Chapter 2 (1/2) The time was too late to be called morning.
After the boat has set sail at 8 AM from San Teresa, it has already been about an hour.
This place is almost on the equator, so the sun should"ve already been right above our heads, but the overcast sky has so much cloud that it doesn"t look so bright. Under the skyline is the depressingly grey ocean, and the overcast sky is full of clouds dyed pink by the sun.
The 〈Golden Heart〉 boat that Matoba is currently on is one of the Coast Guard"s small high-speed boat, there"s a .50 caliber machine gun installed on its bow. The crew told me that if they need to, the boat can easily reach 50 knots (approximately 90 km/h).
On its stern are the flag of Kariana Autonomous Region under United Nations and the Stars and Stripes flag of the United States. Technically, Kariana Autonomous Region and its city, San Teresa, is "under no country"s jurisdiction", but in practice it"s under the management of government of the United States. Like when Matoba wants to question arrested suspect, he has to read their Miranda Rights to them according to the precedent set by Miranda v. Arizona, because American citizen are the overwhelming majority, in addition, even if there are j.a.paneses like Matoba and immigrants from other countries, there is almost no Semanian, whether it"s in the Coast Guard or the police.
"We"re almost there."
One of the crews told Matoba who is standing on the port side of the deck, his hands are holding onto the guardrail trying his very best not to tumble onto the deck of the rocking boat.
〈Golden Heart〉 slowed down. The lat.i.tude here isn"t even that different from Okinawa or Taiwan, but the ocean is freezingly cold and the sun cannot be seen on the sky. Moreover, the fog is starting to envelope the area. 10 minutes ago the skyline can still clearly be seen, now he can only see out to about 100 metres.
It"s always like this near the "Mirage Gate".
Mirage Gate is a mysterious s.p.a.ce that links the world on the other side and this side together.
But it"s not like it"s the thing that can be seen with naked eyes, nor does it stay in a specific place, nor is there only one place where the s.p.a.ce like this appeared. Most of the time there are 10 places like this, but when there"re a lot of them they can be over 50 scatter around the Kariana Island. The gates behave like a pressure centre on the weather map, constantly appear and disappear without anybody able to hypothesise the criteria for its appearance.
Only the Mirage Gate which appeared in the middle of the ocean 45 nautical miles southwest of San Teresa is different. Because it maintains its stability and appearance most of the time, it"s being called "Silk Road" and is the only place being accepted as formal trade route.
The high-speed boat came to a stop and turned its engine off.
On the surface of the ocean surrounded by fog, silent crept in. The only surface vessal in the area is their boat, 〈Golden Heart〉. There is only quite sound of waves. He can hear the footsteps of Coast Guard crews walking toward him on the deck.
Captain is walking toward Matoba who"s leaning against the guardrail.
"Got seasick?"
"Ah, I"m okay sir."
"I"m impressed, some police gave up even before they"re off the coast."
"I used to be a soldier."
"Hou."
"It"s with the army, but there"re often missions in the wetland, we had to use the boat until we"re sick of it."
Captain looks at Matoba with great interest.
"Have you been to the other side?"
"Yes, I was there as a Peace Keeping ForcePKF, that"s what it was called anyway. But the important thing is that when I crossed over to that side, I was packed into the transport plane. This is the first time I"ve ever seen the gate."
"Well, even if you say see, n.o.body can see the Mirage Gate anyhow."
Captain said while narrowing his eye as if trying to see through to the other side of the fog.
"In order to know the exact size and position of the Mirage Gate we need to a.n.a.lyse data from the observation satellites, it has its unique magnetic and infrared signature. We can never cross to the other side by relying only on our digital nautical chart and instrument on board."
"I"ve heard so too."
"But those aliens, they can cross without using any electronic equipment. They don"t have the concept of electromagnetic wave, not even the concept of universal gravitation, but they can find the location of the gate just by reading the movement of wind and water current. h.e.l.l it"s even more accurate than ours."
"That"s why there is no decrease in Coast Guard"s work, is it?"
"It"s as you said, we don"t have enough ship, and in these sea radar doesn"t help very much at all. If we want to stop these swarms of smugglers and illegal immigrants we need more than double the budget and manpower we have now. There are only idiot s.h.i.theads in the autonomous region government ivory tower. It"s much better back when we"re fighting the drug cartels in Caribbean Sea"
While he"s listening to the captain"s rant, he fixedly looked to the side of the boat.
He thought he was hallucinating but it was not. On the other side of the atmosphere enveloped in fog, a gigantic shadow slowly emerged.
At first it looks like two spires towering over the ocean.
But when it"s slowly closing in on them, they can make out that it"s a huge sailing ship. It"s a large catamaran with a mast on each hull. The masts tiled outward away from the twin hulls cast a complex shadow. Countless ropes dangle from the masts and yards, a number of them tying to the support braces creating a mysterious atmosphere like when a monster appears.
He can vaguely make out a silhouette moving around on the mast.
This type of ship never appear in the history of humankind, there"s no mistake that this is a Semanian ship. On the sails a crest can be seen. It"s a motif of a bird"s eye, the crest of the Fabini royal family.
"The n.o.ble is here."
Captain whispered to him.
"Don"t know how the h.e.l.l do they use those masts to sail, maybe it"s good for tight maneuvering, but it doesn"t seem to be able to hold out in strong wind. Seem like the material properties of the wood on that side is quite different from this side. Well, Those guys also say that this side ships instead that seem to capsize at a moment notice."
