The sound of waves gently brushed the sand, carrying the soft salty scent of the sea. The morning breeze blew through Crowne's hair, making him feel a bit relaxed after the chaos of last night. Slowly, his body began to recover, especially after he drank a potion.

He looked at the half-eaten grilled fish in his hand, then glanced toward Sylvara, who sat not far away, throwing stones into the sea again and again.

"The fish tastes good," praised Crowne.

Sylvara smiled faintly. "Thank you, Master. It's all because of you."

Crowne took another bite of the grilled fish, then gazed at the horizon. "I'm glad we're still alive. I really thought I was going to die when that last attack failed."

Silence filled the air for a moment. Only the cries of seabirds circling in the sky could be heard, sometimes diving down to snatch fish from the surface. The sound of splashing water came from the Sirens bathing near the shore. They seemed to enjoy this place. Some of Crowne's beasts also sat by the beach, staring at the sea.

Crowne felt happy seeing all of that. However, when he turned to his left, his eyes widened. His breath caught for a second. He quickly leaned back, rubbing his eyes twice, but what he saw didn't change.

On another rock slightly lower than the one he sat on, there lay a girl. Her long hair was wet and spread over her face. The tattered white dress clinging to her body was torn in several places, revealing the shape of her figure beneath the slowly drying fabric.

"Lina?!" shouted Crowne reflexively. He almost dropped the fish from his hand. His expression instantly changed, a mix of shock and confusion. His eyes widened sharply, and his brows furrowed deeply.

Sylvara, hearing that, turned her head quickly. "Oh, so her name is Lina. What a beautiful name."

Crowne climbed down from the rock and walked quickly toward the girl, even though his body still felt heavy from his injuries. He knelt beside her, checking her breath and pulse, and both signs indicated life.

"She's still alive."

Sylvara came closer and looked at her hesitantly. "Do you know her, Master?"

Crowne didn't answer right away. His eyes stayed on the girl's face. "Yes. I know her. But… how can she be here? I thought she was dead."

Sylvara shook her head quickly. "I don't know either. When I woke up, she was already there. I thought she was a corpse washed up by the tide. But when I looked closer… she was still alive."

Crowne went silent for a moment, trying to process everything. "This doesn't make sense. She should be dead or…" Crowne turned toward Sylvara, about to say something, but Sylvara spoke first.

"Maybe… King Kraken did this," she said quietly. "That's the only thing that makes sense. Or maybe the girl was already here before we arrived."

Crowne frowned deeper. He turned toward the coastal town and the houses along Doomsty City's beach. The distance wasn't far, maybe around three hundred meters. There was no way Daisy wouldn't have found Lina's body if it had been there earlier. He himself had passed this way before, and there had been no body at all.

That meant Lina's body appeared here recently.

Crowne took a deep breath. He looked at the girl again and decided to lift her gently into his arms.

"We have to take her to Daisy. She'll be so happy to see that her sister has been found," said Crowne.

Sylvara nodded. "Understood, Master."

They quickly prepared to leave. Crowne returned his beasts into his ring. Even Sylvara went back inside. He would go alone to meet Daisy and maybe Evans to report that he had defeated King Kraken.

Crowne felt relieved seeing Lina safe. "She'll be shocked to see her sister alive and well."

**

Crowne walked through the city while carrying Lina, who was still unconscious. As he moved along the streets, people turned their eyes toward him. They whispered to one another, making Crowne confused. He ran his hand over himself but felt nothing strange.

He continued walking until he reached the adventurers' guild. Just as he stepped inside, every adventurer in the room turned their heads toward him. The moment he entered, several of them immediately left as if avoiding him.

"What is going on?"

Crowne walked up to the reception desk. He stood in front of the counter. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, suddenly a hard slap struck his right cheek.

PLAK!

The sound was so loud that a few remaining adventurers turned reflexively, but they quickly looked away again.

Crowne froze. His head slightly bowed, eyes staring at the floor. Slowly, he turned to face the receptionist. He was shocked, wondering why she had slapped him when he hadn't done anything.

"Why did you slap me?" Crowne asked in a slightly irritated tone.

The receptionist gritted her teeth. "You still dare to come here after everything that happened?! You bastard!"

Crowne looked confused. "Everything that happened? I just came back from—"

"Don't you dare lie!" the receptionist snapped sharply. Her hands were trembling, not only from anger but also from fear. "The guild master and Daisy were arrested yesterday! They were accused of working with you to hijack the fishermen's ships and kill them at sea! I know they would never do that. You set them up!" she accused.

Crowne froze. "What… did you just say?"

"Don't pretend you don't know!" she shouted again. "Some fishermen who managed to escape testified that they saw your ship. They said you were the one leading the attack! You destroyed the ships and killed those poor men."

"Nonsense." Crowne's voice was louder this time. His eyes sharpened, making the receptionist step back slightly. "I never attacked anyone. I just—"

Suddenly the receptionist stepped forward and grabbed Crowne's collar. She was about to raise her hand again, but the moment she met his gaze, she stopped. She released his collar and took a step back.

"What exactly is going on?" asked Crowne.

Her glare stayed on him, but she softened a little. She nodded, ready to explain what she knew. But before she could say a word, the sound of heavy footsteps approached.

A second later, dozens of soldiers filled the guild hall. A captain stepped forward and held out a warrant.

"Crowne, you are under arrest for committing unforgivable crimes! Surrender yourself peacefully!" said the captain.

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