PBGS 17

chapter 17

When Rinka grasped the necklace and lifted her head, a pair of blue eyes was quietly gazing down at her.

“If anything unexpected happens, break the necklace. If you think ‘I want to break it,’ it will snap immediately.”

“The… necklace?”

“Yes.”

“And then everything will be solved?”

Not understanding the connection between breaking the necklace and resolving things, Rinka asked in confusion. The captain gave her a smile that made him look almost like a villain.

“Of course.”

“What happens when it breaks?”

The fact that he only smiled without explaining how it would be “resolved” made her even more uneasy.

At her question, he gave a light laugh and tapped at his earring. A silver earring, shaped like scales, had appeared on his ear—something she had never seen him wear before.

She thought it was just part of his usual over-the-top style.

“See? Same color.”

“Wait… don’t tell me—?”

“That’s right. I made this from the leftover pieces after making your necklace. If your necklace breaks, this piece will automatically resonate with it.”

He made it sound complicated, but in the end, it was just a tracker.

At least the captain wouldn’t know her location unless she chose to break it herself—that was some relief.

But still… are we sure he won’t know before I break it?

The question rose to her lips, but she swallowed it back and just nodded. That was when the captain stepped closer, bringing his lips near her ear—so close they almost touched.

His breath brushed against her skin, raising goosebumps.

“And if, by any chance, some very rude bastard shows up…”

“I–if one does?”

“Snap the necklace… and punch him.”

“…What?”

Strike first, win first.

Apparently, even at sea, that rule applied.

The captain, seemingly unable to rest easy at the thought that their temporary crew member might suffer or cause trouble on the island, gave different groups of sailors instructions on how to handle potential situations. Then, dressed in full regalia—hat, earrings, the whole ensemble—he departed first, like a peacock on parade. A flattering comparison, of course.

Rinka didn’t know what exactly had him so worried.

She checked her necklace and bag again, then moved to stand by Digory.

Just then, Digory finished checking the condition of the “goods” and turned to her.

“Ah, Maribel.”

After instructing Deloem and the other sailors to load the cargo and head north, he cast a spell on Rinka.

Something to blur others’ perception of her.

“Blur their perception?”

“It’s necessary. Petty pirates who stir up trouble near the mainland can’t set foot in Lavanto, can they?”

“Probably not.”

Thinking of the monsters they’d already encountered on the way here, she could see why.

Unless someone was an extremely skilled swordsman, a magician, or had some strange power like the captain’s, there was no way to cross the western sea.

“Since Maribel is a ‘newcomer’ who hasn’t been to Lavanto in years, we need this trick to avoid drawing attention.”

“And if you don’t cast this spell?”

“Then, the moment we disperse, every pirate passing by will ask who you are.”

“…That sounds awful.”

Though she’d already received the spell, Rinka felt relieved she had.

Seeing her relax, Digory went quiet for a moment, then whispered:

“And Maribel.”

“Yes?”

“Be careful not to bump into people. If you do, the spell might break.”

Isn’t it too crowded for that? The question rose, but she could only nod.

Rinka felt a little nervous. Her hand slipped into her bag unconsciously and touched the bottle filled with seawater.

If trouble came, all she could do was hope it would work.

She’d practiced a bit, but the sword was still mostly for self-defense. She wasn’t anywhere near strong enough to knock others down with it yet—and she knew it.

“Oh. As you walk, some things that aren’t human might try to talk to you.”

“Not human? …This is the first I’m hearing of this.”

“Because I never told you.”

He smiled slyly, as if to say she would have refused to get off the ship otherwise. The expression made him look more like the captain than usual. Rinka clenched her fist, opened it again, and sighed deeply.

“So… what do I do if that happens?”

“Just ignore them. Pretend you don’t hear.”

“How do I even tell the difference from real people?”

“You won’t need to. They’re obviously different.”

She didn’t understand what he meant by “obviously,” but since Digory never spoke carelessly, she chose to believe she’d notice when it happened.

Declaring herself ready, Rinka tied her pouch tightly to a strap and slung it over her shoulder.

It was finally time to step into the pirates’ island.

Nervous, she swallowed hard and followed behind Digory.

…But her nerves quickly proved unnecessary. Thanks to Digory’s magic, the pirates barely noticed her at all.

Even when they glanced her way, they seemed to register her as just “one of those pirates I’ve seen around sometimes,” and quickly looked away.

She’d heard the crew call Digory the most skilled magician on board, but if his magic worked this well, wasn’t he extraordinary by any standard?

It was almost too easy. And since she wasn’t alone, there was little risk of bumping into strangers either.

Because of that, Rinka relaxed before long and allowed herself to enjoy exploring the pirates’ largest marketplace.

Of course… many stalls were selling things that made absolutely no sense.

“What’s that…?”

“A monster’s eyeball. From one of those fish-like things with just bones left.”

“And what would anyone use that for?”

“The nobles buy them for display. They call it the ‘Watching Eye.’”

Surprisingly, Deloem was a very earnest guide, so Rinka could ask about anything that piqued her curiosity.

“There really are so many weird people here. Wow, then what’s that?”

“That one is…”

This time it was something rather ordinary.

As people repeatedly failed to recognize her and passed her by, Rinka grew bolder, wandering freely among the stalls.

A massive marketplace she’d never seen before, filled with countless strangers.

Strange magical items, old objects steeped in enchantments—all new to her.

“So this must be what they call a whole new world.”

Her mother used to say that phrase all the time: a place filled with new wonders.

Though she’d lived her entire life in the countryside of Cader, Rinka was sure of it—there weren’t many places in the world as astonishing as this.

The rough shop roofs were sealed with monster slime from the deep sea, and the sparkling decorations scattered across the road were pieces of glass from the shore.

“Walking down a street where the shops have green roofs, and the road sparkles like jewels—that’s where I fell in love,” Mom once said.

Rinka remembered hearing something like that.

Could her mother have visited this place too?

No, she had been ill, so it was unlikely—but Rinka thought of her anyway.

If she had a curious personality like Soinya, she would have loved this.

It would have been nice if they could have come together.

Then again, her mother wasn’t the type to say everything she thought aloud.

Maybe… maybe it was because she’d seen wonders like this that she was willing to risk having a child with a merfolk.

“Father and Mother met near the sea… so it probably wasn’t this island, but still.”

Lost in thought, Rinka looked away from Deloem’s back to glance up at the sky.

And suddenly, a strange sensation brushed against her neck.

A chill.

Instinctively, she turned around—then quickly stepped aside, slipping into a nearby alleyway.

But there was no one there.

The people outside the alley didn’t notice her either; they just kept walking past.

“Was it just my imagination?”

Frowning slightly, Rinka decided to dismiss it as nothing.

Unaware of the faint white aura quietly rippling deep within the alley.