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Don’t worry because I’m here.
The sentence that Cesare spit out came very awkwardly. Was this the feeling of the great bond he spoke of? It was a strange feeling, but she didn’t hate it.
“Does that mean you can solve everything with money?”
“Well, that’s not wrong, but rather than that, it means that you can use my magic or limbs.”
Cesare, who seemed to be lost in thought as he swept his chin, slowly turned his back.
“Come to think of it, you don’t know how to use me yet. At the end of the trip, I will teach you how to use the devils and monsters that belong to me. Miss Catherine will learn quickly.”
After their conversation, the three of them went to their rooms.
Even if she pretended not to, she couldn’t hide her excitement.
People waving their hands in the distance. The piercing sound of a trumpet, the sound of the sea, and the enthusiasm of the passengers all passed through the thick walls. After staring at the harbor through the window for a moment, Catherine stood up.
‘It feels very different from the day I left OrlĂ©ans.’
First, Catherine entered the bathroom to use the powder Cesare had given her. If she has to compare her mansion to the theme of the bathroom on the ship—. No, it was as glamorous as the bathroom of OrlĂ©ans.
「Let’s just live here for the rest of our lives. It’s a thousand times better than Catherine’s house.」
“I know. This is the taste of money. You can even see the sea from the window.”
「Catherine’s depravity is now in an instant now that you know the taste of money. They say that when people taste money, they change.」
“Where in the world do you hear that?”
「Here and there!」
The furniture exhibition schedule starts exactly at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Catherine, who had dozens of times in her head in case she might forget, put water with powdered medicine in a sink and wet her head and body as Cesare told her to. The result was a great success.
「Who is this? Is this really Catherine?」
Not only Meow, but Catherine was also surprised. Her skin had darkened to the point where it could be seen in her eyes, and her hair had turned a yellow blonde. Her eyes were the same cobalt blue as Cesare’s, and her lips were much redder than they had been.
Only the color has changed a bit, but to become such a different person.
“What do you think? Do I look like Catherine Phanya?”
Meow jumped at her question.
「The eyes of this great Meow can’t be fooled, but if it’s a human, they won’t think it’s Catherine!」
Catherine, who changed into a comfortable outfit, stood in front of the full-body mirror.
“What would I say if people asked me about my relationship with Cesare?”
「Mother?」
“Who believes that? Well, how about the disciple?”
「I think you’re someone who’s going to skip class and be good at jokes. You don’t look like an imperial person because you tie your hair up.」
Satisfied with that feeling, she turned around and left the cabin. Maybe it was because there was quite a long time left until the party on board, so the hallway where people could be heard until just before was quiet as if it was empty.
‘Are they busy preparing for the party? Good thing I got out now, it’s going to be quiet outside because everyone is getting ready for the party.’
She stuffed Meow into a tote bag and went down to the ship with light steps.
She feels she did a wonderful job of directing her attention to stern rather than the people who were busy getting ready for the party. Except for those who came out to get some fresh air, the atmosphere was rather calm.
“Meow, just in case you don’t know, so I’ll keep it short from now on. It can be annoying if other people find out.”
「Uhm. Okay.」
It is high, wide, blue, and red.
Her hair is swaying wildly in the wind, which is blowing in like migrating birds. Freshness, on the other hand, was far from unpleasant. Catherine closed her eyes, relaxed at the corners of her mouth. It’s a good thing she signed a contract with Cesare, as expected.
“It’s nice.”
「That’s right.」
Even though it was a short answer, the excitement of Meow was delivered.
“The boat is running faster than I thought. Right?”
「It’s fast.」
“That’s because it’ll speed up until we’re out into the ocean.”
Catherine blinked silently at the overlapping voice. Did other people’s conversations overlap? She kept her mouth shut for a moment, as she might have looked like a crazy woman who had been talking to herself.
After a short time, Catherine opened her mouth again.
“I can’t believe there are so many people on such a big ship. It’s fascinating.”
“How much money is poured out to give a result like this.”
Nevertheless, the presence of a naturally intervening voice remained the same. Looking into her bag, crumpled up to her face, Meow, lying on its back, shakes its head with its wide-open eyes.
「It’s not me!」
Catherine had no choice but to crumple her face and turn her head at the same time. Only a few lovers chatted from afar in the stern, but why is there a strange man standing right next to her? This man was obvious. The owner of the voice responded to Catherine’s words as if he were a companion.
“What’s that?”
With a question, the gaze that was watching the waves crashing behind the tail of the passenger ship turned to her.
In the dim light, the glossy black hair appeared to be dyed reddish and the hazy scarlet eyes blinked a couple of times. It wasn’t a color that was easily seen in the area.
“Huh? You didn’t talk to me?”
She has no idea if all the wealthy men have been raised with these looks.
