On the dock, the ferry merchant eyed the young girl before him with slight suspicion, she wore standard Order attire, and her demeanor seemed out of place with her surroundings.
Everyone knew the Riccioli Islands had never been under the Order's jurisdiction. The islanders held deep prejudices against the Order, and proselytizing was strictly forbidden.
Hardly anyone from the Order would voluntarily go to that place.
Precisely because of this, when the merchant realized the speaker was a cleric, his tone couldn't help but carry a note of puzzlement and wariness.
"You, a member of the Order, going there? Aren't you aware... that people there aren't too fond of you?"
Phoebe lightly rubbed her cool fingertips. She pressed her lips together, then looked up after a moment, replying earnestly, "I know. But I have to go."
"Phoebe?"
A familiar voice sounded by her ear.
Phoebe looked up, slightly surprised to see the newcomer. "Mr. Ray?"
Ray smiled at her. "I just heard you're going to the Riccioli Islands?"
"Mm," Phoebe nodded gently. "The Order received reports that Cetus Whale has shown some unusual movements recently, so they sent me to investigate."
"Cetus Whale?" Upon hearing the name, Ray's brows immediately furrowed.
Phoebe noticed his reaction and quickly asked, "What's wrong, Mr. Ray? Do you have some clue?"
"Clue? Not exactly..." Ray let out a long sigh, spreading his hands helplessly. "More accurately, I nearly got killed by that thing."
"What?"
Phoebe's small mouth opened slightly, her face filled with shock and disbelief.
In her understanding, Cetus Whale was always regarded as a symbol of gentleness and peace in the ocean; she had hardly ever heard of it actively harming people.
But now, it attacked Mr. Ray?
"Th-that's impossible?" Phoebe lightly covered her lips, her voice tinged with obvious disbelief. "I've never heard of Cetus Whale hurting anyone."
"But that's exactly what happened," Ray said to her helplessly. "Does Phoebe think... I'm lying to you?"
"N-no! That's not it!" She quickly shook her head, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I was just... too surprised. Because something like this has never happened before."
Through their previous interactions, Phoebe had already developed absolute trust in Ray.
'Someone who would actively share pizza with me and thoughtfully prepare gifts for the orphanage children... how could he be a bad person?'
That was likely the simple line of thought in Phoebe's mind.
She then lowered her head, murmuring softly as if lost in thought, "If that's really the case... then it's even more imperative that I go."
Though her voice was soft, every word clearly reached Ray's ears. Before she could ask herself, he smiled and extended an invitation. "In that case, Phoebe, why don't we go together? It so happens Miss Carlotta gave me a long break, and I was planning to go to the Riccioli Islands to relax."
"Huh? Mr. Ray is going too?" Phoebe looked at him with slight surprise.
"Of course," Ray crossed his arms, a confident curve lifting the corner of his mouth. "I still have an unsettled score with that big guy..."
Hearing this, Phoebe immediately showed a worried expression, unconsciously tightening her grip on her staff. "M-Mr. Ray! There might be some misunderstanding... perhaps Cetus was forced? So, before we uncover the truth, could you... please not harm it?"
Seeing Phoebe's nearly pleading expression, Ray finally couldn't help but laugh. "What are you talking about? When did I say I'd kill it? I've heard the legends about Cetus Whale too. That it suddenly became abnormal, even thinking with your knees tells you there must be someone behind it. My target is to find out who's causing trouble."
Hearing this, Phoebe relaxed slightly, but then felt uneasy about her own misunderstanding. "So that's how it is... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have misunderstood you, Mr. Ray..."
"Ah, this is truly heartbreaking" Ray deliberately clutched his chest, putting on an expression of deep sorrow. "The kind, lovely Phoebe actually thinks I'm so brutal. Do I really seem that unreasonable in your heart?"
"No, no! Absolutely not!" Phoebe immediately panicked, waving her hands repeatedly, a trace of guilt flashing in her eyes. "I just... I just..."
Perhaps due to the unspoken suspicion in her heart, she stammered for a good while, unable to form a complete explanation, and could only stand there awkwardly, her cheeks gradually coloring with a blush.
"...I'm sorry."
Ray secretly observed her, thinking that if he teased her any further, she might really cry.
Though he did kind of want to see what Phoebe looked like when she cried. It might be quite cute too.
But... best to know when to stop.
"Alright, since Phoebe has apologized so sincerely," his tone softened as he smiled. "Then I forgive you."
"Really?" Phoebe abruptly lifted her head, the gloom in her eyes completely gone, replaced by a bright, sparkling light.
"Of course it's true. But..."
"But...?"
"I have a condition." Ray deliberately put on a stern face. "Next Pizza Day, I want Hot Sea Crown Pear Pizza."
"No way!"
Without any hesitation, Phoebe firmly refused his suggestion.
"There's no such pizza in Ragunna!"
Ray was startled by her sudden resoluteness.
He hadn't expected Phoebe to be so unyielding when it came to pizza.
"No matter what Mr. Ray says, I absolutely cannot agree to this 'heretical' food that goes against Ragunna's traditions!"
Phoebe puffed out her cheeks, her violet eyes unflinchingly meeting his, leaving no room for compromise.
"Anything but that! Any other condition, I can agree to!"
It has to be said, people in Ragunna are surprisingly persistent when it comes to protecting their traditions.
Ray rubbed his hair, tilting his head as he looked at her. "Really, any condition?"
"Mm, mm, mm!" Phoebe nodded earnestly again, her gaze sincere.
"Well then..."
Ray stroked his chin, carefully examining the girl before him, like a sheet of pure white paper, making one involuntarily want to... taint her.
"I'll take my time to think it over."
...
...
Near the docks, Carlotta held a cup of steaming coffee, quietly listening to her subordinate report on the Fasciaspina family's assets.
Suddenly, her gaze swept across the sea and settled on a ship preparing to depart in the distance, on its deck stood a figure she knew all too well.
'Is that...
Ray?
Where is he going?
Wait...
That girl next to him, is that the Order's Phoebe?
Why are they together!?'
.
.
.
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