Blood tax

Chapter 71 Clippers bound for Neopolis Part [-]
Amber carefully put away the notebook:

"Elsa said that you soldiers have a very good restraint effect on black magic, and repeatedly told me to act with you.

"Those missing people strip themselves naked, and then put their clothes into that weird way to jump into the sea. Even one of these weird things is unreasonable. Two identical cases show that the reasons for their disappearance are related. Think about it this way. , the missing purser may also be bad luck. What did the head of security say? Did the captain take action?"

Griffith recalled for a moment and talked about his progress today:
"After we left the slop tank, the safety supervisor reported to the captain,
"There is a way to simply report to the Maritime Authority on the ship, but the Spring Equinox is just in the sea between the two places, and the speed is very fast. If the nearby warships cannot meet by chance, we can only wait until we arrive at the destination port.

“We will enter the offshore of Neopolis early the next morning, and the local Beyonders and officials will be ready.

"However, it may be too late to arrive at the port.

"Early tomorrow morning, we will conduct a comprehensive inspection of the lower cargo hold. There should be something to be found there, and there may be a fight."

Amber forked a small slice of ham and put it in his mouth:
"I found that the two of us couldn't handle this task at all. The ship was too big, and there were no highly inspired mages or hunters. We wasted a lot of time like deaf and blind people.

"Also, there is no way to carry out investigations and full vigilance at night, allowing the cultists to act recklessly."

That's right.How to configure the manpower for this task, is the official person in charge all curly-haired baboons that eat bananas?
The two sighed in unison.Amber ate all the food, clapped his hands and stood up:

"Forget it, it's no use complaining.

"Tonight, the two of us will alternate guards and conduct limited patrols. You take a shower first. I will go to the captain once to see if there are any instructions from the academy. Just leave the sofa for me."

……

After Griffith took a shower, he made his own nest on the sofa and lay down comfortably.As soon as he lay down, Amber returned to the room.

"How? Did you find anything?" Griffith sat up from the sofa.

"Well, nothing special to find," Amber took off his coat and threw it on the back of a chair by the desk as he entered the room. "The captain and officers were so nervous that they had already distributed weapons to the sailors. I rushed Cool, sit down!"

"Understood," Griffith nodded with a smile, "I'm not the kind of person who eats while listening to the sound of water!"

As soon as Griffith said this, he felt that he was too frivolous. He would say some dirty jokes when he was with his comrades in the assault cavalry, but he quit this hobby after leaving the army.

"Uh..." Amber, who had already walked into the bathroom, stuck his head out and glared at Griffith, "Go to the corridor for me!"

"Boom!"

The door closed behind Griffith again.

Griffith shrugged and walked slowly along the quiet corridor.

It was very calm in the cabin passage at night, but there seemed to be a faint sound beyond the sound of the sea, like...

Curious Griffith listened.Gradually, the vague voice became clear.

He seemed to hear the faint sound of the dice falling to the ground.

There is another sound, like the peculiar chimes on the clock tower at midnight, and like some kind of pipe organ used by the church, the solemn and indescribable echoes through the empty corridors and hit the heart... Alone Griffith The hairs all over his body stood on end, and he almost fled back to the room.The strange sound seemed to come from the bottom of hell, and the gray and rotten arm stretched upward, and the cold touch began to spread from the ankle.

In a trance, Griffith felt that under him, at the bottom of the spring equinox, a locked door seemed to be opened with a gap.

Although he couldn't see this scene with his own eyes, the picture was still visualized in his mind.

Inspiration, who became more acute after the promotion, instinctively accepted the scene, and Griffith's sanity was like a storm swept away.

He only felt the darkness in front of him, as if he had entered a psychedelic world in a trance.In the void where there is nowhere to go, the twisted and elongated shadows are entwined, and a door is opened far away. Countless eyeballs flicker layer by layer in the darkness, and the dense black tentacles are like clumps of thread, waving continuously. .

With a strong sense of dizziness and vomiting, Griffith lost his reason for a while, and danced wildly, jumping up and down the cabin aisle like a spring-loaded toy, waving his hands and twisting like seaweed in the rapids. twist and turn.His eyes lost expression and brilliance, and he stumbled toward Amber's cabin like a corpse.

In the confusion and confusion, Griffith suddenly found a golden light appearing in front of his eyes, followed by a heavy blow.He was beaten in place, and before he could wake up, an uppercut hit the jaw.

"Boom!" Griffith flew up, hit the ceiling above his head and bounced to the wall on one side, and simply passed out.

Griffith woke up to find himself collapsed on the sofa, out of a temporary frenzy, but with severe pain in the left side of his face and jaw.Amber got dressed and sat beside the big bed, tilting his head to look at him.

