Blood Moon
As Xio asked about the "wolffish cans," Ebner stiffened, instinctively preparing to activate his Seabreeze Hat's Beyonder power to raise a gust of wind.
But before he could act, two men in black soft hats and checkered black-and-white uniforms, dressed like policemen, were already on the scene. Standing just behind him, their uniforms lacked epaulets, but each bore a seagull emblem on the chest—the same symbol as the "Pritz Harbor Ticketing Company," indicating they were the company's security guards.
Turning around, Ebner saw one of them leap forward, tackling a young man with distinct Southern Continent features to the ground. The other guard expertly slipped the can from his hand into a bag, then—unsatisfied with just one layer—tied a second bag around the first.
The guards moved with such fluidity and practiced ease it was almost painful to watch.
When one guard escorted the young man from the Southern Continent away, the other turned to the still-stunned Ebner and Xio, saying, "Sorry for the alarm, sir, madam. That man has a grudge against the company and planned to use the wolffish can as revenge."
"That was a wolffish can?" Xio asked in surprise, curiosity in her voice. "Why the commotion?"
"You've never smelled it, have you, ma'am?" the guard said, face turning grave. "Back when I was a sailor, there was a story that went around… Pirates captured a merchant ship from Louse—a city on the eastern Feysac coast. Eager to inspect their loot, the pirates opened barrel after barrel, only to find them filled with pickled wolffish. Well, you can imagine what happened next—they fainted, vomited, and lost all ability to fight, becoming easy prey for the remaining crew."
"But why would something so foul-smelling be made into food?" Xio asked, clearly baffled.
The guard hesitated, struggling for an answer; it was a question he himself had wondered about for years.
Seeing the guard at a loss, Xio turned her gaze to Ebner, who merely shrugged and said, "There's always someone with a peculiar taste… and besides, the pickling method is simple, cheap, and keeps it from spoiling." After this brief explanation, he didn't linger, heading straight into the "Pritz Harbor Ticketing Company" hall.
"Alright…" Xio muttered, following in Ebner's steps.
The spacious hall had seven ticket windows, each with a line of at least a dozen people.
Glancing around, Ebner approached a tall, upright wooden board. Pinned to it were sheets listing the recent week's passenger ship schedules, destinations, ports of call, and prices for various cabin classes.
However, it seemed his timing wasn't ideal—nearly all second- and third-class tickets for the next day or two were marked with a bold red circle and the word "SOLD OUT."
Ebner frowned, surprised by how hard tickets were to come by.
"That's because the Royal Navy has stepped up inspections near Oak Island recently, especially of ships coming from overseas colonies. They're down almost half, so the remaining ships are in higher demand," the guard from earlier explained, following them in. "You know, there's always cargo on those ships they'd rather avoid having inspected."
Oak Island… the Royal Navy base… Come to think of it, isn't it just two days until the maiden voyage of the kingdom's first ironclad, the Pritz? Even the king will be attending. No wonder inspections are getting stricter, though with the king's strength, it'd take a few high-ranking angels to even think of harming him.
Pushing aside these thoughts, Ebner refocused on the board, seeking first-class cabin information—since lower classes were already sold out, pricier accommodations were their only option. And, as first-class included a servant's cabin, he and Xio would only need to purchase one ticket.
Finally, Ebner chose a ship departing the morning of the 27th, the Myriad City Brilliance. Not sure about the ship's details, he asked the familiar guard, "Do you know anything about the Myriad City Brilliance?"
The guard's face lit up, launching into an enthusiastic explanation: "You have an eye for ships, sir! The Myriad City Brilliance is new, a fully steam-powered ship with a top speed of 18 knots. Built as the first prototype from Myriad City Shipyard in Desi, her captain once served as the first officer on a colonial warship in Bayam. The shipyard offered him a high salary to captain this new liner."
Ebner nodded, satisfied. The ship lacked ties to the Storm Church or military interests, likely a venture by southern capitalists seeking to compete with northern shipping businesses. This made it an ideal choice for him and Xio.
After purchasing a first-class ticket on the Myriad City Brilliance, they returned to their hotel to wait patiently for the following day. Ebner considered exploring the local Beyonder circles to see if any materials he needed might be available. However, with time so short, he doubted he'd find a gathering, let alone gain enough trust to access one, so he abandoned the idea.
---
June 27, 9 a.m.
Ebner, carrying his suitcase and cane, arrived at Rose Wharf accompanied by Xio, now disguised as a maid.
The Myriad City Brilliance was docked there, a large, elegantly designed vessel rumored to have been created with input from several artists during its design phase.
The ship's modern aesthetic, tall smokestacks and bright flags made it distinct from older styles. With 12 cannons on each side for defense against pirates and potential competitors, the ship inspired confidence in the boarding passengers about their upcoming journey.
Standing below, Ebner looked up at the vessel, then grabbed Xio's arm, helping her onto the gangway and eventually onto the deck.
Each carrying their luggage, they followed the passenger flow into the ship's interior, made their way upstairs, and reached room 301, the first-class cabin he had reserved.
Opening the door, Ebner took in the room with approval; it was even better than the standalone house he'd rented in Backlund's East Borough.
A roughly 30-square-meter sitting room connected to a master bedroom, two servant's quarters, a private bathroom, a standard wardrobe, and a mahogany desk.
"Xio, you take the master bedroom. I'll take the outer servant's quarters," Ebner said with a smile after stowing his luggage.
"But I'm supposed to be the servant… Won't it look suspicious if anyone notices?" Xio replied, hesitating.
Ebner chuckled, mimicking his teacher's tone, "First, I doubt anyone will come visiting. With the door shut, they won't know. Second, no one on this ship knows us, so even if someone saw, let them think what they will."
Seeing the logic, Xio agreed. Besides, they'd spent quite a bit on first-class; it'd be a shame not to make full use of it.
After arranging their belongings and safely stowing his cane sword, the two ventured back onto the deck, mingling with other passengers. In the process, Ebner met the ship's captain, Alanson Edward.
The former colonial warship first officer was quite the storyteller, sharing tales of Bayam's exotic customs and even delving into his family history:
"You know, my family didn't originally come from Desi. We settled there a little over a hundred years ago, but before that, we lived in Backlund, in the old Northwest District…"
Before anyone could respond, a sailor nearby burst into laughter. "Captain, you must've had too much to drink! There's no Northwest District in Backlund!"
"You laugh, but it's true! My family still has my ancestor's old journals. Back then, they lived… uh, on Dharavi Street, I believe," Captain Alanson replied earnestly.
The more serious he sounded, the less everyone believed him, taking it for a joke. Only Ebner's gaze lingered on him thoughtfully.
---
That night, unable to sleep, Ebner threw on a coat and quietly slipped out to the deck.
Looking up, he saw the black "velvet curtain" of the sky stretched above, pierced by a deep red full moon, casting a tranquil light over the ship.
"Midnight, June 28, a night of the blood moon…" he murmured, eyes drifting northwest as if they could pierce through the vast space to see a faint figure in an old, dim apartment room in Tingen City.
"The Fool… has finally descended."