Above the mage

Chapter 351 Shipyard

With the help of the capybara dumplings, a series of combined attacks were used to eliminate this group of demonic octopuses without bloodshed.

Most importantly, there's no need to go into the water.

Satisfied, Gao De first removed the eyes of these demonic octopuses as proof of completing the task.

In addition, he dissected the head and body of the octopus and removed their brain and ink sac.

The former can be used as a raw material for mental potions, while the latter can be processed into magical ink. Both are valuable and far superior to the putrid water salamander.

Having wiped out this nest of demonic octopuses, he could be considered to have successfully completed his mission of "Expelling the Water Beasts of Lagos City".

However, Gao De certainly won't return to Dorne so easily.

First, the culprit behind the appearance of the water beast has not yet been found, which is the key to obtaining a second-class merit.

With this second-class merit award in hand, the evaluation for the first year is basically secured.

Secondly, he also wanted to take this mission as an opportunity to return to the North.

Finally, she promised Anna she would help her find her sister, but she hasn't even started looking yet.

Thinking about it this way, Gao De realized that he still had a lot to do in Lagos.

The mission was temporarily over, and Gao De put the dumpling back into the capybara bag.

Before entering the capybara bag, he first applied a "purification food" to the dumpling.

Otherwise, the stench from the sewage would ferment in the enclosed environment of the capybara and probably kill the dumpling itself.

Shama sent him back to the shore, and just like yesterday, he used the [Heavy Burden] and [Wolf Speed] spells to quickly run back to Lagos City on his own two legs.

The tracking and extermination of the demonic octopus did not take much time today, so when Gao De returned to the Palm Tree Hotel, it was only less than an hour past lunchtime.

"Brother, you're back!" Anna's first reaction upon opening the door was one of high alert, but upon discovering it was Gao De, it immediately turned into a pleasant surprise.

He wondered where a little girl got such a strong sense of vigilance. Gao De shook his head and picked up the little girl who was rushing towards him with one hand.

"Have you had lunch yet?"

"I ate it, Aunt Red Nails brought it!" Anna replied.

The owner of the Palm Tree Hotel had a deep purple-red manicure, so Anna simply called her "Red-Nailed Auntie."

"Brother, is your matter over?"

"That's a temporary stop. Next, I'll help you find your sister in the city," Gao De said.

"What does your sister look like exactly? Can you describe her?"

"My sister has big eyes, long eyelashes, and a beautiful nose. In short, she's very pretty." Anna stammered for a long time before finally managing to say just that.

It seems that describing someone's appearance touched on a language barrier for her.

This is going to be a real headache.

Gao De rubbed his forehead slightly.

Anna seemed to sense Gao De's predicament, shook her head, and suddenly had an idea: "Brother, I'll draw my sister for you!"

"Anna can draw?" Gao De was taken aback.

"Yes, I will!" Anna nodded vigorously.

There happened to be a pen and ink in the room, so Anna jumped down from God's arms and started drawing.

"1300 Goldfinch Coins? That's expensive?"

A surprised female voice rang out beside the dock at the Harland shipyard.

"Weren't you all about to go bankrupt and clearing out your inventory, selling off the ships that were piling up in the factory at bargain prices? Why are they still so expensive?"

The owner of Harland Shipyard said helplessly, "This is already a discounted price. In normal times, a brand new two-masted sailing ship like this would cost 1500 Gold Sparrow Coins or more."

After making the decision to close his family's shipyard, which had been in business for over a hundred years, Mr. Harland, who was originally obese, had become noticeably thinner, especially his complexion, which looked unusually haggard.

"But this is too expensive."

"It's not expensive." Harland shook his head slightly, a wry smile on his face, looking at the woman in front of him wearing a long-sleeved linen dress and a cloak.

The other person's elegant demeanor, beautiful face, and curvaceous figure made him subconsciously glance at her a few more times.

However, he quickly regained his composure, his face revealing exhaustion and helplessness. He pointed to the brand-new two-masted sailing ship being treated in the dock and said earnestly, "Miss, our Harland Shipyard's foremast sailing two-masted ships are among the fastest in the entire fleet."

"Look, we use only the finest oak, strong and durable, capable of withstanding the complexities of the marine environment. The mast is even sourced from magical plants, and these canvases and ropes are all made with the highest quality craftsmanship."

