Above the golden-red sea shrouded in orange dusk, the clouds were stretched into all kinds of shapes by the wind, while the ships below rose and fell gently with the waves like exquisite silhouettes.
Flocks of seabirds circled above the sea, and every so often, one or two would dive into fishing nets floating on the surface, snatching fresh fish from the fishermen's catch.
Some escaped after successfully stealing their prize, while others ended up caught in the nets themselves, becoming part of the fishermen's haul for the day.
On the open-air balcony of a local specialty restaurant by the shore, Cyril sat in a wicker chair, holding a drawing board and brush as he captured the scene on the paper.
This was Golden Fishing Port south of Sonia Island, the largest and most prosperous seaport in the Northern Sonia Sea.
Cyril's brush moved and paused, and before long, he had sketched out the sea beneath the orange dusk.
Just as he set down his brush, a familiar figure walked straight over, pulled out a chair, and sat opposite him.
He looked up at her, raised an eyebrow slightly, and asked, "How did you find me? And with your status, don't you need any disguise when you go out?"
Across from him, Cheryl lounged sideways in her chair. She wore a sleeveless coat of animal hide, with her hair tied into dreadlocks. She had an easygoing yet aggressive air about her, like the boss lady of some pirate ship.
"Nice painting."
She glanced at the drawing board in Cyril's hands and offered her praise before saying, "Painter Randolph Carter, with a bounty of 45,000 pounds—you're strutting around Golden Fishing Port so openly. If I still couldn't find you, I'd be a terrible leader."
"As for disguises, heh, I spend most