Chapter 490: Warning of a Former Sailor

The lobby of the Pritz Harbor Ticket Company was rather spacious, with

seven ticketing windows, but there were already a dozen or so people

lined up in front of each.

Klein took a glance and didn't directly go to the one with the fewest

people. Instead, he took two steps to the right and arrived in front of

an erected brown board.

There were many pieces of white paper pasted on the wooden board,

announcing all the information about the recent week's passenger ships,

including their destinations, the ports they passed, and the prices of

the different cabins.

Before Klein could take a closer look, a staff member came over and drew

a red circle on the second-class cabin of one line, marking it with a

single phrase: "Sold out."

"So popular..." Klein sighed.

"Of course, Pritz Harbor is the kingdom's largest port. Countless people

pass through here to the Southern Continent and the colonial islands to

seek out opportunities," a middle-aged man who was standing next to the

wooden board replied in a clearly boastful manner.

He was wearing a black bonnet and a black-and-white checkered uniform

similar to that of the police, but he had no epaulets. All he had was a

seagull badge hanging from his chest---exactly identical to the logo of

the Pritz Harbor Ticket Company.

The middle-aged man's face, hands, and all of his exposed skin were

bronze in color and rather rough. It was as if he had been exposed to

the sea breeze and the sun for many years to the point of giving people

the feeling that he had salt in his wrinkles.

*Find the guard in the lobby if there's a dispute... This should be the

guard...* Klein remembered the things he had to pay attention to

at the door. He didn't mind that the other party had taken the

initiative to talk to him. He smiled and said, "You seem to understand

this port very well?"

Hearing this question, the middle-aged man replied quite smugly, "I was

once a sailor with the kingdom's navy, and their main base was located

at Pritz Harbor's Oak Island. I served for fifteen years and spent a

long time in the sea around here. If it wasn't for East Balam's war

destroying my health, then I could be a sailor for another ten years! I

know this port as well as I know my wife's body!"

A little cultured but also a little vulgar... Klein casually

chatted with him, having the intention of asking about news on the sea.

"You became a guard here after retiring?"

"No, I was crammed into a night school for two whole years as a student

and as a gatekeeper. Holy Lord of Storms, can you imagine the scene of

someone my age reciting with a bunch of teenagers? And they know and

remember words faster than I do!" The guard showed an expression that

showed how unbearable it was to reflect on the past.

As he spoke, he patted his thigh and sighed.

"Unfortunately, my knees can't stand wet weather; otherwise, I would be

a part-time teacher at night. Those kids will make you feel young, but I

won't deny that it's because I want to earn more money. When you have a

wife and four children, you have to realize that you have to support

your family."

*Sir, you talk a little too much... Maybe that's why the ticket company

hired you as a guard...* Klein smiled and didn't continue with

the man's topic.

"I just saw the things to take note of at the door and found that canned

wolf-fish are not permitted to be opened here. Frankly speaking, I've

never heard of such a thing."

The guard's expression suddenly became complicated.

He pinched his nose and said, "It's a food that's popular in places like

the east coast of Feysac and the Gargas Archipelago. It's wolf-fish

pickled in salt, but it retains the blood, and the smell---the smell is

very, very stimulating. It stinks and it's disgusting!"

It turns out to be a food of unknown origins... Klein laughed

and said, "But I don't think anyone would specially eat canned food

while waiting in line to buy a ticket, right?"

"No, you don't understand that feeling. Perhaps, one day you will." The

guard showed a look of lingering fear. "There was once a barbarian from

the north who came here to buy a ticket. As there were already many

people lined up in front, causing the hall to look like a barrel filled

with fish, he became very anxious, so he opened a can of wolf-fish. In

less than ten seconds, only he and a few guys were left in the lobby."

*This... this is a biological weapon... An ordinary version of my

Biological Poison Bottle...* Klein laughed.

"In the end, he successfully bought a ticket, and a new point to take

note of was added outside?"

"The result wasn't as he expected. The lady and the gentleman in charge

of ticket sales also escaped. Heh heh, as you know, the brains of

barbarians are even worse than that of curly-haired baboons!" The guard

chuckled. "When I was a sailor, there was a rumor at sea that a group of

pirates controlled a merchant ship from Rolls. Ah, that's a city on the

east coast of Feysac. In short, the pirates eagerly opened their spoils,

but who knew that they were barrels filled to the brim with wolf-fish.

Can you guess the outcome? They fainted, vomited, and lost their

fighting power, and the crew received their bounty reward."

"Good story." Klein tried not to laugh.

He returned his gaze to the pieces of paper on the wooden board and

searched for information for a ship scheduled to depart on 5th January.

As a professional, he had previously divined which date was suitable for

setting sail on this week. It came out to be the 5th and 8th. And among

the passenger ships that headed to the Rorsted Archipelago, the Saint

Havre and the White Agate suited him the most.

