Chapter 49
I frowned deeply as I replied to Arines.
“You know what that man’s personality is like, and you still want to set me up with him? He’s the very definition of rudeness.”
— Personality can be changed, you know. Once you live with someone, you can fix it.
“Arines, don’t forget that The Sad Song of the Sea ended in tragedy precisely because of that kind of thinking.”
I retorted, as if she’d just said something absurd.
“Have you already forgotten what kind of marriage Arines had in the original story?”
Princess Arines had endlessly courted the Grand Duke, but he never opened his heart to her.
His mind was filled only with one thought: he had to slay the dragon.
He had no room left for something as frivolous as love.
So how did the two of them end up married?
“She begged him to marry her even if he didn’t love her—don’t you remember? And that marriage made Arines utterly miserable.”
— But, Jiana, your situation is different. The Grand Duke clearly likes you! You can tell just by the way he refuses to be separated from you for even a moment.
“Well, I’ve decided not to believe anything that man does.”
I cut her off firmly.
“Right now he’s only acting that way because his target for revenge is gone. If his real enemy were to suddenly appear before him again, I’d be tossed aside in an instant, buried under his obsession with vengeance.”
— Why are you so negative, Jiana? Weren’t you supposed to be confident? You’re pretty and charming too.
“Was it because the original Arines wasn’t pretty or charming that she could never win the Grand Duke’s heart?”
The Grand Duke, Ruphellen, was a character I had personally designed.
So I could say with confidence that no one knew him better than I did.
“I don’t believe that man likes me. The Grand Duke is simply incapable of loving anyone. People can’t be fixed. Just as Arines could never change his heart.”
When I said that, Arines didn’t argue any further.
— Fine. Well, he’s not my man anyway. Do whatever you want.
“Don’t worry about my love life. You should focus on your own, Lady Future Tower Master’s Wife. Oh, that reminds me! There’s something I wanted to ask you.”
I briefly explained the story of how I’d fought off the pirates, then asked her:
“That mage shot a black orb at one of the pirates, and the guy started burning red-hot before getting sucked into the orb and vanishing. Could you ask the Tower Master next time you see him if there’s any magic like that?”
— Sounds like black magic to me. All right, I’ll ask and let you know what I find out.
“As expected of the future wife of the Tower Master. So reliable!”
We chatted for a while longer before saying our goodbyes and ending the call.
“I was kind of worried, but she’s doing great.”
I covered the crystal sphere again with a cloth and set it back on the shelf.
Just then, I heard movement outside the door.
“Who’s there?”
“It’s me, Jiana.”
When I opened the door, Grand Duke Ruphellen was standing there, arms crossed, looking pale and drawn.
“How long have you been out here?”
I asked, pressing a hand to my startled heart.
The cabin wasn’t particularly soundproof. It was possible he had overheard my conversation with Arines.
That we were actually transmigrators, and that I didn’t trust him…
Please tell me he didn’t hear all that.
I cautiously watched his expression, but there was no change.
I let out a small sigh of relief.
“What do you mean ‘how long’? I never left. Ever since you went inside, I’ve been right here.”
“Y-you’ve been standing here this whole time?”
“And I’ll be staying here, too.”
“You’d rather stay out here in the cramped, dirty hallway instead of your big, comfortable room?”
“If you pity me that much, you could just let me in your room.”
“Are you insane?”
As I argued with the Grand Duke, several sailors came struggling down the hallway, dragging something along.
I frowned and turned to ask him,
“What’s that supposed to be?”
“Can’t you tell? A bed.”
What they brought was an old cot they’d pulled from the storage room.
It was covered in dust, and it looked like one tap would make the legs snap.
“Your Grace, should we set it down here?”
“A little closer—yes, there. Good. You’re done. Go on.”
I stared, speechless, as the sailors bowed and left.
“Why are you putting an old, busted bed right outside my door?”
“Well, I am a Grand Duke. I can’t just sleep on a blanket in the hallway.”
“You’re seriously planning to live out here? On that bed?”
“Do you feel sorry for me? You can always move it inside your room if you like.”
“Just go back to your room and rest properly!”
“I can’t. I told you, I’m not leaving you alone.”
There was a flicker of something almost like madness in his eyes.
“My mermaid rests peacefully in her room. If anything happens, call for me. Wherever you are, I’ll be there within a second.”
“Nothing’s going to happen! Stop being ridiculous and go inside.”
“The only room I want to go into is yours, Jiana.”
He was beyond reason.
Just then, Garri—who had been soaring between the sea and the sky—flew back, tired, and froze when he saw Ruphellen.
“What’s this? Have you finally become a beggar, coming to cling to your creator?”
“If only you were a beggar. At least I could give you a coin and be done with it…”
I could only stare in disbelief as the Grand Duke stretched out on that rickety bed and closed his eyes, as if he really intended to sleep there. Then I ushered Garri inside and shut the door.
The Grand Duke’s bizarre behavior didn’t end there.
The next morning, as usual, I went to the bow of the ship to try catching something when Ruphellen suddenly appeared behind me.
“My mermaid doesn’t need to do this anymore.”
“Ah!”
I nearly jumped out of my skin. Clutching my chest, I glared at him.
“Don’t do what, exactly?”
“Fishing. You don’t have to catch seafood anymore. From now on, Jiana only does gentle, easy work.”
“Are you trying to set me up so you can accuse me of breaking our contract later?”
“As if I’d ever dare to do that to you.”
He turned to the three idiot sailors passing by.
“Hey, you three. Come catch fish for Jiana instead.”
“We’re kind of busy right now.”
“We have to do our morning stretches.”
“If we skip even a day, we lose our appetite, you see.”
“That’s perfect. You’ll eat less and help Jiana out at the same time. Now move.”
When he glared, the three idiots had no choice but to come over and start throwing nets.
They had no fishing skill whatsoever, but by pure luck they hauled in three blind fish.
“We caught some!”
“Then clean them.”
The Grand Duke gave his next order without hesitation.
“We’ve never cleaned fish before.”
“Just do whatever Jiana tells you. And you should learn anyway—can’t make her do all the work forever.”
“We have plenty of our own work to do…”
“Shh. When I say ‘jump,’ you jump. Jiana, they’re actually great with knives. Go ahead, teach them.”
“Um, Isaac? Try holding the knife like this and make a cut here—no, not that way. Like this…”
Trying to teach people who’d never handled a fish before was exhausting.
I muttered that I might as well do it myself, but the Grand Duke absolutely refused.
“No. My mermaid will not get a single drop of water on her hands anymore.”
“Is this some new form of torture?”
“Torture? I’m just showing how much I care for you. What if you get pricked by a fish fin? Or if it’s too cold and you catch chillblains?”
“Weren’t shrimp whiskers more dangerous than fish fins?”
“Exactly. I regret that now. I’ll never eat shrimp again for the rest of my life.”
From above, Garri’s distant curses echoed faintly through the sky.
I was so embarrassed I couldn’t even lift my head.
“Your Grace, we did clean the fish like you said…”
“Does that look like fish to you? It’s just shredded meat.”
“Then why don’t you do it yourself?”
As the three idiots squabbled, they held out what could only be described as brutally mangled fish.
The Grand Duke didn’t seem to mind at all and led us straight to the galley.
“Now, Jiana. How should we cook it? What kind of seasoning? Soup or stew? Tell them what to do—just give the orders.”
“Your Grace, please stop. This is so embarrassing…”
I buried my head in my hands, utterly defeated by the Grand Duke’s increasingly outrageous behavior.
