Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

Just like now, they decided to go straight into the cabin. They were surprised to find that this ghost ship, which had been drifting on the sea for sixty years, actually had electricity, and the cabin was brightly lit. The lights illuminated their way forward and also illuminated the Iberian-style decoration, a mixture of Agor's technology, Iberian aesthetics, and a certain degree of structural beauty.

"...This thing...could it be a Titan?" Noah looked up and spotted the painting on the wall. "It's said that this painting depicts the Cyclops tribe in the Sarkaz royal court, but it disappeared a long time ago... I didn't expect the original to be preserved here."

Noah, well-versed in Terran history, used his divine eye to observe and confirmed that the painting was definitely not a forgery, but an authentic work. There were dozens of paintings like this one hanging on the walls of the Fool. These were priceless masterpieces by renowned artists. Before its decline, Iberia was a land of art and gold, and its people were known for their generous art collections. Taking these paintings off and taking them with them would likely make anyone wealthy.

"Artworks placed on the ghost ship—if no one appreciates them, they're meaningless," Ghost Shark interjected. "The beauty of a work of art lies not only in the artist's technique, but also in the ability to discover its beauty. No matter how precious the artworks are, if they just stay on this ship, they have no meaning."

"...are these paintings...good?" Skadi was probably the only one here without artistic talent. Even Mace, after seeing so many fine works with Noah, had some taste. Poor Miss Killer Whale, after looking at them from left to right, only thought this one was well-made, without any other feelings.

"These paintings... let's put it this way. Conservatively speaking, if we take one out, Rhodes Island won't need any other income this year." Noah used a unit that Skadi could understand to describe the value of the painting, but these were secondary. Compared to the paintings, the arrangement on the floor was even more shocking - there was a wood carving on the table. It seemed to be carved from the particularly precious rosewood from Yan Country. It was a carving of a siren, a legendary banshee who sang to seduce sailors. The material alone was enough to prove its value.

In addition to the materials used, the woodcarver's technique is also very superb. Taking Noah's stock price as an example... it may not be much lower than that of "Titan". If it is put on auction, it may be even more expensive.

It can be said that just from this one painting and this one wood carving, one can see how proud Iberia was at the time. However, even such a powerful Iberia suffered a heavy blow in the Great Silence... The horror of the Great Silence can be seen from this.

"...This place could be called the Iberian Museum...If only we could get the Fool back," Noah grumbled. "So many precious works of art...it's such a shame to leave them here."

"That's also Iberia's property!" Elini glared at Noah. "The Fool has been Iberia's state-owned property since its creation! And so are the things on it!"

"I know, I didn't intend to take two pieces." Noah said helplessly, "I just feel sorry for these works of art..."

"Little Bird, on the one hand, we're Agorians and don't value these things. On the other hand—the one you're warning is the head of Rhine Life, and these things might not even impress her," Laurentina teased. "Besides, our purpose isn't to reclaim artwork. Shouldn't we be looking for our friend?"

"..." Elini thought about it carefully and felt that the people here really were not short of money. She held her breath and was speechless.

As they advanced, Ghost Shark and Skadi cleared the way. Passing through hatch after hatch, Noah and the others discovered that although the Fool had been drifting at sea for sixty years, its interior seemed to be regularly cleaned and maintained. It wasn't as dilapidated as Noah and the others had imagined. "Could it be that person who just cleaned it? Was she alone?"

"Then she must love this ship deeply..." Noah estimated the workload and couldn't help but sigh.

"This is her home... We're the uninvited guests," Elini muttered to herself. She felt as if she had stepped back into the Fool from sixty years ago. Nothing had changed... It was as if once she left, she would return to that glorious Iberia.

Obviously she had never seen that Iberia...

"Wait..." Suddenly, Noah stretched out her hand, but before she could speak, the three deep-sea hunters had obviously noticed it earlier than her, because they smelled the familiar smell, and soon, two blue soft-bodied creatures covered with shells appeared in front of them.

"Hai Si—but his evolutionary level is very low." Gloria held up the Changshuo in her hand and said, "Has this really become their nest?"

