571 Key Details
The Governor of the Sea’s residence hall opened into a labyrinth of rooms, its scarcity of windows allowing only a trickle of light despite the crimson moon’s glow. The dimness cast a cloak of silence over the place.
Even as the deputy host, clutching the coveted Ring of the Sea Queen, moved with caution, the floor still betrayed him with a faint echo.
Lumian observed him heading towards the basement staircase, a sudden realization dawning upon him.
Once in the basement, the deputy host could effortlessly switch the authentic Ring of the Sea Queen with a crafted counterfeit without alerting anyone.
The other deputies were occupied in the hall, and the Governor of the Sea, undergoing physical modifications, had the Maidens of the Sea by his side. The sea spawn were scattered elsewhere.
Frowning, Lumian shot a sidelong glance at another deputy host. He lowered his voice and addressed Jorge, the form Juan Oro had taken, in Intisian.
“Every year, during the vigil ritual, does a deputy host send the Ring of the Sea Queen alone to the basement, retrieving it an hour later?”
He stressed the word “alone.”
Juan Oro nodded subtly.
“Yes. There’s no need for extra protection in this building…”
But just as Juan Oro was about to continue, he halted abruptly.
This presented a golden opportunity to swap the Ring of the Sea Queen unnoticed.
The fact that external enemies couldn’t breach the building didn’t mean the deputy hosts within were without their own problems!
Lumian wasted no time and turned to Juan Oro, uttering, “Should I follow, or will you take charge?”
Juan Oro regarded the matter gravely, rising from his seat and responding, “I’ll go.”
Harnessing his abilities, he steadied himself and swiftly caught up with the deputy host. In a deep tone, he stated, “Let’s go together. I want to seize the chance to pay my respects to my ancestors.”
The other deputy host raised no objections.
As Lumian observed the two lighting their lanterns and descending into the basement, his mind instinctively filled in the upcoming sequence.
Place the Ring of the Sea Queen on the decrepit stone platform… Offer prayers to the ancestors… Return to the surface… Re-enter and retrieve it an hour later…
During that hour, the Ring of the Sea Queen sits unguarded in the basement, vulnerable to any opportunistic interference… If someone had concealed themselves there beforehand, swapping the genuine ring for a counterfeit would be a straightforward task…
Certainly, infiltrating and concealing oneself in this location is no simple feat. I can’t even do it; I could last a mere two minutes before being detected by the sea spawn…
The Ring of the Sea Queen has to be positioned on that worn stone platform. Any deviations—deviations…
With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Lumian suddenly recalled the transformations in the Lie earring when it rested on the weathered stone platform in the basement.
The Seer pathway item had activated a pattern embodying an Apprentice and a Marauder, granting it the ability to siphon someone’s power that lasted half a month!
Lie could accomplish this feat, but what about the Ring of the Sea Queen?
Though not an item of the Seer, Apprentice, or Marauder pathway, it had been meticulously crafted based on a ritual passed down by an Amon. Perhaps, over time, it could activate the unique characteristics of the basement, gradually assimilating with thieving qualities.
Yes! Considering that the essence of the sea sacrificial ritual involves extracting power from the seal at the bottom of the sea and claiming it, the Ring of the Sea Queen, being a key item, should not only be capable of loosening the seal to a certain extent but also possess the power-stealing ability. It could distribute the gains among various participants in the ritual—
the host receiving the most, followed by the Maidens of the Sea as assistant hosts, and the deputy hosts and sailors gaining some within the ritual’s range, provided they possessed similar powers!
In essence, Juan Oro and his companions’ understanding of the ring-making ritual is incomplete. The “paying homage to the ancestors” segment is integral and crucial. Without honoring the ancestors, the sea sacrificial ritual would merely open the seal without stealing the accumulated power. Instead, it would erupt and disperse… Lumian had just marveled at the mysticism’s terrifying complexity when a sudden alarm gripped him.
He realized he had overlooked a pivotal detail.
According to Madam Magician’s interpretation of the Ring of the Sea Queen’s functions and her speculations about the essence of the entire sea prayer ritual, the substitution of the genuine Ring of the Sea Queen with the fake ring customized by April Fool’s in Torres should have prevented the catastrophic phenomenon of the sea’s fury consuming the Governor of the Sea, all the deputy hosts, and some sailors in the subsequent ritual!
The fake ring hadn’t undergone the initial ring-making ritual, leaving its patterns, symbols, and structure devoid of the necessary mysticism characteristics. Even if the Governor of the Sea recited the prescribed words, he couldn’t infuse energy into it to open the seal!
As a complete counterfeit, it shouldn’t have triggered any phenomena. However, due to its incapacity to extract the amassed power, the sea area would experience more shipwrecks, and the weather would deteriorate.
To align with the events of the previous year, the fake ring thrown by the Governor of the Sea had to complete the first part of the ring-making ritual. Still, without being placed in the basement to honor the ancestor, it could only partially open the seal, unable to extract and monopolize the gathered power. This incomplete process led to a sudden eruption, causing the sea to “rage”!
