"Walter… are you sure that this ship will hold on?"
I held the boat that rocked heavily amid the stormy seas,
The strange-looking sea birds are being tossed in the storm, beneath them the sea rose as majestic mountains. It was anger in the form of water, turbulent and unforgiving…
This is the single ship that the country of Luxenberg owns, with a silver cross embedded on its figurehead.
It was the ship we had repaired to reach the country of Luris, where we will buy the armor we will rebrand and sell.
Actually, it was okay to let the merchants buy it for us, but I want to experience the trade here, so I can get a rational idea of what they are doing — since we are using the taxpayers' money.
Plus, it might be better to build a relationship with the merchants here early and gain their support, as such I also tri— ahem… convinced Walter to come with me.
It was supposed to be a comfortable trip on the newly repaired ship, but I now remember why the alternative route wasn't used by the Kingdom of Stizriven that much.
It was because of this horrible weather! Which is basically the reason why the ship was under repair at the state of Luxenberg, now the country of Luxenberg.
Seeing this storm and remembering the pre-repair stage of this ship, I got more anxious as I held at the wooden handrail, at the room where I am staying.
"Walter… I just remembered that this is the rematch of this ship against this storm, do you think it will win this time?"
I asked Walter to start a conversation so he won't blame me for choosing this route instead. This ship carries all of Walter's assets that will be used as capital, and also the merchants who will introduce us to the merchants' association at Luris.
But when I looked at Walter, he isn't moving… it's good that he isn't moving and isn't blaming me, but isn't he supposed to cover up for me when my strategies go astray?
"Hey Walter! Wake up!"
And then I remembered the reason why Walter preferred trains over busses, and rode airplanes over the fancy cruise ships.
Walter has motion sickness!
"Seriously?! Even in reincarnation?! Hey Walter wake up!"
But Walter just sat in front of me in the cabin and held the handrails as strongly as he could as he covered his mouth while shaking.
"Don't… speak to me… I'm going to vomit"
"Seriously, what the hell! Walter… if we're going to die here it will be all for nothing! Ahhh"
Then I remembered something, about how I always fooled Walter into something.
"Walter I forgot I still have those motion sickness medicine! Here take it!"
"Really?"
I took the candies I brought with me, in my pocket I broke it off with one hand so Walter wouldn't notice its a candy.
"Here, we don't have water so swallow it directly, it should instantly take effect, now… "
I opened his mouth in one hand and threw the candy towards his throat so he wouldn't taste its sweetness.
"Now… look directly at me, it works right?"
I call on you, placebo effect, please work.
Then for a few minutes...
"Ohh… Tiffania, it works! It works!"
He finally stood up energized.
YES! I cheered from the bottom of my heart, Walter's mind usually would be cautious if someone else gave it to him, but because it was me, and he was in a horrible situation, surprisingly, it worked.
"Okay Tiffania! Let's go to the captain! Bring the map with you!"
"Okay sir!"
Then we both climbed at to the deck where Walter tried to convince the captain to take on another route which would take us to Waenyth waters' another country within the federation. We were drenched in the rain and the water that got into the ship.
"Yes your highness it would be a detour around the storm, but it's a sea where there are lots of pirates!"
"It's fine! Or else we would sink anyway if we just keep heading to it! Look at how strong the storm is!"
Walter shouted so the captain could hear him, at the deck the captains' crew were busy following his orders and cleaning the deck out of water, making sure it wouldn't sink.
"Yes your highness! Turning eastward!"
The captain immediately steered and the wheel spun so fast, the masts flapped and turned, as it propelled the ship to the direction.
And strangely, just after an hour we were already outside the storm, and the ship sailed smoothly, with us still drenched in, sea water and rain, my dress was also in the same state.
"Ahhh... Walter, you have to buy me another dress, Ahhh... I liked this dress so much."
I held a part of my skirt and squeezed it to get the water out of it.
"Ah Tiffania! Don't do it here on public you idiot!"
"Why? I'm just squeezing out the water though?"
And then I remembered the lessons I, Tiffania Mueller took from a younger age, in this age, it's very improper for a lady to do so.
