Wayne, with his suitcase in tow, searched for his cabin aboard the North Star.
The White Glove Association was generous with their spending, or perhaps it was the wealthy client who had hired them who had money to burn. The cruise was lavishly decorated, every corner fashioned in a classical style that intrigued Wayne and reminded him of that extravagantly luxurious train.
The North Star had a passenger capacity of two hundred people, making it a small-sized cruise ship. However, its size approached that of a mid-sized cruiser. By charging exorbitant prices, it limited the number of passengers and used the extra space to better serve the guests.
The cruise ship had a restaurant, a bar, a cinema, and even a private doctor. From the captain to the sailors, each crew member was an experienced old seaman.
When boarding, Wayne chatted with a ticket-checking sailor and learned that the North Star wasn’t fully booked. Apart from a few tourists headed for Dragonheart Island, nearly the entire ship had been chartered by a wealthy and extravagant film crew.
At the mention of the film crew, the ticket checker became visibly excited, cheerfully hinting at a surprise for Wayne during the voyage. There was a big star onboard, and if Wayne was lucky, he might even be invited by the crew to make a cameo as an extra.
"What’s there to act as an extra? A real man should be a director," thought Wayne.
Wayne shrugged; directing and acting in this lifetime was an impossibility, but detective work and investigation were more his speed.
He navigated through corridors carpeted in red, following the room numbers and noticed that there were indeed few passengers on this floor, aside from the crew on duty.
Even if there were passengers, they were hurried members of the film crew, bustling around, busily transporting large suitcases into the cabins.
"It’s probably the actresses’ clothes, considering what directors like," he mused.
Approaching him were several men dressed like bodyguards in black. Wayne tipped his cap, politely stepping aside to give them room.
But he couldn’t avoid them completely.
As they passed by, one of the men in black with a Little Mustache purposely bumped into Wayne, then strutted off with an arrogant gait, acting as if he didn’t recognize anyone.
"What kind of manners are those!"
Wayne rolled his eyes and after he finished speaking, he realized that this scene felt eerily familiar.
It wasn’t just familiar; it was almost identical, especially the aloof attitude of Little Mustache. Suddenly, Wayne remembered. Last time on the train, Little Mustache had been involved in a robbery, one of the robbers.
"Very well, dusting off a failed caper for a second venture, eh? So, not trains this time but cruise ships, huh?"
Wayne didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. On one hand, he felt sympathy for the citizens of Lundan; a robber was back to his old tricks, brazenly undetected. On the other hand, he found it amusing that Little Mustache had managed to escape prison only to run into him again.
Wayne didn’t confront him directly. While the ship hadn’t yet set sail, he found a crew member on duty and shared his suspicions about Little Mustache and his gang, notorious for repeated robberies.
The cruise hosted guests who were either rich or noble. Wealthy people didn’t speak recklessly, and even if they did, they would be taken seriously. The crew member immediately reported up the chain of command.
Before the cruise ship set sail, Wayne witnessed the men in black being escorted off by police officers.
He doffed his cap, silently seeing them off.
Good deeds should be done without seeking recognition!
Wayne found his cabin, which was spacious featuring a living room with a sofa, a wardrobe, a bathroom, and a king-sized bed big enough for four people.
A bouquet of roses sat on the bed, suggesting it was a lovers’ suite.
"Pity. I should have agreed to let Veli join me," Wayne remarked to himself.
Wayne picked up the roses and placed them in a vase. Veronica was tied up with riding lessons arranged by her father-in-law, and Chris had research commitments at the academy. Neither could leave their responsibilities.
Veli was the quintessential person of leisure, apart from being a poster girl at the gym. When Wayne mentioned his holiday to Dragonheart Island, she enthusiastically volunteered, only to be met with Veronica’s proverbial ’silent treatment.’
Upon waking, she seemed to have lost all memory of the conversation, completely forgetting about Dragonheart Island.
Wayne decided not to bring it up again. He enjoyed spending time with Veli, who was unguarded with him. They could do as they pleased when among friends, and now, they hugged and embraced just as freely.
All through, Wayne remained passive, reaping benefits generously dispensed by a good bro.
But his bro’s family was overenthusiastic, and Wayne found that level of attention a bit much to handle. They were large figures, each more imposing than the last. After weighing his options, he figured being passive wasn’t so bad.
Wayne set down his suitcase and laid on the sofa to meditate. After setting sail, the cruise would head north along a fixed route bordering Windsor. Following a two-day journey, it would veer northeast toward Dragonheart Island, the destination.
There were plenty of entertainment options on board, including watching the film crew at work, but Wayne had no interest in joining the commotion. He closed his eyes to meditate, attempting to commune with nature.
The ship was at sea, and with closed eyes, Wayne could sense a deluge of Water Elements and an abundance of Wind Elements, while Earth and Fire were relatively scarce.
Being cautious of other Mages on board, Wayne refrained from gathering the elements. Instead, he tried chatting with nature as usual.
This little goal was something he had yet to let go of.
The word ’perseverance’ sounds simple, but the act is simpler—just endure loneliness!
Wayne wasn’t inclined to endure loneliness, but he had goals and self-awareness, willing to embrace solitude.
You can’t be short-sighted; without enduring solitude now, you might end up with nothing but solitude in the end.
The tedious communication went on for a long time. Weary, Wayne opened his eyes. Outside the window, the night was deep, with stars scattered across the sky and a full moon hanging high, its white ripples undulating gently.
He got up and freshened up in the bathroom, changing into slacks and a white shirt. He combed his partially dried hair back sleekly.