VNC 18

Chapter 18

Her hand, gripping the railing of the stairs leading from the cabin to the deck, trembled uncontrollably. Shuwen had never been on a ship before.

That was why she’d really wanted to try riding one. Still, apart from that desire, she was also a little scared.

“Wow! Thanks to Your Highness, I’m getting to live in luxury like this!”

Clueless about what was going on inside Shuwen’s head, Sophie bounced ahead excitedly. Watching Sophie’s heartless back, Shuwen carefully took one step up. Then another.

By now, Shuwen’s body was already floating above the sea.

Getting onto the ship itself hadn’t been difficult. She’d climbed aboard easily enough—but the problem came after. No matter how luxurious the yacht was, there was still a faint vibration.

And Shuwen, tense and thoroughly frightened, felt that subtle vibration far more keenly than anyone else ever could.

“P-Please… go ahead first…”

Behind her stood a line of knights, including Esselian.

She’d told them several times that they could go ahead of her, but the solemn men standing behind her didn’t budge. Their gazes poked insistently at her back and the crown of her head.

Feeling pressured, Shuwen urged them again. Though she called it a suggestion, it was practically a plea.

Esselian watched her with mild boredom as she clung to the railing with both hands, unable to move. The one who had dragged him out here when he’d planned to rest in the cabin was his own wife.

You said you’d spend time with me, Your Highness. Let’s go up together!

She’d been so excited back then, she hadn’t known what to do with herself. Clicking his tongue silently, Esselian held out his hand to her.

But Shuwen, pale with fear, shook her head.

“I-I’m done for already… I can’t. I want to go back down.”

The knights—including Esselian—briefly wondered whether they were truly all aboard the same yacht.

To them, it felt no different from standing on solid ground.

So Shuwen’s trembling figure looked almost ridiculous in Esselian’s eyes.

Is this some kind of trick?

But she was sweating too—it didn’t seem like an act.

“I’ll make way for you. Please go down.”

Thinking this worked out nicely, Esselian stepped aside. The knights followed him in a rush. Seeing the path open up, Shuwen carefully retraced her steps downward.

Her reluctant feet moved sluggishly.

Should I just try going up again?

Having already come halfway, turning back made her feel oddly wronged. Everyone else would be enjoying the view, while she alone stayed in the cabin—it felt like a waste.

But she didn’t have the courage to continue.

As she looked back longingly, Esselian suddenly approached. Without warning, he scooped Shuwen up into his arms.

Startled, Shuwen instinctively wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

Blink. Blink. Blink.

She rapidly fluttered her long eyelashes. Flustered, she looked up at the man holding her. Esselian let out a small sigh, barely audible.

“Up or down.”

“Pardon?”

“Decide. Are we going up, or going down?”

He seemed prepared to wait until she chose.

That made her uncomfortable. Being in Esselian’s arms was one thing—but the stares of the knights behind them were another.

Imagining their shocked expressions without even looking, Shuwen squeezed her eyes shut.

“U-Up. Let’s go up.”

Shuwen had a strange kind of faith.

Maybe it was because he’d won countless wars, or because she knew every one of his misdeeds—but she believed that as long as she was with Esselian, at least she wouldn’t fall into the water and drown.

Of course, she couldn’t be certain he wouldn’t throw her in himself.

Still, I’m the official antidote. If I die, it’s his loss.

That thought alone put her at ease.

Esselian had struggled desperately to obtain that antidote. Even in the novel, he’d ground his teeth in fury while dealing with the emperor’s constant reversals.

“W-Wait!”

Just before he climbed the stairs, Shuwen cried out urgently. Setting that aside, she was still scared.

Taking a deep breath, Shuwen tightened her arms around his neck.

She clung to him like a sloth wrapped around a tree.

“O-Okay, now run!”

After bracing herself mentally, Shuwen shouted into Esselian’s ear.

Esselian frowned slightly, swallowing a hollow laugh as he looked at his wife treating him like a pack animal.

Then he began climbing the stairs—slowly.

“I’m not going to drop you.”

“Hhh…”

“If I do, it’s my loss.”

“Still… could you go faster? Maybe use magic and dash up in one go? Oh! Right—teleportation! You could use that…”

There were several families capable of using magic, but among them, Lucenia and Ranied were special.

Their mana was fundamentally different from that of ordinary people.

That was why mana madness afflicted only those with special mana.

And teleportation was a treasured technique passed down in the Lucenia and Ranied families.

So it wasn’t strange for the princess to know about it.

“This is the first I’ve heard that the princess is afraid.”

“…There aren’t many people around right now…”

“I heard you were very close with the daughter of House Berg.”

Shuwen’s body visibly stiffened. Esselian immediately noticed the reaction.

“Shuwen Berg, was it…?”

As he spoke her name while searching his memory, Shuwen’s face turned pale. Her eyes, tightly shut until now, flew open.

“W-Why do you ask…?”

“Well.”

Esselian fell into an ambiguous silence.

Why bring up my name here? How does he know? Were we really that close?