"No...it's a bit strange..." But Laurentina's performance was a little strange. Her eyes switched between confusion and clarity. The mental stability that Noah had originally given her began to fluctuate, as if something was pulling her towards the abyss.

"...Be careful! Ghost Shark! The breath comes from under your feet--"

The magnificent floor corridor shattered in an instant, and Ghost Shark and Skadi were caught off guard and fell directly to the lower level -

Although these people were not strong enough to get injured, the feeling of weightlessness after the sudden fall still diverted Ghost Shark's consciousness for a moment. Immediately, her eyes were completely swallowed by confusion.

-

The smoke dissipated, and Skadi and Ghost Shark landed in a hall. Skadi coughed due to the smoke and dust, but still looked worriedly in the direction of Ghost Shark, only to see a pair of confused eyes.

"Ghost Shark...you!"

"..."

"...Ghost Shark? Laurentina!" Skadi suddenly became alert. No one knew what the Ghost Shark would do in this state. Unexpectedly, Noah's spiritual seed still could not stabilize the Ghost Shark's consciousness... Or, something broke through Noah's restrictions and forced the Ghost Shark into this state.

Ghost Shark had her back to Skadi, and she was facing a mirror... The mirror stood in the middle of the hall, very abrupt, but Ghost Shark stared at the mirror - her eyes flashed.

"...Laurentina, what are you doing?" Seeing that Laurentina did not lose control, Skadi felt relieved. She came to her side and also looked at the huge floor-to-ceiling mirror.

"It looks like... just a mirror..." This mirror, placed alone in a cabin on the Fool, must be something special. Perhaps it's the work of some legendary mirror maker? Although Skadi couldn't quite figure it out, from Noya and Ghost Shark's conversation just now, she'd assumed the ship was full of goodies. Even if it was just a strange-looking mirror, it was still the same.

"...This is a..." Laurentina reached out her hand, touched the surface of the mirror, and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

She suddenly closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her tone changed—

"Looks like you guys are okay?"

"...Ghost Shark... No, you're Noah?" Skadi immediately realized that it was Noah who temporarily controlled the confused Ghost Shark through the spiritual seed. "You scared me..."

"I'm sorry. After seeing you fall, I didn't dare jump down casually, so I had to resort to this last resort. I will also apologize to Ghost Shark...but this mirror..." Noah controlled Ghost Shark's body and turned his head to look at the mirror, "...strange...standing here, I always feel like there is something..."

hiss--

On the other side of the mirror, a silhouette suddenly emerged, a weird, twisted... ugly silhouette.

Immediately, the mirror shattered, and the monster walked out of the mirror, not caring about the fragments scattered on the ground. Instead, it opened its mouth and whispered.

"...Ishar-mla, La-tina, Louu-tina, Laren-tina...?"

"...What is he...saying?" Noah asked doubtfully while controlling the Ghost Shark's body. "This isn't Agor language, is it?"

"...Maybe it's just a meaningless shout. Miss Noah, you control Laurentina's body and move away. I'll deal with this guy!" Skadi said, holding a giant sword and protecting Laurentina controlled by Noah.

"Miss Laurentina's consciousness is awakening. I'm helping. Miss Skadi will be in your care for the time being." Noya wasn't skilled in using the Deep Sea Hunter's weapons, so she retreated for the time being, leaving Skadi to face the enemy alone. She, however, focused her attention on Laurentina's consciousness. Within Laurentina's body were two consciousnesses: one as a Deep Sea Hunter, and the other as the nun who had escaped from the Deep Sea Church.

At this time, the two consciousnesses were in fierce confrontation, and it seemed that there was no winner.

After Noah intervened, Laurentina's consciousness obviously prevailed, and she suppressed the other self in the strange nun costume.

"Thank you, Miss Noah, you've arrived just in time." Laurentina looked at the nun in front of her, who was still praying and had been chained to the ground by Noah's mental chains. "Have I always been like this on Rhodes Island?"

"Almost... I tried to treat you, but it seems that you can only stay awake at sea—" Noah nodded, "Now... what should we do with her? You can just kill her, and then you won't be confused again."

