Sea Monster Stew – Chapter 57

Author: Dakku-san

Biche stared wide-eyed at Kisa’s face on the wanted poster.

Without her noticing, the atmosphere in the room had shifted strangely.

The memory of the intimate dream scene made her cheeks burn hot.

“What the…?”

She was roughly rubbing her hot cheeks when she heard heavy footsteps and turned her head.

The sound of steps ascending the stone staircase echoed from beyond the door.

It seemed like it might be a maid bringing breakfast, but then she heard another set of footsteps following.

The sound of the guards stopping their chatter and hurriedly straightening up followed shortly after.

“Your Grace!”

“Open the door.”

The moment Biche heard the Duke’s voice, she flinched and stepped back.

Unexpectedly, the door swung open.

Duke Akstain crossed the threshold with his characteristically unhurried, elegant gait.

A guard who had rushed in pulled a wooden chair out from the old table.

Without a word, the Duke entered the room and sat in that chair.

A maid followed him in, placing a tray on the table bearing a silver bowl, utensils, a small piece of bread, and a cup of water.

The silver bowl was filled with steaming stew.

After the soldier and maid retreated to the doorway, the Duke quietly gestured with his eyes to the spot opposite him.

Biche bit her lip hard and sat down across from him.

“What brings you here so early in the morning?”

“…I heard you’ve been neglecting your meals lately.”

The Duke fiddled with his cane and stared straight at Biche.

“What man would welcome a bride in such a sorry state? Eat up.”

He pushed the bowl of stew toward Biche, who was biting her lip firmly.

Large chunks of meat floated buoyantly, submerged in the rich broth.

The smell of fish, grease, and a faintly familiar scent of the sea filled the room.

“It’s a dish your future husband suggested. I heard he quite liked meat stew when you were his assistant?”

“…What?”

“He’s already looking after his wife so diligently. It seems this old man won’t have to worry after he sends you off to be married.”

“What are you talking about? Married…?”

It took Biche a long moment to process the Duke’s words.

Her wide eyes blinked slowly for a second before she gasped in shock and shot up from her seat.

“Don’t tell me Hildert…!”

“He sent a letter of proposal.”

The Duke gave a slight snort and leaned back comfortably into the chair.

“Though he may be of lowly pirate origin, he is now a Marquis who has received a title and territory from His Majesty the Emperor. He’s not an unworthy man to be the husband of a Duke’s daughter.”

“Stop talking nonsense. Hildert is…”

“He proposed even though he knows you’re a half-breed.”

Biche slumped back into the chair as if her strings had been cut, her shoulders slumping.

She was terrified by Hildert’s obsession, his determination to finally reclaim the assistant who had escaped him.

“A proposal? That’s impossible. That guy… he utterly despises me…”

“Not exactly. He accepted my suggestion to send a proposal quite readily.”

Of course. Hildert had merely complied with the Duke’s request.

Biche gritted her teeth and glared at the Duke’s impassive face.

“What did you promise Hildert in return?”

“In exchange, my trade ships can now safely use the sea routes he controls.”

“…So you plan to sell me off to a pirate.”

“It works out well for me. After all, there’s no one in this noble society willing to take a girl tainted with monster blood.”

He had decided it was more beneficial to gain safe trade routes and throw his granddaughter to a privateer than to keep her locked in a tower for life.

Biche lowered her gaze to the stew with its floating pieces of meat. Contrary to Hildert’s belief, she didn’t particularly like such greasy meat stew.

It was true, however, that she had gotten especially excited when stew was served as a special meal in the servants’ dining hall.

During her constantly hungry life as an assistant, those were the only times she had a chance to eat meat.

“I can’t marry him.”

Biche leaned back and shook her head firmly.

As if he couldn’t understand her, the Duke furrowed his brow and tilted his head.

“Do you think I came here to ask for your opinion?”

“…No. You must be here to inform me of the marriage.”

“Good, you understand.”

Biche closed her eyes tightly, quietly suppressing her rage.

She reached behind her back and unconsciously fiddled with Hildert’s brand.

‘Why? Just why? Why would someone who never stopped despising me as a half-breed now try to reclaim me, even offering the position of his wife? What am I to him?’

‘Did he think that to kill me in the most painful way possible, he first needs to get me back in his grasp?’

Biche fiddled with the branded back and bit her lip hard.

Her frantically pounding heart slowly calmed. As her thoughts settled, her mind rapidly grew calm.

Maybe this was for the best. Let’s turn this crisis into an opportunity. It’s better than being locked in a tower for life.

The situation was progressing too rapidly to simply wait for Commander Orca to rescue Calante and Fui and come back to the tower for her.

Using the brief moment of being taken to Hildert might be the last chance she would get.

“…Fine. But on one condition.”

Biche slowly opened her eyes and nodded.

“Release Calante and Fui… my friends… into the sea, set them free.”

“Why should I? They are very useful hostages, ensuring you behave.”

“Sooner or later… the moment I’m handed over to Hildert, I’ll be in a position where I can neither escape nor defy him anyway.”

“So, you think you won’t need hostages anymore?”

The Duke’s gaze fell to the meat stew in the bowl, more precisely, to the pieces of meat floating in it.

He stared intently at the meat for a moment, as if lost in thought, then raised one corner of his mouth and slowly shook his head.

“…I’m sorry, but it’s already too late.”

Biche frowned and lifted her head slightly.

“What do you mean? What do you mean, ‘too late’?”

“I sent those two monsters to Hildert’s territory at dawn.”

“Wh-what?”

“Now the one who needs to control you is not this old man, but your husband, isn’t he?”

The Duke slowly rose from his seat, a venomous smile playing on his lips.

“Who knows? If you faithfully perform your wifely duties, perhaps he might set those monsters free.”

He looked Biche’s thin body up and down with open dissatisfaction.

“You don’t strike me as the type of seductress who could bewitch a man in bed… but well, why not try for your friends’ sake?”

Biche let out a hollow laugh without realizing it.

‘Seduce Hildert in bed? Wasn’t he the man who she was sure would never embrace her, a half-breed like her?’

Marriage was merely a convenient means for him to easily reclaim his escaped assistant.

Rather than invading the Duke’s lands and risking his position as a privateer, he chose the legitimate method of securing sea routes and receiving a dowry.

Taking a certain amount of loss was very much like Hildert.

But it seemed unlikely he would go so far as to physically mix with the half-breed he so despised.

“The wedding will take place on Hildert’s pirate ship. At first light tomorrow morning, you will depart for his territory, so prepare yourself for the journey.”

“……”

“Make sure to eat all your meals. You’re too thin; it’s unsightly.”

Without another word, the Duke left the room.

The soldier closed the door and left as well.

Only the maid remained at the door, staring intently at Biche.

Biche glared back at her with a weary expression.

“Why are you still here?”

“The Duke ordered me to stay and watch until the young lady empties the bowl clean.”

A stubborn look spread across the young maid’s face, as if she had no intention of leaving the room before Biche finished her meal.

Biche glared at her for a moment, then sighed and picked up the utensils.

Right. First, fill my stomach and gather my strength.

That’s the only way I’ll find a way to save Calante and Fui.