It was a pleasant morning, aside from the dazzling sunlight outside the window that had disturbed Li Yue’s sleep. Everything else was wonderful. According to the map, they were heading into the deep reaches of the sea. After a night of swift sailing, they were now not far from the waters previously occupied by that giant octopus.
Although that sea monster had already left, Sharon was still worried about another creature moving in to claim the territory. They had to slow down in these waters. The ship’s supplies were still sufficient, but the long voyage had everyone starting to miss life on land.
Li Yue slowly rose, changed her clothes, and put on a hat that only a pirate would wear. This outfit had been a gift from Sharon, who said she had bought it too large while on land and thought it would fit Li Yue perfectly.
Li Yue also felt it was a bit strange to wear formal gowns or dresses every day on a ship. This captain's outfit, however, felt right. It gave her a dashing look that she quite liked.
She finished dressing. The brooch on her chest appeared to be a green agate, a stark contrast in color to the blood crystal she had worn before. That rhombus-shaped blood crystal had blood-colored veins that had even spread slightly across her chest.
She strolled into the hallway and ran into Mende, who was carrying a bowl of medicinal porridge. She smiled and signaled that she was fine. Mende pointed toward the dining room, asking if she wanted to grab a bite, and Li Yue gladly accepted.
“I didn't expect you to recover so quickly,” Mende said casually. He looked a bit drained, likely because he hadn't slept well the night before. Li Yue guessed it was due to the excessive exertion from the battle.
“I can absorb vitality from many things—fresh life, stored blood crystals, and the like. It all works,” Li Yue mused. Currently, however, she still needed quite a bit of vitality—at least the equivalent of several towns' worth of living people.
Of course, she wouldn't do that. Even if she didn't know whether Clo would care if she committed such heinous sins, she knew she could never forgive herself.
“My magic consumption was too high. Compared to you all, I’m still too weak,” Mende sighed. “Physically, I’m fine, thanks to your intervention last night.”
“I was the one who dragged you into this dangerous journey to begin with. Protecting you is my duty,” Li Yue waved it off. “If we actually reach the destination, do you still intend to follow me deeper?”
“Probably not. The battle for that place will surely be between Great Mages,” Mende sighed helplessly. “We’ll use the old method and hide the ship in a corner where no one can find it.”
“If the Academy sends professors, we’ll likely go in with them,” Mende added calmly. “Or perhaps we could all go together.”
“No, no. Once I wait for the Academy’s reinforcements to arrive, I’ll be off—probably,” Li Yue smiled. “When it comes to doing ‘that sort of thing,’ I prefer to act alone.”
“I understand.” Mende set down his tray and served himself a bowl of porridge. Since they had sat down, he seemed to have something on his mind but hadn't dared to bring it up.
“Is there something you want to say?” Li Yue smiled. Her Death Abyss could still sense a person’s general thoughts.
“That scarlet tide last night... it wasn't magic, was it?” Mende set down the spoon that was halfway to his mouth, looking hesitant.
“Mhm.” Li Yue didn't seem to mind. She swallowed her food. The medicinal taste was slightly bitter. The porridge didn't seem to be a medicinal porridge; it just had a fresh fragrance earlier.
What kind of porridge was it? Oh, right—Lamp-Fire Grass and lean meat porridge. A few strips of lean meat floated in the bowl, and there was a small side dish of more meat. It seemed she could add chili powder herself, but considering Li Yue’s health, Mende had served her plain meat.
But I love spicy food. The people of Parvati and Yakutsk didn't care for spice; it had been a long time since she had felt that slight stinging sensation.
She picked up the chili powder, added a small handful, mixed the meat into the porridge, and took a sip. It was delicious. She loved it. Although it might be a bit too savory for breakfast, it was actually close to noon now.
People were starting to trickle into the dining room for lunch. Mende had prepared a lot of ground beef. The kitchen staff only needed to grill it, add cheese, pickles, tomatoes, and sauce to make a delicious beef burger.
