Deep Sea Embers

At the expansive dining table, the crew members exchanged hesitant glances, each taken aback by the captain’s unexpected question. The room fell silent as they puzzled over the underlying meaning of his inquiry.

After a moment of thoughtful silence, Nina had a sudden realization. She considered her response carefully before speaking in a soft voice, “Perhaps… a safer place to live? It’s hard to imagine… I think the best place would be Pland before the sun became problematic. Ideally, it would be more spacious. Living in a city-state feels confining, a feeling that’s especially noticeable after experiencing the vast openness of the sea. The world is so vast, yet finding enough space to simply stand feels remarkably limited…”

Duncan, giving her a reassuring smile, agreed, “Indeed, there will certainly be a broader, safer habitable area in the future,” then he turned to Shirley, who was seated next to Nina. “And what about you, Shirley? What are your hopes for this new world?” freewebnøvel.com

Shirley, her mouth half-full of a biscuit, replied somewhat indistinctly, “I haven’t thought much about it—just essentials like enough food and clothing. It would be wonderful if utilities like water and electricity were more affordable.”

Duncan gently corrected her, “That’s more a wish for a better society, not necessarily the world itself. Perhaps think a bit bigger?”

After a thoughtful pause and another bite of her biscuit, Shirley’s expression became contemplative. Finally, she said, “Well… my hopes are similar to Nina’s—a safer, bigger place. You’re right; everything else really depends on the people… Oh, Dog, he would love a large house, or even just a vast, empty lot where Dog can roam freely without being disturbed…”

Duncan nodded, smiling, and shifted his attention to Morris, who was nearby.

“As a scholar, I realize that no society composed of people is ever perfect, even if the environment is safer. People themselves can introduce new challenges. That’s part of why societies evolve and progress,” Morris explained with a shrug. “So rather than envisioning a ‘perfect’ new world, I’d prefer more opportunities for research and more unexplored phenomena to study. More unprecedented events, more wondrous places, more remote destinations worth exploring. I dream that we can delve deeply into the principles of things without our research being obstructed by various ‘dark barriers’ and ‘contradictions’. I hope for a world where knowledge isn’t dangerous, where scholars don’t fear for their lives each time they open a book. I wish for humanity to advance beyond the unspeakable fears that keep us tied to our birthplaces.”

Morris let out a soft sigh, a spontaneous smile spreading across his face, “If that were possible, it would indeed be a marvelous place…”

“I just wish to regain my sense of taste and have a normal sleep cycle,” interjected Sailor, who had been quiet until now, muttering, “I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in centuries.”

Vanna was the next to speak, her expression wistful and filled with longing. “My hope,” she said, her voice tinged with emotion, “is to witness what ‘continents’ are really like. I imagine vast and fertile stretches, numerous cities and ‘nations’ flourishing in the world, with people traveling easily between these cities. I’m curious about what such a scene would truly look like.”

Shirley, surprised by the idea, responded with wide eyes, “Is that even possible? A land as big as the ocean?”

With a knowing half-smile, Vanna replied, “Didn’t you just express a desire for a ‘more spacious’ place? Continents are far more expansive than city-states.”

Shirley, slightly embarrassed, responded by pursing her lips, “I was just thinking out loud… I can’t really picture it either…”

Agatha, her ethereal form gliding past the dining table, chimed in with a magical tone, “Yes, it’s difficult to imagine things we’ve never experienced. As for the new world—I have almost no specific desires for it. It should be a benevolent place, and my only wish is to keep traveling with the Vanished. Despite being the newest member aboard this ship, I’ve already encountered landscapes beyond anything I ever imagined. It’s a pity our journey is coming to an end…”

Shirley’s expression suddenly brightened, “Then I hope to remain with the Vanished! There’s nothing more enjoyable than adventuring with this ship.”

Nina laughed, swaying in her chair, “I agree, it would be ideal if we could return to the Vanished.”

Their eyes briefly met Duncan’s, but quickly shifted away to the ‘Sea Witch’ Lucretia, who had remained silent throughout the conversation. Observing their gazes, Lucretia snapped out of her reverie.

“Will the Bright Star and my crew have a place in the new world?” she asked curiously. “This includes Luni, Nilu, and Rabbi, as well as the metallic man-servants and wooden maid-servants I’ve created… Are such beings permitted in the new world?”

Duncan had been quietly absorbing the various dreams and visions of his crew, sketching out the future world in his mind. Lucretia’s question drew him back to the present. After a moment of thoughtful consideration, he assured her, “They will have a place—all beings will find a home.”

