Chapter 90: None of This Matters!

TL/N: hey guys just a warning I didn't fix the names for the pirates from Edwinas crew I honestly forgot about them 

"Alone at sea, with no one around—how do I save myself? Waiting online, quite urgent."

Ashes stared out at the endless expanse of blue ocean, lost in deep thought.

First of all, he couldn't sail a ship. But even if he could, it wouldn't help.

For one, he didn't have enough sailors—the original crew of this ship had already turned into lifeless corpses. Secondly, the ship's mast was broken. There was no way to sail.

Ironically, the only survivor left was an idiot who could only babble incoherently. Even worse, the idiot's head exploded right in front of him, making it impossible to ask any questions.

So, for Ashes, there were really only two options left.

The first was to use the return bone shard. This would supposedly take him back to the starting bonfire—but then again, maybe not, since he'd never tried it before.

The second option was to seek help from someone else.

There were two possible candidates: the Fool and the Goddess of the Night.

According to his colleagues from the Church of the EverNight, the Goddess rarely responds to ordinary believers. Only the thirteen archbishops and nine senior deacons have that privilege.

Moreover, Ashes had never met her and didn't trust her. On the other hand, Mr. Fool was known to respond to every request.

So, the choice was clear: Zhou Mingrui!

"O Fool who does not belong to this era," Ashes recited softly in ancient Hermes language, bowing his head slightly. "You are the mysterious ruler above the gray fog; you are the King of Yellow and Black who wields good fortune. I pray for a meeting with Mr. Hanged Man."

Although this was his first time, Ashes knew from observing others that it was best to use ancient Hermes language when reciting incantations.

…

Back in Backlund, at No. 15 Minsk Street.

Klein, who had just met with his neighbor, lawyer Jurgen, and had been entrusted with finding a lost cat, suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. He heard a low buzzing in his ears.

Klein, already familiar with the sensation, immediately realized that someone was praying to him. With a thought, he promptly ascended above the gray fog to respond.

In the grand and towering palace that resembled a giant's dwelling, his figure appeared at the head of the long bronze table, his eyes reflecting a flickering flame.

Klein's expression shifted slightly. This was Ashes first time actively praying to him—was he in some sort of trouble?

Klein raised his right hand, extending his spirituality to touch the flame representing Ashes.

With a sudden flash, a blurry image appeared in his mind.

On the vast ocean, there was a red, battered sailing ship. Near the ship's broken mast, a figure in black armor was praying to him.

Klein immediately recognized the person as Ashes, given how familiar he was with that black knight armor.

But...

"How did he end up at sea all of a sudden?"

Klein was utterly perplexed. He had just had coffee with Ashes a few days ago, so how did he end up at sea so quickly?

And that ship...

Klein took a closer look and couldn't help but twitch his eye. Good grief, that wasn't just a red ship; it was stained with blood!

Despite the blurry, mosaic-like image, Klein could still make out the scattered corpses of sailors lying all over the deck!

However, he could tell that they were pirates—the white skull flag on the broken mast made that clear.

So, it was probably a case of self-defense on Ashes part. At most, it could be considered excessive self-defense. Still, Klein was left speechless, unable to comprehend Ashes behavior. Wasn't he supposed to be searching for the Black Emperor in Backlund? How did he suddenly end up at sea, slaughtering an entire ship?

Klein couldn't help but mutter a couple of complaints as he casually pulled Ashes up into the gray fog. He then extended his spirituality to touch the star representing the Hanged Man and brought him up as well.

On a vintage sailing ship in the Sunya Sea, Alger Wilson locked the captain's cabin door. He was seated behind the sextant and his navigation journal, searching for the coordinates of a particular island.

Just then, he felt the summoning of the Fool. Without resisting, he instinctively lowered his head, allowing the summoning to take effect.

"Mr. Fool," Alger greeted respectfully as he rose, stealing a glance at Ashes nearby. Since it wasn't the time for a Tarot meeting and there was no one else present, Alger assumed that Mr. Lover had a private matter to discuss.

"Mr. Hanged Man," Ashes began directly, "Due to certain unforeseen circumstances, I've found myself stranded at sea, and I'm hoping you can help me return to the Kingdom of Loen."

