Chương 88: Chapter Eighty-Seven: Departure II

You just had to go and do something ridiculous during your last hour here, didn't you? Amelia sighed against the carriage wall, imagining Serena berating her. It hadn't been her fault! Honest! Well… maybe a little. But, it wasn't like she could help it! She had exceptional perception! If she focused, she could hear a pin drop from a kilometre away! How could she not hear the prayers and cries of all those who surrounded the basilica? There must have been more than a hundred thousand people there!

To be fair to Greatlord Oshiro, he had held up his side of the agreement. Amelia had stipulated that at least half of the recipients of her healing must come from the lower rungs of society. She simply refused to be a saint who only used her magic for the affluent and noble. So while the basilica building was initially full of wealthy, influential citizens and lords, the grounds outside were packed with citizens who were lucky enough to be chosen for healing.

Their being outside wasn't a huge problem, as once Amelia had invoked the Divine Healing of Aseco for the privileged inside, the newly healed were taken out one side and the remaining groups were brought inside the building. With each group, Cardinal Hiroshi would conduct a short sermon before stepping aside and allowing Amelia to do her thing. With every cast, she felt an immense satisfaction at seeing people touch their regrown horns and limbs.

Some, who had been unable to walk, were bouncing on their feet, while others simply reached up to the sky as if trying to grab something unseen. But there was something that caused Amelia's heart to twist. It was just… even as the allotted time she had before the Vengeance was due to leave came to an end and the basilica was filled the final time, Amelia could still hear countless, desperate prayers outside. The streets were packed with thousands upon thousands of demons.

From her eavesdropping, she discovered that while some were simply there to witness her golden light or Amelia herself, many others had brought their sick and elderly family members, desperately hoping to receive some kind of assistance. These were those who were unlucky enough not to be chosen, but were still filled with enough determination and desperation to make their way near her. They muttered reassuring prayers to themselves, not just to the Moons and the Empress, but also to Amelia.

Despite their situation, they prayed for her good fortune and health. And… as much as Amelia didn't like to experience this kind of worship, she was moved by it. So, it really wasn't her fault, okay!? She just got a little emotional during her last cast and put a little bit too much aether in her final formation. Honestly, she didn't see why Greatlord Oshiro glared at her so much! It wasn't as if she Spoke Aseco and cast a sixth-circle spell, was it?

Sure, her golden light breached the confines of the basilica, and sure, it then spread over a radius of a few hundred metres, healing all those who needed it but weren't lucky enough to be chosen. But that was just an accident, so he could glare all he wanted, Amelia wasn't having it!

And by that, she meant the moment she'd seen Greatlord Oshiro start to move towards her with narrowed eyes and a dark expression, she'd darted out of the building, into the waiting carriage of House Halen and ordered the carriage drivers to drive. It wasn't until they were well underway to the docks that Amelia breathed a sigh of relief and changed into her more comfortable travel clothes, removing the white ribbons that they'd insisted on her wearing.

It turned out that, as well as being ridiculously cute, she was also a master of escape! Although now she thought about it, when she exited the building, there was a flurry of flashes as photographers operated their water-cooled crystal cameras. Without a doubt, her marvellous escape had been captured on more than one piece of film. Hopefully, there wouldn't be any embarrassing photos of her in tomorrow's broadsheet. Ah, Serena wouldn't complain too much, would she?

Even if she did, Amelia knew a few tricks with her hands to calm her down! Besides, her girlfriend would be especially happy once she saw one of the many presents Amelia had gotten her! As they arrived at the docks, Amelia took a breath and twisted her aether, forming the Kanaxai spellwork that would create her appearance as Lia Liona—the Vengeance's second-circle icemage.

Although Intelligence and Greatlord Oshiro's Old Guard did a great job at keeping snooping eyes away from her, there was always a risk she would be seen boarding the Vengeance. Given that the official story would be that Amelia was staying behind in her estate, recovering and relaxing from the healing magic she just cast, it was best to be careful. Climbing out of the carriage, Amelia thanked the carriage driver, as well as the numerous guards who accompanied her throughout the morning.

She collected her bags and, refusing any offers of help, strode to the gates. There, a guard introduced himself and began leading her to the Vengeance's bay. Given how the driver and guards reacted, they must have been instructed not to question her change in appearance. In fact, for some reason, the guard leading the way kept stealing glances at her with reddened cheeks. That was strange, she didn't even have her wonderful golden hair anymore!

