Chapter 312: The Released Kite String

Chapter 312: The Released Kite String

Investigating oneself? Duke South Weil certainly knew how to keep himself busy.

In his study, Hastur finished reading the letter from Duke South Weil and set it aside. He tapped his right index finger rhythmically on the desk.

This must be Klein and Crestet Cesimir trying to pressure him through Duke South Weil. It was a clever strategy and probe, while also providing him with a suitable excuse.

After pondering for a moment, Hastur left his office and ordered notices to be posted around Puni Harbor offering a reward. He also contacted newspapers to publish information about the Red Glove Squad members, promising a substantial payment for any useful tips.

Of course, they couldn't openly state these were members of the Church of the Evernight Goddess's covert Red Glove Squad that handled extraordinary events. Instead, they were described as tourists from Backlund visiting Puni Harbor.

Simultaneously, Hastur commanded several units of Puni Harbor's garrison to sweep through the port's shadowy corners.

While likely futile, keeping up appearances was essential.

This grand commotion naturally alerted Crestet Cesimir and Klein.

"His efficiency is truly impressive," Crestet Cesimir admired the young earl's swift action. In just one day, he had orchestrated such a large-scale operation.

Klein remained silent. He maintained a natural wariness towards Mr. Hastur, feeling the man harbored too many mysteries. It was best not to engage too deeply.

However, in this matter, there was nothing suspicious about the man's actions.

At the inn, the four Red Glove Squad members gathered to discuss the contents published in that morning's Sea and Sky Daily.

"Should we take this opportunity to contact Earl Hastur Campbell? He might be able to help us leave Puni Harbor," one suggested.

"It's worth a try," another agreed.

After a brief discussion, they decided to send two members to test the waters, while the other two would leave messages around Puni Harbor for potential rescuers to find.

Two Red Glove Squad members, armed with a newspaper, headed to the former governor's mansion. They met Hastur with surprising ease, having forgotten their previous inability to locate him. They considered this their first attempt at seeking his help.

The two immediately described their predicament to Hastur and requested his assistance in leaving Puni Harbor. Hastur proposed a sea route, which they gladly accepted.

That same afternoon, Hastur arranged for a ship that would take them directly from Puni Harbor to Backlund. Barring any unforeseen circumstances or coincidences, they would safely return to Backlund.

Before their departure, Hastur inquired if there were other stranded members. The two were cautious and only mentioned that if they safely escaped Puni Harbor, their other teammates would also seek his help.

Hastur wasn't concerned by this small display of wariness. His priority now was to send the remaining two Red Glove Squad members back to Backlund before Crestet Cesimir and Klein could intervene, preventing any face-to-face exchange of information.

The memories of these four Red Glove Squad members had been tampered with. Direct communication might reveal the manipulation of their memories.

On the third day after posting the notices and newspaper ads, the other two Red Glove Squad members came seeking Hastur's help. He enthusiastically arranged a ship for their return to Backlund.

Once all four had left Puni Harbor, Hastur would have the Yellow-Robed Monks modify their memories regarding him. Their escape would appear to be the result of their own efforts, with no connection to him.

The entire Puni Harbor incident would seem like a bizarre misunderstanding, absurd yet believable. Being trapped in one place, unable to leave, could have many causes in the extraordinary world - a powerful sealed item, a high-sequence extraordinary individual, and so on.

If the Church of the Evernight Goddess wished to investigate, they would have to send more people, creating a new set of problems.

Before Crestet Cesimir and Klein could uncover any useful information, Hastur had already distanced himself completely from the situation.

Now, he simply waited for their visit.

Based on the ship's speed, the first two Red Glove Squad members would safely reach Backlund in a few days. Upon their return, the Backlund supervisor would surely give new instructions to Crestet Cesimir and Klein.

**Reflections on the Mission**

On the sea, the Black Emperor sailed steadily through the turbulent waves.