Alger's mind raced as he quickly nodded in agreement. "Where are you?"

The chance to meet a fellow Tarot Club member in real life was something Alger eagerly desired, especially since he was currently troubled by some issues. Mr. Lover's presence might solve his problems.

But as Alger thought about it, he realized that Ashes had remained silent for quite a while, giving him a sense of foreboding.

"Mr. Lover," Alger asked cautiously, his expression hesitant, "You wouldn't happen to be telling me that you don't know where you are, would you?"

"…" Ashes was silent for a moment before he slowly replied, "A few hours ago, I tracked Mr. A of the Aurora Order into the painting world. When I came out, I was at sea. So, yes, I don't know where I am."

"A few hours?" Klein's expression changed as he suddenly tapped the table, drawing the attention of both men. He slowly asked, "Mr. Hanged Man, what is today's date?"

Alger, surprised by the question, paused before answering, "September 2nd."

"…" "…"

A heavy silence fell over the gray fog. Ashes slowly spoke, "So, five days have passed?"

The last Tarot meeting was on August 27th. On that day, he had learned about Mr. A's whereabouts from Audrey and had gone to his residence on August 28th. But now, five days had passed since August 28th!

Yet in his memory, only a few hours had gone by.

"What do you mean five days have passed? Do you think only a few hours have gone by?" Alger's thoughts became increasingly alarming, making his scalp tingle.

"So, it's not me who's having the problem."

Klein breathed a sigh of relief, though he still looked at Ashes with suspicion. Could this mean that the time flow in the painting world differs from that of the outside world?

"None of this matters," Ashes broke the silence, asking, "Mr. Hanged Man, do you have a way to find me?"

"…" Klein was speechless. This was crucial information! How could it not be important? If it weren't for his need to maintain the dignity of the Fool, he would have definitely complained.

"It's difficult," Alger replied after gathering his thoughts. "Mr. Lover, you must understand that this world doesn't consist solely of the Sunya Sea. If you're not in the Sunya Sea, there's nothing I can do."

Ashes fell silent. The world was divided into the northern and southern continents. The northern continent consisted of various human kingdoms and empires, while the southern continent was a colony of the north. To the west of the northern and southern continents was the Misty Sea, and to the east was the Sunya Sea, with the Storm Sea in between. Additionally, the northern continent's northern border touched the Northern Sea, while the southern continent's southern border touched the Polar Sea. Together, they formed the "Five Seas."

If he wasn't in the Sunya Sea, Alger wouldn't be able to help, even if he wanted to.

"I see," Alger pondered for a moment before saying, "Mr. Lover, could you describe anything nearby that could serve as a landmark?"

"Nothing," Ashes replied after thinking for a moment, shaking his head slightly. "I'm on a ship right now, surrounded by nothing but the sea, with no landmarks in sight."

"This…" Alger instinctively wanted to ask why he wasn't asking anyone on the ship for help, but then realized that it was likely a ghost ship or that Ashes had already killed everyone on board.

"Then, tell me about the ship," Alger suggested, thinking it over. "Are there any distinctive items on board? What type of ship is it? What cargo does it carry? What does its flag look like?"

"As for the flag," Ashes hesitated before saying, "It's a white skull flag."

"A white skull flag?" Alger frowned. Many pirates used skull flags, and although a white skull flag narrowed it down, it was still difficult to identify. Unfortunately, since Mr. Lover had drifted to the sea through the painting world, he likely didn't know much about the sea, so Alger couldn't expect him to provide more detailed information.

"Wait!" Alger's expression suddenly became strange as he asked, "Mr. Lover, does the white skull on the flag have an eyepatch?"

"Yes," Ashes thought for a moment before nodding.

"Then it's clear," Alger sighed. "Many pirates use skull flags at sea, but only one group uses a white skull with an eyepatch. You must be on the 'Eyepatch Skull,' captained by the Mad Captain."

"The Mad Captain?" Ashes froze for a moment, hesitating before asking, "Is this the same person I know?"

"Yes," Ashen thought for a moment and nodded slightly.

