After a few more days, we reached the harbor. It was time to sail to Kenli. Jacob and Grace went to buy the tickets while I took Alice and Ethefelis to look at the ships.
There were more than twenty vessels docked here—an impressive sight. Each hull had a number painted on it. Nearby, sailors were hauling cargo nonstop, and there was so much of it that it was no surprise they were all built like giants.
"So this is the ship we're taking? It's huge!"
Alice spun around excitedly, staring at the cargo ships. I was crouched nearby, awkwardly trying to make conversation with Ethefelis.
"Ethefelis, have you ever been on a ship before?"
"No."
"So this is your first time. Excited?"
"Curious."
"I'm curious what the view from the ship will be like too. Think we'll see dolphin? Though with sea monsters around, probably not."
For all I knew, dolphins might've gone extinct. There were dolphin in the dungeon, supposedly, but I'd never seen one. They were basically mythical luck-based encounters.
And dolphins were social animals. Seeing a whole pod leaping beside a ship would be incredible.
"Dolphin?"
Ethefelis seemed interested, so I explained.
"They're very smart animals with great memory. Trained dolphin can respond to human hand signals."
"Dog?"
"Not exactly. Dolphin are gentle and don't really get suspicious of strangers. Training dolphins is more like… have you seen a circus? Like lion jumping through fire hoops."
Dolphin weren't like dog. They didn't think you were challenging them just because you made eye contact. People loved them because they were friendly.
I almost mentioned dolphin shows in aquariums, then remembered this world didn't have aquariums. She wouldn't understand, so I adjusted.
"Not lions."
"You've seen it before, right? Training dolphins is for the same kind of thing."
Ethefelis nodded, then said something that took a second to process.
"Appearance."
"Appearance? …You mean what dolphin look like?"
"Yes."
"I'll draw one."
I pulled out paper and a pen and tried my best to sketch a dolphin. I had absolutely no artistic talent. Ethefelis tilted her head.
"Fish?"
"They live in the ocean, but they're not fish. Dolphins breathe with lungs like we do. They have to come up for air. And my drawing's terrible—just remember the features."
"Okay."
Jacob and Grace returned just then, so I stood up to greet them.
"Karen, we got the tickets. Ship 15, departs at 11 a.m."
"So less than half an hour. Let's board first."
Jacob handed out the tickets, then started looking around like he'd lost something. Finally he looked at me.
"Where's Alice?"
"Huh?"
I turned too. She was gone. No wonder it had been quiet.
"She's missing?"
Jacob could tell from my face I had no idea where she was. My eyes scanned the area while my brain raced. Then I thought of a plan.
I stuck out my hand, shaking from nerves.
"Jacob, give me Alice's ticket. You guys board first. If we miss it, we'll meet at the port in Kenli."
"We'll find her faster together."
"No. wasting two tickets is better than wasting five. Get on the ship."
"Alright. Hurry."
After we agreed, I rushed off to search for Alice. I asked people everywhere, figuring she couldn't have gone far from the docks.
"Excuse me, have you seen a blonde girl? About this tall?"
"No."
"Thanks…"
My breathing was a mess from panic and frustration. Where did she run off to?! She was going to drive me insane.
I couldn't abandon her either. She was carrying two ancient magic book.
"Excuse me, have you seen a blonde girl?"
"…Yeah, I saw her a few minutes ago. She went that way."
"Thank you!"
The passerby pointed in the opposite direction. Of course she'd wandered farther away. I sprinted, shouting her name without caring who stared.
"Alice!"
"Mr. Karen!"
I recognized her voice immediately. I spun toward the sound and saw a man carrying Alice onto a ship.
I didn't hesitate. I clenched my fist and charged.
"Mr.Karen, help me! He suddenly—mmph!!!"
"Shut up, you damn."
He slapped a hand over her mouth. By then I was already behind him. I swung at the back of his head.
"Let her go!"
The hit sent him flying. He released Alice midair and I caught her, tucking her under my arm. The man skidded face-first across the deck.
Someone on the ship saw it and shouted.
"Guys! We've got trouble! Get over here!"