"Ahh, sorry, sorry... "
I smiled wryly at Walter who looked cool with his hair wet with her blue eyes glimmering as he looked something in front of him, that I didn't realize that I was staring at him for an unnatural amount of time.
Then his eyes turned to me, as he gave me his devilish grin.
And then I realized that it was on purpose! I do not have any evidence, but it should be on purpose!
This Walter!
"Why are you ogling at my face? Do you want a kiss or something?"
I flinched and my eyes wandered from left to right as I looked down to hide my embarrassment.
"W-W-What?! I-I-Is it that bad to look at your face huh?!"
He let out a giggle, as he covered his mouth, oh my gosh, he looked cute on that.
"No... haha, I just want you to see something more amazing, take a look at the horizon"
He then pointed out to the direction where he looked at a few minutes ago.
And I also looked at it.
There, I watched the sunset at the horizon, as it spreads its largess into a beautiful sky. Rich hues of red blended with oranges, purples, crimsons.
Seeing this, I felt my spirit soaring at the sight, the sunset here is more amazing and magical, the water has a golden glow while some unknown creatures jumped from the water like dolphins. There were also some creatures that floated on top of it, looked like jellyfish except that they glowed in different colors.
"Whoah! What is this Walter? It's amazing! Even Hawaii isn't a match for this!"
"Hawaii?"
The confused captain asked me as he took off his hat and let out the water out of it.
The captain was a noble, so he wore a blue tailcoat, and trousers, he had no hair on top but his white hair reached to his shoulders; he is a lower-ranked noble who allied with Walter in exchange for sharing with him the aqua farming process.
"Hey Tiffania, why are you blurting out old world stuff?"
Walter leaned to me as he whispered to my ears, being still embrassed, his breath felt tingly that I flinched and reflexibly punched him at the stomach.
The poor Walter fell at my shoulders unconscious, and the Captain was left in agape, sweating as he looked at me, the same with the crew members.
"Ahaha this is Hawaii, captain! When you punch someone in the gut just like that you say HAWAII!!! It's our favorite bonding time, ahaha!"
I smiled wryly as I laid down Walters corpse on the deck.
"M-M-My wife does something like that to me also every day, to think the Prince also has the same circumstance... HAWAII!! huh? Okay young lady, I will remember it," he gulped, and steered, not wanting to get involve with us anymore, maybe he remembered his wife doing the same thing to him, the crew also did the same and continued with their chores.
Now that I've made my excuse, the captain steadily steered the ship at the beautiful ocean before us where the living things were visible and were endearing us as they danced around the ship.
"Walter... it's our first trip overseas together, just like we planned when we were both still alive in the old world. Well, we might haven't married yet which deviates us a bit from our plan, but this is exciting! I can't wait to explore more!"
I talked to Walter's corpse, and smiled, to think that our dream would come true in another shape, being a prince and a duke's daughter in another world, while engaged together, then taking on the responsibility to make the country stronger and leverage the lives of our citizens, goblin-slaying, then taking on business trips like this.
"Really... I never expected I would find this kind of comfort with you again, Walter, in the old world, in this new world... never a dull moment with you."
I told him as I caressed the back of his head, as I lifted him for a bit to make him sit with me at the stairs at the deck as I looked at the horizon, and hugged him and leaned at his shoulder.
"It's just the beginning though," I heard his corpse answer.
"Oh, you're finally awake, it's odd for you to wake up this early after my punch."
"Ahh, this time I took some precautions and wore a thick leather jacket under my suit this time"
He then started opening his suit.
"Hey Walter! Why are you undressing in public!"
"It's fine... take a look at my anti-Tiffania leather armor"
"Of course its not fine! Close it! Close it! You pervert!"
I desperately closed my eyes and looked away.
This idiot just told me not to lift my skirt and now he's undressing!
"Here, touch it."
"I don't want to!"
"Touch it! It's really just armor!"
He pulled my hand and made it touch his body.
"Huh... this is?"
"My muscles!"
"Ahhhhhhhhh!!!! You pervert! You made me touch such a thing!"
And then the sun had finally set as I chased Walter at the deck like kids, trying to get back at him.
Everyone at the deck, the merchants, the captains and his crew laughed as they saw me chasing him.