Volume 2 Chapter 46: The Despicable Seaborn
Charles never expected that Rhine Lab's expedition to the Foehn Hotland would actually involve the ruins of an ancient civilization.
The only fortunate thing was that Sargon hadn't obtained definitive intelligence yet. On their side, the main concerns were Garde—the monster who had survived two journeys into the Hotland—and the high-ranking officials of Rhine Lab.
It was a pity, but if Rhine Lab's people knew too much, then the company itself might no longer have a reason to exist. Compared to national interests, the survival of a single corporation was insignificant.
What troubled Charles the most was that Garde had fled just moments before the information arrived, as if he had foreseen it. Had they known this earlier, they would never have let Garde escape Trimounts—they would have stopped him at all costs.
What Charles didn't know was that even while inside the mobile city, Garde had already been restraining himself. Otherwise, with his current abilities, ordinary mercenaries wouldn't have even been able to touch his shadow.
As soon as he left the mobile city, Garde sprinted toward the location of the Seaborn's god's other body. In just half an hour, he had covered over a hundred kilometers.
However, what Garde didn't realize was that his destination was still over ten thousand kilometers away. Even if he ran without stopping, without food or water, it would take him at least two days and nights.
The first night, Garde could still push through.
By the second day, after running for half the day without finding the other body of the Seaborn's god, Garde slowed down.
He wasn't particularly exhausted, but his urgency stemmed from the fear that the Seaborn's god would lead the Seaborn onto the land in an invasion.
Yet now, he realized that the Seaborn's god had no such intention.
"Water…"
Finding a river, Garde placed the Seaborn that had been clinging to his shoulder into the water. Its body, which had been shriveled and wrinkled from dehydration, quickly began to recover upon contact with the river.
The Seaborn did not favor land. At least for now, as long as they could find food in the ocean, they had no reason to venture onto the land.
Although there was water on land, it was not the same as the seawater they lived in. They didn't dislike freshwater, but they didn't particularly enjoy it either.
Glub glub~
Sinking into the river, the Seaborn released bubbles as its body, resembling a lump of rotting flesh, started contracting. Large patches of its cracked outer layer began peeling off.
Garde sat by the river and took a sip of water.
At first, he didn't pay much attention to the Seaborn's transformation.
But gradually, he noticed that the creature before him was taking on a humanoid form—though its current size made it impossible for it to appear as an adult.
Shedding its external shell, what emerged before Garde was a small, childlike figure.
Just as he was about to take a break and read a book, Garde's hands trembled, and his book fell to the ground.
He stared at the Seaborn's new form and muttered under his breath:
"This is a huge problem…"
Standing before Garde was a petite girl, barely a meter tall. She had white hair, red eyes like rubies, and gazed at him unblinkingly through the water's surface.
Splash!
The Seaborn, now in the form of a little girl, climbed out of the water. Her gaze was locked onto Garde, and she opened her mouth, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.
"Hunter~"
The Seaborn—now a girl—raised her hand, presenting a freshly caught scaled beast from the river to Garde.
"Nourishment~"
A stark contrast formed between the tiny, white-haired girl and the towering, two-meter-tall crocodile man.
Garde's expression grew heavy as he looked at the little Seaborn, who now resembled a miniature version of Laurentia.
His fists clenched involuntarily.
Despicable!
This was simply too despicable!
Did they really think turning into Laurentia would make him obedient?
"I'm not hungry."
Garde's voice was cold—he had never entertained the idea of eating raw fish.
The Seaborn, now in Laurentia's form, tilted her head at his response. Then, raising the impaled scaled beast, she opened her mouth.
"Ah~"
Seeing her actions, Garde immediately understood her intent.
"Wait!"
Taking a deep breath, Garde spoke firmly.
"Cook it first before eating."
He kept reminding himself that the girl before him was not Laurentia—she had nothing to do with Laurentia. It was just a trick, a form the Seaborn had taken to lower his guard.
But even so, watching a child with Laurentia's face eat raw, bloody fish was something Garde simply couldn't bear.
The girl remained silent, letting Garde take the prey from her hands.
A piece of clothing fell from above, draping over her.
"Put it on."
The oversized garment looked ridiculous on the small Seaborn, but in the middle of the wilderness, where was he supposed to find properly fitted clothes for her?
"How much farther am I from your other body?"
A new concern gnawed at Garde—what if the Seaborn's god itself took on Laurentia's form to tempt him?
No. If that happened, it would only deepen his disgust.
To Garde, there was only one Laurentia.
Even if a Seaborn mimicked her appearance, it couldn't change the brutal nature beneath the surface.
She looked like a three- or four-year-old girl, but in essence, she was still a cruel beast—capable of impaling a scaled beast with her bare hands.
The girl merely tilted her head at his question, offering no response.
Only then did Garde realize—this wasn't the Seaborn's god.
She was just a regular Seaborn.
He gathered some dry firewood, skewered the scaled beast, and roasted it over the flames.
Watching the girl devour the cooked meat in big bites, Garde couldn't help but speak again.
"...Can you understand me?"
At his words, she paused.
Her bright red eyes locked onto him.
Garde almost laughed at himself—was he really trying to talk to a Seaborn?
The Seaborn's god could communicate because it embodied the collective will of the Seaborn. But a normal Seaborn? It shouldn't be able to understand human language.
Even if… she looked just like Laurentia.
"Let's go."
His voice had unknowingly returned to its usual cold tone.
As he walked ahead, he soon noticed the girl following him, her steps small and struggling to keep up.
He realized then—she was weak.
So weak that she didn't resemble the ruthless, ever-evolving creatures that the Seaborn were known to be.
After a brief moment of silence, Garde extended his hand.
"Hold on."
Lifting the small Seaborn, he placed her on his shoulder.
He knew this was foolish.
But could anyone blame him?
No. This was the Seaborn's fault—for being so despicable!
Suddenly, the girl on his shoulder lifted her head, staring into the distance.
Garde heard a commotion ahead.
There were people.
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