"Then that confirms it," Alger sighed. "There are many pirates at sea who use skull flags, but only one uses a white skull with an eyepatch. The ship you're on should be the 'Eyepatch Skull,' commanded by the Mad Captain."

"The Mad Captain?" Ashes was suddenly taken aback, hesitating before asking, "Is this the same person I had you investigate for involvement in the slave trade?"

"Yes," Alger nodded lightly. "Mr. Lover, you ended up at sea through the painting world, and it just so happens that the Mad Captain is suspected to have a connection with that world. So, I think you inadvertently found yourself on the Mad Captain's ship."

Pausing for a moment, Alger then asked, "Let me ask first, Mr. Lover, did you leave anyone alive?"

Alger's expression was helpless, as he could already guess the answer without Ashes saying a word. If Ashes had left even one person alive, he wouldn't be completely unaware of his location.

But still, the Mad Captain was a Beyonder of Sequence 6! And his crew wasn't lacking in Sequence 7 as well. This was a ship that could hold its own among pirate generals. Yet, it had been easily taken down by Mr. Lover, which hinted at the terrifying strength Mr. Lover possessed.

"..."

Ashes fell silent again, feeling that he should defend his honor somehow, but also realizing that explaining was pointless. The people were dead; what difference did it make whether or not he left anyone alive?

"Of course," Alger said, misinterpreting Ashen's silence as embarrassment. He then tried to ease the situation, "Since we now know you're on the Mad Captain's ship, things should be easier. The Mad Captain has been active in the Sunya Sea, moving between the Kingdom of loen and East Balam."

"I'll search along the trade routes heading south. I should be able to find your location, Mr. Lover."

"Ships generally drift along ocean currents, so if you spot any islands along the way, be sure to notify me immediately. That way, I can pinpoint your position."

"In addition," Alger paused for a moment and then advised, "If you encounter any passing ships, you might try to hitch a ride or at least confirm your location and wait for me to find you."

"Of course, people at sea aren't always friendly, so you may need to use some means to persuade them. But do try to hold back a bit and leave as many people alive as possible."

"Alright," Ashes nodded slightly after a long silence. He knew this was the only viable solution for now.

With that, the communication ended, and Mr. Fool waved his hand, returning both men to reality.

However, he himself remained above the gray fog, deep in thought.

It was known that the Aurora Order possessed a painting world. Ashes had only spent a few hours in that world before exiting, yet five days had passed in the real world. This was proof that the time flow in the painting world was entirely different from reality.

But Klein was more concerned with what Ashes had seen and done in the painting world. After all, it was the Aurora Order's painting world, and there was a chance that the True Creator resided within it. Klein was intensely curious about Ashes experiences there but felt too embarrassed to ask, fearing it might reveal his own ignorance.

Yes, to put it simply, he felt guilty.

…

"Let's wait a couple more days," Ashes murmured as he looked up at the sky after returning to his body. He had originally hoped to have Alger investigate the slave trade at sea, and now, although he could confirm that the Mad Captain was secretly transporting slaves for the royal family using the Aurora Order's painting world, the trail had gone cold with the closure of the painting world and the Mad Captain's death. And it was a trail he himself had severed.

Ashes suddenly felt a headache coming on, but then something strange struck him. The Mad Captain wasn't relying on a fleet for slave trafficking but rather the painting world. It was certain that, aside from the piece of the painting world Mr. A had, there was another "entrance" in East Balam. The Aurora Order captured slaves in East Balam, sent them into the painting world through the "entrance," and then the Mad Captain transported them out through his "exit" to be sold to human traffickers like Kaping.

But here's the problem: the painting world is the most crucial part of this process. The Aurora Order could have simply used the "entrance" to collect slaves and then handed over the "exit" to a royal family member, directly transporting the slaves to their destination. This would save time and reduce the risk of exposure by cutting out the middlemen, Kaping and the Mad Captain.

Ashes could think of this operation; there's no reason the royal family and the Aurora Order couldn't have thought of it too. But they didn't do that and instead deliberately added these two seemingly unnecessary steps.

Why?

(End of the chapter)