Chapter 53: Fond of Teaching

Chapter 53: Fond of Teaching

Unable to endure the scene any longer, Danitz decided to do something.

He coughed twice and said to Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina Edwards, “Captain, Mr. Gehrman Sparrow has some questions he would like to ask you.”

Whew… Klein silently let out a breath.

If the stalemate continued, his persona was going to collapse.

Edwina gave a very slight nod and looked at Klein.

“Mr. Sparrow, have you received an education?”

What kind of question is that? Klein’s expression remained unchanged. He replied coldly, “University graduate.”

Huh? Danitz stared at Gehrman Sparrow in shock, unable to believe that this insane adventurer and bounty hunter had actually attended university, much less graduated from one!

He simply could not connect a sacred hall of knowledge like a university with Gehrman Sparrow.

Unless it was a “Hunter University,” “Assassin Academy”… or perhaps a university that existed only in the delusions of madmen and lunatics… Danitz could not help silently mocking him.

Edwina showed no abnormal reaction and continued, “Which languages do you know?”

…Klein suppressed the impulse to frown and answered, “Giant, Elvish, Draconic, ancient Hermes, Hermes, ancient Feysac, Loenese…”

Edwina gave an “Mm.”

“Do you have any understanding of other fields of mysticism?”

For a moment, Klein felt as though he had returned to the time in his previous life when he entered primary school. Because his age had been barely enough, the teacher had tested him with a series of questions: how many Chinese characters he knew, whether he had learned the four arithmetic operations, whether he recognized English letters, how many Tang poems he could recite…

Calm down… You are Gehrman Sparrow right now… Klein once again said without expression, “Proficient.”

Edwina thought for two seconds, then explained in a tone neither fast nor slow, “I must take your level of knowledge into account before considering how to answer your questions, so that you can understand more easily.”

This… Klein was almost stunned. He felt that the beautiful lady before him did not resemble an adventurer who moonlighted as a pirate at all. She was simply a teacher with an icy expression but a patient, kind attitude, someone who guided others step by step.

Thinking of the vampire who reported to the Church of Earth Mother every day, he calmed down again.

This is the first pirate admiral I have officially met. As expected, she has her own distinctive qualities… Klein sighed inwardly and spoke.

“First question. Where do uncommon Beyonder creatures appear on the sea?”

He did not directly ask about mermaids, to avoid letting Vice Admiral Iceberg glimpse his true objective and bring about unnecessary accidents.

Edwina thought for a moment, erased the “Spirit Descent Ritual” from the blackboard, and began drawing and writing at the same time.

“Starting from Sonia Island, sailing twelve hundred nautical miles in this direction will take you into waters that humans have yet to formally explore.

“There, a naga tribe is active. They have long devoted themselves to searching for a legendary undersea city where a powerful monster is sealed. That monster is the object of their faith…”

Edwina continued one item after another. Some came from her own discoveries while pursuing treasures; others came from knowledge and rumors she had exchanged for.

She took quite some time to roughly finish. What left Klein frustrated was that, apart from the sea east of the Gargas Archipelago, none of the other places had legends of mermaids.

He swiftly adjusted his mood and instead asked, “Second question. Do you know a way to remove mental corruption from Beyonder characteristics?”

He did not hide that he knew about Beyonder characteristics.

For the first time, Edwina’s eyes showed a flicker, as if she had gained a new understanding of Gehrman Sparrow.

She shook her head.

“I do not.

“But I once had a hypothesis. By borrowing a sufficiently powerful external force, one might thoroughly shatter a corrupted Beyonder characteristic and return it to the smallest points of light. In that way, whether corruption or curse, both would spread outward because they had lost their carrier, disappearing either quickly or slowly. Meanwhile, the shattered Beyonder characteristic would, based on a certain nature inherent to it, gather bit by bit and take form again.

“Unfortunately, only gods can accomplish such a thing. If you have gained the favor of some deity, you may attempt to please Them, offer enough sacrifices, and pray for a response.”

The law of Beyonder characteristic convergence… Klein completed, in his heart, the thing Edwina had deliberately left unsaid.

At the same time, he could not help sighing. Vice Admiral Iceberg, captain of the Golden Dream, possessed truly profound knowledge of mysticism. She was not inferior to him, who had read many Roselle diary pages, experienced many incidents, and learned quite a few secrets.

Rumor says Vice Admiral Iceberg can copy, or rather simulate, Beyonder abilities that opponents have used in front of her… That is rather similar to Mr. Isengard Stanton’s ring, 2-081… No sooner had Klein’s thoughts wandered than he forcibly pulled them back. As if considering something, he nodded.

“I agree with this hypothesis.”

“Regrettably, it has never been put into practice. It can only remain a hypothesis.” Edwina rarely used words that expressed emotion.

