It was the third time. He had thrown up three times in just an hour.
He came out of the bathroom feeling as if his stomach were about to come up through his throat. It was a weird feeling. A horrible feeling.
Staggering because of the dizziness, he made his way to the bed with difficulty and threw himself onto it.
"Juan told me you had quite a strong body, but I guess he was wrong," Herman said. He was sitting on the edge of the bed with a newspaper in his hand. As he spoke, he didn't even bother to look up at Ash.
"It… it's just my first time. I didn't know it would be this horrible. I'd rather be in the middle of the desert than out at sea." Ash stammered.
"Once a person gets used to the sea, they fall in love with it. Some sailors prefer spending their whole lives sailing in the sea rather than living on land. Don't worry, you'll come to love it too. We still have three more days ahead of us." Herman said, snickering.
'He and Juan definitely friends' Arsh thought.
Even the thought of the three-day journey ahead was enough to turn Arsh's stomach.
"I'm not so sure about that… ugh," he muttered before rushing back to the bathroom.
When he returned, Bera was also in the room. He handed Arsh a cup with steam rising from it.
"Drink it."
"What is it?" Arsh asked, taking the cup and sniffing the scent of the liquid inside.
"Something good for sea sickness."
Hearing that, Arsh gulped down the hot liquid without questioning it. It tasted like a spicy soup, and he felt it soothe his stomach almost immediately.
Soon he felt sleepy and lay down on the bed. Within a few minutes, he was snoring softly.
"What did you give him?" Herman asked curiously.
"Soup. I added some sleeping pills to it," Bera replied.
…
When it got dark outside, Herman woke him up.
"Wake up. You should eat something after throwing up everything you had. Let's go."
"How long was I out?" Arsh asked, rubbing his eyes.
"The whole day! Now, let's go. Bera, take over the watch."
Arsh's eyes shifted to the man tied to a chair in the corner of the room, staring blankly at the wall.
Getting Paul Smith onto the ship hadn't been difficult. Herman's siuni was just as terrifying as Juan's. In less than a minute, he had taken full control of Paul Smith's mind and moved him like a puppet. Since Juan locked him in the pantry, his beard had grown out. Afterward, they shaved off his long mustache, threw away his glasses, and dressed him in new clothes, thus turning him into an entirely different man. That way, they managed to get him aboard without drawing anyone's attention.
"Why is he staring like that? He looks… out of his mind."
"Taking control of someone's mind leaves them a bit dazed afterward. And it seems he wasn't very strong mentally to begin with. It's nothing serious. He'll be fine by tomorrow."
They arrived at the dining area and sat at a table.
"What do you want to eat?"
Arsh looked at the paper with food names on it. But he had no idea what most of them were, none of the dishes were Kurshan food.
"Hmm… whatever you eat, same for me?"
"Okay then let's go for something simple for your stomach."
Waiters soon brought their food while they were talking.
"Arsh, I'm not sure what Juan told you, but let me explain how things will work from now on. You will undergo education in history, physical training, and other subjects to help you adapt to life in Symran. I can see you already speak the language very well, which is a start. After you complete your training, we will give you several choices. You'll have the right to choose your own path."
"But Juan mentioned something about revenge. He didn't explain; he said it's your choice whether to tell us or not. However, I think it would be better for you to trust us and explain, so we can actually help you. Once we arrive, we'll first hand Paul Smith over to our officials. Then, I'll take you to the head of our organization. Do you have any questions?"
Juan had already explained the basics to him. The previous night, when they were alone, He said that if Arsh wanted revenge, this was the best way he could help and that he could trust these men.
"What organization are you and Juan working for? He told me it's a government agency… but also not a government agency? It sounds a bit vague." Arsh asked. He had a feeling that Juan simply hadn't bothered to explain most of it.
"The situation is complicated. Yes, we work for the government, but not openly. You already saw that Juan didn't go there officially when the children were kidnapped… You will learn everything once you begin your education."
"Then the name of the organization. At least you can tell me that, right?"
Herman coughed lightly and cleared his throat.
"FFSD."
"What does that mean?"
This time, Herman didn't answer and kept eating.
…
Their journey was mostly quiet and uneventful. Bera rarely spoke. As for Herman—although Arsh initially thought he was cold—he wasn't actually that distant. They chatted about various things from time to time.
The first night had been difficult for Arsh because of the seasickness, but the following two nights passed quite comfortably. Herman had been right: once you got used to it, the sea was truly beautiful. During the day, the deep blue of the water and sky was calming; at night, the endless darkness was frightening yet still mesmerizing.
As for Paul Smith, Arsh couldn't exactly say it was a comfortable journey. The man sat in that chair for the entire trip, only eating what Bera gave him and going to the bathroom under his supervision. Whenever he tried to speak or move on his own, Herman would take control of his mind, and the man would went back into his weird slumber.
On the last day of their journey, Arsh woke up early and went up to the deck to watch the sunrise.
As the first rays of the sun finally appeared, the silhouette of a distant city began to emerge on the horizon.
It was Tirsit.
He wasn't sure what awaited him in Symran. Finding Professor Millway, Will, or the others who had slaughtered the villagers wouldn't be the difficult part. But what would he do once he found them? How was he actually going to take his revenge?
"Should I kill them all?"
He felt like that wasn't the answer. It wouldn't be enough to make them truly suffer; their lives would simply end, far too easily. Besides, he had never killed anyone before. It wasn't exactly a matter of conscience, but the thought of becoming someone who ends a life felt strange. Yet, regardless of what he thought now, he had a feeling that it was the inevitable end. He would be the one to kill these people.
There was also another question on his mind, though he was trying not to focus on it the girl in the sarcophagus.
'Maybe she wasn't a goddess, but merely a ghost or an evil soul,' he thought.
Somehow, while hunting Professor Millway, he would also continue his research into the sarcophagus. He didn't know where to start yet, but he was certain he would eventually find a clue.
As he was lost in these thoughts, the city drew closer. Suddenly, someone touched his shoulder.
Arsh didn't have much to pack. He only had the new clothes he'd bought; his dagger and the small notebook he kept on him at all times.
As the ship approached the port, Herman took control of Paul Smith's mind and stuffed the ropes that had bound the man into his suitcase. They were ready.
Arsh looked in the mirror, seeing himself in trousers and a white shirt, suitcase in hand. He still couldn't get used to his new look. The only thing that remained from his old life was the earring dangling from his ear.
He touched it while staring at his reflection. Bera noticed him.
"It would be better if you didn't wear those—to avoid attracting attention. Men don't generally wear earrings here," Bera said.
Arsh nodded, took out the two earrings, and tucked them into his suitcase. They were the last things he had left that reminded him of where he came from.
Soon they heard the voice of the sailors.
"We've reached the port! We've reached the port!"