Chapter 64: The Deceiver Unmasked

“I said don’t kill me! Please!”

Nolan stood in the shadows, watching as Gareth approached the two unconscious sailors at an unhurried pace.

He bent down to inspect them.

Gareth’s back blocked Nolan’s view, but somehow, with a certain technique, he pressed the side of one unconscious sailor’s neck.

The man let out a faint gasp and twitched.

The confusion in the sailor’s eyes had yet to fade when Gareth drew a short dagger from its sheath, its blade glinting coldly.

The icy edge pressed against the man’s trembling Adam’s apple, sliding back and forth lightly, like a viper flicking its tongue— a casual cruelty.

Nolan felt fine beads of cold sweat break out at the nape of his neck, his shirt sticking to his skin.

He began to doubt whether choosing to follow Gareth had been a thoroughly foolish decision.

This guy acted with utter recklessness— did he really not fear that if things went south, the enraged captain would simply toss him into the pitch-black sea to feed the fish?

Under the threat of the blade, the sailor’s voice trembled uncontrollably.

“Y-Yes, it’s like this……

The temple monk from earlier in the day had been invited to the upper cabins to report to the captain and the other lords about what happened below.

No one dared take the monk’s words lightly, and the captain immediately ordered a search of everyone’s luggage, just to be safe…… And, and the monk cast some kind of divine spell, inspecting each item one by one……”

“Other lords? Who exactly?” Gareth’s voice was low and oppressive.

“I…… I’m just a lowly errand boy down below— how would I recognize all the big shots up top? I only know…… there seem to be a few respectable merchants, along with their attendants and families……”

“Hmph!”

Gareth let out a short, derisive snort, as if some dark suspicion had been confirmed.

He followed up sharply, his tone brooking no nonsense.

“Where is he? Do you know?”

“In the room at the stern, with the nobles…… I’ve told you everything I know— please, let me go.”

The sailor stole a glance upward, his pupils reflecting Gareth’s blurred silhouette.

Having gotten the answer he wanted, Gareth nodded in satisfaction.

But Nolan keenly caught sight of his fingers unconsciously stroking the rough grain of the knife handle.

“Let you go? Easy.”

Gareth’s voice dropped even lower, laced with false magnanimity.

“But if you make a sound, or can’t keep your tongue in check later……”

“I absolutely won’t! I swear to the gods!”

The sailor cut in hastily, his voice sharpening with desperation.

“Forget it— trusting you would be too much hassle. I’ll just—”

Gareth sneered coldly, but before he could finish, Nolan lunged forward in a flash, chopping the sailor on the side of the neck with his hand.

The sailor’s eyelids fluttered, and before he could grasp what happened, he slumped down again.

“There! That’s enough— Choosing to board with you must mean I’ve gone mad.”

Nolan deliberately avoided the ambiguous gaze Gareth cast his way, instead hoisting the two unconscious sailors over his shoulders with effort and stuffing them into the shadows behind a pile of crates.

Once done, he straightened up, brushed the dust from his hands, drew a deep breath, gripped the cold ladder, and swiftly climbed to the deck.

Spotting the so-called nobles’ cabins was child’s play.

Nolan merely had to look up, his gaze sweeping past the thick mainmast to the sterncastle at the rear.

A faint yellow light seeped from the slats of a louvered window, stark against the heavy night.

This ship wasn’t particularly large— among the sailing vessels plying the empire’s north-south routes, it was at best mid-sized.

Under cover of darkness, Nolan and Gareth moved like shadows, silent and careful to skirt any potential watch areas of the on-duty sailors.

In just a dozen or so steps, they had slipped to the base of the sterncastle.

An inexplicable loathing gripped Nolan.

He felt himself drifting further from his original goal— he’d only wanted to retrieve Kristi.

But now, he seemed utterly bound to Gareth’s pirate ship, helpless against the current.

Ahead of him, the black-haired, red-eyed youth crouched nimbly, pressing his face tight against the closed louvered window and peering through a narrow gap.

“See, right there inside…… We’re in luck.”

Gareth raised a hand without turning, pointing lightly, his voice a bare whisper.

Nolan mimicked him, leaning to another slit to look.

In the cramped single cabin, the “temple monk” from earlier knelt facing away from the window.

Scattered around him were not holy icons or scriptures, but rather antique paintings, silverware, and jewelry gleaming with pearl and gem light— without doubt, all plundered from the upper cabins’ elites.

“See? What did I tell you.”

Gareth’s scoff was almost inaudible.

Nolan ignored him, holding his breath and focusing intently on the scene within.

At that moment, two knocks— “thud thud“— shattered the quiet.

A voice from outside spoke deferentially.

“Reverend, are you there?”

“……What is it?”

The man inside replied, his tone solemn.

“It’s the captain, sir. He has some matters he’d like to discuss with you.”

“During the purification rite, I cannot leave the sacred items. Pray convey my regrets to the captain.”

The monk’s response was neither servile nor overbearing.

“I understand. I’ll report back to the captain.”

“Purification rite?”

Nolan’s eyes snapped to the room— aside from the haphazard piles of loot, there was no trace of any sacred ceremony.

Could it be…… this monk was truly lying?

The boy recoiled inwardly, unable to resist glancing sidelong at Gareth for confirmation.

Yet the warm, pure holy light from earlier in the day was undeniable.

The Radiant Church, as the empire’s state religion, counted its clergy in the tens of thousands; in such a vast institution, a few black sheep hardly seemed unusual.

But wielding holy light was the unmistakable mark of true divine favor— impossible to fake, far beyond what ordinary monks could claim!

After all, in the deeply ingrained beliefs of imperial citizens, temple monks not only possessed holy power but also impeccable virtue—

Gloomy thoughts swirled.

