CHAPTER 191: CHAPTER 179 CALAMITY CURSE, WAR WITCH

"Ah!"

With an unconscious, soft exclamation, Violet suddenly opened her sapphire-like beautiful eyes and abruptly sat up in bed.

The velvet quilt and the white silk nightgown on her shoulders slipped slightly, revealing delicate collarbones and a glimpse of cold, snowy white skin.

Outside the glass porthole was still the thick of night, and the continuous waves carrying the chill rhythmically lapped against the hull.

The girl immediately realized she was still aboard the Flame Rose, navigating through Echidna’s Triangle Circulation in the First Circulation Zone.

Her father, the notorious Pirate King, "Whale Hunter" Jack Harold, had not been devoured by the giant whale at sea.

The sleepiness faded from her blue eyes, and she let out a deep breath.

It’s been so many years, yet today I dreamed of Father again.

Gazing out the window at the peril-infested Sea of Monsters under the moonlight, she saw the tall spouts of water from whales breathing in the distance. The silver-haired girl’s gaze was distant.

Her ears echoed once more with the conversation she had just had with her father in the dream, a scene that had occurred many years ago.

Father and daughter, large hand holding small, walked along the sandy beach of Iron Anchor Bay beneath a splendid starlit night, just like today.

"Daddy, can you stay at home and spend more time with Violet? Why must you always go to sea? Is it absolutely necessary?"

The Pirate King’s voice, even as he tried hard to control it and make it sound more tender, still carried the ringing tone of gold and iron,

"My dear, Daddy has to go to the sea often because this world is sick. Have you heard of Whale Falls?"

Violet remembered responding in her childish voice,

"I know, I know! There’s a lot of fun stuff that Artisans need to learn in their courses. I read about it in a book once. Whales, whether they are ordinary creatures or Sea Monsters that have broken the limits of their species, all stand at the top of the ocean’s food chain. While they are alive, they draw from the entire ocean to nourish themselves until they become one of the biggest predators in the sea. And when a whale dies, it can form a Whale Fall, nourishing other creatures for hundreds of years as it sinks into the deep sea. Clams, worms, and blind shrimps... at least 43 species and 12,490 organisms rely on them for survival."

Back then, her father sighed, whether in approval or melancholy,

"Yes, the whales of nature, after their death, will return everything they’ve drawn from the ocean back to it. But the ’whales’ that live in the human world won’t. There are too many ’whales’ in this world that will never die and become Whale Falls to give back to the world; so many that the world is somewhat overwhelmed by them.

"They brazenly squeeze every existence on the entire food chain, greedily swallowing everything into their own bellies, growing larger and larger, yet never feeling satisfied. Moreover, they want themselves and their descendants to forever occupy the top spot in the ecosystem."

The Pirate King, who ruled the entire East Coast, looked at his young daughter and spoke words she did not understand then but felt deeply now,

"Violet, people are a sum of Divinity and animal nature. They possess goodness beyond your imagination, and evil beyond it as well. There’s no absolute right or wrong; that is the human condition.

"Those massive carnivores cannot defy their instincts to eat less meat or none at all. Over time, this only results in continually decreasing nutrients in the ocean. Someone must hunt those ’whales’ at the top of the food chain, to give the other 12,490 minuscule creatures a chance to survive. This is why I am called the ’Whale Hunter.’

"And you must remember. If one lacks a distinct personality, and the lofty ideals one would risk their life to achieve, they can never become a Fifth-order Legend."

Jack Harold’s gaze was tender yet firm. In the girl’s eyes, he was the strongest and most reliable man across the entire sea.

Then the dream turned vague and bizarre, gradually fading from the girl’s memory.

However, as she thought it over, Violet found the image of her father Jack Harold, whom she hadn’t seen for years, subtly transforming into Byron’s figure in her mind. He was spreading his arms out, speaking seriously to her,

"A Whale Fall, a myriad of creatures flourish! Let us be grateful for nature’s bounty, allowing us to eat our fill."

That was what the two of them had communicated about before she fell asleep last night.

Perhaps it is because daytime thoughts turn into nighttime dreams.

Violet hurriedly chased away the sneaky shadow in her mind, spitting softly to herself,

Bah, Byron wouldn’t bother with the righteousness and welfare of all beings, nor could he ever possess ideals as great as Father’s. If given the chance to hunt a ’whale,’ as both a ’Mad Hunt’ and ’Sea Hunter,’ he would definitely choose to devour all the whale meat. Then he’d become a whale himself—and not just any whale, but the fattest and strongest one. Free and unfettered, to the point where no one can oppress him.

That guy is stingy, cunning, and rotten to the core. Compared to Dad, maybe ’reliable’ is the only thing they share in common. Oh, and they are both quite handsome.

The girl thought of Byron turning into a Fat Whale and couldn’t help but snicker out loud.

Yet, if asked which man’s philosophy she sided with more, she would not hesitate to abandon... her old father.

Because Violet knew one of the title abilities the "Whale Hunter" gains after reaching a Legend Degree of 30 points: "Anyone who hunts a being identified as a ’whale’ is able to draw certain nutrients from their body, gaining benefits in all respects. Spirituality, Rank, transcendent abilities... Until they become the strongest ’whale’ in the entire ocean."

Only the top predators can kill their own kind. The story of the Dragon Slayer who eventually becomes the Evil Dragon is played out every moment. Father’s ideals are certainly grand, but Byron’s flamboyant maneuvers are clearly more realistic.

And indeed, in myths, this mightiest of whales truly existed, named: Rift Whale Leviathan! It was precisely the extraordinary being from whom the Harold family’s Forbidden Book, "Calamity Curse," descended. The core lies in the twenty-four Runes, which include the knowledge to craft whalebone talismans.

