Brain bloom

Mori firmly believed this was a good opportunity; a ship of such immense wealth must be worthy of in-depth understanding. However, figuring out how to ask questions discreetly required careful consideration of his testimony.

At the same time, although the Blood-Red Canvas was patient, the fact that Sen Shi did not answer made it a little anxious.

"Excuse me... Four Seasons One, what's your decision? Will you allow us to collect the remains?"

“I’m just reminiscing. I do have a vague recollection of your captain. He was… extremely wealthy, wasn’t he?” Mori pretended to be recalling something carefully. “If I’m not mistaken, he was known as the richest person at sea.”

She was obviously making things up, but the power of the arrow from the debt-collecting bow made her feel absolutely certain of her success in this test.

Blood-Red Canvas hesitated, remaining silent, but First Mate Hammer, in his excitement, slammed his hand into the sea, the splashing water echoing along with his booming voice—

"Of course! She left her mark on every sea in this world! What a great adventurer! Otherwise, would we follow her? She knows every underwater ruin, shipwreck, and all sorts of secrets; she can be said to be a true master of the sea!"

"really……"

The infected blood-red canvas then spoke, its tone revealing a hint of passion.

"She even imbued her soul into the ship so that she could embark on adventures on the high seas year after year... How romantic. That's why we love her so much and follow her..."

"Have you ever considered this, Seasons One? Beneath this seemingly calm sea, what secrets lie hidden? Those unclaimed, slumbering treasures have all been claimed by our esteemed Queen! This entire sea belongs to her!"

"Oh, I see... You must be very wealthy."

With a sigh, Mori silently touched the wood grain of the Debt-Collecting Bow, surprised that it actually worked.

The immense wealth of the ocean is held within the soul and memory of this ship? How tempting!

Since these two pirates are strong men who follow the Love and Peace, they must have gone through many adventures with them. If you want to take this wealth, it would be best to spare their lives and show them some kindness.

Following this line of thought, Mori spoke up:

"Since this adventurer is so great, out of respect, you may take these remains... uh, I mean the remains."

“It’s a pity you killed her, I won’t thank you.” Blood-Red Canvas breathed a sigh of relief. “But I know we brought this on ourselves.”

“You’re quite sensible, young lady—I mean, the great Four Seasons.”

Sen Shi hummed in a nasal tone, because the relationship was too complicated. You could say they brought it on themselves, or you could say it was a trap they set, but in the end, it was still a helpless coincidence.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing."

During this time, Mori's fingers caressed the arrows formed from flames, but his tone was exceptionally cold.

“You have never seen me. What you have seen is only the lonely, fallen princess of the Kingdom of Flowers.”

"We are not blabbermouthed, incompetent sailors."

"We don't spend the night with prostitutes, nor do we drink in taverns on land. We can't even tell anyone! At most, we can share this secret with the sea, but no one else can hear it."

Mori nodded. Actually, even if it got out, it wouldn't be a big problem.

Thus, the matter appears to have ended peacefully. Next, it would be best to issue a warning, instructing them to take only the wreckage of the ghost ship and leave the treasures behind. Mori was absolutely certain that many valuable items had sunk with the ship.

When Mori's gaze fell upon the girl named "Yuan," she responded with a gentle smile.

"If you don't mind, I'll help you collect them," she suddenly said.

"Oh, you're willing to help..." Both pirates were very excited.

Yuan nodded: "After all, this adventurer once signed a contract with my father, so he can be considered our guest. He also went out of his way to take me to the Four Seasons. Well, the price is right, the deal is done—I'm happy to help with this little favor."

Mori had no objections, but he became more wary, wanting to take this opportunity to see what Yuan's methods were.

This person is not to be underestimated, Mori constantly reminded herself. Because even now, she still couldn't see through her level.

Yuan slowly raised the index finger of her right hand, and immediately afterward, ripples spread across the sea beneath her feet. The ripples gradually expanded, enveloping the entire surrounding sea like incantations.

The sea is stirring—

At first, some planks floating on the sea began to sway, and then, ship parts such as iron studs, steel sheets, and hardened keel wood slowly rose from the sea.

Although the sea was calm, Mori's heart was filled with a fear born of the unknown, as if it had been battered by a storm. She couldn't see through it at all, and didn't understand whether this strange power was magic or something else... How did it manage to do all this?

She witnessed all the parts slowly coming together as if time had reversed, forming its proper shape within seconds.

In just a few blinks of an eye, the dilapidated ghost ship returned to its original state, hovering near Yuan with a shallow draft.

“She has no soul now, after all, she was killed,” Yuan said.

"Waaah..."

"It would be great to see the body intact..."

The two pirates were dejected. They couldn't help but glare fiercely at Mori, but it was pointless; they were the ones who had caused the trouble. They helped each other back onto the ship and sat on the deck, lost in thought.

"but……"

The sound of wishing will once again sweep across the sea—

"According to the pact made with the devil, her soul has deviated from its normal course and gone to find my father—if she pays a sufficient price, she might be able to return to the ship and continue her adventures... You guys go first, we can discuss this later. Be careful not to anger the Four Seasons again, or you'll be the ones shot to pieces."

"Thank you, descendant of the supreme ancient demon king."

"...We will repay your kindness."

Having lost all their sailors and with their ship no longer shrouded in fog, the two pirates were left to fend for themselves. With great effort, they unfurled their sails and set sail, gradually disappearing as they thanked Yuan.

