Listening to Tirian's story, Duncan fell into a long silence and thought.

The Lost Homeland seemed to have fallen silent along with the captain. The low creaking sound coming from deep in the cabin gradually subsided. A spiritual texture that seemed real and illusory enveloped the ship. It silently passed through the sea, traveling through an equally silent world.

After a long time, Duncan slowly lowered his head and looked at his feet.

He couldn't see it, but he could imagine it - beneath the layers of decks, deeper than the shattered bilge structure, beyond the borders of reality, Sasloka's spine was still immersed in the dark warp, and that spine replaced the original keel of the Lost Homeland - the keel that Duncan Abnomal called "the twig".

That "small branch" had sunk into the depths of the warp along with the original Homelander following the disaster a century ago.

"Father..." Tyrian's slightly uneasy voice sounded in his heart, interrupting Duncan's meditation, "Do you have any other questions?"

"One last question," Duncan said, "After the Lost Homeland was completed, the craftsmen who participated in the construction should still be alive. I mean the elves who were responsible for processing the keel..."

"Most of them should still be alive, but it may be difficult to find them in a short time," Tirian replied. "After the 'accident' of the Lost Homeland, everything related to that ship became taboo, including the construction project of that year.

"The craftsmen who had participated in the construction of the Lost Homeland changed their jobs or went to other city-states. Even the elves chose to hide their identities and go far away. The design drawings were sealed up, along with all the files, and were regarded as 'sealed objects' and hidden deep in the church...

"People say that everything related to the Lost Homeland is cursed. Captain Duncan's children are like this. Those who built the Lost Homeland and those who know the secret of the Lost Homeland cannot escape it either..."

Duncan did not speak for a while, and Tirian also fell silent. In the suddenly awkward atmosphere, Lucretia's voice was the first to break the silence.

"Rumors are not just rumors. It's no wonder that people at that time were so nervous about it," the "Sea Witch" said slowly, "In fact, the dock that was used to build the Lost Hometown was hit by a fire the day after the warp collapse.

"The fire burned everything in an unnatural way, turning steel and stone to ashes, but it did not burn the drawings and files related to the Lost Homeland stored in the office.

"Nearly half of the participants in the construction suffered nightmares, strange diseases and hallucinations in the following years. Some committed suicide several years later, some mysteriously disappeared while sailing, and some fell into madness. In their last lucid stage, they claimed that they heard 'real voices' and then spent the rest of their lives in mental hospitals. Compared with other unfortunate people, these people who fell into madness seemed particularly lucky.

"The elf craftsmen who were responsible for processing the dragon bones were the least affected group. Perhaps their racial characteristics protected them. They did not seem to be affected by the curse. However, the experiences of others were still enough to scare them. It was understandable that they kept their identities secret and left their hometown..."

Duncan listened quietly to Lucrecia's memories and descriptions. After a long time, he spoke in a slightly strange tone, "But the original construction records of the Lost Homeland are still kept in Plande?"

"Yes, they are still there, in the form of 'sealed objects'. You discussed this with Vanna and me last time," Morris interrupted. "According to my understanding, these things will not be destroyed - and we dare not destroy them casually, because they involve the subspace. The act of 'destruction' itself may also cause the Lost Homeland to establish contact with the real world..."

"I need this part." Duncan said immediately.

Morris was stunned for a moment, but quickly reacted: "No problem, I will contact my friends in Plande City-State right away. Although those things have been high-risk sealed objects for the past hundred years, given the current situation, the authorities should be willing to cooperate with your request..."

"Ordinary means of communication are too slow," Duncan interrupted Morris, "Vanna."

Vanna's voice immediately rang out: "Yes, Captain, I'm listening."

"You can contact Plande's Cathedral of Storms directly, right?" Duncan said seriously, "Inform them to prepare all the information related to the construction of the Lost Homeland and send it to the cathedral."

"...Okay." Vanna hesitated for two or three seconds to show her loyalty to the Storm Goddess, then agreed very readily, "How do you want to take the information away? Send Ai over? I'll notify my colleagues over there to prevent them from making a fuss..."

"No, I'll go myself."

Vanna didn't seem to react for a moment: "You're going there in person?"

※※※

In a small antique shop in the lower town of Plande, Duncan put down the newspaper in his hand, looked at the warm and bright sunshine outside the window, and a smile appeared on his face: "Drinking tea, reading newspapers and basking in the sun in the antique shop every day... It's time to move around here."

