Time for class!
I'd long heard that the Golden Dream had a tradition of holding classes, and the Iceberg Admiral seemed very keen on educating the crew, which had apparently scared off quite a few people.
Lex quickly stuffed the 'hot dog' in his hand into his mouth.
However, I hadn't experienced it yet. Not long after I joined, I was assigned the mission to Yedgar Island. Today, I finally get to see it.
No wonder Danitz and the others were so dispirited; pirates prefer roasted meat and alcohol. As for classes...
After breakfast, Lex and Danitz went to the deck. The deck had already been cleaned, and chairs were set out.
On the other side of the deck, Lex saw a stand and a blackboard, truly giving it the feel of a classroom.
A moment later, Edwina arrived. The Iceberg Admiral glanced at everyone indifferently, then gestured for them to sit down.
Lex sat next to Danitz, and seeing the Boatswain's bitter expression, yet having no choice but to sit down and study, made him want to laugh.
Edwina lightly coughed, drawing everyone's attention to her. She didn't speak, but picked up a piece of chalk and swiftly wrote a line of text on the blackboard.
'Psychological Alchemists.'
"Today, I'll tell you some basic information about this hidden organization to help you better understand the 'Spectator'."
Edwina stood beside the blackboard, one hand behind her back, the other holding a pointer. She tapped the line of text on the blackboard: "Before this, has anyone heard of this organization?"
'Flower Bowtie' Jodeson was the first to raise his hand and say, "They are a new organization that appeared only in the last one or two centuries."
Edwina nodded slightly: "Very good, who else has heard of them?"
Lex also raised his hand like a student and said, "They believe that the mind possesses infinite power and infinite magic."
"That's right."
With Jodeson and Lex starting, Edwina naturally began to explain: "In the beginning, the Psychological Alchemists was just a discussion group for enthusiasts, but later, they obtained a treasure map and found the ruins left by Hermes."
At this point, the Iceberg Admiral paused, then said, "I've told you before that Hermes, the creator of Hermes, was one of humanity's earliest masters of mysticism. The Hermes language he created possesses the magical power to directly resonate with natural forces."
"You haven't forgotten, have you?"
Many pirates, including Danitz, guiltily lowered their heads, completely exposing the fact that they had indeed forgotten.
Edwina was not angry, nor did she dwell on the question. She continued: "The original members of the Psychological Alchemists found many things in the ruins. They discovered that Hermes was a mystical master in the field of the mind."
"They discovered that the subjects Hermes studied were actually the Dragons that ruled the sky in the Second Epoch, Dragons of the mind race."
"Through those materials, the members of the Alchemy Society learned that the Mind Dragons had already come very far in this field, already equivalent to deities."
"It was these discoveries, these materials, that laid the foundation and direction for the Psychological Alchemists's research."
"They believe that if they can unravel the mysteries of the mind, they can unearth the power hidden deep within consciousness, capable of influencing and even controlling the minds of others."
"So, when facing an 'Spectator', it's best not to be careless, of course."
The Iceberg Admiral didn't finish what she was going to say, but instead changed the subject: "Additionally, the Psychological Alchemists also advocates for the existence of a spiritual world. They believe it is the collective consciousness of all Life Qi, and they believe this world has an obscure and wonderful connection with the Spirit Realm."
"After discovering the ruins, the initial members originally hoped to maintain the pure academic discussion atmosphere they had before, but in order to study the spiritual world, they wanted to follow in the footsteps of master Hermes."
"This meant they would encounter all sorts of difficulties, either lacking items or lacking research materials."
"So they could only establish rules and transform into a true secret organization. However, compared to other organizations, their structure and relationships remain quite loose."
Edwina spoke unhurriedly, displaying her profound knowledge, as if she herself were a member of the Psychological Alchemists.
Lex, on the other hand, found it quite interesting. Although he had learned some things about the 'Psychological Alchemists' from his mother's notes, it was far from as detailed as what the 'Iceberg Admiral' knew.
As for the other pirates, only Jodeson and one or two other crew members seemed interested. The rest, like Danitz, showed signs of endurance and eagerness to escape.
With great difficulty, 'class' finally ended. When Edwina announced that today's lesson was over, the pirates immediately cheered, as if they had just won a battle.
Lex, however, thought of something else. He went to the blackboard and quietly asked, "Captain, do you know how to get your own messenger?"
Although he had Osweld's messenger to use, it wasn't his own, and using it always came with various inconveniences.
Just the inability to have his contact summon a messenger exclusively for him, thus making remote contact, was very inconvenient.
Hearing Lex's question, Edwina calmly nodded: "I do."
As expected of you, Captain!
Lex almost wanted to whistle, then heard the Iceberg Admiral say, "But I don't recommend you do that."
"Why?" Lex asked, puzzled.
"To obtain your own messenger, you must summon a Spirit Realm creature and sign a contract with it."
"I know the general ritual, but I'm still not very clear about the summoning incantation. Moreover, the Spirit Realm is incredibly vast; while there are creatures friendly to humans, there are also extremely dangerous ones."
"Without a clear, safe incantation, it's very easy to attract fierce entities and cause danger."
"Furthermore, not all Spirit Realm creatures are suitable as messengers. Therefore, it's very difficult to have a messenger exclusively for yourself."
After Edwina finished speaking, she didn't continue to explain, but instead began to pack up her teaching materials.
Listening to her, the Iceberg Admiral seemed to have tried to find her own messenger, but she didn't succeed. It seems the ritual and a safe, viable incantation are very important.
Tomorrow is monday. Perhaps I can inquire at the Tarot Club.
Lex coughed into his fist and said again, "Captain, do you have anything for chemistry experiments? I need beakers, test tubes, and so on."
Edwina looked up. This time, surprise clearly flickered in her eyes, then, not to Lex's disappointment, she nodded slightly: "I do."
A moment later, Lex arrived at a room. It had various instruments and experimental supplies, almost like a small chemistry laboratory.