The sealed black cavity caused by curvature travel rapidly faded away. At the end of the route, filled with red- and blue-shifted light spectra, a blue planet appeared. It quickly enlarged on the holographic projection inside the ship, and soon details on its surface could be seen—the planet's beauty was breathtaking.
It was a planet completely covered by oceans. Endless seas stretched across the entire view, while clouds, storms, waves, and whirlpools adorned the vast blue canvas. The sense of openness and grandeur it brought almost instantly dispelled the oppression and solemnity caused by their three-day journey through the ruins of civilization. The passengers in the rest room stared at Io in a daze, occasionally murmuring their admiration.
They had never seen a planet completely covered by oceans before. They had never even imagined one.
When Jean Lucas saw Io, his eyebrows twitched uncontrollably. He muttered under his breath, "As expected of the Siren's homeland... It's all water."
"Well, obviously. How could the place where Sirens live not be entirely water?" Heiserana glanced sideways at this old rival she had fought for centuries, then suddenly grinned teasingly. "Oh, right. You're a landlubber. You cramp up whenever you see water, don't you?"
"Bloodkin have never liked water, all right?" Jean Lucas's eyelid twitched violently. "You're the only freak who isn't afraid of water and isn't even afraid of holy water. I'm embarrassed to share a race with you."
"Lady Vivian isn't afraid of those things either!" Heiserana proudly planted her hands on her hips. "That's what an advanced Bloodkin looks like! Listen, if you want to go further, you have to work hard to overcome your racial flaws. If you trust me, go find the Heiserana Family when you get back. I'll arrange a crash-therapy session for you—soak you in holy