Selina adjusted her tone.
"Uhm, I mean, could you explain clearly so that I can consider?"
Seeka Tron gathered her thoughts and explained, "The novel is about the Northern Sea Vessel, encountering a massive iceberg that had led to its tragic end.
"It tells a story of a forbidden romance between an upper-class woman and a working class painter from the pier in East Tucker."
The Northern Sea Vessel is one of the ferry express in the Rolls Harbor. It boards passengers to the nearby Sonia Island.
An upper class woman... Working class painter.
Both are in a transantarctic steamship...
Selina stayed silent. After thinking about it, she requested, "May I have a look at your work?"
Hesitant, yet determined for more materials for her novel. Seeka sighed quietly and handed her notebook.
Selina began the draft at the first page. Slowly but gradually, it managed to immerse her.
Until at some point, a certain work came to mind.
This... she was in disbelief.
This seems like the movie—the Titanic!
Because of this revelation, Selina withdrew the drafted story away from her and turned to Seeka.
Seeka's eyes was laced with expectancy and anticipation.
"You..." she found it difficult to say.
Finding it inappropriate to outright ask if she somehow plagiarized a certain novel. Maybe one of the supposed 'greatest work' made by Emperor Roselle. She refrained from inquiring.
Instead, she questioned, step by step.
"Are there any works of Emperor Roselle that maybe... Have a name that goes along with 'Titanic'?"
She wanted to ensure if this Emperor reserved some time for literary works.
Seeka Tron's puzzlement was evident.
"Titanic? I never heard of it... His novels do however have a inspiring story, such as the Romeo and Juliet, The Return of The Count and much more but titanic was never apart of it. Why do you ask?", she listed then added a question.
Then, does that mean this... May become this world's first novel of the Titanic?
Selina smiled bitterly.
"Nothing, the story just reminded me a few things..." She answered with a sweet tone.
"Care to tell me more of your plans before I become an inspiration?"
Seeka Tron was slightly taken aback by the lady's response.
Seeing the melancholy in the lady's voice. It made her ponder what her novel could have caused her to experience such a mood. But in the end, it eased her to see that a colleague had taken interest in her work.
For the whole lunch hours. Selina and Seeka have both exchanged ideas and opinions about the novel. The former displayed sincerity that made the latter divulge more of her plans for the story.
Seeka Tron's perspective of the novel goes along with the plot where the two met in the cruise ship. A ball would naturally occur over the constitutes made by the host. The classes were divided, reflecting the huge gap between the lower class and the middle class of the current society.
On the otherhand, Selina agreed over these plot points but suggested a few works such as how the classes would affect the isolated community in the transantarctic vessel. How she should make the cruise part, the near ending, relatively short but impactful, courtesy to the original Titanic movie but with additional twists such as an extension before the voyage.
During this same hours, varied thoughts also lingered in her mind.
One thing is that after Seeka Tron had mentioned publication and the funds. Selina considered the idea of funding her herself, but refrained for now as her dementia had indeed kicked in way before, that only now did she recall to retrieve her card in the Northland bank.
Secondly, her five years stay had also reminded her that her freedom will be limited. Rendering her to have only one capability left to help Mr. Fool recover, and that is through her organization.
I need to truly establish myself as the deity and leader of the Child of God's faction as soon as possible...
The voices that are coming from Seeka Tron became blurry. The chatter from Old Neil, Mrs. Orianna and the rest have also seemed to be isolated from her auditory.
"Ah Ms. Roy."
By the time, Old Neil's raised voice called out.
Huh?
Selina snapped back from her drowning thoughts.
She quickly stammered a reply, "Y-Yes?"
"So when this painter have finally walked the gangway... Ms. Roy, are you alright?" Seeka Tron's voice have finally became clear.
"Ah...! I-I'm fine. Yes, I believe by this logic, they would unknowingly meet in a faithful encounter before the trip", Selina immediately filled the gap she failed to know.
"I'm pleased by your opinion but that is not entirely the point of this part. Ms. Roy, are you feeling strange? Perhaps you'd like to discuss this some other time?" Seeka Tron raised a brow in concern.
Selina sighed, "Mhm, I guess you're right. But before that, I wanted to say that it's alright to make me an inspiration."
"I'm grateful to hear that. Rest well, lunch time have already ended thirty minutes ago anyway."
Thirty minutes ago?
After Seeka Tron left the lounge along with her notebook. Selina was just about to prop herself from the sofa and reach for her sunhat when Old Neil's voice called out again.
"Ms. Roy!"
Selina quickly turned to his direction. From there, she saw Old Neil, holding a book by his left hand and standing by the door.
"What seems to be the reason for calling me Mr. Old Neil?" she asked.
"Noon will arrive soon, heh heh. So I figured I should finish your Hermes language lesson today before we transition to other languages", Old Neil chuckled, relaxed that his pupil is quick to learn and easy to be taught.
Oh, right, I still have to continue the documents I left earlier...
"Alright", she replied.
After taking her sunhat that was nested to her side. Selina walked over to Old Neil, waited for him to take the lead and tailed him on their way.
