Chapter 558 Chapter 16 The Northern Arctic Ocean
Ig’s expression turned tense. “Could it be that, Young Lady, it’s her…?”
“No…it’s not Herafir’s power.”
Verafia shook her head, forcing her little face up. “It’s just… my head suddenly feels a bit dizzy…”
Ig steadied himself, his palm caressing the girl’s cheek. On her flushed and delicate snowy cheeks, he felt a slight warmth. He also noticed the fatigue in the girl’s golden eyes, which still held a hint of excitement. He said,
“Is it because the air in this room is bad? And, Young Lady, you’ve been here for so long… How about I take Veer out for a walk?”
Bad air?
Verafia struggled to lift her eyelashes and looked around. This cabin, used for crew rest, had hundreds of crew members. The enclosed space couldn’t allow for effective air circulation, and there was also a stove for heating. After more than an hour, she felt a physiological heat and dizziness.
However, as a former world’s strongest swordsman and now a goddess, Verafia was a little displeased to feel uncomfortable just because of the air quality. She responded, “Mmm, I’ll listen to you.”
Ig chuckled wryly, reached out to ruffle her hair, then raised his face to ask the Ice Dragon Girl. However, Ophi shook her little face in refusal, her twinkling frost-blue eyes encouraging Ig to properly pursue the maiden.
Of course, Verafia also saw this look and found it amusing. Her recently low mood lifted, and a subtle curve appeared at the corner of her lips.
She waved goodbye to Ophi and then, holding Ig’s small hand, walked out of the cabin.
…
Outside the cabin, the dry yet icy wind howled against the sails, whipping across the deck as if condensing ice shards in the air.
As soon as she stepped out, Verafia shivered involuntarily. However, warmth from magic instantly transmitted from the palm holding her small hand.
Ig took out a red crystal bracelet from his embrace and placed it in her hand. “Young Lady, this is for you.”
“This is…”
Verafia lowered her gaze. The bracelet in her hand was exquisitely crafted. The luster of the red crystal was like a work of art. However, what caught Verafia’s attention were the magical patterns carved on the bracelet. From her perspective, they were indeed exquisite.
These master-level magical patterns had no offensive capabilities. Their greatest function was to provide warmth in the biting cold, along with some minor defensive abilities.
“I had a Star Mage on the ship make this for me these past few days. It doesn’t require your magic; it only needs to be powered by inlaid flame crystals,”
Ig said with a smile. Looking at her little face, he further explained, “Young Lady, don’t worry, it didn’t cost much. It was just some of your divine power fragments from back then, plus half a month of magic experiments with that old mage.”
No wonder I rarely saw this guy these days. Back then, I was even sulking in my room, feeling self-pity because I didn’t see him…
Verafia’s heart warmed. She tilted her little face up, pouting her delicate lips. “Mmm, I’m already a Goddess Princess, why would I need such a thing… Besides, we just need to cross the Northern Arctic Ocean on this ship anyway.”
“Yes, yes, my Goddess Princess. However, what if the Goddess Princess wants to go out and I’m not around? After all, we can’t let the Goddess Princess stay cooped up in her room all the time.”
Ig ruffled her little head and smiled. “Besides, crossing the Northern Arctic Ocean won’t be a quick matter. I asked the captain, and even at the fastest pace, it will take at least two more months.”
“The Northern Arctic Ocean…”
Verafia murmured. They had reached the edge of the ship. The blowing wind already condensed with frost and cold. As it stirred in front of her, it was melted by the magic artifact.
Strands of sea breeze, infused with frost, blew her white silk dress. Verafia reached out and gently pressed down the corner of her skirt before looking up.
“I heard from the captain that the previous waters only seemed cold because they were close to the Northern Arctic Ocean. From today onwards, we are truly entering the domain of the Arctic Ocean… Further in, the temperature might be even lower,”
Ig’s explanation came.
The maiden nodded, her slender white hand resting on the wooden railing. A touch of icy coolness spread from her palm. Her raised golden eyes gazed at the vast expanse of the sea, where ice floes drifted on the water.
For some unknown reason, she suddenly had a strange thought, so she raised her big eyes to look at the young man.
“Mmm, but, Ig, what if this entire sea freezes over? How would this ship be able to travel… Is it possible that we would be frozen on the sea surface?”
“Young Lady, freezing an entire sea, that would require immense power… You yourself, back then, probably wouldn’t have been able to do that, right?”
Ig chuckled a bit at the maiden’s sudden whimsical thought, his palm stroking her delicate and soft hair. “If it’s just a certain degree of ice on the sea surface, there’s no need to worry too much. The ship is equipped with flame-type magic artifacts for breaking ice. If the sea surface freezes, it can easily melt and break through the ice.”
“Is that so…”
Verafia murmured softly and then slid her little head to rest on the young man’s shoulder.
These past few days, she had enjoyed leaning on Ig’s shoulder, him gently stroking her hair… It was like a cat enjoying being petted, able to slightly express her feelings and also feel the security of Ig being by her side and cared for by him.
However, at this moment, for some unknown reason, she still felt a sense of unease, as if something was weighing heavily on her heart…
It wasn’t an illusion.
Verafia recalled the restlessness that had lingered in her mind since she was startled awake this morning… She had initially thought it was just the unpleasant feelings caused by her suppressed emotions these past few days…
This should be the innate resistance and instinctive hostility that beings like her possess, through pheromones, elements, and traces of laws, towards beings of the same level.
Moreover, Ig had said that today they were truly entering the core domain of the Northern Arctic Ocean…
Verafia couldn’t help but raise her eyes. Lonely, turbid light spilled from the sky. The colors of the entire sea stretched out with her vision.
Her heartstrings were stretched to their limit… Reflected in the leaden, gray sky, the seemingly calm and tranquil sea surface, in her eyes, seemed to truly hide some terrifying behemoth.
It was just that her strength was too far behind; only now was she beginning to realize it…
“Veer, what’s wrong?”
Ig also felt a trace of unease. His palm was involuntarily gripped by the maiden’s fingertips, and at the same time, he could feel her sudden nervous state.
“Ig…”
Verafia forcefully raised her little face. She tried her best to keep her voice calm, but her slender voice couldn’t help but tremble, like the fear accumulating in her heart.
“What if, beneath this sea, there really are sleeping deities?”
