Sea Monster Stew Chapter 18

“…Sorry.”

As if the apology was quite unexpected, the woman, who had been curled up crying, opened her eyes wide and looked up at him.

“What…?”

“Sorry. I handled you roughly. I should have stopped when you said you didn’t like it, but I acted like a beast.”

“……”

“…Should I get you some clothes or something?”

“No…”

She sniffled and shook her head.

“Then what do you want me to do?”

“Well… I’d like to wash up a bit… but my back hurts too much to walk.”

‘She’s blushing bright red, yet she can still stammer out what she wants just fine,’ he thought. 

 

Kisa smirked and wrapped the woman’s white body in the blanket, picking her up.

 

The woman, who had hurriedly wiped away her tear stains, put on a stern face and slapped his bare chest.

“Just because you’re taking me to the bath doesn’t mean I forgive you! Understood?”

Though it was absurd that he’d already been hit twice by her, Kisa just responded with a hearty laugh.

As Kisa stepped into the passage leading to Hildert’s private bath, the woman pouted her lips and leaned her limp body against his chest.

“…Still, it is a bit surprising. I never thought I’d hear the word “sorry” from your mouth… My master did this to me and didn’t even offer a single apology… Of course, it’s only right that you should be sorry to me, so it’s not like I’m moved by your apology. Got it?”

“You. Do you chatter this much in front of Vice-Captain Hildert too?”

“Trying to force yourself on a woman you like! Do that again and I’ll kick your thing to bits.”

“So I’m asking, can you chatter like this in front of the Vice-Captain? Do you think I’m a pushover?”

“Honestly, you do seem a bit simple.”

“You little pip-squeak.”

While they bickered, the two arrived at Hildert’s private bath. 

 

Kisa carefully lowered the woman, still wrapped in the blanket, into the bath, which was half-filled with Meltingshu. 

 

The woman, who let out a pained sound as she leaned against the wall, looked at him suspiciously as he plopped down casually in front of the bath.

“Don’t sit there looking at me. Turn around.”

“We’ve already seen everything there is to see, why be shy now?”

“Hurry up!”

“Tch, as the lady commands.”

Kisa imitated a servant’s tone he’d picked up somewhere and turned his back to the bath. 

 

Leaning against the soaking wet bath edge, he listened to the splashing sounds coming from behind him. 

 

He could hear the sound of her body brushing against the water’s surface, accompanied by soft breaths.

“…So, you. What’s your name, anyway?”

Kisa, who had been enjoying the sounds she made with his eyes closed, slowly opened his eyelids.

“You wouldn’t tell me your name five years ago either.”

“…Did I?”

“So? Have you decided to reveal your name now?”

He felt her tugging playfully on a few strands of his hair. Kisa hesitated for a moment before muttering.

“…Muir.”

“Muir? Your name is Muir?”

Kisa let out a hollow laugh, amused by the answer he himself had given.

“Yeah. And what’s your name?”

“Quick to ask, aren’t you? So it was all a lie that you were following me around because you had a crush on me?”

“…It wasn’t a lie.”

“I’m Biche. Finally exchanging names, Muir.”

Biche twisted a few strands of Kisa’s hair as she murmured. 

 

After a moment of silence, she moved a little closer to him.

“You know, Muir. Where are you from? I’m from the Helio Empire.”

The name of a familiar country popped out of Biche’s mouth. Kisa thought, ‘Came from a damn far place…’ and roughly uttered a name that came to mind.

“The Freyden Kingdom.”

“Freyden?”

“Yeah.”

Kisa, who had been chewing on his lip, was startled by the warm warmth he felt on the nape of his neck. 

 

He stiffly turned his neck to glance back. He saw the emerald water surface rippling gently with her movements.

Biche was resting her forehead against the nape of his neck, breathing shallowly. 

 

Only when he heard a small sniffle did Kisa, who had been tense, realize she was crying.

“…Crying again?”

“…You… It’s not because I like you that I’m telling you this… It’s just that, annoyingly, you’re the only person in this castle I can really talk to… You have to remember that…”

Biche stammered out her words while holding tightly onto Muir’s shoulder. Though she pretended otherwise to save face, her heart ached at his actions—admitting his fault and apologizing so quickly. 

 

In all her years living as a pirate’s possession, this was a first.

Had she ever received a sincere apology from anyone while living here? Perhaps because her mind and body were weakened, just the fact that someone was by her side made her tension ease. 

 

The difficult years when she had no one to rely on seeped out in her tears.

