Ch.58 S-sorry!
A few days later.
I finally boarded the ship, following Captain Carlos of the Freya, who’d settled his debts.
“This ship… it’s safe, right?”
Was she afraid of heading toward the Arctic?
Selena looked around the ship with suspicious eyes.
“Ah, it’s safe. Don’t worry.”
In the ga, I must’ve sailed to the Arctic on the Freya dozens—no, hundreds—of tis.
As long as we don’t hit an iceberg, we’re fine.
But Selena kept glancing anxiously around the deck.
Kinda cute.
Since our lighthouse date that night, I felt like I’d grown a bit closer to Selena.
Before, if I teased her, she’d glare with killing intent—but now, sohow?
Should I say she’s developed a bit of cuteness?
“Have you arrived?”
Captain Carlos looked much neater than when I’d last seen him at the tavern.
I returned his greeting.
“I’m glad you seem to be doing well.”
When I held out my hand, he grinned and clasped it.
“Thanks to you, I can embark on this Arctic expedition again. Thank you.”
“No need. Just rember what you promised
last ti—that’s all I ask.”
Smiling, I replied, and Carlos nodded.
“I’ve prepared two rooms inside. I’ll have my navigator show you. Miller?!”
At Carlos’s loud call, a man who’d been giving orders to the crew on deck approached.
“You called?”
“Yes. Please escort these two guests to the VIP cabins.”
With Miller’s help, we entered our cabins.
A few hours after the ship set sail…
Though the cabin was a bit narrow and slled musty, I’d finished unpacking and stood before Selena’s door.
Knock knock.
Is she not in?
[Who… is it?]
Hearing Selena’s weak, half-dead voice from inside, I knocked again, puzzled.
“Selena? Are you in there? Are you okay?”
Rustling sounds ca from within, then the door opened, revealing Selena’s pale face.
Cold sweat beaded on her forehead.
Frowning in pain, she asked hoarsely,
“What… do you want?”
“Are you feeling sick sowhere?”
“Just a little dizzy. But what is it?”
Could it be seasickness?
Many people suffer from the ship’s rocking once it sets sail.
“Oh, I just ca to ask if you wanted lunch. But are you seasick?”
Selena thought for a mont, then shook her head.
“I didn’t get it when I sailed to the New Continent.”
Carefully, I said to her, looking unwell,
“Really? Then… can I co in for a bit?”
“Ugh… but I’m sick?”
Despite her words, she gently opened the door wider.
Once inside, Selena closed the door and lay back on the bed.
“Can I borrow your hand for a mont?”
She gave
a puzzled look.
“Why my hand? Ugh—?”
When I pressed an acupressure point known to relieve nausea, she winced in pain.
“Seems like it really is seasickness.”
Rolling her ruby eyes halfway, she muttered,
“Is it? I didn’t feel this way last ti…”
“Huh. That’s strange. For now, why don’t you lie down properly?”
Still holding her right hand, I asked the Selena lying on the bed,
“How’s it feel? Any better?”
“Hmm… a little better than before, I guess?”
“Good. And while we’re at it, I’ll open the window—fresh air should help with the nausea.”
I threw the cabin window wide open.
About ten minutes passed like that…
Her complexion slowly regained so color.
Being alone with Selena in her cabin felt… oddly intimate.
While massaging her hand, I glanced at the comb resting on the bedside shelf.
She must’ve liked it—good.
I’d bought it at a high price because it was supposedly crafted by a master artisan.
Just one look told you it was luxurious, so splurging on it without hesitation had been the right call.
Snore… snore…
Selena, looking much better than before, had fallen asleep.
Should I keep massaging a bit longer?
Honestly, her hand was so soft and pretty I didn’t want to let go—so I kept kneading it.
Plus, it slled wonderfully of jasmine, lifting my mood even more.
It was like she was a human air freshener—or maybe this world just naturally gave beautiful won a faint, mood-enhancing fragrance.
Massaging only her right hand felt unbalanced, so I switched to alternating between both hands.
Selena’s sleeping face was peaceful.
She really was stunning—long, beautiful black hair, long eyelashes, a straight nose, and a sane personality to boot.
I knew plenty of beauties, but most had serious ntal issues—so Selena seed even lovelier by comparison.
Besides, my relationship with the Hero Party mbers was complicated; after all, I’d approached each of them solely for my own goals.
But Selena? She was free of all that.
How long had I been massaging her hands?
Twitch.
Selena stirred and opened her eyes.
“Haaam… what? You’re still massaging?”
Her unfocused ruby eyes, still drowsy, stared at —and looked incredibly cute.
“Yeah. How’s your body feeling now?”
As I gently released her hand, she stretched widely.
“Uuugh! I think I’m okay now?”
Now that her eyes were properly focused, I asked,
“Then… ready for lunch?”
