The monotonous voyage forced Ed to devote most of his time and energy to his studies, which were at least less tedious than the endless, unchanging azure surrounding the ship.

Sometimes, he even wondered if the books filled with strange characters were more interesting. Of course, had he been on any island, he likely wouldn't have glanced at a book unless it was absolutely necessary.

There was another reason he could spend so much time reading: compared to the constant crash of waves, Lucilia's sweet, instructive voice was far more pleasing to the ear.

And with her openly permissive attitude toward him playing with her body, though she didn't realize he was fondling her buttocks and butthole, he sometimes took the initiative to "persuade" her to teach him.

"No, this word means 'dream,' not 'entering a dream.' Remember it again! Remember it again!"

Lucilia sat on the stool beside him, teaching Ed an unfamiliar language.

Ed's daily practice, aside from essential magic control and spellwork, consisted of absorbing all sorts of knowledge and deciphering strange, unknown languages.

These were all things Ed himself had requested. After all, if he couldn't even read, how was he supposed to become a powerful wizard and learn all kinds of magic?

"Let me take a break, let me take a break," Ed said, rubbing his temples. Although he benefited from the memory enhancement of his ring and some mnemonic techniques from magic, studying so intensely every day was still quite taxing, especially for someone like him, who had always been a backbencher and never taken learning seriously.

"Shall we go out for some fresh air?" Ed suggested, rising from his chair.

Lucilia touched her cheek with a delicate white finger, thought for a moment, then transformed into mist and reappeared behind him, draped over his shoulders.

Ed simultaneously placed a hand on her buttock, squeezing to soothe his headache. Feeling something was missing, he slid his hand inside her dress to touch her bare skin, and only then felt satisfied.

After that, he pushed open the wooden door and stepped out.

Gazing at the sea, he took a deep breath and stretched vigorously.

He had only enjoyed the sea breeze for a short while when Andre came up from below deck and waved him over.

"We're almost at our destination. Come in for a meeting."

He then rubbed his fingers together, mouthed silent words, and released a series of blue lines from his hands, the manifestation of the [Soundbird] spell.

Hopefully, Kaila hasn't forgotten me. If I get some time alone, I'll definitely apologize to that lonely woman and give her what she's always desired, Ed thought as he followed Andre into the captain's cabin. Soon, the ship's main crew members had gathered.

"Let's clarify our objective and operational plan," Andre began. "First, we need to go to that valley and open Vault 5, mainly to retrieve the disc key inside. Only after obtaining the key can we proceed to the larger Vault 3."

He lightly tapped the table. "The problem is, the Shark Bite Gang has the support of Meister Island's governor, making it practically impossible for us to operate openly there."

"Do you have anything to add?" Andre asked, looking around.

Ed thought for a moment. "I didn't conceal my whereabouts on the island. Since they already know I'm with the Blue Fist, my movements have likely been exposed. The only place I visited outside the city was Praying Insect Valley."

He meant the enemy might have set an ambush or left scouts waiting in the valley. If Andre's group could discover the hidden space beneath it, the Shark Bite Gang, fellow treasure hunters, were certainly no fools. They'd probably found it too but didn't know how to enter safely.

"Thinking about it that way..." Jason pondered. "The Shark Bite Gang could use the valley as a starting point to deduce the conditions for opening the vault. It wouldn't be too difficult for them."

With their deeper knowledge of Thaad's twelve treasure vaults, they would know the requirements for opening the Great Vault. They might well be lying in wait in Praying Insect Valley for Andre's crew to arrive.

"So, we're definitely going to have to fight them?" Elena asked.

Andre nodded grimly. It was almost inevitable.

Elena frowned. "The island guards will likely side with them. They're official forces, we can't recklessly harm them."

That was the real difficulty. Clashing with the governor's soldiers would get them branded as criminals by the Blood Gold Alliance. Being wanted by such a large organization would sour their reputation everywhere, restricting their movements, a losing proposition, especially since they weren't planning to retire after this job.

Everyone fell silent. Only the sound of Andre's fingers tapping the table filled the cabin.

The tapping stopped abruptly.

"Looks like we'll have to use less formal methods," Andre said with a smile.

He stood and addressed Sankaka in the corner. "Sankaka, take the helm. We're heading to Blackwater Bay."

With that, he signaled the meeting was over.

Once outside, Ed asked Elena, "What kind of place is Blackwater Bay?"

"A gathering place for scum. A home for trashy pirates."

A paradise for someone like Ed, he mused. Most pirates didn't keep their wealth on them, preferring to hide it. A haunt they frequented was essentially a treasure trove waiting to be dug up, all he'd need is a good map and a shovel.

But first, I have to become powerful enough to handle anyone who messes with me. If I were caught by strong pirates, it could be life-threatening, Ed decided to clean out such places later, when he was stronger. For now, he was still a novice in both combat and magic.

Returning to the topic, Elena's explanation made Andre's plan obvious. The best way to avoid the Meister Island guards was to lure them away. What would attract their attention most? A pirate attack, of course.

For a tourist island, security was paramount. Any pirate sighting had to be eradicated at all costs to protect their reputation. At most, they'd only have to deal with the Shark Bite Gang, and any remaining guards would be few enough to handle safely.

As Ed pondered this, the ship's course shifted dramatically and its speed increased noticeably. Ed looked over the side; the sea currents seemed to be actively propelling them forward.

"Sankaka's steering has that effect. The sea is their home, and the ocean helps them," Elena explained simply.

Thinking of Sankaka's tall, fish-man-like figure, Ed nodded. It made sense.

"You'll hardly ever see him perform on land, though, so it's a double-edged sword."

No wonder Sankaka was rarely seen ashore, usually guarding the ship or conducting reconnaissance at sea.

Speaking of which, Ed recalled that Sankaka's room wasn't on the stern deck but at the very bottom of the ship, in the stern.

A specially partitioned space, accessible even from underwater, contained a compartment made of unique materials that connected directly to the sea. It was a room creatively designed for a fish-man, very interesting indeed.

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