simple paper notes could secure the crew's morale.
The moment the money was in their hands, the crew couldn't sit still. They left in high spirits, laughing with their arms slung around each other's shoulders.
Charles knew exactly where they were headed. For men who made their living on the sea, this was practically a ritual. The frugal Charles had always been the odd one out.
That night, Charles had a nightmare. He dreamed he was sinking into the depths again, where the massive, horrifying humanoid monster turned to look at him.
He screamed and thrashed, finally waking up drenched in a cold sweat. There was no sea, no monster—only the inn's slightly peeling ceiling above him.
"Mr. Charles, did you have a nightmare last night?" Lily asked, hopping onto his chest.
Charles sat up and took out his pocket watch. He realized he had slept for eleven hours, something that had never happened before.
As Charles got up to go to the washroom, he found an envelope that had been slipped under his door.
He opened it to find a note written in an elegant, flowing script.
Mr. Charles,
Life aboard an exploration ship is simply too dangerous. I can't take it anymore. I've decided to return to shore. Please forgive me for not saying goodbye in person.
Your former sailor,
Sifler
"Sigh..." Charles crumpled the letter and tossed it onto a nearby trash heap.
Looks like money alone can't buy loyalty. Some people were simply scared out of their wits.
Charles's emotions remained largely unmoved. After what they had been through, it was only natural that some would choose to leave.
Seeing that it was now nighttime, Charles took Lily and went out.
The port district wasn't particularly distinctive. However, as soon as Charles entered the so-called Crown District, he immediately noticed how different this island was from others.
Here, the styles of both clothing and architecture were completely unlike those on Coral Island. Every man on the street was dressed in a suit and tie, carrying a cane. The women, adorned in lavish dresses, appeared exceptionally elegant.
Charles wondered if he was imagining things, but it seemed the island's inhabitants were all remarkably attractive. The proportion of handsome men and beautiful women was much higher here than on any other island.
But no matter how good-looking they were, their habit of staring hadn't changed.
It wasn't a pleasant feeling, being gawked at like an animal in a zoo. Charles stopped a passing man. "Excuse me, could you tell me where the Explorer Association is? I couldn't find it in the port district."
"The Explorer Association? What's that? I've never heard of it."
Never heard of it? Charles was baffled. To his knowledge, most islands in the Abyss-Sea had been discovered by Explorers.
While the Association was a loosely-knit organization, it had formed symbiotic relationships with the Governors of various islands and held great influence wherever humans settled.
If this place doesn't even have an Explorer Association, could this island be completely cut off from the others? A truly isolated place?
By the time Charles snapped out of his stupor, the man he had questioned was already walking away.
After a moment of thought, Charles walked into a nearby library. He quickly found a variety of sea charts and, by comparing them, easily pinpointed the location of the island he was on.
He traced a line on a sea chart with his finger, his expression relaxing. "Good. This place might be uncharted, but it's not too far from Coral Island. Once the ship is fixed, we can make it back in fifteen days at most if we go full speed."
After buying a stack of various sea charts, both new and old, Charles walked out of the library.
Standing on the bustling street, Charles was suddenly at a loss. The ship was under repair and his position was confirmed, but now he had no idea what to do next.
The old Charles would have probably continued training his body or practicing his marksmanship, always preparing for the next adventure.
But thinking of his worsening auditory hallucinations, Charles wondered if he was wound too tightly. He hadn't relaxed for a single moment since his journey began.
Maybe I should try to unwind a bit. It might help with the hallucinations.
With this in mind, Charles turned to Lily on his shoulder. "Let's go explore the island."
"Yeah!" At the very mention of playing, Lily's ears shot straight up.
He saw towering spires, lifelike relief sculptures, and long, stained-glass windows.
Charles had no artistic sense, but even he could tell these buildings were exquisitely crafted. The new, artless constructions of Coral Island couldn't compare at all.
"Mr. Charles, what's that? It looks so delicious!"