As soon he stepped onto the deck and before he could enter the cabin, Klein saw a figure moving through the crowd towards him through the corner of his eye.
He looked over his shoulder with an air of indifference but hidden vigilance, and he saw a man in his thirties wearing a black half top hat and a windbreaker of the same color.
The other party had a weathered face, looking boorish but extremely masculine. His light blue eyes didn’t contain a smile, as if they were immersed in many past events.
It was like he was greeting an old friend.
The boorish man, however, wasn’t surprised. He stopped and nodded in a somewhat reserved manner, saying, “Cleves, a former adventurer.
“Mate, are you in the same trade?”
“I thought you knew yesterday. Gehrman Sparrow,” Klein responded with a smile.
He didn’t pass his cane to his left hand, because he didn’t intend to shake Cleves’s hand.
“I can tell.” Cleves maintained two seconds of silence and said, “Being an adventurer isn’t a beautiful profession. I’ve already switched careers and have become a bodyguard. This time, I’m accompanying my employer’s family to the capital of the Rorsted Archipelago.”
He half-turned and pointed to another spot on the deck.
Klein traced where he was pointing and saw nearly ten people gathered together. They were led by a plump middle-aged gentleman with ruddy cheeks and spirited eyes. On his double-breasted suit, Klein could see the gold chain from his pocket watch and a jeweled collar brooch.
Next to him was a lady in a wide-brimmed hat, her face completely hidden by the dark-blue muslin that hung down, and her figure wasn’t too bad.
Standing in front of the couple were two children. The younger one was a boy who wasn’t even ten years old. He was wearing a child’s version of a tailcoat. The older one was 15 or 16 years old and was a lively and energetic teenage girl. Her looks couldn’t be considered outstanding, but her pair of brown eyes were quite bright and intelligent. Her faint freckles and puffy dress added to her playfulness.
Around them were three people carrying suitcases and all sorts of items—a man and two women, all dressed as servants. One of the maids had brownish skin, clearly of Southern Continent heritage.
The bodyguards protecting the seven people were a man and a woman. They were dressed simply and neatly in white shirts, light sweaters, black coats, dark trousers, and sturdy leather boots.
The two bodyguards deliberately didn’t hide the outlines created made by the gun holsters by their waists. They didn’t relax as they inspected the approaching passersby. Their eyes were sharp and they were composed.
“Three servants and three bodyguards?” Klein asked casually.
“Yes.” Cleves nodded.
Without another word, he quickly turned around and walked towards his employer’s family.
“…”
Klein was stunned. He didn’t know why Cleves had specially come to greet him for.
After recalling the novels, movies, and television dramas he had seen in his previous life, he gradually understood what Cleves was implying.
With a creak, he pushed open the wooden door and walked in.
The room wasn’t very spacious, just large enough to fit a bed, a table, and a cupboard. There weren’t even any chairs.
Its greatest advantage was that it came with windows, The wharf’s sunlight shone in, illuminating the table and bedside with pure golden spots.
He quickly took out his necessities and placed them on the table for daily use.
When he was tidying up the place, he sat down on the edge of the bed which wasn’t too high, and he listened to the long whistle of the steam whistle. He felt the power that stemmed from steam and machinery contained within it.
When the ship began to set sail, Klein looked out the window at the sea and gradually withdrew his thoughts. He began to think about the most important thing that would happen next—the problem of how to act as a Faceless.
While facing the True Creator’s descent ritual and the powerful Mr. A, the decision to give up trying to escape and attempt a sabotage act had allowed his potion to be digested a little. Based on this feedback, he gained some new insights into the acting requirements of a Faceless.
After a while, he came up with an idea.
At this thought, Klein changed his position, trying to sit more comfortably.
Remembering everything that had happened before, he found another question regarding acting.
Klein eased his baffling horror, and he drew up an initial direction for his acting attempts.
Since it was still too early for lunch and the room was too small and cramped, he decided to take a walk on the deck and enjoy the scenery amidst the sea breeze.
After the excitement of the first hour of the voyage, there weren’t many people left on deck. Klein walked along the side of the ship, arriving at a secluded area with large shadows.
Suddenly, he saw the former adventurer, Cleves, busying himself around the corner. In front of him seemed to be a trident, a dagger, and a short knife.
Cleves sensed this and raised his head to look at him. Keeping a well-seasoned demeanor, he said in a taciturn manner, “We’re all old mates, and we have to maintain them frequently.”
At this point, he added, “There are children in the cabin.”
“Understood.” Klein smiled in response.
Cleves lowered his head and continued to busy himself. He casually asked, “You don’t seem to have these things with you?”
“I’m used to using weapons that keep abreast with the times,” Klein said vaguely. “And I frequently do maintenance.”
Cleves silently raised his dagger, looked at it against the sunlight, and said to himself, “At sea, guns alone aren’t enough.
“Pirates will board ships, and there will be a lot of people. After you finish shooting your bullets, you won’t have the opportunity to reload again. Although these guys no longer keep abreast with the times, they’re still useful enough.”
Cleves turned his head and stared at him for a good three seconds before retracting his gaze. Then, as he packed up his things, he said in a low voice, “It seems that you don’t need me to remind you. You’ve already understood the rules of the sea.
“The bounty hunters who travel the earth are often unable to be adventurers at sea.”
He skillfully hid the dagger, short knife, and trident under his clothes, which dazzled Klein.
“Thank you.” Klein smiled and nodded.
Without speaking any further, Cleves turned around and returned to the cabin, leaving behind only his broad and deep back.
Klein smirked, shook his head, and turned his gaze to the side of the ship.
Blue waves gently rose up and down, and silvery-white flying fish occasionally leaped out of the water and soared in the air.
