บท 15: Chapter 15 Touching the Flame
บรรณาธิการ: Nyoi-Bo Studio
After taking the helm himself, Duncan had true control over the Homeloss and could sense any movement aboard the ship — yet, out of caution, he still ordered the Goat Head to keep constant watch on the movements of the "Cursed Doll."
Because he knew he was not an expert in the field of mysticism and knew very little about the supernatural powers of this world, a doll that could walk and talk was beyond his realm of knowledge. Alice's behavior might have been harmless, but if the doll lady had some other... invisible "influence," he was very likely to miss it.
On this point, Goat Head was more specialized than he was.
Moreover, even setting that aside, Duncan knew he could not monitor the Homeloss at all times — although he had now decided to survive in "this world," he might still need to return to the world "on the other side" of the door when necessary, at which point he might no longer be able to sense what was happening aboard Homeloss.
Thinking about this last point, Duncan's gaze suddenly shifted slightly, and he looked at Goat Head by the edge of the navigational table without showing any emotion, whose obsidian-carved eyes returned a hollow stare.
When he returned to the world "on the other side," when he returned to his own bachelor apartment... did this Goat Head recognize anything? What was the situation aboard the Homeloss when he left?
This sudden question made Duncan somewhat irritated inside, but under the hollow gaze of the Goat Head, he showed no emotion but instead diverted a fraction of his attention to check on Alice's situation.
Of course, he had no hobby of spying — not even on a "non-human being," so he merely sensed the situation below deck. But even just through the connection with the Homeloss, he could at least determine Alice's current location and whether she was attempting to damage anything.
After all, beneath the harmless, graceful, and beautiful exterior of the doll lady lay the nature of the Cursed Doll, a dangerous entity known as "Anomaly 099" by the ordinary people of this world.
She was still in her room, perhaps genuinely studying the furnishings and arranging a place to rest.
Duncan breathed a little easier, and at the same time, the Goat Head next to him suddenly spoke, "Captain, what are your plans next? If you feel bored, your loyal..."
"Shut up." Duncan glanced at the Goat Head, then placed both hands on the edge of the navigational table, and as his thoughts shifted, the sensation of holding the wheel earlier once again surged in his mind, and the green flames also flowed like water once more.
In the blaze, Duncan's body turned back into a Spiritual Body, and the flowing flames spread along the navigational table, eventually reaching outside the Captain's cabin, climbing up to the upper deck, up the mast, and up the ropes, making the translucent sails of the Spiritual Body billow in the wind.
As the main, side, and jib sails adjusted angles flexibly in the sea breeze, the massive three-masted sailing ship began to accelerate slowly on the vast sea. Duncan's gaze fell on the navigational chart in front of him, and as expected, he saw the gray-white mist on the chart instantly change — the silhouette representing the Homeloss was moving slowly forward, and the mist around the silhouette dissipated.
After brief contemplation, he began trying to concentrate on that sea chart, with the pale green flames enveloping around the navigational table like an extension of Duncan's limbs, conveying the will of the captain. In this subtle "connected" state, Duncan faintly realized the mystery of the sea chart, which clearly belonged to the Transcendent artifacts.
With a thought, the silhouette representing the Homeloss on the sea chart suddenly enlarged a bit, then immediately shrank back to its original size.
Duncan zoomed in on the imagery displayed by the sea chart, and this whimsical action was successful — although for now, no matter how he zoomed in or out, all he could see on the edge of the chart was fog, but he was now certain that this sea chart was capable of recording and presenting every inch of the ocean explored by the Homeloss and accurately and in real-time displaying the details around the Homeloss!
Under the hollow gaze of the Goat Head, no expression changed on Duncan's face, just like a true captain solemnly observing the sea chart, yet a subtle excitement surfaced in his heart.
His eyes swept over the flames rising from his own body, his consciousness perceiving the state of the Homeloss and the changes happening on the sea chart.
These eerie green flames were indeed the key to controlling the Homeloss, and also the key to controlling many strange artifacts aboard this ship!
Perhaps... this was the power of the "Captain"?
Duncan pondered the power of the flames; he understood that if he wanted to truly control the ship well and thereby establish a base to survive well in this strange world, he must figure out his own abilities.
First and foremost, fully mastering these flames.
As for the "next plans" that Goat Head mentioned earlier...
Duncan looked at the sea chart slowly changing before him, the slowly dissipating white mist around the silhouette of the Homeloss, his thoughts were simple.
Since his understanding of this world was lacking, and since the entire map was in a state of fog, it was undoubtedly correct to first clear the map.
After all, setting sail is meant for seeking adventures.
Regardless, "Captain Duncan" is already perceived as a world boss who wanders the wilderness in the eyes of the locals of this world. Even if he and the Homeloss were to stay at sea honestly, it would not improve their reputation.
As for the risks of aimlessly driving around the ocean, Duncan believed this—before he personally "took the helm," the ship had always been drifting. Since the Homeloss had never anchored and stopped, what could be the "additional risk"?
Compared to the previous aimless drifting, navigating under "full sail" was at least able to disperse the fog on the sea charts, thus ending the previous completely passive state, enveloped in fog.
Duncan stood up from behind the navigation desk, the green flames on his body gradually dissipating, but in his perception, the translucent spiritual sails on the mast of the Homeloss had not vanished. A part of the green flames that clung to the mast and ropes was still burning, continuing to execute the captain's will.
Considering the situation earlier when he "took the helm," Duncan vaguely understood.
Though the ship's spiritual sails had risen in flames only after he "took the helm," neither the enormous sails nor the many automatic operations on the ship relied on the captain's own power—the Ghost Ship had its own power source.
Although he still did not know what the "energy" that moved the ship was, it was clear that all he, as the captain, needed to do was "issue commands."
Then, the ship would faithfully execute the captain's orders.
Duncan left the navigation desk and turned to look at the small door at the deepest end of the captain's cabin.
That door led to his personal chamber as captain. In the first few days of exploring the ship, he had used that room as a rest base.
Now, he needed a quiet environment to properly study what else he, as the captain of the Homeloss, could possibly do.
But before that, someone needed to keep watch over the ship, now under sail.
He looked at the wooden goat's head at the edge of the navigation desk and said in a natural tone, "You take the helm."
"Ah?" The goat's head was stunned, sounding a bit surprised, "But captain, you…"
"I have matters to attend to; do not disturb me," Duncan stated, seemingly uninterested in whatever the goat's head was going to say, just casually giving instructions. In his secondary perception, through the information conveyed by the green flames spreading across the outer deck, he could clearly see the various connections hidden deep within the ship.
Masts, ropes, sails, rudder, cannons…
Everything was invisibly connected, a sort of network like nerves or blood vessels going through the ship, and all these "connections" converged in the captain's cabin.
The goat's head was subtly linked to all this.
Perhaps, this mysterious and eerie goat's head was the Homeloss itself? Or maybe some kind of "control mechanism" used to take over the entire ship in emergencies?
Duncan was not the builder of the ship, so naturally, he did not know how the ship operated, but he thought, if he were really Captain Duncan, he would definitely know what the goat's head could do.
On the other hand, the goat's head, always calling itself the "first mate," should naturally be able to take over the helm if necessary.
Duncan needed to take a slight risk, making some arrangements he had never made before but that a true captain must know and inevitably would do.
After all, captains do need to rest.
A second later, the goat's head made a cheerful and noisy sound, "Ah, alright captain, go ahead with your business. Your loyal…"
Duncan ignored it, simply waved his hand dismissively, turned, and walked into the bedroom located deep in the captain's cabin, closing the door behind him.
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