After saying goodbye to the adorable little Seer and Dominic, the Hunter who dared not provoke her, Angel entered the Mirror World again and arrived aboard the Red Haired Woman by the docks.
The bright red three-masted sailing ship was making its final preparations to set sail. The sailors were busily organizing supplies on deck, checking the rigging and masts, and carrying freshly loaded water and liquor into storage.
Angel watched for a while, then entered the captain's cabin, appearing directly before Helene.
The captain seemed to have removed the Madness ring because of its side effects, restoring her long red hair, her beauty that combined gentleness and resolve, and her somewhat rough but healthy skin. She was making notes on an unfurled nautical chart and looked up at the sound.
"Miss Angelica." She promptly straightened and greeted her. "Your Red Haired Woman is ready. You may use her whenever you wish."
That sounds rather strange. Use her whenever I wish... Angel's gaze swept over Helene's red hair and figure-hugging shirt. She muttered to herself, then asked:
"Where's your Sailor Chief, William? I didn't see him aboard, and there are far fewer sailors than usual."
"Since this is a secret operation, I gave many of the sailors with official connections leave and only kept those we can trust," Helene replied, an awkward blush rising on her face as she realized the ambiguity in her earlier words. "William went to the commercial district. He said the climate in the Fog Sea is different from here, and the crew will be more prone to illness, so he wanted to buy some medicine before we leave."
*Hmm, attentive and responsible, and he served aboard the Iceberg Admiral's ship before. If I expand my fleet, I could consider putting him in command of a