Was she still ridiculously cute and amazing as the black-haired and blue-eyed demon Lia Liona? Of course she was! Arriving at the correct bay, she thanked the guard. Once he'd left, Amelia began to board the Vengeance only to find herself stopped by a familiar face.

"Where do you think you're going?" Dagon intoned, looking down at her.

"Miss…?"

"Lia Liona," Amelia replied with a grin, giving a polite courtesy.

"Ridiculously talented and amazing icemage with plenty of tricks up her sleeve, at your service! Now, may I pass?" Dagon rolled his eyes. Amelia knew that he, like the rest of the ship's crew, had been told about her disguise. Still, it was fun to tease him.

"You can't just bring random bags onboard," Dagon replied, clicking his fingers.

"Give them here, I need to search them."

"N-no!" Amelia hugged her bags.

"You can't!"

"I can't?" Dagon said, his eyes narrowing.

"Why not?"

"Because they're presents!" Amelia exclaimed, tapping the bag.

"For Christmas!"

"Well, I won't spoil the Captain's gifts," Dagon said, "but I still have to–""It's not just for her!" Amelia shuffled her feet.

"I got you a present as well! And…" Amelia opened her eyes, blinking innocently at the towering demon.

"Tomes and the other officers…"

"You… got me a present?" Dagon asked slowly.

"Mmm!" Amelia nodded.

"So you can't look!"

"W-well…" Dagon scratched his cheek, looking awkward. A gruff, masculine voice filled the air.

"Hmm… you needn't worry, First Officer Dahlberg. The ship is happy to see you again, young Lady Thornheart," Anathor's voice sounded from behind Dagon.

"She wouldn't be able to board if she were a threat."

"I suppose not," Dagon said with a sigh.

"Well, ship ain't done us dirty yet, has it? Come on then, I'll take you to the Captain. Let me hold your bags for you." He reached out with a hand. Amelia shook her head.

"I got it!" she said.

"You just want an excuse to find your present, don't you!? Come on! Captain's waiting!" Ignoring the noises of exasperation from Dagon, she cheerfully strode past and up the gangway. As she did, she spooled up her aether, flicking her perception into the Shimmer and looking at the ship.

"Whoa," she muttered. In the sepia-coloured layer of reality, the Vengeance stood out. Flowing in and around its hull were thousands of silk-like bands of magic. They were coloured in vibrant hues of ochure, the eighth colour of the rainbow, and wrapped every inch of the ship. Whether it was the turrets on deck or the aetherscopes at the top and bottom of the Vengeance's superstructure, the silk-like ribbons flowed through them.

Passing through a door into the ship itself, Amelia saw that the bands saturated the inside walls, ceiling, and floor as well. They danced and twisted, never staying still for a moment. Sometimes, they merged into larger bands or split into many small ones, turning and flowing in different directions. The ribbons behaved with chaotic purpose and seemed to flow as if they were both liquid and gas at the same time. Amelia brushed a hand along the side of the wall, feeling nothing other than metal.

Suddenly, the ochure ribbons twisted and pulsated. They brightened and darkened exactly in time with the voice speaking to her.

"Welcome back to the Vengeance, Lady Thornheart," Anathor grumbled. The ribbons pulsated as he continued, "The ship's missed you." Were these ribbons… Anathor himself?

"Hello, Anathor," Amelia said, forcing her voice to stay cheerful.

"I found a book about the Formless in the academy's library! I have loads of questions I wanted to ask you, if that's okay?"

"Hmm…" came the pulsating reply.

"We're very private, Lady Thornheart. But…" Anathor was quiet for a moment.

"But if it's you, then maybe I could answer a few…"

"Mmm! Thank you!" Amelia said, flicking her perception away from the Shimmer. It was simply too distracting to see those brilliant ribbons fill every part of her vision. Should she ask Anathor about it? Would he be offended? If that was his body, then how did he think? How did he store memories? Was the entire ship his brain? It was all too mysterious!

"Is the ship handling my magic okay?" Amelia asked.

"I've put a lot of work in keeping my Kanaxai spellwork discreet." The last time Amelia had used Kanaxai magic on the ship, it had interfered with its operation with the helmsman reporting it felt sluggish, ending her experimentation on the spot. Ever since Amelia had cast the ship-wide healing spell shortly after she arrived in this world, Anathor had reported the Vengeance, or rather, the splintered soul inside was becoming more and more sensitive to her magic. As if it was waking up.