Her fear quickly turned into confusion.

What does he know?

Is he testing me? That can’t be…

Unable to endure the growing silence, Shuwen began babbling unprompted.

“She was my conversation maid for a long time, but we weren’t that close. She didn’t like me. She even hit me.”

This time, Esselian froze.

“She hit the princess?”

“Ah—well… it was just a flick to the forehead, like this.”

Unable to judge that her actions were improper, Shuwen curled her finger and flicked Esselian on the forehead.

Caught off guard, Esselian glanced at his wife, who seemed lost in her own thoughts.

“And she harassed me constantly about how I couldn’t even have a debutante ball because of her… But why do you ask about Lady Berg?”

“I heard she was your only maid.”

“There were others.”

“I thought Lady Berg was the one who stayed by your side the longest. Was I mistaken?”

That part was true.

Shuwen nodded, then suddenly asked,

“But how did you know?”

“I’m not unfamiliar with rumors.”

That Shuwen Berg had been Princess Tittiana’s conversation maid wasn’t exactly a secret.

Few people knew Shuwen’s face, but the fact that the count of Berg’s daughter served as the princess’s companion had already spread.

That was why Shuwen always had to travel with several knights.

As a result, she’d rarely gone anywhere besides the imperial palace and her home.

Ah. He must’ve investigated me.

He said he’d heard rumors, but that seemed likely.

Esselian was exactly the kind of man who would conduct a background check. But perhaps because she already knew everything about him, the realization didn’t shock her.

At least that’s one good thing.

If she hadn’t known Esselian well, she would’ve been quite startled to learn he’d looked into her. Of course, it was also possible he really had only heard rumors.

“Is that really all?”

Instead of answering, Esselian looked to the side.

Following his gaze, Shuwen erased the questions crowding her mind.

“Wow…!”

They were on the deck.

It was her first time seeing the sea from up here. It felt like she’d entered another world.

The pride of Montei—the vast, mint-colored sea—stretched endlessly before her. The sparkling surface was so clear she felt she could see straight through it.

People’s laughter, exclamations, and playful curses rang out.

Shuwen forgot even to get down from Esselian’s arms, staring at the view before her.

“Ah…!”

A flock of seagulls, crying loudly, swooped down right in front of her.

Startled, Shuwen screamed and hunched her shoulders. Her forehead rubbed against the back of Esselian’s neck.

He seemed to stiffen for a moment, but that hardly mattered to Shuwen.

“Sion.”

When Esselian spoke, the vibration of his voice carried clearly through his body.

Only then did Shuwen realize how close she was to him.

But the shock from moments earlier still lingered, and she couldn’t lift her head.

Esselian reached out and lightly tapped the arm she had wrapped around his neck.

Was he telling her to move it?

Tensing up, Shuwen cautiously lifted her head.

Thankfully, Esselian wasn’t that cold.

“If you hold this and extend your arm, the birds won’t come at your face.”

“What is it?”

“Food.”

Shuwen accepted the stick obediently. A large chunk of bread was attached to its end.

“They’re rushing in because they’re hungry.”

“Ohhh…”

So that’s why.

Still in Esselian’s arms, Shuwen stretched her arm out.

The seagulls flocked over. It was a little scary, but thanks to the food, they didn’t attack her.

Feeding them turned out to be surprisingly fun.

After giving the third piece, Shuwen looked at Esselian.

“Your Grace, you should try too.”

Just a moment ago she’d been terrified. Esselian smiled unconsciously, tightening his hold on her slightly.

“I don’t have three hands.”

“Oh—then put me down.”

Only then did Shuwen set her feet firmly on the deck.

She lightly grasped Esselian’s sleeve.

Her touch was cautious, as though she still wasn’t fully at ease. Esselian didn’t bother shaking her hand off.

“On three, we’ll feed them together.”

“No—”

“Three!”

Shuwen cheated, thrusting her hand forward early. Her mood soared as the seagulls rushed in for the bread.

Esselian still hadn’t extended his arm.

Shuwen grabbed his hand herself and lifted it. As he raised the food high, the seagulls cried out and surged toward it.

“Ugh… kind of gross.”

Shuwen shuddered at the sight of the flock darkening the sky overhead.

Then she looked at Esselian.

Esselian was looking at her too.

His expression was blank, but Shuwen burst out laughing.

There was no reason for it—just laughter born from enjoying the moment.

Esselian’s eyebrow lifted slightly.

“I didn’t think we’d get to go on a honeymoon.”

“……”

“Maybe that’s why. I’m in an even better mood.”

A honeymoon.

It had never crossed his mind.

He hadn’t done any of this with that in mind.

Still, Esselian didn’t bother correcting her.

“Let’s get along well from now on!”

As Shuwen turned away again, Esselian kept his gaze fixed on her.

Until she laughed and trotted over to her maid, seemingly having forgotten all her fear, Esselian watched only her.

“Let’s get along well…”

It was a ridiculous thing to say.

He had no intention of doing so at all.