"...I see. A very tempting proposal." Laurentina looked at the unmoved nun in front of her, still praying, thoughtfully. "Two consciousnesses in one body, it's inevitable that some bad things will happen. But...I don't think it must be a matter of life and death."

"......?" Noah, who was watching from the side, felt confused. "Ms. Laurentina...you?"

"We are two different souls." Laurentina said, "I don't want to kill you, kill a ghost carved into my body—"

"..."

"But I need to make a promise with you—" Laurentina looked at her other self bound by chains, "From now on, you are my other half—we will never be separated. Now... I need you."

Laurentina's mental chains were gradually torn apart. Noya watched as she supported her alter ego. She had never imagined such a treatment method existed—it was truly a unique phenomenon in the world of psychotherapy. Who could achieve psychotherapy by conquering their own split personality?

But no matter what, Miss Laurentina has now completely solved the hidden dangers in her body. After she and Laurentina high-fived, Laurentina returned to her own body.

"Sorry for the long wait - Skadi!" The circular saw roared, and Laurentina joined the battlefield.

After withdrawing from Laurentina's body, Noah finally opened his eyes under the care of the mace. "...I really saw something strange."

"...So those two guys are okay?" Elini asked, her hands on her hips. "Then I was worried about them for nothing."

"They are deep-sea hunters after all..." Noah said helplessly. "Come to think of it, Miss Gladia has already gone looking for them, hasn't she?"

"Almost. You woke up a little later than I expected." Elini nodded. After Ghost Shark and Skadi fell down, Gloria chose to go to the lower level alone, leaving Noah and others to stay on the upper level.

"...Since you're awake, let's continue on our journey. It's strange...I always feel like someone is watching us."

Elini shrugged, but the cold feeling of being watched never disappeared.

"Come to think of it... Elini, you said before that this Fool is full of soldiers and scholars..." Noah remembered that Elini had mentioned this topic on the deck, "So where are they now?"

"Perhaps they abandoned ship and fled due to the Haisi invasion?" Elini asked, "Or... died?"

"But judging by the situation here, someone is doing maintenance, and maintaining these things isn't a basic skill. It's very likely that the person was on this ship from the beginning... Elini, you should know who's on this ship, right?"

"...There are indeed several famous people, but when it comes to the Fool, there are always two names that cannot be avoided. Alfonso under the pomegranate tree, and Breogan..." Elini recalled that period of history and mentioned these two names.

Alfonso is the captain of the Stutifila, a hero of Iberia - if there is anyone still keeping this ship running, it is most likely this legendary captain.

However, Elini didn't notice that when Alfonso's name was mentioned, the strange Hai Si who had appeared on the deck quietly appeared in their blind spot.

"...Captain, I...beria..."

Chapter 33: Captain

Stepping onto this ship is like stepping into the history of Iberia.

Brilliant, gorgeous, luxurious—then it fell into ruin, into the abyss of being swallowed by the sea. Upon seeing the sea scars spreading wildly across the ground, Noah, Jian, and Elini immediately realized the severity of the problem. This kind of thing had appeared in previous lighthouse defense battles. Where these sea scars appeared, the sea would move faster and be more deadly. More importantly, they had no means to deal with them.

After Elini dealt with Hai Si who attacked them, the two of them had to take a detour and avoid Ming Hen's location.

"...The Haisi...are evolving faster than we imagined." Elini panted, holding her knees. "Before, I could easily kill them with my swordsmanship...but now, they've developed a thorn-proof shell. My sword struggles to penetrate it, making it incredibly difficult to kill them."

"That shell is soft... but so far, I've been able to kill them with one strike," Jianye said. "The trouble is that thing spreading inside the ship. The speed and strength of the Kaiji up there are orders of magnitude different than before, and we'll feel dizzy if we step on it. Is that thing on the ground producing some kind of... toxin?"

"...If it's poison, it would be a good thing. The more troublesome thing is that we can't fight on it for a long time. That kind of thing will greatly affect our physical strength..." Both Elini and Jian are not good at Originium skills. When fighting with Hai Si, they are easily tricked by the opponent's weirdness. It can be said that both of them spent a lot of effort in the battle in the cabin.

