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chapter 8
The western sea.
A place where monsters live that devour half-formed mermaids.
As long as you don’t touch the seawater, you’re no different from a human—so of course, nothing should happen, but…
“Don’t worry. If anything happens, all you need to do is hide quietly in the corner of the captain’s cabin. If I need help from a little whelp like you, then I might as well quit being a pirate.”
The angelic face smiled, and the strong hand gently patted the back of her head before pulling away.
The blue aura that had radiated from Ananta’s palm was gone, and the table had returned to being plain wood.
“All right, explanations are over. Let’s wrap this up.”
“Yes, sir. But Captain, how long are we staying in Rabanto this time?”
“Hmm… about a week, as usual. Why?”
“There’s a rumor going around that the master of Rabanto Island has awakened. I heard it from the sea just yesterday.”
How could anyone “hear from the sea”? Since setting sail, the ship hadn’t docked anywhere or met anyone.
Curious, Rinka swallowed her question and instead carried the empty bowls and plates into the big wash tub. A few pirates helped her tidy up.
“The master of Rabanto has awakened?”
The captain repeated, his expression puzzled.
“It’s only a rumor for now. Seems like it started spreading from somewhere.”
“That’s strange. Look into it more.”
“Aye, sir.”
“Make sure it’s accurate. If there’s trouble on the island, merchants might stop supplying goods and flee.”
“Understood.”
Having finished their discussion right in front of her, the two men turned to look at Rinka.
For an instant, the atmosphere around her sank, icy and heavy.
It lasted only a moment—something only a person with sharp senses would have noticed.
Clatter.
The spoon in Rinka’s hand slipped, knocking against the dishes in the wash tub, and the strange aura vanished instantly.
“Who’s on cleaning duty today?”
“Um… I think it’s Miss Rain?”
“Then leave the washing to Rain.”
“O-okay.”
Leave it to her? Usually, the captain would just confirm and move on. But this time, he let out a thoughtful hum, his eyes fixed on Rinka as if weighing something. Just as she raised her head in confusion—
“Rinka, from today, you’ll be staying in the captain’s cabin.”
“Yes, sir. …Wait, what?!”
A bombshell.
Why on earth would I stay in the captain’s cabin?!
The sudden, absurd order left Rinka opening and closing her mouth like a fish.
For reference, up until now she had been living in a little space between the galley and the storeroom, where she’d spread plenty of straw and blankets to make a small bed.
She hadn’t felt especially uncomfortable there.
More than anything, her wish not to go below deck had been respected—something she’d been grateful for.
“Why me?!”
“Because there’s a need for it. Rinka, have you ever gone out on deck at night?”
“At night? No.”
“Good. And you said you don’t want to go below deck, right? The captain’s cabin connects from above, so it doesn’t matter.”
That’s not the problem here!
“Rinka. Answer.”
“Ah—y-yes! I mean, no!”
“You said yes, so the ‘no’ doesn’t count. Berry, sorry to trouble you, but please pack up the things in Rinka’s room. I’ll bring her in before she runs away.”
Once again, the captain’s solid arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her close.
And just like that, Rinka was practically hauled off to the captain’s cabin.
The captain’s cabin was surprisingly neat.
Only the essentials were out, while everything else seemed stored away in crates stacked here and there.
Dragged in without warning, Rinka hesitated awkwardly near the door.
The captain pointed to a chair by the table. “Sit for a bit. I’ll get you some tea.”
“Uh… okay.”
Tea?
Since boarding the pirate ship, this was the first time she’d experienced something so… ordinary, and it felt oddly unfamiliar as she sat down.
“Cader is good for stocking food, but short on spices and luxuries. All I have is herbs. Will this do?”
Apologizing that he couldn’t offer black tea, the captain set a cup in front of her.
The room filled with the fragrant aroma of herbs—a smell she hadn’t enjoyed in ages. It was calming.
…Though Rinka was far from relaxed enough to melt at a mere scent.
“Thank you. But Captain, I really don’t think—”
“Living in the captain’s cabin won’t do, is that it?”
“Yes.”
“Then give me a reason I’d accept.”
“…Huh?”
A reason? This was the captain’s cabin, and she was just a temporary, throwaway sailor. Wasn’t that reason enough?
