The little incident before the bridge clearly failed to pique Yuri’s interest.

After the young noble boarded the airship, the crowd quickly resumed its flow.

Following the stream of people, the girl got her first true glimpse of this otherworldly civilization’s splendor.

Well, well—the interior looked no different from an ordinary airship.

Rumors said magic arrays painted on the exterior aided levitation and acceleration, making flights incredibly smooth and swift.

As a magical airship, it still felt impressively grand.

And honestly, the interior space was massive.

It even had a standalone restaurant and a bar-dance floor for passengers to unwind.

Though the drink selection wasn’t as rich as a real tavern’s, it was enough to kill time during the boring voyage.

After entering, Yuri didn’t head straight to her room. Instead, she strolled slowly toward the restaurant.

She wasn’t craving sweets—not when the airship hadn’t even departed, far from mealtime.

Most passengers were busy unpacking or settling into cabins, so the corridor to the restaurant held only Yuri.

On one side of the passage lay the white hull; on the other, thick pale-blue “glass.”

Through it, the outside scenery remained faintly visible.

The semi-circular corridor wasn’t long. After passing the lodging area from the entrance, Yuri walked mere minutes before the space opened up ahead.

Similarly quiet—staff hadn’t fully arrived yet.

But in the seating area, a man and woman already waited.

“Lord Akat,” Maria rose from her seat upon seeing Yuri and approached her.

Zuo Yuan stayed seated. Strangely, small dishes and a half-empty bottle of liquor sat before him.

Yuri nodded to Maria, then walked slowly to sit opposite the young man.

Without speaking, she picked up an empty glass nearby and filled it for herself.

Not wine—the liquid glowed a gorgeous golden hue, shimmering like beautiful glass under the light.

Without its rich aroma drifting out, it might’ve passed for thin fruit juice.

“All set?” Zuo Yuan chuckled lightly, shaking his head at her actions.

Honestly, the girl looked far too young. Holding a glass seemed utterly bizarre.

Especially with this strong liquor—totally unfit for a little girl.

Yuri didn’t answer directly. She lifted the glass and took a small sip.

Still no taste at all—blander than water.

“Of course. I’ve got the route, schedule, and all cities we’ll pass through clear in my head.”

That was the point of her solo outing—and why she knew this airship so well.

She set down the glass, yawned slightly. Was it the alcohol? Her cheeks flushed a little.

“Oh, and I got some very interesting intel from that ‘kind soul.’”

“Oh?” Zuo Yuan raised an eyebrow. He caught a trace of excitement in her tone.

“Hey… ever heard of sky pirates?”

“Sky pirates?” His brows snapped together at the words.

True to their name, these airborne bandits haunted skies worldwide.

They were also the worst nightmare for magical airships.

Robbery, slaughter—their crimes were all too common.

Empires and kingdoms had countermeasures, but like cunning foxes, the pirates stayed elusive. Chasing them midair was nearly impossible.

Efforts yielded little—only minor players caught, useless for real change.

The state’s helplessness let this scourge swell, growing bolder and more brazen.

“You mean… no, impossible.”

He grasped her implication but shook his head, rejecting it.

“This is just a regular airship, packed with commoners. Nothing worth stealing.”

Right—sky pirates didn’t hit just anything.

Their real threat came from nimble, speedy vessels that frustrated nations.

But those small ships guzzled energy and cost fortunes to repair after fights.

So they targeted secret energy transports or luxury liners carrying the wealthy.

Attacking ordinary passenger airships? Rare as hen’s teeth.

Yuri smiled faintly at his denial. “Then how can you be sure this is just a regular airship?”

Zuo Yuan: “…”

“If this isn’t ordinary, and those sky pirates aren’t ordinary either—and there’s something worth stealing? All conditions line up perfectly…”

Staring at the girl’s eerie smile, Zuo Yuan fell silent for a long moment.

“…What do you mean?”

Yuri twirled a strand of hair from her chest, speaking slowly. “Who knows? Maybe… warn the passengers about a possible sky pirate attack?”

Zuo Yuan froze. His expression turned complex.

He didn’t know why she was so certain, but this girl never joked.

Meaning—this place might truly face a sky pirate raid.

Those airborne demons didn’t just steal gold.

But…

“No point warning them, right?”

Watching his face, Yuri rose slowly from her seat.

“Exactly. No one would believe you. Cause a fuss, and they might even kick you off. Face it—it’s that realistic.”

Zuo Yuan stayed silent again. Undeniable.

“Humans only trust what—or who—they believe in, or what they see with their own eyes. Doubt can’t vanish before proof. But often, by the time it becomes real…”

*Crack!*

Fine, jagged lines spiderwebbed across the glass Yuri had held.

Golden liquid seeped out slowly as it shattered…

“Maria, time to head back to our room.”