Probably the only one who was relatively relaxed here was Noah. Most of the Hai Si would freeze immediately if they were seen by Noah's indifferent eyes, not to mention getting close to Noah, and then would bite their compatriots around them like crazy.

For this kind of low-level sea creatures, mental attacks can be said to be quite effective. In the battle just now, it was Noah who forcibly controlled a large number of sea creatures to allow them to evacuate smoothly.

"...At least before developing mental resistance, everything can still be salvaged." Noah felt better than ever. After boarding the ship, she felt that her gray matter was very active. The gray matter that was quite lazy in the past was now like an arm. She didn't know whether it was Hai Si or something in the ship that affected the gray matter. However, considering that this ship was originally a combination of Agor technology and Iberia technology, this might not be an illusion.

The increased activity in the gray matter prolonged Noya's legs' normal movement, which was a good thing. However, after running for so long, they hadn't spotted Goletia, Ghost Shark, and the others, and they had no idea where they had gone. The ship's interior was enormous, worthy of being called a "sea palace." The ability to build a vessel of this size was a testament to the wealth of Iberia back then.

However, human power has its limits. After several encounters with the sea, everyone's physical strength has been greatly depleted. If this continues, they are likely to be defeated one by one - they must meet up with the deep-sea hunters as soon as possible.

"...It's a pity that the radio can't be used here. I don't know if it's because Agor technology is incompatible with Originium technology... This will block the Originium device from sending signals." Before entering the interior, Noah distributed radios to everyone, but I don't know if there was a special structure inside the Fool, the radio immediately turned into bricks in the cabin. Now it's a good thing that there are not many walnuts in hand, otherwise Noah would have wanted to use it to crack walnuts.

No matter how well prepared you are, accidents still happen after you actually enter the cabin.

It's like Skadi and Ghost Shark suddenly fell to the lower level... If we rule out Skadi and Ghost Shark's weight, then someone deliberately damaged the floor. The intention was likely to target Skadi and Ghost Shark. Miss Skadi participated in the important mission of hunting the Sea God and is suspected of having killed the Sea God's spirit. It's understandable that the Sea God has a high hatred for her, but why did Ghost Shark...

Noya actually didn't quite understand. Logically speaking, there shouldn't be too much connection between Ghost Shark and Hai Si...

After all, the ghost shark is just the part of the deep-sea hunter team responsible for attracting the sea, so it shouldn't be a target...

"...If we want to continue moving forward, we must determine our location. Running around like headless flies won't work now." Elini sighed, "But there's no map here..."

"Then find someone to lead the way?"

"That's easy to say, but who knows the terrain here?"

"...For example, the person who has been following us and spying on us..." Noah turned his head and looked at a corner behind him. A person slowly walked out of the shadows - this person was the mysterious sea infected person who had been following them.

Noah had already noticed that she was following him, but he didn't sense any malicious intent, instead he was very curious.

"She... those things on her..." Only then did Elini notice that she was actually carrying a compass and pocket watch, standard equipment for Iberian sailors. "Could it be that..."

"I assume you're a sailor from the Fool?" Noah's divine eyes had already observed this, and after Elini confirmed it, she also made her own judgment. "Have you been following us to confirm something?"

"..." He didn't speak, only making strange noises in his throat. After a long while, he finally spoke. "Iberia..."

"You are indeed an Iberian! Tell me! What on earth happened here! I am an inquisitor from the Inquisition. I am here for the Fool and what happened here!" Elini said anxiously. After knowing that the other party might be someone on the ship, she hoped very much that he could tell her the truth about how the Fool became the empty ship it is now. However, the monstrous sailor did not speak, perhaps because he could no longer utter more complete words, or perhaps -

"Eline, don't be anxious. She has been following us but has no intention of attacking us. She is probably just observing whether we are trustworthy. And if he is really a sailor from the Fool, he may not know the current situation in Iberia or the Inquisition. You claim to be from the State Church, maybe she knows some people there." Noah persuaded her hurriedly, fearing that Eline would scare people away.

