Alexandria's Keeper - Lord of the Mysteries

Having separated from Gehrman not long ago, Irina pushed open the creaky wooden door to her second-class cabin. The room was modest, just large enough to fit a bed, a small table, and a cupboard—no chairs.

Victorian-era living at its finest, she thought, setting her nearly empty suitcase on the table. She glanced at the single window letting in beams of golden sunlight, illuminating the cabin with soft warmth. At least there's a window. I can't complain too much.

But, the simple thought of having to share a bathroom made her scrunch her nose. Eight rooms sharing one washroom? Disgusting. Yet, I should be grateful the ship has been renovated for hot water... she grimaced. Still, EW.

Sighing, she unpacked her few belongings and placed them on the table, wondering how to style them into something more fitting for a pirate.

Sitting down on the edge of the low bed, she listened to the long whistle of the ship as it began to set sail. Irina looked out the window, gazing at the sea and the fading port.

After a brief rest, she decided to explore the deck. The cabin, cramped and boring, wasn't somewhere she wanted to spend most of her time in. As she stepped outside, the sea breeze almost stole her scarf, making the lace on her face more visible, so she pressed it against her head, fixing the pins back in place to ensure the makeshift hood covered a good part of her features.

The deck was quieter now. Most passengers had retreated to their cabins after the initial excitement of departure. Irina strolled along the ship's edge, her steps slow and silent. She paused in a shaded corner, faintly hearing music drifting from inside the ship. The distant murmur of conversation caught her attention. There they are, she smiled.

Looks like I missed the first part of the conversation, she thought, leaning leisurely against the side of the wall, not making any sound.

Peeking around the corner, she spotted Cleves and Klein standing close to the railings. The bodyguard raised his dagger, its blade catching the light, as he explained, "At sea, guns alone aren't enough. Pirates will board ships, and you won't have time to reload. A blade is still essential."

Klein leaned against the rail, half-joking. "If pirates board, I'd probably choose not to fight back."

Cleves shot him a skeptical glance but didn't press further. Instead, he packed away his weapons—a trident, a dagger, and a short knife—his movements practiced and efficient, and continued conversing with Klein. Irina lingered there, silent and unseen, casually eavesdropping as if she didn't already know what they were talking about. Pirates, huh? Walking pounds for Klein~

The ex-adventurer turned, intending to leave, but stopped abruptly as he turned the corner, spotting her. Irina was leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed and one foot propped behind her. She didn't look at him, her gaze fixed on the sea. When his mouth opened to speak, she simply pushed off the wall and walked towards Klein, leaving Cleves there.

Beneath her scarf, she smirked. Do I look mysterious? Do I even want to look mysterious? Her thoughts spiraled briefly. How is a Forgotten Mage even supposed to act? The rhythmic rise and fall of the waves pulled her back to the present.

Hours later, Irina stirred in her bed, the crimson glow of the moon casting eerie shadows across the wooden ceiling. A faint noise from above caught her attention. Her spiritual intuition telling her that something was happening outside.

Looks like it's time, she groaned. But... she snuggled deeper into the warm, coarse blankets. The faint sound of footsteps growing closer. He's trying to be silent yet I can still hear him... whatever, I'm going.

Throwing off the blanket, she shivered before quickly summoning the warmth spell, making the cold instantly decrease.

She sat up, put on blue artist gloves, and wore her elegant heels before covering them with some black leather spats. It was a good idea to sleep in them so that I could be ready for later... but corsets during sleep truly aren't the best. Zero out of ten, wouldn't recommend.

She adjusted her coat over her pirate-inspired outfit and stepped silently into the hallway, following the sound to the upper floors.

The deck was bathed in blood-red moonlight, the crimson body above seeming both haunting and serene. Irina's sharp ears caught whispers of movement and the faint scent of blood. She crept closer to the source, carefully avoiding patrolling crew members.

Arriving at the scene, she saw Cleves crouched near the ship's edge, setting up a bait—a bag of pig organs sprinkled with pepper granules. Klein stood nearby, speaking quietly with the bodyguard. To the side, Donna and Denton—the two curious children—watched intently, their bright eyes glued to the action.