"You were in a coma for two hours. Did you see or hear anything?"

"The bell, maybe the violin," Griffith propped himself up, "there was a very strange but clear sound from the bottom of the boat, and then I saw a lot of bizarre sights, like Impressionist frescoes. ."

Amber bit his lip lightly: "Tomorrow morning, after the sun comes out, we will quickly gather the crew to search the cargo hold at the bottom of the ship. There will definitely be traces of dark magic there. Now, close your eyes and sleep for a while."

"What about you?" Griffith asked. "I can work first."

"No, you go to bed first." Amber took out a pair of golden handguards from his suitcase and buckled them on his wrists, and gestured towards him twice, "I don't trust you."

……

January 1444, 1, the morning of the third day after the vernal equinox left the port.

Griffith and Amber sat silently facing each other, waiting for news from the sailors as they ate breakfast.

Following the captain's orders, the safety supervisor organized an investigation team in the early morning and entered the cargo hold with cargo details, lanterns and weapons.The two Beyonders will be waiting in the restaurant for the results of their investigation.

With disturbing news spreading on board, a group of passengers cornered the crew, demanding an explanation for the disturbing rumors.

Griffith took a slow sip of the hot milk, the seductive aroma and warm taste made him feel comfortable and comfortable from his heart when he just got up.

Amber stared absently at the sea outside the window, playing with his long blond hair with his fingers.

"We should go together," Amber stood up suddenly, "Sailors are not Beyonders, and black magic items are not something they can handle."

"Yeah, they can't handle it," Griffith put down the milk glass and nodded earnestly.He has completely recovered from the confusion last night, and his mind is exceptionally clear.

"Hey! Then why are you still sitting!" Amber asked in surprise, "We may be the only Lawful Beyonders on this ship!"

"Yes, we probably are," Griffith stood up, pressed the shoulders of Amber who was about to rush out, and pointed to the seat beside him, "so before the sailors checked, we gave them a request Yes - do not open any suspicious goods after you find them, and contact us as soon as possible."

"You're making the sailors cannon fodder!" Amber put his hand on his chest and shook his head in dissatisfaction.

"This is the risk of their work," Griffith said calmly. "If we rush in and fall into a trap, who else will stand in front of the fallen mages?"

Just then, a young man in a dark dress came over.Griffith noticed the approach of the stranger, and subconsciously clenched the Corrupted Feather Fencing at his waist.

"Miss Amber," the young man bowed, "I am the valet of Senator Milovan Neville. The Senator would like to invite you to sit in the room for a while."

"I just have some time," Amber stood up and said to the restaurant waiter beside him, "If the captain wants to find me, you can come to the councillor's cabin without delay."

Griffith also followed and walked with Amber to the congressman's room: "I'll wait for you outside in a moment, and call me immediately if there is any danger."

"Oh~ why is there danger?" Amber smiled and winked at Griffith. "My headmaster, His Excellency the Foresight Griffindale, has had a personal relationship with the MP for many years."

Griffith shook his head and said: "Even so, we have no clue about the strange clothes left by the missing passengers and sailors. We have no idea of ​​the enemy's methods and abilities."

"I know, I know," Amber said with his hands behind his back, shaking his long fluffy hair, "I'm serious too, I'm super strong! Even Erza admits, if you worry about me, why? Why don't you come into the councilor's room with me?"

"Oh? Can you?"

"Of course! Does he have the right to refuse?"

The two came to the door of suite 308 and entered the cabin under the guidance of the servant.

"Is Mr. Deacon not here?" Griffith glanced at the luxurious suite and found that it was divided into upper and lower floors. In addition to the dignified old man and his personal attendant sitting in the center of the living room, there were also two maids. Also serving on the side.

"Mr. Deacon has been missing since this morning," the footman said simply, turning to the old man respectfully, "Mr. Senator, this is Miss Amber and..."

"Griffith Brandon, apprentice knight of the Larmor family," Griffith bowed slightly, "Greetings to you, Honorable Senator Milovan Neville."

"Sit down, Miss Umber, Mr. Apprentice Knight," the Arcane Council member's voice was full and powerful, in stark contrast to his aged features, "Miss Umber, I have thought twice about Lord Gryffindale's After the suggestion, I agree with his opinion on a Sealed Artifact I am in charge of."

Sealed item?Shouldn't it be "Linyuan Collection"?Griffith put his hand on the saber and observed everyone in the cabin.

"Thank you, Mr. Senator," Amber nodded lightly, "May I ask what this Sealed Artifact is?"

"The original of "Linyuan Collection"." Milovan Neville said slowly.

(End of this chapter)