The Rich Cultivator
Chapter 139. Taking a Detour

Chapter 139: 139. Taking a Detour

The first rays of morning sun filtered through the sails, casting a golden glow across the deck of Tyler’s ship. As the crew stirred to life, Astrid, with her angelic heritage, stepped forward to tend to the sailor who had fallen under Isadora’s charm the previous night. Drawing upon her light element, she gently laid her hands on the man, channelling her healing energy into his frail body. The process left her feeling drained, and she gratefully accepted a glass of juice from Darla, who had appeared at her side.

As the sailor’s eyes fluttered open, he looked around in confusion. "What happened?" he asked, his voice weak but coherent.

"You had a little run-in with a powerful seductress," Tyler explained, keeping his tone light yet probing. "What did she ask you?"

The sailor shook his head, a stubborn refusal in his eyes. Despite being physically healed, it was evident he was still mentally under Isadora’s influence.

"Looks like he’s just physically healed. Mentally, he’s still charmed," Lily observed, her gaze sharp and thoughtful.

"Should I use my fist to make him confess?" Tyler suggested, red scales appeared on his hand.

"Wait... I think she has an idea," Lily replied, using her voice transmission to communicate privately with Tyler.

Tyler understood that she is talking about her Defective personality. Her personality changes in an instant.

Lily’s demeanour shifted abruptly, her tone becoming softer and more vulnerable. "Oh no... If we don’t know what the intruder’s motive is, we won’t be able to catch her. I was thinking of luring her using bait and maybe marrying her to one of our sailors."

The sailor’s eyes lit up at the suggestion, his resistance crumbling. "She’s looking for Astrid," he blurted out. "As long as we trade Astrid for her—"

"Alright... shut up," Tyler interrupted, swiftly shoving a pearl into the sailor’s mouth to silence him. "Situ, lock him up. We’ll release him once he’s fully recovered."

Situ nodded and moved to escort the sailor below deck, ensuring he was securely confined until the charm’s effects dissipated.

Astrid watched the scene unfold, a mix of guilt and concern washing over her. "It’s all because of me," she said quietly. "I’m only bringing more trouble to you all."

"Huh... no, no. This isn’t even a problem," Tyler reassured her, his voice confident and soothing. "Didn’t you see how our vice-captain just chased her away with ease?"

Lily blinked, confusion evident on her face. "Huh? Our ship has a vice-captain?"

The crew exchanged amused glances, looking at Lily as if she had missed an obvious point.

"Since when did I become vice-captain?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Just now," Tyler replied with a grin.

---

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, casting a warm glow over the ship, Tyler and Lily found a quiet spot on the deck to discuss their next steps. The gentle lapping of the waves against the hull provided a soothing backdrop to their conversation, but the topic at hand was anything but calm.

"So... there’s a good chance they’ll hunt her down on Rich Berg Island," Tyler said, his voice low and serious. He leaned against the railing, his eyes scanning the horizon as if searching for answers in the endless expanse of sea.

Lily nodded in agreement, her expression pensive. "There’s still more than a month to reach Rich Berg Island," she noted. "We should use that time to prepare."

Tyler sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We should disguise her. Make it harder for them to recognize her."

Mana suddenly popped out and asked "How about the Phantom Mask?"

Lily shook her head immediately, dismissing the suggestion. "Nope... that might reveal our pirate identity."

"Oh... " Mana lost interest and vanished away.

Even last time when Astrid used the Phantom Mask, Tyler asked Mana to control the mask for Astrid to recognise as a normal disguise tool. It’s too risky to use anything that ties back to the Phantom Pirates.

Lily bit her lip, thinking. "Then we need something new."

"We should find a good disguise charm," Tyler decided. "One that can fool Master Level."

The ship anchored near a small island, a necessary pit stop for Tyler and his crew. While the crew tended to the ship, Lily Gomes ventured alone into the nearby town, intent on gathering information and catching up on the latest news. Tyler, meanwhile, busied himself looking for merchants to trade with, hoping to sell and purchase goods that would be useful for their journey. He also kept an eye out for any disguise charms that might help conceal Astrid’s identity, but the ones he found were not of the quality he needed.

