Chapter 60
“Geenie…?”
“Just go to sleep, and let’s skip Part Two tomorrow. No, actually, just keep me out of your love life entirely, and there won’t ‘be’ a Part Two. Got it?”
“Got it!”
I need sleep.
I shut my eyes tightly, but I couldn’t ignore the feeling of the ring on my left ring finger.
If only today had been nothing but a dream.
No, I wish it ‘was’ a dream.
Did I dream too big?
Of course, it wasn’t a dream.
The next morning, the dining table was so cold and awkward it felt like an icy wind was blowing through the room.
The awkward atmosphere between me and Ash was one thing, but Gale and Withry sticking to each other like glue didn’t help.
It felt like the calm before a storm, with two contrasting couples stirring up an unsettling vibe.
Thanks to Gale and Withry’s sudden romance, my appetite was completely gone.
It seemed the same for everyone else, too.
“Since when did ‘those two’ get so close?”
“Good question.”
Even Chad, who usually didn’t care about anything, grumbled. His complaint was enough to elicit a reaction from Enk, who, while shoving bread into his mouth, nodded along without missing a beat.
How can he eat while watching that sappy display?
“Well, isn’t it something to celebrate? Right, Ash?”
“…What?”
“I said, isn’t it something to celebrate? What’s with you spacing out?”
“Huh? Oh, uh, yeah, sure. It’s definitely something to celebrate.”
Lox, attempting to lighten the mood, brought it up cheerfully, but Ash couldn’t keep up.
What nonsense.
The awkwardness in the room deepened even further.
Moments like this make me hate how sensitive I am to tension.
“Ash… that’s not what I meant to ask.”
“Sorry. I was… lost in thought.”
“About what?”
“Uh? Well, it’s just…”
Ash glanced at me briefly. His eyes seemed to ask, ‘Should I mention last night?’
I wasn’t sure whether to say yes or no.
Talking about it would be embarrassing, and Lox would surely have something to say. From his perspective, the noble prince consorting with some suspicious girl he met on the road would be a grave matter.
Ash probably hesitated for the same reason.
“Ahem…”
I avoided his gaze, raising my left hand to shield my eyes.
Do what you want, Ash.
I don’t want to hear your reasonable scolding, nor do I want Lox’ endless lectures, which feel like being in class all over again!
“Oh, Geenie, your ring…”
“What about my ring?”
“Come on! Look closer, Gale! Geenie’s ring moved from her right hand to her left ring finger.”
“What?!”
At Withry’s observation, I quickly hid my left hand under the table.
But it was too late. Everyone who needed to see had already noticed, and Lox’ intense gaze bore into me, demanding an explanation.
“Geenie, that ring… Ash gave it to you, right? So why is it on your left hand…? Wait, where’s Ash? Ash! Hey, Ash!”
[Ash is running away! Master, should I bring him back? Please? Pretty please?] (T/N: WTF. HAHAHAHAHA)
Withry’s ‘helpful’ observation about the ring’s new position caused Ash to slink away quietly. Rai was already wagging his tail eagerly, ready to chase him down.
Lox, of course, followed after Ash immediately.
Oh, Ash.
Rest in peace. I hope you survive this.
“Gale, buy me a ring too! I want a ring!”
“A-A ring? Now? Really, Withry?”
“You two as well?! Argh! Have you all gone off and settled down without telling me?”
“Seems like it.”
Withry pestered Gale for a ring, jealous of mine.
This ring isn’t even something Ash bought! He just mounted my gemstone onto a ring, that’s all!
And Chad! ‘Settled down?’ Who said anything about that?
And Enk! Stop saying “seems like it” to everything!
“When did this even start? Huh? Are you planning a wedding in Neikal?”
“Kyaa! That’d be amazing! Geenie, we should have a joint wedding! What do you think, Gale?”
“Oho, that’s a great idea! A joint wedding!”
“I prefer buffet-style weddings.”
Questions, comments, and random suggestions were thrown at me from all sides, leaving me completely overwhelmed.
Wait—who decided we’re planning weddings already? And ‘joint weddings?’ Buffets?!
Ridiculous!
I slammed my hands on the table and shouted.
“Quiet! It’s just a ring! Nothing more! And who gave you permission to talk about weddings—”
But before I could finish, they cut me off, standing up and pressing even harder.
