Shrouded Seascape

After some thought, Charles said to Sparkle, "We can't talk again right now. Can you help me keep an eye on Mommy? Once she's no longer as angry, I'll go and have a good chat with her."

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her. After all, I'd have to choose which side to follow if the two of you really end up splitting up."

Charles chuckled softly. His daughter had truly changed a lot since the last time he saw her. Staring at his grown daughter, Charles wanted to say something to express that he was still familiar with her, but his mouth only fluttered open.

He felt awkward because he had no idea what to say.

Charles was capable of remaining unfazed, even in a life-or-death situation, but he actually felt nervous in the face of his graceful and beautiful daughter. He had accumulated a ton of knowledge out at sea, but they told him nothing about how to resolve this awkwardness.

Fortunately, Sparkle noticed Charles' helplessness. She tiptoed and pointed her fair finger toward the door. "Daddy, a new outdoor cinema just opened on the island out there. Can you check it out with me?"

"Sure, let's go," Charles said. He was secretly relieved as he strode toward the door. When he reached the door, he was a bit surprised to see Margaret standing there. "You're actually here?"

"I'm one of your allies, so I came here to become the acting governor of Annarles Island."

Charles nodded with a somewhat complex expression before walking away with his daughter. Margaret swept her gaze across the empty office filled with rotary phones, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly upon recalling what had just happened here.

The cinema itself was just a massive white cloth.

Although crude, people would always patronize anything as long as they were free. The clearing before the white cloth was densely packed with people. The show depicted an explorer's arduous journey to save the Subterranean Sea.

The explorer painstakingly traveled across the hostile surface world before finally finding and retrieving the darkness, which saved the Subterranean Sea. The actors' movements and lines made the movie feel more like a theater play than a movie, but it was still a decent movie despite its flaws.

The father and daughter pair was sitting in the middle of the crowd, eating some dried fish. When Sparkle leaned on Charles' shoulder, the awkwardness between the two, which was brought upon by Sparkle's drastic and abrupt change, vanished instantly.

Charles also gradually relaxed throughout the movie.

So they're making the islanders pass the time by offering free movies… Is it because they don't want the islanders to think too much? Whose idea is this? Is it Anna's idea, or is it the Explorer Association's idea? Charles thought.

"Daddy, when are you going back to the surface?" Sparkle asked as she nibbled gently on a salted dried fish.

"I'm going to sort out the issues between me and your Mommy first, and then I'll probably head back to the surface once Julio arrives. Lily is still waiting for my rescue, after all," Charles said calmly as he stared at the white cloth.

Sparkle tilted her head and looked up at Charles' scarred face. Her voice carried a hint of pleading as she asked, "Daddy, can you stop going up there? Everything above has fallen into place, and there's no need for you to go up at all. The Foundation is up there as well."

Charles' heart softened at Sparkle's words.

"I know, Sparkle, but the Foundation is not trustworthy at all."

"Yes, but there are others keeping an eye on things. And I don't think there is going to be a massive difference between you staying down here and exploring the surface world. If you don't like what Mommy is doing, you can keep her in check. I'm sure she'll listen to you if you decide to stay down here.

"And lastly… I want you to stay down here, too…" Sparkle said, and her eyes dimmed as she trailed off.

Sparkle hooked her right hand around Charles' prosthetic arm before adding, "Daddy, the total time we spent together since I was born until today has yet to reach even a month. To be honest, I find you very unfamiliar.

"I'm growing up fast, too. I also heard that the older you get, the more indifferent you become to the affection of your family, and I-I… I don't want that to happen."

"Don't worry, I'll stay by your side for the meantime," Charles said, patting Sparkle's shoulder.

"For the meantime? What's the point of that? Mommy and I don't want you to take risks anymore. And don't you care about your crew? If you stay down here, they won't have to risk their lives as well."

A hint of hesitation appeared in Charles' eyes. His eyes were transfixed on the white cloth in front of him, and the moving playing on the white cloth vanished slowly before being replaced by the faces of his deceased crew members.

"Let me think about it..."

***

Bandages was sitting silently in a crowded train, which seemed to be hanging upside down because it was running down an elevated monorail. Bandages was holding today's issue of Subterranean Sea Daily.

Breaking news!

Through the unrelenting efforts of Governor Charles, the Subterranean Sea has finally entered a collaborative relationship with the Foundation! The operation to save the Subterranean Sea has reached its final stages!

The supply shortage is temporary, and our despair is also temporary!

Victory will always belong to us!

The Foundation Revealed!

Where exactly did this mysterious organization come from? Where did their technology that far surpasses ours come from? The answers are to be revealed in tomorrow's issue of Subterranean Sea Daily!

Please purchase one on time tomorrow!

Bandages folded the newspaper and placed it on the table. Then, he looked up to stare at the train car up ahead.

Dipp and the others were in that car. He didn't like sitting with the energetic and noisy crew members. He had already spent more than enough time with them on the ship, and Bandages simply wanted some peace and quiet in the meantime.

Just then, an old man reached out to grab Bandages' newspaper. The old man stared at Bandages, seemingly asking for permission.

Bandages nodded slightly, and the old man took it with a smile.

"Thank you, young man."

The passengers on the train were going along the slightly shaky movement of the train while doing their own things. They were eating some snacks, reading newspapers, sleeping, coaxing their children, etc.

Just then, a right hand with sharp nails reached over from the aisle. The hand held out a green apple before Bandages. It was Audric's hand.

"Want one?" Audric asked.

Bandages wasn't the only one who preferred peace and quiet over a rowdy crowd. Linda and her husband Audric were sitting in the seats behind Bandages along with Grace. Those unaware of their relationship would assume that the three were family.

"No... need..." Bandages raised a hand to push the apple away.

"You should eat more while you can. You'll only be able to eat canned food once we're back up there," Audric replied. He went back to his seat and split the green apple with his sharp nails before placing it on the table in front of Grace and Linda.

"Peel it. Her intestines are injured, so she can't eat the skin," Linda pushed the apple back to Audric.

"Ah~ It really is a shame that Lily's not here. I remember she loved apples the most among us. I wonder how Lily is doing right now," Audric's nails protruded, and he peeled the apple in the blink of an eye.

"It's okay... The Pope... probably regards Lily as... the Light God... He won't… harm... Lily… We should... think about… how to deal… with the Pope… rather than… worry about… Lily," Bandages said.

"Just thinking about that guy really makes me angry! He's killed so many people, but he's actually still alive and hasn't been punished yet!" Audric exclaimed, sounding indignant.