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Chapter 8. You Must Be Loving This to Death
Rose made her way to the library of Bastia Castle. As befitting a port city, the walls were tightly packed with books related to ships and seafaring. She pulled out a volume that detailed shipbuilding techniques and the process of constructing vessels.
“Ugh, just the title makes me yawn,”
Lance groaned as he glanced at the tome in Rose’s hands, shuddering as though she’d asked him to study. She smiled at the sight—it reminded her of a reluctant student being dragged to class.
“Sir Lance, how can you be from an island and still dislike ships?”
“That’s not a ship. It’s a book. Why are you even reading this?”
“The launch ceremony is tomorrow. It’d be a bit awkward to attend knowing nothing, wouldn’t it? I wanted to have some basic knowledge.”
In truth, Rose already knew quite a bit about ships. In her previous life, she had managed a shipyard—of course she was familiar. But now, she was reading this book to gauge the current state of shipbuilding in the Carlon Empire. The book covered everything from merchant vessels to warships, with various designs and construction methods outlined by use case.
After skimming to the end, Rose let out a quiet sigh. There wasn’t a hint of steel—the ships were firmly stuck in a medieval European era.
“Just as I expected—nothing but wooden sailing ships.”
The Carlon Empire still built ships that, by modern standards, were obsolete.
“If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve memorized every detail of ship design when I had the chance.”
She tried to recall the ships and naval history she had once read about during the Age of Discovery.
“How did naval battles even work back then?”
She stared down at the book, deep in thought, when Lance peeked over her shoulder.
“The Remigis was a dromon—a galley with triangular sails. They don’t make those much anymore.”
“You know ships?”
She looked up at him in surprise.
“Books can only do so much. On the island, we actually go out on the water. Though we don’t have any old relics like the Remigis.”
“And yet you seem to know a lot about it.”
“I’ve never seen one in person, but I’ve heard how the rowing worked.”
The Remigis was a warship equipped with rows of oars. Dozens of oars on each side jutted out like menacing spines. It made sense that such a ship had taken so many lives during the Revan War.
“These days, sailing techniques have advanced, so oars aren’t used. But back then, they were essential.”
“But the diagram shows sails on the Remigis?”
“They probably lowered them during battle and relied solely on rowing. If the butler’s words yesterday were true, the Remigis sailed the inland sea near Tevere.”
Lance pulled a map from the shelf and unfolded it, pointing to the inland sea at the heart of the continent.
“If it fought the Holy See of Tevere, then the location would have been the Anathome Sea. The winds are unpredictable there, so using sails is tricky. It’s often better to stow the sails and row.”
Rose was stunned at the idea of such a massive ship being propelled purely by manpower.
“This huge thing… moved only by human strength?”
“No need to be so shocked. Look at all those oars. That means a lot of rowers.”
“Still doesn’t seem like it’d be enough.”
Just thinking about the weight of a single oar made her realize how overwhelming it must have been. Even Lance’s calm explanation couldn’t hide the enormous disparity in power. And those who had fought in those wars must have felt it even more keenly.
“How do naval battles usually unfold?”
“Not that different from land battles. You board the enemy’s ship and fight. Of course, you’ve got to ram them and avoid sinking first.”
It was an incredibly primitive approach. Rose had expected as much, given how underdeveloped firearms and even cannons were in this era, but hearing it aloud still left her speechless. She could picture the knights of the Remigis charging into close combat on enemy ships.
“Haha… No wonder they say Dunstane islanders are terrifying in battle.”
“Do you think so too, Your Highness? That we’re monsters?”
“Monsters, huh…”
Looking at the boy standing nervously before her, she didn’t feel the slightest bit intimidated. Lance was clearly anxious about how she would respond. Rose closed the book and met his gaze directly.
“Not at all.”
The knight lowered his eyes, avoiding her blue ones.
“Carlon people look down on us as savages. I thought you would too, Your Highness.”
“To think you’ve been misunderstood like that… That’s really sad. I thought we were friends, Lance.”
“It’s just… not something I’m used to. With all due respect, I’m more familiar with how the Second Princess treats people.”
Arachne’s cruelty had clearly crossed the line—and to think that was considered “normal.”
“When I first arrived in the capital, I thought I’d done something wrong. I even tried to fix whatever I could. But it turned out it was just… how I looked.”
“…”
“I tried to improve relations, I really did. But now, I’ve just… given up.”
Though his voice remained calm, Rose could hear the bitterness laced within. If even someone as open-hearted as Lance held this much resentment, then the other knights must carry it tenfold.
“I wonder if Arsen feels the same.”
The divide between Dunstane and the Carlon Empire ran deeper than she’d realized.
* * *
The day of the launch arrived. The port was packed with people from all walks of life. Nobles from various provinces, investors in the Pontos, merchants hoping to seize an opportunity—all bustled in, leaving barely room to walk. A rumor had spread that royals would be present, adding a hum of excitement to the air.
Rose sat beneath a wide awning in the seat reserved for honored guests, quietly watching the preparations. Knights of the Remigis moved busily on and off the Pontos as it prepared to set sail. Arsen had entered the helm early and hadn’t been seen since.