It wasn’t the time to be pitying Ash—I was in my own crisis here.
Why are their eyes sparkling like this?
“What did he say when he gave it to you? Huh? That sweet boy actually pulled something like this?”
“Look! It’s on her ‘left hand!’ The ring finger! That means he’s serious! It’s not just any ring. Ash must be thinking seriously about Geenie!”
“Exactly! Ash is clearly all in on this!”
“A ring on the left hand… usually means married.”
The flood of comments left me dizzy.
Why are they so obsessed with someone else’s love life?
Since this wasn’t a topic I was used to discussing, I had no clue how to respond.
Then Rai spoke up.
[Master, if a ring on the left hand means you’ve settled down, does that mean you’re nesting now?]
[…No!]
Rai wasn’t helping either, adding fuel to the fire.
We’re not even officially dating yet! ‘Nesting,’ my foot!
Sure, the ring holds some significance, but let me make one thing clear:
No marriage! Not now! Not anytime soon!
[Really? You’re sure?]
[Of course! Saying I’ve settled down is as absurd as Pikachu paying an electricity bill!]
[Pikachu? Who’s that? A new rival, Master?]
“It’s not—”
Ugh, all this fuss over a ring being on my left hand. If I actually get married, it’ll probably be total chaos.
Not that I can even say when—or if—that’ll happen.
One thing I was sure of, though, was that if I ever got married, I wanted it to be with Ash.
Not that I’d ever admit it.
When I denied the idea of marriage outright, the group erupted into murmurs again.
“What do you mean no? So, you’re not getting married? Do you hate Ash? Though, I get it—his face is kind of plain.”
“Yeah, Ash does have a boring face.”
“Without his good personality, he’s nothing but a shell.”
“Sometimes he’s too nice, it’s almost dumb.”
These… these little punks… are they trying to get themselves killed?
Who do they think they’re talking about, and in front of whom?
The fact that their teasing annoyed me so much probably meant I liked Ash more than I realized.
Well, I guess that’s why I accepted his confession in the first place.
As the conversation turned into an Ash-roasting session, Rai gleefully joined in.
[Come to think of it, for Ash to like Master, he must be a little… lacking… uh, I mean perfect! Absolutely perfect!]
[…What did I do now?]
[Hehe. Just congratulating you on your marriage, Master.]
[I said it’s not happening!]
A chill ran down my spine.
I had a bad feeling about this.
What if… what if this ‘does’ lead to marriage?
The mood certainly feels like it’s heading that way!
Hey, gods! I’m not ready to get married, okay? If you’re so eager, why don’t ‘you’ do it?
The only ones I could curse were the gods.
—
A peculiar group—a party of two couples, three singles, and one wolf-spirit masquerading as a dog—arguing over marriage while still continuing on their journey.
Chad and Gale seemed almost desperate to marry me off, while Lox threw me disapproving looks.
And Ash? He kept glancing at me with a subtle, mischievous smile whenever our eyes met.
The group was noisier than ever.
“Hey, Ash! Look over there! Isn’t she stunning? An absolute beauty.”
We’d just arrived in Baykis a day earlier than the ship’s departure, and Chad’s comment made me turn my head even before Ash did.
I didn’t need to search; the woman stood out immediately. Her dazzling features and flaming red hair practically radiated brilliance.
If Rovenin’s dark red hair could be likened to blood, this woman’s hair resembled fire itself.
It was crimson, like a ruby—a truly striking beauty.
But Ash’s attention wasn’t on her. Instead, he was fixated on the brilliant red horse she was riding.
“Hmm? Oh, yeah, it’s impressive. Great muscle balance. Those eyes sparkle—must have excellent lineage.”
“No, not the horse! The woman riding it!”
“The woman? Eh, I think the horse is more impressive.”
“Ugh, this guy has no eye for women. Then again, that’s obvious considering he chose Geenie.”
Chad muttered under his breath, but of course, I heard it.
Still, I didn’t bother to argue. He wasn’t wrong.
A future partner who’s more interested in fine horse breeds than beautiful women…
That’s a problem in its own way.
“What’s wrong with Geenie?”
“You don’t know? Her personality, for one. It’s a huge problem!”
“My personality? Should I plant a sunflower on your head this time?”
“Ugh! See? Is that something a person would say? A sunflower on someone’s head… How terrifying…”
Oh, come on. Sunflowers are adorable.
