Outside Constant City, Midseashire, at Superior Harbor.
The vast sea stretched endlessly ahead, seeming to meet the horizon. A salty breeze blew in, carrying the distinctive chill of the north.
This was the Sonia Sea, a vast body of water at the heart of the Northern Continent.
Cold air from the north swept south without pause, carrying moisture from the sea into the warm, humid air coming up from the south. The two weather fronts lingered over Loen, leaving the country damp and cold year-round, with frequent rain and few clear days.
"Watch your step, Da... Kuneva."
Leonard and Miss Daly stepped down from the carriage. They had finished their disguises and now wore the faces of ordinary people, speaking in the language of Feysac.
The suitcases prepared by the Church of Evernight contained two tickets. They would take a steamship across the Sonia Sea to Intis, then transfer to another vessel bound for Saint Millon, the capital of Feysac.
Yes, transfer.
For several reasons, relations between the two countries had grown tense enough to disrupt travel. It was still possible to sail directly from Loen to Feysac, but crossing the border meant endless inspections and paperwork, along with special attention from the staff. For Leonard and Daly, who needed to hide their identities, that was hardly ideal.
So, like other Feysac people trying to return home, they had chosen to go to Intis first, then take a train or another ship from that third country. It would spare them a great deal of unnecessary trouble... though it also meant there would be more Loenese passengers aboard.
"The Pine Needle... That's the one."
After walking a short distance through the harbor, they spotted their ship. It was a large, three-deck steamship, though still a little smaller than the Flying Ship