She answered with a radiant smile.
“Yeah, let’s go!”
***
“W-witches!”
The mont soldiers moved to block Scarlet, her figure blurred—and ten soldiers collapsed, bleeding.
“Kraaah!”
“Save us!”
Though none suffered fatal wounds, left untreated, their lives would be in danger.
Yet Scarlet’s expression remained utterly indifferent.
Kwoooong!
A massive fireball erupted around her—but no fear flickered in her eyes.
The hot wind whipped her hair, yet her gaze locked onto one man: a high-ranking officer wearing an ornate helt.
“I found you.”
Scarlet’s quiet mutter.
A whisper ant to vanish into the air received an answer:
—Is the general there? Then finish him quickly. Leah’s holding off the main army, but there are too many enemy mages.
Mia’s voice.
The high elf, using spirits to relay battlefield intel and command the party.
Scarlet replied,
“Ten seconds.”
Her form blurred—and vanished instantly.
“Aaagh?!”
Suddenly, the high-ranking man scread and collapsed.
Beside the fallen general, Scarlet stood calmly, dagger in hand, surveying the soldiers with ease.
“General! General Aethio!”
“You witch! When did you sneak in here?!”
Blood from terrified soldiers stained the ground.
Scarlet scanned them coldly.
“Surrender. I’ll try not to kill anyone—but I can’t guarantee everyone will survive.”
But the soldiers raised their shields, standing protectively before their general.
“Shut up, witch! You’re just like the Demon King’s kin, trying to ruin us!”
Scarlet—who had actually saved humanity from the Demon King—let out a small sigh at the soldier’s words.
“Haah…”
As she exhaled, her eyes sharpened—and her figure dissolved into the air like mist…
“Guh!”
“Aaagh!”
Even the soldiers began screaming, bleeding, and collapsing.
As their blood pooled on the ground and cries filled the air, reinforcents arrived.
Once the allies restrained the enemy troops, Scarlet finally swept her blood-soaked hair back.
“Take the wounded to Cecilia. I’m going to rest.”
Having said her piece, Scarlet vanished like a mirage.
She headed to a nearby river.
Gazing at her reflection in the water, she mocked her own fate.
After the war with the Demon King… ca war with humans.
She’d only wanted to et her Patron.
Scarlet never imagined that even after coming to the New Continent, she’d be dragged into another war.
The situation frustrated and irritated her.
‘But I can’t just abandon the people caught in this war because of us.’
She hadn’t known her party’s abolition of slavery would trigger a war.
Of course, even if she’d known, she still would’ve banned it—but she wasn’t so irresponsible as to ignore the cities suffering because of her actions and chase after Hans alone.
“I need to end this war quickly.”
So she could et Hans.
Scarlet washed the blood from her clothes and face with river water.
Once dry, she looked again at her reflection.
‘A bit better.’
Was it just her imagination that this war felt more exhausting than the one against the Demon King?
‘Probably not. Back then, I had Patron’s letters to look forward to.’
Her Patron—whose letters had given her courage through the harshest battles.
She couldn’t express how much those letters had ant to her.
But after the Demon King’s death and the war’s end, Hans had vanished without a trace.
That’s why today, more than ever, she longed to hear from him.
Was he well? Eating properly?
Was he hurt? Were there other won around him?
Today, of all days, she wondered about Hans.
***
At sunset.
Selena and I strolled along the deck.
—Hurry up! Get below and rest!
—Why hasn’t sail number three been furled yet? Do it now!
The crew bustled, furling sails before heading to their cabins.
“Are you feeling better?”
Selena’s long black hair fluttered in the sea breeze.
She lowered her head slightly and said softly,
“Yeah… the fresh air helped. I feel much better than before. Thanks.”
Since her seasickness worsened in enclosed spaces, I’d dragged her outside right after a quick al—and it turned out to be the right call.
A brief silence fell between us.
Awkward.
Was it because I’d kneaded her hand like dough earlier?
She’d grown unusually quiet.
“Thanks… for earlier.”
Selena kept her head bowed.
Just as we stood there, breathing the awkward air…
Kreeeek! Thud!
A huge noise shook the ship, and our smoothly sailing vessel suddenly lurched.
As the anchor dropped and the ship began to halt, Selena lost her balance from inertia—and I hastily caught her.
Ah? She slls nice.
I’d clearly only grabbed her wrist—so how did this happen?
She gently nestled into my arms, and for a mont, stillness hung between us.
What do I do? What do I do?
I’d only grabbed her to keep her from falling when the ship stopped abruptly—but I worried she might misunderstand it as sothing else.
Selena slowly pulled away from my embrace.
Her face was flushed, and she couldn’t hide her flustered expression.
“S-sorry!”
I watched helplessly as she fled from my arms.
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