The Devil's Cage

The candlelight was soft in the darkness, shedding a comfortable light over the two.

The waves outside could be heard, beating on the ship.

Kieran and Ohara exchanged gazes unconsciously under the peaceful atmosphere and quickly shifted their gazes with awkwardness after a couple of seconds.

Ohara who was blushing tilted her head aside at the small window.

Kieran tilted his down at the dishes before him. He was trying to divert his attention with the food, it wasn’t the best idea but it was the only thing he could come up with.

As for the result?

Ohara promptly followed Kieran in dining. Both of them had an awkward silence between them that was mixed with a little embarrassment. Throughout the whole dinner, only the noise of forks and knives clunking could be heard and it was very soft.

Both of them were carefully in eating, trying their best in not making any noise.

Kieran could only describe his feelings at that moment with troublesome and strenuous, in a more simplified means, Kieran had never had such a torturing dinner.

"I’m done!" After gobbling down his portion of the dinner quickly, he stood up and walked out of the cabin with haste. He really couldn’t bear it anymore being in that room with Ohara.

He would rather Ohara tell more stories about "his" past life than keep quiet the whole dinner.

It was the worst torture!

After walking out of his cabin, sea breeze caressed his face and he looked at the stars and moon in the night sky. Finally, he let out a long sigh, he had decided to not return to his cabin until Ohara returned to her own.

Kieran laid down his backpack and the box with [Arrogant Word], leaning on his tedious luggage and slightly shut his eyes, waiting.

After a few minutes, Kieran opened his eyes.

It wasn’t that Ohara had left but Azinder with a sneaky smile appeared before him.

Looking at the captain of the ship before him that created that unforgettable dinner for him, Kieran raised a brow, thinking that he should create some unforgettable experience for the captain in return.

"Azinder, you’ve ever heard of a night swim?" Kieran asked.

"A night swim? Of course, I do! It was once a popular activity among the youngsters of the West Coast back in the days. It lasted for quite a while until the appearance of the night predator forced them to stay indoors. It was then slowly forgotten by the people.

Captain Azinder thought he did a good deed and he didn’t even realize the impending punishment for him, all he did was answer Kieran’s question with sincerity.

"Umm, I really want to see someone night swim before me." Kieran nodded and said with a flat expression.

"You want to see... Aaaaaaaah!"

Before Azinder could finish his words, he was thrown into the sea by Kieran.

His cry broke the silence of the night on the ship.

"Captain overboard!! Hurry! Captain overboard!!"

The men on duties on the deck heard the cry and yelled loudly to the others, waking those who were in their dreamland.

It was after ten minutes when Azinder was rescued back on the deck.

Azinder blushed hard when he realized his crew was looking at him with astonished gaze and without knowing the inside story of why he fell into the sea.

A captain of the ship falling into the sea was not something glorious to boast about, especially when he needed rescue from his crew.

If the ship wasn’t the Sanctuary’s and all the crew on the ship were Sanctuary members, Azinder would have his authority of captain questioned at this point.

After all, no sailor would sail with a captain that didn’t know how to swim.

Azinder dispersed his spectator crew and headed towards Kieran with an upset face. He wanted to question Kieran why he had thrown him overboard.

Though when he saw Kieran’s cool face, Azinder’s upset rage disappeared by itself and was replaced by a sheer coldness from the back of his head.

"Before this... Did I do something wrong again?" Azinder finally reacted to what caused him to be thrown overboard since he wasn’t an idiot. All Azinder could do when he stood before Kieran was to show a bitter smile.

"I think we should have talked over this matter rather than actions!" The captain said.

"But sometimes, actions or other methods are more effective!" Kieran didn’t refute but he stood his point firmly.

The bitter smile on Azinder’s face turned heavier.

Just as Azinder was giving up any unhealthy conversation with the persistent Kieran, Kieran suddenly asked, "How do you see the sudden encounter in the evening?"

The bitter smile on Azinder’s face instantly vanished and he looked at Kieran with a strict face.

"You’ve discovered something?" Azinder asked.

"Nope but at least I know it wasn’t purely coincidence. In the middle of nowhere on the sea and trying to lockdown The Coral with her special defensive measures, it is nearly impossible but they did it somehow. How do you think they did it?" Kieran asked in a ridiculing way.

"There is no traitor on my ship!" Azinder emphasized.

Captain Azinder’s expression was even stricter than before, the beard on his face even stood up straight because he tightened his lips, similar to a curled up hedgehog.

"Maybe, maybe not, who knows?" Kieran took his backpack and box and headed back to his cabin because he clearly saw Ohara return to her cabin after evading everyone else.

Obviously, for some reason, Ohara hoped not to be noticed but Kieran still caught it with his eyes.

Kieran shrugged it off anyway and didn’t seem concerned about her behavior.

He returned to his own cabin and started to explore more of the Dawn Force.

As for the potential traitor among the crews, Kieran believed Azinder would take care of it nicely.

...

After that sudden encounter with the enemy, The Coral didn’t run into any enemies anymore for the next three days in the journey.

It was smooth sailing from there onwards, making the sudden encounter look like nothing but a dream. Even Kieran could hear the sound of the wind and cry of the storks under the peaceful environment even though he barely came out of his cabin.

There wasn’t any progress after trying to explore more of the Dawn Force for the past three days but fortunately, thankful to that awkward dinner, Ohara had been in a quiet state and she barely appeared before Kieran. It made Kieran let out a sigh of relief.

Kieran took his luggage and went to the deck. He could already see Lons Port with his eyes and it was getting closer by the minute. It made him unconsciously smirk.

Although it wasn’t West Coast City by any means, his mood was lifted when he knew he was only three hours drive away from West Coast City.

In his plans, he had intentions to return to West Coast City before heading to Ciaran City. Not only because it was his home turf but also because he had many more questions about alchemy and potionology to ask Charles and Simones.

Pro level of [Mystical Knowledge] was far from enough for Kieran.

Even though Kieran still wasn’t sure which one of the four skill, Alchemy, Potionology, Astrology, and Research of Mystical Beings to level up to Master level, but in order to level from Pro to Grand Master, [Mystical Knowledge] required the other three skills to be at least Entry level, so it forced Kieran to take the skill leveling into account.

However, accidents always happened.

When The Coral successfully docked at Lons Port, Kieran had noticed Elli, Simones, and Charles standing on the dock, waiting for him.

The young lass also noticed Kieran who was coming down from the ship. Her face was first full of delight but quickly turned into a cold reaction with a grunt.

It was because Elli saw Ohara somehow appeared and came down with Kieran and walked side-by-side with him.

Elli quickly fired out unfriendly gaze towards Ohara when they approach.

Ohara didn’t back off as well when she caught Elli’s gaze.

The smell of gunpowder started to fill the docks as sparks lit up when both ladies locked gazes.