Sea Monster Stew Chapter 10

Biche, already accustomed to the familiars’ cruel nature, deftly changed the subject.

 

“But why did you talk to me all of a sudden?”

 

“Huh?”

“You used to ignore me even when our eyes met in Admiral Moose’s study.“

 

“…That’s because the Boatswain always has you wrapped up… Tch.”

 

The familiar, who had been pouting for a moment, ran off down the corridor, shouting, ‘It’s nothing!’ Biche watched the familiar disappear into the distance and tilted her head in confusion.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“What was that woman doing? Gooru.”

“She was just staring blankly out the window.”

“Out the window…? That’s all?”

“Yep. That’s all.”

“Hmm…”

Kisa stroked the head of the one-eyed familiar who had returned from its errand and fell into thought. 

 

‘Why was she looking out the window? What was outside? Outside was the view of the town beyond the fortress, the sky… the harbor… the sea…’

“…The sea?”

‘Does she want to escape from here?’ That complicates things. 

 

Kisa mulled over Captain Hawk’s order and cursed roughly.

“Damn it!”

“Ah! Why are you shouting all of a sudden!”

The familiar slapped Kisa’s giant hide with its fern-like hand. 

 

Hidden inside the hide, Kisa felt no pain, not even a sting, but since a child familiar had hit him, it was his adult duty to at least pretend it hurt.

“For someone so small, you’ve got quite a sharp hand, Gooru.”

“I know it doesn’t hurt at all. Don’t pretend it does, and don’t treat me like a kid either.”

Kisa was left speechless by the familiar’s brazen response. 

 

Just as he was about to turn away, saying, “Let’s not talk,” Gooru grabbed one of his legs tightly.

“Oh, right! Now that I think of it, the Boatswain’s assistant also said something else.”

“What did she say?”

“She said she wonders what other people do in the town at this time.”

“Other people? Why would she be curious about that?”

“Ugh, are you stupid, Admiral? The Boatswain’s assistant hasn’t set a single foot outside the fortress since she was brought here! So it makes sense she’d be curious about how ordinary people spend their free time!”

Kisa scratched his head and pondered Gooru’s words. How would he, a pirate, know how ordinary people spend their leisure time?

His gaze, lost in thought, dropped downwards. Gooru, sensing his unspoken plea for help, looked at him with pity.

“Hey, Admiral Kisa! I’m a demon summoned from hell! I don’t know what ordinary humans do at this time either! If you really want to know, go ask Master Moose!”

“Gooru. Moose isn’t an ordinary woman; she’s a pirate and a witch.”

“If you keep yapping, should I go tell the Boatswain that you’re pestering his assistant?”

“Who’s pestering whom?!”

“Men, I swear! Hmph!”

“This little… There’s nothing this tiny thing won’t say.”

Kisa looked at Gooru with mixed feelings as the familiar spouted precocious words unbefitting its childlike form. If this continued, the odds were high this little demon would blab to someone and ruin things. He had to shut Gooru up quickly.

“Hey, Gooru. About today’s matter…”

“I won’t tell anyone, you idiot! But if you drag our Master Moose into your lover’s spat, I won’t let it slide! I mean it!”

Gooru yelled angrily and scurried off towards Moose’s study. Kisa gritted his teeth in frustration.

“Lover’s spat? Me? With that assistant from a slave background?”

Because of his damn godfather, he was hearing all sorts of nonsense from a familiar. He barely suppressed his anger, letting out an angry snort.

“Curious about the lives of people outside the fortress? Or does she just want to go outside? Or maybe she wants to leave this country altogether…”

Kisa roughly calculated Hildert’s expected return date. Even at the earliest, he wouldn’t arrive at the main fortress until tomorrow afternoon.

The only chance for the woman to slip outside the fortress unnoticed was tonight. In other words, it was also Kisa’s only chance to win her favor.

‘But it’ll be troublesome if we go into the streets and run into a crewman who recognizes her face…’

Kisa returned to his guest room, nursing a headache.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The blue fabric of a high-quality robe fluttered into Biche’s field of vision.

“Put this on and come somewhere with me.”

Biche stared blankly at the ash-haired man who practically threw the robe onto the bed.

He shows up in Hildert’s bedroom again, and all he has to say is ‘come somewhere with me’? He was truly an unfathomable man.

“Go where?”

“Outside the fortress. You haven’t been outside since you came here, right?”

“What? Are you crazy? How can I go out without Hildert’s permission?”

“There are ways, stupid. Stop talking and just put the clothes on. If you go out dressed like that, the crew will spot you immediately.”

Biche unconsciously glanced towards the door. She was afraid Hildert would return earlier than scheduled and yank that door open.

“Don’t worry. The Boatswain has gone on an expedition to the east,” the ash-haired man reassured her.

