Thanks.

It was a very common word, but it instantly made Duncan's breath catch.

He was sure that there was no such word on the paper just now, nor was there any trace of water. It all appeared out of thin air before his eyes!

He stared at the mark on the paper, a faint green flame gradually burning around him. His consciousness swept across the entire ship in an instant to confirm whether there were any uninvited "guests" on the ship - but he found nothing.

How did this word come about? Who is communicating to me? Why?

Frankly speaking, at this moment he had a little sympathy for the feelings of those who were scared by him, such as Vanna who jumped in front of the dressing mirror in the dream, and Tirian and Lucretia just now - but it was only a little sympathy, and he would do the same next time.

The key now is why a word suddenly appeared on this piece of paper.

Duncan frowned, and suddenly, a detail flashed in his mind - just now, when he was talking to Tirian, he said something in a joking tone:

[“If the god behind this church is watching, then he owes me a thank you.”]

The expression on Duncan's face became subtle. When this idea came up, his first reaction was that it was ridiculous. There was no way he could take such a joke seriously. But after this subconscious reaction, he couldn't help but associate it in this direction. The more he thought about it... the more he couldn't calm down.

He lowered his head and looked at the wet corner of the paper. After hesitating for a moment, he picked up the pen next to him and wrote a few words on the drier edge of the water mark:

〖The Storm Goddess〗①

After finishing writing, he waited patiently, like a commander who presses the construction button and waits for shipment, staring at the wet area in anticipation, but the water was almost dried up and he still didn't get a reply.

It seems like the other party just left a message and then disappeared - maybe he deliberately read it and didn't reply?

Duncan's mind was filled with outrageous and weird thoughts. He had been in this weird world for such a long time, but the weirdness at this moment was still far beyond the past, so that his calm mentality, which he had worked so hard to cultivate, was a little difficult to maintain. However, after waiting for a long time to no avail, he slowly put down the pen in his hand and let his mood calm down little by little.

After thinking for a moment, he stood up and pushed open the wooden door leading to the chart room. Beside the navigation table, Goat Head was staring at the foggy chart as usual, and turned around immediately after hearing the sound of the door opening.

"There was nothing unusual on the ship just now, right?" Duncan asked without waiting for the other party to speak.

"On the ship? There's nothing unusual on the ship," Goat Head was stunned for a moment and answered subconsciously. Then he seemed to realize something and said, "What happened? I'll search the entire ship now..."

"No need. I have already checked it. I am only looking for you to confirm it again." Duncan waved his hand, then calmed down and decided not to mention the strange handwriting on the paper. "I just met Tirian and Lucrecia - they were in contact with each other."

The goat-head felt that the captain's state was a little strange at the moment, but since the other party had no intention of further explanation, it wisely did not ask. After hearing Duncan's words, it just sighed a little: "Many people in the world speculate that Tirian and Lucretia have a cold relationship. The evidence is that Tirian is a pirate deep in the civilized territory, while his sister is engaged in the great cause of adventure and development on the border of civilization. The two have never met... But now it seems that the world's random speculations are just speculations after all."

"In my opinion, they have a pretty good relationship, especially when they faced me together. That tacit understanding was cultivated from childhood, and they went through the same childhood of being injured by their father," Duncan shook his head. "As for the fact that they are far apart now...it's just that they chose different paths in life."

"Ah, the lament of an old father," the goat-headed man sighed exaggeratedly, "Are you communicating smoothly with your two 'children'?"

"...I think it went pretty smoothly." Duncan thought for a moment and nodded slightly. "I think I have fully expressed my goodwill and have implanted a preliminary impression of rationality and 'return of humanity' in their minds. It has also laid a certain foundation for future contacts. At least the next time we encounter the Sea Mist, we should not have to cover each other with fire. This is the first step towards family harmony."

Goat Head was silent for a while, which made Duncan feel very strange: "Why didn't you say anything this time? Aren't you usually very talkative?"

The goat-headed man spoke faintly: "If you think that family harmony is achieved by not covering each other with firepower, this is too powerful, and it is difficult for me to evaluate..."

Duncan didn't know how to respond, so he could only spread his hands in silence. After a moment of silence, Goat-Head asked, "It sounds like you are already preparing for your next meeting with Tirian? Why... are you suddenly so active in this matter?"

"Because he once worked for the Frost Queen," Duncan said calmly, "and I am now somewhat curious about his experience."

"Is it because of Miss Alice?"

“A little bit.”

Duncan said casually.

