“That dog... No, that baby, no..."
The admiral seemed momentarily confused. No matter how urgent it was, he seemed a bit confused about how to deal with the woman in front of him, who was a Princess and even younger than his youngest son.
He wiped his face with his dry hands for a while and then continued speaking.
“...Anyway, please hand over my son.”
“It is impossible.”
“Could you please tell me why? That son of a bitch will definitely be of no use to Your Highness!”
Whether you want to get angry or listen to an explanation, just do one thing...
I looked a little weary. Anyway, I had to understand that Easterners were impatient.
“First of all, he is not a knight of my order. While it is true that he led me to the East, it is only a ‘contractual relationship’ and I have no say in what happens to him.”
The admiral seemed speechless for a moment.
“...That bastard dared to request a contractual relationship with Your Highness?”
Despite all the rudeness the admiral had shown me so far, this was the most shocking attitude. Looking at this, it was clear that they were indeed father and son.
As we talked, I also realized something. Jacqueline had insisted on getting money from me all along, just for this moment.
If you serve the Princess as a knight, there are bound to be obligations, but if it's an employment contract, you'll have a bit more freedom.
“If that’s the first reason, then there must be a second reason as well.”
“Second, he is not here right now.”
This was the biggest reason. If Jacqueline had stayed in the inn, no matter how much I refused, he would not have been able to avoid being dragged away by the admiral. Except for a few special cases, natural law usually prevails.
“If you say no.”
“He left under the pretext of going to the night market or something similar. It’s already been a while since he said that and left...”
I burst out laughing without saying a word.
Wow, this guy is so meticulous. He must have told me his destination on purpose.
If the Admiral comes looking for him, he'll need a witness to tell him he's not there. I don't know what to say to the audacity of using me as a shield.
“Anyway, I cannot grant the Admiral’s request due to these circumstances.”
"Ha..."
The admiral cupped his face with his right hand. It was strange that the admiral who commanded the East could appear so small and great, like a father who was just worried about his son.
You've worked so hard. It was a moment where I wanted to give you a pat on the back.
The admiral soon recovered from his shock. He politely suggested that I go to the admiral's residence once more.
“Thank you for the offer, but... I’ll wait here for Jacqueline.”
I didn't have the energy to endure the two-hour journey by carriage, and if I lost Jacqueline, I would lose the clue I had barely caught.
It would be a lie to say that I didn't regret the admiral's offer. Even if we leave aside the fact that the night sea view from the terrace of that luxurious mansion is the most beautiful in all three seas, staying at the admiral's mansion has symbolic meaning.
Because it meant that Reston was an 'officially acknowledged' distinguished guest.
If rumors spread among the citizens that the Princess was staying at Admiral Reston's residence, they would be more willing to cooperate with my inquiries. After all, a distinguished guest in Reston is a distinguished guest in the entire East.
To the Easterners, Reston was a name worth looking up to, a tight-knit group of comrades and awe-struck men who had picked up the ruins left by Batistan.
“If you change your mind, just send me a message.”
“I will do that.”
“If you happen to hear any news...”
“I will respect Jacqueline’s wishes, but I will also try to do so.”
The admiral turned around regretfully. I couldn't help but feel uneasy seeing the old man's sturdy shoulders slumping.
In whatever form, the faces of the parents reminded me of Olga every moment. I walked with him up the stairs to see him off.
That was when.
“Your Highness. Are you still awake?”
I burst out laughing. Jacqueline suddenly popped her head out from under the stairs, holding in his hands a pile of food he had bought at the night market.
I don't remember exactly what happened next because things happened so quickly.
Jacqueline's face turned pale when he saw the admiral, the admiral's face reddened and screaming at the top of his lungs to catch that guy, Jacqueline running around between tables to avoid the chaos, the admiral bowing his head and apologizing to me after spitting out a bunch of harsh curses.
In the end, the chaos ended with Jacqueline being captured and dragged away by Enoch.
I looked at the admiral with a little awkwardness, his graying red hair neatly swept back. Who would have thought that such a brashness was hidden behind this noble-looking man...
Well, there's a reason they're called 'pirate' admirals. If you trace their bloodline back, there are many people with pirate backgrounds just as big as Batistan.
It's a story from hundreds of years ago, but... That's what it means to be engraved in the soul.