Cleves, unbothered by the audience, explained the process of hunting murlocs. Irina lingered in the shadows, silently observing, content in going unnoticed. Her disinterest in the low-level prey didn't stop her from analyzing Cleves' meticulous preparations. He's thorough and efficient. It's no wonder he survived as a normal human adventurer.

The girl called Donna wrinkled her nose when accused of following the bodyguards outside for a private job. She curiously looked up and asked Klein, "Uncle, are you also an adventurer?"

'Uncle' Oh this is fun! Poor Klein is still so young and—wait. Actually... he's not young at all.

He replied with amusement, "No, you can't use the word 'also.' Strictly speaking, me and my companion are the only adventurers here; they're just bodyguards right now."

Cecile then said, "Well, your companion is not here now, so by your logic, it's just you."

Klein raised his arm and pointed over his shoulder, behind him, right where Irina was hidden. When did he realize I arrived? she wondered.

She stepped into the crimson light, her steps deadly silent, all thanks to another spell she had activated earlier. She didn't speak, merely positioning herself at Klein's side, opposite of Creeping Hunger, her gaze skimming over the bait and weapons. For a moment, the group seemed surprised by her stealthy approach, but the seer smoothly redirected attention back to Cleves.

"What do you plan on doing? And how are you sure it's a murloc?" Klein asked with raised eyebrows.

Cleves described the murloc's likely behavior and the bait's effectiveness, detailing how the pepper would disorient the creature. Irina tuned out most of the explanation, her mind wandering again. Murlocs are hardly worth this effort. I could attack with that light beam I used against Megose and it would definitely die. Then again, he's not a beyonder.

As the ex-adventurer finished his preparations, Klein and Irina moved next to Donna and Denton, guarding them so that Cecile—the other bodyguard—could move to her position with a borrowed rifle and focus on the hunt. Her boots clicked faintly against the planks as she moved, a rhythmic contrast to the muffled hum of the steam engine.

"Uncle, is it starting?..." Donna—the freckled teenage girl—asked with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. Her hands fidgeted, but her wide eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Klein raised his left index finger to his lips, motioning for the two young ones to be quiet. Irina, standing just beside him, hesitated before awkwardly patting Donna on the head dotingly.

I'm not good with kids, she thought with a pang of self-awareness. Her hand lingered for a moment longer, making sure the teenage girl was no longer scared before calmly pulling it back.

The two didn't dare to say anything else, squatted together, gluing their gazes to Cleves. The seasoned adventurer moved methodically, tying a bundle of pig organs to a rod before throwing the bait overboard with a deliberate splash. He dispersed the remaining organs across the deck.

Leaning his trident and other weapons against the ship's railing, the ex-adventurer retreated into the shadows opposite Cecile, forming a tactical crossfire angle. He raised his rifle, his breathing calm and measured.

The deck fell into a heavy silence. To most, it seemed as if the only sounds left were the crashing waves and the distant muffled hum of the steam engine. But not for Irina. Her hearing was sharp—painfully so. She could pick out the faintest of details: the gentle shift of fabric as Donna adjusted her skirt, the quiet rustling as Cecile checked her ammunition, the rhythmic thrum of unseen swimming far below the water's surface.

And then, there was that other sound that no one else seemed to notice—the soft scrape of boots on wood, deliberately slow, almost imperceptible. Her sharp ears caught the faint inhale of someone lurking in the shadows. Seriously? Does the captain think he's being sneaky? I can hear him breathing, she thought with a mix of amusement and annoyance.

As Klein's attention was diverted overboard, her eyes flicked momentarily toward the direction of the noise. Hidden in the shadow of the opposite cabin wall, a male figure stood there, motionless. She watched as his head moved slightly, indicating he saw her noticing him. She didn't alert the others, instead, she let her gaze wander back to the ocean, her expression neutral, as if nothing unusual had happened.

Minutes ticked by, and Donna and Denton fidgeted, their legs growing stiff from crouching. They shifted to sit against the cabin wall, their backs pressed to the planks. Irina remained standing, unmoving, her posture relaxed but her senses heightened. She caught the first sign before anyone else—a faint sound as the string stretched—the unnatural waves crashing against the ship.

