Chapter 633 West Balam

633 West Balam

Lumian had heard from Lugano that s.h.i.+ps deviating from the safe sea route might mysteriously disappear. In a few years, they would occasionally appear at nightwith no lights or people.

This seemed to be the case now.

In the past, Lumian might have teleported over out of curiosity, taking advantage of the three-masted sailboats reentry into a safe sea route to a.s.sess its internal condition. However, after encountering the Demon legends on Hanth Island, he felt that less curiosity was better. As long as the uninhabited s.h.i.+p traveling in the darkness didnt exhibit signs of attack or an imminent danger, he could treat it as a unique spectacle of the Berserk Sea and simply observe.

The brown s.h.i.+p gradually distanced itself, leaving only the billowing sails in its wake.

Abruptly, Lumian, utilizing his exceptional vision, spotted a face silently staring out of an open hole in the cabins uppermost window.

The face, shriveled and pale-white, clung tightly to the bones, devoid of flesh and blood. Flaxen-colored hair cascaded like withered weeds. The eyeb.a.l.l.s were absent, leaving only a void of deep darkness.

It resembled the head of a desiccated corpse, yet its lips were surprisingly vibrant, as if recently adorned with lipstick.

Lumian instinctively sensed the face belonged to a woman. At least, she had been a woman when alive.

He refrained from raising his right hand for a warm greeting. Instead, he quietly observed as the ancient three-masted sailboat sailed beyond the safe sea route and into the dark night. The desiccated face, with blood-red lips and pitch-black eyes, blended into the darkness.

Only then did Lumian wave his hand and offer a faint smile.

Goodbye! You wont be missed!

He then helped Franca and the others to devise a plan to confront Moran Avigny. Ultimately, he opted to await further information from 007 before finalizing their strategy.

Conspirer wasnt a visionary, known for conjuring conspiracies out of thin air; they required substantial information as a foundation.

When Lumian awoke at dawn, the Berries emerged from the dense, death-carrying fog of the Berserk Sea.

Before him stretched a clear blue sea, bathed in the intense sunlight of the high sky.

The next day, the Berries bypa.s.sed Behrens Harbor at the northernmost tip of West Balam. Instead, they continued southwest, reaching Port Pylos by 4 p.m.

Situated in Matani, the port was under the rule of Admiral Querarill.

Originally a colony of the Intis Republic, Port Pylos saw Intis colonists withdraw after the war a few years ago. Subsequently, various factions from the Feynapotter Kingdom, maintaining a favorable relations.h.i.+p with Admiral Querarill, took control.

Lumians target, Hisoka, was yet to surface in Port Pylos, but Lumian knew that the two pranks he had engaged in were in Matani. One occurred in Tizamo Town, at the outskirts of Port Pylos, closest to the forest, and the other in Devise, the southernmost gold mine city in Matani.

As Lumian unb.u.t.toned the second b.u.t.ton on his linen s.h.i.+rt, he remarked to Lugano in a self-deprecating tone,

I feel like Im shunned by winter and have been living in a scorching environment.

Having arrived in Port Santa during late autumn, which was relatively hot and sunny, Lumian moved on to Port Colla as Port Santa began to cool. His journey continued through what his sister called the tropics, devoid of winter and maintaining a temperature of at least around 20 degrees Celsius.

While Trier was already in midwinter, the Southern Continent was experiencing the height of summer.

This made Lumians specially prepared black tweed coat and Gehrman-styled trench coat impractical.

Because weve been traveling south all autumn, Lugano declared authoritatively on matters of weather and seasons.

Lumian donned a golden straw hat and strolled down the gangway to the port, hand in hand with Ludwig.

He boldly embodied the traits of the adventurer Louis Berry.

Initially, Lumian had contemplated altering his strategy, adopting a new ident.i.ty to discreetly investigate the two pranks in Matani and uncover Hisoka without drawing attention. However, after Franca vividly detailed Hisokas usual characteristics to Anthony Reid, the Hypnotists profiling revealed an exceptionally aggressive trait, ranking among the top.

As a result, Lumian reconsidered and returned to his role of casting out bait.

Yet, he couldnt shake the feeling that success was a slim possibility. The sea sacrificial ritual and Lokis survival had likely provided Hisoka with a comprehensive understanding of the factions backing him. April Fools, with its former display of resources and energy, seemed ill-equipped to challenge the might of the Tarot Club. And Lumian wasnt solely relying on the Tarot Club for support.

If he were in Hisokas shoes, Lumian would opt for patience. Hed wait a month or two, allowing the vengeful enemy to grow restless and make mistakes. When the formidable forces behind him could no longer guarantee protection, hed launch a surprise attack.

