Chapter 748: Unwelcome Guest on the Ship

As darkness enveloped the area, the electric lights sprang to life, banishing the shadows within the room. Taran El positioned himself near the window, his brows knitted in a frown as he observed the alleys below. The streets were softly lit by the gentle glow of gas lamps, and now and then, the truth guardians could be seen making their rounds, accompanied by their faithful watchdogs, at various crossroads. Beyond this occasional stir of activity, the city lay eerily quiet, as if it had succumbed to a deathly stillness under the cloak of night.

Time seemed to blur as he stood there, but eventually, Taran El turned away from the window, his eyes falling upon the neatly arranged pile of documents and books on his desk. A sigh, barely audible, escaped him.

He had organized these materials before the day had faded, intending next to pack them up and dispatch them to the grand library of the academy. This new office, recently established within the library and consecrated by the God of Wisdom, was fortified with numerous holy safeguards, creating a sanctuary where he could pursue his studies and research in peace.

However, this privilege of accessing a "safe room" within the grand library was a luxury few scholars could enjoy. For the majority, the act of reading was forbidden post-sunset. As a precaution, all books were to be secured and locked away for the duration of the night until the break of dawn, a mandate that formed a part of the "Nightfall Prohibition Order" recently enacted by the government.

Moreover, educational activities across various institutions were temporarily halted. The younger students lacked the necessary strength and expertise to fend off the creatures that emerged from the spirit realm and the abyssal depths of the sea, rendering the situation exceedingly perilous.

Some optimists believed that the circumstances in Wind Harbor weren't entirely grim, given the presence of a luminous geometric entity adjacent to the city-state, which supposedly emanated a power akin to sunlight. Within the ambit of its radiant glow, it was conjectured that normal life and scholarly pursuits might continue unaffected. However, such theories remained untested. The true extent of the geometric body's protective capabilities during such an extended period of darkness had yet to be verified, making any form of risk-taking unjustifiable.

Taran El was aware that a contingent of scholars, under the protection of heavily armed guards, was currently conducting experiments near this luminous entity. They aimed to carry out their readings during the night, at various intervals and locations, to ascertain the effectiveness of its "sunlight."

Yet, even Taran El was in the dark about the duration of these experiments or the number of trials necessary to confirm their hypothesis.

Just then, the door swung open, and Joshua, his young apprentice, entered the room, maneuvering a small cart. Catching sight of his mentor, he exclaimed, slightly taken aback, "...You haven't departed for the grand library yet?"

"I'll join the next group," Taran El responded with ease, motioning towards the desk, "These items are ready to go. Take them; the rest can remain... I'll return after the dawn breaks."

"Alright, teacher," Joshua responded with obedience, quietly starting the task of gathering and packing the already sorted books and documents into the cart. Throughout the process, he kept his gaze lowered, which seemed to be an attempt to either avoid reading the text on the documents or to avoid making eye contact with his teacher.

"After you've finished up here, you should head home along with the others," Taran, looking at his young apprentice, suddenly remarked in a casual tone, "You're on holiday now."

"Could I possibly accompany you to the grand library?" Joshua, after a moment of hesitation, raised his eyes to ask, "I... I still have a paper I haven't completed."

"Turning diligent at such a time?" With a raised eyebrow, Taran teased him on purpose, "Don't you usually spend all your time looking forward to a holiday?"

Joshua slightly puckered his lips, displaying a touch of embarrassment as he stammered, "I..."

"Alright, I'm just joking," Taran laughed softly, shaking his head, "Go home. Forget about your paper for now. The grand library's so-called 'safe rooms' aren't completely safe. An experienced scholar like myself knows how to navigate research with those safety measures in place, but you youngsters are not quite ready... Even though the safe room might protect you from malevolent spirits, the whispers from the books can still cloud your thoughts. Take this time off, rest up, and recharge. We're going to have a lot of work ahead of us... and then, you'll miss these leisurely holidays."

Hearing his teacher's advice, Joshua nodded slowly, then after a brief pause, he gathered his courage to ask, "Will the light truly return?"

"Yes," Taran replied, locking eyes with his apprentice and speaking with a heightened sense of gravity, "Do you remember? We worked out the speed of the sunset together, and it descended below the horizon exactly as we had calculated—it will rise again, just as our calculations predict, but it requires patience."

Joshua's anxious expression eased somewhat. He quietly finished packing the remaining items, respectfully said goodbye to his teacher, and then pushed the cart out of the room.

Taran El watched Joshua leave, and after a moment, he turned towards the window and spoke, "How long do you plan to stay hidden there?"

The space near the window subtly distorted, and Ted Lir, known as the Truth Keeper, appeared as if from nowhere: "I didn't want to disturb your conversation with your apprentice."

