Chapter 687: Settling In and Communication

As Duncan absorbed Lucretia's theory, he battled with skepticism. The concept was wildly incredible, yet they were no strangers to the bizarre—like the recent and startling event of the sun's disappearance, which had reset their expectations of the strange. Understanding this, Duncan accepted the unusual without surprise, focusing instead on their primary objective: to locate the "Truth Keeper."

Suddenly, Duncan's expression shifted as if he were receiving a distant message, his face marked by intense focus.

Nearby, Alice observed his changed expression and asked with concern, "Hmm? Captain, what's wrong?"

While eyeing Lucretia and Morris discussing strategies to find Ted, Duncan responded casually, "Ah, there's no need to continue searching."

Surprised, Lucretia and Morris exclaimed in unison, "Huh?"

"He's safe," Duncan assured them, gesturing dismissively. "Ted Lir has been located on the White Oak."

This revelation left everyone in the room puzzled. A stunned silence ensued, broken by Vanna's voice, "The White Oak? Lawrence's ship? But how did he end up there?"

"The specifics are unclear. It seems Ted Lir himself is confused about his situation," Duncan explained, his mind still connected with Lawrence. He continued, more composed, "Like when the sun disappeared, the White Oak was at sea. They discovered Ted Lir floating near a dark patch of water. With the help of Anomaly 077, they rescued him... Lawrence said Ted was initially disoriented, hardly able to talk. Now, he's a bit more collected. According to his fragmented accounts, he was transported to a distant, unknown realm..."

Duncan paused, his tone becoming grave.

"We suspect he may have been thrust into subspace."

...

Wrapped in a thick, warm blanket, Ted Lir sat in the cabin, illuminated by a comforting light. He held a steaming cup of tea. Gratefully, he said, "Thank you."

Before him stood a figure that, despite its eerie, decayed appearance, seemed oddly comfortable in the cozy environment. The corpse-like entity made a dismissive gesture and spoke, "Next time, just don't throw me out like that—once my bones break, I'm not sure they can heal."

Ted Lir grimaced, recalling an unpleasant memory. He awkwardly addressed the figure, bustling like an energetic sailor despite its ghastly and uncontrollable nature, "You are Anomaly 077 - Sailor?"

The figure perked up, stepping closer with a mix of surprise and curiosity. "Ah, you recognize me?" it asked, its voice tinged with excitement, contrasting with its ghostly appearance. "Most people just get scared, but you know my name and number?"

Indifferently, Ted Lir responded, looking directly at the sitting corpse. "I am the Truth Keeper of Wind Harbor," he stated simply. "I personally signed a transfer document for you years ago."

The moment the corpse sat down, it sprang up, pointing at Ted with a mix of shock and thrill: "You... you... you're affiliated with the church?!"

With a tone of resigned patience, Ted tried to calm the agitated figure. "Calm down, 'Mr. Corpse,'" he said. "I know you're a 'runaway anomaly' under special circumstances. Don't worry, I won't forcibly seal you..."

But before he could finish, the corpse collapsed onto the floor, clutching the corner of Ted Lir's blanket, and began wailing, sending chills down his spine. "I've been waiting for the church to come! Seal me, please! Just give me a rope that works! Or even a shroud, I can wrap myself... Or hit me harder than before..."

Startled by the sudden outburst, Ted Lir quickly retreated, pulling his blanket with him. "Stop, stop, stop... Calm down... Don't pull... I didn't mean that... We can talk, but first you need to calm down. Sealing isn't just something you demand..."

Despite Ted's attempts to soothe him, the corpse continued wailing and muttering incoherently about "re-sealing," "a rope," and "hanging on the mast," reflecting his deep emotional distress.

After enduring this for a short but intense period, Ted Lir found himself longing for the relative peace of his students. Although they sometimes watched him with naive curiosity, their most disruptive behavior was merely dozing off—far quieter than the present chaos.

Just as Ted considered taking Anomaly 077's advice for a more assertive approach, the cabin door swung open.