"Our shipyard's signature ships are the ones with foremasts and square sails. Don't be fooled by the fact that Harland Shipyard is on the verge of bankruptcy; it's due to some practical reasons, not because there's anything wrong with the quality of the ships we build."

"If you don't believe me, Miss, go out and ask around yourself. Isn't the Harland two-masted ship the preferred transoceanic vessel for most small traders and explorers?"

When talking about the ships from his shipyard, Haaland's face lit up with confidence and pride.

"Can you make it any cheaper?" The woman didn't care about such things; instead, she seemed troubled.

Harland sighed, rubbed his slightly sore cheeks, thought for a moment, and finally said, "This is the last ship the shipyard will ever build. Fine, I'll give you a discount. 1250 Gold Sparrow Coins is all you need."

"In addition, we can help you obtain the necessary inspection certificates and navigation permits for your ship to go to sea, free of charge."

This is already a very good price, not to mention the extra services included.

Although under normal circumstances, it is not difficult for a newly purchased ship to pass ship inspection and apply for navigation permits.

However, in an unfamiliar place, going through these procedures would not only require spending extra money to bribe officials, but would also inevitably waste some time—Harland, as a businessman, had already discerned that the woman in front of him was not a local.

So, he was just trying to please them.

The woman was clearly moved by the conditions proposed by Haaland.

However, after glancing at the brand-new sailboat, she hesitated for a moment before saying, "Boss, I'm still short a little money. Let me raise some more funds, and I'll come back to you in a few days, okay?"

"Then you should hurry. If there are other buyers, I can't hold onto it for you," Harland said.

According to Anna, her sister Elsa came to Lagos to make a living.

To make a living, simply put, is to "work".

When women migrate to cities for work, the common occupations are limited to a few: domestic service, factory work, service industry jobs, and street jobs.

These were directly excluded by Gaode Maps—although I don't know Elsa, I can tell from Anna how well-off their families were before. Even though they have declined now, a fallen camel is still bigger than a horse. Elsa would never have fallen to such a low-end job.

A high-paying job that suits Elsa's character would be either serving the nobility, such as a tutor or musician, or a mage with extraordinary skills, such as a potion maker or alchemist.

Even with Gaode's "Sea Sentinel" status, it's difficult to exclude all of these professions.

The nobles and mages in the city won't reveal their specific circumstances to you just because you're a Sea Sentinel Apprentice Mage.

This tiger skin isn't enough.

Gaode quickly changed its approach.

"Does your sister have any relatives or friends in Lagos?" He held Anna steadily in one arm, looked down at her expectant yet slightly anxious eyes, and asked softly.

Anna thought about it carefully, and finally said definitively, "No."

"How long has she been in Lagos?" God asked again.

Upon hearing this, Anna quickly gave a precise answer: "Eight days."

"That makes things easier." Gao De immediately had an idea.

The cobblestone streets of Lagos were filled with a salty, fishy mist.

Gao De swayed Anna onto his shoulder, and Anna's slender arms immediately tightened around his neck.

Anna is very light, weighing less than 40 pounds, but it still gets tiring to carry her with one hand for a long time, so Gaode cast a "Heavy Burden" spell on himself early on.

Ahead, the sign for the Beluga Whale Hotel came into view.

Gao De pushed open the carved oak door. Behind the counter, the bald proprietor was scraping tea stains from a bone cup with a silver spoon. He glanced up and saw Gao De, dressed in a sea sentry uniform, walk in. He immediately stood up, his throat bobbing, "Sir, would you like a room?"

Gao De shook his head and slammed Elsa's portrait onto the table. "Have you seen this woman before?"

At the same time, he took out a gold-flower coin, saying, "If you can provide relevant information, this is yours."

The shopkeeper glanced at the golden bird coin in Gao De's hand, then squinted and carefully examined the portrait before shaking his head and saying he had no recollection of it.

"If this lady had stayed at our hotel, I certainly wouldn't forget her," he said, shrugging. "After all, she's so beautiful."

"Excuse me." Gao De put away the portrait and left the White Whale Hotel.

Elsa has no relatives or friends in Lagos, which means that her accommodation after arriving in Lagos will inevitably be a hotel in the city.

Eight days is a very short time, far from enough to find a job that suits her status. She most likely hasn't found a suitable job yet and is still staying in a hotel.

