Donna jerked back, her pupils constricting, her mouth half-open as her scream reached her lips.
If she hadn't seen the messenger before, then she would've long lost control of herself and staggered to her feet in terror, unconcerned whether she would flip over the tables or chairs.
Fortunately, she was no longer the young lady who was completely ignorant of the matters of the sea when she first boarded the White Agate. Her voice had only become slightly sharper as she pointed outside the window and stammered, "Th-there's a zombie!
"A headless zombie!"
She used the most commonly seen zombie in folklore to describe the terrifying thing she had just seen.
Cecile shot to her feet and rushed to Donna's side. She looked curiously out of the window where the raging wind was blowing and observed for a few seconds.
"There's nothing," she said truthfully.
Donna shrank back, mustered her courage, and cautiously leaned forward only to see the trees outside swaying, with random clutter flying everywhere. There wasn't a single pedestrian.
"Th-there really was someone there. H-he was wearing a black cloak, and he had no head. His neck was bleeding!" Donna said while gesturing in an attempt to convince the adults in the room.
Her father, Urdi Branch, propped himself up from the table, went to the window, and looked out for a moment.
"Donna, you aren't allowed to read that ‘Fonce's Horror Stories Anthology' anymore tonight!"
"B-but..." Donna felt aggrieved and wanted to defend herself.
At this moment, Cleves came up to the second floor and approached, asking, "What happened?"
"Donna said she saw a zombie, a headless zombie," the other bodyguard, Teague, explained with a chuckle.
Cleves was silent for two seconds, then he nodded at Donna.
"It's okay, this shall pass.
"The wind outside is very strong and dangerous. We'll leave when things calm down."
In the eyes of Donna, Uncle Cleves's words indicated that he believed her and had chosen the safest solution. But in the eyes of Urdi, Teague, and the others, this was merely a clumsy tactic to comfort a child.
Seeing that Donna was still a little nervous and that his real employer wasn't too satisfied, Cleves pulled out a chair and sat down as he calmly said, "There's a strange tradition in Bansy Harbor. They don't leave the buildings or respond to any knocks on the door when the weather turns stormy at night."
"If you open the door, will you be taken away by the zombie?" Denton suddenly asked in enlightenment, having seen the messenger with his sister.
"You can think of it that way." Cleves picked up a glass of water and took a sip.
So that's how it is... Donna calmed down, believing that she wouldn't encounter that horrible zombie as long as she didn't leave the restaurant.
It was only then that she noticed that the surrounding customers had all cast their gazes over due to the commotion.
Being stared at by so many people, Donna felt uncomfortable from head to toe. She instinctively wanted to lower her head to avoid everything.
I didn't do anything wrong! I really saw it! Donna obstinately straightened her neck and looked around.
She saw the gentlemen in tailcoats and the ladies in their beautiful dresses retract their gazes. She saw them lower their heads, pick up their spoons, and scoop the dark red blood blocks in their bowls to stuff into their mouths.
Their lips were stained with a tinge of red. Their faces appeared pale under the light of the crystal chandelier. The contrast between the two made Donna feel an inexplicable sense of fear.
She turned her head back and waited for dinner, secretly praying to the Goddess that the gale would cease as soon as possible.
...
Bansy Harbor Telegraph Office.
As soon as Elland and his first mate finished sending their report to the Navy, they realized that the wind outside was howling and that the nearby doors and windows were rattling.
"Really, the weather here is always so unstable." Elland put on his boat-shaped hat and sighed with a laugh.
His first mate, Harris, laughed out loud.
"Otherwise, how could they call themselves the ‘Weather Museum'?"
"It's best if you don't head out. Legends say that you'll lose your head because of that." the telegraph office's staff, a young lady with curly brown hair, reminded them in a slow voice.
"I know, but I've tried a few times and nothing happened." Without a care, Harris opened the door to leave.
Elland stopped him and thought for a moment.
"Will it be okay to go to the cathedral next door?
"Your telegraph office will be closing, right?"
"No problem." The lady with the curly brown hair was still as slow as ever.
Elland nodded, opened the telegraph office's door, and trudged toward the Storm cathedral, dozens of meters away, against the gusts of wind that seemed to be capable of sweeping away a child.
First Mate Harris, who was holding onto his hat, followed the captain as if to express his desire to rush directly back to the White Agate.
However, the moment he opened his mouth, strong gales gushed into his mouth and his whole voice was miserably stuffed back into his mouth.
After croaking for a while, he wisely shut his mouth and stopped making obviously unrealistic proposals.
It was still fifteen minutes to seven, and even in the evening, the main doors of the Storm cathedral were still open for its congregation.
The gale weakened significantly when it reached the area. At the very least, Elland and Harris no longer had to worry about their hats abandoning them.
Upon entering the cathedral, they walked down the dark and solemn aisle. They stepped into the prayer hall and saw a man in a dark blue priest robe sitting in the front pew. He was quietly gazing at the huge Storm Sacred Emblem, made up of the symbols of the wind, waves, and lightning, on the altar.
Elland smiled as he moved closer, patting the familiar figure on the shoulder.
"Jayce, where's your bishop?"
