In his lifetime, the Devil would serve him, but after death, Faust's soul would belong to the Devil. Especially when he involuntarily uttered the phrase, "Life, you are so beautiful, pray stay," his life would prematurely end, and the Devil would take away his soul. In the end, through a series of events, Faust comprehended the true essence of life: that one must struggle every day for life and freedom to be worthy of enjoying them. The general idea is: one should never be content with the status quo but must constantly pursue knowledge, truth, freedom, and the right to choose. From my understanding, it means: one must wrest 'self' and 'freedom' from the tyrannical grips of both the 'id' and the 'superego.' It also aligns with the essence of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment movement."
When the girl reached this point, she paused briefly to allow Byron and the macaw to thoroughly digest the story, before she continued, "If we interpret by the literal meaning, the so-called 'Faustian Contract' should be the very document Faust signed with the Devil initially. Moreover, although each Sacred Relic has its own prerequisite requirements for its users, the qualifications of the candidates vary in degree. Mr. Thomas previously sought Poets or Artists with an artistic aura similar to that of Faust, which in itself may not have been wrong. But he overlooked another hidden criterion. The one who truly aligns with the spirit and Mandate of Heaven of the 'Faustian Contract' should actually be a great explorer who possesses an independent 'self,' never ceases in their quest for knowledge, and pursues 'freedom' and 'truth' throughout their life!"
Violet's beautiful eyes, glittering like stars, naturally fell upon Byron. Although she was unaware of the [Nautical Logbook]'s existence, she had accompanied Byron all this way, and his outward demeanor had been just as described. Rather than any artistic temperament, this should be the most fitting candidate for the 'Faustian Contract's' Mandate of Heaven. Mr. Thomas had stumbled upon the right candidate by sheer luck—a true case of 'getting on the wrong bridal sedan but marrying the right groom.'
"Huh?" Upon hearing Violet's explanation, the macaw couldn't help but slowly open its beak in surprise. "Is this how things really are?"
Indeed, if one is uncultured, even piracy is difficult to do well. Someone like Violet, with a profound cultural background, could unravel the key points that a Fourth Order Great Pirate and a macaw First Mate had failed to clarify for centuries, just from a name. And she did it with logic and evidence, leaving the bird no room for rebuttal. In this, she was above the stratosphere.
Seeing the feathers on the macaw's head drooping, Byron quickly intervened to change the subject, "Mr. Thomas, you said that the secrets of the island are all in that roll of the 'Faustian Contract.' This means that Captain Flint must have surely agreed on something with the entity on the island. Do you, his confidant, really not know the specific content? Like why Captain Flint would place treasures here or... how to use the Alchemy of Transmutation?"
They had realized upon landing on the island that it was probably far more than just a natural safe used by a Great Pirate. Silvergold Island evidently reaped more benefits from its treasure-hunting activities than that Great Pirate. If there truly existed a contract between the two, the infamous Fourth Order Great Pirate Flint, who had dared to rob the Castilian Treasure Fleet, might just be a humble contractor who must constantly please the client. Conversely, this client's Secret Realm could continue to attract outsiders using his reputation, continuously producing immeasurably valuable Philosopher's Stones. Whichever way you look at it, it was a bonanza.
The macaw spread its wings and said, "Yes, I swear on Andrew Lancaster's captain's hat, First Mate Thomas really doesn't know. Flint was the previous master of the 'Faustian Contract.' He only instructed me that, after his death, I was to find an artistic Transcendent, preferably a Poet, to inherit that thing in the treasure cave. Beyond that, I truly know nothing. The only reason I've been able to live on this island for so long—aside from its master not being interested in non-human creatures—is my secondary contract with Flint. It allows me to use the 'Faustian Contract' so that the island's rules consider me a part of Silvergold Island."
Hearing a familiar name mentioned, Byron's eyes flashed with a glint, but he did not immediately show it. Instead, he pressed on with his initial question, "What about the cicada chirping? What danger does the cicada chirping represent? You must know that."
Realizing the macaw had no more valuable Intelligence to offer, the two exchanged glances and nodded in agreement to take on the commission.
You have to eat your meal one bite at a time. The conditions for discovering the New Continent were not yet ripe, so they temporarily set it aside. After all, they were originally going to the treasure cave to compete for treasure, and even if their carrying capacity was limited, they still had the ability to take an extra piece of parchment. They would just need to pay extra attention to that particular item.
"Mr. Thomas, now I have one last question," Byron inquired as if in passing, "This Mr. Andrew you mentioned—was he the adventurer who came here last time? Mr. Andrew, after spending such a long time here, has he not been consumed by the island's gold and silver?"
Truth be told, Byron found it hard to believe that his uncle could have survived for over a hundred years in such a wicked place. But since it was the first possibly still living Lancaster he had heard of in over half a year, he couldn't help but feel somewhat excited. Violet, understanding his feelings, also looked over.
The fat macaw, completely unaware of their unusual demeanor, blurted out, "After the mission failed, of course, he was eaten as well. Even though I've never seen the island's owner with my own eyes, I know Silvergold Island is the dining table of some terrifying entity. Those devoured by the gold and silver leave behind only skeletons, indistinguishable from stone. If I hadn't secretly kept an extra Azkek's Cursed Coin and hung it around Mr. Andrew's neck before his soul dissipated, not even his ashes would be found by now.
"Actually, there are only 880 Gold Coins in the treasure cave now; the remaining two are with First Mate Thomas, and one is around Andrew's neck.
"Of course, with those hairless upright apes, there are no interesting bones for me. And once they turn into skeletons, this bird is also long gone into hibernation. When I get bored, there aren't even any goats to play with.
"TSK TSK, oh my creator, I hope my old pal Andrew still has some brothers out there. Otherwise, his family line might just die out, HEH HEH HEH..."
...
Mr. Byron Lancaster's expectant smile gradually faded.
Do you think that joke was funny? You thieving bird, I think you've just signed your own death warrant!