"Did those old sailors make you scrub the deck and empty the chamber pots? Did they steal your rum?"
Hearing Charlotte's stereotype-filled speculation, Elias's heart, which had been lodged in his throat, finally settled back into his chest.
He let out a long breath of relief in his heart, even feeling a bit like laughing.
It seemed he had been overthinking things.
If the mental channel were still open, old Edmond would likely have mocked him mercilessly.
While talent was a mysterious thing, there was still a massive chasm between it and a true transcendent.
"Nothing of the sort!"
The tense expression on Elias's face instantly switched to one of amused exasperation, and he reached out to ruffle Charlotte's hair.
"Where do you even read all this nonsense?"
"Nautical novels, obviously!" Charlotte said as if it were common sense, her eyes sparkling with a certain longing for that rugged life at sea.
"It's good that you're reading, but don't read those next time..."
Elias pressed a hand to his forehead in resignation.
"Sailors in reality aren't that dramatic. Everyone is busy, busy trying to make a living on the great ocean."
"It wasn't an ordinary merchant ship, was it?"
At that moment, Arthur's deep voice rang out again, interrupting the siblings' banter.
The young detective was not so easily fooled.
"12 gold crowns."
Arthur emphasized the figure.
"That amount is higher than the monthly salary of a captain at a typical small-to-medium shipping company."
He paused, leaning forward with an overwhelming sense of pressure.
"And you, Elias, at most you're an apprentice with no experience on a ship."
"No normal company would offer such an exorbitant salary to a novice."
"Perhaps a cross-industry giant like the Wayland Shipping Company might pay above the average, but even that doesn't explain where those 12 gold crowns came from."
As expected, the policeman was much harder to deal with!
This professional sensitivity was simply uncanny.
"It indeed wasn't an ordinary cargo ship!"
Elias's brain worked at high speed, countless thoughts flashing by before quickly weaving into a logically tight web.
"It was an armed cargo ship used to transport precious luxury goods."
"My salary was indeed paid at the rate of a second-class sailor."
Elias tried to make his voice sound sincere and certain.
"A second-class sailor at Wayland Shipping earns a base salary of 3 gold crowns and 10 Shillings a month."
"That is indeed considered high pay in the industry."
Arthur nodded slightly; that number was within a reasonable range.
"On the day I joined, considering the situation at home... I originally asked the supervisor if I could get an advance on my wages, but that small-eyed supervisor refused me flatly."
Elias timely added some vivid details to his narrative to increase its credibility.
"However, during our first voyage, we encountered pirates."
At this, both Arthur and Charlotte's eyes widened, as if they were sweating for Elias over the impending danger.
"Those pirates would sing their sea shanties before they plundered."
"The songs were actually quite nice..."
Elias recalled the sirens' singing and couldn't help but mention it.
"Get to the point!" Arthur reminded him, somewhat speechless.
"Were you hurt?" Charlotte stood up to ask, circling Elias to check him all over.
"No," Elias replied, then continued his 'nautical experience'.
"Then..."
"My captain, Mr. Crowley—he's a good man with a cold face but a warm heart."
"We defeated those pirates and took control of their ship."
"Captain Crowley allowed us sailors to pick some valuables from it."
Elias spoke more and more smoothly, his tone growing firmer.
"And among them, I found a valuable treasure."
"Guess how much it was worth?"
"How much?" the two asked curiously.
"10 gold crowns and 15 Shillings!"
"10 gold crowns?!"
"15 Shillings?"
Arthur and Charlotte exclaimed in shock simultaneously.
Charlotte's mouth hung open in surprise.
In this era where one Fenny could buy a large piece of black bread, 10 gold crowns was almost the price of a decent riding horse!
What kind of item could sell for such a high price?
Arthur's expression changed instantly; he stood up abruptly, his hand resting on his waist where his baton would usually be.
"It wasn't some kind of contraband, was it?"
"Elias, tell me honestly, was it illegal drugs or..."
"No! Absolutely not!"
Elias immediately waved his hands, putting on a frightened expression and saying with great gravity:
"Arthur, you're my brother; I thought the exact same thing!"
"I found a small plaster statuette with the pirates, and then I went to ask the captain what it was."
"Guess what the captain said?"
"What did he say?"
Their curiosity was instantly piqued by the suspense, and even Arthur forgot to keep up the pressure.
"He said it was the work of a master from the Rose Dynasty."
Elias talked absolute nonsense with a straight face.
"When he saw it, he patted my shoulder and said, 'Kid! You've struck it rich!'"
"So, a month later when we docked at Hastings Port, I found a souvenir shop and sold it."
"I didn't expect it to be so valuable either."
"After all, the family has many expenses; the gas bill, and your tuition needs to be paid."
"Besides, room and board are included at sea, so my expenses aren't high."
"That's how it happened."
Seeing Arthur still frowning, seemingly processing this story that sounded bizarre yet lacked any obvious flaws, Elias quickly added another reassurance.
"Don't worry!"
"I've asked around; there won't be any trouble!"
To be honest, this was the most outrageous lie he had told since transmigration!
A Rose Dynasty plaster statuette?
He couldn't believe he had come up with that!
On the other side of the sofa, Arthur and Charlotte exchanged a look.
The suspicion in Arthur's eyes gradually faded.
"It sounds like... there isn't a problem."
Arthur sighed and sat back down on the sofa, his tone softening.
"Let's leave it at that!"
With Arthur's declaration, the long interrogation of Elias finally came to an end.
To Arthur, Elias had always been an honest and sensible child.
Combined with the fact that he spoke of details like 'Captain Crowley' and 'Wayland company' so convincingly, it didn't seem like a fabrication.
Of course, if old Edmond knew what Arthur was thinking, he would definitely mock the young detective's naivety.
Elias was an honest child?!
Don't make me laugh!
Aside from the names of people, not a single word this guy said was true!
He would even deceive a ghost!
But regardless, he had passed this hurdle.
As for Charlotte, although she felt something was off, she couldn't pinpoint a specific flaw.
Besides, there was one most important matter left to resolve, which directly concerned her personal interests.
"Where is my gift?"
Charlotte temporarily set aside those complex thoughts and held out her fair little hand in front of Elias like a debt collector.
"I just heard you say you brought gifts for us."
"Of course!"
Elias, having narrowly escaped, was in high spirits; the joy of surviving the ordeal made him a bit carried away.
"There's something for both of you!"
"I picked them out carefully; they absolutely suit our family's temperament!"
"First is Lottie's..."
As he spoke, he pulled over the suitcase that had been sitting on the coffee table.
Under the expectant gazes of Arthur and Charlotte, he loosened the leather straps on the case and flipped open the lid.
However, in the next second, the air froze.
What met their eyes, resting atop the layers of clothing, was a white hand-axe of unknown material and a leather bracer studded with white rivets of unknown material.
"..."
Charlotte's hand froze in mid-air.
"..."
Arthur's expression instantly solidified, and then his face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.
These were the gifts a sailor brought home for his family?
A pirate, more like!
Arthur glanced at the axe, then at Elias's innocent face.
Without a word, he turned and walked away.
Elias didn't react for a moment.
He turned with a bewildered look, watching Arthur walk upstairs with heavy steps.
When Arthur came back down, he was snapping the belt their father had left behind.
"Wait!"
"Arthur, let me explain!"
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