Alice took the subway to Preetz Harbor.
This wasn't her first time visiting Preetz Harbor, nor was it her first trip to Bayam, but her mindset was entirely different this time.
Arriving by carriage at the ticket office in the White Rose District, Alice habitually glanced at the bulletin board as she walked in, checking for any new notices. The handwriting on the board was exactly as she remembered:
"Please Note:
1. Follow order and stand in line.
2. No urinating or spitting on the ground.
3. If there's a dispute, please see the hall guards.
4. Do not open wolf fish cans in any room!"
Wolf fish cans… Alice's gaze flickered slightly with suspicion.
She knew all too well what those were—otherworldly "biological weapons." It made sense that there'd be such a rule; surely someone had already done it, just as the Storm Church forbade monocles on its premises.
Alice sheepishly moved away from the bulletin board and went to check if any tickets were still available.
As the largest port in Ruen, Preetz Harbor's tickets sold out quickly. Predictably, there were no tickets left for ships departing that day for Bayam.
Without surprise, Alice turned her attention to the next day's options.
"Saint Veran…" Alice looked thoughtfully at the name, a peculiar idea surfacing in her mind.
Sailors usually held some belief in the "Lord of Storms," and the name Saint Veran surely came from a saint of the Storm Church. It might even be a church-owned ship. So… should she try a ritual on board to ask for Amon's blessing?
The impulse only lasted a moment before it disappeared—she certainly didn't want to introduce Amon to Klein!
If Amon's target was the Sefirah Castle
, bringing him to Klein now would be like serving him on a silver platter. That could very well make her one of Amon's chosen ones… Alice had a strong suspicion that Amon would remind her of this, saying, "See? My success was all thanks to you."
Imagining that scene, Alice silently chalked up a "nonexistent grudge" against Amon.
…
The next morning, Alice opened her eyes from sleep, staring at the ceiling in a daze. She grabbed her pocket watch, checked the time, closed her eyes, and pulled up the blanket again.
Just a little more sleep… It's still early…
Trying to coax herself back to sleep, she eventually opened her eyes again half an hour later, sitting up expressionlessly to get dressed.
A biological clock is truly an annoying thing!
Angrily, Alice got up, washed, and began eating breakfast.
With a piece of bread in her mouth, she flipped open the newspaper, searching for any interesting news.
"Alongside the Storm Church, the Churches of Night and Steam have also imposed new rules prohibiting monocles in their halls…"
Alice stared at the words, lost in thought.
Are you doing okay, Amon?
This, of course, wasn't genuine concern.
In fact, Alice would love to mock Amon, but recalling Amon's nerve-wracking question from yesterday, she decided it was best to hold off for now. She'd have plenty of chances to mock Amon in the future, but if she somehow summoned him here now, who knew what would happen the next time she saw that die…
Then again, maybe she still had time?
Her spirituality was quiet, as if silently encouraging her to take a bold step.
After some hesitation, Alice finally gave up—she still had no idea how to use the power to deal with Amon's clones. If she brought Amon here, she wouldn't be able to send him away.
"This must be what they call 'easy to summon, hard to send away,'" Alice muttered to herself, suddenly laughing. "Back in the day, I would've gifted Amon a banner saying, 'The guilt you add, I shall bear without excuse!'"
Alice smiled, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
"I wonder where Amon's father, the ancient Sun God, was from, or what language he spoke…
"Did he… no, did He keep a diary like Emperor Roselle? Did he ever teach Amon his native language?
"Probably not… After all, Amon can't even play cards without help from Roselle."
Alice reached a conclusion, then seriously began to ponder the feasibility of making a banner for Amon:
"In theory, I could have a tailor do it… I've noticed that Ruen's clothing sometimes includes embroidery, so as long as I provide the pattern, embroidering a few words shouldn't be an issue…
"Then there's the banner itself… red and gold with tassels… Hmm, that might be the tricky part."
Alice made a mental note of this idea.
…
At 10 a.m., Rose Pier, Preetz Harbor.
As expected, the Saint Veran flew the holy symbol of the "Lord of Storms" on its flag, clearly a church vessel.
It had distinctive features of the era—a smokestack and sails, and even cannons to guard against pirates.
But… could those really do anything against the extraordinary?
Alice glanced at the cannons, a faint confusion flickering in her eyes.
For Sequence 5 Beyonders, there's already been a qualitative change. Even though as a "Winner" she doesn't excel at direct combat, Alice felt confident that, with enough luck, even if the ship went down, she'd find something to cling to in the sea and wait for rescue.
As for injuries—luck would surely guide her just out of the attack's reach.
But the "Winner's" ability to accumulate luck had always puzzled Alice.
Since her promotion, she'd felt her luck growing steadily and consistently. Then, as she resolved to go to Bayam, it surged briefly before suddenly plateauing.
This surge carried a sense of unease, as if warning her of something, but after committing to Bayam, her heart grew strangely calm.
It was as if the ending had already been set.
Before stepping on the deck, Alice took a gentle, lingering look in the direction of Backlund, then toward the distant Tingen City.
She drew her gaze back slowly, fixing each scene in her mind.
"Will this be a happy ending?" she murmured to herself, flipping a coin into the air.
Without using any divination techniques, she simply watched it rise, spinning in the sunlight, before it landed back in her palm.
It was the king's face.
A "yes."
With a smile, Alice stepped onto the deck.