There are signal horn and bell sounded from the Semanian ship that"s closing in.
They"re probably stopping their ship. The crews on the ship are running around performing their task busily, the large sails are reefed according to the order, the rudders kicking up waves slowing the ship down. The ship came to a stop near the port side of the 〈Golden Heart〉 that Matoba"s team is on with astonishing accuracy.
The ship"s length is probably more than 3 times longer than the ship he"s on. Both its size and its majesticness are overwhelming. He can now see faces of the crews that are looking down his way.
It doesn"t have the feeling of being an old, disrepair ship like when it"s seen from afar. It"s a well maintained ship with a recently applied coat of paint.
The side of the hulls are decorated with a strange but elegant pattern, the circular carvings here and there remind him of "Eyes" stoically watching him, those numerous "Eyes" are glaring at their tiny little patrol boat.
The ship doesn"t have any cannon. That"s because Semanians don"t know what a cannon is.
What"s on the ship instead are large ballistas that seem like it would be good for sieging a castle, there"re 15 of them on each side. The length of each ballista is equal to about two adults with their arms stretched out, the darts used are as tall as a grown man.
Even if it looks intimidating, the combined firepower of those ballistas is no match for one of this side"s .50 caliber machine gun. At least as long as those ballistas and the ship hulls aren"t enchanted with their artsmildi.
The ropes were thrown, and two vessels from different worlds are connected together alongside.
After some exhanges in Farbini and English, a ladder was lowered from the ship. The crews with nothing to do on that side look at this side"s boat with curious eyes. Each of them wears only plain shirt and pants. They seem to whisper something to each other, point to this direction, and then laugh. They"re probably talking in Fabini, but their accent is so thick he couldn"t make out what they"re saying.
The captain who"s busily preparing the ship to be boarded comes and taps Matoba on the shoulder.
"The n.o.ble"s going to board soon, it"s your job now."
The captain said.
After they carefully secured the unexpectedly st.u.r.dy ladder in place, a short whistle signal was given out, then one of the crews from that side boarded this side"s boat. The person who boarded this side"s boat is wearing a white cloak with small stature. He still cannot see their face because they still facing away from him, but he can see their blond hair, seems like they"re still a child. They"re probably the n.o.ble"s retainer.
They use rope and pulley to transport several leather-covered box down to the boat, those are probably the luggages of said n.o.ble.
Speaking of him, when will that great important n.o.ble board anyway?———— Matoba thinks while looking up at the sailing ship, the pet.i.te retainer walked pa.s.s him.
The ship"s bell sounded again. The crews shouted something and the ladder was lifted up.
The VIP still haven"t boarded their boat yet. What does this mean?
Before the eyes of Matoba who"s making a confused face and the captain and his crews, the ladder was completely raised up.
"Oi"
The retainer said in fluent English.
No, not a retainer, on the contary, not a man either.
"I"m apprentice knightbalsh of Mirvor, Exedilika, don"t dorini have any etiquette for welcoming guest?"
A girl. She seems to be a girl in her early teen.
Her skin is white——— so white that it"s as if there is not a drop of blood flowing under her skin. Her flowing golden blond hair looks like one perfect solid piece as though it"s made from some kind of synthetic fibre. The high-cla.s.s tunic she wears embroidered with elaborate design. Her cloak and tights don"t have even a single stain on it. On her waist is a sheathed thin-bladed sabre. Her big eyes slanting slightly upward, reminding him of the cold and arrogant predatory felines. Her perfectly shaped lips pout in displeasure, not a fragment of loveliness left.
On the surface of the ocean enveloped in greyish atmosphere, only the area surroinding this girl seems to be in a different world.
Alien.
Up until now he has seen many Semanians, but he has never seen anyone giving a feeling of "mythical creature" as this girl before. Rather, this girl existance is similar to that shining fairy in a gla.s.s jar.
Is this person that VIP n.o.ble? Shouldn"t that be some beared old man somewhere? The girl intently stares at Matoba whose mouth is stupidly half-open. Somehow it reminds him of the black cat at home looking up at him when it"s hungry.
"Can"t you understand English?"
"No.... I do understand it."
The girl breathed a sigh of relief before quickly puffed her chest up in an overbearing manner.
"Then respond. To simply ignore me, what kind of manner is that?"
"I wasn"t aware."
"Fumu, is that so?"
The girl suddenly draws the sabre on her waist, making a sharp sound as it cutting through the air. The tip of the sabre barely missed Matoba"s nose. Before the flinching Matoba, the girl stands upright and swings the sabre left and right, then holds it diagonally in front of her chest. She then said in a resounding voice.
"My name is Tilarna·Balsh·Mirvor·Lata═Imsendaria·Ye·Teberena·Divor═Nerano·Seya·Neru·Exedilika[1]. .....It means 『The daughter of Exedilika family, firstborn daughter of Seya, descendant of archduke Divor, apprentice knight under the glorious order of Mirvor, Tilarna』 in you dorini"s English, do you understand? Now, what"s your name?"
⛌⛌⛌⚖⚔⚖⚔⚖⛌⛌⛌
↑ 1.ティラナ・バルシュ・ミルヴォイ・ラータ=イムセダーリャ・イェ・テベレーナ・デヴォル=ネラーノ・セータ・ネル・エクセディリカ
Translator"s Note
That"s the first part of the second chapter, on that note do you guys prefer the half chapter releases or whole chapter release that might be a little bit longer between releases? Tilarna"s name is a little bit of a pain to translate, if you have any suggestion, feel free to post it in the comment.