Chapter 109 Ch. 109: The Bet [1]
—Splash —Splash —Splash
A long and slender hull cut through the water with ease.
The pennant atop the galley was carved with twin roses encircling a sword, fluttering and revealing its rider's identity without being asked.
The sound of waves lapping against the hulls combined with the cawing of seagulls, created a soothing and invigorating ambiance that resonated throughout the surrounding area.
Standing tall and poised on the ship's deck, a young woman with navy hair gazes out at the endless expanse of the sea with her striking dark blue eyes.
Her hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, the deep blue hue complementing the color of her eyes.
Her skin was smooth and flawless, with a natural radiance that seemed to glow in the sunlight.
Full, pink lips and a delicate little nose complete the stunning features.
She breathed in the salty sea air, savoring the moment and the sense of calm and serenity that surrounded her.
Despite being in her early 20s, she exuded a sense of wisdom and maturity beyond her years.
Her name was Charlotte Agnessa, the fourth princess of the Kearny Kingdom—soon to be Arthur's second Consort.
A middle-aged woman with brown hair and black eyes draped a blanket over her shoulders.
Charlotte turned to her and offered a benign smile.
"Thank you."
The middle-aged woman, Leilla, Charlotte's lady-in-waiting, returned the smile and suggested.
"Your Highness, it's quite chilly outside. Please head inside."
However, their attention was suddenly drawn to an exclamation from a lookout perched high atop the crow's nest.
"I spotted the Empire's patrol ship at two o'clock!"
All eyes turned towards the sea and a faint silhouette of a ship appeared on the distant horizon.
Since entering the Empire's sea territory, they have encountered several of the Empire's patrol ships.
Usually, they approached them and exchanged pleasantries before going on their way.
"Princess?"
Leilla called out as the Princess did not move an inch.
"Leilla, I'll wait for them."
It was important to demonstrate respect and honor by showing up to meet the Empire's patrol ship crew members, rather than risk offending them by not showing up at all.
She knew that the first impression was crucial, and she wanted to make sure that she represented her kingdom well.
Leilla sighed in resignation before gently adjusting the blanket around Charlotte's shoulders.
"It can't be helped, then."
After a short while, the Kearny ship dropped anchor, its crew eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Empire's patrol ship.
Minutes ticked by, the distant ship gradually took shape and drew closer with each passing moment.
Its hull emerged from the horizon, revealing intricate details of its design.
However, a sudden uneasiness crept into Charlotte's heart upon noticing the ship continuing to approach them at full speed.
Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows.
"Leilla, am I mistaken, or is the Empire's patrol ship not slowing down?"
She asked urgently, her suspicion clear in her voice.
The crew members looked around in disbelief, trying to make sense of what they had just heard.
Only.
"The patrol ship is unmanned! There is no sign of a crew anywhere on board!"
The one inside the crow's nest bellowed in panic.
"What?!"
The crew members looked around in disbelief, trying to make sense of what they had just heard.
How could a ship be sailing without a crew?
It didn't make any sense.
Assessing the situation, the Captain shouted.
"Pull the anchor!"
The crew members sprang into action, pulling on the ropes with all their might.
The anchor slowly rose from the depths of the ocean, and the ship began to move.
The Captain barked out orders, and the crews along with the knights worked together to change the course of the ship.
The vessel trembled violently, struggling to change direction, and people were stumbling around, trying to keep their balance.
But despite their best efforts, it was too late.
—Boom!
With a deafening crash, the two ships collided, sending shockwaves through the water.
Chaos ensued when the ship tilted perilously to one side.
The people were thrown to the ground, and a few were even tossed overboard.
"Huaaa!!"
"Uwaa!!"
—Splash —Splash —Splash
"Ah!"
Charlotte shrieked as her hand slipped from Leilla's grasp.
"Your Highness!"
Leilla's screams cut through the air and she could see the horror on Leilla's face before something hit her nape and everything went black.
"Ngh?"
