Ever since Lukka had given him permission to temporarily stay on the Silent Death, Doran the Wood Spirit had been very sensible.

He was neither like the gnomes and goblins, who quarreled with everyone as soon as they met, and had no additional requirements. After cleaning the deck every day, he found a bucket full of clean water and stood in it to bask in the sun, quiet as a plant.

Until one day, Thea took a nap and wanted to go to the deck to blow the sea breeze to wake up, and around the corner next to the tail building, she happened to bump into this guy standing in the bucket in the shape of an elf, and was so frightened that she almost changed back into dragon form, and blurted out a scream with the power of a dragon's roar.

Everyone was disturbed and ran to the deck.

Lukka glanced at Dolan, whose face was blue in the sun, his body was stiff, and he was no different from a corpse, shook his head and said, "This is not good, it is fine during the day, but it can really scare people to death at night." ”

The wood spirit remained motionless.

"It's not really dead, is it?" said Phil, who came out of the lab with a spatula in his hand, tentatively poked Dolan in the middle of the eye.

Dolan slowly opened his eyes, and the joints in various parts of his body made a "creaking" sound, like a wooden door in disrepair.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, stretching.

"No, there's something I need to discuss with you, you get out of the bucket first. Luca said.

"Oh, okay. Although Dolan said yes, he didn't move at all.

"Hurry up, okay?" Phil poked again.

"Don't move, don't move, it's itchy. Dolan ducked back with his upper body and let out another squeaky sound.

"Are you dying? Lukka asked, frowning.

"I think it's arthritis, it's easy to get this disease if you soak it in cold water all the time. Ollie said.

"I don't have any real joints!" Dolan said, moving his arm, "and once I'm dormant, I'll be a little slower to recover than you flesh creatures." Just give me four hours, and I'm guaranteed to be more flexible than you!"

"Four hours, why did you run down so quickly when you were on my doorframe?" asked Luca.

"At that time, it was just a change of shape, not a dormancy. Dolan explained.

"Forget it, don't recover yet, just listen to it. "Lukka really doesn't have the time to spend with him.

"Oh, what the hell are you going to do waking me up?" Dolan lowered his arm, and except for his face, which was still active, the rest of the body returned to a stiff wooden state.

"It's easy for you to scare people by standing here like this. You see, we have two children on board. Lukka said as he pushed Phil and Thea in front of him.

"I'm not a child. Phil muttered quietly.

"Me neither. Thea looked unhappy.

"You two be quiet. Lukka stretched out his two hands, rubbed their heads separately, and continued to Dolan, "Otherwise, since you can be dormant, it would be better to become dormant in the form of a plant, as you did on my doorframe, at least it won't scare people." ”

Dolan thought for a moment and said, "That's no problem, but if I become a plant, the recovery time after hibernation will be longer, what if I delay cleaning the deck?"

"You don't have to do that job. Luca said, "You can be a potted plant here, and add more decoration to the ship." You're here on, uh, Crete, how many more days are you going to get to the next port?"

"About a month. Crete replied.

"Okay, you're going to stand here for thirty days, okay?" Lukka asked.

"It should be fine, I can sleep deeply, and I can't make sure it's any different from a normal plant. Dolan said, "Remember, though, to water me, and if there's a storm or hail, remember to move me into the pod, where I won't wake up on my own." ”

"Yes, no problem, I'll leave that to Finch and Gavin. Luca said.

Later in the voyage, Dolan really did as he said, in the form of a potted palm to serve as a decoration on the deck, and when Luca occasionally cooked, he plucked a few large leaves and put them on the plate as a decoration for plating, which was quite good and well received by everyone.

Twenty-five days later, a string of pearl-like islands appeared on the east side of the Silent Death.

The complex currents and wind direction of the boiling sea caused Crete to make a slight error in estimating the voyage time, five days earlier than the original estimate of the arrival time in the Meze Islands.

"If only it could have been earlier. Lukka commanded the ships and landed on the largest of the main islands.

"Welcome to the Meze Islands - Alpha Island. Captain Leicester, please?" asked a bearded dwarf on the dock.

"I am, how did you know I was coming?" Lukka asked as he walked up from the gangplank to the trestle.

"The Undercurrent Chamber of Commerce informed us ten days ago, saying that you would come to our mayor to negotiate, and besides, they would bear all the costs of your activities here. However, you still need to register with the management office, please cooperate with us. The dwarf said.

"Oh, okay. Lukka said, glancing in the direction of the docks, a look of surprise on his face, "Are you all dwarves here?"

The dwarf who greeted them rolled his eyes and looked at him: "The Alpha of the Meze Islands is the main city of the Dwarves of the Boiling Sea, why don't you even know this?"

Nora knew that most of the dwarves in the Boiling Sea were grumpy, so she hurriedly walked over and explained, "They are humans, they are unheard, don't take them seriously. ”

"Hmph. Go over there and register yourself. The dwarf didn't say anything more, just raised his hand and pointed to the location of the ship's management, and then pulled his leg and left.

When the dwarf was out of sight, Nora whispered, "Be careful, everyone, the dwarves here are notoriously disliked by outsiders. ”

"Let's try not to get noticed, find their mayor, take that thing and go. Luca's memory of the dwarf is still stuck in the image of the aunt in the Moon Spring Island Tavern, and he doesn't want to touch it too much.

Shut up on his shoulder and said, "Don't forget, by the way, ask about the spring." ”

"Let's see if there's a chance, the Guiding Stone first. Luca said.

Daniel hadn't left the ship yet, standing on the deck and waving his hand downward, "Hey, Captain, what about this potted plant?"

Dolan was still dormant in the form of a plant, and it was agreed that he would not wake up in five days.

Lukka thought for a moment and said, "Move down, dig a hole somewhere, and plant his piano in the ground with it." ”