The sea wind was cold and clammy, carrying a chill that seemed to seep into the marrow.
A sleek, specially made black speedboat glided silently across the dead waters of Black Reef Bay. It had no sails. Complex magical runes were inscribed along both sides of its hull, flowing with faint light beneath the dim sky and propelling it forward at a steady pace utterly at odds with the surrounding wild currents, cutting through the murky waves.
Edgar stood at the bow, his dark gray trench coat snapping in the eerie sea wind. The brim of his hat was pulled low, hiding all expression.
Behind him, Princess Victoria sat quietly, wrapped in a thick hooded cloak of deep blue that concealed both her conspicuous golden hair and her elf-like ears. She held an old parchment Sea Chart in her hands, her posture composed and elegant, as though she were seated in some warm corner of the royal library rather than this sea of death, where every inch reeked of danger and ill omen.
"Captain Edgar, our course seems to be slightly off." Princess Victoria's gentle voice broke the oppressive silence aboard the ship. "According to this map attached to an ancient text I found in the royal secret vault, to avoid the most dangerous undercurrents around Sunken Horn, we should move another half nautical mile east."
Edgar's body stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment.
After forcibly "persuading" them, Princess Victoria had joined their operation openly and legitimately, citing "assisting the investigation" and "ensuring that important historical ruins of the kingdom were not destroyed by petty criminals." She had even somehow acquired this special speedboat belonging to the Kingdom Navy's intelligence division through channels Edgar knew nothing about.
This vessel's speed and stealth were far beyond those of ordinary ships, but