I was just trying to soften that harsh face of his a bit.
Ah, I’m such a kind person.
I stared at Chad’s slightly grown-out hair with mischievous eyes, and Rai chimed in with sparkling enthusiasm.
[Master, a sunflower might be tricky. I think a smiley face would be better.]
[Really? A smiley face? That does sound simpler.]
[Oho! Then let me help this time, Master.]
[No, and if you want to help again, you’ll need to win in a duel first.]
After losing to me in a duel and suffering the humiliation of having his head shaved, Chad had been surprisingly obedient for a while.
But recently, he’d started acting up again. Clearly, another shock treatment was in order.
I was already imagining his punishment when Rai piped up again.
[Master, don’t you think a smiley face would really suit him?]
“Stop it with the creepy laughter, Geenie. Can’t you laugh more ladylike? You’re scaring me.”
“Ohoho.”
Ash, his face pale, interrupted my chuckling, so I toned it down a notch.
Oops. Sorry about that.
“Sigh. Let’s go get the ship tickets. The departure is tomorrow, so we need to hurry.”
Ash let out a deep sigh as he spoke, which annoyed me.
What’s with the sigh, huh?
When we arrived at the dock to buy tickets, the line was ridiculously long. Just looking at it made me feel drained.
Well, it made sense. This was the only route connecting Elan and Heike, and tickets always sold out quickly.
To make matters worse, the departure times were inconsistent, so tickets were sold starting two days before departure. Of course, people flocked to buy them.
Ash muttered, seemingly overwhelmed by the sheer length of the line.
“So… who’s going to stand in line?”
“The mutt.”
“The mongrel.”
“The yellow dog.”
They all looked at Rai.
After spending so much time with Rai, the group had grown very aware of his intelligence. Naturally, they wanted to offload this tedious task onto him.
Rai perked up his ears and glared.
[Not a chance!]
“Rai, you’re the best choice.”
Rai could easily handle waiting in line. Normally, I’d dump this on Chad, but after our grueling ten-day march, all of us were too drained. Rai, with his boundless energy, was the logical choice.
I needed to convince him to stand in line while we went to secure accommodations.
[R-Really?]
“Of course! You’re the smartest among us, so you’re perfect for this. And if anyone tries to cut in line, you can bite them.”
[…I can really bite them?]
“Sure, just don’t kill anyone.”
The negotiation ended quickly.
We left Rai in line and turned toward the nearby inns. Just as we entered a street lined with them, Chad called out to me.
“Hey, Geenie.”
“What?”
“So, if that mutt is the smartest among us… does that mean we’re all dumber than the dog?”
“At least you are, for sure.”
So that’s what he was mulling over so seriously?
The fact that everyone had agreed Rai should wait in line spoke volumes.
Rai wasn’t just any dog. He handled night watches, attempted to hold conversations with people, and, when words failed, drew pictures on the ground. If all else failed, he’d just bite someone. Truly, a groundbreaking level of intelligence.
Ah, my spirit is such a marvel.
A spirit as versatile as Rai is rare indeed.
After securing rooms and finishing a light meal, I headed back to check on Rai with Ash and Enk. Chad, who was shirking, Lox, who was completely spent, and Gale and Withry, busy in their love bubble, stayed behind.
As we walked, Enk suddenly asked something, which was unusual for him.
“Are you two the weird ones, or is it Gale and that girl?”
“What do you mean?”
Ash didn’t catch his meaning, but I understood right away.
By “you two,” he meant Ash and me. “That girl” was clearly Withry.
Both couples shared one common trait: being romantically involved.
Of course, Ash and I weren’t officially dating—yet.
“It’s probably me and Ash who are the odd ones.”
“Is that so? Ever since Gale got close to that girl, he’s been acting strange. Is it her fault?”
“What’s this, Enk? Are you jealous? Hah, of Withry?”
“I’m not jealous. It’s just… I can’t help feeling like I’ve been sidelined. I’ve known Gale for almost two years, and she’s only been here for less than a month. Honestly, it’s kind of unfair.”
Not jealous, huh? Yeah, right.
So that’s why Enk has been gloomier than usual. Poor guy must be lonely.
It’s true that Gale and Withry have been unusually close. Even for a new couple, their dynamic is leagues different from Ash and me.
While I smirked at Enk’s confession, Ash comforted him.
