Great Tayman Island, the Temporary Governor’s Mansion.
Byron was best at dealing with the Extraordinary Profession of Gourmet. These fellows had a glaring weakness: if they did not taste fine food for a long time, their power would gradually wane, and they might even die directly from their cravings.
Having not eaten for less than a day, the newly awakened "Blood-Red Whiskey" Alfred raised his hands in surrender.
"Mr. Alfred, have you had an epiphany?"
"I have! ’Everything can be a sword’ is absolutely the truth of swordsmanship, a realm one, even two, levels higher than focusing on one’s own ’Flow State.’ It’s just that I always feel the way this realm of ’everything as a sword’ is presented... it shouldn’t be so..."
However, when he saw the object Byron was toying with, Alfred, still wearing Law-Breaking Stone shackles, decisively chose to shut up.
"Cough, I mean, shouldn’t we be starting the meal now?"
Byron, very satisfied with his current attitude, placed the... firearm back in the drawer and clapped his hands toward the door. Honest Eight Fingers immediately had his men bring in the pre-prepared food and wine.
Crabmeat Lion’s Head, sweet and sour fish made with orange juice instead of vinegar, honey-roasted chicken, cumin lamb chops, garlic lobster... During his days moonlighting as a chef, Eight Fingers had truly learned from Byron, and his dishes were becoming increasingly sophisticated.
This Second Order Gourmet looked at the dishes before him—a symphony of color, aroma, taste, novelty, and rarity—and the soul of gastronomy within him nearly revolted on the spot. What he saw seemed to be not just a table of delicacies, but his own grand and luminous path in the Supernatural World.
GASP! So fragrant, it could literally kill with its aroma! What are all these cooking methods? They are even more eye-opening than when I studied cooking in the Irisflower Kingdom. In my dreams, I’ve always wanted an endless supply of food to gorge on, to let my Supernatural Rank rise swiftly. If you had brought these out earlier, why would I have struggled with the question of sword or not? Even if you said those shipborne cannons are swords, I would have praised the Captain for his wisdom!
The Bantaan Archipelago was rich in resources, boasting a biodiversity far exceeding that of the Old Continent; even various magic-tainted flora and fauna were commonplace. Even if their culinary skills were mediocre, Gourmets could always find fresh ingredients they had never tasted before to satisfy their discerning palates. However, whether these authentic flavors were truly *that* delicious was debatable.
Byron smiled to himself. This was exactly the effect he wanted. He never liked forcing others. It wasn’t just about finding like-minded individuals; without even a common interest, the ultimate result would be a reluctant alliance, like being in Cao’s camp with one’s heart set on Han.
"Do you want to learn? I can teach you. Mr. Alfred, starting today, you’ll be the chef on the *Golden Deer*. Come on, sign this." He then took out a parchment contract and handed it to him.
This was a contract notarized by the Fifth-order Legend and Law Mage, Mad King Henry VI. During a rare moment of sobriety, he had communed with the Royal Iron Law to personally validate it. Once signed, any violation would be met with direct retribution by the Power of Law. Even Middle Sequence individuals faced a high probability of being severely injured, while Low Sequence individuals were certain to perish on the spot.
This was from Catherine’s family stockpiles; they had several similar documents. These were extremely valuable to outsiders. However, for the Byron and Catherine of the past, they could have had as many as they wanted. Now, though, each one used meant one less remaining. The content was similar to the contracts "Bill" had with the York Family and "Byron Tudor" with the Newman Family. As a strict vassal agreement, nobility with large households and vast enterprises would not sign such a thing, but it was very convenient for recruiting a few "trusted" subordinates. Of course, this "trusted" individual couldn’t be of the same ilk as himself.
Byron liked rule-abiding rogues like Alfred and was willing to give him a chance.
Recognizing his predicament, "Blood-Red Whiskey" Alfred, ever pragmatic, swiftly signed his name with a flourish. He then signed his name on the *Golden Deer’s* Pirate’s Ten Commandments, signifying that his hundred or so subordinates were completely merging into Byron’s Pirate Group.
Now that they were all on the same side, certain matters could, of course, be discussed openly. Byron unlocked the shackles from him and took out *Bloody Mary’s Gourmet Cookbook*, which he had received from "Bloody Eye" Salman, taking a moment to remember his former captain. He then couldn’t help but ask the question he was most curious about: "Are you also a defector from the Bloodthirsty Cult?" He recalled that from *Bloody Mary’s Gourmet Cookbook*, he had discerned "Bloody Eye" Salman was suspected of being a defector from the Bloodthirsty Cult.
Alfred stuffed a large piece of fish into his mouth, savored it for a moment, then let out a deep sigh. "That Salman you mentioned is indeed a true traitor. But I don’t think of myself as one.
"At the beginning of this year, the main body of our Bloodthirsty Cult’s ’Bloody Mary Faction’ had already been scattered to the winds. All the Middle Sequence Grand Wizards were killed by the ’Book of Giant Insects Faction,’ and the Bloodthirsty Cult was taken over in its entirety. So how can there be any talk of desertion now?