"So far, so good," came the reply.

"For now…" Don't jinx it! Amelia thought, sending a silent prayer to whoever was listening. They passed by the officers' quarters, where Amelia looked into a room to see Tomes detailing some information regarding the duties of the ship to the newly commissioned officers.

"Hello!" Amelia chirped, bouncing into the room. There was a moment of quiet as everyone involved took a few seconds to compute that the Amelia lookalike demon that had just popped in the room was, in fact, Amelia herself.

"Lord-Prospect," Daichi and Hinako intoned respectfully, touching their horns and complimenting her disguise. Mel bowed slightly, her mouth forming into a small smile.

"Lord-Prospect," she said.

"Horns suit you, Amelia. Or should that be Lia?" The twins' eyes widened as they waved.

"Lord-Prospect!" they exclaimed in unison.

"Hello everyone, hello Tomes," Amelia said, grinning towards the spectacled demon.

"You can all keep calling me Amelia, don't worry. See it as a nickname for Lia."

"Lord-Prospect," he replied.

"What brings you here?"

"Just passing through," Amelia explained. She tapped her bags and nodded her head towards Dagon behind her.

"Bringing my stuff onboard. Make sure to come visit me when you've got free time!"

"Oh?" Mel asked.

"Where's your room?"

"I'm staying with Serena!" Amelia said happily.

"I mean, I'm staying with the captain," she clarified. For some reason, Mel quickly looked away.

"O-of course," Mel mumbled.

"I should have known…" Was it Amelia's imagination or did Mel's cheeks redden? Well, never mind!

"Don't forget to come to me for any healing!" Amelia said, looking around.

"Where's Aiden, I mean, Officer Adachi?"

"He's on the bridge. I'm sure you can catch up with him soon," Tomes informed her. He looked at his battle-brother, took off his spectacles and began cleaning them.

"How much trouble is she going to give us this time, Dagon?"

"Hmm…" Dagon rubbed his chin.

"All Seven Hells and a special human-sized eighth hell just for us, I reckon. Ain't that right, Tomes?" He glanced towards Amelia, the corner of his mouth curling into a smirk.

"Damn right," Tomes mumbled.

"See what I have to deal with!?" Amelia complained to her friends. She only got sheepish looks of support in response. She turned to Dagon, trying to give him her best glare.

"Eighth hell, my arse! I bet you're still upset I keep winning at cards, aren't you!?"

"No one's that lucky…" Dagon mumbled.

"I am!" Amelia jabbed her thumb towards herself.

"I'm the luckiest human alive!" She really was!

"Now the luckiest demon, it seems," Tomes mused.

"For now, at least. Anyway, go be lucky somewhere else. I have a long list to go through with this lot and it's not getting any shorter with you standing around and chatting."

"Okay!" Amelia gave the room a polite bow.

"See you at lunch!" Dagon led her away and through the ship's corridors. Soon, they arrived outside Serena's door. Dagon knocked politely. Before he could speak, Amelia heard Serena tell someone to get the door. A few footsteps sounded and the door opened, revealing a stressed-looking woman with neat, straight horns and red hair. She even had a light splattering of freckles that gave her an almost cute appearance. Another Northerner!

"Come in," Serena said, waving Amelia in.

"Thank you, Dagon. Go and make sure the bridge is running smoothly. Dismissed."

"Aye aye, Captain." Dagon saluted quickly before closing the door and walking away. This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. As Dagon's footsteps became faint, Amelia became conscious of the awkward silence lingering in the air between her and the mysterious Northerner. Judging by her uniform, she was an officer. She didn't seem to be newly commissioned. Her posture gave away some years of experience, and her aura was more refined than most students.

As Amelia examined her, the Northerner examined her back.

"You can drop the disguise, Amelia," Serena intoned.

"Sure!" Amelia released the glamour, returning her to her usual bundle of blonde energy. As she did, the Northerner's mouth opened in surprise.

"Empress…" the demon muttered, turning back to Serena, "you weren't joking, were you?"

"As if I would joke about something like this," Serena said, clicking her tongue. She raised a hand, gesturing.

