Cattleya, who had instructed the chef to prepare a breakfast far less lavish than before, chewed on a smoked pork sausage, completely unaware that her foster mother was having breakfast aboard her ship with a man who was somewhere between acquaintance and stranger.
Because danger could be encountered anywhere in these waters, everyone finished eating as quickly as possible, then converged on the deck without prior agreement to observe their surroundings.
The sea was still bathed in noonday sunlight, faintly gilded with gold. Klein, standing at the rail and gazing into the distance, suddenly felt a slight sting in his eyes. Then he noticed a point of light ahead and to the side growing larger and larger.
Under the sunlight, that point of light refracted a dazzling, dreamlike radiance concealing many colors, like an enormous, translucent gemstone.
As the Future continued sailing forward, the point of light gradually revealed its true form.
It first split apart, then became clear. They were four enormous pillars carved from pure diamond.
Like gigantic towers from myths and legends that held up the sea, they supported a sizable floating island. The soil atop it was scorched black, without a trace of green, while deep within it, a light shone with extraordinary brilliance, surpassing the noonday sky.
Suddenly, a long neigh came from there.
The sound was loud and unrestrained, but it lacked the chilling sense of danger.
Before long, the clopping sound of horses galloping—"clop-clop, clop-clop"—came from the depths of the floating island. Two fine steeds that seemed forged from gold pulled an equally golden, magnificent chariot out of the island.
"Lower your heads!"
"Don't look!"
Cattleya's amplified voice rang through the entire ship. Most of the pirates and Klein lowered their heads. Sno likewise did not court death, but as the light powerful