Having played a bit, Velvet ended up telling the truth.

“Viroa sends her regards.” She lifted the broken pocket watch in her hand, dangling it in front of Saliman.

“WHA- You littl- Do you have any ide- Ahhh!” He cursed at her a few times, in several languages, while Velvet grinned at him. “Is she even still alive?”

“Alive and well, you should visit her at Casrey sometime.”

“I am not doing that.” Saliman glared at Gin, who was still laughing at him, hitting the counter and gasping for air. “You just took ten years of my life with that scare.”

“And you just gave me five. Here, it’s on the house. Not spicy. Well, sweet and a bit spicy, actually.” He gave Velvet a container with some roasted octopus.

“Oh, thank you Mr. Gin!” Ignoring the heavy breathing Saliman, both of them started doing their own thing, Velvet eating and Gin cleaning the counter.

“So, what reason does Viroa have to send you?” He took the pocket watch, examining it, before sighting and giving it back to her.

“I need to take the airship to the Mergifari.”

“A mage, huh. Lot’s of them are coming these days. How soon do you want to leave?”

“Soon as possible.”

“There’s one taking off in a few hours…” Sighing, he added. “Let me talk to some people first. Do not wander around, if I can’t find you once I’m done, it’s on you.”

“Oh, take this then.” Velvet gave him a paper figurine. “Burn it a bit and I’ll go find you. You smell like cigars, so lighting it should be easy.”

Sighing, he picked the paper figurine, before waving at Gin and leaving.

When he was out of their sight, he smelled his clothes.

“Do I really smell like tobacco?”

…

Velvet spent the morning strolling around.

Wishbell, as a place used mostly to take airships and moving tourists from other continents, was full of souvenir shops. Shops a bit overpriced, in Velvet’s humble opinion.

There was also a bulletin board with news, some wanted posters, and a world map.

It was similar to the one Velvet had seen on Viroa’s ship.

The Charlampa Archipelago at the center, surrounded by the ocean. Mirel to the east, Idir to the south and Arhontissa to the northeast. Those were the travellable continents. Then, there was Paraiso in the southeast, Permafrost all the way north and Ilihia all the way to the south.

Of the last three continents, only Paraiso was habitable, but its god had made a wall of light surrounding it, making the entrance difficult.

Paraiso wanted a place for magic and mythological creatures to live, away from technology. Humans like Gin were ones of the few that decided to leave.

One could enter Paraiso, as long as they didn’t bring any ‘steaming invention’ inside.

Permafrost was a frozen land. Some expeditions tried to uncover its secrets, but they barely managed to map the shores.

Ilihia was a scorching desert, belonging to Idir the same way Charlampa belonged to Arhontissa. It was a famous spot for adventurers and treasure seekers.

Stolen story; please report.

Oh, there was also the Mergifari, alone in the northwest. It was tiny, compared to the continents.

In the end, she ended up getting bored of looking at the board and went to spook Saliman.

“I can wait until he lights the figurine, and jump at him at that moment. As if I just transported instantly.”

“Or you can just act like a decent person, and walk to him.” Baraviodos said.

“You’re such an old man, not liking pranks. Look at Hyde, he barely speaks in favor or against my choices.”

“I got used to it.”

“Well, I don’t have to. Once you find a member of the Doyle family, I’ll be free.”

“I know I know. Not even gonna miss me a bit?”

“For Andras’ sake, no.”

Damn

…

“Look, I found Saliman.” Ignoring Baraviodos, she ran towards him. “Salimaaaaaan!”

Flinching, he turned to her. “Did you finish shopping?”

“Everything is too expensive, so yes.”

“Alcohol isn’t.” He cleared his throat when Velvet just stared at him unblinking and expressionless. “And food.”

“Did you get the tickets?”

“Yes, yes. In an hour and half. You’re lucky, it was full, but three people apparently won’t be coming.”

“Huh, I wonder why.”

So Siberina did run away for real…

“Anyway, with that done, I no longer have any debt to her. Make sure she gets that.”

“What did you do?”

Saliman sighed, scratching his head. “Eh, I did get into some problems with a few pirates. You know, the kind that leaves a treasure on some random island and then gets angry when adventurers find it…”

“Long history short, I ended up being hunted by pirates that were being hunted by her in turn.”

“Oh, so she did heroically save you from them?”

“No. She killed the pirates, but also was after the treasure. She didn’t like hearing that I had spent it with my associates already…”

“Sounds just like her.” Velvet nodded.

“But! Since my head didn’t have any bounty, and I was worth the same dead or alive, she just ended up deciding I was indebted to her. Not debatable. ”

“Sounds just like her.” Velvet nodded again.

“I really hoped she was dead already, damn.”

“Cmooon, it’s not like she was that bad.”

“So you know absolutely nothing, hm?”

I know that, but hey!

“E-du-ca-te me, then.”

“She was a pirate hunter known as The Shrike. Any pirate ship she got her hands on ended up… ugh, those were different times, times I don’t want to remember. Go to some archive and read some newspapers from forty years ago.”

“Damn, you’re old.”

“I was just young back then! And wilder!”

“Back then.” Velvet made sure to enunciate every letter.

“Go to the goddam airship already.”

“See you later! I’ll make sure Viroa sends you a letter sometime!”

“You better NOT do that.”

Laughing, Velvet left Saliman Ramis and went towards the airship directed to the Mergifari.

…

The airship was high class, Velvet was sure of that.

She had seen some other airships while walking there, but this one was magnificent. Not as colossal in size as its siblings, but still very big. It was in perfect state, not even a piece of wood out of place nor a speck of metal rusted. Decorated with golden symbols, it was clearly enhanced with magic.

“I'm so glad I’m not paying the ticket…” No wonder she wanted to take the sea route, the air route definitely was for more well paid mages, nobles or burgeroise.

People were boarding already, so Velvet went to do the same.

…

The insides were like a palace. Marble floors, beautifully embroidered curtains, waiters carrying trays with drinks and food… There was even an orchestra!

The trip was five days long, shorter than the other option.

Picking some food and a drink, Velvet searched for a place to sit.

“There, there!” Baraviodos voice in her head almost scared her.

“Where…? Did you suddenly go blind? There is someone already sitting there.”

“I know that. That is Gertine! Gertine Doyle! The Doyles’ selected! Take me to her!”