Terra's Grand Stage

The enormous airship vanished into the sea of clouds. Clouds so dense they seemed tangible battered the deck atop the vessel, bringing not only damp mist, but some unexpected visitors as well.

A cloud goose curiously approached the airship. This large bird, with grayish-white outer feathers and a wingspan exceeding five meters, fed on floating algae and large insects within the cloud sea. The faintly glowing feathers flowing with light allowed it to control a small amount of wind-aspect Origin Matter, which was why it could keep pace with the airship.

Suddenly, the invisible vapor surrounding the bird seemed to come alive. It transformed into illusory ropes and gently tugged the cloud goose over.

As the bird panicked and tried to struggle, a hand reached out and curiously patted its head, then proceeded to feel it all over, stroking its feathers and discerning the Origin Matter Structure within its wing bones before feeding it some bread.

Throughout the process, this cloud goose—which was only a step away from qualifying as a Magic Beast—was incomparably obedient. It meekly cooperated with every action of that hand. Even when fed bread at the end, it merely gave it a light peck, not daring to strike with the force and swiftness it normally used while hunting, terrified that it might accidentally peck its benefactor.

"Thank you for cooperating with the observation experiment. Don't say I abused you—I fed you bread."

Ian released his hand and returned the cloud goose to the sea of clouds, smiling as he watched it flap away in panic.

It was now June 10th, Year 874 of Terra.

Emberlamp House's airship was sailing above the Thirteen River Basin, within the aerial ecosystem known as the "sea of clouds," a place ordinary people could never reach.

The sea of clouds was