Chapter 64
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 64
"What is it?"
"I think… I just saw someone I know. No, I’m sure it was his face, but there’s no way he could be here…"
"Someone you know? In the Navy? Who?"
At that, Mary pulled her gaze from the distance and looked at Vanessa. She studied her with a meaningful expression before slowly shaking her head.
"No, my lady. He’s not someone you would know."
Her answer seemed to preempt the question Vanessa hadn't voiced—the hope that she might have seen River Ross. Feeling a little embarrassed for no reason, Vanessa took a bite of chocolate and turned her gaze back to the river. Just as she had cleared about half the plate, Mary urgently gripped her elbow.
"If you aren't attending the ball, would you like to go to your cabin now? I have to see you inside and lock the door from the outside."
Mary looked incredibly anxious. She was biting her lip nervously, her entire demeanor radiating a desperate sense of hurry. Whoever she had seen was clearly very important to her.
Seeing her maid so distracted, Vanessa readily nodded.
"Alright. It would be best to get some rest."
"Then please, hurry."
Mary suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled, nearly making Vanessa drop the plate. The clatter of chocolates and grapes scattering across the floor seemed to finally snap Mary back to her senses.
Flustered, her face turned beet-red as she immediately dropped into a crouch. She began hastily gathering the fallen fruit and chocolates, trying to clean up her mess. Vanessa knelt beside her, calmly signaling a nearby crew member before pulling out a handkerchief to wipe Mary’s soiled hands.
"Calm down, Mary. It’s alright."
"You don't need to help, my lady. You'll only get your hands dirty."
Mary retorted coldly, then immediately let out a long sigh, as if regretting her sharp tone.
"…If you go to your cabin and wait, I’ll prepare your dinner so it isn’t late."
"Dinner is fine. What you brought me is more than enough."
"How can you be full on just chocolate and fruit? Besides, you spilled most of it. I heard the food in the banquet hall is delicious."
Truthfully, she had no appetite. The smells wafting from the banquet hall were either greasy enough to turn her stomach or heavy with overpowering spices.
She was more disappointed about her quiet moment being cut short than about the food. The gentle breeze on her cheeks, the powerful thrum of the propellers churning through the water, the night sky over the Oltempoze River so clear the stars looked ready to spill from it. She had even heard there would be fireworks on the deck later…
"Well then, let's go."
At Mary's urging, Vanessa handed the gathered grapes and chocolates to the crew member and hurried after her. Unlike when they had first arrived, the passageway to the cabins was now choked with a massive crowd. It seemed there was some confusion with foreigners over the third-class cabin assignments.
"Those shameless, damned Turthang bastards… I'm sorry, my lady."
Mary muttered the curses under her breath as she returned from assessing the situation.
"It looks like we'll have to take a detour. This is the fastest way, but if we go to the bow of the ship, there's a staircase reserved for first-class passengers."
"Will you be alright? If we do that, you'll have to walk all the way to the front and then come all the way back here alone."
"That's true, but…"
"Don't worry about it. You go on ahead. I can find the cabin by myself."
A shadow fell over Mary's freckled face. Her usual composure crumbled, leaving her looking utterly lost.
"I shouldn't have brought you here. If only I hadn't been so foolish, bragging about finding a good spot to watch the fireworks."
"I liked it here. There would have been too many eyes on the upper deck. It would have been hard to relax."
Vanessa smiled and patted Mary's elbow. Seeing her so distraught, Mary finally looked like a girl her own age, a stark contrast to the calm, worldly woman she usually appeared to be.
Biting her lip, Mary grabbed Vanessa's hand as if she’d made a decision. She pressed a round, golden medallion with a green ribbon into her palm.
"This is your boarding pass and cabin key. Cabins B32 and B33 are connected. If you go near the first-class section and show this to a crew member, they'll guide you straight there. Be careful not to lose it. And…"
Mary looked at Vanessa with hesitant eyes, but quickly shook her head.
"It's nothing. I'll see you in the cabin."
With that, Mary turned and squeezed into the dense crowd. The untied white ribbon of her apron brushed against people, dangling precariously close to the floor. Vanessa instinctively reached out to catch it, but Mary was already gone. She let her hand fall.
Is it really alright to let her go like that?
Though she was always a reliable maid, Mary seemed exceptionally fragile today. Vanessa stood staring at the spot where she had disappeared, a sense of unease creeping over her, when—Boom! The first firework exploded in the night sky.
I should hurry.
Now that the fireworks had started, people would swarm the deck. If she wanted to get back to her cabin, she had to move now. Vanessa walked briskly along the corridor that ran alongside the ship. Her pointed heels had been torture all day, and halfway there, her feet began to ache terribly, but she didn't slow her pace for a moment.
"May I see your boarding pass?"
The crew member guarding the staircase looked startled by her sudden appearance, as if no one had used the gate since the voyage began.
"Here it is."
Vanessa held out the medallion Mary had given her. After inspecting it carefully, the crew member offered a warm smile and opened the gate. He thoughtfully offered her his hand, warning that the deck was slippery from the sea spray.
On the deck, the ball was in full swing. Laughter mingled with the summer night, accompanied by the light patter of feet dancing the waltz and melodies woven by finely tuned instruments. A magnificent tower of champagne flutes stood tall, and as a bottle was popped, the sparkling wine cascaded down from the top like a waterfall.
She was momentarily captivated by the opulent sight when the crew member who had checked her pass hurried over to her.
"Lady Rosalyn?"
At first, Vanessa didn't realize he was calling her. It was only when he gently tapped her shoulder that she registered it.
"Lady Rosalyn."
"Are you speaking to me?"
He must have checked the passenger manifest and mistaken her for Rosalyn. Before she could explain, he rushed to deliver his message.
"I have just received word that an issue has arisen in cabins B32 and B33. For safety and maintenance reasons, we must ask you to vacate them immediately."
"An issue with the cabins? So suddenly?"
"I cannot disclose the details, but I assure you on the honor of the SS Bellus, it is not a serious defect. However, there are minor inconveniences that may affect your stay, and it will take some time to resolve."
"Then could I go in for just a moment to retrieve my belongings? All of my clothes are in there."
"I am terribly sorry, but for your safety, that is not permitted. Our crew will transfer your luggage as soon as a new cabin is prepared."
Vanessa could only blink, baffled by the sudden turn of events. Was there even a vacant cabin to move to? She had heard that every single cabin, down to third class, had been sold out to recoup the ship's construction costs.
"Then when will the new cabin be ready?"
"I cannot give you a definitive answer at this time. If you would enjoy the ball in the meantime, we will make the arrangements as quickly as possible. We appreciate your understanding, my lady."
As the crew member bowed deeply, the curious glances from other guests grew more blatant. Flustered, Vanessa quickly ended the conversation and slipped into the crowd of onlookers.
What do I do now?
Her head spun. Her plans were in chaos, and now everyone was staring at her. First, she had to find Rosalyn and tell her what was happening. Then she needed to leave a message for Mary, who would be looking for her. And before she was caught, she had to get the copy of the will…
She was frantically trying to figure out her next move when a shadow fell over her, blocking her path. She looked up.
"Vanessa."
The first thing she saw was a pristine white naval dress uniform, buttoned neatly to the throat.