“Why are you crying? What did I do wrong this time? I was just sitting here quietly!”

Muir, unable to properly look back at or touch her naked body, hesitated and broke out in a cold sweat. 

 

Biche shook her head silently and buried her face in his shoulder blade.

 

She cried as if pouring out all the resentment she had held back for so many years. 

 

For the first time, leaning against someone’s warm body heat, she let out her true feelings.

 

It was ridiculous. 

 

She couldn’t pull away from the man’s warmth. She couldn’t lift her head. 

 

At this moment, she desperately needed Muir’s solidness and warmth.

“…Ouch.”

Her back, which she had slightly twisted, throbbed again. 

 

As the pain she had momentarily forgotten returned belatedly, her highly sensitized body began to reject the heat of the Meltingshu. 

 

All the bruised spots stung, and her overworked back prickled with pain.

“I want to get out… Muir. Close your eyes for a bit.”

“Getting out already?”

“Ugh… I can’t get up… Ouch!”

The moment she tried to put strength into getting up, her whole body stiffened rigidly. 

 

She hadn’t done anything particularly strenuous, but her back hurt sharply. 

 

As she toppled into the water with a splash, Muir turned around in alarm.

“What?!”

“Kyaah! I told you not to look!”

Muir’s body was soaked by the water Biche splashed. 

 

He blinked, water droplets dripping from him. She slapped his thick arm.

“Turn around!”

“…Yes…”

Muir turned his body slowly with a dazed expression. It seemed he was stunned by the sudden splash of water.

Biche glared at him, grumbling, as she washed her body. Fortunately, Muir never turned around to look.

 

 

* * * 

 

 

The reason Hawk urgently sought Hildert was, contrary to his hopes, not so simple. 

 

An order had come down to go eliminate some insignificant pests who had dared to set foot in the Crocus Pirates’ territory.

Just getting to the distant sea would take two days. 

 

Thanks to that, Hildert finished preparations for departure, suppressing the lingering aftereffects of his lust.

Until he left the room, Biche lay on the bed as if dead, showing no movement. Although he had assigned familiars to her, he was worried whether she would remain ‘alive and well’ while he was gone.

Just as he was thinking he should increase surveillance before leaving, the castle librarian approached him carrying a thick book as large as his own torso.

 

“Lord Hildert.”

“What is it?”

“I found the records you mentioned last time. It seems it’s an old record; it was in the deepest part of the archives.”

The librarian carefully placed the book, dusted off roughly, on the table.

“Records related to the Helio Empire slave traders… probably… page 91…”

The pages fluttered as they turned. Hildert scowled heavily at the dust floating in the air.

“Here it is.”

The librarian slowly read the description written under the second table.

“12th of September, Year 1498 of the Dawon Calendar. Slave ship departing from the Helio Empire was ambushed by the combined forces of the Nile, 3rd, and 6th ships. 13th of September, same year. Secured 38 human slaves and 24 monster slaves. 37 civilians released. 11 monstrous-type monsters classified as dangerous were beheaded…”

“…It says only 37 were released. What about the remaining one?”

 

“It says they were brought to Karabas… Ah, it must be the Vice-Captain’s assistant, right?”

Hildert frowned. 

 

Captain Hawk enjoyed rescuing civilians captured on slave ships. 

 

It was strange that Hawk, who loved playing the hero, hadn’t released Biche.

‘Could it be that the Captain also knows that Biche has monster blood running through her?’

Even so, Hawk’s actions still didn’t make sense. 

 

Captain Hawk looked down on monsters no less than Kisa did. 

 

If he had known Biche was a half-breed monster, he would surely have beheaded her on the spot.

Hildert examined the records in the book closely. 

 

Under the list detailing the number of captured monster slaves and the inventory of spoils, a few lines of notes were written. 

 

As Hildert read the words carefully, his gaze grew cold.

「Discovered Arcobicche, granddaughter of Duke Akstain, among the slave group.

The necklace Arcobicche possessed is presumed to be a family heirloom. Planned to send it to the Ducal house to inform them we have the granddaughter, but failed due to Kisa’s intervention. Necklace returned to Arcobicche.
Requested to exchange the Duke’s granddaughter for 3rd Ship officers captured by the Imperial army, but Duke Akstain refused the trade.

Upon transport to the Karabas Pirate Archipelago, obtained information that Arcobicche is the illegitimate child of Duke Akstain’s youngest daughter and a slave.

It is presumed Duke Akstain handed his granddaughter over to the slave ship and fabricated the kidnapping incident.」