Blinking at the sudden demand, Rinka stammered, “Uh… because this is the captain’s cabin?”
“That’s right. And I said you’ll stay here. Next?”
“…I want to be alone.”
“The bedroom’s through there. It has a door, so you can use it. There’s nothing in there but a bed anyway.”
“Well, that’s true, but—”
“That’s enough. Conversation over.”
Rinka was even more flustered. For ten whole days she’d been roaming the ship, working in the galley and storeroom, and the captain hadn’t said a word. Now, suddenly, he wanted her staying here, with no explanation at all.
“Don’t make that sour face.”
Her resentment must have shown. As she glanced down at her cup, his words made her raise her head—and then—
“…Huh?”
A large, pale hand pressed against the table beside her cup.
His loosely tied silver hair fell forward, brushing across her cheek as it slipped downward, carrying the scent of herbs.
His blue eyes were suddenly right in front of hers, and Rinka froze, breath caught.
“Rinka.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
Her reply came a beat late, startled out of her wits. And somehow, the distance closed even further.
This is way too close…!
“C-could you back up? It’s not good for my heart.”
“Why? Do I look like an angel?”
“Yes! I feel like I’ll ascend any moment. I want to live a long life, so please stay away!”
It wasn’t as if he was deliberately teasing her, knowing her weakness for beautiful faces—but either way, his angelic looks were the problem.
Her neck felt hot, flushed all the way up.
But pretty face or not, she couldn’t make sense of this.
Why did she have to move? And to the captain’s cabin, of all places?
“…I get what you’re saying about moving, but I don’t want to live here without knowing the reason.”
After much hesitation, she finally spoke her mind. The captain’s face went briefly expressionless.
But only briefly. Soon, he smiled again.
“You’re the first person to talk back to me so boldly, Rinka.”
His tone was light, as if it was nothing, but the meaning was clear.
No sailor questioned his decisions. No sailor talked back.
Realizing this, she felt a rush of guilt.
After all, the captain hadn’t killed her or tossed her overboard when he’d found her hiding on his ship. He’d let her sail along, even given her a room, and treated her as part of the crew. Sure, she’d worked plenty in return, but it was still true that he’d shown her kindness.
Still… still!
That was one thing. This was another!
Even if there was a separate bedroom, sharing a cabin at night with a man—especially one so dangerously angelic—was just too much.
“…I don’t hate it, exactly. And it’s true, the captain’s cabin is cleaner, bigger, and nicer, but still…”
“Rinka.”
He cut her off, this time his smile vanishing completely.
“Your curiosity and boldness are strengths. But before we reach Rabanto, you’d better practice holding them back.”
“….”
“Not everything in the world is safe for you. Not everything is as easy to deal with as the Cader navy.”
Rinka shut her mouth, unable to reply.
His words meant he wouldn’t entertain further questions. But the way he’d added before we reach Rabanto also meant there was something on that island—something dangerous for someone like her.
A chill ran up from her toes through her whole body.
She felt stiff with tension, unease, and discomfort.
Above her, a short sigh escaped him.
“Just this once, I’ll explain. Since this is your first time at sea.”
Grumbling that he hadn’t wanted to bother saying this, the captain pulled his chair closer, sat beside her, and tugged her waist nearer. Then he stretched a hand into the air.
Blue light streamed from his fingertip like threads, sketching part of a sea chart.
“In a few days, we’ll enter the borders of the western sea.”
“I-I know. You told me earlier.”
“Hearing and knowing aren’t the same.”
“….”
“The western sea is the sea of monsters. From now until we reach Rabanto, my crew will be fighting every single day.”
Fighting.
The pirates had said their skirmish with the Cader navy didn’t count as real fighting.
“…Fighting who?”
“Who else? Sea monsters. Those crazed beasts live for nothing but sinking my ship.”
‘My ship’ and ‘sinking’—he said it with such a calm, beautiful smile, as though it were the most natural thing.
…Did I hear that right?
“That’s why sailor Rinka Meribel—who can’t fight—has to stay quietly in the safest place on board.”
He tapped her cheek lightly as if to say, Understand?
Rinka swallowed back the words Not at all, and instead made one last, feeble protest.
“…Then at least bring me the seashell from my bed.”
