After experiencing second-class accommodations before, Alice chose first class without hesitation. Luxury or not, it's not like she could save enough from scrimping on comfort to buy potions or ingredients. Besides, the money she was spending came generously from the "Lord of the Storm," so returning it in this way felt like giving it back to its rightful owner.
Praise the generous "Lord of the Storm."
As for third class…no, thank you. The third-class cabins of this era were far below modern standards and well beyond Alice's tolerance. She equated it to an eight-hour train ride in a hard seat—painfully rigid.
Compared to that, second class wasn't so bad, aside from being a bit cramped. But what Alice really couldn't stand were the shared bathrooms and showers. She'd never forget the shock of walking into a public shower last time, only to be greeted by the sight of bare bodies. She swore she'd never endure that again.
This time, Alice went all out—she didn't bother wearing her "Matilda" disguise, leaving it in her suitcase. She boarded as her true self, hoping she wouldn't run into anyone she knew. If she did, she'd keep her distance… Adjusting the wide-brimmed hat and veil that covered her face, she felt relatively safe from being recognized. She'd grown taller, and her features had matured slightly, making it unlikely anyone would recognize her from afar.
To Alice, first class was indeed lavish. Although her main motivation for booking it was the private bathroom, she found herself now enjoying professional waitstaff, chefs, and even an exclusive dining area. There was a cigar lounge and a game room as well, but Alice didn't smoke and wasn't interested in trying, and as for playing cards…
As a "winner" by nature, playing cards with ordinary people would just ruin the game for everyone. But she did find some entertainment in playing chess.
This game, introduced by Emperor Russell, intrigued her since it required no luck. Once Alice understood the rules, she was hooked. She'd played online chess games in modern times but never remembered the rules, moving pieces at random. Chess was different; it had a solid foundation, unlike checkers, which she only knew the basics of.
After two attempts, the novice Alice retreated from this "professional" domain, silently wondering why Emperor Russell hadn't brought games like Gomoku as well. Go was too complicated, as were Chinese checkers, Animal Chess, and military chess. Even Minesweeper or Sudoku would have sufficed…
Alice sighed, disappointed, and once again entertained the idea of calling Amon to join her on this ship.
No, calm down! Don't do anything reckless! To keep herself grounded, she alternated pressing her right hand over her left and vice versa several times until she successfully forgot her wild thought.
First class had wide, bright windows with beautiful sea views. After half an hour of staring out the window, Alice concluded it was great for eye health. After all, gazing at the unchanging horizon was… wait, what?
Alice stared in shock as a fishman leapt out of the water—and was promptly struck down.
It wasn't her first encounter with a fishman. In the Storm Church, Extraordinary people who lost control often transformed into creatures resembling fishmen, as if fish had sprouted limbs or become half-human, half-fish.
"Now that I think about it, whoever named them was quite particular—half-fish on top and human on the bottom is a fishman, while human on top and fish on the bottom is a merman. So…if they were split left and right, what would they be called?"
Her thoughts drifted again, but they didn't wander for long, as she soon received an official apology and reassurance as a first-class passenger.
As Sequence Five, Alice didn't hesitate to accept that she was just a frightened little girl intimidated by fishmen.
After this minor episode, Alice's sea voyage went like this:
Day one, sea!
Day two, sea.
Day three, sea…
Day four, sigh.
Ugh!
With a long blast from the horn, the Saint Foran docked at Damir Port, and Alice was finally freed from staring at the ocean.
According to the schedule, the Saint Foran would stay in port overnight to restock water and food, setting sail the following day. Alice eagerly disembarked, seeking a change of pace.
She walked smoothly into a portside restaurant. A waiter handed her a menu, and, as Damir Port was a colonial island and port city, its specialties included cured meats and various seafood. By contrast, land-based food was more expensive here.
This made sense; just as inland seafood tends to be pricier, locally produced foods are often more accessible. After some deliberation, Alice chose the cured meat over grilled fish and curiously asked, "Why is the cured meat so expensive?"
The waiter, clearly experienced with this question, answered promptly:
"This is a local specialty of Damir Port. The center of the island has an extinct volcano, and hot air flows naturally from gaps in nearby caves. Meats cured in this environment gain a unique, wonderful flavor. Visitors often purchase some, whether for themselves or as gifts."
Alice nodded thoughtfully, deciding to judge after tasting it.
The cured meat was a blend of red and white, with clear marbling. Alice activated her spirit vision, and the meat immediately appeared vibrant, as if a filter had amplified its colors. The meat exuded an ethereal energy, though not overly intense. Ordinary people should be safe eating it, as long as they didn't consume too much at once. If a spiritually pure child ate it, they might even temporarily gain spirit vision, like opening a "third eye."
Silently amused, Alice carefully cut a piece and took a bite.
The flavor was distinct, worthy of the title of a local delicacy, even without the spirit energy. Alice closed her eyes, savoring the spice as it spread through her mouth before cutting a second slice without hesitation.