The next morning, when Sami and his group stepped out of the Skylark's cabin, they discovered that the guard Apo had already arrived with several soldiers and was waiting near the dock.
"Morning, Brother Apo," Sami greeted with a smile. "You're here pretty early."
Apo gave Sami a respectful salute.
"Good morning, Mr. Sami. We have come under the orders of the Great Elder to invite you to the Elder Hall for another meeting. Meh."
"Oh? Is that so? That's wonderful. Thank you for leading the way."
He turned and gave Aldo, Marcus, and the others a subtle look. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he said to Apo,
"Oh right, Brother Apo. My companions would also like to take a stroll around the island today… maybe around the outskirts of the town, just to enjoy the scenery. If it's convenient, could you arrange for a few of your men to guide them? It'd be unfortunate if they got lost somewhere unfamiliar."
The words sounded polite on the surface, but both sides understood the real meaning. Sami was voluntarily accepting their surveillance, signaling that his group had no intention of hiding their movements.
Apo nodded knowingly.
"No problem, Mr. Sami. I'll arrange some men. Meh."
Last night, Sami had already held a brief discussion with his officers aboard the ship.
Since the shops in the town had yielded nothing, perhaps their target was hidden somewhere in the wilderness where few people ventured.
However, Sami couldn't simply say, "I know there might be the Rumble-Rumble Fruit here—go look for it."
All he could do was provide a reasonable direction.
"Since we didn't find anything in town, perhaps the forests in the wild might hold something unusual. Tomorrow I'll go talk with the Great Elder. During that time, you can carefully explore the outskirts. Be careful, and don't wander off alone."
Thus, the group split into two teams once again.
Sami followed Apo alone toward the Elder Hall, while Aldo, Gad, Fitch, and the others, accompanied by several Bika guards, headed toward the more densely vegetated woodland outside the village.
Inside the Elder Hall…
The Great Elder was seated as usual. When he saw Sami enter, a smile appeared on his face.
"Mr. Sami, please sit. Yesterday's reception was somewhat rushed, and we may not have treated you properly. I hope you will forgive us. Meh."
"You're too polite, Great Elder. Bika has unique scenery and simple, honest people. It left a deep impression on us outsiders."
Although the Great Elder already understood that the so-called merchant caravan was merely a façade—like thin paper that could be pierced with a single poke—he also knew that the other party's strength was unfathomable. Tearing away that façade would bring no benefit to the weaker Bika.
Since the other side was willing to play along, he would continue the act as well. After all, maintaining the disguise allowed both sides to probe each other cautiously.
"Bika is located in a remote place. We have very little contact with the outside world—especially with the Blue Sea. It has been many years since we last interacted. The outside world must have changed greatly, right? Meh."
Following the topic, Sami briefly described the current situation of the Blue Sea.
The World Government and the Navy maintained a superficial order. Kingdoms were scattered across countless islands, and the distinction between nobles and commoners was clear.
In terms of technology, aside from a few special exceptions, there didn't seem to have been major changes overall.
Based on Sami's description, the Great Elder gradually formed an image of a world where chaos and order coexisted—essentially similar to the world of centuries ago, though different in its details.
As the conversation continued, Sami casually shifted the topic and remarked with admiration,
"Speaking of which, Bika's public order is truly enviable. The residents all seem to follow the rules from the bottom of their hearts. If only places in the Blue Sea—or other regions—could be like this."
At the right moment, he showed a hint of helplessness.
"To be honest, the very first Sky Island we landed on—Aramuk—had shady merchants forcing unfair deals. In the end, they even called the guards to attack us. It was quite unpleasant."
Upon hearing this, the Great Elder stroked his beard and smiled, a trace of pride in his voice.
"Ah, Aramuk… that place does have a stronger commercial atmosphere. As for how Bika maintains its peace, aside from our ancestral laws and customs, we mainly rely on a special ability that allows us to sense good and evil and guide people's hearts. Meh. However, this ability is a secret passed down within Bika. It is extremely difficult to master. Meh."
At this point, Sami felt the groundwork had been laid.
He leaned slightly forward, his face sincere.
"A special sensing ability? Great Elder, to be frank, I'm extremely interested in such a marvelous power! I wonder… would I have the honor of learning it from you?"
The Great Elder's hand, which had been stroking his beard, paused slightly.
So this is his purpose today?
That's rather direct… almost too direct. Not even a bit of roundabout politeness?
The thought flashed through his mind, but nothing showed on his face.
Looking into Sami's eyes—eyes that carried a smile yet somehow felt impossible to refuse—the Great Elder felt a subtle pressure.
After a moment of contemplation, he slowly said,
"Mr. Sami, it is not that this old man is unwilling to teach you. However, the Heart Net is indeed a secret technique of our people. Only the core members of the Elder Council may pass it on. Moreover, cultivating the Heart Net requires extremely high aptitude. For outsiders, learning it is almost impossible. Meh."
Sami frowned slightly.
The Great Elder's pupils shrank.
His Heart Net had sensed a change in the emotions of the man before him—like molten lava beginning to churn beneath an otherwise calm sea.
His thoughts raced, and he immediately changed his tone.
"However… since Mr. Sami shows such sincere interest, this old man cannot completely shut the door on you. This matter concerns our clan's rules, so please allow me to discuss it with the other elders before giving you an answer. Would that be acceptable? Please wait here for a moment. Meh."
"Of course. I'll wait for your news."
The Great Elder stood up and nodded apologetically to Sami before turning and walking into the inner hall.
There, several core elders had already been waiting.
"So? What did he say?"
The Great Elder spoke with a grave expression.
"He… wants to learn the Heart Net."
"What?!"
Several elders gasped in low voices.
"That fellow's ambitions are clearly not small! Great Elder, you absolutely must not agree! This is our secret inheritance!"
"I already declined him just now, but he seemed somewhat displeased."
The Great Elder voiced his concern.
"So what if he's displeased? At worst we fight him!"
"No no no no no…" another elder waved his hands repeatedly. "Since he wants it, let him learn it!"
"What? If he asks, you just give it to him?!"
"Everyone, calm down! Is the Heart Net so easy to learn? How long did each of us spend mastering it? And how long can they possibly stay here? Besides, they don't even know the exact teaching methods. So why not… we agree to teach him, but only give him the most basic things—just for show. Later we can say his aptitude is insufficient and that he has no affinity with our secret art. This way we satisfy his request without tearing apart our relationship. What do you think?"
The elders looked at one another.
"That… actually makes sense."
"It fulfills the request on the surface while protecting the secret."
"I think that's a good approach too. If he can't learn it, that's his own problem. We can't be blamed."
The Great Elder glanced around the room. Seeing that most of them favored this compromise, he nodded.
"In that case, who will be responsible for teaching this Blue Sea guest?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the hall.
The elders' gazes moved around the room until they finally settled on the youngest elder sitting at the end—Velandel.
Feeling everyone's eyes on him, Velandel raised his head. His face showed little hesitation as he calmly stood up.
"Since the other elders all have important matters to attend to, I will take responsibility for teaching Mr. Sami the basics of the Heart Net."
The Great Elder looked at him and slowly nodded.
"Very well. Velandel, this matter will be entrusted to you. Be sure… to grasp the proper measure. Meh."
"Yes, Great Elder."
The Great Elder adjusted his robe, placed a smile back on his face, and turned toward the outer hall.
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