Two figures stood by the windows, sunlight seeping through it. One was garbed in a black leather jacket, paired with similarly black trousers and boots, a black and silver silver double belt wrapping around his hips. The other wore a light coat, a pair of high boots, tight inner wear, and pants.
Those two figures were none other than Grey and Yuna who were now in their adventurer outfits, a far fetch compared to their light and casual attires the day before. Well, they weren't the only ones.
A little distance away from the two stood another figure, not wearing the usual long and grandiose dress and accessories usually worn by noble ladies. That figure was none other than the very Marchioness of Beldon, Vilma.
"Are the both of you ready?" ［Vilma］
"Yes. Anytime, Missus Beldon." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! Then, let's head out, shall we?" ［Vilma］
Not a single word wasted, the doors soon clacked and creaked as three figures made their exit. Their footsteps resounded in the air as their boots hit the corridor's floors, basking in the sunlight seeping through the large windows.
Where might they be heading to, one might ask? It was simple. With Lista being a port town, there is only so much you can do without mentioning the sea. And to that logic, they are now heading back to the port to ride the biggest vessels there are!
After all, with Grey and Yuna's tour the day before, they have explored most of the town already. Now, it was time to venture into the seas and watch the blue horizon unfold as the sea and sky stretched out.
Well, they weren't just there to have fun. Vilma was with them, not only to accompany them but also observe the Marquisate's subjects' daily lives. It was killing two birds with one stone, having fun and learning at the same time.
"Oh? You're going out already?" ［Abraham］
But they haven't even gotten too far away, but a familiar face already greeted them. It was the Marquess whose face looked very stressed if anything. Not only was his hair disheveled, his clothes also looked a little messy. He was very busy.
"My... Abraham, are you alright?" ［Vilma］
"I'm just a little exhausted from all the work, but I'm sure I will be fine after a little bit of rest. There's no need to worry too much." ［Abaraham］
"Mmn... But make sure to take care of yourself, okay? I already asked the chefs to make something light for you. Make sure to finish it." ［Vilma］
"Yes. I'll make sure to do just that." ［Abraham］
A normal exchange between husband and wife. As they greeted one another, Vilma neared Abraham and tied his necktie back for him and fixed his coat with a little bit of patting, fixing up her exhausted husband.
Though they are a Marquess and Marchioness in the eyes of many, now, they simply looked like a normal married couple just going about their day. It was a warm and wonderful sight to behold.
"Ah, right. You're all going out to the sea today, correct?" ［Abraham］
"Yes. Is something the matter." ［Vilma］
"No... Rather than that... I just want you to watch out and be careful. I have received a number of reports about the sudden rise of beasts sightings in the area. It wouldn't hurt to be careful." ［Abraham］
At Abraham's words, Grey and Yuna were made to remember the Sea Serpent incidents. Though it could have been a coincidence, it most likely is not. They could feel yet another trouble brewing and coming their way.
Though the Sea Serpents meat yesterday was quite delicious, going to such trouble was a little too much. The ingredients may be delicious, but they would rather enjoy a carefree and casual lime together. They were still on their little trip, after all.
『Yuna, looks like we'll have new ingredients on the menu tonight...』 ［Grey］
『Grey! Don't jinx it!』 ［Yuna］
『Wanna make a bet if it will happen, then? I bet that we'll meet a few Sea Serpents and Great Sharks along the way. It's said that their meat is delicious.』 ［Grey］
『Uuu... I hate you...』 ［Yuna］
Well, though they would rather not encounter such situations if they have a choice, but... With their ability to attract trouble, there was only so much they could do. It was like a passive skill they just couldn't get rid off. The luck of the protagonists.
"Fufufu! There's no need to worry so much about such a thing. Who do you think are the ones with me?" ［Vilma］
A smile on her face, Vilma's pair of beautiful orbs swam towards Grey and Yuna's direction, and Abraham's eyes soon followed suit. The moment he saw them, a sigh of relief escaped his mouth as all his worries disappeared.
"Right... What am I even worried for..." ［Abraham］
"Fufufu! Then, we'll be going now. Make sure to take some rest." ［Vilma］
"I will, I will..." ［Abraham］
As suddenly as it started, the conversation soon ended. Abraham fixed his clothes once more and after a slight bow towards the others, he then left for his office, his silent steps resounding softly in the corridors as his figure shrunk away.