Lumian’s eyes narrowed slightly. As a Conspirer, he had seized the core of the matter.
Two Rings of the Sea Queen were on the ship, but both were fakes.
The ring brought by the deputy host to the ritual ship was also a forgery. In fact, the authentic Ring of the Sea Queen hadn’t made an appearance during last year’s sea prayer ritual!
The genuine Ring of the Sea Queen, which had undergone the entire ring-
making ritual as per the Fisheries Guild’s knowledge, hadn’t been placed on the stone platform in the basement to fulfill the ritual of honoring the ancestors. Consequently, it was also a sham—a counterfeit ring lacking the most crucial effect!
The deputy host who had taken the Ring of the Sea Queen into the basement and retrieved it last year might also be part of the problem!
The peripheral members affiliated with April Fool’s weren’t considered trustworthy. Their actions likely didn’t disrupt the overall plan. The fake ring concealed in the lamb’s stomach and the Bard’s performance likely served as preparations for subsequent investigations, camouflaging vital clues. As Lumian’s thoughts raced, Juan Oro and the deputy host returned to the hall.
“It’s on the stone platform,” whispered the president of the Fisheries Guild, masquerading as Jorge, to Lumian.
Lumian refocused his attention and casually inquired, “Who was responsible for sending the Ring of the Sea Queen to the basement last year?”
“I don’t know. Without any special arrangements, anyone can do it. The four deputy hosts in the hall last year died in the sea’s rage when the ritual failed.” Juan Oro, sensing Lumian’s suspicion, clarified.
Dead? Unlikely… Lumian lacked the corresponding item for spirit channeling and didn’t have time to search for it. All he could do was ask, “Which one of them was familiar with the ring-making ritual and knows the details of the Ring of the Sea Queen?”
“None of them; it was their first time serving as deputy hosts.” Juan Oro shook his head. “Besides, as I said, those who know these secrets are still alive.”
If the deputy host wasn’t Ultraman… Then who was it? Lumian’s mind raced as he arrived at a conclusion.
It was Mad Lady!
Similar to Bard, she utilized the same technique to alter her appearance. With Ultraman’s assistance, she assumed the guise of a deputy host, completing the final step in creating the Ring of the Sea Queen. Then, she boarded the ceremonial ship with it.
Lumian had been puzzled by how Mad Lady could locate the special sea and rescue Bard accurately and in time. Now, he had the answer.
Mad Lady was present on the ceremonial ship, right beside Bard. There was no need for coordinated locations or timing!
Initially suspecting Mad Lady to collaborate with Bard, Lumian now realized that Bard worked with Mad Lady, providing assistance in case of unexpected developments and shouldering the responsibility of misleading investigations.
Dammit, Faceless abilities are so annoying. April Fool’s is so annoying! Lumian’s emotions fluctuated as he struggled to contain his emotions as he cursed. Relying on his Ascetic trait, he restrained himself from erupting.
More importantly, while he had unraveled the issues with the sea prayer ritual from last year, the identities of Ultraman and the forthcoming plans of April Fool’s remained elusive.
…
The night passed in silence.
On an out-of-fashion sailboat in the harbor, Charname, sporting a short, round-rimmed felt hat, emerged from the cabin and approached Nolfi, who stood at the edge of the deck. Charname inquired, “Can we enter those special waters if we set off now?”
Nolfi nodded, responding, “Yes, the stars will align in a specific pattern after midnight.”
Following Lumian’s instructions, she and Batna had rented a boat for a few days from other ports along the same coastline.
Charname chuckled, saying, “Then let’s set off!”
Observing the surprised and puzzled expressions of Nolfi and Batna, he explained, “If we follow the Governor of the Sea’s ceremonial ship, we’ll undoubtedly be discovered by the Fisheries Guild. Setting off an hour or two later would be meaningless. Therefore, we’ll go ahead of time and hide there, patiently waiting for an opportunity!”
Although Nolfi didn’t understand the nature of the opportunity Charname referred to, she didn’t inquire. She responded with anticipation, “Okay.”
Charname then turned to Batna.
“Are you joining us? It will be very dangerous.”
Batna’s expression fluctuated. After more than ten seconds, he declared, “I’m going!”
Charname clicked his tongue but remained silent.
At that moment, Nolfi frowned, glancing at other parts of the deck, and asked, “What about the sailors here? We can’t leave the sea without them, and they can’t handle too much danger.”
Charname chuckled.
“Don’t worry, we have sailors who can handle danger.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he half-turned, raising his right hand to the third level of the cabin. He clasped his index finger and thumb into a ring and extended his other three fingers.
Soon, the captain, first mate, second mate, and all the sailors emerged,
their eyes tightly shut. Like sleepwalkers, they lined up and walked down the gangway toward the docks.
Batna and Nolfi’s eyes froze, as if trapped in a terrifying dream.