chapter 40
Cold.
Darkness.
Silence.
---
The Princess's eyelids fluttered.
Pain.
Pressure.
The heavy pull of water—of cold.
---
Then—
Morning.
Faint birdsong.
---
Her eyes opened slowly.
Uncertain.
---
Light.
Soft.
Warm.
Wooden beams above. A creaking floor beneath her.
---
Princess (hoarse whisper): "…Where… am I?"
---
Memory hit all at once—
Explosions. Fire. The storm.
John. Chris. Guinevere.
Everyone.
---
Her chest tightened.
Fear clawed up her throat.
---
Princess (screaming): "EVERYONE!!"
---
Her voice echoed through the unfamiliar space.
Her mind raced—
The ship—
The crew—
Gone?
Burned?
---
Then—
A presence beside her.
Warm.
Familiar.
---
John.
---
He lay there, breathing steadily, eyes half-open.
Calm.
As if nothing had changed.
---
John: "It's okay. We're fine."
---
She blinked.
Relief—
then confusion—
then realization.
---
Her wrists.
Bound.
---
Princess (panicked): "…What… is happening?!"
---
John gave a small shrug, a faint hint of amusement in his gaze.
John: "We got saved."
A pause.
John: "…By a pirate ship."
---
Her jaw dropped.
Princess: "A pirate ship?!"
---
A booming laugh cut through the air.
Heavy footsteps followed.
Boots striking wood.
---
A large man stepped forward, feathered hat tilted, an eyepatch catching the light. His grin was wide—far too wide.
---
Captain Bochy: "WHOA—WHOAAAA! Look what we've got here!"
He threw his arms wide, laughing.
Captain Bochy: "A princess! Now this is fortune! Gold, glory—ha! Our luck has finally turned!"
---
Without warning, he grabbed a crew member and spun him into a wild dance.
Captain Bochy: "Dance, you fool—DANCE! We'll ransom them all! Rich beyond dreams!"
---
Then—
just as suddenly—
he broke into tears.
---
Captain Bochy: "Finally… our dreams…! HURAAAHHH!!!"
---
The Princess narrowed her eyes.
Cold.
Sharp.
---
Princess: "…Don't be foolish."
Her voice cut through the noise like steel.
Princess: "I will give you everything you want."
A beat.
Princess: "But first—you will help us."
---
Bochy's laughter faltered.
Curiosity flickered.
---
Captain Bochy: "Help you? And why would I do that?"
---
The Princess leaned forward, gaze unwavering.
Princess: "Take us to the Kingdom of Dumase."
---
Silence.
Then—
a sharp, disbelieving laugh.
---
Captain Bochy: "Dumase?! That place is madness! Monsters everywhere! Why would anyone go there?"
---
Princess: "We're after the God's Stone Body."
Her voice didn't waver.
Princess: "Nothing else matters."
---
Bochy's expression shifted.
Calculating.
---
Captain Bochy: "…Clever."
He circled them slowly.
Captain Bochy: "But even pirates don't chase death for a stone."
---
The Princess's tone softened—
but the steel remained.
---
Princess: "This is business."
Princess: "You profit. We succeed."
---
Bochy smirked.
---
Princess: "Refuse—and you lose the opportunity of a lifetime."
A pause.
Princess: "We will reach Dumase—with or without you."
---
The wind howled outside.
Waves struck the hull.
The world seemed to hold its breath.
---
Then—
Bochy laughed again.
Louder.
---
Captain Bochy: "Ha! Fine! I'll help you… for the right price!"
---
A faint smile touched her lips.
Victory—
for now.
---
Captain Bochy: "Prepare yourselves! We sail for Dumase!"
---
The Princess exhaled slowly.
Tension eased—
just slightly.
---
A new journey had begun.
---
Crew members approached.
Rough hands.
Rough ropes.
---
They untied her.
Then John.
Then Guinevere.
Then Marco.
---
The ropes fell away.
But not all of them.