Just as Nolan clung to a shred of illusion, the “temple monk” inside suddenly stirred.

He whipped around, and in that instant, Nolan clearly caught the flicker of anxiety and something darker on his face.

“Hey! They’re getting suspicious— we need to pull back fast.”

The man muttered to himself, shedding all pretense of solemnity, then hastily bent down to frantically gather the scattered treasures.

“Oh!”

Gareth suddenly seized Nolan’s wrist, his grip tight enough to hurt.

He whispered suspiciously, “Hide first.”

No time for thought, the two darted away, slipping into a thick shadow along the sterncastle’s outer side.

They held their breath, watching covertly.

Moments later, a faint creak sounded as the louvered window, frame and all, was unfastened from inside.

The fraudulent monk then shouldered a bulky, heavy sack and clambered out the window in awkward haste.

Nolan flinched slightly at the sudden noise, and Gareth’s hand clamped down hard, an unyielding pressure.

“Hold—”

Gareth’s voice was barely audible.

“I’ll see just how far he can run on this endless sea.”

Outside lay the open aft deck.

The fraud hurried to the rail, anxiously scanning the dark waves beyond.

To get a better view, Nolan and Gareth crept forward slowly, using cover.

Before long, they spotted a small boat amid the gray-black swells under night, bizarrely parting the waves in silence as it drew toward the hull.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in the other’s eyes.

The reason was simple— the approaching boat was utterly empty!

It glided in like a spectral vessel with a mind of its own, docking precisely alongside the larger ship.

“What’s going on? Magic?”

Nolan whispered in shock.

Gareth murmured low, “Looks like this fraud dabbles in some crooked arts. Who knows…… that merchant’s sudden death might not have been an accident at all.”

Nolan turned, half-doubting, to see the fraud pat the bulging sack, then draw a length of rope from under his robe, swiftly securing it to the rail— poised to slide down with his ill-gotten fortune and vanish—

“No, we have to stop him!”

Nolan started to rise, but Gareth remained still, merely raising his arm to leisurely roll up his right sleeve.

In that moment, Nolan understood how Gareth had subdued the sailor so swiftly earlier.

“Don’t worry, I won’t use this on live people—”

Gareth’s lips curved.

“Reloading’s a pain, after all.”

Bound to his forearm with leather straps was a finely crafted metal crossbow.

He raised, aimed, and triggered in one fluid motion.

Nolan heard only the faintest whistle of air, his peripheral vision catching a slim black shadow streaking out toward the fraud’s unguarded back.

The bolt’s tip was clearly coated in potent sedative.

Struck, the fraud stiffened, shuddered violently, then staggered like a drunk.

In mere breaths, he collapsed limply on the deck, out cold.

“Heh, temple monk?”

Gareth whispered scornfully, lowering his sleeve and approaching slowly.

He nudged the heavy sack with his toe, then crouched to loosen the tie, revealing gems, jewelry, and crumpled gold and silver within.

He rifled through it casually before tossing it aside, then searched the unconscious fraud thoroughly.

Soon, he yanked from the robe’s inner lining a “holy book” bound in chains.

Interesting……

He hefted the book, glancing at the cover by moonlight but not opening it, merely thoughtfully rubbing the eerie brown leather— or whatever it was.

“What…… Is something wrong?”

Nolan stepped forward, unable to hold back.

“This isn’t a church holy book,” Gareth stated flatly, resolving Nolan’s doubt.

“At least, not a legitimate one.”

“How? You saw it too— the holy light he cast during the day?”

Nolan challenged, only for Gareth to whip his head around, staring fixedly at the boy.

“It can’t possibly be a holy book……”

Gareth’s voice held icy certainty.

“Because this book’s cover is tanned human skin.”

“Human skin……?! What did you say?”

The words blanked Nolan’s mind, the meaning incomprehensible.

But before he could react or verify, Gareth snatched up the sack of loot in one hand, hooked the eerie “human-skin book” with the other, and without hesitation vaulted the rail, plunging into the dark, roiling sea below!

“You!”

Nolan’s desperate growl escaped in the heat of the moment, a realization striking him— the monk was a fraud, sure, but Gareth was likely the mantis stalking the cicada, the true predator behind!

He lunged to the rail, leaning over to peer down.

The black-haired youth had already surfaced in the cold water, deftly hauling the heavy sack aboard the boat, then clambering in himself.

He even had leisure to look up, meeting Nolan’s glare of fury and loathing, and waved leisurely— his voice carrying easily over the waves.

“Head back— your little friend’s still waiting on board!”

“You bastard…… You won’t get away!”

Nolan’s furious shout burst out.

But his earlier desperate yell had already alerted the watch.

Instantly, warning gongs clanged “clang clang clang” in urgent rhythm, piercing the silent night sea.

Chaotic footsteps and shouts erupted from across the deck.

Nolan whipped his head around in panic, seeing the unconscious impostor still sprawled by the rail, while he stood alone at the scene of the crime.

His muddled mind cleared like a lightning strike— once the theft was discovered, as an accomplice, he’d be the prime suspect!

Jumping into the sea wouldn’t clear his name; the suspicion would stick like tar.

No need for deep thought; in a flash, Nolan grasped the deadly crux.

He couldn’t let Gareth escape scot-free!

The boy steeled himself, clambered onto the rail, and leaped into the dark, icy waters below!

The crew had been roused by the gongs, torchlight sweeping the deck in disarray as people ran and searched, the site a madhouse.

No one noticed, atop the sterncastle’s highest ceiling, a girl in a deep red cloak peek out, silver-gray strands escaping her hood to dance in the night sea breeze.

She gaped at the frenzy below, then at the black sea, murmuring to herself.

“Wait…… You guys…… Why’d you all jump?”