"Amelia, meet Officer Finella Bright. She'll be in charge of the new squad. She's returning to duty onboard the Vengeance after taking time to develop her aura. Finella, meet Lord-Prospect Amelia Thornheart. Most of the time she'll be disguised as Lia Liona, as we've discussed. Beyond that, when the situation permits, she'll be offering her expertise in magic during our deployment." The demon called Finella blinked twice, looking between Amelia and Serena.

"By magic, do you mean..?"

"Healing? Yes. Haven't you read the broadsheets?"

"Sure, but seeing her is something else. Is she really…?"

"A Speaker? She is."

"Amazing!" Finella's eyes suddenly sparkled. The Northerner turned to Amelia, examining her closely.

"And she's so pretty! How old are you!?"

"Twenty-five!" Amelia answered, already deciding she liked this woman. She even glanced at her in the Shimmer, just to make sure she wasn't going to have another surprise.

"No way!" Finella shook her head.

"That's too young! It must be a trick, right?" Finella glanced towards Serena.

"A glamour? Her Kanaxai spells are perfect!"

"Nope!" Amelia grinned at the compliment.

"I'm just that adorable!" She puffed out her cheeks to emphasise her point.

"A-Anathor!" Finella called.

"Is she speaking the truth? Is she really only twenty-five?"

"Hmm…" came the coarse reply.

"Lady Thornheart speaks true."

"A human Speaker at twenty-five!" Finella shook her head." Aseco is your Word, right?" Seeing Amelia nod, Finella turned to Serena.

"What about the Human Church? Even if she's a Lord-Prospect, won't the Vatican try something? Do they know she can use Kanaxai spells?"

"It's being handled," Serena explained.

"Don't probe into her background too much; some information is confidential. Know that Amelia's healing talents were developed independently and not in the Golden Cathedral. They have no claim to her."

"Whoa, Aseco actually communed with someone outside of Christdom's clutches…" Finella looked appraisingly at Amelia.

"You must have spent a lot of time in Centralis. Your accent is perfect!"

"Heh…" Amelia rubbed her nose.

"And her eyes?" Finella asked.

"I thought the reports were exaggerating, but you really do have the eyes of a demon! A noble colour! How did that happen? Were you born with it?"

"Nah," Amelia shook her head.

"Side effect of some magic!"

"That's a lot to take in…" Finella smiled uneasily.

"I don't mean to imply anything, as you've been sanctioned as a Lord-Prospect already, but what's your opinion on this conflict? What?" Finella looked at Serena, shrugging.

"I have to ask!"

"It's okay!" Amelia made her best let's-be-friends smile and chirped, "I like demons!" Amelia then repeated one of her most reliable lines.

"I like your horns! They're so pretty!" Her well-timed compliment caused Finella's cheeks to heat up visibly. Goodness, she was making everyone blush today, wasn't she?

"Don't worry about Amelia's allegiance, Finella," Serena said with a sigh.

"I, Greatlord Oshiro, and even his Lord Superiors are confident. Intelligence has gone through everything with a fine-tooth comb. Amelia…" Serena turned to her.

"Put your bags away and make us all some coffee, please," Serena said.

"Mmm!" Amelia skipped across the room, darting into Serena's quarters. As she stacked her bags against one of the walls, she heard Finella question Serena.

"You're sharing a room?" Finella whispered.

"Is there a point to your question?" Amelia heard Serena answer.

"I mean… are you two…?"

"Stop asking unnecessary questions."

"So you are. I thought-""Finella."

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

"Y-yes, Captain!" Amelia hummed as she returned and began grinding some beans in a small coffee grinder. Even before the inclusion of hot water, the fragrance of the dry beans tickled everyone's heightened senses.

"I hesitate even to ask…" Finella muttered in disbelief.

"That smell… I'm not deceived… are those… Jimari beans?" Her voice cracked at the end, tinged with pure, undiluted hope.

"Yup!" Amelia said cheerfully.

"I bought an entire sack of them in Kenhoro! You're welcome to some if you want!"

"No way!" Finella exclaimed, her pupils growing.

"Are you the Empress in disguise? Coming here to reward me for my dutiful service!?" Amelia laughed for more than one reason.

"Seven Hells," Serena said, chastising the almost-drooling Northerner.

"You look like a peeka that's spotted a mouse." Serena smiled, her eyes watching Amelia pour hot water over the ground beans.

"If you do your duty well, I'm sure Amelia will be inclined to share more Jimari coffee with you." As the intense fragrance from the hot coffee saturated the room, Finella looked like she might cry with happiness. She took one hesitant step towards the coffee, and then another.

