"A-Are you saying I could still be in an illusion right now?"
Aaron stumbled out the words as fear grasped his heart with the vivid image of that pink-haired freak devouring his body in the real world.
"Indeed, if you met a King Dormyrr, there would be no chance of knowing reality from illusion… Unless, of course, you wield a Ghostship…"
She laughed as she uttered the last sentence, completely shattering every ounce of terror that gripped the boy.
He sighed in deep relief as his shaking hands slowed down to a normal degree.
"Y-You should've said that sooner!"
Aaron stuttered as he yelled, further humiliating himself in front of Cam, who continued to laugh.
Her hands were still firmly pressed against Eleanor, who slumbered peacefully in the embrace of the woman's glowing hands.
With his anger cooling, the boy looked at the scene unfolding before him, intrigued, and spoke quietly.
"What are you doing?"
He stepped closer; however, the woman quickly raised her hand in a gesture to stop him.
"Don't come closer, I'm examining her condition right now. If you wish it to be done more hastily, you should exit this room and wait for me on the deck."
Her harsh words echoed through the purple room, leaving Aaron stunned and a little concerned.
How am I supposed to trust you alone with her…? You have done nothing but mock and threaten me…
He shivered as he remembered her cold aura that engulfed him above on the deck and the flash of movement that brought her to the helm.
If she really wanted to, she could kill Eleanor and me before we could even blink…
The reality of the situation left him with a deadpan expression across his face that correlated with the tension that was felt around him.
"I'll be in the cabin when you finish…"
…
One hour had passed since Aaron left Cam alone with Eleanor, and as he sat quietly examining the map in the captain's quarters, he heard a rasp on the door.
"Come in!"
His words allowed the doorway to unlock for the woman, who quickly entered and glanced around the room.
Her eyes paused for a moment on the ruined piece of paper on the odd cabinet that sat central against the back wall; however, she focused herself on Aaron.
"As I thought, there isn't any way I could even remotely heal or repair her core. It is so damaged that there might only be one person in the entire world who could fix it to a stable degree."
She paused as the boy's eyes glossed over with the realization that the chances of Eleanor being saved were slim to none.
"O-Only one person? Who is that…?"
With a sad tone, he spoke in barely a whisper, then waited for a response quietly.
Near the entrance, Cam sighed as she slowly removed her cloak, revealing a white buttoned top with suspenders that attached to her long gray pants.
Her hair unfurled further with the dagger that originally rested inside her brown covering, instead connecting to her waist next to the diamond emblem.
"Cooped up in his laboratory in the Sea of Mystery for most of the year, he is the greatest scientist in the history of this world. His accomplishments in anatomy are unprecedented and revolutionary."
Aaron's eyes widened as a memory of an old book he read one day, when he was bored, flashed through his mind as she continued to speak.
"The oldest and most self-centered Sea King, Cauron Thorn."
Silence echoed through the chamber as she spoke the name of one of the strongest men alive, the distaste apparent in her voice.
The blond-haired boy simply stood, mouth agape, after what he had just heard.
"Y-You mean, Lord Thorn is really the only person who can save her?"
She sighed wearily, scratching the side of her head, while he continued murmuring to himself.
"H-How the hell am I even supposed to meet that man? It's not like I can just waltz right into his house and ask him to save Eleanor for no reason!"
He rasped his fingers against the table in anger, thinking of any possible solution to the problem at hand.
Opposite to him, Cam just watched sadly while pondering something internally, then speaking aloud.
"I could get you an audience with him."
She smiled faintly as Aaron froze in place, turning around slowly to face her with a glimmer of hope etched into a grin.
"I cannot do it for free, and neither will he; however, I can certainly assist in preparing you for an encounter."
His jaw tightened as the mention of money appeared within the conversation, reminding him of one gloomy fact.
I'm dirt poor… Not even the beggars in Sea Fallen are as broke as me…
While he knew the cost of meeting with a Sea King would be far beyond what one could muster in a lifetime of work, he knew what he must do.
I'll get a job! Hmm, I think I'm good at fishing, so maybe a fisherman? But that wouldn't make enough, so possibly a side job as a farmer?