With that pat, the priest's head wobbled.
Then, it fell forward, and with a loud thud, it fell to the ground, continuously rolling about.
Blood gushed out of the priest's neck like a fountain, soaking Elland's face.
A cold and damp feeling reached his heart, and Elland's eyes were blinded with a rich red color.
All that was left in his line of sight was a world of blood, as well as a head that had finally stopped rolling and was staring upwards with a glazed look in its eyes.
...
At 7:15 p.m., Klein and Danitz, who came out of the first-class restaurant, noticed that the wind which had been shaking the boat had calmed down considerably.
After thinking for two seconds, Klein walked all the way to the entrance of the cabin and asked the crew, "Who else isn't back?"
The crew member had seen this passenger enjoy the delicious murloc meat with the Captain, so he didn't hide anything as he said, "Other than the Branch family and the Timothy family at the Green Lemon Restaurant, all the other passengers have returned before the gale started. Heh heh, that place is quite far away, and it also takes quite a long time to dine there.
"Oh right, Captain and First Mate went to the telegraph office, but they haven't returned yet."
Klein nodded indiscernibly and returned to Room 312 in silence.
He stood by the window, looking at the waves that were stirred by the wind. Even without using the mysterious space above the gray fog to divine, his own spiritual intuition made him vaguely sense that something bad was brewing and happening.
After waiting another five minutes, he still didn't see Captain Elland and Donna's family return.
Klein glanced sideways at Danitz, making the famous pirate slouching in the reclining chair sit up straight.
Klein looked away, said nothing, and went into the washroom.
He closed the door behind him, took out the paper figurine, disguised himself, and went above the gray fog, ready to make another divination.
Before, he had considered the potential risks of Bansy Harbor, but now, after the wind had picked up, he intended to confirm the current level of danger.
"Bansy Harbor is dangerous."
Klein held the spirit pendulum and began to recite the statement in a low voice.
After repeating this over and over again, he opened his eyes and discovered that, although the topaz pendant was rotating clockwise, it wasn't spinning at a fast frequency or with large amplitudes.
There's danger, but it's within acceptable limits... This is in contradiction to the revelation from before... Klein whispered to himself as he leaned his elbows on the edge of the long bronze table.
He quickly thought of one possibility, and that was that the current danger wasn't equal to the dormant danger. Only by triggering something or investigating it thoroughly would the iceberg hidden beneath the sea appear.
This dormant danger might've existed for three or four hundred years, or perhaps even longer, and not because of my arrival... Hmm, the current danger might even have nothing to do with the dormant danger. It's a pity that I don't have the necessary information to make a divination based on this conjecture...
After interpreting, Klein quickly returned to the real world, left the washroom, and found a chair to sit on.
He was silent, hesitant, and didn't move for a long time, which made Blazing Danitz feel strangely uneasy.
Ever since Gehrman Sparrow mentioned that there was danger lurking in Bansy Harbor, this infamous pirate had been constantly worried.
To be able to make this monster change his mind and avoid the danger at Green Lemon Restaurant, it must be very terrifying... Why is my vacation so miserable? I'm plagued with bad luck! The atmosphere was so stifling that Danitz had to get up and pace back and forth.
It was then that he saw the monster, Gehrman Sparrow, suddenly stand up, button his double-breasted frock coat, and walk over to the coat rack by the door.
After taking his silk hat, Klein looked at Blazing and said without any expression, "You're free."
"Huh?" Danitz only found it surreal.
He suddenly understood what the monster was thinking of doing, and he blurted out in shock, "You want to save the captain and those ordinary people?
"Y-you were the one who said it's dangerous outside!"
Klein put on his half top hat, picked up his black wooden cane, twisted the door handle, and replied calmly, "They cooperated with me.
"They kept my secret for me.
"He treated me to murloc meat.
"He helped me pay compensation for White Shark's loss."
"..."
Danitz didn't react for a moment. Subconsciously, he asked, "How much was the compensation?"
"A few soli." Klein opened the door and walked out.
Madman! This fellow is completely mad! Be it his treatment to others or himself, he's a madman! Danitz's mouth was half-open as he felt speechless.
Luckily, I'm a normal person! I'll stay in a safe place! Danitz retracted his gaze and thought in mockery and amusement.
Just as this thought came to him, the wind howled again, rattling the windows and causing the candles in the room to flicker.
Looking at this dark and turbulent scene, Danitz suddenly thought of a problem.
The ship is anchored in the harbor, which was also part of Bansy Harbor. It's not safe either, and it could also be in danger!
If I were to stay here on my own, then I might as well follow that monster. At least... At least, he's very strong! He ran out of Room 312 and caught up with Klein just as he was about to leave the cabin.
Klein turned his head to glance at him. Although he didn't say anything, his puzzlement was very evident.
Danitz hurriedly laughed.
"If I were to choose to retreat in the face of such trivial risks, I'll be mocked by all the pirates of the Sonia Sea!"
An excuse... Without exposing him, Klein borrowed a lantern from the crew.
Carrying the dim yellow lantern and holding his hard wooden cane, he walked alongside the boat and entered the dim port in his black suit.
As Danitz lamented, he followed closely beside him.
