Chapter 359 - Unrest At The Docks

"I guess I can understand," Ludwig replied to the voice that reverberated faintly from his shoulder, his tone thoughtful yet somewhat distant, like a man reaching for a concept half-formed, still elusive in his mind. His eyes remained on the hazy horizon beyond the bow of the ship, the sea opening ahead like a rippling sheet of grey, layered with the dull shimmer of morning light. Salt hung in the air, mingling with the faint traces of pitch from the ship's tarred ropes and the ever-present reek of damp wood. The deck creaked beneath him with the tide's gentle rhythm, a subtle percussion that accompanied the low hum of his thoughts.