The muffled friction of the rod's thread pulling taut reached them all. In an instant, a shadow leapt onto the deck, landing with a wet thud. The figure—a murloc—was bathed in crimson, its dark green scales shimmered with an oily sheen, and viscous slime dripped from its limbs. It stood over 1.9 meters tall, a monstrous combination of fish and beast. Webbed hands flexed, and its gills flared as it scanned the deck with wide, empty eyes.

Donna instinctively clamped a hand over her and her brother's mouth, muffling his gasp. Irina, standing beside them, observed the creature with a mix of curiosity and disdain. It's quite stupid, she thought as she watched it squat and begin shoving pig organs into its maw. The chewing sounds were loud, almost comical, as the murloc's white eyes grew hazy, its movements turning sluggish.

Bang!

Cleves' rifle shot rang out. The bullet struck the murloc's chest, sending scales and blood flying. The creature let out a guttural cry, its voice distorted and haunting, before it charged towards him with alarming speed.

Another gunshot followed. Cecile's rifle this time, and the bullet tore into the murloc's ribs, stopping it momentarily. But the beast shook off the pain, its focus locking onto Cleves. It lunged forward, ignoring the second shot. He dropped his rifle and grabbed his trident, meeting the charge head-on.

The trident pierced into the murloc's exposed side, causing it to thrash violently. With a desperate twist, the murloc hurled him to the ground and stumbled toward the ship's edge.

Bang!

Cecile's bullet hit it again, sending another burst of blood into the air, making the creature flinch but not fall.

With two staggering steps, the murloc reached a suitable spot. It bent its knees and prepared to jump back into the cold water below.

Klein worried it would escape, but before he could move, another shot echoed, the sound reverberating like thunder.

The murloc's left eye turned into a gory mess, a pale, gelatinous substance squirming from the wound. It collapsed, twitching in its death as poison overtook its body.

Irina traced the sound and turned to watch as the middle-aged man finally stepped out of the shadows near the cabins, his boots clicking against the wooden deck

He wore a thick, dark red coat over some white slacks, and a ship-shaped hat traditional of this era.

In his hands rested an iron-colored musket, its barrel still releasing wisps of white smoke. She knew him.

The captain of the White Agate, Elland Kag, sequence 8 Sheriff.

The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and mouth deepened as he smiled, his weathered face a mix of amusement and authority. "As a captain, I must ensure that no accidents happen," he said, his voice smooth, almost playful. "Forgive me for observing from the sidelines."

Cleves, his expression impassive as always, rose to meet him. "This is your ship. According to custom, you're entitled to a share of the spoils."

Elland turned slightly, his sharp gaze sweeping over the group. His eyes lingered on Irina for a fraction longer than necessary—a subtle but deliberate pause that seemed to study her. He knows I noticed him earlier.

It was over in an instant, and he shifted his attention to Klein. Yet, that brief, piercing stare was not lost on him. Klein's eyes narrowed in recognition of the silent exchange.

"The next resupply of water and food is in two days," Elland continued, as though nothing had happened. "You'll need to preserve the murloc's corpse properly. Here's my offer: sell it to me at a slightly reduced price, and the difference will count as my reward."

Cleves and Cecile exchanged looks before nodding. "For 130 pounds, it's yours," he said.

That's way too cheap when they go up to 200 pounds on the market! she thought.

Elland chuckled. "You misunderstand. I'm not haggling. 150 pounds—a fair price." He called for a sailor and gave him the key to the safe.

"You are the 'Just Elland'?" Only then did Cecile seem to recall his title on the sea.

The Captain laughed and said, "Yes."

Before the conversation could continue, Donna and Denton approached the murloc's corpse cautiously, their eyes wide with a mix of fear and fascination. "Is... is it really dead?" Donna whispered, kicking the body with her foot before scurrying behind her brother as though expecting it to spring back to life.

Elland's laughter was warm. "Yes, it's dead. Monsters like this are common at sea. Apart from their upright stance and four limbs, they're nothing like humans."

As he spoke, he knelt beside the murloc and drew a knife. With practiced ease, he sliced into the flesh beneath its eye, revealing white, tender meat streaked with red.

"The cheek is the finest part. Best eaten raw," he said, offering the sliver to Donna. "You remind me of my daughter. She's grown now, with a family of her own."

