In Bayam, inside the luxurious villa at 32 Conston Street.
—Many streets in Bayam are named after cities in the Loen Kingdom.
Tracy, the "Vice Admiral of Ailment," lounged lazily on a sofa, her sharp and bright azure eyes lifting to regard the black-haired, golden-eyed man wearing a mask who stood by the window. With a faint smile, she said:
"Sir, if you want me to transport that item for you, aside from the price your group has already offered to the Demoness Sect, I'll need additional compensation. After all, the Black Death is my ship."
As she spoke, her gaze grew hazy and enchanting, laced with irresistible allure.
However, the masked man was entirely unaffected. Admiring her charms with a detached calm, he asked coolly:
"What is it you want?"
"A portion of the Conspirer's characteristics," Tracy replied, a faint smile playing on her lips.
The masked man pondered for a moment before nodding. "That can be arranged, but you'll need to agree to one additional condition."
"Name it," Tracy said, narrowing her eyes. Though she didn't mind indulging in pleasure, she was particular about her partners. If the man's request was excessive, she wouldn't hesitate to abandon the deal altogether.
"It's simple. I need you to stir up some trouble soon—enough to draw Admiral Amyrius's attention and ideally force him to leave the Rorsted Archipelago temporarily.
"In return, aside from the Conspirer's characteristics, I'll also help you gather the primary materials for the Reaper potion. You wouldn't lose much—causing disturbances is what pirates do best, after all."
"But I'd have to face a demigod's pursuit—" Tracy began to protest, shaking her head gently. She was about to bargain further when a commotion from downstairs interrupted her. Frowning, she paused mid-sentence. Amid the noise, she faintly heard her maid's voice.
Sure enough, within half a minute, the golden-haired Cecilia was escorted upstairs by one of the masked man's attendants.
"What's happened?" Tracy demanded, her voice sharp as she noticed Cecilia's disheveled hair and distraught appearance.
"Captain... it's the Mandated Punishers. They raided the chamber of commerce. Everyone else was captured. I only barely escaped thanks to the item you gifted me..." Cecilia stammered, her head bowed and her voice trembling.
"What about Helene?" Tracy stood abruptly, her tall and graceful figure cutting an imposing silhouette. In a few quick steps, she reached Cecilia and grabbed her by the shoulders.
Hearing Tracy's sole concern was Helene, Cecilia's expression darkened. Luckily, with her head still lowered, no one could see it.
"Helene fled at dusk... Mithor led some men in pursuit... and then the Mandated Punishers suddenly appeared at the door. I suspect she reported us to the Storm Church!" Cecilia deliberately presented a fragmented account, lacing her retelling with insinuations against Helene.
"Helene... do you really have no feelings for me at all? No... perhaps she was coerced... or fell into the hands of the Storm Church?" Tracy bit her lip, a pained expression crossing her face. The sight was so moving that Cecilia, stealing a glance, felt her cheeks flush as she quickly averted her gaze.
Tracy soon regained her composure. Turning to the masked man, she said:
"Sir, I'll agree to all your conditions. I'll even forgo the Reaper's materials, but you must help me confirm whether the Storm Church is holding Helene."
"No problem." The masked man smiled faintly, producing a Notarization Contract. After amending the terms and signing his name, he handed it to Tracy.
Tracy read through it carefully, found no issues, and signed her name.
The Notarization Contract immediately emitted a dazzling white light, enveloping the two and signifying the binding nature of their agreement.
As he stowed the contract away, the man suggested amiably, "Miss Tracy, would you like me to assist in your departure from Bayam?"
"That would be helpful." Tracy had no intention of returning to the chamber of commerce; the Storm Church would undoubtedly be lying in wait. Walking into their trap was out of the question.
Even though she was deeply worried about Helene, she wasn't reckless enough to act impulsively.
As for her other crew members? If they were dead, so be it. She could always recruit more.
Outside the Fragrant Manor, Ebner fished the three suffocated pirates out of the ground before reverting to his human form. He then entered the Dream Labyrinth Tower's resting room to retrieve his clothing and get dressed.
—He hadn't worn anything earlier while conducting the spirit channeling because he'd planned to transform into a giant bear again afterward.
Once dressed, Ebner carefully collected the extracted Beyonder characteristics from the corpses before heading into the woods to erase the tracks left by Helene, Mithor, and the others during their passage.
Speaking of the pirates, including Wormtongue Mithor King, all four of them were broke.
The total cash they carried amounted to a paltry 80 pounds and six gold coins. Worse, there wasn't a single decent Beyonder item among them. The only exception was Mithor, who had a few talismans—but even those were simple ones Ebner could already craft or mimic, rendering them worthless.
Fortunately, their bounties and Beyonder characteristics would yield substantial returns. However, most of it would need to go to The Hanged Man as compensation for taking on the considerable risk of filing the report. While he did his job discreetly, the risks were still significant.
"Mithor aside, the other three pirates included a Hunter, a Sailor, and a Sleepless... It's clear they were originally part of Qilangos's crew before defecting to Tracy.
"As for the Sleepless's potion formula, it likely came from the Nighthawks' member that Creeping Hunger devoured.
"These three might not be household names, but as Beyonders, they're bound to have some notoriety. I wonder how much their bounties are..."
As Ebner meticulously restored the woods to their original state, his thoughts churned.
Back at the manor, he requested four large bags from the butler, Harvey, who prudently refrained from asking questions or involving other staff. After receiving the bags, Ebner cast a subtle mental suggestion to ensure Harvey forgot about the request.
Placing the bodies into the bags, Ebner conducted a ritual to offer them to the gray fog, leaving a message for The Hanged Man as well:
"This way, even if Tracy attempts mirror divination, she'll be unable to trace Mithor's whereabouts."
As for Helene? The protection ritual he had created using the Book of Necromancy as its core was robust enough to thwart any attempts at divination.
Above the gray fog, Klein, engrossed in reading the Book of Secrets, glanced helplessly at the four corpses now occupying the long bronze table. After grumbling internally, he extended his spirituality toward The Hanged Man's crimson star.