So, even now, you still can't escape from the salty wind.
“Your Highness, are you alright?”
The admiral asked, riding close to my carriage. His face looked very refreshed as if a thousand-year-old congestion had disappeared.
I straightened my upper body, which had been leaning against the window, a little.
“It’s okay. How much time do we have until we get to the mansion?”
“I will be there in half an hour.”
The carriage was speeding towards the admiral's mansion. I was a little tired, but considering that a comfortable and soft bed was waiting for me, it wasn't an unbearable forced march.
“What about Jacqueline?”
“That bastard, no, that kid is fine.”
Yeah, since all his limbs are still attached, he should be fine...
I leaned my upper body out the window and glanced at the shabby carriage of the official residence rushing behind me.
It looked exactly like it was transporting a prisoner. Since it was a cart, there was no cushioning, so every time it hit a rock, a muffled groan escaped from inside.
“Is it okay to leave him like that?”
"Yes?"
“No matter what, he is the admiral’s successor.”
Be got hit pretty hard earlier... He felt like he was lying down like a rag. I barely managed to swallow my words.
The admiral coughed as if making an excuse.
“If I give in to that guy, I don’t know where he’ll end up.”
“Then let’s move by transferring him to my carriage.”
“...”
“There are plenty of seats here.”
The admiral was silent for a short time.
“...You’ll be surprised. That kid is really ugly.”
“But rather than dragging him on like that, I think it’s better for me to just be surprised once.”
I insisted stubbornly. The admiral looked at me with a strange look and formed a line. There was a brief commotion, and then the carriage door opened again.
Jacqueline was dragged into the seat opposite me, his wrists tightly bound with rope. From his busted lip to his swollen eyeballs... He looked even worse than I had expected.
“Ouch...”
He groaned as if he was kidding as the carriage started off again with a slight jerk.
I looked at him with pitiful eyes. I lowered my voice and reprimanded him.
“...No, didn’t you run away knowing the admiral would barge in?”
“I knew that, but... As Your Highness can see, it’s two hours away. Who would have imagined that my father would be at the official residence near Cichlid?”
“...That may be true, but.”
“So I thought that even if he did barge in, it would be tomorrow morning.”
I sighed and held out my handkerchief. He had one eye half-closed because of the blood that was flowing from his ruptured forehead. It was a look that did not make the admiral worry that I would be surprised.
“Hey, wipe your face.”
“As you can see, my hands are like this...”
“...”
It was an outrageous thing, but it was too pitiful to just leave it alone. But it was also not something you could order a knight to take care of.
In the end, I didn't have much of a choice. I carefully wiped the blood away with a handkerchief without touching the wound.
“Ouch, och, och...”
He was really a very bad joke. Of course, the admiral's handcuffs were excessive, but on the other hand, it was fortunate that it ended at that level.
It would not have been good for the Easterners to see Reston's next successor wandering outside the Eastern lands for seven years without setting foot on them. For the Easterners, the wounds of betrayal left by Batistan were still unhealed.
While some Easterners viewed Little Reston's escape as a cute pre-flight digression, others took it as salt in an already open wound.
So, it was right to show this level of admonition as a duty to the parents of a worthless child and as the leader of the eastern region. Even if he had been more extreme and displayed, no one in the eastern region would have said anything.
Well, those were all their own business, and from my perspective of dragging him here when he was living well... I felt really sorry.
“Anyway. Then why are you coming back? Why are you coming back? If there are a lot of people, you should probably hide nearby.”
“Because the carriage doesn’t have the Reston family crest...”
“No, didn’t you notice that all the knights were gathered on the first floor?”
“Those knights blocked my escape as soon as I entered the inn.”
“...”
I kept my mouth shut. Now was the time for me to be cautious. But curiosity slowly began to creep up on me.
“Why have you been out for so long? Being an Eastern Admiral is quite an honorable position.”
“...Are you curious about that?”
“Completely.”
“What is the price?”
Wow, there are people like this? I answered with a mixture of admiration and jeer.
“What do you want? Money?”
“I will let you know if you promise to take me with you when you return to the capital in the future.”
So, what he meant was that he was going to create a hole for them to escape from the East later.
Even in the midst of all this, Jacqueline's efforts to propose a deal were admirable, but honestly, even I couldn't guarantee that.