"...That's right. If you were a sailor on this ship... I should explain the specifics first. It's like this... not long after you set sail, the Great Silence swept across Iberia. We lost a great deal of land, and Iberia... declined. We lost a great deal of technology... The Royal Court also collapsed. Now the Iberian Inquisition is in charge. Its predecessor was indeed the Iberian State Church—though there are certain differences between it and the State Church."

After Elini recounted everything that had happened in Iberia over the years, she actually seemed to be deep in thought. After some thought, she seemed to have made a decision. She waved to Noah and the others, signaling them to follow her.

Noah and the others had no other way to find their way, so they could only follow Hai Si, who was suspected to be a transformed Iberian sailor. After many twists and turns, they came to a hall. Hai Si stopped in front of the hall door and motioned them to go in. Noah and the others then walked into the hall which looked quite luxurious. Although Noah and the others had become a little immune to high-end works of art along the way, they were still shocked after entering here.

Atop the dome, resplendent crystal chandeliers adorned the space like stars, emitting a soft, warm glow. The walls were inlaid with various gemstones, and the floor was etched with a collage depicting Iberia triumphing over the sea and setting sail. Minoan marble columns shone alongside towering Lateran-style statues. The seemingly eclectic mix of styles, yet strangely unified, exemplified the Iberian style's inclusive nature.

On one side of the hall stood rows of high-backed chairs, their backs intricately carved, every detail revealing the craftsman's meticulous attention to detail. The chairs, cushioned with golden satin, exuded a sense of elegance and luxury. On the other side, ancient weapons and armor were displayed. The armor gleamed, and the swords clunked as they were unsheathed. These weapons seemed to await their master's call, ready for battle at any moment.

It can be said that... this place is simply the embodiment of extravagance and luxury, the most shining corner of Iberia -

However, on the throne decorated with all kinds of treasures, sat a man who was intimidating without even getting angry. Ever since Noah and the others stepped into the hall, his eyes had been watching them as they walked into this area that had not been visited by outsiders for a long time.

"Why are you boarding my ship?" With a roar that seemed to shake the entire ship, the tall man stood up from his throne and picked up the scimitar leaning against it. He was nearly two meters tall, and his size alone was enough to intimidate him. The hostility displayed by the other party did not seem fake...

It was like they walked into the boss area and met the final boss, and Noah was the calmest one among them - because the sailor obviously had no ill intentions. In other words, although hostility could be sensed from his emotions, it was obvious that this was a character with whom they could communicate.

"Your friend brought us here." Noah did not retreat, nor did she panic. She knew that if she showed fear at this moment, the person in front of her would only look down on her.

"...Oh?" He frowned. "The first mate actually let you come here... Who... are you?"

"Inquisitor of the Iberian Tribunal, Elini."

"…Noah Kirielight, head of the Casimir Kirielight family."

"Mace, this person's guard."

The three of them announced their names. When they heard the name "Iberia," the man laughed. "Iberia... Have the children of Iberia these days actually become this weak?"

"..." Elini said nothing, but raised her head and stared at the man who looked so majestic. "Are you... Captain Alfonso?"

In history, Elini had seen a portrait of Captain Alfonso. Although there were definitely some differences from the real person, she came to this conclusion from his tone and appearance.

"Haha, it turns out that Alfonso's name is still circulating in Iberia - I thought you had erased me from the book!" Captain Alfonso was not annoyed when his real name was revealed, but instead looked at this Iberian descendant.

"The Inquisition... What's so new about the Inquisition? Are you from the State Church?"

"...The Church of England was the predecessor of the Inquisition, and it is the Inquisition that now rules Iberia," Elini explained. "You've been away from Iberia for sixty years, Captain Alfonso. Everything has changed."

"...The Inquisition rules Iberia...but what about the royal family?"

"The royal family... has completely lost contact in the Great Silence..."

In today's Iberia, there is no longer the concept of a royal family. Today's Iberia has lost its former glory and has even given up most of the land along the coastline.

As an inquisitor... or as an Iberian, the more Elini spoke, the more she felt that her generation seemed a bit shameful... After all, the other party was an old man who lived in the heyday of Iberia. Now it was like a younger generation finding themselves embarrassed when reporting on their own situation. She was becoming less and less confident.