"...I understand. I will contact the City-State Cathedral right away."

Vanna's voice rang in his mind, then faded away.

Duncan folded the newspaper carefully and placed it on the shelf next to the counter. Then he stood up and walked to the stairs leading to the second floor and took his coat off the hook.

The Homeless is still sailing silently and rapidly on the boundless sea of ​​the spirit world. Breeze Harbor has sunk into a dream from which it cannot wake up. In city-states all over the world, more and more elves are falling into a coma. However, in this small antique shop, the peace and tranquility of the past are still maintained.

This place seems like a safe haven independent of the whole world.

But just as Duncan put on his coat and prepared to go out, the door of the antique shop was suddenly pushed open, and the jingling bells broke the tranquility of this safe haven in advance.

Duncan raised his head and looked towards the door, and saw a familiar figure standing in the sun.

"Ms. Heidi? Good morning," he recognized the visitor at the door and greeted her politely, "Sorry, we are closed today. I have to go out to do something."

"Mr. Duncan...Captain," Heidi took two steps into the store. She looked at the "store manager" who had just put on his coat and was obviously ready to go out. After hesitating for a moment, she spoke, "I may need your help."

Duncan paused and looked at the other person curiously: "Huh?"

After the incident in which Taran El and the elf girl were trapped in a dream, Heidi already knew the truth about the Lost Homeland. Perhaps because she was not used to this drastic change, she had not been to this shop for a long time. However, she did not expect that she would suddenly visit today and ask for help as soon as she opened her mouth.

"It's sleeping sickness," Heidi seemed a little hesitant. This was the first time she came here to ask for help after knowing Duncan's identity. She looked quite at a loss. "It's a large-scale, sudden sleeping sickness..."

"More elves fell into a deep sleep?" Duncan frowned. "That's to be expected. The dream of the Nameless One changed dramatically this morning, and its influence is getting stronger. But don't worry, I went out for this very reason."

"Not only are more elves falling asleep," Heidi said immediately, "the 'symptoms' this time are also a little strange. The centralized medical facility in the city has just admitted a group of 'patients'. I think it is necessary for you to take a look at the situation... If you have time..."

The more she spoke, the less confident she became. No one knew what had been going through her mind during this time. At the end, she suddenly said, "I'm asking for your help. Do you need any sacrifice?"

Duncan was still wondering how long it would take for the cathedral to get ready after receiving Vanna's message. He was a little unresponsive when he heard Heidi's words: "...Sacrifice?"

Heidi thought for a moment, with embarrassment on her face: "When I corresponded with my father, I didn't dare to ask about you in detail. He only said that life on the Lost Homeland was incredible, and that you were friendly to mortals, but he didn't tell me about your rules of conduct, nor did he mention the rituals and sacrifices required when asking for your help..."

"Stop, I understand," Duncan interrupted quickly. He looked at the psychiatrist with a strange expression, and said after a while, "I don't want any sacrifices, nor do I need any bloody or weird sacrificial rituals. The Lost Home Fleet is a friendly group with members who help each other and are enthusiastic about the public welfare of the city-state. Didn't Morris or Vanna mention this to you?"

Heidi: “……?”

Duncan knew what was going on as soon as he saw the other person's expression.

He waved his hand and picked up a small bronze statue from the shelf next to him.

An antique from the Dark City-State era, a royal symbol of the old Isom Dynasty, it was manufactured brand new last week.

"The original price is 800 solas, and after the 12% discount, you can buy it at the original price as my reward for helping you. If there is no problem, let's go. Anyway, the cathedral won't be able to prepare what I want in a short time. I can go with you to check on the conditions of those 'patients' first."

※※※

"Are you sure you want to use these things to build a 'channel' for psychic resonance?" Morris stared at Vanna busying around in the kitchen in amazement, and finally couldn't help but ask.

Vanna temporarily stopped her preparations and looked up at the old man next to her: "Any questions?"

"...I think this is quite lacking in rigor," Morris said with a tense face, trying to look more serious. "As a sacred ritual, when establishing a connection with the city-state cathedral, you should at least prepare some decent spellcasting materials..."

Vanna was silent for a moment, looking down at what she could find in this "witch mansion".

"The four elements are complete: sacred fire, sacred oil, sacred incense, and sincere prayers."

Morris's eyes widened. "It doesn't mean you can put the word 'holy' in front of it - you can't just fry some green onions in the kitchen and ask the goddess to give you power!"

Vanna: “…”