In his cabin, Leonard lay on his bed, contemplating their unusual encounter. They had been aboard the Black Emperor for nearly a week, but despite their efforts to gather information, they only learned that Sealed Artifact 0-08 was in the possession of Nast, the King of Five Seas.

Although Ms. Ilya frequently attempted to communicate with Nast about returning 0-08 to the church, there had been no results.

Initially, they had hoped the Storm Church's ships would arrive in time to intercept the Black Emperor, allowing them to retrieve 0-08 from Nast together. However, days had passed without a single Storm Church vessel in sight.

What happened to their dominion over the seas? Where was the greatest storm on the ocean?

Without the Storm Church's cooperation, they had no way to take 0-08 from the Black Emperor.

What puzzled Leonard most was how unusually kind and friendly the King of Five Seas, Nast, seemed to be. He was the Pirate King, after all, yet faced with three people trying to steal his treasure, he not only invited them aboard but treated them with hospitality.

This almost made Leonard suspect that the King of Five Seas had ulterior motives regarding Ms. Ilya.

In contrast to his anxiety, the old man showed no urgency, even suggesting that being escorted back to Backlund in comfort wasn't such a bad thing.

A knock on the door interrupted Leonard's musings. It was another team member, saying Ms. Ilya had something to discuss and wanted him to come over.

In Ms. Ilya's room, with doors and windows tightly shut, she wordlessly handed each of them a blank paper and a quill. This had been their primary method of communication lately, typically used for discussing action plans.

"The Storm Church has contacted me. They say tomorrow, three of their ships will intercept the Black Emperor in the waters ahead. We should seize the opportunity to act," Ilya wrote, showing the paper to Leonard and the others.

"Is the information reliable?" Leonard wrote back.

Ilya nodded without writing anything further.

"How should we cooperate?" another teammate inquired on paper.

"Find the exact location of 0-08."

"Could he be carrying it on his person?"

"I've checked. 0-08 is not on him."

"The captain's cabin or the study are likely possibilities."

After some discussion, Leonard wrote, "What if 0-08 isn't on the Black Emperor at all?"

This had been his suspicion all along.

"We have to try," was Ilya's response.

The next day arrived quickly, but the Storm Church ships failed to appear as promised. They had been stood up.

Nast confronted them about this, accusing them of ill intentions, and expelled them from the Black Emperor. They were given only a barely seaworthy small boat.

Fortunately, their current position wasn't too far from the coastline. After sailing for two days and a night, they could already see the tall lighthouse.

On the small boat, Leonard secretly glanced at Ms. Ilya's complex and solemn expression, then looked away, sighing heavily in his heart.

What had this all been about? A sea voyage that wasted time and accomplished nothing. They couldn't even confirm if 0-08 was truly in the King of Five Seas' possession.

It felt as if they were kites, their strings pulled across the sea surface for someone's amusement. When the game was over, the string was cut, granting them freedom.

Coincidence and chance - their recent experiences seemed like a pre-written script.

Having been manipulated by 0-08 before, Leonard wasn't particularly affected. However, for Ms. Ilya, known as the Eye of the Goddess, her feelings must be quite complex.

As the small boat approached the shore, they finally saw the mist-shrouded dock clearly.

They had returned to Backlund.

Back to where they had started.

The old man truly had foresight. How did he know the King of Five Seas would send them back to Backlund? Leonard marveled inwardly, also feeling grateful to have returned to Backlund alive.

Upon their return to Saint Samuel Cathedral, they learned that the Red Glove Squad members who had been trapped in Puni Harbor had also returned to Backlund, arriving just a day before them.

"The released kite string," Leonard mused, his expression complex. Being manipulated like a puppet on a string was truly an unpleasant experience.

When he learned that Klein had also gone to Puni Harbor to rescue the Red Glove Squad, Leonard's expression became even more intriguing.

Ms. Ilya appeared furious and determined about this matter, declaring her intention to return to Puni Harbor to investigate what was hidden there.

However, this idea was blocked by Archbishop Anthony, who advised her to patiently wait for instructions from the Church of the Evernight Goddess