"The sights of Ptolemy's royal city were truly worth seeing. It was like a wonderful trip, a chance to take a break from work and fully experience the exotic local culture. It was a shame that pressing business kept me from visiting the area around the Underworld Pyramids.
"And there was the legendary Great Library of Isus. They say it holds many out-of-print books. Unfortunately, it was closed for repairs, so I couldn't go inside. Still, that's no big deal. I should have plenty of chances to come back once things quiet down.
"This desert and the history buried beneath its thousand-year-old sands are truly fascinating."
Aboard the "express airship" returning from Chardo Port to Transia, Crow set down his cup of yogurt and fruit in the VIP lounge. He was dressed like a traveler.
As he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth, he picked up the book beside him and continued reading, still full of admiration.
He had bought it from a Sanghai merchant during Her Majesty Freya's coronation and the carnival that followed. It wasn't a scholarly work, just a history of the customs and people of the Thousand-Year Sand Sea—or, more aptly, a travelogue.
However, Crow had bought the deluxe edition, which meant it included some rather cryptic tales that often took a bit of thought to understand.
But for him, that kind of light thinking was as relaxing as a bit of downtime.
Unlike most lazybones, he loved the feeling of his mind turning. It made him feel alive.
Across from the completely relaxed Crow, however, Boss Huo couldn't seem to unwind at all.
He, too, had attended the lively coronation ceremony. He was still wearing the traditional white Sanghai veil, making him look like a Sand Sea prince who knew everything there was