Still, Tyler decided to purchase them, thinking it better to be over-prepared than under. As he made his way back to the ship, he spotted Lily returning with a purposeful stride.

"I heard that there’s a Master Level Charm for sale at the Lao Lang Pai Sect," Lily reported, her voice filled with excitement.

"Old Wolf Sect?" Tyler echoed, tilting his head in curiosity.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, it’s a small sect, but we have to pass through their area anyway. We can afford to delay our schedule to Rich Berg Island by a couple of days."

Tyler considered this, his mind already weighing the pros and cons. "That’s not a problem, let’s take a detour." he agreed. "I just hope they haven’t sold it yet."

"They’re likely to still have it," Lily said reassuringly. "I heard their sect master got injured at sea and is now recuperating. They’re trying to gather more money, so they’ll probably wait for the right buyer."

Tyler’s eyes lit up at the opportunity. A Master Level Charm would be invaluable for Astrid’s safety. "This could be exactly what we need."

"But I also heard that they were targeted by Xiang hai bang." Lily said.

"Infinite Sea Gang?"

"Stop translating whatever I am saying. Our ship already has the best translator," Lily quipped, glancing to the side.

In the bustling market, two adorable girls caught Tyler’s attention. The white-haired girl was haggling prices with a local vendor, fluently conversing in the island’s native tongue. It was Silvia, who had the unique ability to understand any language and make herself understood in turn. Accompanying her was Mana, her constant companion.

As Silvia expertly negotiated, Tyler couldn’t help but smile.

Astrid sat quietly in her cabin, the gentle sway of the ship a comforting rhythm. Her fingers traced the outline of a locket resting on her chest. Inside was a small picture of her younger self, smiling alongside a boy.

┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉

Meanwhile, out on the open sea, a Federation ship glided through the waters, its sails taut against the wind. The ship was a small vessel, one of the many in the Federation’s vast fleet, tasked with maintaining order across the Boundless World’s sprawling seas. In the ship’s modest command room, an Ensign delivered his report.

"We’ve received a tip that ’Manhunter’ Isadora Nightkiss is heading to Rich Berg Island, likely to rob something or someone," the Ensign informed the man in charge. This man, the Lieutenant, was a seasoned officer and a five-star Master Mage, his demeanour as calm as the sea he sailed. He flicked the ash from his cigar into a nearby tray, a wisp of smoke curling into the air.

"I really don’t care about this Manhunter," the Lieutenant murmured, his voice laced with a touch of boredom. "But I don’t know why the Commander is so hell-bent on capturing her."

The Ensign, standing at attention, showed no reaction to his superior’s musings. He knew better than to comment on the whims of higher-ups.

"Alright, set sail for Rich Berg Island," the Lieutenant finally said, stubbing out his cigar. "I heard that the Rosefall Kingdom is in turmoil. Let’s hope the waves of their troubles don’t reach the island."

The Ensign saluted and turned to carry out the orders, leaving the Lieutenant to his thoughts. The Federation’s structure was a well-oiled machine, each rank playing its part in the grand design. Crewmen handled the essential functions of the ship, such as maintenance and supply management. Ensigns, the junior officers, carried out orders and tasks as assigned by their superiors. Lieutenants assisted commanders in managing their departments and took care of day-to-day operations, while commanders were in charge of specific departments like navigation, engineering, or security. At the helm of each ship was the captain, the leader ensuring the safety and success of the vessel’s mission.

However, not all Federation ships had a full complement of officers. Many lower-level ships, like the one pursuing Isadora Nightkiss, were led by Lieutenants who often were either Master Warriors or Master Mages.

As the Federation ship altered its course, setting a new heading towards Rich Berg Island, the Lieutenant pondered the mission ahead.

"Rich Berg Island is going to get lively." The Lieutenant thought as he took another cigarette.

With the sun dipping below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the sea, the Federation ship sailed on, a silent sentinel in the vast expanse of the ocean.