Chapter 90. A Letter
The same sight welcomed them at the harbor area of Coral Archipelago—a bustling chaos. After parting ways with the rest of the crew, Charles and Lily made their way to their usual place of lodging, the Bat Tavern.
Even though Charles had accumulated enough money to buy a house in the harbor district, he always felt that he wouldn't be staying in this Subterranean Sea for long. As such, squandering money on something permanent—like a house—was not necessary in his eyes.
Upon stepping into the tavern, Charles immediately noticed something amiss. The usual scruffy fellow behind the reception desk was gone. He had been replaced by a middle-aged man whose appearance seemed entirely out of place with the surroundings.
Wearing a neatly pressed white shirt, complemented by a black overvest, and with a meticulously groomed haircut, the man did not at all appear like someone who would be working in the harbor district.
"Mr. Charles, did the Bat Tavern have a change of ownership?" Perched on Charles' shoulder, Lily regarded the new face with curiosity.
Charles pondered briefly before approaching the man. "I'm staying for a month this time. Room 303 on the third floor. And bring two servings of food to my room."
"Certainly, sir. Your room has already been prepared for you."
As Charles was on the verge of handing over a pile of Echo bills, the man gestured with a wave of his hands, indicating that it wasn't necessary. With a respectful smile, the man explained, "Mr. Charles, you don't have to pay. The tavern belongs to you now."
"It belongs to me?" Charles asked as he studied the face of the man before him but was unable to draw any useful information. "Who are you? Who sent you?"
"My boss has left a letter for you in your room. All will become clear once you've read it."
Accepting the keys from the man, Charles headed to his usual room with a look of confusion. He unlocked the door and realized that the interior had changed completely.
The peeling walls had been re-plastered and adorned with classical carvings and wallpaper. The old furniture had also been replaced with new, vintage-style pieces. Thick pure wool carpets covered the floors while artistic paintings adorned the walls.
Charles found everything to be extremely unfamiliar. The most startling change in the room was the addition of a fireplace. Not only did the burning fire illuminate the entire room, but it also drove away the room's damp chill. Chart your course back to the origins of this substance at n0v^lbin
Charles exited the room to take a double look at the door number. He hadn't entered the wrong room; this was indeed the room that he had been staying in all along. However, the current décor and furnishings made him feel as though he had entered a Governor's room.
"Woah!!" An excited Lily jumped off Charles' shoulder and crawled onto the bed. Rolling about on the bed, she exclaimed, "Mr. Charles, come join me! This bed is so soft and comfortable!"
Richard immediately cut him off.
“A way to turn Anna into a human being? Bro, that idea is surely wild. Let's not even consider whether that tentacle monster will consent to the idea. If we change our goal to helping it, what becomes of our search for the exit home? What's more important, the girl or going home?"
Charles fell into silence. Just as his mind was in a war of emotion and reason, a small box on the ground caught his attention. There seemed to be something within. He bent down and pieced the two halves together.
Sender: Margaret Jane Cavendish
Recipient: Mr. Charles
Margaret? Charles was reminded of the innocent young girl who was as timid as a rabbit. Charles glanced at Anna's silly expression on the table and back at the torn letter in his hand. Doubt appeared on his face.
Since Anna has torn this letter apart, why did she throw it here for me to find it?
After a moment of contemplation, Charles put the two halves of the letter together and gripped one end with his teeth.
With a forceful pull of his right hand, he tore the damaged letter into four pieces.
With a resolute flick of his wrist, he cast the fragments into the trash bin before making his way towards the washroom.
Remembering how Margaret had secretly provided food for the slaves, Charles recognized her innate kindness.
However, no matter what she had written in the letter, he was determined to avoid any further involvement with her.
His life in this world was already fraught with complex relationships, and he had no desire to add another one to the mix.
Charles' mundane life on the island was short-lived. Just half a month after he had resumed his painting hobby to purify his mind from the sea's corruption, he spotted the weather-beaten exploration vessel of the Divine Light Order arriving at the harbor.
Inside Room 303 of the Bat Tavern.
"How did it go? Did you manage to find a resupply island?" Charles questioned Kord, who sat opposite him with an extremely dark expression.
Charles didn't bother to ask Kord about finding the stairway to the Land of Light. Knowing Kord's fanatical devotion to the Sun God, Charles knew that his expression would have been entirely different if he had truly discovered the island.