Chapter 147 Human Nature

Duncan, who was walking into the captain's cabin, suddenly stopped and turned to look behind him.

There seemed to be a slight disturbance from the direction of the bow deck. According to the subtle perception from the *Lost Country*, it was Sherry and Agou causing the commotion.

But there was no problem over there.

"It's so difficult to do homework," Duncan muttered, shaking his head, and walked towards the chart.

The goat-headed figure, who was diligently steering the ship at the edge of the nautical table, suddenly made a creaking sound of wood rubbing. It turned its head to look at Duncan, and its two black obsidian eyes seemed to brighten: "Ah! The great Captain Duncan has come to his loyal first mate—what is your harvest today..."

"No fish today," Duncan glanced at the goat-headed figure. "Judging by the commotion before the frost, I'm afraid we won't be able to catch any fish here for a while."

The series of praises that the goat-headed figure had just brewed was immediately stifled. Its wooden neck creaked and shook from side to side, and after a long while, it squeezed out a sentence: "Ah... then you have at least gained a leisurely morning. The sea breeze is comfortable today, the sun is good, it is a good day for wandering on the sea. If you are interested, we can go near Cold Port..."

"No interest. I don't plan to let the *Lost Country* get close to any city-state for the time being," Duncan interrupted the goat-headed figure, who was about to start chattering, and his gaze casually fell on the sea chart in front of him.

The hazy mist slowly rose and fell on the sea chart. Amidst the swirling mist, a clear route was marked out, which was the route marked by the *Lost Country* as it sailed north all the way. Around the ship's phantom, which symbolized the *Lost Country*, one could see the projection representing Frost, and the *Sea Mist*, which emitted a faint green light.

The latter was currently docked at the edge of the Frost city-state.

"The *Sea Mist* looks pretty quiet over there..." Duncan's gaze fell on the projection of the *Sea Mist*, and the corner of his mouth suddenly curled up a little, as if he had thought of something pleasant. "Looks like things are going smoothly."

"Smoothly? Ah, Captain, I feel like you have another great plan?" The goat-headed figure immediately perked up when he heard this, and kept stretching his neck towards the sea chart while chattering, "What are your plans? Are you going to subvert the weakening city-state? Or take the opportunity to completely recapture the *Sea Mist*, which left the fleet without permission? As expected of you, what you are planning is not just..."

Duncan silently looked at the goat-headed figure: "Are those the only ideas in your mind—robbing, scheming, and subverting? Are there no positive possibilities?"

The goat-headed figure thought for a while, and changed its statement: "Are you going to personally help Frost reorganize its order to get through this crisis? Or are you going to guide Tilian to get rid of his current disgraceful rebellious identity and return him to the correct and great path?"

Duncan immediately looked at this guy with a strange look: "How did you think of these things?"

"Captain, perhaps you haven't noticed, but I still have some ability to observe, and after spending this time together, I am getting to know you better and better," the goat-headed figure slowly turned its neck. Its dark eyes couldn't reveal any emotion, but its tone was obviously with a hint of pride and relaxation. "You won't leave Frost alone—unlike Prando, Frost has suffered more damage in this disaster. If you really leave it alone, something big will happen, and you..."

It stopped here suddenly, as if it was looking for suitable wording. After a moment, it continued unhurriedly: "And you are full of humanity."

Duncan didn't speak for a while, just calmly staring at the goat-headed figure's dark eyes that seemed to devour light. After a long time, he softly broke the silence: "Very keen observation."

The goat-headed figure hesitated, and suddenly a cracking sound came from its neck: "Th-th-this... this sounds like it's before being silenced..."

Duncan laughed and shook his head gently: "See, you still don't understand me enough—I don't mind guys with keen observation. This can save me a lot of thought."

After he finished speaking, he waved his hand, not caring about the goat-headed figure's subsequent reaction, and got up to look at the ancient circular mirror not far away.

A faint flame quietly rose in his eyes, and the mirror surface became deep and dark. In the light and shadow that calmly spread out, the figure of Tilian running over in a hurry was gradually becoming clear.

"Good morning, Tilian. I hope I didn't disturb your rest," Duncan looked peacefully at the "great pirate" in the mirror, who was obviously jogging all the way, with a smile on the corner of his mouth. "How was your rest last night?"

Tilian in the mirror was obviously a little nervous, and took several breaths to calm down. He pulled out a stiff smile: "Fath... Father, good morning. I was just about to look for you—oh, I rested well last night, thank you for your concern."