“We thank Her Highness the Second Princess Arachne and Her Highness the Third Princess Rose for gracing today’s ceremony with their presence.”
“It would’ve been better if the Royal Guard had accompanied us,” Arachne sniffed. “But they’re off at war with Prince Thanasis. And instead, we’re stuck with those black-blooded barbarians. Let’s hope the ship even manages to launch properly.”
“Black-blooded” was a derogatory term for people of Dunstane.
“Your Highness,” Count Bastia interjected, “there’s no one on the continent more skilled in navigation than Lord Lafayette. You needn’t worry.”
Despite his defense, Arachne merely scoffed.
At that moment, a deep horn sounded. The Pontos’ sails unfurled, and the ship cut through the waves, slowly gliding away from the dock. The gathered crowd roared in celebration, cheering the launch.
Arsen appeared on the deck, eyes sharp and commanding as he directed the crew. His dark hair rippled in the wind—almost dazzling. Rose found herself captivated by his strength.
“He really is my favorite. I just can’t look away.”
Suddenly, Arsen turned his head toward the harbor. For a moment, she thought their eyes met. But he was already shouting orders again.
“Did I imagine it?”
In this sea of people, catching someone’s eye was hardly easy. The Pontos cruised the nearby waters before returning at sunset, its hull bathed in the crimson glow.
A lavish banquet awaited beneath the awning. Knights began pouring in, quickly filling the space. Count Bastia greeted Arsen and offered him a seat.
“Well done. Your voyages never cease to impress, Marquess.”
“You flatter me.”
Arachne, sipping wine with a frosty air, cut in coldly.
“Sailing on calm seas—what’s so impressive about that?”
“Yes. Fortune favored us.”
“Indeed. All thanks to His Majesty’s divine grace.”
Buoyed by the nobles fawning over her, Arachne looked pleased.
“Lafayette, is the ship intact? No leaks? You should check. I imagine you were hauling some heavy cargo.”
“Is she talking about us?” Hagen muttered, unable to contain himself.
“I was speaking of the ship,” Arachne said haughtily. “Or do you lack the judgment to recognize its condition?”
“Damn it. I probably know more about ships than you do!”
The atmosphere froze at Hagen’s outburst.
“Such unruly conduct. No sense of decorum.”
“Rumor has it the Lafayette knights are all commoners. Seems true enough.”
“They’re as rude as they are ugly.”
BANG! Arsen slammed his hand on the table.
His frigid glare made the nobles fall silent.
“There is nothing wrong with the ship. Let that be the end of it.”
He rose, and the other knights followed suit.
“Savages, the lot of them!”
Arachne’s eyes blazed with fury.
“Acting up at a sacred launch ceremony—I’ll charge you all with insulting the royal family!”
Hagen trembled with rage, barely restraining himself for Arsen’s sake.
“Your Highness, please calm yourself. Everyone is watching.”
“Spare me. I speak for His Majesty himself. And you think you can behave like this in front of the royal family?”
Now invoking the Emperor’s name, Arachne left even Count Bastia at a loss. Rose let out a deep sigh, realizing it was time to intervene.
“I think you’ve got it backwards, Sister. If you’re looking to place blame, shouldn’t Lord Lafayette be punished first? Sir Hagen is under his command. Any fault lies with the commander, no?”
Her calm tone silenced the room.
She clapped her hands lightly, as if just remembering something.
“Oh! But wait, the Lafayette Domain is autonomous, isn’t it? So technically, he’s outside imperial jurisdiction. Sister, you knew that, didn’t you? You were just pretending not to know, right?”
“…What?”
“You weren’t actually going to punish anyone, just say you were and then pardon them. That’s so clever of you.”
To deny it now would be to admit ignorance of her own empire’s laws. Arachne flushed red with frustration.
“The Remigis Knights completed the Pontos’ maiden voyage beautifully. Future sailors will learn from their methods and explore the seas more efficiently.”
The nobles now hung on Rose’s every word.
“I’ll be reporting all of this to His Majesty. Sister, don’t you think it would’ve been kinder to thank them first, before asking about the ship’s condition? I’d be pretty hurt if it were me. Isn’t that right, Sir Hagen?”
Stunned, Hagen didn’t answer right away. Then he burst into hearty laughter.
“Hah! You’re right, Your Highness. I am hurt. Knights live for our lord’s praise, after all.”
Rose smiled with satisfaction.
“I won’t punish anyone today. On the contrary, I want to thank the knights for making this such a successful launch. Well done, all of you.”
With the tension eased, Count Bastia breathed a sigh of relief and ushered the knights back to their seats. The banquet resumed. Rose spotted Arsen still standing. He was staring at her, clearly holding back words. She pretended not to notice and called out coolly.
“What are you doing? Sit down. Enjoy your dinner.”
“…Yes. You too, Your Highness.”
Rose slyly enjoyed the way he continued to stare at her without shame.
“Go on, keep looking. Never met a woman like me before, huh? You must be loving this to death. So why don’t you finally just take my side?”
