Tell Me the Answer (1)
"Even if it's the Isthan Kingdom or the Valtor Empire."
Arhen found herself staring blankly at Edward's face.
There was no bluff or exaggeration in that face as he spat out words tantamount to a declaration of war.
It was just calm, as if stating an obvious fact.
Arhen lowered her gaze.
Come to think of it, he'd been a strange guy from the moment they met.
She still remembered that day she was kidnapped by pirates with crystal clarity.
The shock of being thrown onto the frigid deck, the shouts tearing at her ears, the fishy stench of blood stinging her nose.
Memories of near-death were like that.
No matter how hard you tried to erase them, they stuck to your retinas with vivid sharpness.
So she remembered that hand, too.
The hand that reached out with an utterly nonchalant expression. The face looking at her indifferently, as if it were no big deal.
Back then, of course, it had terrified her.
Wasn't it natural to be scared? Not only had she been captured by pirates, but now another pirate was extending a hand. By Arhen's standards, she deserved praise just for not bursting into tears.
Her father had said something like that.
'The outside world is full of bad people, Arhen.'
It was a memory from her very early childhood.
Yeah, Father was right.
Pirates really were evil and terrifying. Even a princess ignorant of the world could tell, having experienced it firsthand.
But.
When she took his hand, her heart strangely settled.
It wasn't cold or hot—just a normal temperature. Nothing special, just an ordinary hand, and yet in that moment, her breathing evened out. Her hunched shoulders slowly relaxed.
Arhen couldn't understand it for a long time.
He was a pirate, just like the ones who'd kidnapped her, so why did he make her feel so different? It was incomprehensible.
Looking back now, maybe it was because he had no malice.
Of course, everything after that had been a string of baffling events.
When she couldn't adapt to ship life and could barely stand, Edward silently handed her some herbs.
No "take this" or "you okay?"—just handed them over. But she'd clearly seen him talking to that tiny girl crewmate. He must have pulled some strings.
It was the same when he paid off that shop owner's tab earlier.
No fanfare, just slapped down the money like it was nothing and turned away. The owner was grateful, but Edward just waved him off irritably. And though she didn't know the full details, Arhen had grasped that he was trying to protect this village.
Having received much affection in her life, Arhen knew there were types of kindness.
Kindness with ulterior motives, and kindness with no strings attached.
Edward's was clearly the latter.
Wasn't it ridiculous?
Pirates were the kind who stole everything, even lives, without hesitation.
Yet with this man, she had no memories of loss—only of receiving.
Arhen found herself staring intently at Edward again.
His face was still expressionless. Hard to believe it was the same guy who'd just casually declared war on kingdoms and empires—he looked like his usual indifferent self.
"Got it?"
He asked with a fierce grin.
That was weird, too.
Arhen furrowed her brow.
'No, pirates are bad. Father said so.'
Her mouth felt bitter somehow, but she shook her head.
Lost in deep thought for a while, she ended up just nodding silently.
What the hell was this from the morning?
"What now?"
"What do you mean, what?"
I'd just woken up, taken a refreshing piss, stretched, and then Arhen came over.
She sighed heavily as she looked at the courtyard of my lodgings. What was this first thing in the morning?
Our places weren't that far apart, sure, but still.
I knew she was crashing at that auntie's house across the way.
So this meant she'd come looking for me specifically. No way...
"You little shit, couldn't hold it in and went blabbing about the navy again—"
"—Forget that. It's pointless anyway."
Arhen brushed past me indifferently.
Tch, not that then?
She stopped in front of the clothesline.
Then she started gathering my clothes.
With practiced hands, she took them all down and headed somewhere—there was a washbasin there. Probably brought it herself.
She hiked up what looked like an expensive skirt in front of it.
Revealing her snow-white legs.
Then squelch, squelch.
She dumped all the laundry into the water-filled basin and started stomping on it with her feet.
"You can tell you did a half-assed job, right?"
She narrowed her eyes as she trampled my dirty clothes.
They'd get filthy again soon anyway. Who has time to scrub every stain?
More importantly.
"What the fuck are you doing?"
"Can't you tell?"
Fuck if I know.
Why the hell did you come over out of nowhere to do my laundry?
When I asked, she answered.
"...Just, you know. Saw it while taking a walk. Consider it thanks and a courtesy."
"Bullshit."
"Do thorns grow in your mouth if you don't curse?"
After snapping back, Arhen silently kept stomping.
Well, if she's offering, I'm not complaining.
I squatted down next to her.
"Princesses do this kinda shit?"
"Yeah, I secretly learned from the maids."
She answered my question casually.
"That okay?"
"I watched the maids and wanted to try. Looked fun. Got scolded by Father, of course."
Indeed, the rofan heroine. Full of life skills.
Soon she squatted down like me and started wringing the wet clothes hard with both hands.
"Stains like this need to be scrubbed by hand. Just soaking won't cut it."
Arhen puffed up proudly as she said it.
"See? Clean now, right?"
It was definitely cleaner.
"Yeah."
"And when wringing, grab both ends and twist hard in opposite directions."
Huh. Common knowledge.
Water poured out as she twisted.
"Hey, can I ask you something too?"
Arhen continued while squeezing out the water.
"What."
"Just curious why you're doing pirate stuff."
What a pointless question.
I stood up abruptly, crossed my arms, and answered.
"It's romantic, ain't it?"
"...Huh?"
Arhen tilted her head blankly.
I grinned and pointed my chin at the distant horizon.
"Pirating means finding treasure sometimes. Plus, you can go wherever the fuck you want, do whatever. Ain't that the dream every guy's had at least once?"
"Simpler than I thought."
"Simple's the easiest on the mind."
"Is it?"
She fell silent for a bit.
"Yeah, maybe."
Then she started hanging the clean laundry back up.
Looked like she was deep in thought.
"So, ever found any treasure?"
Hmm.
I instinctively averted my eyes.
"Someday, while sailing, the time'll come."
"Pfft—what's that? Sounds like you wouldn't lose out not being a pirate."
"Nah. That day will come."
Yeah, it definitely will.
No matter if this is just some rofan world, there has to be treasure hidden somewhere.
My eyes were fixed on the endless ocean stretching out.
"When our crew reaches the end of that sea, there'll surely be a great treasure no one could imagine." Gotta have dreams like that, or the world's fucking boring.
She let out a soft sigh at my confident tone.
"Groundless fantasy."
"Fuck off, you here to pick a fight?"
"Nope?"
Then why the smug grin?
Still, better than her cowering in fear.
After that, silence again.
Arhen stretched after finishing the laundry and turned away.
"Ugh—I'm heading out."
"Yeah." "Wash 'em properly next time, got it?" "You my mom?" "Jeez, talk nicer."
Honestly, it was kinda awkward. We're not the type to chit-chat like this.
I wasn't the sort to awkwardly say thanks, but sending her off like nothing gnawed at my conscience.
I scratched the back of my head watching her back as she walked away.
Then took a short deep breath and yelled loudly.
"Hey, Arhen!"
"...Gah, you scared me! Why yell like that!!"
Arhen flinched, shoulders jumping.
"Thought my heart was gonna drop out!"
I gave her a slight smirk.
"As thanks, I'll make you a promise."
I said.
"I'll get you home for sure."
She stopped at my words.
"I'll send you back to where you belong."
I'd planned to anyway, but figured I'd take credit for it.
Makes it feel like the debt's settled.
Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly.
"...Uh, yeah. Thanks."
She nodded with a suspicious look.
Shouldn't she be jumping for joy?
What an odd girl.