"In the light of the ever-watchful Blue Moon, and as a servant of the Overlord of Overlords," she began.

"I vow, if you want me to run into shellfire, I will. If you want me to crawl over broken glass, I will. I'll fight, protect, defend, or do whatever else you order, as long as you feed me Jimari coffee."

"Christ, you haven't changed a bit. Why do I suspect not even your graduation oaths were said with such conviction?" Serena asked dryly.

"It's just coffee, Finella."

"The military runs on coffee," Finella replied, watching Amelia strain the black liquid into three cups.

"The Empire runs on coffee. Coffee makes the world turn! Please, Lord-Prospect!" Finella reached her arms out in desperation. Amelia considered teasing the coffee-fanatic, but decided to be kind. She passed the desperate demon a steaming cup and warned, "Careful! It's too hot to drink fast!"

"That's what aura is for!" Finella responded, flaring her red aura and taking a large sip.

"Ah…" she moaned.

"I've died and gone to heaven!" Serena clicked her tongue.

"I'd forgotten you were an idiot, Officer Bright."

"Mmm," hummed Finella happily, taking another sip. Amelia handed Serena her cup and then sat down and took a sip, savouring the bitter taste that exploded in her mouth, fading into a nutty aftertaste. For a minute, the three of them sat silently, bonding over a quiet appreciation of the drink.

"How did your event go?" Serena suddenly asked. Ah.

"Well…" Amelia began tentatively.

"It started well, but I got a little emotional during the end, you know? Hearing all those who wanted to be healed but couldn't get a placement… so I-""Nevermind," Serena interrupted.

"I've decided it's best for my sanity not to know." Her girlfriend took another sip of the coffee, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Tell me another time."

"How much…" Finella began before trailing off. The Northerner had finished her cup, now looking at the lack of black-liquid like a dejected puppy that hoped more would magically reappear.

"How many Jimari beans do you have, Lord-Prospect?"

"Umm…" Amelia placed a finger on her chin.

"I bought a twenty-pound sack, so-"" Twenty pounds!?" Finella spluttered.

"I've been blessed," she muttered.

"A great blessing has come my way, for all my suffering. Yes, my prayers must have been answered…" Finella continued to mutter nonsense.

"You'll be able to buy some yourself," Serena said pointedly.

"We're departing to the Southern Terra-Firma imminently." Amelia's eyes widened. The South! Wasn't that where Dagon and Tomes were from? She'd heard the stories; an endless stretch of red sand that no ship could sail over! You had to walk or ride one of the native fauna to travel! During the day, it could become so hot you would shrivel up in minutes, and at night it was so cold you could freeze to death just as fast!

Amelia had seen photographs of the famous Dectus Lines—enormous geoglyphs depicting alien creatures carved into the rock thousands of years ago! She'd also heard of—"Taking the Southern Passage?" Finella asked, interrupting Amelia's excitement.

"That's right."

"That's pirate territory now," Finella replied.

"My last superior had good connections. Apparently, it's worse than the broadsheets are letting on."

"No matter," Serena said, tapping the desk.

"I doubt they'll risk attacking the Vengeance. They have nothing to gain and everything to lose. Even so, we're set to meet a heavy cruiser during the trip. A ship called the Indefatigable, headed by Captain Matthews. Heard of him?"

"No." Finella shook her head.

"Sounds like a Centralis ship. What class?"" Orb -class. The Indefatigable has been patrolling the Southern Passage along with a frigate acting as a supply ship. A Wark- class. No pirate will dare attack a convoy flying Imperial colours."

"They might not need to," Finella said, running her finger around the rim of her cup.

"The passage has been more precarious in recent years, with or without the pirates. The Shattered Isles have been spitting out more debris, and the weather system has been complicating matters. It's been interacting with the Southern Rift, causing tornadoes ten to fifteen klicks high to form. Not just one or two. I've heard reports of ships having to navigate through dozens of them like a maze. If it's bad, it's not unlikely our convoy would be separated and become easy pickings.

Going to be hard to shoot back if we're in an uncontrolled spin. Can't we go Centralis way?"

"Intelligence wants us there as soon as possible," Serena answered.