*There are still tickets, and the prices are about the same: four pounds

for third-class, ten pounds for second-class, and thirty-five pounds for

first-class... People who depend on the sea for survival more or less

believe in the Lord of the Storms. Even in countries like Intis and

Feysac, there are fishermen and crew who secretly believe in this

forbidden deity, in a bid to be safe out at sea... The name Saint Havre

originates from the Church of Storms. It has a certain

background...* Klein thought it over. He was inclined to choose

the White Agate.

Not in a rush to make a decision, he turned to look at the guard.

"Do you know anything about the White Agate?"

The guard immediately smiled.

"Sir, you have a good eye. The White Agate is a steam-powered ship, but

it also retains a sail. Its maximum speed is 16 knots.

"Also, the captain is very experienced. He was once the boatswain of the

Royal Navy's William V. No---it should be the Imperial Navy. The king

has always claimed that he obtained the title of Emperor in Balam. Heh,

in the Imperial Navy, no matter how outstanding or excellent the average

person is, he can at most become a boatswain. He cannot be an officer

unless---unless you can satisfy your superior, regardless of what method

is used! Only then can you be recommended to the Pritz Naval Academy as

a reserve officer!

"This is how Elland was forced to leave the navy and ended up joining

the White Agate where he slowly became Captain one step at a time.

"I suggest you choose a first-class cabin. That way, you'll have rooms

for three to four servants, an attendant who has received etiquette

lessons, an appointed chef who has excellent culinary skills, a quiet

restaurant where you can enjoy the scenery, a special room for smoking

cigars, and a place where you can gather and play cards..."

Hearing the guard's detailed explanation, Klein couldn't help but feel

suspicious.

Noticing his expression, the guard smiled in embarrassment.

"Elland was my boss in the past. He would often treat me to drinks and

ask me to help him promote the first-class cabins. But you can rest

assured that everything I say is true!"

This really isn't the problem; it's a problem with money...

Klein silently said to himself.

Having made up his mind, he asked after some deliberation, "Sir, what

advice do you have for a maritime adventurer?"

To suit Gehrman Sparrow's identity, Klein had modified his image

slightly to make himself seem colder and sharper.

"Adventurer?" The guard unconsciously raised his voice.

Many people in the queue turned to look at Klein.

Based on his spiritual intuition, Klein instinctively traced a line of

sight.

He saw a man in his thirties wearing a black top hat. He had a boorish

face, weather-beaten wrinkles, a strong but not tall body, and pale blue

eyes that had experienced a lot.

Another adventurer? Klein and the man looked away just as

their eyes met.

At that moment, the guard squeezed out a smile and said, "I'm sorry, I'm

a bit too sensitive on the term adventurer. In my opinion, this is

equivalent to a fugitive, a sea villain, and a person who goes against

his pledges. No, I'm not talking about you.

"You want sincere advice? I... Uh, you have to remember three things.

"First, do not provoke pirates. Second, do not provoke pirates. Third,

do not provoke pirates!

"Unless you're a member of the navy or the Church, do not go against the

pirates!"

"Eh... Don't be fooled by the enthusiasm of the island girls. They're

either pirates or want you to take them to Pritz, to Backlund. It's not

entirely their fault. In order to cheat them of their bodies, many

sailors, crew, and passengers paint them a very attractive metropolis

and a very beautiful life, then kick them out of their beds and abandon

them, leaving them in their original spots."

*What a bunch of vile people... In this era, people who live on the sea

can't be too kind... Is the order at sea that bad? Pirates are this

rampant?* Klein nodded and said, "Thank you, I know what to do

now."

Saying this, he walked over to the line with the least number of people.

Behind him, the guard shouted, "And the legends of treasure at sea are

all fake!"

After buying a second-class ticket for the White Agate, Klein returned

to the hotel and waited patiently for the night to descend.

In the process, he had enjoyed the most famous fried fish in the Pritz

Harbor. He thought that the taste was pretty good, but he definitely

couldn't accept eating it all the time.

When it was close to eight o'clock, he went above the gray fog, holding

the badge from Lanevus in one hand and writing the corresponding

sentence in the other.

"The situation of the gathering this time."

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. When his pocket watch struck eight, he

closed his eyes, leaned back in his chair, and began to recite the

divination statement.

He had reason to believe that when the door of the gathering opened, he

would be able to divine something above the gray fog with the aid of

this medium which had locked onto the location!

He had failed before because nothing had happened yet, but this was

different. Things were happening now, and Klein had the right medium!

Soon, Klein entered a gray, blurry dream world.

He saw the Tussock River flowing quietly, a wide river valley on the two

sides, and about a dozen people in different positions. They were

shrouded in thin light, vanishing indistinctively or illusorily.

One of them had black hair and green eyes. He looked quite handsome, and

he was a familiar face to Klein.

Leonard Mitchell!