For now, lets not devise a plan. Ill consider it when I find clues, Lumian muttered to himself. Leaving the port alongside a throng of pa.s.sengers, he reached the public carriage stop.

Numerous rental carriages and pitch-black or vermilion coffins were parked nearby.

Coffins? Despite having read many travelog books on West Balams customs, Lumian found it absurd to witness coffins lining the roadside.

Before the invasion of the Northern Continent, before East and West Balams division, the Balam Empire revered Death

the Emperor of the Underworld from the War of the Four Emperors. Thus, the locals valued and loved coffins, considering them objects that brought peace, tranquility, and the blessing of Death. When traveling, they would lie inside, carried by people or pulled by horses and single-horned goats.

Of course, this form of transportation was reserved for those of a certain wealth level. Ordinary people couldnt even afford lying in a coffin.

After a momentary daze, Lumian addressed Lugano and Ludwig with interest, Do you want to take the coffin? I plan to give it a try.

I-Ill pa.s.s, Lugano replied, finding the idea of lying in a coffin unsettling.

Ludwig s.h.i.+fted his attention to the nearby street vendors.

The aroma of corn and potatoes intertwined, enticing every pa.s.serby and prompting increased saliva production.

How lame, Lumian teased with a smile. Approaching the four locals with disheveled black hair and dark brown skin, he raised his right hand and pointed at the pitch-black coffin beneath the shade of a tree.

How much? Lugano inquired in fluent Dutanese before Lumian could.

How much? Lugano inquired in fluent Dutanese before Lumian could.

His linguistic talent was evident. Less than a month had pa.s.sed since their departure from Port Santa to their arrival at Port Pylos, and he could already communicate with people in Dutanese. Of course, his proficiency was limited to basic words and short sentences.

A half-naked local in linen pants replied in Dutanese,

Nearby, 40 coppet; faraway, 1 verl dor.

Recognizing the foreigners inquiry, he refrained from quoting the price in the local currency, Delexi, the Intisian term for copper coins.

Quite affordable. This coffin, carried by four people, should be considerably cheaper than the one carried by eight Lumian mused, appreciating the direct use of verl dor and coppet. It showcased the recent Intisian influence in the former colony, lost only a few years ago. Lumians grasp of Dutanese surpa.s.sed Luganos, thanks to the mid-level Language Comprehension charm he had used on the s.h.i.+p.

Learning Dutanese in this manner proved more efficient.

Regarding charm consumption, Lumian harbored no concerns. In his view, items served a purpose, and there was no concept of waste as long as they proved useful. He couldnt align with those miserly individuals who h.o.a.rded their wealth throughout life, only for it to benefit others after their demise. If he urgently needed Language Comprehension charms, he could acquire them from the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society. If their gathering didnt align with his schedule, teleporting to various cities in Lenburg would allow him to purchase them from the Church of Knowledge.

Sure, Lumian nodded at Lugano and said, Lets go to Hotel Orella.

After Lugano paid 1 verl dor, the local who had quoted the price lifted the thin coffin lid, revealing the interior covered with thick dark-red cloth and a stiff neck pillow.

Excitedly, Lumian removed his golden straw hat and lay down, immediately feeling a cooling sensation enveloping his body.

In the hot season, the coffin effectively dispelled the humidity.

Is it the coffins wood or the sun-screening black paint, or perhaps the shade of the tree? It feels like stepping into a morgue in the summersurprisingly comfortable Lumian observed the thin coffin lid closing, witnessing the shadows rapidly expanding until they dominated his world.

Outside, the voices became m.u.f.fled in his ears.

The coffin was lifted, swaying slightly as it moved forward.

Within Lumians view, everything was dark, and his surroundings exuded a sinister, cold ambiance. For some reason, it felt like he was walking toward death, touching it.

Setting aside the psychological discomfort, it isnt bad. The only downside is the tendency to easily fall asleep Lumian evaluated the mode of transportation in a good mood. Its unsuitable for mixed-gender rides, which could be more awkward. Heh heh, I wonder if the romantic Intisians have ever engaged in an affair under such circ.u.mstances?

Nearly half an hour later, the coffin halted in front of Hotel Orella.

Lumian stepped out, finding himself in front of a small, man-

made valley.

Rows of grayish-black stone rooms encircled the inner wall of the deep valley until reaching the bottom.

This was Port Pyloss most renowned Hotel Orella.

Originally belonging to a Balam royal family descendant, Orella Eggers, it had been constructed with the intent of approaching death. Later, it fell into the hands of Intis colonists.

Upon the Feynapotterians arrival, they perceived it as a symbol of entering the earth and returning to the land, prompting its transformation into a sizable hotel.