Chapter 305 Elegia
Fish-Man Island—a ship set sail.
Not an ordinary merchant or passenger vessel, but a warship belonging to the Immigration Bureau. Fully metal construction, streamlined hull, capable of racing through the depths with barely a sound.
At the control room's forward window, Tesoro gazed quietly at the deep sea scenery outside.
In the dark waters, monsters could be glimpsed drifting past.
"So fast."
Tesoro remarked with admiration.
The warship practically flew through the deep sea like lightning. The surrounding monsters were left behind in the blink of an eye.
"Because we're currently in a deep-sea current, the ship's own speed combined with the current's push—this velocity is only natural."
Someone beside him answered Tesoro's observation.
Tesoro paused, then turned his head to glance sideways at the guy next to him. "So why exactly did you come along too? Shouldn't you be staying on Fish-Man Island with your girlfriend?"
Brett crossed his arms, his expression perfectly calm. "I'm just worried that you might encounter some problem at sea."
"Yeah, sure."
Tesoro couldn't help the corner of his mouth twitching in disdain. "Should I be moved or something?"
"Best if you could shed a few tears. That would make the emotion look more genuine," Brett suggested.
"Ha."
Tesoro sneered coldly. He turned around, looking up at Brett's face. "Be honest, Brett. Does Uta have some kind of problem?"
"You're not the type to have this much free time."
This ship's voyage was to send little sister Uta home for a visit.
Since the company had recently focused all attention on the new film's promotional campaign, the idol group All Stars had nothing to do. So Uta, who'd been away from home for quite some time, decided to visit.
Besides Brett, Tesoro, and Uta herself, all the members of Uta's idol group—All Stars—had also come along.
Uta's companions wanted to see what kind of country she'd grown up in.
This should have been a simple family visit. Tesoro coming personally was only to ensure safety.
But now, Brett had insisted on tagging along too. That meant things probably weren't so simple. Tesoro was quite certain of this.
"Tesoro, you should be well aware, right? Uta's homeland—what that nation called Elegia looks like now."
Brett said calmly.
He vaguely remembered some details. Elegia—the theatrical film's story seemed to unfold there.
Tesoro fell silent for a moment, then nodded lightly. "Before Uta opened up about it herself, I never imagined she actually came from there."
The man sighed. "Elegia, the legendary Music Kingdom, the place all musicians dreamed of. That was once my dream destination too."
Tesoro said "once."
That was because the legendary Music Kingdom had been completely destroyed.
It happened about five years ago. The originally extremely prosperous Music Kingdom, where the world's finest musicians had gathered, was suddenly destroyed overnight.
Destroyed by a pirate crew.
That pirate crew's name was—
"Who could have imagined that Red-Haired guy would destroy the country his daughter lived in."
Tesoro sighed. "No wonder Uta's emotions became so unstable."
Yes, the pirate who destroyed Elegia Kingdom five years ago—that Music Kingdom—was named Red-Haired Shanks.
The same Red-Haired Shanks who'd specifically come to warn Tesoro to treat his daughter well.
"Was it really Red-Hair who did it?"
Brett murmured to himself.
Even thinking with his toes, he knew it definitely wasn't.
The theatrical film's main antagonist was Uta.
He didn't even need to think deeply. Just a bit of speculation revealed the answer—probably the monster related to Uta in Shyarly's prophecy had destroyed Elegia, while Red-Hair simply took the blame because of his daughter.
Looking at it this way, Uta's small frame really did contain tremendous power.
"What?"
Tesoro frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, be prepared, Tesoro."
Brett stretched lazily. "This homecoming trip might not be peaceful."
The future Shyarly saw might occur during this very journey.
That was why he'd come—the monster capable of making him fight hard, could he try to control it?
"Huh? What the hell do you mean? Even including Uta, Elegia only has two people left total!"
Tesoro looked shocked. "This is a covert operation too. What danger could we encounter? We won't be so unlucky as to run into the government or some emperor conducting operations there, will we?"
"Who knows."
Brett smiled and turned toward the ship's interior. "In any case, be prepared."
He didn't know when, why, or in what form that monster would appear either.
In any case, he just needed to wait.
"Brett! You bastard!"
Tesoro could only curse quietly. "At least tell me clearly what kind of preparation to make."
This bastard always said things halfway, never explaining the crucial parts.
Though he wasn't particularly panicked. After all, with Brett around, any problem could be handled.
He hadn't just met that bastard yesterday. At this point, without exaggeration, Brett had constructed an almost invincible image in Tesoro's heart. After all, Tesoro had never seen Brett fail.
Meanwhile, in the ship's cabin, the All Stars idols were also conversing.
"So you're from that Elegia Kingdom, Uta."
Queen Otohime looked at Uta with some affection, though the girl's expression remained indifferent.
What happened in that country had been a world-shaking event back then. Otohime naturally knew about it.
"That country—I once dreamed of going there to study!"
Apoo said with some regret. "Back then, it was every musician's dream destination—a holy land."
"Some holy land. Now it's nothing but ruins."
Uta wore an expression like it didn't concern her. "The entire country only has two people left. The only music you can hear is wind and waves."
Queen Otohime hugged the little girl's shoulders sympathetically. This time Uta didn't resist—probably she'd grown accustomed to this degree of intimacy.
"I remember the Red-Hair Pirates destroyed Elegia, right?"
The Long-Leg Tribe member said. "Uta, if you want revenge, you could try asking Director Brett for help."
"If it's him, even the Red-Hair Pirates—"
"No!"
Suddenly, Uta shouted loudly.
She became very agitated. "I don't want that!!"
"Okay, okay, we won't."
Like coaxing a small child, Queen Otohime gently stroked Uta's hair.
Apoo raised an eyebrow. Looked like there was a story here.
While they were talking, the warship had already reached the waters outside a certain New World island.
Then the warship surfaced.
The former Music Kingdom, Elegia, had arrived.