"Missus Vilma, will Mister Abraham be alright?" ［Yuna］
"Fufufu! There's no need to worry too much about him. He's one tough nut to crack. A little bit of work won't break him." ［Vilma］
"Mmmn... I see..." ［Yuna］
"Then, shall we also get going?" ［Vilma］
Another set of footsteps resounded in the corridors as three figures walked down it, soon heading down the stairs and out of the gates. The busy town was what greeted them on the other side of the gates, full of life and noise as usual.
The walk continued and soon, the boundless sea of blue was in sight, extending as far as the horizons where the sky meets the sea. No matter how many times they looked at it, it really was a wondrous and beautiful sight.
The walk was not boring at all. As they took their steps, they also chatted with one another, the barrier between strangers finally crashing down and only comfort to be felt as they exchanged words. Even then, Grey can't shake off the unease he felt ever since Abraham's words.
"I was still a little girl when Iー" ［Vilma］
"Ah, sorry, Yuna, Missus Vilma, looks like I forgot something in the mansion. I'll just go get it real quick. I'll be right back." ［Grey］
"Then, should we wait for you here?" ［Vilma］
"No, there's no need. I'll be back before you know it." ［Grey］
"Okay... Take care..." ［Vilma］
Unease brewing in his heart, Grey quickly turned around and headed back to the mansion, leaving Vilma and Yuna on their own. The other two soon moved along, heading towards the port on their own.
It wasn't long before Grey arrived back in the mansionー or so he said, but with his nimble steps, he quickly passed the mansion and headed straight to the beach where not a single house could be seen, only the winds and waves to be heard.
His feet only stopped when he was far away, his head turning left and right as he made sure no one was there. It wasn't long before his voice rang in the air.
"Everyone, come out." ［Grey］
At his behest, his shadow expanded and split into pieces. Soon enough, six figures took from those shadows, unveiling fluffy and adorable furballs whose eyes gleamed with excitement and tails wagged with joy.
"Good morning, Master." ［Caponus］
"Master, morning!" ［Vega］
"Greetings, Master." ［Arcturus］
"Yeah, morning too... Looks like you're all in a good mood." ［Grey］
As soon as they appeared, they quickly greeted Grey with smiles on their furry faces, jumping and running around excitedly. They may be High Dragons, but in front of their masters, they are simply their adorable and reliable familiars.
"Everyone, I need you to do something for me." ［Grey］
There was no time to waste. Grey quickly explained the situation to the familiars and in turn, the familiars listened attentively to his words, not blinking a single time. They quickly understood the situation without any difficulties.
Their task was quite simple. Everyone only needed to swim, follow Grey and Yuna under the sea and watch out for any enemies lurking beneath the waters. With their capabilities, even if S-rank enemies appear, they could easily dispose of them.
"Can you handle that for me?" ［Grey］
"Of course. Leave it to us, Master." ［Sirius］
"Hahaha. That's reassuring to hear. I'll leave it to you all then." ［Grey］
"Yes." ［Sirius］
The sun high in the sky, the familiar's forms started to change once again. Brilliant light enveloped their forms as they jumped out towards the sea. Slowly but surely, their figures grew and changed, no longer looking like the furballs that they were.
SPLASSSHHHH
A loud splash echoed in the air and large waves crashed towards the beach. Another series of splashes echoed and the sea water rose. Soon, six sea dragons came into view, scales blue as the deep seas before them. They were majestic.
Grey has already thought about it before, but shapeshifting really was a handy ability. Not only is he able to ask the familiars to spy and search, they could also ask them to guard them without anyone noticing. He was thankful to have such amazing and reliable familiars by his side.
"Master, we'll be heading out now. We hope you enjoy your day." ［Sirius］
"Yeah, I sure will." ［Grey］
The waves parted as six magnificent swam and dove deep under the waters. Now, Grey could finally feel reassured, leaving everything to the handsー or should I say fins of their familiars. He felt calm and confident.
Grey saw off the familiars towards the horizon, diving deeper and deeper until they could be seen no more. Well, with Grey's eyes, he could definitely tell that they were there. Yet another handy ability to have.
"Right... I should also get going..." ［Grey］
With everything settled and Grey's heart finally clear, he then set off towards the town once again, leaving clouds of dust on his wake and bridging a couple hundred meters in just mere moments. It didn't take long before he arrived at the port.
