Shrouded Seascape

Chapter 227. The Haikor King

"Seven meters? And you've even met him before?"

Charles quickly understood that the beings the Haikors referred to as gods might just be a group of natives of the land rather than what he had originally assumed them to be.

It now all made sense why the shop owner with a missing leg had said that a god had died.

Despite this, Charles was clear that even if these Haikor deities weren't of the level of the Divinities, they still held some power. Otherwise, they couldn't have established a foothold in the Subterranean Sea. However, the stature of the Haikor deities plummeted in his mind upon knowing that they were less than immortals.

Sitting next to him, Aguino seemed to have been attuned to Charles' thoughts. He flashed a faint smile and whispered, "Captain Charles, do you find that our gods differ greatly from those in the Northern Sea?"

Charles remained silent, with his gaze fixated on his wine glass. He considered those gods as just mere natives and had no interest in debating with Aguino about their gods. After all, he was on their turf and saw no point in antagonizing them over a mere ideological dispute.

"I know that there are gods in the Northern Seas—the Light God, Fhtagn, Giant Bird of Suffering, Eye of Truth, and countless others. But so what if they hold grand titles and are supposedly omnipotent?

"Do their followers get to meet them? Or should I say, does their faith even matter to their gods?" Aguino pressed on as he took a glance at King Caesar, who was still going on with his welcome speech.

"Our gods may not be omnipotent or immortal, but they are with us, they care for us, they show us compassion."

"Are they really considered gods, then? Shouldn't they be considered just another group of ordinary island natives?" Charles inquired.

Aguino posed a philosophical question in response, "What, in your mind, Captain Charles, is the definition of a god?"

The question was beyond Charles's usual scope of thought, so he remained silent.

Taking the hint, Aguino continued. "Gods should be a higher-level concept, not merely a belief born out of fear. To regard unknown entities in the water as some godly figure seems foolish to me.

"You may not understand now, but once you see our gods, you will understand."

Charles regarded the giant before him with a questioning gaze. Is a man capable of such philosophical thinking really a brainwashed cultist?

Aguino ceased his explanation as the king's speech concluded.

Charles also reined his thoughts back in and looked toward the direction of the king.

Raising his golden cup, the king toasted, "To our first god, Pede. May He rest in peace in another world."

Charles joined the others in raising his glass and took a sip from the cup. He found it unexpectedly familiar—it was the banana wine from his very own Hope Island.

"Captain Charles, this wine is a rare import from distant Hope Island, and it is very expensive. It is said to be equivalent to flowing gold in the Sea of Mist," Aguino remarked.

A muffled chuckle escaped from Charles's pocket.

Charles hurriedly placed a hand into his pocket and tapped Lily on the head. He then raised his glass to Aguino. In acknowledgment, he said, "Indeed, the taste profile is rather unique."

As the banquet continued, the king, dressed in a flamboyant outfit, chatted with the few guests seated around him and displayed no intent of conversing with Charles.

Charles remained unfazed and continued to dine. He would be more concerned if the king had placed overly excessive attention on him, as though there was a hidden agenda to the banquet.

He also found it interesting that while most island banquets were held in the evening, Shattered Heart Isles held theirs in the morning, which was rather unusual.

The feast concluded amid the clinking of glasses, but Charles stayed behind. He was certain that the king had invited him for more than just a meal.

The servants quietly came forward to begin clearing the long table. After the table that stretched over thirty meters was cleared, Charles finally caught King Caesar's gaze for the first time.

King Caesar's first remark caught Charles by surprise. "Captain Charles, the wine from your island is rather exceptional and tastes rather unique. The price is rather steep, though."

He knows that I'm the Governor of Hope Island?

Charles kept his composure and replied calmly, "You flatter me. All credit goes to the special ingredients. If you need, I can send a shipload to you."

King Caesar let out a customary chuckle and replied, "There's no need for that. Despite the price tag, I can still afford it as the ruler of an island. But I do have a question. As the king of a prosperous island, why did you venture all the way to the Sea of Mist?"

"You can ask the Prophet about that. It knows of my purpose." Not wanting to lose control of the conversation, Charles continued. "Your people mentioned wanting to thank me with a gift. On that note, I'd prefer to exchange the gift for a question if Your Majesty permits."

King Caesar fidgeted with the red ring on his hand and inquired, "What is your question?"

"It's about the Deep Dwellers. They live rather close by, so the Haikor Tribe must have extensive knowledge about them, right?"

"Indeed. Those wretches are a constant threat to all Haikors. They are a menace we've battled for centuries. We're well-acquainted with their nature and brutality."

"What if a human suddenly turns into a Deep Dweller? Is there any way to turn him back?" Charles asked.

Surprise painted King Caesar's visage. He hadn't expected such a question.

"There's no need for you to pose this question to anyone else. I can answer it: no, it's impossible."

Charles' heart sank. So that punk Dipp will never come back?

"But why not? If it's possible to turn from a human into a Deep Dweller, shouldn't the reverse be possible as well?"

"You're mistaken. No one turns into a Deep Dweller; they've always been Deep Dwellers, just in different stages of life. The juvenile form of a Deep Dweller resembles a human. At a certain point, or under specific stimuli, they metamorphose into adult Deep Dwellers.

"Just like how sturgeons migrate from the Southern Seas to specific regions in the Northern Seas to spawn, those wretched creatures lurking in the sea rely on humans to reproduce.

"If a pregnant woman escapes, it's possible for a juvenile Deep Dweller to end up being adopted by humans."

The revelation struck Charles with a wave of dismay. It meant that Dipp could never become human once more.

Dipp's eternally spirited face fleeted across Charles' mind, and Charles unknowingly clenched his hands into fists. His previously good mood turned sour in an instant.

This wasn't just about losing a powerful comrade. In his many years in this subterranean world, Dipp had been one of the few whom he could truly connect with.

"Captain Charles, you have a friend who became a Deep Dweller? That is truly unfortunate."

Charles shook his head and rose to his feet. "Your Majesty, thank you for the clarification. Since the banquet is over, I shall take my leave."

"Hold on, Captain. I did mention a gift for you. Since you're here, you might as well take it."