The teenage girl shook her head vehemently, her face pale. "I-I don't dare to eat it..."

Elland chuckled again and looked to the others. "Which one of you wants to try?"

Klein was the first to nod, having confirmed with his spiritual intuition that there was no danger. "I'm very curious."

The Captain immediately handed him the knife. "Give it a try. On land, even nobles may not necessarily have a chance to eat it."

He's trying to dispel the siblings' fears, Irina realized.

Klein took the knife, bit into the bloody flesh, and swallowed it. He gave an approving nod. "Excellent," he said with a thumbs up.

He glanced at Irina, who had approached silently. Without a word, he handed her the knife. She took it, hesitating briefly before slicing a small piece for herself. She lowered her scarf briefly, her back to the group, and ate it.

The flavor was unlike anything she had tasted before. Tender and fresh, it was surprisingly pleasant. She chewed slowly, her posture relaxing. Not bad at all, she thought, her lips curving into a subtle smile.

Donna's curiosity finally overcame her fear. With great reluctance, she accepted a piece from Elland. Her expression gradually relaxed, and she quickly opened her eyes. She excitedly praised, "An indescribable delicacy!"

She spurred things into action as Denton, Cecile, and the others shared the little chunk of cheek meat. Eating it both satisfied them and didn't. The taste was superb, but the quantity wasn't nearly enough.

Seeing that Elland had eaten the last piece, Cleves pointed at the murloc's body and said, "The meat around the ribs is suitable for frying, while the belly meat should be roasted. The other parts taste bad."

"I share your thoughts," Elland said with a chuckle. "I'll have the chef prepare it immediately. On such a night, we should enjoy good food and wine together and exchange the legends at sea. It's a very enjoyable matter."

Who would've expected this to actually taste that good?! Irina swallowed down her saliva at the prospect of eating more. Thank the Goddess I didn't remain in bed!

Above deck, an extra layer of asbestos lay beneath the grill, protecting the ship's surface from coal sparks carried by the wind. The fat cook, donning an apron and a tall white hat—an 'invention' of Roselle—methodically brushed a secret seasoning of basil, fennel, sea salt, pepper, and lemon juice over the long, white strips of fish. He flipped them with practiced precision, ensuring both sides cooked evenly.

The belly of the murloc sizzled, dripping oil onto the coals beneath, flaring and crackling as the tantalizing aroma filled the air. The group couldn't help but inhale deeply, again and again.

A round table had been set with a peculiar bottle of golden-red wine that shimmered thickly under the lantern light.

"Sonia blood wine," Captain Elland Kag introduced with a half-smile, noticing the adventurers' lingering gazes. "Brewed from sugar-wood juice near Golden Spring. Sweet and smooth, like honey tinged with blood. But beware—it's potent. If you're trying to impress a lady, this will do the trick, provided you can keep up with her drinking." He chuckled, a sailor's joke that came naturally to him.

Such a cliché for a man at sea, Irina thought, her gaze sweeping over the scene. Beside her, Klein maintained a composed demeanor and remarked coolly, "A true adventurer wouldn't indulge in alcohol."

But I wanted to try it! she internally mourned the loss of the free wine, hiding her emotions on the outside.

Cleves nodded in agreement. "Drinking is for when we're home, not when we're at sea."

Elland shrugged, unfazed. "What a pity," he said, turning his attention to Donna and Denton, who stared curiously at the blood wine. He laughed, waving off their silent curiosity. "This isn't for children."

"I've had it before!" Donna piped up indignantly. "It's really good! I just... fell asleep and woke up an entire afternoon later."

Denton nodded solemnly. "She drank two cups."

Hopefully with their parents present and not at some random tavern, Irina mused, shaking her head slightly, before freezing shortly, realizing she had done so openly.

Elland ordered sweet iced tea for the siblings, smoothly shifting to a safer topic. "This ship hosts a lot of Southerners," he noted casually.

The children's attention quickly shifted to the murloc. "Actually, it's not that scary," Denton said, his tone bright with newfound bravery. "It's just a big, ugly fish with limbs!"

Donna rolled her eyes. "Congratulations on figuring that out."

