There was little wind or swell on the sea that night. Bright moonlight shone on the surface, making the water look clear and pristine.
Splash~
The Argo suddenly cut through the calm sea, sending ripples spreading across its moonlit surface.
The small vessel was moving at astonishing speed.
Yet nothing about its appearance revealed what powered it. Its sails were furled, and there was no steam engine in sight.
At night especially, it looked like a ghost ship shrouded in mystery.
In the Argo's wheelhouse, Odys was scanning the sea through a telescope.
They had reached the waters around Nikat Island more than half an hour early, but had not encountered the Red Lion Pirates on the way.
At noon, after Odys and Rupert returned with the Red Lion Pirates' general heading, Elijra had concluded that the pirates were probably bound for the southern stretch of the Central Route to plunder.
After their recent naval battle with another pirate crew, repairs and supplies must have cost them plenty. They would surely raid a few ships to recoup their losses and give their crew a chance to let loose.
But they had not run into them anywhere along the way.
Odys lowered his telescope and asked Elijra, "Apart from the southern stretch of the Central Route, where else nearby could they raid freighters or merchant ships relatively easily?"
Bazel, Rupert, Elijra, and the others stood behind Odys.
Elijra pointed to the chart. "The waters around Jilayin Island, but that's much farther from here. An ordinary ship would take several days to reach it."
Jilayin Island lay in the southern Rorsted Archipelago, while they were currently near Nikat Island in the west.
In other words, an ordinary ship sailing west from Nikat Island would reach the Central Route in two or three