Catherine recalled the extraordinary beauty of the grown men she had recently met with the man in front of her and had doubts about the path to making money. The Grand Duke, Percyville, and even the passengers of the luxury passenger ship in front of them. Aren’t they all people who show off their nobility?
“There’s only me and the Lady here. Oh, no way, are you talking to yourself?”
Catherine came up with the best answer, even a beat later.
“It’s my hobby.”
How much funnier would it be for a man to talk and listen to it? However, the man seriously frowned as if he had learned an amazing secret.
“Talking to yourself? Wow, it’s my first time seeing a woman whose hobby is talking alone. You look like a foreigner. Where are you from? As expected, is it the South continent? Kelly Desert? The Southern Kingdom?”
Due to her tanned skin, she is mistaken for a southern person from a pure empire. Since she was misunderstood, Catherine decided to use the language of a southern country to the man. Among the ten or so remaining sentences in her head, it is the most foreign-language sentence.
“Qualamashura.”
The meaning is, “Thank you for the meal.” As expected, the man’s face was colored with embarrassment. It was time to smile, saying, let’s get going quickly.
“Thank you for the meal, what? Hmm— No way, are you a mercenary to whom I served the meal? It’s strange. I never forget a face I’ve seen—”
He must have been a person who was fluent in foreign languages. At this point, there was only one way to leave. Let’s just walk away.
“It’s my first time meeting you. I’m a bit busy, so I will get going.”
She grabbed the tote bag strap and moved forward.
“Ey, Lady. That’s why you’re imperial. Aren’t you?”
However, the man’s tone continues to annoy her. Catherine decided to shoot a word and leave even if she left.
“Why are you talking down to me? Old man, do you know me? Don’t be rude when it’s your first time meeting me.”
“Old man—”
The tall man, who had been staggering in shock, struggled to find his place.
“Well, all right. That’s enough to apologize for. Sorry, I thought it was a foreign culture to talk informally.”
Along with the words, the man flipped his bangs back.
“By the way, wasn’t it you who actually did something suspicious. No, let’s say this is the case—. What? Old man? Hey, Lady. How can I be an old man?”
“Then what should I call you?”
“Whatever you call as long as it’s not an old man!”
No matter how fantastic the appearance of a statue is displayed in the plaza, it is not difficult to distinguish the age. She shook her hand roughly because she thought she shouldn’t drag the conversation like she was trying to fight back.
“I made a mistake. I’m sorry I called you an old man, young man. Then I’ll get going.”
Maybe it’s because there are many people in a limited space, and there are people who are fussing over other things.
“Hey.”
Still, it was true that Catherine herself had done something that could be misunderstood, so she tried to quietly back down like this.
“Hey, Lady, don’t ignore people and give me such a reaction. It’s embarrassing to say that.”
Ignoring the call, of course, is the basics of going her own way. Catherine had to stop walking at the next remark that followed.
“Perhaps. Have you ever imagined that there are secrets of birth that the Lady doesn’t know?”
In an instant, the gargoyle, who had been quietly locked in, twisted its body. Does that mean not to react? Or does it mean that it looks fun? She turned around and made eye contact with the man. He leaned against the stern railing with an infinitely relaxed face.
“If you want to trick someone, you have to do it in a plausible way. There’s no old-fashioned way like this.”
“Old fashioned? Do you really think so?”
Catherine knew that she was foolish to continue the conversation. Nevertheless, the two frozen legs were difficult for Catherine to do anything about.
The man captured at a glance from a short distance was the son of a wealthy family who had nothing to do.
His shirt fluttered, and his black hair waved aimlessly in the sea breeze with more than half of the buttons undone. Even with a relaxed posture, he seemed to be putting everything under his feet.
“For people like us, It’s hard to believe, but we can recognize each other to some extent. My heart is pounding—. Should I say that I feel a sense of connection?”
“I can’t feel it at all though.”
The man grabbed his left chest again with a merciless answer. Theater actors would be less exaggerated than that man.
“Wow, that hurts a bit.”
This much was enough, but she didn’t intend to match the rhythm anymore. He was a man who naturally ignored the request to refrain from speaking informally and continued to say what he had to say. The attitude, atmosphere, he must be a high-ranking nobleman who Catherine could not even look up to.
“Wait, we just started talking. Isn’t this too much? Hey!”
“I’m busy.”
“It’s because I’m sincerely happy to see you. Wait. If you’re so suspicious, why don’t you take my business card?”
“I don’t need it.”
She hurriedly stepped out of the stern and up to the floor where the guest room was prepared, afraid that the strange remark would catch fire again. Her heart is strangely stuffy. She is both irritated and nervous.
Catherine forgot her gaze and opened her bag and hugged the warm and cozy Meow’s body.
「Good job.」
She’s not sure why she’s nervous, but she thinks that if she just says she did well, everything will be fine. It didn’t matter. As it was, Catherine rushed toward her room.
There’s only an hour till the onboard party starts. The hour couldn’t have felt that long to Catherine.