I like her, feisty. Grow strong little one! Irina internally praised the teenage girl.

Her tone softened as she turned to the adults. "Uncle, are there lots of monsters like this in the sea?"

Elland chuckled. "Not around the main sea route. Most have been cleared out. Monsters like these are rare." He gestured toward the murloc. "If they were common, I wouldn't be a passenger ship captain—I'd be running a hunting boat, raking in gold pounds!"

Irina bit back a snort. More like the Church of Storms cleared them out first. And gold pounds from hunting pirates is more profitable anyway... for who's strong enough to do so I mean.

Cleves chimed in, describing the risks beyond the main sea routes—fogs, storms, and the lurking dangers of sea creatures, like murlocs, Nagas, and mythical monsters of legend. Elland nodded and added a list of creatures: giant octopuses, mermaids, blue dragons, and hurricane-generating birds.

Irina, already familiar with these tales, tuned out most of the exposition, letting her mind wander. Yada yada yada. I know this already. Why bother?

Donna, however, was captivated, her eyes wide with wonder. "Aunty, Uncle, you're adventurers too. Have you seen such monsters before?" she asked eagerly, looking between Klein and Irina.

Klein hesitated for a moment before replying with a faint smile. "Once. There were five of us. We fought a single murloc and barely won."

Barely indeed, Irina thought, remembering the official Beyonder who had lost control that day.

Recalling that event, both Irina and Klein felt nostalgic. The cold and sharp expression on his face couldn't help but soften significantly while hers was hidden by the scarf.

"Five people?" While asking, Donna secretly counted the number of people who had been involved in the battle. One, two, three... she discovered that only three people had taken action to kill the murloc.

Without waiting for Klein's response, Elland said with a hint of surprise, "A chance encounter?"

"Yes," Klein answered frankly.

"Were there any casualties?" Elland pressed.

Klein shook his head. "A few minor injuries."

"A chance encounter and you only took five people to finish a murloc... all of you are very powerful." Cleves gave his own evaluation.

His companion, Cecile, nodded, expressing her astonishment.

The battle that had happened just now was brief and quick, and the murloc seemed easy and vulnerable, but she and Cleves both knew very well that without the pre-prepared bait, the hallucinatory effects of the pepper granules and the subsequent fatigue, the murloc's fatal weakness of mint cream, and the two borrowed rifles, it was impossible to imagine how many people would die in order to kill a murloc.

"Indeed, very powerful." Elland looked thoughtfully at Klein.

Klein said with a half-smile and a half-sigh, "At that time, I was still very young, and I didn't even have any experience in combat. I was purely support."

"Uncle, you're still very young!" Donna noted, nodding her head vigorously.

Eh... not really, no. You'd be surprised at just how 'old' he is... Irina keenly noticed that Captain Elland had relaxed a lot from what the Seer had just said.

"What about you Aunty?" asked the child while looking at Irina. "What sea monsters did you meet?"

When Denton turned to her, she answered gently, "The same one. We fought together back then."

"So you've been traveling together for a long time!" Donna exclaimed with delight.

Before Irina could respond, the crew arrived with a large ceramic plate of fried murloc meat. Golden and aromatic, the fish was garnished with basil, its enticing fragrance drawing everyone's attention.

Elland raised his glass of Sonia blood wine in a toast. "To a beautiful night. May the Storm be with us!"

"To a beautiful night!" the siblings echoed, clinking their iced teas.

Irina mirrored the toast with her black tea, taking a piece of fish from the plate. The ribs were firm yet tender, absorbing just enough oil to balance the dryness. Chewing slowly, she nodded in silent approval. Not as good as cheek meat, but leagues above anything I've had in Tingen. Not that I ate much seafood there.

Elland leaned back with a satisfied sigh, shifting the conversation. "The greatest danger at sea isn't the monsters—it's the pirates."

He described the relatively safe route to the Rorsted Archipelago but warned of the infamous captains further south. Admiral Hell Ludwell and Admiral of Blood Senor were names that sent shivers down spines, even as Elland reassured the children that their current journey was among the safest in the world.

Donna, perhaps sensing the growing tension, steered the conversation toward treasure legends. Elland obliged, sharing tales of Death's Key and the Fountain of Unaging.

