Angel lay sprawled across the table, gazing at the blue sky through the window.
Warm sunlight spilled over his skin, quietly tracing him with a golden edge. Its gentle, pleasant warmth made him unable to resist growing drowsy.
How long had it been since he had felt this sleepy? Ever since boarding the Bauhinia, Angel had never truly relaxed. Partly because of his state of mind, and partly because a ship sailing the sea was bound to rock. On the Bauhinia, Angel had always felt as though he were standing on cotton.
Yet atop the Cloud Whale, it was as steady as solid ground.
That steadiness gave Angel a rare sense of peace. With nothing to do, basking in the warm sunlight and breathing in the fragrance of fresh grass, Angel unconsciously drifted off to sleep.
A small pebble traced a graceful arc as it was tossed in through the window, landing atop the table.
The neither-too-loud-nor-too-soft sound disturbed Angel's sleep.
He opened his still-hazy eyes. Having just awakened, Angel remained dazed for a moment, until another pebble dropped in. It bounced from inertia, hopping its way to a stop by Angel's hand.
Only then did Angel slowly come back to himself, picking up the pebble in confusion.
Who was playing a prank?
Angel craned his neck and looked out the window.
The lush green grass swayed wantonly in the gentle breeze. The Cloud Whale flew smoothly onward, while clouds occasionally obscured the nearby lawn, leaving only the faint sight of cattle and sheep darting about.
Angel looked left and right, but found nothing.
Just as he was thoroughly puzzled, a languid, husky female voice reached his ears:
"Hi, boy. Are you looking for me?"
She was a voluptuous woman dressed in brown leather, with silver-scaled shoulder armor over