In a few more days, they would run out of fresh tomatoes.
“What does it feel like to possess God's remains?” Mende asked suddenly. He put down his spoon, seemingly losing his appetite.
“Human emotions and self-perception fade quite a bit,” Li Yue said nonchalantly as she took another bite of porridge. She felt the three pieces of God's remains within her and didn't feel much rejection.
“Absorbing God's remains is dangerous, isn't it?” Mende sighed, his fingers trembling slightly.
“More or less. I’ve heard other Mages say there’s strong rejection, but I’ve never felt it.” Li Yue swallowed her porridge and finished the rest of the bowl. Her body felt warm. Eating this kind of food in damp weather was truly a delight—it warmed both the body and the stomach.
“I always hear people call me a vassal of Death, but I’ve never seen Her,” Li Yue said plainly. Mende looked up in shock, recalling the recent rumors...
A vassal of Death... a white-haired lady... why did that sound so familiar?
“If you’re desperate for power, unless it’s an absolute last resort or a dire situation, it’s better to absorb them slowly.” Li Yue sensed something. Since a moment ago, she had felt a strange aura coming from Mende.
“You have a piece of God's remains on you?” Li Yue arched an eyebrow, remembering the Death Abyss from Yakutsk, the blood moon from Parvati, and the blood sword from the old castle.
“It’s not a particularly powerful one. It’s a hand bone.” Mende openly brought it out. It was a hand bone that seemed to be clutching an object. Its aura was very similar to Mende’s own.
However, compared to Li Yue’s pieces, whether in terms of divine tier or the part itself, it was insignificant—a small fish in a vast ocean. Li Yue didn't think the rejection would be too much. Which Great Mage didn't have a piece of God's remains on them?
Well, people like Reinhardt, who carved their own paths, didn't have God's remains. Those Great Mages seemed to have a bit more weight to their titles.
Thinking about it, she seemed to have reached the level of a Great Mage purely through God's remains. How long had it taken? A few months? No, she seemed to have had the level of a Great Mage since she left Parvati.
What did a normal, hardworking magic user look like? Someone like Mende?
“It’s the hand bone of the God of Concealment. They say his form has no fixed shape, much like the deity from the legendary Land of God's Remains,” Mende smiled. “Though the tier is much lower.”
“When you no longer have any doubts, you can absorb it,” Li Yue said calmly. She got up to get another bowl of porridge and a burger, looking to be in a good mood, even a bit cheerful.
“That might have to wait a while.” Mende gave a wry smile and gulped down the porridge that was starting to cool. When he set the bowl down and let out a long breath, his doubts seemed to have lessened, and his complexion looked much better.
It seemed Li Yue’s words had truly provided some comfort and cleared his mind; at least the effect seemed good.
Mende didn't look very old, but he was several years older than Li Yue and the others. Perhaps due to his casual nature or personal style, his beard and hair were quite long. They were clean, as if washed regularly, but looked messy, suggesting he didn't have the habit of combing his hair in the morning.
Li Yue thought about how she also just gave her hair a quick brush in the morning, though it didn't get messy easily anymore. Even the dirt on her body had decreased significantly; it seemed it was harder for her to get dirty now. Even after walking barefoot for a long distance, she wouldn't see much dust, though she might sweat a little.
Is it because my tier has increased? Those gods... they really are free of all filth. That’s why... they can’t imagine the wretched state of being covered in blood with a broken body, ha!
Wait, why am I thinking like this? How strange.
Li Yue took a bite of food. The flavor seemed to have faded slightly. Only by chewing carefully did the wonderful tastes slowly return. Mende didn't seem to want to eat anything else. He sat and waited for a while, feeling it would be rude to just get up and leave while Li Yue was still eating.
Fortunately, Li Yue always ate quickly. Not for any other reason than she just chewed fast. Sometimes she would accidentally bite into a bone, or a pebble in one of those ordinary restaurants in Yakutsk, and by the time she realized it, she had already ground it to dust and was ready to swallow.
