In the owner's room on the second floor of the Sweet Lemon Bar.
Bilt Blando stood by the window, a cigar in his mouth, his unfocused eyes staring outside. His expression was terrifyingly gloomy.
At that moment, a bodyguard entered, slightly hunched over, and said cautiously:
"Sir, Sotos has returned from the east."
"Let him in." Bilt adjusted his expression with effort.
Sotos Young was his deputy, an important member of the loose organization known as the "Adventurers' Mutual Aid Association."
In less than a minute, Sotos walked in, wearing a linen shirt, a brown jacket, and a dark red turban. He looked to be in his early thirties, with bronze skin, deep-set eyes, and thick black stubble on his lips and chin. He clearly looked like a man accustomed to roaming the seas.
Sotos made a rather informal bow and sized up Bilt Blando.
"Boss, something happened?"
"Mm, there was an accident. It looks like the matter will fail." Bilt didn't hide his feelings and sighed. "I don't even know how to explain it to that big shot."
Before Sotos could respond, he changed the subject:
"Any changes in the East?"
"Same as usual. Pirates chase every ship they can plunder, even making each other targets. The navy can only hold the colonies, barely maintaining the shipping lanes and protecting relatively important ships. Naval battles break out often, and both sides have their wins and losses." Sotos shrugged.
"The eastern part of the Sonia Sea really is a chaotic paradise for pirates..." Bilt sighed in agreement.
Sotos thought for a moment and added:
"There have been some rumors circulating on the eastern islands recently. They say they first spread from the 'Black Death.'"
"The 'Plague Admiral'? What news?" Bilt perked up and asked.
Sotos spoke, a mix of solemnity and excitement in his voice:
"The 'Plague Admiral' was indeed assassinated and suffered serious injuries. The one who did it is the adventurer Gehrman Sparrow!"
"Gehrman Sparrow?" Bilt blurted out.
"Yes, it was him! He really is a Pirate Admiral-level powerhouse! Even though it was a sneak attack, it was done on the 'Black Death,' surrounded by numerous famous pirates. Yet he still severely wounded the 'Plague Admiral' and escaped smoothly, then hunted down 'Silver Tongue' Miso afterward." Sotos gave a definitive answer with a sigh of emotion.
Bilt paced a few steps and lamented:
"This is huge news. Pirate Admiral-level adventurers are extremely rare to begin with, but one who can severely wound an opponent aboard their own flagship is absolutely unique. Such an act not only requires absolute confidence in one's own strength but also a certain madness. Only a madman would directly infiltrate a Pirate Admiral's flagship to attempt an assassination instead of finding another location!"
As he said this, his expression changed slightly.
"I met an adventurer claiming to be Gehrman Sparrow last night."
"Real, or a fake?" Sotos's eyes narrowed as he asked in a low voice.
"I'm not sure. I've never seen the real Gehrman Sparrow, or even his photos or portraits." Bilt shook his head.
Sotos pondered for a moment and said:
"We can gather newspapers from the Rorstead Archipelago to confirm. So many days have passed; some travelers must have brought the relevant 'News News' or 'Sonia Morning Post' with them. Mm, the government, police stations, churches, charities—all those places subscribe to important Rorstead papers."
The Rorstead Archipelago was the largest and most important colony of the
"Mm." Bilt nodded and pressed further, "Are there any specific details about Gehrman Sparrow's assassination attempt on the 'Plague Admiral?'"
Sotos thought back and said:
"It's said that Gehrman Sparrow can change into anyone, just like the former 'Hurricane Admiral' Zilings in the past. It was precisely because of this ability that he successfully infiltrated the 'Black Death' and found an opportunity to strike."
"Can change into anyone..." Bilt's eyes suddenly lit up.
No, I can't. He's a madman who dared to infiltrate the 'Black Death' and assassinate the 'Plague Admiral.' He inspires instinctive fear, making one want to stay away... Bilt's gaze immediately dimmed.
And it might not even be true... He subconsciously shook his head.
............
I wonder when the "Nighthawks" and the "Mechanical Mind" will take action to deal with the anomaly on Williams Street. I hope they can do it quickly... As these thoughts raced through his mind, Klein left the
After thinking for a bit, he pulled out a piece of letter paper and spread it on his taupe desk.
The dark red fountain pen scratched across the paper. Klein first inquired about Mr. Azik's recent situation, then mentioned that while searching for a magical item that could steal others' extraordinary abilities, he discovered someone had been parasitized by an external entity.
Then, as if casually, he asked if there was a way to bypass the external parasite to warn the host.