As Charlotte regained consciousness, she heard panicked shouts from people and the sound of the ship creaking and groaning under immense pressure.
"Ugh!"
Charlotte grunted, forcing herself to sit up and immediately clutching the back of her neck in pain.
"Your Highness! Are you alright?!"
She turned at the voice and saw Leilla rushing towards her with a knight in tow.
However, before she could answer, the Captain's voice cut through the chaos.
"Abandon ship! Abandon ship!"
The people on the deck scrambled to prepare the lifeboats, their faces etched with terror.
The Knight immediately helped her to stand and spoke urgently.
"Your Highness, we must hurry."
The ship had been badly damaged, and they knew that they were in a dire situation.
They needed to act fast if they wanted to survive.
"Your Highness!"
"Your Highness!"
One by one, knights gathered around Charlotte; they were determined to keep the Princess safe.
Together, they marched toward the designated lifeboat area.
As they arrived, the crew members were already lowering the lifeboats into the water.
"Your Highness, please proceed."
The Captain ordered her, gesturing towards the nearest lifeboat.
However, when she saw how small the lifeboat was, Charlotte refused to board it.
"No."
The lifeboat was too small to accommodate all the crew members.
"But Princess, we need to get off the ship now!"
Leilla protested, but Charlotte stood her ground.
"We can't leave anyone behind. There must be another way."
"Your Highness, please proceed, we don't have much time."
The knight urged her.
Despite the urgency in their voices, Charlotte remained resolute.
She scanned her surroundings, her eyes darting from one end of the ship to the other, determined to find a solution that would ensure the safety of all the crew members.
Suddenly, her gaze landed on the Empire's patrol ship, which appeared to be relatively unscathed.
"Let's board the patrol ship instead."
Charlotte said decisively.
All eyes turned to her, and soon they nodded in agreement.
Wasting no more time, they began to make their way toward the Empire's patrol ship.
The crew members scrambled to grab whatever they could carry, and they jumped onto the vessel one by one.
Upon arriving, they immediately threw themselves onto the ground.
"Haa… haa…"
Their breath was haggard from the sudden burst of adrenaline.
—Crackle!
The sound of splintered wood resounded to the surrounding.
They turned toward the noise and their hearts sank at the sight of their ship disappearing into the murky depths of the ocean.
Somehow, they had narrowly escaped death, and were grateful to be alive.
—Thud —Thud —Thud
The sound of footsteps on the wooden floor caught everyone's attention.
Charlotte furrowed her brows in confusion.
Didn't the crew report that the Empire's patrol ship was unmanned?
—Creak!
With a creaking sound, an unoiled wooden door swung open, revealing a dark corridor within the vessel.
The Kearny knights tightened their grip on their swords' hilts as the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder.
Moments later, a pair of feet emerged in the doorway.
However, the shadow obscured the person's upper body, leaving it unseen.
Upon seeing it, Charlotte's expression turned feral.
With her fists clenched tightly, Charlotte stepped forward and spat her mind using the Empire's language.
"Are you responsible for this collision?"
Her voice trembled with anger and frustration.
"If there are crews on this ship, why aren't they doing anything to stop it? Hundreds of lives are at risk!"
"…"
Silent.
The man in the doorway didn't say a word and just stood there.
Irritated, Charlotte took a step closer to him, her eyes narrowing.
"Answer me! Are you responsible for this collision?!"
The Princess demanded, her voice rising.
Refusing to give up, Charlotte opened her mouth to speak.
But before she could utter a word, she was interrupted by a guttural growl that reverberated through the room.
"Grr…"
"Huh?"
The crew darted their eyes in all directions, trying to locate the source of the sound.
"Kiiieekkk!!"
As if the world was slowing down, a monster with human legs suddenly jumped out of the cabin and lunged toward her.
Charlotte's deep blue eyes widened in terror as she saw its monstrous hand hurtling towards her at incredible speed.
"Your Highness!"
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