"When you're not leading the squad, I want you on Sensors. Your experience will be important. You'll be working alongside Officer Adachi. He's our contact to the big-horns. With you monitoring the aetherfield, I feel confident we can navigate safely." Serena smiled.

"I'd rather not bump into a slumbering Rhaknam, after all."

"Will we see him!?" Amelia asked excitedly. She'd heard countless stories of this two-kilometre-long arcwhale that was apparently so powerful that not only could he rival an Overlord, but other arcwhales could Speak his name to invoke his power! It was something that hadn't been present in the game, and something she was desperate to explore further!

"If we do, we'd better start praying," Finella replied.

"But I doubt it. Visibility isn't good around the Shattered Isles, and Rhaknam slumbers in the densest part. He only pops out once a century or so to destroy a city or nation that's stupid enough to hunt his kin. Although…" Finella leaned forward, her voice excited.

"I heard a rumour from my commanding officer last year. An aetherscope south of Yamen swears they picked up movement. So who knows," Finella shrugged.

"He might be waking up."

"Hmm…" Anathor's gruff voice came from the stuffed moose head.

"Are the tornadoes bombarding the continent?"

"Not that I've heard," Finella answered, looking at Anathor's glowing eyes.

"Then he isn't waking into anger," Anathor grumbled.

"Lord Rhaknam, Master of the Sky, always moves with purpose. Either way, you must treat him with the greatest respect if you ever meet him. He has done much for the Known World."

"Oh?" Finella raised an eyebrow.

"And what nature of service has he done?"

"Hmm… It's not for me to share specifics."

"Oh, Anathor," Finella said, smiling.

"There you go being all mysterious again. You haven't changed one bit!" She turned to Serena.

"So, assuming we survive the Southern Passage, where in the South are we making land? Surely you're not taking us to Ishaq?"

"Ishaq?" Amelia questioned.

"Ishaq," Serena repeated.

"After that, Intelligence will give us further orders. If anyone else asks, we're on a training deployment for new recruits. We have all the paperwork sorted."

"We're going to have to keep a tight leash on the men," Finella replied with a grin.

"Ships always lose some crew after docking in Ishaq."

"Mmm," Serena hummed. Amelia blinked.

"Why?" she asked. Finella laughed softly.

"Ishaq has an… interesting culture. It's very different from the Centralis you're used to, or…" Finella glanced towards Serena.

"The East the captain's used to. Let's just say there are certain temptations that make men want to abandon everything and stay there."

"Oh… Oh!" Amelia exclaimed, feeling herself blush.

"It's not just that," Serena added.

"Ishaq is a free city. It's had a level of autonomy granted to it for over five hundred years now. It's not governed under the Cascadian system of lordship. While Cascadian law technically applies to it, it's rarely exercised within the city's boundaries. So don't go around trying to fine anyone if they're rude to you."

"R-right," Amelia answered, nodding.

"So, is that why it's called a free city? Because it hasn't got a ruling lord?"

"No," Serena shook her head.

"It's called a free city because it's exempt from Empire taxes. Not even the Southern Overlord taxes them. Another reason why some people prefer to stay there. Although, I doubt any of my crew will be stupid enough to desert their posts. Anathor…" Serena eyed the red-eyed moose.

"Tell Dagon to remember to remind the crew of the penalty for desertion before we arrive."

"Aye, Captain," Anathor replied.

"Speaking of, First Officer Dahlberg has just requested your presence on the bridge. We're all green for departure."

"Excellent." Serena stood up.

"Come on, both of you. Including you, Amelia."

"You're taking me to the bridge!?" Amelia exclaimed.

"I want you at least somewhat familiar with the environment," Serena explained.

"So if I need you there to perform some magic in an emergency, you can do so. Don't forget your disguise outside this room." Normally, she would read in Serena's quarters or relax in Tomes's office. Now Serena trusted her enough to introduce her to the heart of the ship's operation! Although it was small, in that moment, Amelia felt like she'd grown even closer to her girlfriend!

"Understood!" Amelia replied happily, twisting her aether and becoming Lia again. Amelia followed Serena and Finella to the bridge. Stepping through the door, she was greeted with a room of metal and glass, rimmed with desks and demons.

"Captain on deck!" barked Dagon, prompting everyone in the room to scramble up and salute Serena. A few of them narrowed their eyes at Amelia, but it was a look of confusion rather than suspicion or hostility. It only took a minute and a few hushed whispers for everyone to realise that Lia was Amelia.