"Fountain of Unaging? Will you really gain eternal youth if you drink it?" Donna's wide eyes glimmered with curiosity as she leaned forward.

She wasn't particularly eager—she was still young enough not to need eternal youth—but the question itself fascinated her.

Elland Kag didn't rush to answer. Instead, he took his time, slicing a piece of fried murloc rib meat and savoring it in two bites. A sip of Sonia wine followed, his expression almost blissful as he ate it.

After a moment of quiet deliberation, he finally replied, "I don't know if the Fountain of Unaging exists, nor whether the King of Immortality, Agalito, drank from it. But I can tell you this: when I was young, I often heard the legend of that pirate king. Just like how we hear of the King of the Five Seas, Nast, and his supposed immortality."

Denton, the boy, piped up with his opinion, "Their beards must be so long they go past their chests!"

Elland chuckled and corrected him, his tone slipping into something almost reverent. "The King of the Five Seas, Nast, doesn't have such an absurd beard. It barely reaches below his neck. He sits on his deck, dressed in a magnificent black robe lined with silver. His crown is twice the size of his head, and he surveys the sea like a deity..." his voice trailed off, caught in the memory.

"Uncle Captain, have you met the King of the Five Seas?" Donna's voice brimmed with excitement.

He sighed. "I was young then, serving aboard the 'William V'. We tried to cross the Strait of Calamity in the Berserk Sea. That's when we encountered the Dark Emperor's ship. For a few minutes, the entire fleet—our captain included—lost the will to fight. Thankfully, Nast didn't attack us."

Denton gasped, his eyes glowing with admiration. "That's so cool!"

Elland smiled faintly but didn't linger on the subject. He moved on to Agalito, describing his ghostly pale appearance—like a corpse just beginning to rot—and his infamy as one of the four pirate kings, with a Loen bounty of 100,000 pounds.

The conversation shifted to famous treasures: the Solomon Empire's inheritance, hidden deep in the Fog Sea, and the haunting legend of Trunsoest's Specter Empire, a city-sized ship doomed to eternal wandering.

Cleves interjected briefly, explaining the geography surrounding the Fog Sea—its proximity to the Sonia, Berserk, and North Seas—before falling silent again.

By the time Elland described the "Lost City of Newins," Donna's curiosity began to wane, and even Irina found herself only half-listening.

The Sunken Laurel, however, caught her attention. The captain's eyes gleamed as he described the legendary ship loaded with riches from East Balam, lost somewhere between the Berserk and Sonia Seas. "Millions of pounds," he murmured. "If I found it, I'd head straight to Backlund, buy land, donate to political parties, and earn myself a hereditary title."

Cecile snorted at the idea. "I'd buy a massive manor instead. Hire staff, plant vineyards, make wine, and sunbathe all day..."

Elland laughed, pointing out she could buy a thousand such manors with Laurel's treasure. Cecile visibly faltered, staring at her tea as if it might hold the answer to her sudden existential crisis.

Cleves' response was far simpler. "I'd go home. Hug my wife and kids. Tell them I'm done with adventures."

That's so freaking sweet. He's a good man. Irina nodded, smiling faintly.

Donna looked at Klein curiously. "Uncle Adventurer, what about you?"

The seer replied expressionlessly, "Tell myself not to sleep anymore. Hurry up and wake up."

Irina's shoulders trembled as she tried to suppress her laughter. This man!

Donna spat out the sweet iced tea she'd just drunk before wiping her mouth and sitting down like a lady, as though she hadn't just lost her composure. She turned to Irina with bright, expectant eyes, "And you Aunty?"

Pausing for a moment, Irina answered thoughtfully, "I'd settle down on the outskirts of a big city and enjoy a quiet, calm life."

Cleves took over from there, his voice steady as he listed more treasures: the elves' hidden lands, the underwater city guarded by powerful monsters, and even the rumored final trove of Emperor Roselle.

Denton was practically vibrating with excitement by the end. "Are there more?" he asked eagerly.

Elland raised his glass, smiling faintly. "Countless. The seas hold endless secrets."

Irina leaned back, sipping her tea and letting the conversation wash over her. Though she pretended to be disinterested, the faint tug of curiosity still lingered.