The admiral seemed momentarily confused. No matter how urgent it was, he seemed a bit confused about how to deal with the woman in front of him, who was a Princess and even younger than his youngest son.
He wiped his face with his dry hands for a while and then continued speaking.
“...Anyway, please hand over my son.”
“It is impossible.”
“Could you please tell me why? That son of a bitch will definitely be of no use to Your Highness!”
Whether you want to get angry or listen to an explanation, just do one thing...
I looked a little weary. Anyway, I had to understand that Easterners were impatient.
“First of all, he is not a knight of my order. While it is true that he led me to the East, it is only a ‘contractual relationship’ and I have no say in what happens to him.”
The admiral seemed speechless for a moment.
“...That bastard dared to request a contractual relationship with Your Highness?”
Despite all the rudeness the admiral had shown me so far, this was the most shocking attitude. Looking at this, it was clear that they were indeed father and son.
As we talked, I also realized something. Jacqueline had insisted on getting money from me all along, just for this moment.
If you serve the Princess as a knight, there are bound to be obligations, but if it's an employment contract, you'll have a bit more freedom.
“If that’s the first reason, then there must be a second reason as well.”
“Second, he is not here right now.”
This was the biggest reason. If Jacqueline had stayed in the inn, no matter how much I refused, he would not have been able to avoid being dragged away by the admiral. Except for a few special cases, natural law usually prevails.
“If you say no.”
“He left under the pretext of going to the night market or something similar. It’s already been a while since he said that and left...”
I burst out laughing without saying a word.
Wow, this guy is so meticulous. He must have told me his destination on purpose.
If the Admiral comes looking for him, he'll need a witness to tell him he's not there. I don't know what to say to the audacity of using me as a shield.
“Anyway, I cannot grant the Admiral’s request due to these circumstances.”
"Ha..."
The admiral cupped his face with his right hand. It was strange that the admiral who commanded the East could appear so small and great, like a father who was just worried about his son.
You've worked so hard. It was a moment where I wanted to give you a pat on the back.
***
The admiral soon recovered from his shock. He politely suggested that I go to the admiral's residence once more.
“Thank you for the offer, but... I’ll wait here for Jacqueline.”
I didn't have the energy to endure the two-hour journey by carriage, and if I lost Jacqueline, I would lose the clue I had barely caught.
It would be a lie to say that I didn't regret the admiral's offer. Even if we leave aside the fact that the night sea view from the terrace of that luxurious mansion is the most beautiful in all three seas, staying at the admiral's mansion has symbolic meaning.
Because it meant that Reston was an 'officially acknowledged' distinguished guest.
If rumors spread among the citizens that the Princess was staying at Admiral Reston's residence, they would be more willing to cooperate with my inquiries. After all, a distinguished guest in Reston is a distinguished guest in the entire East.
To the Easterners, Reston was a name worth looking up to, a tight-knit group of comrades and awe-struck men who had picked up the ruins left by Batistan.
“If you change your mind, just send me a message.”
“I will do that.”
“If you happen to hear any news...”
“I will respect Jacqueline’s wishes, but I will also try to do so.”
The admiral turned around regretfully. I couldn't help but feel uneasy seeing the old man's sturdy shoulders slumping.
In whatever form, the faces of the parents reminded me of Olga every moment. I walked with him up the stairs to see him off.
That was when.
“Your Highness. Are you still awake?”
I burst out laughing. Jacqueline suddenly popped her head out from under the stairs, holding in his hands a pile of food he had bought at the night market.
***
I don't remember exactly what happened next because things happened so quickly.
Jacqueline's face turned pale when he saw the admiral, the admiral's face reddened and screaming at the top of his lungs to catch that guy, Jacqueline running around between tables to avoid the chaos, the admiral bowing his head and apologizing to me after spitting out a bunch of harsh curses.
In the end, the chaos ended with Jacqueline being captured and dragged away by Enoch.
I looked at the admiral with a little awkwardness, his graying red hair neatly swept back. Who would have thought that such a brashness was hidden behind this noble-looking man...
Well, there's a reason they're called 'pirate' admirals. If you trace their bloodline back, there are many people with pirate backgrounds just as big as Batistan.
It's a story from hundreds of years ago, but... That's what it means to be engraved in the soul.