Simultaneously, Shirley and Nina eagerly asked, “Will the Vanished also be there?”

Duncan hesitated slightly before affirming, “The Vanished will be there,” he nodded decisively, “in some form or another. I will ensure that everything and everyone reaches the new world in the most suitable manner. Then, you can still come back to the Vanished, and we will explore even further.”

Lucretia’s expression gradually transformed into one of contentment, her smile broadening: “Then this time, please bring my brother—even from across the Boundless Sea and through various barriers, I can almost sense his resentment.”

Duncan remained silent for a few moments, then responded with a deep nod, “Okay.”

Lucretia let out a relieved sigh, stood up, and lifted her wine glass.

“Then, let us toast to the new world,” she proposed, her smile reflecting a blend of hope and anticipation.

Agatha also rose, her glass held high: “To the new world!”

Others joined in with their own enthusiastic cheers:

“To the captain!”

“To the Vanished!”

“To the future!”

“…Uh, I don’t know what to say, damn it, cheers!”

The gathering lifted their glasses in unison. Nina, having consumed a considerable amount of beer and wine, grinned broadly, her cheeks flushed: “Shirley, give some to Ai; she doesn’t have hands… How does this dove manage to drink so much? It’s all gone?”

She then glanced around the table: “Let’s include Luni in the toast… And Nilu, too. Can Nilu even drink?”

The small doll eagerly raised a glass nearly as large as herself and exclaimed, “Yes!”

As she spoke, she embraced the glass and gulped down its contents in one swift motion. Red wine dribbled from the joints of her neck, staining her exquisite doll dress.

Luni reacted with surprise and immediately started apologizing, hastily trying to dab at the wine stains on Nilu with a handkerchief.

Nina leaned forward, offering to help: “Hey, that won’t dry quickly; let me dry her off. Don’t let her move…”

Shirley quickly intervened, grabbing Nina by the collar to stop her: “No! You’ll just scorch it again! Remember what happened to your white dress with the blue trim?”

Amidst the commotion, Dog remained unperturbed, his two paws holding his glass while the liquid poured into his bony neck. The liquor fizzed inside his chest cavity and evaporated almost immediately as he shook his massive skeletal head, murmuring, “This wine has no taste… In the new world, I hope I can taste things normally…”

As he spoke, he sensed an attentive gaze and looked up to find the captain watching the scene with an amused smile: “It’s possible.”

Observing the unfolding chaos, Lucretia shook her head with a mixture of amusement and resignation, “If I had known it would end in chaos, I would have brought Rabbi. That rabbit thrives on chaos, creating mischief even when it’s unnecessary…”

“Yeah, Rabbi would have been perfect for this,” Luni agreed, continuing to handle the thoroughly drenched Nilu with one hand, while still futilely trying to clean her up with the handkerchief in the other, “Rabbi absorbs water well.”

Lucretia let out a sigh: “You shouldn’t use the fact that you’re not afraid of nightmares as an excuse to always pick on Rabbi. I remember you using him to wipe the table last time.”

Luni immediately bowed her head in remorse: “Mistress, I apologize.”

From her sister’s supportive grasp, Nilu cheerfully raised her hand: “Not sorry!”

Lucretia resignedly said, “Forget it, stop wiping. We’ll just soak everything in a tub when we get back.”

Duncan sat at the table, his arms crossed, a serene smile on his face as he observed the familiar, chaotic scene unfold before him. It reminded him of the time when Alice had proudly presented her fish soup at the dining table, while her head was still bubbling away in the cooking pot.

Soon after, they prepared to depart.

The Vanished and the Bright Star moved slowly but eventually reached the black island adorned with the towering temple and winding paths.

The necessary farewells had been exchanged.

A paper-folded small boat was launched from the edge of the Vanished’s deck, unfolding into a shuttle large enough to accommodate everyone. Lucretia stood aboard the small craft, with Luni beside her, clutching Nilu.

Shirley, Dog, Nina, Morris, Vanna, Sailor, and the spectral form of Agatha…

One after another, the figures disembarked from the Vanished, gathering on the paper-folded small boat.

Duncan remained on the deck, silently watching the unfolding scene.

Then, he noticed Nina and Shirley turn around, followed by Vanna, Morris, and the others—their faces adorned with smiles, they waved back at him.

Lucretia wore the brightest smile of all.

At every part of, one should smile, so that if they never met again, the last memory they held of each other would be filled with warmth and joy.

Thus, Duncan too smiled, waving vigorously at each departing member.

And then, they left.