Crates and barrels were everywhere, small boats and large ships scattered left and right, and fishermen, sailors, and merchants alike gathered around the docks. Along the sounds of the roaring waves, the bustling noises of the crowd filled the air.
And in such a lively setting, two familiar figures could be seen talking of a bearded, aged man and a captain's hat sitting atop his head. The three were chatting merrily, laughing from time to time.
"Sorry, did I make you wait long?" ［Grey］
"Oh, no, not at all. Rather, you arrived pretty quickly, Mister Shin... Did you get what you were looking for?" ［Vilma］
"Yeah, I left it in our room. Thankfully, it was just by the doorway." ［Grey］
What a big, fat lie, yet despite that, Grey didn't do as much as have his eyebrows twitch. He had already gotten used to such situations, able to maintain a smile despite lying straight to the other person's face.
Thankfully, it was only Vilma he had to fool. Though Grey didn't exactly tell him what he was going to do, she already had an inkling of what it was. There was no need to ask any further and make things any more complicated.
It was also worth noting that throughout the day, they would be using Grey and Yuna's alternate identities. After all, only trouble awaits them if they use their real identities like usual. They rather steer clear from such troublesome situations.
Their current setting was simple. Grey and Yuna are guests of the Beldon Marquisate from the Landevar Territory who came to observe Lista in a little exchange program. Though it may sound absurd if carefully analyzed, it was more than enough to cover their identities in a while.
"Your Excellency, this young man is...?" ［???］
"Oh! Pardon the late introduction. This here is Mister Shin, another one of our guests from the Moterno. And Mister Shin, this is Captain Jack. He will be assisting us on our endeavors for the day." ［Vilma］
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain. I'll be in your care today." ［Grey］
"Hoho, the pleasure is mine, young man. Just make sure to hold on tight for today, 'coz you'll be in for a shaky ride!" ［Jack］
Vilma acting as a bridge, Grey and Jack quickly and easily got acquainted with one another, shaking each other's hands with smiles on their faces. Though looking at his smiling face, he resembled someone they knew quite well.
Though the hair color, the figure, and the clothing was different. He could definitely tell that he was very familiar. He wanted to ask the man before him, but just couldn't get the words out of his mouth, not knowing how to bring it up.
"Hm? Is something on my face, Young Man?" ［Jack］
"Ah, sorry... I was just lost in thought for a moment. But I'll be sure to keep your words in mind." ［Grey］
"Good, good, that's what I like to hear!" ［Jack］
Well, there wasn't any point thinking too hard about it. Grey just simply gave up and skillfully changed the topic before Jack could ask any further. Thankfully, the aged man was quite easy to fool.
"Oh, that's right, have you rode a ship before, Young Man? TheYoung Lady over here said she hasn't ridden one. Are you the same?" ［Jack］
"Ah, no, I've ridden a ship before... But not this kind of ship..." ［Grey］
"Oh? Was it a small boat?" ［Jack］
"Yeah, it was a boat. Nothing too fancy." ［Grey］
Oh, it was a boat, alright. Not just a small one. The boats Grey were referring to were none other than the modern and massive steel vessels back on Earth which can cruise along the sea at sea without sails and carry hundreds of passengers at once.
Though, there's no need to mention that.
Even then, even when he had ridden such forms of transportation before, a wooden and medieval-style ship was very different. He could only feel excitement bubble inside his heart as he watched the magnificent marvel before him.
"Well, that's better than nothing, isn't it? I hope you can assist this Young Lady over here if she ever gets seasick." ［Jack］
"Actually, it's been quite some time since I've ridden one, so I might also be in the same situation... Still, I'll try my best." ［Grey］
"Hohoho. Good, good, that's how a man should answer," ［Jack］
Laughing ever so happily, Jack patted Grey's back soft and gentle, an encouraging tone dancing in his voice. Seeing his smile, Grey and Yuna couldn't be helped but be reminded of another person.
"Captain, we're almost done loading the items. We only need your approval."
"Alright, be there in a minute. Keep up the good work!" ［Jack］
Jack's words resounding in the air, the man headed back to the ship and continued with his job. It wasn't just him who was hard at work, everyone was moving left and right, and lifting cates, barrels, nets, and ropes one after another.