Even if she has been found, it will most likely be within the next day or two. The hotel owner should still remember her—Gao De is quite certain of this.

Because the portrait of Elsa painted by Anna depicts her as a beautiful woman.

People tend to have a deeper impression of beautiful women.

Therefore, Gaode's idea, though simple, is also very practical:

Just go door to door in the hotels in Lagos and ask around.

His status as a sea sentinel apprentice mage might not be useful for nobles and other mages, but it's sufficient for the inn.

Few hotel owners would offend the Sea Sentinel Mage over such a trivial matter.

It's not even necessary to check every hotel.

Having lived in a privileged environment for so long, even now that her family has fallen on hard times, Elsa would never stay in a cheap hotel in Lagos.

Those dilapidated hotels with faded signs, where lice were infesting the beds and the air reeked of cheap tobacco and vomit, were not places a "prostitute" could tolerate.

Those high-end luxury hotels can also be temporarily ruled out.

Since Elsa came to Lagos to "make a living," it means she's currently short of money and wouldn't be able to afford such a luxury.

Therefore, Gaode set his sights on mid-range hotels in Lagos.

The wrought iron sign, entwined with roses, swayed gently in the breeze.

Gao De pushed open the door again and entered the lobby of the hotel called "Rose Hotel".

There were some exquisite oil paintings hanging on the walls of the lobby, and the receptionist was a young girl, who should be a staff member hired by the hotel owner.

After using the same words, Gao De pushed the portrait towards the girl with freckles all over her face.

"Ah!" The girl looked at it carefully for a moment, then suddenly exclaimed, "Seven days ago, this young lady came here and stayed for one day before leaving."

"By the way, when she left, she asked me about the locations of the major shipyards in Lagos."

"Shipyard?" Gao De was slightly taken aback.

Surely they're not planning to work at the shipyard?

"Okay, thank you." Gao De took out a silver dragon coin and pushed it to the girl, then put the portrait away.

"Does your sister also know shipbuilding techniques?" After leaving the Rose Inn, he thought for a moment and asked Anna directly.

"Although my older sister can do everything, this is something she really can't do," Anna said earnestly.

West Serra town.

This is a small town under the jurisdiction of Lagos City, located at the midpoint of the flight path between Dorne City and Lagos City.

Knight Robert was a nobleman in the town of Cissella. In big cities, knights were not considered nobles in the strict sense. The only true noble titles were: Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, Baron, and Knight.

But in the small town, there was no problem in the knights being regarded as nobles.

As a prominent figure in the town of Sisela, Sir Robert owned a separate estate on the outskirts of the town.

"Where did he go? Where did he go?" At this moment, in the manor, Knight Robert put down his teacup and said in a tone of near collapse.

"Sir, could Miss Anna have already left Xisela Town? We've already sent men to search the town so many times." The butler glanced cautiously at Knight Robert and asked.

"Leave Xisela Town? Leave my ass!" Knight Robert roared, slamming his fist on the table and pointing at the middle-aged butler's nose. "She's just a five-year-old child with no money. How can she leave Xisela Town! You bunch of useless idiots, haven't you been looking hard enough? How come you haven't found her after all this time?"

Clearly, this wasn't the first time the butler had been reprimanded and berated by Sir Robert, so he remained remarkably calm. "While Westside is a small town, it has a population of nearly 200,000. If we want to search the entire town, it will take us at least ten days with our manpower."

"Sir, my suggestion is to ask the town's patrol team for help in finding Miss Anna."

After a moment of silence, Sir Robert shook his head firmly and said, "No."

If outsiders were to find out about Anna's existence, it might cause even bigger trouble.

So even in his anger and anxiety, he maintained his composure and did not rashly contact Plantagenet officials in order to find Anna.

A hint of annoyance flashed in his eyes.

If he can't find Anna, how is he going to explain it to Elsa when she comes back?

The thought of this gave Knight Robert a terrible headache.

However, his troubles vanished in the next moment.

Before anyone knew it, the door had been opened silently, and a middle-aged man dressed in a heavy black robe appeared before Knight Robert's long table.

He wore a black cloak over his robe, the length of which covered his entire body and even his head.

"Should I address you as Knight Robert or Mage Keith?" A hoarse voice came from beneath the cloak.

Robert the Knight's expression changed drastically!

(End of this chapter)