“Really? I hadn’t heard that.”

“I saw him leaving in a hurry after receiving a summons from Captain Hawk.”

Biche stared at the offered robe with conflicted eyes. Frankly, the man’s offer was very tempting.

It had already been five years since she was brought to Karabas. 

 

In all that time, she had never once stepped outside those high fortress walls.

But it was awkward to follow him so readily after having shooed him away before. 

 

She was also afraid of being caught going outside and incurring Hildert’s wrath. Yet the temptation was overwhelming.

‘If I’m lucky, I might even find an escape route to the sea.’

After pretending to hesitate for a moment, she quietly took the robe and put it on. 

 

Her anticipation for her first outing was too great to ignore his offer. The man gestured towards the large hood attached to the robe.

“Try not to take the hood off.”

“Why?”

“Admirals’ familiars are swarming outside the fortress too. If you don’t want your identity discovered by one that knows your face, you’d better do as I say.”

“Alright.”

“Good. Hold on tight.”

“Eeek!”

Despite his earnest warning to hold on tight, he slung her over his shoulder and fearlessly leaped out the window. Biche gripped his clothes tightly and squeezed her eyes shut.

Although the cold night air whipped her cheeks, she didn’t feel the sensation of rapid descent. With trembling hands, she twisted his clothes and cautiously opened her eyes.

A dark blue night sky unfolded before her. The man had placed her on top of a giant bird.

“W-what is this…?”

Biche stared in shock at the bird with its wings spread wide. 

 

It blinked glassy eyes like a stuffed specimen. Its torso sank inward each time a foot pressed down on it. It felt like standing on a hollow, stuffed doll covered in hide.

“Be careful.”

The ash-haired man wrapped a thick arm around Biche’s waist. Then, with one arm, he pulled her tightly against his body.

Biche stared blankly at the thick forearm encircling her waist. The contact felt so natural it was astounding.

“I’ve heard that Admiral Moose’s lovers are all masters of romance; seems it wasn’t an exaggeration.”

 

“What?”

“Don’t just hug me without permission.”

The man looked down at Biche, who was pushing him away, and let out a hollow laugh.

“…Suit yourself. Don’t blame me if you fall.”

Biche watched him turn his head away and stifled a laugh. The robe’s hood couldn’t hide his reddened ears. 

 

His ears turning red when he felt embarrassed was just like five years ago.

“So, where are we going?”

“We’re going to the capital of Karabas.”

The man answered, pressing his foot down firmly on the bird’s head. The place the giant bird flew over the night sky to was above the capital’s night market. People bustled between buildings topped with colorful roofs.

Even in the middle of the night, carriages frequently traversed the streets. A pleasant bustle filled the streets, thanks to the many people out enjoying the night.

The bright faces of the people, their lively and joyful steps, the boisterous chatter. The dazzling array of goods filling every shop. 

 

The savory and sweet smells wafting from all around.

It was so clean and beautiful it was hard to believe this was truly a pirate nation. 

 

Biche stared blankly at the glittering streets, then turned her head to look at the man.

His face, half-hidden by the robe hood, was tinted with colorful lights. The jawline she had thought was slender looked quite masculine from this angle.

‘He definitely still had a boyish look five years ago…’

Sensing her gaze fixed on his face, the man frowned with his thick eyebrows and glanced down at her.

“What?”

“You… you look really pretty right now,” Biche murmured without thinking. “You’re so… shiny.”

At her offhand comment, the man’s face turned bright red. A vein bulged on his thick neck.

“P-pretty?! To a man?! Are you out of your mind?!”

“What’s the big deal? Are there specific words for men and women?”

The man fumed for a while, then kicked the bird’s neck. 

 

The giant bird, which had been flapping its wings in place, swiftly flew towards the dark blue sea. Biche looked down at the multicolored, glowing town with a bewildered expression.

“Aren’t we going down to the town?”

“We’re not going down. We’re heading straight to a seaside village further away.”

The man gestured towards the sea, stepping firmly on the bird’s neck. 

 

His words were a bolt from the blue for Biche, who had been excited at the prospect of sightseeing.

“Why aren’t we going down? It’s so pretty and vibrant down there.”

“It’s not that we aren’t going down; we can’t. What if we run into a familiar that knows your face while wandering the streets?”

“Aww… I was looking forward to it…”

“The night streets are crawling with pirate crewmen, fortress soldiers, and hirelings out drinking. The fortress’s head butler is probably dead drunk around there somewhere.”

The man pointed with his finger towards a corner of the street where red lights clustered.

“Where is that?”

“It’s the district where the taverns are concentrated. Wait, turn that way.”

Although he acted annoyed, he answered each of Biche’s questions diligently, then pressed down on the bird’s head again. The bird immediately slowed its flight speed.