Compared to the previous leg of the voyage, the journey from Kalamanda to Piltover could only be described as smooth sailing.
This time, Lux and Eno were no longer aboard an armed merchant ship carrying both cargo and passengers. Instead, they were traveling on a sailing passenger ship called the Taiyin Stone.
After leaving Kalamanda, the passenger ship would follow the summer's eastward current, sailing east with the wind and tide. After stopping at Uzeris and Stone Wall Town, it would eventually reach Piltover.
Since Uzeris and Stone Wall Town were under Noxian control, Lux and Eno had been a little nervous at first. But to their surprise, the ports in both places were extremely lax. As long as they weren't carrying large pieces of luggage in or out, the port officials wouldn't even give them a second glance.
Curious about this, Lux sought out a sailor on duty on deck.
At Karya's suggestion, she generously treated the unlucky fellow on watch to a few drinks, and kept him company with a glass of lemonade.
This way, Lux managed to learn quite a few interesting things.
According to Karya's translation, Lux learned that the Taiyin Stone's route hadn't been doing too well economically in recent years. Though it was far from Bilgewater, Noxus had sent its navy to blockade Ionia, dealing a severe blow to maritime trade in the surrounding area.
"Back in the day, merchant ships and passenger ships could at least pool their money and hire the Noxian Sea of Conquest fleet to escort them. It was expensive, sure, but at least it was safe." The sailor had grown considerably more talkative after a few drinks. "Now look at us. Sea rats everywhere, and they've got some nerve. They don't even spare ships with sea-serpent figureheads anymore. I