As they reach the stairwell. Old Neil suddenly spoke with a meaningful tone, "Ms. Roy, I wonder why's your attire a half coat? Did Dunn forgot to tell you of the uniforms you can use from our department?"
Selina stopped after hearing this and looked at Old Neil with a faint surprised look.
"I guess he didn't."
Old Neil let out a short laugh then said, "Haha, well it's alright. If he forgot then let me inform you instead. By heading to Mrs. Orianna, she can give you some clothes we have for officers which are a gray windbreaker, black vest and a police cap. All are especially made for women."
And I bought all of that clothes for nothing...
Selina sighed gravely, both in the inside and outside as she smiled amiably, "Thank you for telling me this. Perhaps from now on I should have to acquaint myself with captain's dementia."
Then, she recalled the wallet Klein left. Wondering if Old Neil's wish came true, she added, "By the way, did Mr. Moretti received his wallet back?"
"He did", confessed Old Neil with a gentle smile as he carried on with his steps.
"That's relieving", Selina muttered to herself.
I thought that the wallet is the result of Mr. Old Neil's ritualistic magic...
"And I got ten pounds for it. Just enough for me to pay back my small debt from Mrs. Harger at the market", Old Neil said gladly.
... Selina's shock was evident from the sudden shift in her demeanor.
"R-Really? He compensated you for it?", she said, reckoning how it went.
"Moretti is really a gentleman. Compensation wasn't troubling since it came directly from his heart", there wasn't a hint of remorse from Old Neil's voice.
"It went according to the Goddess's divine grace."
I wonder how Mr. Moretti felt...
...
Hours before the mission.
Klein was at a page of the historical documents. Reading and illustrating how the past went in his mind that slowly, he lost track of time.
When his hand touched his trouser. The compartment on his right, where his wallet is supposed to be. He felt nothing.
He quickly panicked.
W-What? Where is my wallet?
His thoughts raced and the recollection of his trip going from his residence, to boarding a trackless carriage, and finally arriving at 36 Zouteland Street surfaced to remind him of where the wallet could have gone.
Aghhh... Benson will kill me!
Ah right! Divination!
At times like these, magics becomes the greatest tool a man could use!
Just as he was about to prepare to head above the gray fog. He heard five consecutive knocks coming from the door.
Thud! Thud!
He stopped just in time before he took a first step. Although desperate to quickly find his missing precious wallet, he wasn't just about to reveal the secret of his transmigration.
So while maintaining a calm exterior, he strained for the door and opened it.
From there, he saw Old Neil, wearing a delighted smile like he had just received his favorite meal.
"Old Neil... What can I help you?" He asked with acquiescence.
Old Neil didn't replied immediately. Instead, from his hand, he lifted a wallet.
The wallet had a leather surfaced, engraved with a symbol of the Loen pound.
It was his wallet! His wallet!
Klein was overjoyed that he quickly reached for his belonging from Old Neil's hand.
"Thank you, my brother would've done numbers in lecturing me."
Old Neil himself was glad for the return of Klein's possession. But when his supposed reason to come here was done, he simply stayed there, appearing like a gentleman.
Klein's smile slowly drops at the realization.
While Old Neil's delighted expression only grew radiant by the second.
...
For the whole afternoon, when the lunch time had ended.
Old Neil gathered all of the books containing the records of Hermes and Ancient Hermes. He diligently taught Selina how the pronunciation are and how one would construct sentences with the letters.
These weren't that complicated for Selina to learn as she quickly figured how Hermes was quite similar to Ancient Hermes. Due to this, within just a span of three hours, she managed to establish a relatively better coherency over the two languages.
Her potion did not do much however, as the improved memory of this Sequence only applies to formulas and medicines.
By the time the clock reaches four. Old Neil excused himself again for Selina to shift her focus to the formulas given by the Church of the Earth Mother.
Drug to numb the user?
Isolation of nerves and veins that renders their perception for a short period of time? Selina's attention was caught by the description of one of the formulas.
Pain Killer...
Ground the following materials: a sanctuary root, five blessed populus leaves, five blades of lemon grass, and three porcelain sage...
The subsequent steps was easier to recall that Selina didn't take long to consider.
Reminded of her perilous situation during the chase and where pain could affect her ability to move. She thought to herself, "Are these materials available here?"
She plans to attempt one formula for the day.
By the time she started browsing the materials on the shelves. It wasn't difficult for her to quickly recognize them as each ingredients were present in the encyclopedia, including their sketched images and descriptions.
After preparing the things required on the table, all were gathered around the alchemy room. She started her first unguided drug making.
With a mortar and a pestle, she produced a few grams of fine powder using the ingredients mentioned earlier.
The formula stated that she needs to light a small cauldron, add various small drops of essential oils and extracts, letting them boil afterwards as instructed by the document. Once this procedure is done, she would have to pour all of the fine powder into the cauldron and wait until the contents dry out.
Of course she refrained from doing this over the table and instead laid the cauldron on a corner. Placing it atop a metallic tripod that have a few candle sticks below.
There... she exhaled, lighting each candle lick with a match.
Old Neil still hadn't taught her how to light them with one's spirituality.
As she wait for the small liquids in the cauldron to dry. Thinking of the time that would waste watching it, she went and resumed her documents instead.