"At ease," Serena commanded. Amelia could tell her girlfriend had suppressed her authentic big-softy self and was now in full-on captain mode. Somehow, knowing what she was really like made her captain mode seem somehow adorable. Serena jabbed a thumb at Amelia.

"As I've said, this is Lia, our new resident icemage that'll be helping out here and there. Any similarities in appearance and behaviour to our former human are purely coincidental. At least, that's what you'll tell anyone from outside this ship sticking their horns into our business. No matter who it is, no matter where we are, keep those lips tight and report anyone sniffing around, understood?"

"Aye, Captain!" came the chorus of replies.

"Chief Engineer!" Serena called out.

"How is our departure preparation?"

"All green, Captain!" the older demon called Allston shouted. Unlike the neat uniforms of everyone else, Allston always had stains on his, but no one ever called him out on it.

"She's ready to purr, Captain!" Allston added.

"Sensors!"

"Calibration finished, Captain! We're all green!" the sensors officer shouted. Next to him, Aiden stood tall. Judging by the stripes on Aiden's shoulders, he'd been given a promotion recently. Since he was their go-between with Intelligence, perhaps they promoted him above most of the other Officers to ensure they listened to him? Amelia gave him a wink and got one in return.

"Weapons!"

"Green across the board!" the officer called Thorne shouted.

"We've got enough firepower here to take on the Republic all over again!" he finished, to a few laughs.

"Navigation!"

"All green, she's responding like she's new, Captain!" the navigation officer called out.

"Communications! What's the dockmaster saying?"

"We've got the all clear, Captain!" the communications officer responded.

"They wish us good winds and clear skies!"

"Good," Serena said with a nod.

"Officer Bright!"

"Yes, Captain!?" Finella jumped to attention.

"That's Officer Adachi." Serena pointed across the room.

"Go get acquainted. Go slowly, I'm sure you'll see a few familiar faces on your way."

"Yes, Captain! Thank you, Captain!" Finella strode across the room, shaking a few hands as she went and sharing short words before settling in next to Aiden. Judging from people's reactions, Finella was well-liked.

"We've got some greenhorns onboard," Serena said to the room.

"Try not to eat them too quickly!" Titters erupted around the room.

"They're young, but I've personally picked them myself. Believe me, their auras and magical talents are worth a thousand soldiers! Will you help me mold them into proper officers!?"

"Yes, Captain!" came a chorus of replies.

"Excellent," Serena mused.

"Well then, there's only one thing left to do. Helmsman! Let's get her purring!"

"Aye aye, Captain!" the helmsman responded, adjusting one of his levers.

"What's our heading?"

"South, south-east," Serena said.

"South, south-east, aye, Captain," the helmsman affirmed. It began slowly, with a gentle rumbling from deep within the ship. Then, it grew with intensity into rapid, rhythmic pulsations as the lift engine spooled up. Amelia felt an odd sensation through her feet as the ship's structure subtly groaned as it readjusted, no longer being held down by the force of gravity. A few seconds later, Amelia felt the most minuscule feeling of her weight changing as the ship smoothly lifted off the keel-blocks and into the air.

If it weren't for the view through the large windows rimming the bridge, she would have had a hard time figuring out they were rising in the air. Despite the technology of her old world that had allowed them to colonise the Solar System, they didn't have anything like this. It was almost surreal to be inside a structure that must weigh thousands and thousands of tonnes, and have that structure lift itself through the air by exploding crystals that fell from the moons-that-weren't-moons.

This world, and the magic inside it, was amazing. Serena cleared her throat, bringing Amelia's attention back to the present.

"Good winds and clear skies!" she shouted.

"Good winds and clear skies!" the crew responded in unison.

"Good winds and clear skies!" Serena shouted again.

"G-good winds and clear skies!" Amelia couldn't help but join in awkwardly. Serena turned her head slightly, giving her a small smile.

"Good winds and clear skies!" she roared.

"Good winds and clear skies!" Amelia's shout became lost in the crescendo of everyone else's. The helmsman skillfully operated his station, turning the ship to the heading Serena had given. As the propulsion engine spooled up, Serena turned to Amelia with a smile.

"Are you ready to explore the Known World, with all its mysteries and unknowns?" she asked softly.

"Mmm!" Amelia nodded her head enthusiastically. She couldn't stop herself from grinning with excitement.

"I can't wait!"