Thinking of her own Black Sorcery, Violet no longer intended to sleep. She threw back the smooth velvet silk quilt and, with bare feet, lightly leaped out of bed, determined to hasten her progress.

TAP, TAP. The soles of her feet, as pale as moonlight, left a series of delicate footprints on the polished teakwood flooring that could reflect one’s image.

Sitting at the exquisite mahogany desk in the captain’s cabin, she lit a Whale Oil Lamp and brushed a beautiful strand of silver hair behind her ear. She then put on a pair of small, round tortoiseshell glasses. Picking up a piece of whalebone that had already been prepared on the desk, she started to carve with an engraving knife with meticulous care.

Byron shared with me much knowledge he acquired overseas. He especially emphasized the importance of balancing the ’id,’ ’superego,’ and ’ego.’ Father seemed to have mentioned something similar before, though not as systematically as Byron explained it. This is unlike any transcendent theories from the Old Continent. As a Third Order Grand Artificer, my Anchoring is already stable, and I’m ready to commence the second ritual for non-human transformation, slowly approaching the Mythical Creature ’War Witch,’ also known as ’Calamity Witch.’ As Leviathan’s emissary, I can transform at will into any kind of powerful aquatic creature, even Demon Monsters. But from then on, I will develop an aversion to vast lands with continental shelves and will not be able to live on land for extended periods. Otherwise, I will gradually weaken, revert to an ordinary person, and may even die. Compared to the Power I will gain in the future, though, this price seems worthwhile. Right, there’s also the critical ’Flow State’ for maintaining balance. Byron said he could teach me hands-on, with a guarantee of mastery. I’m not sure if that guy is just boasting.

Time flew by as she focused intently on her studies. Before she knew it, the sky was streaked with the pale light of dawn.

She looked at the freshly completed talismans, "Taming the Waves" and "Trembling Silhouette," and nodded in satisfaction.

SNAP!

She hopped off the chair and snapped her fingers. Amidst a flash of Divine Light, representative of Third Order Alchemy, her silk nightgown slipped off on its own. The captain’s cabin seemed to brighten instantly with the glow of her skin. The clothes and stockings on the nearby rack seemed to come to life, automatically flying over to dress her as she stepped in and extended her arms.

It was a rare set of women’s military uniform. Moreover, it was styled after those of the Kalmar Union, part of the Bayfolk Nations of the Eternal Night Peninsula. She also donned a Miracle mask, giving herself another face, full of vigor.

Only then did she push the door open and step out of the captain’s cabin.

"Captain, good morning!"

A sailor who had also risen early greeted her, clad in the standard-issue uniform of the Kalmar Union.

Raising her head, she could see that the Fourth-level Nominal Battleship, Flame Rose, had drastically changed its appearance. The Union’s flag waved aloft on the mast. In the distance, a massive ocean-going Fleet stretched to the horizon, with a complex mix of flags—none of them a pirate ship.

Clearly, this was a disguise meticulously crafted by Violet, the Bay Citizen Princess. She was currently wanted by Hightins and viewed with hostility by the conservative faction of the Church. It was far too risky for her to travel alone on a single ship; thus, this ruse had become necessary. However, this identity she had prepared was genuine. Even if one were to invoke the Silver Law for verification, there would be no flaw to find.

After the collapse of the North Sea Empire, established by the ancestors of Bayfolk along the North Sea coast, the common ancestors of the Lancaster and York Family founded the Kingdom of Hightins, while Violet’s ancestors returned to their old profession in Iron Anchor Bay. On the Eternal Night Peninsula—the largest piece of former North Sea Empire territory—several branches of Bayfolk Descendants also established their own Bayfolk Nations. Among them, three Bayfolk Nations of various sizes—the Aalborg Kingdom, Gothenburg Kingdom, and Oslo Kingdom—formed the tight-knit Kalmar Union.

Recently, simultaneous to the Throne War in Hightins and the attack on Iron Anchor Bay, turmoil also erupted within the Three Kingdoms of the Union. By now, the power struggle had already been resolved. The developments did not deviate from Byron’s predictions before his departure.

Queen Margaret I of the Aalborg Kingdom, the [Evernight Queen], a devoted follower of the Church’s conservative faction, secured her position as Regent Queen of the Three Kingdoms. All forces within the Three Kingdoms that adhered to the Protestant Doctrine were suppressed, suffering heavy losses. This once again demonstrated that under the [Hidden: The Shadow Behind the Red and White Rose War], a specific faction within the Church targeted all Bayfolk.

Violet held no goodwill toward that power-hungry old lady who wished to reconsolidate all Bayfolk Nations of the North and change her Kingly Title to "Queen of the North."

But...

Forget it. This time she indeed did me a big favor. I’ll try not to speak ill of her behind her back in the future and just avoid dealing with her.

Violet turned her gaze toward two warships stationed not far from the other side of the Flame Rose, one leading the other. The sails bore the striking image of a fiery stake, a red so vivid it was almost glaring. The power they represented was none other than the Church’s own Religious Tribunal!

Such an encounter was hardly pleasing to Violet.

At the beginning of the Fleet’s journey, when these two ships suddenly joined them, she had already realized the mission the Tribunal intended to carry out. This was most likely the hunting squad that set out for Banta’an after learning that ’Mad Hunt’ had snatched the Golden Code from Aztec Royal City!

Should these killing machines see through her identity, they would likely not hesitate to slay a future Witch in passing.

Good citizen sir, it looks like we’re in trouble again.