The great ship carrying Sophia cut across the glittering sea, leaving a long foaming wake.
Silver Sand Bay faded into the horizon behind them, swallowed by the blue line where sea met sky.
Inside Sophia’s private cabin on the second deck, Bella sat on a hard wooden stool in the center of the room, stripped of her armor and weapons, dressed only in a plain tunic.
Across from her, Sophia’s eyes shone with curiosity, the priest Samuel’s gaze was deep and assessing, while the captain of the guard loomed like a tower—arms crossed, muscles tense, his sharp eyes never leaving Bella for a second.
Even unarmed, a gold-rank could still threaten the Hero.
“With the Eyes of Truth, no wonder you recognized us as Church people.” Samuel noted, watching the silver light flickering in Bella’s pupils. “But it seems you haven’t fully mastered the ability yet.”
“Fully mastered?” Bella frowned.
“Eyes of Truth? What’s that?” Sophia asked, checking Bella’s status panel.
Samuel explained:
“A very useful, though rare, detection skill. It not only reveals traces left by others, but can also roughly discern their strength and abilities. Some in the Church have been blessed with it.And from what I know, those who possess it can choose when to activate it. Unlike her—her silver eyes are shining all the time.”
Sophia nodded. Seeing Bella’s expression of dawning realization, she couldn’t help but smile—so this girl knew less about her own skill than others did.
What she didn’t realize was that without guidance, without panels, most ordinary people could only grope blindly, spending years to understand their gifted abilities.
“You’re the one Silver Sand Bay is hunting, aren’t you?” Sophia asked.
“Yes.” Bella admitted without hesitation.
“Aren’t you afraid we’ll hand you back?”
“I’ve met Church priests before. They helped me. They were good people. I don’t believe the Church would side with slavers… right?”
Her gaze shifted to Samuel. “Or am I wrong?”
Sophia gave no answer, instead asking: “Why did you kill that… what was his name?”
She hadn’t bothered to remember during Oruk’s shouting earlier.
“Horn,” Bella’s hands clenched at the name. “Simple. He killed my friend. A very important friend—worked to death as a slave under his torment.”
She then recounted how she had followed her friend’s trail to Silver Sand Bay, only to learn the truth of his brutal death at Horn’s hands.
Once she confirmed it, she had used her Eyes of Truth—awakened at level 40—to track Horn for half a month, learning his routines until she found a chance to strike.
But what had revealed his movements also betrayed her own—the ever-glowing silver eyes. Exposed, she had no choice but to hide beneath the Church’s ship.
“All that for revenge?”
“For a friend I trusted with my life.” Bella shrugged, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“And now? What will you do?”
“If you don’t hand me back to Silver Sand Bay, I’ll return to the kingdom and search for my father.”
Sophia looked at Samuel, who shook his head.
“I’m afraid not. We can’t afford even the slightest risk.”
The guard captain’s hand was already resting on his sword.
He knew the girl was innocent, but compared to humanity’s survival, any sacrifice was acceptable—his life, his honor, hers.
Feeling the pressure weigh on her, Bella closed her eyes.
Through the Eyes of Truth, she knew the gulf between them. Resistance or escape was hopeless.
“There’s no need for this,” Sophia suddenly said. “Bella, I can’t let you go. But will you stay with me? Think of it as a long-term contract, a few years at most.”
“Yes.”
Bella agreed instantly, without hesitation. She understood she had been caught up in a secret Church mission. This offer was likely the greatest mercy she would be shown.
“My lady…”
The guard captain frowned, and Samuel tried to object, but Sophia raised her hand to silence them.
“She’s not lying, is she?”
Samuel paused two seconds, then nodded. Bella had drunk a truth potion long before this conversation—lying was impossible without special means.
“Then it’s decided,” Sophia said firmly.
Samuel could only relent. Forcing a different outcome against the Hero’s will might create division, costing more in the long run.
Still, some precautions would be taken. On this girl named Bella, he would leave behind a safeguard…
Suddenly, Samuel’s eyes widened. He strode quickly from the cabin.
“What’s happening?” Sophia remained seated. She was still weak—at times like this, doing nothing rash was her best help.
Samuel narrowed his eyes at the horizon, where a tiny black speck floated. A ship, perhaps.
But… how could it be a ship?
His senses picked up something large drawing near. At first he thought it a sea monster.
The distance was still far, its form unclear.
The other vessel seemed to notice them too. Under Samuel’s gaze, it turned course quickly, clearly intent on avoiding them.
Satisfied, Samuel stepped back inside. Curious, yes, but fewer surprises made for safer journeys.
——
Had it come closer, he would have been far more astonished, perhaps even muttered at the strangeness of the world.
For it was indeed a ship—one pieced together from rough planks glued with mycelium, dragged across the waves by two mermaids.
Its crew: one Puji and one mushroom man.
“Boss, shouldn’t we ask for directions?”
Aboard the Mushroom, Dylan looked back at the receding great ship.
They had been wandering lost at sea for three days. Surely they needed guidance.
“Ask? Ask what! That ship’s crawling with gold-ranks! Go near and they’ll chop up the Pujis and toss you to the fish! We’ll steer clear and just follow the direction they came from. No need to ask!”
Dylan blinked, surprised at what sort of ship that was. But in the end, he nodded, agreeing with the boss’s choice.