CHAPTER 404: ON BOARD THE SHIP?

[A couple of Hours Later]

{To-Do List}

1. Get to Blackridge Town (Completed)

2. Have Viesta finish her weapon and leave (Crossed out)

- Defeat the Alpha Barrel Mole (Completed)

3. Get to Restara’s Port and get the Nail (Completed)

4. Defeat incoming pirates...

5. ...

6. ...

7. ...

==

Lillian looked through her to-do list on her phone as she drew in a deep breath.

The clear taste of salt was evident, especially given where she was currently at.

Lillian, whose back was up against the side of a cannon, sat up and looked over the wooden rails of the boat.

And what she saw was a breathtaking sight of the blue sea and sky without any clouds. Because of that, the sun’s light made the surface of the sea even more beautiful.

"Ah~... Out at sea with a bunch of water... This is technically a place where I have field advantage, right?" As Lillian said that with a curious expression, Viesta’s voice appeared beside her.

"Kind of, if you’re skilled enough to be able to rein control of other sources of your element." Viesta, who had walked down the stairs next to her, looked down at her with a smile.

Viesta then leaned against the wooden rails with a calm expression on her face. She closed one eye and allowed the wind to brush through her brown hair before muttering:

"It feels nice, doesn’t it...? Out at sea and on an adventure... My family would be completely against me doing something like this, if I wasn’t a mage."

Lillian looked up from her phone, "That’s because they were training you to become the heir of the company one day, right?"

"Uh, huh. Back then, we didn’t have much money to afford fancy Gates or even Gate Bearers. Since those things are really rare and all..."

Viesta sighed, but still kept a hold of her smile as she continued to admire the sea, "But one day... When I think, I was around 15? I encountered a Gate Bearer along with a couple of my friends. We were lucky that it was just an E-rank Gate, so not many monsters inside were that hard to take care of with the things we had in our Spatial Rings."

"And what happened to your friends, if you don’t mind me asking?" Lillian asked, intending to make some small talk.

"Well, uh... Two of them are doing well, having joined an academy. But the other three, well... I don’t think they managed to adapt very well to the reality of killing monsters."

Viesta then shrugged, "But that’s just life... Life will throw you into things you wished would happen to you, but afterwards, you find out that you just aren’t accustomed to that life."

"..." Lillian stared up at Viesta’s face with a crooked smile as she slowly drifted her gaze down at her necklace. She sighed and nodded, "Very true..."

"Oh, by the way, Lillian."

"Hm?"

"Could I ask about that grin you had on your face earlier?"

"Oh, uh that..."

Lillian rubbed the back of her head with a sheepish look as she slowly went into her bank app and looked at the newest notification.

[300,000 Semis had been deposited into your account by - Marionette]

Lillian’s cheeks began to slightly redden again as she fell more in love with Marionette. All that money she had blown back at the port had almost been returned to her.

Viesta watched as Lillian wrapped her arms around her own shoulders with a bashful expression. She then heard the girl mutter:

"Just a maiden in love... That’s all..."

"Maiden, huh? Are ya a pure one?"

"H-huh?!" Lillian instantly pushed herself away with a shocked but flustered expression, "In what way!?"

Viesta gave Lillian a teasing smirk, "I’m guessing you haven’t~... Oh my, you sure are taking your time~..."

Lillian’s eyes wobbled as she heard that. And as steam began to leave her ears, her mind instantly shot back to when she was talking to Millis.

Didn’t the Heroine say that Marionette wanted to do something with her, but couldn’t because she had gotten drunk?

Lillian clutched the sides of her head with a regretful look as she screamed internally, ’WHY DIDN’T I ASK ABOUT THAT!?’

"Is just me or have you gotten a lot more emotional around me?" Viesta asked, curious as she watched as Lillian rolled and flopped around on the ground like a fish out of water.

Lillian rolled on her back and looked up at her with a raised eyebrow, "Have I...? I guess it’s either I’m more comfortable around you or..."

’Or I’m just really impressionable...’ Lillian said inside her mind. Now that Viesta had mentioned it, she did become slightly more impulsive with her emotions.

Could it be because she was only around her and Millis for the past couple of days?

"Or...? You can’t leave me hanging, partner—"

BAM.

Right as Viesta was about to finish her sentence, both she and Lillian glanced towards the door of the living quarters inside the boat and found it to have been kicked open.

A dark-skinned man with a bald head and a black suit walked out from behind the door, followed by Nearlo, who had his hands tucked into his pockets and a spoiled look on his face.

Nearlo then whispered under his breath as he looked around, "This boat is such a du—" And as he was about to finish the last part of his word, he spotted both Lillian and Viesta and stuck a pose.

"Ah~! Isn’t my boat gorgeous?"

Viesta, who was about to say something, stopped as Lillian spoke first with a playful grin.

"Hm? But weren’t you about to say this boat was a dump?"

"What!? Nonsense!" Nearlo stormed over flamboyantly before looking down on Lillian, who still remained on the ground.

Nearlo then stated with utter confidence, "The boat may look unappealing and unreliable to the naked eye, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t filled with the most gorgerous love!"

He paused and then added, "It’s just like how a man may adopt the most ugliest stray dog on the side of the road and give it the best possible treatment, just because it saved the man’s life one day."

Viesta, who was almost jumping at his presence, walked a bit forward and held a hand out, "I’m Viesta. An honour to meet you, Sir Nearlo. I have a few of your action figures at home..." She said that last part with an embarrassed look.

Nearlo looked her up and down and smirked before shaking her hand, "Ah~, pleasure to meet you, Miss Viesta. I say, you’re rather pretty aren’t you."

"Hahaha, thank you very much, but I’m just average really."

Lillian watched as they shook hands over her and let out a groan. Sitting up and getting onto her feet, she watched as the Captain slowly descended down the stairs, whistling.

"Ah, Captain Righthook. Taking a break from sailing?"

"Indeed, I am, matey. In fact, I was just about to let down the anchor of the ship. You don’t mind helping this captain of yours now, do you?"

The Captain then stopped before Lillian and placed a hand on her shoulder before leaning in and whispering, "Especially after you and your friend..."