Having barely escaped the danger of the Kotao merfolk attack without alerting the priests and knights, the apprentices had thought the ordeal was over and that they wouldn't face any further difficulties. But who could have guessed that, because the sailing ship had sustained serious damage, the Church would send people to inspect every cabin?
The storm had subsided considerably, making it easy to spot anyone attempting to flee or cast magic. Lucian and the Magic Apprentices seemed to have fallen into yet another extraordinarily dangerous situation — how could Annick and the others not feel despair and dejection?
Lucian, clutching the "Ambera Staff," had grown somewhat accustomed to fate's cruel tricks. The suppressed anxiety, worry, and fear did not diminish his calm in the slightest. He gently patted Annick, Lirelya, and Hetty on their shoulders, signaling them not to be afraid, while carefully listening to the conversation outside and rapidly turning over possible solutions in his mind.
Tom's voice was loud yet tinged with a fawning tone. "Father Cody, the sailors' quarters are filthy and stinking — how could we let distinguished, noble people like yourselves come to inspect them? It's just a matter of checking the cabin damage. Leave it to me and the sailors. You need only drink your black tea and wait leisurely in your rooms, just like His Excellency the Bishop, Father, and the others."
"Ahem, Boatswain Tom, I'm only an apprentice priest. Although I'm high-level and not far from becoming a full priest, according to the Canon, you still shouldn't address me directly as 'Father.'" The apprentice priest named Cody demurred verbally, but his tone carried unmistakable pleasure — being addressed as "Father" was a lifelong dream of his.
The Holy Scripture held the Church's sacred doctrines, while the Canon served as the Church's "law," prescribing the conduct expected of clergy and Holy Knights.
After his display of modesty, Cody's manner became somewhat genial. "Boatswain Tom, I'm very grateful for your kindness, but when it comes to the repair of the Divine Arts arrays, the inspection can only be entrusted to me and the other apprentice priests and knight squires. Your sailors have received no proper education — they simply cannot distinguish whether a plank that looks intact on the surface actually has damage to the Divine Arts array. For that, I'm afraid I can only offer my sincere apologies."
Tom's official identity was that of a Dark Knight who served Viscount Lait and devoutly worshipped the God of Truth. But because of his dark bloodline, he could not become first mate or captain like a regular knight — he could only serve as the comparatively lowly boatswain. Still, as a Dark Knight who wasn't wanted by the authorities, Cody had to maintain basic courtesy when facing him. And seeing someone of knight-level strength show such deference only improved Cody's mood further.
Hearing Cody's words, Tom momentarily didn't know how to respond. His sailors were indeed commoners by birth, without any education from knights or priests — asking them to inspect the Divine Arts arrays would be no different from asking them to die. And while those hidden in the sailors' quarters could perform the inspection, revealing them was out of the question.
"Loman, Dubois — you inspect this side. Jacques, Sammy — head over there." Seeing that Tom no longer tried to obstruct him, Cody began to enjoy the thrill of issuing orders. These high-level apprentice priests and high-level knight squires who normally held equal standing with him now had to follow his arrangements.
Listening to Cody's arrangements and watching the apprentice priests and knight squires split up to inspect the cabins, Tom's heart was racing with anxiety. Although the cabin where Lucian and the apprentices were hidden was in the farthest corner, and checking each one would take considerable time, Cody and several other apprentice priests and knight squires were still standing in the corridor — there was no way to relocate. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and the grim consequences of having his identity exposed came rushing in.
Just as Tom was about to stop waiting for "someone else" to intervene and take a desperate gamble — disguising himself as a merfolk who hadn't escaped yet and silencing the witnesses — he suddenly felt someone touch his arm.
"What is it... Evan... you?!" Tom turned his head and stared in astonishment to find Lucian standing right beside him as though it were the most natural thing in the world, only now he was wearing a filthy sailor's uniform, his face smeared with the greasepaint sailors favored, his hair disheveled, his head hanging low.
The shock nearly made Tom cry out, but fortunately he was a full knight with excellent bodily control — after letting out half a syllable, he clamped his mouth shut.
Lucian spoke in a hoarse voice: "Boss, the cabins on the level below are badly damaged." As he spoke, he quietly traced words on Tom's arm. He'd come from the Mage Parliament — surely he wasn't illiterate?
Nearby, Cody heard Lucian approach and glanced over. Seeing an unfamiliar sailor reporting to Tom, he simply nodded slightly and waited for Tom to relay the information.
With so many filthy, lowly sailors and laborers aboard, how could a noble apprentice priest like himself be expected to know them all? The knight squires were no different!
Tom carefully felt out the letters Lucian's fingers were tracing and realized it was a single short word.
"Jacques?" he wondered, but then he immediately saw Lucian gesture toward the cabin where the apprentices were hiding. Understanding dawned on him, and he roughly guessed what Lucian was asking. His gaze flickered toward the hidden cabin, and he whispered, "Him?"
Lucian nodded solemnly. When he had been calmly waiting for an opportunity inside the cabin, patiently listening to their conversation, he had suddenly heard Jacques's name — and the voice that answered was the same one he'd heard earlier in the main cargo cabin. That was when the idea had come to him.
With that, Lucian swiftly changed into a sailor's uniform found in the cabin, smeared greasepaint across his face, and pushed the door open to stride out in plain sight.
The gamble was that the apprentice priests and knight squires would absolutely not care to find out which of the despised sailors were actually aboard!
And the boatswain — the one person who did know — was on their side.
A fawning smile spread across Tom's gaunt, sullen face. "Lord Cody, the cabins below were the main site of the battle just now — they're badly damaged, with leaks in many places. Why not send a portion of your people down first to help inspect and repair them? That way you'll leave a good impression on Father, and also prevent the heavy waves outside from sinking the ship." He was hinting that several priests were already below working to repair the Divine Arts arrays and the cabin walls.
"As for the cabins up here, you only need to keep four or five people to inspect them slowly. By the time the work below is finished, this will be long done."
Cody's expression turned serious. Being diligent and helpful in front of Father was an excellent way to leave a good impression. Although his own advancement primarily depended on his devotion to the God of Truth and his mastery of knowledge, if Father were to tilt resource allocation slightly in his favor, or show some consideration when assigning church postings, his promotion speed would increase dramatically.