At the same time, Mori beckoned Fukufu to go into the sea to search for the treasure left by the ghost ship. Fukufu happily went into the seabed, and it was really suitable for this job, as it even had its own light source.

After giving the orders—"And what about you? You devil."

"I?"

Mori's tone was firm, tinged with sarcasm: "Want to stay for dinner? Should I get you a silver spoon?"

“Sure, I’d love to! Do you have any fish? I’ve heard fish is a very delicious food, especially the belly part.” Yuan’s face was completely untroubled, as if she genuinely believed that Mori had simply extended a dinner invitation.

But she quickly noticed Mori's strange expression and realized she had said something wrong.

"Uh, so there's no fish for dinner, right?"

"This one……"

For a moment, Mori couldn't quite grasp the other person's attitude. Was it genuine sentiment or just a heartfelt expression? It felt like punching soft air—a bit deflated...

After thinking for a moment, Morishi said, "If you want to eat it, just catch it yourself, then sprinkle some salt, remove the internal organs, and slowly roast it over a low flame. That will be quite delicious."

"Thank you!" Yuan's expression brightened. "I will remember this."

May the morning sun rise high.

"By the way, I thought there was only one Four Seasons user left, but who are you?"

“I am the Four Seasons One—do it your way. Want the answer? Let's settle it through a deal.” Mori added, “However, the price for this secret is very high.”

"Fine, after all, I am the devil. Even if you don't tell me, I will seriously consider what price I can pay."

She had already come ashore and approached Mori politely, but in the latter's eyes, she didn't seem much like those glamorous or bizarre demons.

First, she didn't have long, pointed nails. Second, she had soft, flowing black hair, clear blue eyes, and a pretty, lively face; she looked exactly like a human.

"Oh, I've got it."

Having decided on how to pay, he reached out and touched the one-shoulder cape, carefully removing a jet-black feather, then offered it to Mori with both hands:

"This is the magical feather of the ancient demon king. I hope it can help me understand the answer to my question."

Mori hesitated before accepting it, and as his hand touched the softness of the feathers, he suddenly felt a stinging pain throughout his body—even his soul. This thing itself contained a vast, evil power that would make one feel uncomfortable.

Fortunately, the stinging pain wasn't too bothersome; it was similar to the severity of a migraine and was within a tolerable range.

Mori adopted a nonchalant expression, focusing intently as he tried to examine the feather—

It has a material name that I've never seen before: [The Soul's Sharp Feather of the Ancient Demon King].

Almost simultaneously, Sen Shi's mind was in turmoil, like water being poured into a boiling oil pan, with strange and wonderful ideas splashing out. They all stemmed from memories of life skills, and they all spoke of the same thing—this feather could definitely be made into incredible equipment.

"By the way, I want to apologize... I really came to see Four Seasons because I have something to discuss, and I have no hostility whatsoever."

Her eyes were clear and bright, and Senshi's intuition told him that he hoped she wasn't an enemy.

But the formalities still need to be followed:

"Perhaps I can believe you, but Princess Dandelion is probably still very angry; she was almost killed."

"...Ugh, what a damn misunderstanding. How about this, I'll make a vow in a way that can never be broken?"

Volume 1 #080 - Another short and weak chapter (eager for monthly votes)

The boots made a soft rustling sound as they stepped on the grass, but Shiki's pointed ears wouldn't miss it. So Mori raised her index finger, temporarily interrupting Yuen, and looked behind her together—

The dandelions have arrived.

"Princess."

"Hmm, Mori Toki... and this devilish lady."

Dandelion walked over, having already taken off her over-the-knee socks, revealing her flawless legs. She was clearly in a hurry; even her boot laces weren't tied properly.

She gripped her staff tightly with both hands, taking each step cautiously, as if worried that a snake might slither out of the grass.

After all, once the socks are removed, the outfit is no longer a complete set, the powerful bonus from the equipment disappears, and the dandelion naturally becomes just a decorative vase again. She tried her best to hide her nervousness and asked in a nonchalant voice:

"What about the pirates?"

"I chased her away, but this young lady named Yuan wants to stay for dinner."

“It’s the surviving princess of the fallen kingdom of the Flower Kingdom, Dandelion…” Yuan’s eyes lit up.

“Yes, that’s me.” She puffed out her chest a little. “While the Four Seasons are kind, they’re not so kind as to invite their enemies to dinner.”

“I am not the enemy… Give me a minute to explain.”

Yuan hurriedly called out, rummaged through his clothes for a while, and took out a thick book, flipping through it in his hands.

“Oh, I found it… cough cough— ‘In accordance with the nineteen verses of the Devil and the Rose, in the name of Ron Stolt, the ancient devil king and singer of the seventh verse, I pay homage to my dearest friend from ancient times.’ Hmm, that’s what my father taught me, saying that the other party would know that I have no hostile intentions.”

After saying that, Yuan looked at Dandelion with anticipation, as did Sen Shi. She thought it might be a secret code, like the "Heavenly King Covers the Earth" or similar phrases.

Since they've given the code, they must be on our side, and Mori breathed a sigh of relief. Being allies is the best outcome; they would have been wiped out immediately if a real fight had broken out.

But Dandelion tilted her head, looking confused: "...Um, what are you babbling about?"

"Wait a minute, you don't know?" Yuan dropped the book in her hand.

Should I know?