After tying the tree up and pushing them into the holding cell, Eloise patted her hands clean. Those boar-like men weighed a ton and her new body was too delicate to lift even their leg. Wiping her sweat, she subtly glanced at the blond gentleman next to her.
"You didn't have to help me. I could have had it done with my servants," she said with a small smile. 'Yes man, why are you being weirdly nice? Aren't you scared by my ghostly look like most?'
The blond man peered at her with a mysterious smirk. "Well, I can't say my reason for approaching you is pure,"
'I knew it! This guy wants something from me. Is it my frail beauty? I heard being fair like a ghost is famous back then,' she stepped back and peered up at him with her eyes narrowed.
"Ha-ha little lady, I think you misunderstand. It was a mistake, I should have phrased it well. I was thinking of asking a small favor from you and I thought if I helped you out you might be willing," he whispered with his head bowed like a gentleman.
Even so, Eloise gazed at him skeptically. "Say, what can I do for you? I'll see what I can do for you," she said cautiously.
"Oh, it's nothing much. It's just.... just," he scratched his head awkwardly.
'Just what? Did this guy catch feelings for me? That's sad. He is handsome, but he is just not my type,' she thought with a sigh.
"I want your blood," continued the man.
"Pardon! What..... Do you mean you want my blood?" Eloise stepped back even further. 'Why is he asking for my blood? That's just the weirdest request I've heard.'
The blond man chuckled. "It's just that I have never met a person with your condition before and I would like to do some research on your blood composition," he genuinely glanced at her.
Eloise suddenly ran to him and gripped his hand tightly. "So you are a doctor?"
"Y—yes, I am Little lady, it's not appropriate... to grab a man's hand like this," he said wiggling his hand out of her hold yet she tightened her grip.
"I will give you my blood, but I need you to meet a patient before that," she dragged him behind her without any word.
Poor guy was dragged through the ship with people witnessing this. He hid his face in his hair, completely embarrassed. 'Why is this lady so uncultured? I thought she was a well-mannered one,' he sighed.
Eloise swiftly led him to their room. "My mother, collapsed just an hour ago. Can you take a look at her?" she whispered and opened the door softly.
Odette ran to her with tears streaming down her face. "Miss, madam is burning up,"
"Let me see," the tall blond guy ran in and checked her vitals and temperature. "I presume it's just a flu. Have there been any other symptoms?"
"She was wheezing and had trouble breathing. So I removed her corset and changed her into a looser nightgown," Eloise replied immediately.
"Good, good, that was wise," the man mumbled and pulled out a small wine bottle from his trench coat. "Ask your maid to give her a wine bath. It can reduce her temperature and also I can prescribe her some medicine, but they are still in the testing phase," the man apologetically said.
Eloise bit her nails and glanced at her mother. 'I have read that people have died of common cold in the ancient eras. But is it okay to feed my mum some experimental medicine?'
She shook her head. "I don't want those, I will take care of her. Thank you so much kind sir." She led him out. "and about your request, do you wish to draw some now or do you want it later?"
"It's too late now, Lady Eloise, I shall come next morning. Oh, and my good name is Fred Murphy," he bowed deeply.
"Good night, mister Murphy," Eloise waved him off by the door. "Odette, prepare the bath for Mum, we shall do as he instructed,"
Late at night, they gave her mother a towel bath infused with wine. Soon her temperature went down drastically, but she still remained unconscious.
Watching her chest rise and fall slowly, Eloise softly sighed. "Mother, you have to get healthy. You can't leave me alone, okay? What will I do without you?" she kissed the back of her mother's cold hands. Wiping her tears away, Eloise placed her mum's hand inside the warm sheets. "Odette, see to her, I will be back,"
"W—where are you going so late, miss?" Odette mumbled with a frown.
"I need air," Eloise strode out to the wet hull of the ship. Water drops as cold as ice rained on her as she slowly walked over to the familiar bow. Her white shirt was completely drenched in seconds and her silver-white hair wetly stuck to her back.
Eloise softly sobbed as she stood at the edge of the ship. The sight of grey clouds and turbulent waves caught her eyes. "YOU FUCKER!!! How dare you make my mother worry!!! S—she is sick you fucker!! It's all because of you!!" she shouted out loud to the deep dark ocean.
If the ship had not sunk, her mother would not be in this state. Her poor mother who was laughing gleefully just a few hours ago was bedridden and burning.
Wiping her wet cheeks and glared at the water. "You are to blame!! So.... so please make my mother healthy again. I beg of you," she softly whispered to the sky. "I beg of you,"
She stumbled back and slowly walked through the pouring rain.
"Shameless," someone softly whispered from above.
Eloise glared up to find a striking young man dressed in just a velvet robe staring at her intensely. "do you have a problem with me, sir?"
"I said you are shameless," he whispered, taking a sip of his goblet. His gleaming black eyes similar to a hawk peered at her without blinking. His black hair slightly wet from the rain stuck to his forehead.
But Eloise was not in the mood to admire his beauty because his personality made her ire so much.
Gritting her teeth, she whispered, "What right do you have to say that to me bastard?" her narrowed eyes peered at his hawk-like eyes without breaking contact.
He suddenly removed his robe and tossed it right on her face. "Don't embarrass yourself even more. It's pathetic," he mumbled with a wide smirk.
"YOU....."
"Oh, before you continue, it would be better for you to cover up. Even if you strip yourself naked, I won't be tempted Lady," His lips stained red from his wine quirked up in a small smirk.
Eloise frowned deeply. "What do you mean? I have no intentions of seducing you, you bastard....."
"Then why are exposing your breasts? Are you perhaps one of those nudists who prefer to show off their naked skin? Hmm, I might have been out of society for too long for such an abnormal thing to become a trend," he whispered with a thoughtful look.
That was when Eloise realized her flaw. Her beautiful white shirt, soaked in water, had become sheer exposing her breasts. She swiftly pulled his red robe around her shoulders and peered up at him. "Hump, bastard," she grumbled and ran back to her room, complexly mortified. 'My pure innocent body has been exposed. Oh, what will I do? Wait, why am I talking to myself like my mother?'
She gently hugged her cold shoulders. "Anyway. He just looked that's no problem at all," she shrugged it off like a modern woman and strode confidently into her own room.