Tracy

"Great God of Winter,

"You are the recorder of all, the witness of all;

"You are the ruler of ice and snow;

"You are the end of all that fades away." Frank put down his pen, repeated the Honorific Name, then asked, "There aren't any other problems, are there?"

Neph shook her head, then heard Frank say thoughtfully:

"How strange. This isn't like the Honorific Names of Saints or Angels that I remember. If anything, it's closer to those of the Seven Gods..."

Neph smiled without answering and looked toward the docks instead.

The bustling crowd on the docks clearly recognized the Black Death. As the ship approached, they scattered, afraid of getting caught up in anything.

Surprised by the sight, Neph asked Frank curiously, "Is she always like this? Even at docks where there aren't many pirates?"

"Around the Gargas Islands, yes," Cattleya said, having approached at some point. She answered Neph's question, "As for places farther west, I don't think either the Black Death or Tracy would dare approach them. Nor would they have any reason to."

True enough. Any farther west, and it wouldn't be islands anymore- Neph nodded thoughtfully, then heard Cattleya continue:

"But they should gather again soon. There might even be more people."

Neph looked at her in confusion. Cattleya gestured for her to look toward the Black Death, so Neph turned and discovered that a young woman had appeared at its bow.

The Future was neither too close to nor too far from the Black Death, leaving Neph just close enough to make out the striking, spirited female figure.

She wore a white linen shirt beneath a dark red coat. Her black curls were piled high and wrapped in a white headscarf, and her legs were clad in fitted beige trousers. She was