“Don’t say that, Enk. Gale definitely sees you as an important companion! And if you’re feeling troubled, you can always talk to me. I’ll listen anytime!”
“That’s rich coming from you. You’re only saying that because Geenie hasn’t been paying attention to you.”
“…Huh?”
“If Geenie starts focusing on you, you’ll forget all about me, won’t you? Ugh, friendships are so meaningless.”
His eyes looked so… empty. What’s gotten into him?
Is it because he feels stuck between two couples?
But it’s not like Ash and I act particularly romantic.
Should I introduce him to a girl?
But I don’t really know any suitable girls…
What about Annie?
“That’s not true, Enk! I’m on your side!”
“Liar. Then what if Geenie and I both fell into a river? Who would you save first?”
“Uh… ladies first?”
Enk’s grim question flustered Ash, who naively answered without thinking.
You fool!
It’s better to say nothing at all!
“So it’s true… You value love over friendship, don’t you, Ash? I really believed in you, but…”
Enk’s eyes grew even darker, and his mood sank lower.
What’s happening to this guy?
Caught between couples, he’s spiraling into gloom.
But we’re not even really a couple yet!
Should I give him a better answer?
Wait, no, what if I make it worse?
I decided to dodge.
“I’d save both of you. I have Undaine, after all.”
“But what if you didn’t have a spirit? What then?”
“Then Ash can swim well.”
“And if Ash can’t swim?”
This brat…
I hesitated and glanced at Ash. He was waiting for my answer with an expectant look.
If I say Ash, Enk will feel hurt. If I say Enk, Ash will feel hurt.
But if I say Ash, doesn’t that mean love trumps friendship? That’s embarrassing!
“You know what? You can both drown. I’ll save myself.”
“Wow, how selfish can you get?”
“Did I ask you to add to my selfishness?”
“Nope.”
“Then drop it!”
Ash pouted slightly, but I pretended not to notice.
Sorry, Ash.
I just couldn’t bring myself to pick you aloud.
Even the word “love” sends chills down my spine.
When we reached the dock, we spotted Rai near the front of the line.
Oh, we timed this perfectly.
Oddly, there seemed to be a wide gap in the line ahead of and behind Rai. He noticed me and gave a big, toothy grin.
A wolf, grinning like that? What a sight.
“Rai, you’ve done well. You kept our spot perfectly, huh?”
I jogged over and patted Rai on the head.
Though I could feel the judgmental stares of those around me, I was long past caring.
My other companions, however, weren’t as shameless. They pulled their hoods down tighter to avoid attention.
Rai basked in my praise and launched into a triumphant tale.
[Hehe, Master, I kept our place perfectly! When humans were slacking and not moving up, I barked at them. And when someone tried to cut in line, I gave them a good chomp. I did great, right?]
[…Where did you bite them?]
[On the butt!]
[Good job!]
No one’s ever died from a butt bite, so it’s fine.
I ruffled Rai’s fur again, and just then, it was our turn.
The ticket clerk asked, “How many?”
“Seven people, and one dog. We’d also like cabins, if possible.”
Securing a room was critical. We’d be on the ship for a week, and sleeping on the bare floor with just a blanket would be rough.
Of course, rooms cost extra, but with our group’s wealth—especially with a prince as our leader—it wasn’t an issue.
“Currently, there are two three-person cabins and one two-person cabin left. How would you like to arrange it?”
“Ah, in that case… we’ll take the two three-person cabins. For the two-person cabin, we’ll book just one berth.”
Booking half a two-person cabin—”half a berth”—was cheaper than a single cabin. But the downside was sharing the room with a stranger.
When Ash returned with the tickets, his expression was complicated.
Our group had seven members, but we’d only managed to secure two three-person cabins and one half-berth in a two-person cabin.
That left one person to room with a stranger.
So, who would take the half-berth?
Ash, our leader and a prince on his “Trial Path”?
Lox, his loyal attendant?
Chad, the muscle-headed brute?
Enk, the quiet yet gloomy mercenary?
Gale, whose attention was now entirely on Withry?
Withry herself, the wind spiritist and my self-proclaimed servant?
Or me, Geenie Crowell, the accidental tagalong who ended up promising her future to Ash?
Ash knows who I am, but he doesn’t know I’ve figured out he’s a prince.
The question remains: who takes the half-berth?
Not me!
