Chapter 693: The Shadow Realized Afterward

Chapter 693: The Shadow Realized Afterward

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.

Ted Lir looked surprised by Duncan’s question. He stared doubtfully at the messy scribbles in front of him. These lines, crude even to Ted’s eyes, were his best attempt to replicate what he remembered from the original scene. However, his recent journey through subspace had clouded his memory, blurring the details.

Yet, Duncan’s confident tone made Ted believe that the mysterious ‘Ghost Captain’ not only understood the sketch but also knew what it was meant to represent.

Duncan examined the drawing, then pointed to a section and asked, “Is this part of the structure damaged?”

Ted furrowed his brow, trying to remember. A vague image flashed in his mind: “It might be... I’m not sure. I only caught a quick glimpse of it and didn’t see the entire side structure...”

Before Ted could confirm, Duncan started drawing on an empty part of the paper, his pencil deftly connecting the existing scribbles. He quickly sketched a symmetrical, three-part structure that Ted and Lucretia couldn’t recognize as any known ship. “This consists of three main sections... The engine cluster is right here...”

Lucretia, observing the unusual drawing, finally broke her silence, “What is this supposed to be?”

Pausing his drawing, Duncan softly replied, “It’s called the ‘New Hope.'”

Ted Lir and Lucretia exchanged bewildered looks and exclaimed in unison, “New Hope?”

From behind them, Alice chimed in, “What is New Hope?”

Duncan met Alice’s curious gaze with a serious and slightly mysterious expression. Alice, unaware of the depth of his stare, tilted her head, puzzled, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s a spaceship,” Duncan clarified, turning away with a hint of emotion in his voice, “A long time ago, it arrived in our world... Or more accurately, like other ‘fragments,’ it crashed here among the remnants that form our world.”

“A spaceship? A flying vessel?” Ted Lir expressed his astonishment, which shifted to realization, “So, you’re saying it’s another ‘world fragment’? A spaceship called ‘New Hope,’ part of which ended up in subspace and transformed into the mansion I saw?”

His gestures conveyed a mix of disbelief and awe.

Duncan didn’t directly answer Ted’s question but looked back down at the sketch. This rough drawing, based on Ted’s memories, wasn’t completely accurate but still depicted the scene Duncan had envisioned – the “New Hope” aflame as it plummeted into their world.

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.

Duncan recalled how he came upon this vision. It happened during an examination of Alice’s strange “wind-up key,” when he extended his flame into the brass key – a routine practice when he explored supernatural objects. That’s when he glimpsed the “echo” within the key.

“I could base the second half of my academic career on just these fifteen minutes, but honestly, I wish I hadn’t experienced it,” Ted admitted with a sigh. “Do you know? I still hear those strange buzzing sounds in my head... They feel alive, writhing in my mind. Despite my training in resilience psychology and willpower control, combating this noise is incredibly difficult. It seems like these aftereffects will last for a long time...”

He shrugged, his expression a mixture of concern and frustration.

“And to make matters worse, I have to return to the academy tomorrow and face those stubborn students... Their simplistic yet misguided views on academics feel like another kind of ‘subspace noise’ to me...”

As if burdened by the lingering echoes of subspace and the daunting task of facing the future, Mr. Truth Keeper raised his hand to his forehead in a gesture of distress.

Duncan responded with a sympathetic sigh, gently patting Ted’s shoulder. “I completely understand that feeling.”

Ted looked up at Duncan, surprised. “How could you understand?”

Duncan paused, finding it difficult to explain, but then thought of Shirley’s homework book and Alice’s doodle pad.

“...I have even clearer examples than your students on my ship.”

Ted was initially confused, not quite catching Duncan’s point, but then he nodded, a complex expression crossing his face. “It seems like you have your challenges too.”

After that exchange, Ted fell quiet, seemingly drained from reliving his experiences in subspace and in need of a mental break. However, just as he seemed to be settling down, something sparked his memory, and he perked up as if he remembered another significant detail.

“There’s another matter I need to discuss,” Ted suddenly said, his tone turning serious. “It’s not about subspace, but about... the White Oak.”

Duncan’s expression became puzzled at the mention of the ship. “The White Oak?” he repeated, “What about it?”

Ted paused, as if carefully choosing his words. “I’m not sure if it was just the effects of subspace, where my senses and thoughts were scrambled. But, I have this persistent feeling... something was off during my time with that ‘Sailor’ on the White Oak.”

Duncan’s face took on a serious look as he listened.

“You’re referring to the ‘anomaly’ identified as number 077, correct?” Duncan asked, urgency in his voice. “What exactly did you find odd about him?”

Ted frowned, struggling to express his gut feeling. “It’s difficult to describe, but after returning, whenever I think back to my conversation with that ‘anomaly,’ there’s an unsettling feeling that I wasn’t just talking to ‘him’ alone,” he explained, speaking carefully as he tried to accurately remember the interaction. “We talked about different worldviews, the perspective of being an ‘anomaly.’ When he responded... I got this eerie sense of hearing multiple voices... It was as if something else, something hidden, was present on that ship, and it was very close to that ‘Sailor’ at that moment.”