"I and the few other survivors are now just a bunch of stray dogs, whom even those victors don’t deign to notice."
"Something like that happened? Tell me more."
As the two ate and talked, they gradually became more open with each other. Byron only had a copy of *Bloody Mary’s Gourmet Cookbook* and knew far less about forbidden knowledge than Alfred.
According to him, before the inaugural year of the Silver Era, which coincided with the birth of the Saint Heir, there was no distinction between forbidden knowledge and the Ladder of Glory in the world. Back then, all taboos were not taboo, and Extraordinary Knowledge was simply Extraordinary Knowledge. Today, many people are not content with the cycle of life and death dictated by the Ladder of Glory and are pursuing forbidden knowledge that can lead to an essential elevation. This was especially true among the various sects active in the Bantaan Archipelago and on the Continent: the Bloodthirsty Cult, The Skinners’ Church, the Blind Eye Church... They held taboo rituals to communicate with certain extraordinary beings and could obtain forbidden knowledge from ages past from them.
The Bloodthirsty Cult worshipped such an entity. Most members only knew a codename given by high-ranking members of the cult—Mother of Creation, Lilith!
When he said this, Alfred couldn’t help but repeatedly emphasize to Byron, "We must always remember that common human laws, interests, and emotions are meaningless in the boundless expanse of the world. When we cross the boundaries of reason and the bulwarks of the mind, entering the limitless unknown, we have to leave behind our humanity and all common sense. Compared to those ancient existences that have spanned the entire river of human history, we are humble, insignificant, and ignorant. They are natural phenomena of the Supernatural World, and they are disaster itself! Any contact with them is extremely dangerous. Luckily, these beings seem, for reasons unknown, to have fallen into eternal death and slumber—only reacting to certain stimuli. Under controllable conditions, through Blood Sacrifice rituals, one can obtain corresponding ’blessings.’ Little by little, these are compiled into a *Book of Taboos*, or even a *Bloodline Codex* that leads directly to the Divine Domain."
The knowledge held by the Bloodthirsty Cult was divided into two major parts and two main factions. One faction, which more clearly aligned with Lilith’s origin, was the "Bloody Mary Faction." Its members were primarily Gold Sequence Gourmets. The other faction specialized in various insect witchcraft—the "Book of Giant Insects Faction," most of whom were Wilderness Sequence Beast Tamers. What both factions had in common was that they preyed on humans and pursued inhumanity, with their ultimate goal being to touch the divine domain through the final Bloodline Codex.
As he spoke, Alfred seemed somewhat despondent. He took a gulp of whiskey and exhaled a heavy breath of alcohol. "The taboo for a Gourmet is consuming their own kind.
"Although I am a Gourmet, I am not yet ready to stop being human, and that’s why I haven’t performed the relevant rituals. The other surviving members of the faction feel more or less the same.
"When the ’Book of Giant Insects Faction’ launched their raid, all Gourmets who had mastered the Holy Grail of Blood died."
At this time, the Sailing Logbook updated automatically.
[Hidden: The Shadow behind the Red and White Rose War, Influence 31] The Decryption Rate also progressed from 55% to 57%.
Byron had already seen in the Grand Judge’s memories that Edward IV had once casually remarked, "The actions against Iron Anchor Bay are not isolated incidents; both Lancaster and Iron Anchor Bay are, in fact, part of a larger plan." He also realized that the plot against the Bayfolk might be related to internal strife between old and new sects within the Church. He had already decided to develop in silence overseas for a while and then find an opportunity to return to the Old Continent. But he never expected that events would take an unexpected, promising turn and that he would find new clues in Banta’an, reconnecting the thread.
The branch of the Bloodthirsty Cult that was cooperating with the York Family, and even a faction within the Church, was the "Book of Giant Insects Faction." It was also the victor that now occupied the holy land of the Bloodthirsty Cult and the source of their knowledge, Mother of Creation, Lilith.
Suddenly, Byron’s spiritual perception was triggered.
Turning his head, he saw a plump seagull standing outside the window, tapping on the glass.
At sea, Beast Tamers widely trained various seabirds to act as messengers. Especially the Lighthouse Union, whose tendrils reached everywhere, had perfected this communication channel. As long as one was not sailing on a remote route, crew members could buy up-to-date issues of the *Lighthouse Weekly* via seagull messengers or newsboys. They even undertook third-party courier services, which was quite convenient.
After Byron went to open the window, the seagull messenger boldly extended an orange, webbed foot right in front of him. Tied to it was a letter sealed with the Newman Family’s wax seal.
Upon opening it, the letter’s contents made Byron’s eyes flash with insight: "Leverage the Tayman Archipelago’s strategic position connecting East and West, and constantly monitor the movements of the Kingdom of Castile’s warships. Do not venture out in the near future. Remain on standby. New orders will be issued within a month at the earliest!"
However, reading between the lines, he clearly saw a storm brewing, one that would soon sweep across the Bantaan Archipelago.