Danitz, who had been listening the entire time, now wore a blank expression, completely unable to keep up.

What are they saying? What are they discussing? Why do I understand every single word, but not when they are combined together… What are Beyonder characteristics? What is this shattering business? What does convergence mean? Danitz looked left, then right, confusion written all over both eyes.

At that moment, Klein brought out the third question he had prepared.

“Where can ancient wraiths be found?”

He mentioned only this kind of monster because the corresponding material could clearly also be used in the field of necromancy, and would not expose his own Sequence secrets.

Edwina glanced at Danitz.

“I will help you keep watch.

“If you wish to attend Bayam’s Beyonder gatherings, he knows some and can take you there.”

Not bad. Talking with intelligent people really is easy… Klein added another question.

“Do you know where I can find someone capable of using Beyonder materials or characteristics to create mystical items?”

“I met one at a gathering, but he has not appeared again since,” Edwina answered frankly. “I possess the corresponding knowledge and can imitate an attempt, but I cannot guarantee the success rate.”

Heh… Then I will wait a bit first… Klein no longer lingered on the subject and instead asked, “How much do you know about Death’s Key?”

“I do not know much.” An iron-black key suddenly materialized in Edwina’s hand. It was as large as a seven-string lyre, ancient in form and dull in sheen.

Holding and supporting the sunken-ship relic with both arms, the pirate admiral said, “If you are referring to this key, I can tell you with certainty that it belongs to giants.”

Klein glanced at Danitz.

“Your boatswain told me it might also belong to dragons or demonic wolves.”

“That was the earliest guess. Recently, I found some historical documents. Combining them with the other items aboard the ship, I now have a preliminary answer.” Edwina did not sound impatient at all. She was full of patience, yet her expression remained cold.

Danitz finally regained some sense of presence as the master of the dream. Curious, he asked, “Captain, it really belongs to giants?”

“Mm.” Edwina gave a definite answer. “Those documents show that, during the Fourth Epoch, many giants were still active. Some had converted to the God of Combat. Some were scattered throughout the world and became targets hunted by humans.

“One tribe among them built ships and attempted to go out to sea in search of the lost Giant King’s Court. From then on, they never returned. The sunken ship we found, and some of the items inside it, are extremely similar to the ancient relics they left behind at their original settlement. Therefore, we have sufficient reason to believe that the key belongs to giants, and it most likely points toward the royal court their race lost before the Cataclysm.”

The Giant King’s Court? Little Sun said it is not far from the City of Silver… Klein did not speak, quietly listening to Vice Admiral Iceberg’s description.

I have to say, the City of Silver and the Land Abandoned by the Gods are fields of knowledge where I completely surpass other Beyonders… Mm, even the seven orthodox gods currently cannot find that place or determine its exact circumstances. On this point, I am stronger than Them… Klein thought half proudly, half self-mockingly, then spoke in a deep voice.

“If I pay a sufficient price, would you be willing to sell this key?”

“Of course, unless I obtain other clues to the Giant King’s Court,” Edwina replied with the same unhurried pace.

Excellent. If one day the Tarot Club organizes an expedition team to explore the Giant King’s Court, I will buy this key… Klein had intended to ask his final question when he suddenly remembered the four adventurers he had encountered earlier.

With the power of the Dream Charm, he materialized the lady with bluish-gray eyes, wearing a man’s shirt, as well as her three companions.

“Do you know them?”

Edwina glanced over. Almost without needing to recall, she said, “Leticia Dorella, an archaeologist and adventurer.

“Rumor says she is a member of the Moses Ascetic Order, or the Elemental Dawn.”

The Moses Ascetic Order… The ancient organization that believes in the Hidden Sage… As expected, they were not doing it for money. Their goal must be something inside that abandoned temple… Klein casually asked, “What do you know about the Elemental Dawn?”

This secret organization, like the Psychology Alchemists, had been born only one or two hundred years ago. It fused elements from various schools of mysticism, possessed a theoretical system of its own, and its members were all skilled at spellcasting and mastered many ancient forms of witchcraft.

Edwina pressed her lips together slightly.

“They have always opposed the Moses Ascetic Order.

“Rumor says it was founded by Bernadette Gustav, Emperor Roselle’s eldest daughter.”

The leader of the Elemental Dawn is Bernadette? Zaratul’s prophecy was quite accurate. This really does count as a major figure in the supernatural world… Klein felt both enlightened and wistful.

Suppressing the impulse to sigh, he looked toward Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina and spoke plainly.

“One last question.”

After the beautiful lady and Blazing Danitz both focused fully on him, he slowly drew up the corners of his mouth.

“Are you interested in cooperation?”

“What cooperation?” Edwina asked in return.

The smile on Klein’s face grew broader and broader, nearly carrying a taste of madness.

“Hunting Admiral of Blood.”