"You're too distant with me. You don't have to be so nervous," Duncan adjusted his sitting posture, looking at the figure in the mirror with a smile that was not quite a smile. "What? Were you scared by that previous appearance?"

"N-no!" Tilian sat up straight immediately, like a student suddenly called upon in class. "I just have more awe for you..."

"Alright, I just hope you can relax a little—no matter what appearance, it shouldn't make you so nervous," Duncan shook his head. "You said you were looking for me? Is there something wrong?"

Tilian hesitated, as if he was organizing his thoughts and considering how to speak. After a moment, he said hesitantly: "It's about Frost. I don't know how to explain it to you, but they seem to want..."

The great pirate stammered a bit, as if he was not sure whether some things should be said. But at this moment, Duncan's voice suddenly sounded, interrupting his words: "Let me guess, what will your next identity be—a general of the Frost City-State? A high-level official in the city hall? Or... they simply let you be the chief executive?"

Tilian, who was struggling with his wording, was stunned and looked up in astonishment.

"How did you know..."

"It's simple, because that's what I suggested—let the *Sea Mist* fleet enter the city," Duncan said with a calm face. "Otherwise, do you think there are other factors that can make a chaotic city hall act so quickly and unify their views? You know their operating procedures."

The expression on Tilian's face visibly became wonderful, with a kind of emotion brewing in his eyes that said, "I've been racking my brains here all night considering life and the future, and then I'm shocked to hear that my dear father is a prankster." But he looked at the mirror in front of him and opened his mouth several times, but in the end, he didn't dare to say the slightly disrespectful thoughts in his mind. He just looked at Duncan with a tangled and puzzled look: "Why did you do this..."

"It's simple, because Frost needs you, and you need Frost," Duncan put away the hint of a prankster's smile on the corner of his mouth, and instead looked at Tilian with a serious expression. "From the inside, the chaotic situation in that city needs a powerful force to appease and calm it down. From the outside, the Frost Navy has been severely damaged, and the entire city-state urgently needs strong protection. So who else has both strong skills and management experience, and a powerful fleet?"

Duncan slightly adjusted his position, leaning forward and looking into Tilian's eyes.

"It looks like you have accepted their invitation. As I said, Frost needs you—and you need it."

There seemed to be a hint of dodging in Tilian's eyes: "Fifty years is enough for me to be a pirate. It doesn't seem bad to change my lifestyle."

"Tell the truth."

"...After all, you personally protected that place. I don't want to see your efforts wasted..."

"Tell the truth."

"I admire the tenacious spirit shown by the people of Frost—in the face of disaster, they did not retreat. Even when you didn't lend a helping hand, they never surrendered. I admit, I don't want to see these people suffer in the days to come."

Duncan didn't speak, just quietly looked at Tilian.

Tilian shrugged: "On the other hand, I don't want to see the place that Her Majesty Lei Nora once protected fall into a long and unrecoverable dark age."

Duncan still didn't speak.

"Okay..." Tilian finally sighed, looking helpless. "All of the above."

"Very good. Be an honest person, especially in front of me," Duncan withdrew his gaze and relaxed again. "So, what is your current identity?"

"They want me to be the chief executive," Tilian pulled the corner of his mouth with a complicated expression. "They even... took out a whole bunch of pre-prepared plans."

Duncan didn't speak for a while, as if he was lost in thought. After a few seconds, he breathed a sigh of relief: "More courageous than I expected."

Tilian hesitated, with a hint of inquiry in his eyes: "Do you have any suggestions for me?"

"Why ask me for advice?" Duncan laughed. "You once followed the Frost Queen, and you have commanded the *Sea Mist* fleet for fifty years. You have dealt with every city-state on the Frigid Sea. I don't think I can give you any advice on the matter of 'being the chief executive'."

"I just want to hear your opinion."

Duncan pondered. After a brief moment of thought, he said softly: "Then do a good job, do your best—in this cold world, people have very few things to rely on."

"...I understand."

"Yeah," Duncan responded casually, then suddenly turned his head and glanced at the sea chart next to him. "Also, there's one more thing."

When Tilian heard this, his expression quickly straightened: "Please instruct."

Duncan's gaze turned to the sea chart, looking at the phantom of the *White Oak*, which was rapidly emerging in a position almost overlapping with the *Sea Mist*.

He turned his head and looked at Tilian with a smile: "Hold on tight later."

Tilian was stunned: "Huh?"

Duncan waved his hand, casually dispelling the flames in the mirror. At the moment when the flames dissipated, Tilian's faint exclamation came from the opposite side of the mirror—

"Hey, I... what's going on?!"

(End of chapter)