She stood up and stretched. Mende followed suit.
“Are you going up to take a look?” Mende asked. He didn't have any duties today besides preparing dinner. He had already prepped and processed the ingredients, which were now magically frozen. The assistants in the kitchen would only need to heat them and add water, and those soup blocks would become delicious.
“Just walking around. I’m not much help with the actual sailing anyway,” Li Yue smiled. Her Death Abyss was actually constantly protecting the ship, masking the aura of magic and emitting a faint pressure. Ordinary sea monsters naturally wouldn't come looking for trouble unless they disturbed too many undersea resources.
But if the fleet really ran low on supplies and took a little, Li Yue didn't care. She’d just find an opportunity to beat sense into those blind sea monsters and drain their vitality while she was at it—a little deterrent to prevent future trouble.
Li Yue walked aimlessly on the deck. Sharon, having set the course, was perched up high with a telescope. She scanned the surroundings and seemed to sense Li Yue’s presence, so she leaped down, using a wind field to float slightly just before landing.
“Are you feeling better?” Sharon looked at her with concern.
“I’m fine after eating. It’s just vitality, not like it’s my lifespan or anything,” Li Yue smiled. This was the truth. Food also contained vitality, though Li Yue would have to eat until she burst to fully replenish herself that way.
“Is that so? I thought the price and side effects of forbidden magic would be especially large.” Sharon then realized something and looked flustered. “I mean, I thought the impact would be irreversible, not that the price was too small.”
Sharon wore an apologetic expression, but Li Yue didn't mind. She didn't know which magics had truly irreversible prices—perhaps the kind that burned one's life force...
Master Roland, no wonder you looked like that when you found out I was learning forbidden magic. You are the one who fights with your life... My magic, compared to yours, has a price that is not even worth mentioning...
It’s as if it were tailor-made for me... So, don't worry, I will live on just fine.
A lonely look crossed her face. Sharon thought it was because of what she had said and looked even more flustered. However, Li Yue quickly composed herself. She just felt like playing the violin. Master Roland was right; in that music, her pain, resentment, frustration, and sadness truly faded.
“It’s not a big price, otherwise I wouldn't have lived this long,” Li Yue gave a fake smile. Although it was just a normal smile, because she was truly beautiful, it was very moving.
“Let’s not talk about that. How are the ship’s supplies? Are they sufficient?” Li Yue gathered her thoughts and the painful memories swirling in her mind, quickly changing the subject.
“Fresh ingredients are running low, but the recent catch has been decent. Still, we’ll likely need to gather more food before we reach our destination,” Sharon sighed. This was exactly what she had been worrying about lately.
Li Yue nodded. She knew the importance of food, especially under harsh and high-pressure conditions. She didn't want the tragedy of that snowy voyage in Yakutsk to repeat itself with the good people on this ship.
If it comes down to it, I’ll just give those sea monsters a thrashing. Let’s see who dares to stop me.
As Li Yue was thinking this, Blan came running over from not far away. His voice held a hint of excitement, as if he had made an important discovery.
“Sister Sharon! Over there, over there! There’s an island! I just checked—the shore is covered in coconut trees. There must be plenty of plants and animals inside. Should we...”
Coconuts were a great ingredient. The water could quench thirst and replenish sugar, and the meat could be eaten directly or used as an ingredient to enhance the flavor of dishes.
“Conduct a proper reconnaissance. Don't be careless. We need to move step by step. None of these islands have ever been landed on or recorded before.” Although Sharon looked happy, her cautious nature made her consider many factors.
“Let’s just explore the edges. Don't go deep. There are too many dangers here.” Blan was clearly still shaken; he instinctively looked at Li Yue when he mentioned danger.
Li Yue looked at the distant island. She could see it clearly with her naked eye.
Something seemed to be... hidden there. There was a strange aura—not familiar, but not repulsive either...
Their ship slightly adjusted its course and headed toward the island.
Rate on N.U.