"...You still dare to use 'miracles' to get around?" Taran glanced at the Truth Keeper, recalling a previous incident, "Have you forgotten the debacle with subspace last time?"

Ted's face momentarily contorted, then he quickly tried to hide the involuntary twitch at the corner of his mouth: "I made sure it was safe this time... Must you always hold a grudge about things?"

Taran responded not with words but with a silent, expressive middle finger gesture, causing Ted's lip to twitch in strain.

"Shouldn't you be protecting the city through the night with your guardians?" Taran then asked nonchalantly, "What brings you here for a chat at this hour?"

"I've finally gotten a break from having to sit through those makeshift thesis defenses put together by beginners, so I'm in a really good mood and thought I'd come chat with you. Does that reason suffice?"

Taran didn't respond immediately, choosing to observe the Truth Keeper standing before him instead.

"...Okay, okay, the real reason I'm here is to personally oversee the escort of the second group of scholars, including you, to the grand library," Ted explained casually. "A team of truth guardians is already prepared and waiting downstairs. Once everyone is ready, you'll accompany me."

"All this just for a visit? You, a Truth Keeper, personally escorting us?" Taran raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "It's only a fifteen-minute drive from here to the grand library. I can easily drive there myself..."

"In Mok, two scholars vanished without a trace on their way to seek refuge at the library. The darkness of the night consumed them," Ted cut in, his tone turning grave. "The night has become far more perilous than we previously thought, and the 'knowledge' you possess... it's irresistibly enticing to 'them'."

Upon hearing this, Taran El paused for a brief moment before silently making his way to a nearby low cabinet.

"What are you doing?" Ted, intrigued by Taran's actions, inquired.

"I'm getting my revolver, along with a dagger and an amulet for protection," Taran replied as he prepared himself.

...

The sound of pages being turned filled the room. Morris was deeply engrossed in his work, writing in a thick notebook and occasionally consulting records he had compiled earlier. He often paused to reflect and refine his ideas.

His notebook was packed with closely written text, abstract symbols, and numerous intricate diagrams that mapped out the structure of the world.

He was working on his most significant project yet—developing a "model" that could describe the entire world. This model spanned from the inception of the Great Annihilation, through the emergence of the Deep Sea Era, to the present state of this "sanctuary," and even speculated on its potential future.

This project had been years in the making, and it was only as the world edged closer to its end that he began to see the possibility of completing it.

Not far from where Morris was seated, Shirley had fallen asleep while Dog was diligently sifting through documents.

After some time had passed, a soft, indistinct whisper began to echo beside Morris's ear.

As the whispering grew, a chilling breeze suddenly swept through the cabin, turning the room into what felt like an ice cave. The coldness was so intense that it began to condense on the ceiling, forming strands of white mist that cascaded downwards. Within this mist, unseen shadows started to emerge, extending a tendril towards Morris...

Without looking up from his notebook, Morris continued to write, casually instructing, "Take it down."

Before he had even finished speaking, Dog had already transformed into a vortex of shattered bones and pitch-black smoke. The fragments of bone and the swirling dark mist surged across the ceiling, and in just a moment, they completely engulfed the malformed creature that had sought out their knowledge.

Almost immediately after, Dog reverted to his original form, gently landing back on the floor.

Startled awake by the commotion, Shirley exclaimed, "Ah... Ah?! What just happened?!"

"Just another entity drawn here in its quest for knowledge," Dog explained, glancing over at Shirley with a hint of indifference, "...You can go back to sleep. It wasn't after you."

After pondering for a brief second, Shirley simply nodded in understanding, "Oh."

Then, without any further ado, she snuggled up next to Dog, resting her head against him as she laid down. Moments later, she was softly snoring again.

Morris paused his work to look over at Shirley, his expression a mix of bewilderment and resignation. He sighed, then refocused his attention on his notebook, solemnly adding the final footnote to the page he was working on.

Just as he penned the last character, a voice he didn't recognize suddenly filled the room—

"Exceptional research... You are now on the threshold of the ultimate truth."

Startled, Morris quickly raised his head to locate the source of the voice.

There, sitting calmly beside him, was a figure in a worn white robe, who offered a gentle smile as he perused the notes and documents scattered across the table.

Morris's muscles tensed in an instant, his hand darting under the table to grasp his revolver in a mere fraction of a second. Simultaneously, Dog stood up alertly—causing Shirley, who was leaning on him, to tumble to the ground with a yelp. Upon seeing the unexpected visitor, her eyes widened in astonishment, and a bone spur emerged from her back like a launched arrow, poised to strike the guest at any moment.

Yet, the robed figure remained seated calmly, apparently unfazed by the heightened tension and hostility in the room, still engrossed in Morris's writings.

After a brief pause, he finally raised his head, his expression still adorned with a serene smile: "I wish to speak with your captain."