So, even now, you still can't escape from the salty wind.
“Your Highness, are you alright?”
The admiral asked, riding close to my carriage. His face looked very refreshed as if a thousand-year-old congestion had disappeared.
I straightened my upper body, which had been leaning against the window, a little.
“It’s okay. How much time do we have until we get to the mansion?”
“I will be there in half an hour.”
The carriage was speeding towards the admiral's mansion. I was a little tired, but considering that a comfortable and soft bed was waiting for me, it wasn't an unbearable forced march.
“What about Jacqueline?”
“That bastard, no, that kid is fine.”
Yeah, since all his limbs are still attached, he should be fine...
I leaned my upper body out the window and glanced at the shabby carriage of the official residence rushing behind me.
It looked exactly like it was transporting a prisoner. Since it was a cart, there was no cushioning, so every time it hit a rock, a muffled groan escaped from inside.
“Is it okay to leave him like that?”
"Yes?"
“No matter what, he is the admiral’s successor.”
Be got hit pretty hard earlier... He felt like he was lying down like a rag. I barely managed to swallow my words.
The admiral coughed as if making an excuse.
“If I give in to that guy, I don’t know where he’ll end up.”
“Then let’s move by transferring him to my carriage.”
“...”
“There are plenty of seats here.”
The admiral was silent for a short time.
“...You’ll be surprised. That kid is really ugly.”
“But rather than dragging him on like that, I think it’s better for me to just be surprised once.”
I insisted stubbornly. The admiral looked at me with a strange look and formed a line. There was a brief commotion, and then the carriage door opened again.
Jacqueline was dragged into the seat opposite me, his wrists tightly bound with rope. From his busted lip to his swollen eyeballs... He looked even worse than I had expected.
“Ouch...”
He groaned as if he was kidding as the carriage started off again with a slight jerk.
I looked at him with pitiful eyes. I lowered my voice and reprimanded him.
“...No, didn’t you run away knowing the admiral would barge in?”
“I knew that, but... As Your Highness can see, it’s two hours away. Who would have imagined that my father would be at the official residence near Cichlid?”
“...That may be true, but.”
“So I thought that even if he did barge in, it would be tomorrow morning.”
I sighed and held out my handkerchief. He had one eye half-closed because of the blood that was flowing from his ruptured forehead. It was a look that did not make the admiral worry that I would be surprised.
“Hey, wipe your face.”
“As you can see, my hands are like this...”
“...”
It was an outrageous thing, but it was too pitiful to just leave it alone. But it was also not something you could order a knight to take care of.
In the end, I didn't have much of a choice. I carefully wiped the blood away with a handkerchief without touching the wound.
“Ouch, och, och...”
He was really a very bad joke. Of course, the admiral's handcuffs were excessive, but on the other hand, it was fortunate that it ended at that level.
It would not have been good for the Easterners to see Reston's next successor wandering outside the Eastern lands for seven years without setting foot on them. For the Easterners, the wounds of betrayal left by Batistan were still unhealed.
While some Easterners viewed Little Reston's escape as a cute pre-flight digression, others took it as salt in an already open wound.
So, it was right to show this level of admonition as a duty to the parents of a worthless child and as the leader of the eastern region. Even if he had been more extreme and displayed, no one in the eastern region would have said anything.
Well, those were all their own business, and from my perspective of dragging him here when he was living well... I felt really sorry.
“Anyway. Then why are you coming back? Why are you coming back? If there are a lot of people, you should probably hide nearby.”
“Because the carriage doesn’t have the Reston family crest...”
“No, didn’t you notice that all the knights were gathered on the first floor?”
“Those knights blocked my escape as soon as I entered the inn.”
“...”
I kept my mouth shut. Now was the time for me to be cautious. But curiosity slowly began to creep up on me.
“Why have you been out for so long? Being an Eastern Admiral is quite an honorable position.”
“...Are you curious about that?”
“Completely.”
“What is the price?”
Wow, there are people like this? I answered with a mixture of admiration and jeer.
“What do you want? Money?”
“I will let you know if you promise to take me with you when you return to the capital in the future.”
So, what he meant was that he was going to create a hole for them to escape from the East later.
Even in the midst of all this, Jacqueline's efforts to propose a deal were admirable, but honestly, even I couldn't guarantee that.
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