Thoughts ran through his mind, yet Cam just stared at him, seemingly reading his idiotic thoughts.
"I don't know what you are imagining for what he would request for payment, but it's certainly not what you think. Cauron Thorn is possibly the wealthiest man in history with millions of Draughts to his name."
Her sudden words shook the boy, making him pale an even lighter shade of white.
M-Maybe I should get three jobs…
Aaron's thoughts were interrupted when the brown-eyed woman spoke again, this time with some good news.
"As a scientist, he has only one condition for anyone who wishes for an audience with him. He has lived a long life, and through his years of living, he has seen almost everything this world has to offer, but things that are unique trigger something deep within his egotistical heart."
The lantern swayed, throwing jagged shadows across his face as he listened to the King's only request.
"Wouldn't this Ghostship or Eleanor's core count as unique things that would stir his interest? You said yourself that both cases were unheard of and completely unique, so wouldn't he think the same?"
Cam shook her head as she heard his words, in denial of his points that were inconsequential.
"You might be able to get an audience, but you are nowhere near the level of Thorn. Not to mention that nothing is stopping him from simply stealing the Ghostship from you."
As she spoke, the door to the cabin slammed open as a strong gust of wind disobeyed the will of the wielder itself.
The woman sighed as she watched the scene, diving into another explanation that gave Aaron pause.
"Without the slightest hint of effort, I was able to reach the core of your Ghostship earlier. You are lucky that I have zero intention of inheriting a vessel like this, but let's say Thorn wished to make one of his subordinates a Sea King as well, then you would be dead in the water."
The boy swallowed hard, listening to the horrible lists of events that could occur from a simple meeting with Cauron Thorn.
"I-If I can't do that, then what should I do?"
He leaned back in his chair, waiting for a response from the woman whose expression gradually deepened into a smirk.
"It's simple. You need to get stronger, and there's one easy way to do that. Rejoin the Hunters' Guild and work your way up the ranks like I did. You don't need to rely on the power of the Ghostships to gain strength, nor do you need magic."
As she uttered the last sentence, she moved her right hand up to her collar, pulling the collar of her shirt down to her chest.
In total shock and respect, Aaron shut his eyes with a flustered look across his face that garnered a laugh from the woman.
"Open your eyes, it's fine."
Her words were calm and sweet, something between an older sister and a mother, allowing the boy to toss away his thoughts and open his eyes calmly.
Slightly below her collarbone was a deep purple scar that ran from her neck down the right side of her body and below her clothing.
"H-Huh…?"
His startled expression made Cam groan as she fixed her shirt covering the wound.
"I was born with a defective core. It was removed when I was not even a month old. Not an ounce of magical power flows in my body, and yet I still rose to where I am today. You can do so too with the bonus of your fancy boat."
With the mention of the Ghostship, her expression darkened, but she continued to speak nonetheless.
"You were a temporary member of the Guild with a planned test in Sea Fallen that you missed. Of course, it was excused due to the circumstances; however, you must still take a make-up exam if you wish to rejoin."
Aaron's eyes widened as he remembered the badge that would disappear if he didn't come in for the exam.
I wondered what that dust in my pocket was…
With a wry smile, he faced the woman and spoke confidently.
"Well, where can I even sign up for this so-called make-up test? The nearest Hunters' Guild building other than Sea Fallen is on the other side of the sea!"
He threw up his hands into the air as he spoke, exaggerating the distance to try to explain it to the woman who was very well aware of this.
"Exactly, we shall set course to Corvassa immediately, and once we get there, I will personally administer the exam for anyone capable."
Aaron froze with the sudden realization that, indeed, this random woman he had only met hours ago was someone who had complete authority in one of the biggest organizations in the world.
Cam simply smiled, almost reading his mind exactly and speaking quietly while moving a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Let's get you training, eh? We'll start tomorrow morning, and by the time we arrive, you'll be more like a manticore in the jungle than a fish out of water."
Then, with a smile, she patted him on the shoulder and walked out of the room without another word, leaving Aaron with his thoughts.
Oh my god, I'm doomed…