Lawrence entered, still glowing with a faint green flame, immediately calming the inconsolable Anomaly 077. With a quick smile and greeting, the anomaly swiftly disappeared from the room, leaving a sudden and welcome silence.

Ted Lir sat motionless, staring at the spot where the "Sailor" had vanished. The room settled into a prolonged silence, heavy with bewilderment.

Finally, Ted turned to Lawrence, his expression a mix of confusion and realization. "I never imagined that the 'Sailor,' feared by so many at sea, would react like this when out of control," he said, his voice filled with disbelief.

Lawrence appeared genuinely surprised by Ted's observation. "You haven't met Miss Alice?" he asked, intrigued.

Considering Lawrence's remark, Ted nodded, "Well, Captain, you have a point." He continued, "Anything related to the Vanished becomes unthinkably strange."

"Yes, unimaginable, but not necessarily bad," Lawrence replied, smiling reassuringly. He sat beside Ted, facing him with concern. "How are you feeling, Mr. Truth Keeper?"

Ted took a deep breath and sighed, "I still occasionally hear faint noises in my mind, but it's much better than before." He paused, his face troubled. "The main problem now is distinguishing between real, imaginary, and distorted memories. It's hard to tell which are trustworthy... It feels like I've been wandering that dark void for centuries... But you're telling me I've only been gone from Wind Harbor for a few minutes?"

Lawrence nodded, confirming, "Yes, just a few minutes, Mr. Truth Keeper. We found you shortly after you disappeared. That's why we're all eager to hear about your experiences during that brief time."

Ted focused on a specific word in Lawrence's explanation. "'We'?" he noted, picking up on the implication.

Lawrence clarified, "I just spoke with my 'boss,' who's already aware of the situation here—the disappearance of the Truth Keeper caused some unrest in Wind Harbor, but fortunately, the White Oak found you before it escalated." He reassured Ted, "Don't worry too much about the city-state. Given the proximity of the Vanished to the city, there's no place safer than Wind Harbor on the Boundless Sea. As for your stay here..."

He paused, reflecting briefly before continuing, "We're still unsure about the full impact of the sun's extinguishing on our world. Using spatial portals could be risky right now, so it's best you stay on this ship for now. Meanwhile, tell me about what you saw in that 'darkness'—'he' is very interested in it."

Ted's expression turned serious as he considered Lawrence's words. After a moment of reflection, he met the seasoned captain's eyes. "You must already know that my experiences are linked to subspace—a realm filled with dangers and mysteries."

Lawrence responded casually, "My boss is deeply involved with subspace too—he faces risks much greater than the knowledge you've gained."

Ted acknowledged the logic in Lawrence's statement.

"...Alright, then where should we start?" he asked, ready to discuss his experiences.

"Let's start with the inverted mansion floating in the darkness you mentioned while you were delirious," Lawrence suggested, pointing out that even in his confused state, Ted had revealed glimpses of his supernatural journey.

...

"Ted Lir's luck is nothing short of miraculous; having survived the perilous confines of subspace mostly unharmed, he is now on the White Oak, sharing his supernatural experiences with Lawrence. It's highly likely that we will soon learn significant new details about subspace from his account."

After briefly ending his mental link with the White Oak, Duncan refocused on the current issues in Wind Harbor. He quickly updated those present with the latest news from Lawrence, his gaze then thoughtfully turning to Lucretia.

"It seems his experiences in subspace were quite different from mine," he observed, noting the contrast.

Lucretia, displaying a complex mix of emotions, replied, "Indeed... After all, he was 'away' for just fifteen minutes, while you spent a century in that realm." She paused, her expression serious. "Just fifteen minutes in subspace nearly shattered the psyche of a man as resilient as him, nearly tearing him apart..."

Duncan acknowledged her comment but quickly changed the subject. "Fortunately, the only incident on the White Oak was Anomaly 077 getting punched," he said dismissively. He then became more serious, "Before we get more updates from them, we should focus on the current global situation following the sun's extinguishment... Lucy, can you explain that unusual 'signal' we've detected?"