"Sorry, Your Excellency, but it looks like I'm needed for the final checking." ［Jack］
"It's fine. It's your job, after all." ［Vilma］
"Hohoho. Thank you for understanding. I'll be back when everything's ready. I'll make sure it won't take very long." ［Jack］
After bowing his head respectfully, Jack then turned around and soon joined his crew, giving out instructions one after another as he walked up the planks, up into the ship. His voice boomed loudly, words ringing clearly.
With the Captain now in the ship, the crew members worked even harder. They all carried the last remaining items by the dock and loaded them to the ship, taking a few trips back and forth, and bending their backs up and down. It was a busy scene.
"Missus Vilma, is it always this busy here?" ［Yuna］
"Fufufu. This is just normal. During the busy seasons, ships would be docking left and right and the port would always be full of all kinds of ships... Maybe four, five times this much...?" ［Vilma］
"Amazing... I wonder what that looks like..." ［Yuna］
With Jack now in the ship, everyone left casually chatted with one another, wasting their time away as they waited for the ship to be prepared. They talked about quite a lot of topics, mostly talking about Lista and the sea.
Of course, whilst talking with the Marchioness, Grey and Yuna couldn't keep their excitement to themselves. The more they looked at the ship, the more their hearts raced, anticipating how it feels to ride atop the waves and along the salty breeze.
Looking at the ship again, it was a beautiful masterpiece. Though neither Grey and Yuna were experts on the matter, they could tell how amazing it was. Though it was beautiful, it wasn't adorned with pointless decorations like gold and silver which could only weigh it down.
And though Grey could have loved it if it had cannons like the ones in the movies he saw, he was still perfectly satisfied with what was in front of him. The beautiful fishing vessel which will conquer the seas. It was silly imagining it, but also a lot of fun.
"Missus Vilma... How much does these ships cost?" ［Yuna］
Of course, the moment just had to be ruined by a suspiciously curious Yun whose eyes were now sparkling with curiosity and excitement, A question which made Vilma think hard and long for an answer.
"It would depend on the size and materials used, but... I suppose it would be around a million kiels. Why? Is something the matter, Miss Elena?"
"No... I was just a little curious..." ［Yuna］
"I see... I thought you wanted to have one built. I could have recommended someone to help you just in case." ［Vilma］
"Fufufu! Maybe next time." ［Yuna］
Or so she says, but deep down Grey could tell she had some intentions to have one built purely for the sake of curiosity. After Vilma answered her question, her eyes then swam towards the smaller boats, estimating the prices based on what Vilma said.
It was fortunate that Yuna was thrifty when it came to things which aren't foods, items for alchemy, or presents for others. Otherwise, Grey could only imagine what she'll buy with the amount of money they have. It really was fortunate.
Well, even if they did decide to have one built, it's not like they can just have it built willy-nilly. In addition, there was no place to place it. They just couldn't display it in their backyard, after all. It would just be plain ridiculous.
Time passed some more, and after a little bit of waiting, Jack could finally be seen again, taking his sweet time as he walked down the planks, heading back to where everyone was with a smile on his face.
"Sorry for taking so long, Your Excellency, Mister Shin, Miss Elena... The ship is now ready. We await your boarding." ［Jack］
Not wasting any more time, everyone followed Jack's lead and boarded the ship one after another, the sound of wooden planks clacking and creaking as their boots struck them resounding in the air.
As soon as they were on deck, a wonderful sight greeted them. Barrels and ropes everywhere, crew members running around, stairs leading up and down, and the banners dancing by the wind. It really was an authentic wooden ship.
Of course, the one most excited was none other than Yuna whose eyes are sparkling even brighter than before. Her head was once again turning left and right, ready to run around if it wasn't for the fact that there were other people on board.
"Elena, don't go running around the ship now, alright?" ［Grey］
"Hey! What do you think of me? I'm not that childish, you know?" ［Yuna］
"Hahaha. Just making sure, just making sureー" ［Grey］
"Alright. This is your Captain speaking...." ［Jack］
Jack's voice rang, immediately cutting off Grey's words. As soon as it did, everyone's eyes were on him, lending him their full attention. Jack then gave a few instructions and warnings to make sure everyone's safety was ensured.
"Anyway... Enough rambling and hold on tight! Pegasus will now depart!" ［Jack］
A loud declaration echoing in the air, the ship's sails flapped and rolled down the masts, catching the winds and pushing the ship. Soon enough, the steering wheel turned and so did the rudder. The ship has finally set sail!
CHAPTER 221 END