---
The Princess frowned.
Princess: "What about the others?"
---
A crewman hesitated.
Crewman: "Captain's orders."
---
Heavy steps returned.
---
Captain Bochy: "A deal's a deal."
He grinned.
Captain Bochy: "Until I see gold, only a few of you get freedom."
---
A pause.
---
Captain Bochy: "The rest stay tied."
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Silence—
Then—
---
Chris (shouting): "OI! What about me?! I'm important too!"
---
Bochy looked him over.
Unimpressed.
---
Captain Bochy: "…You?"
A beat.
Captain Bochy: "You look like baggage."
---
A soft laugh broke through.
---
Guinevere.
---
Guinevere (gentle smile): "Captain, if I may."
---
Bochy turned.
Interested.
---
Guinevere: "He's my assistant."
A pause.
Guinevere: "Quite useful."
---
Bochy smirked.
---
Captain Bochy: "…Well, when you put it like that."
He waved a hand.
Captain Bochy: "Untie him."
---
Chris froze as the ropes loosened.
Chris: "…Huh?"
He glanced at Guinevere.
She simply smiled.
---
Chris looked away quickly.
Chris: "Tch… took you long enough…"
---
His ears—
slightly red.
---
— Later —
The sun stood high above the sea, casting gold across endless waves.
---
The Princess stood at the edge of the deck.
Wind tugging at her hair.
---
Nearby—
Captain Bochy spoke with Marco and Tomasi.
Their voices blurred into the ocean's rhythm.
---
From a distance—
John watched.
Silent.
Still.
---
His gaze rested on her.
Observing.
Thinking.
Something unspoken lingered.
---
Then—
She turned.
---
Their eyes met.
---
For a moment—
everything else disappeared.
No pirates.
No sea.
No danger.
---
Just—
them.
---
They held each other's gaze.
As if both wanted to speak.
But didn't know how.
---
The Princess looked away first.
---
John exhaled softly, running a hand through his hair.
John (muttering): "…Yeah… not now."
---
But his eyes drifted back to her anyway.
---
At the bow—
Tomasi pointed toward the horizon.
---
Tomasi: "The fastest route into Dumase isn't through the main straits."
Tomasi: "There's a hidden passage. With speed—we can reach it within a day."
---
The Princess nodded—
but her focus drifted.
---
Her eyes found John again.
---
Calm.
Observant.
Dangerous in ways she didn't understand.
---
Princess (thinking): How am I supposed to face him…?
---
She bit her lip.
---
Princess (thinking): I'm the one who avoids this…
And now I'm the one bringing it to the surface.
What if he notices… how much I care?
---
Her cheeks warmed.
She looked away quickly.
---
Marco: "Princess?"
---
She blinked.
Snapped back.
---
Princess: "Ah—sorry…"
A breath.
Princess: "Go on."
---
Marco nodded.
---
Marco: "Dumase will be dangerous. Monsters everywhere."
He glanced at Bochy.
Marco: "The Captain will act as our scout. His knowledge will be critical."
---
Bochy puffed up proudly.
---
Captain Bochy: "Of course it will!"
---
He crossed his arms.
---
Captain Bochy: "And after the mission?"
---
The Princess met his gaze.
---
Princess: "You will receive your reward."
A pause.
Princess: "A new ship. And the gold we agreed on."
---
Bochy grinned wide.
---
Captain Bochy: "Now that's what I like to hear!"
---
Her expression hardened slightly.
---
Princess: "One rule."
A beat.
Princess: "This remains secret."
---
Her voice dropped.
---
Princess: "No one must know Lumivale works with pirates."
Bochy waved a hand.
---
Captain Bochy: "Fine, fine. Just have my gold ready."
---
Princess: "You'll have it."
A pause.
Princess: "When we return safely."
---
The wind rose again.
The sea stretched endlessly ahead.
---
And somewhere beyond the horizon—
Dumase awaited.
....CHAPTER 40ENDS...