Then he shook his head, turned back to the house, found the piece of paper he had just drawn on, tore off the corner that had been soaked by water and had words on it, and returned to the navigation table in the chart room: "I have something to show you."

He placed the odd hexagonal pattern in front of the goat's head.

"Have you seen this thing?"

The goat's neck creaked and turned. It lowered its eyes and stared at the pattern on the paper curiously. Then it shook its head and said, "I've never seen it before. What is this?"

"You haven't seen it?" Duncan frowned. After confirming that Goat-Head didn't seem to be hiding something, he slowly spoke, "...More than a century ago, several ascetics visited the Lost Homeland. One of them was carrying an amulet with this pattern."

The goat-head was silent for a moment, then spoke softly: "Oh, that's just out of my sight."

Duncan instantly understood what the other party meant.

At that time, the goat head was not on the Lost Homeland.

Goathead was not a member of the ship's original crew, having served on the Homelander for only a century - in fact, it only appeared on the ship after it had fallen into the warp.

There are many secrets hidden behind this ship and this "first mate", and this is one of the few mysteries that Duncan slowly explored and successfully solved.

Duncan was silent for a moment.

In fact, he has always been very curious about how this goat-head came to this ship, why he became the "first mate" here after the real Captain Duncan went completely crazy, and... curious about the connection between the other party and the subspace, and the countless secrets behind it.

But unfortunately, Goat Head never mentioned these things - even when Duncan wanted to test the waters a few times, it changed the subject in an obviously blunt manner.

This is an attitude and a hint - it cannot be said, because if it is said, it will cause big trouble.

Duncan came back to his senses and put aside the complicated thoughts in his mind. After thinking for a while, he nodded to the goat head and said, "Then you continue to steer the ship. I need to take care of some things."

"Of course, at your service at any time!"

Duncan put away the paper and turned to walk towards his bedroom. However, when he was halfway there, he suddenly heard the voice of Goat Head coming from behind him again: "Captain."

Duncan stopped and turned back slightly: "Hmm?"

"You can always trust your loyal first mate."

Duncan didn't say anything, but he nodded slightly and then walked into the room.

※※※

Morris tossed and turned in his bed for a long time before finally sitting up.

My wife was sleeping soundly beside me, her soft and gentle snoring could be heard from time to time. The glow of the Creation of the World shone through the window, casting a night color on the bedroom floor.

Everything was like a dream, but it was all real.

Morris rarely suffers from insomnia, but since his wife "returned", he has always had difficulty falling asleep, and he actually knows why.

Because of fear.

He was worried that once he fell asleep, this dream-like reality would really become a dream. He was worried that all the miracles were just the result of his wishful thinking, just like praying to the subspace eleven years ago, which in return was just an illusion that would burst with a single poke.

Because of this fear, he didn't even dare to pray to Lahm casually - in the past many years, even though he deliberately distanced himself from the church, he never interrupted his habitual prayers in daily life, but now because he subconsciously avoided the blessing effect of the "Eye of Truth", he even forcibly restrained himself from praying.

Morris exhaled lightly, allowing his groggy brain to wake up a little in the cold night. Then he stood up, put on some clothes, stood silently beside the bed, and looked at his wife who was sleeping peacefully.

He has been doing this frequently these past two days.

But this time, after he had looked for a while, he suddenly felt a trance in his mind, and then a faint calling voice and a vague majestic figure emerged deep in his mind - Morris suddenly started and realized what had happened.

The captain was calling himself.

The old scholar immediately took two deep breaths and woke up completely. Then he quickly walked to the utility room connected to the master bedroom. He turned on the light in the utility room, and then his eyes looked at an antique mirror placed in the corner of the small room.

An illusory spiritual flame was slowly floating on the edge of the mirror, and the captain's figure was gradually emerging from it.

For some reason, this scene, which should have made ordinary people feel terrified, made Morris feel inexplicably at ease.

He found the "sense of reality" in the floating flames and the majestic figure - just as pain can prove that one is alive, it is the "evidence" that can prove that a miracle has indeed happened and that everything at this moment is real.

Morris came to the antique mirror and bent down slightly: "Captain, what do you want?"

Duncan saw Morris and the clutter behind him, and immediately thought of the middle-aged office worker who hid in the storage room to play games and was afraid of being discovered by his wife...

The next moment, he put aside his inappropriate thoughts and said to Morris with a serious expression, "I need you to investigate something. It may be related to history or some secret organization."

"What kind of thing is it?"

“A mysterious pattern that once appeared on the amulets of a group of ascetics.”

Notes:

①The goddess of storms.