So they were together. A kidnapping ring? Human trafficking? If they were taking Alice, this ship probably had other victims too.
But that wasn't my fight. This country allowed slavery. I couldn't fix the root of it. Saving a few people would just be self-satisfaction—the next victims would still come.
I turned to leave, but their partners blocked the way.
"You start trouble and think you can run?"
"Get him!"
A dead end didn't bother me. I'd already expected this. I tightened my hold on Alice.
"Alice, close your mouth. Speed."
"O-okay—AAAAH!!!"
I boosted my legs and took off. They couldn't even react. Alice kept screaming despite my warning, so I had to clamp a hand over her mouth.
I'm Jacob Zereil, currently aboard a ship bound for Kenli with Grace and Ethefelis. Right now, our nerves are completely shot.
"Where did Miss Alice go…? I hope Mr. Karen finds her soon…"
Grace was the one who said that. She'd been pacing nonstop, visibly shaken. The two people she mentioned were some of the most important figures in the world—the Brave and the Saintess.
The situation was simple and terrible: Alice, the Saintess, had gone missing. Karen, the Brave, told us to board first and went to search for her alone.
"I can't just stand here! I'm going to look for Ms. Alice too!"
Grace made up her mind in an instant. She was about to run off, but I grabbed her arm to stop her.
"Grace, don't. Do you want to make Karen angry?"
His Majesty, the Queen, and Grace's father—Duke Somart—had all warned us never to anger Karen. And after traveling with him, we understood why.
Karen wouldn't hurt us. Still, our food, lodging, and safety all depended on him. Ignoring his instructions wasn't an option.
"But I'm really worried about Miss Alice. She's so innocent… she might follow a stranger without thinking."
Tears welled at the corners of Grace's eyes. She was genuinely terrified for Alice.
I agreed with her. Alice was like a blank sheet of paper—no life experience, trusting whatever anyone told her.
I was worried too. After traveling together for half a month, it was impossible not to care. But all we could do was wait. I held Grace by the shoulders and spoke firmly.
"I know. But Karen will find her. Trust him."
"…Okay."
After calming her down, I kept staring in the direction Karen and Alice were supposed to return from.
The reason Karen told us to board first was simple: we couldn't waste the tickets. We weren't in our own country anymore. There was no family support here. We had to spend carefully.
As a merchant, I agreed with him. Saving the cost of five tickets whenever possible was just common sense. Karen had even told us to prepare for the possibility he wouldn't make it in time.
I checked the elegant pocket watch Karen had given me. 10:56. The ship departed at eleven, and there was still no sign of them.
Were they really not going to make it?
When I bought the tickets, I noticed the next sailing was the last one of the day, and seats were limited. If Karen couldn't get tickets, we'd have to reunite tomorrow.
Then a sailor shouted an announcement.
"Attention passengers! This ship is about to depart! Please stay clear of the masts and rigging. Thank you!"
I jerked my watch up again. 10:57. It wasn't even eleven yet—why?!
Grace flinched at the announcement and grabbed my sleeve.
"Mr. Jacob, are we leaving already?! But Mr. Karen and Miss Alice aren't back!"
"I know. But they can't delay the ship just for us. Karen said to meet at the port in Kenli. They'll catch the next one."
I had no idea if they actually could, but I needed Grace to calm down.
"…Sniff…"
The moment I finished, she started crying. Tears streamed down her face, turning her dignified, composed expression into that of a lost little girl.
Without thinking, I put my hand on her head and gently stroked her hair.
"It's okay. Don't cry. That is Karen. Alice will be fine."
The ship finally set sail. I didn't pull my hand away until Grace stopped crying.
Only then did it hit me what I'd done.
(What did I just do?! She's going to hate me!)
I'd touched a woman without permission. Completely improper.
Grace slowly let go of my clothes. Her face turned bright red, and she looked away.
…Was she angry? Had I really just made her hate me?
And Ethefelis had seen the entire thing. She hadn't said a word, but her eyes never left us. She probably thought I was some shameless flirt. A noble disgracing his family name…