Chapter 1: It's been a long time, you bastards (1)

[Volume 1: Secrets of Moonlight]

Chapter 1: It's been a long time, you scoundrels (1).

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Drip~, drip~, drip~!.

The remaining raindrops fell, making a soft sound as they hit the wooden floor.

Lines of sunlight appeared between the gaps in the cloudy sky.

The dark, cloud-laden sky gradually brightened with the color of the morning sun.

The raging waves of the night began to subside, slowing their ferocious pace.

As if the catastrophic storm hours ago was a mere mirage, the morning sun rose in a peaceful atmosphere.

A gentle breeze softly descended upon the bow of the ship floating on the sea.

It was a beautiful atmosphere that made you want to enjoy the calm of sunrise.

Despite this, none of the passengers dared to go up onto the deck of the huge ship.

It was an unusual sight to see such a large and luxurious ship empty on deck.

It looked abandoned to the observer.

Swish~.

The breeze moved as if it were the only wanderer there.

Of course, everything in life has an exception.

As if breaking the silence of human voices, a boy hummed peacefully as he sat at the bow of the ship.

He observed the surroundings as if enjoying the natural scenery.

The waves gently lapped against the lower deck of the ship.

The gentle breeze could be heard, sounding like a morning lullaby.

The crimson sunlight gently touched his skin.

He would usually want to sleep in such an atmosphere.

Of course, it was merely an idea; he wouldn't do it since he was nearing his destination.

Not far on the horizon, a mysterious sight of an island could be seen.

As the morning light shone in all its glory, illuminating the sea and the world, the shape of the island appeared, though not clearly.

But as it gradually drew closer, its appearance became clearer.

After being lost in his thoughts for a while, the boy sensed something approaching from behind him.

He decided to ignore it and focused his thoughts on the island that was now looming on the horizon.

Of course, the winds don't always blow as the ships desire.

"...Excuse me."

He heard a gentle female voice calling him; her voice was strangely calm.

The boy felt it didn't suit a traveler consumed by fear and anxiety. Although he had somewhat ignored his surroundings, he was aware of the current mentality of the passengers.

After the past catastrophic storm, after it nearly took their lives, it was almost impossible for them to regain their composure quickly in the early morning.

Under normal circumstances, this judgment would only apply to ordinary people accustomed to peaceful lives.

"...Hello?"

He returned the greeting while turning his gaze towards the unexpected visitor.

She was a girl of extraordinary beauty.

He could only describe her with those words; any further description would be unnecessary.

Any excessive description would be considered an insult to her beauty.

Beauty always lies in simplicity, and this girl was beautiful enough to compare to the houris of the mainland.

The young boy could consider her the most beautiful person he had ever met.

Long, silvery-white hair shimmering under the sunlight.

She had captivatingly bright eyelashes, not to mention her pure white skin.

But the most striking feature was her eyes.

The boy had his fair share of traveling the world, so he had seen a fair number of people.

Whether they were ordinary or exceptional people, each had a distinctive feature that set them apart from others.

He even encountered strange half-human beings in the north of the continent.

Stories of human-beast interbreeding were not uncommon, but they weren't very common either.

You might live your whole life and never meet one, or you might live long enough to see one.

It depends on your luck in life.

This girl didn't look half-human. Although they aren't common, half-humans have clear characteristics that emphasize their appearance.

Whether it's long ears, a tail, or even sharp eyes and slightly visible fangs in the mouth.

They were a people who lived on the edge of human and beast identity.

In any case, this was the first time he had met someone with mixed-color eyes.

Yes, her eyes had a unique feature that made them stand out in the environment.

Her eyes were a mixed color.

Violet and blue intermingled in her eyes as if forming a unique field.

The colors intermingled and blended, yet remained independent of each other.

Every time she closed and opened her eyes, they shone as if they were sparkling jewels.

There was a strange coldness in those eyes, contrasting with the young girl's warm smile.

Only a moment passed before the boy organized his inner thoughts.

"Young lady, how may I assist you?"

The boy responded to the young woman standing before him with a welcoming smile, and he didn't show his nervousness.

It wasn't the time to deeply analyze someone he had just met.

Perhaps everything he was thinking was nonsense, or perhaps not.

It was merely a habit he had acquired over the years.

"I am pleased to see you, young sir. If you would be so kind, may I have your company for the rest of the journey?"

The girl was inwardly surprised by his response; externally, however, she seemed as if she were starting a routine conversation with a friend.

'Company? Hehehe, what nonsense,' the boy inwardly scoffed coldly, but he said nothing.

He seemed to be considering whether he would agree or not.

"...Certainly, no harm in chatting a bit since we're about to arrive."

As if that was all he would say, he made a silent gesture urging her to speak.

"...This storm was truly unexpected. I was afraid of losing my young life."

"Oh? Me too. I was trembling constantly. I thought my journey would end here."

Despite saying this, neither of their faces lost their artificial smile. Anyone seeing them would think they weren't escaping a disaster but were on a relaxing vacation.

The people stuck below began to come out one by one; it wouldn't be long before the place was filled.

"It seems they've ensured the place is safe."

The boy said while staring at the crowd.

There were those laughing to alleviate their fears, and there were those crying in the arms of their friends or families.

There were also what seemed to be guards and servants for some young men and women.

"I think we can rest assured now."

The girl gently put her hand to her mouth as she laughed softly.

Those who remained alone were very few; that's natural, as the destination the ship is heading to is an environment one enters only once in a lifetime.

The surrounding environment is largely filled with young people, their parents, guards, and servants.

Let alone trying to leave them alone, the parents of these children couldn't guarantee their safety, so they naturally went with them.

There were those grateful for having come to reassure their children, and there were also those who were the exact opposite.

After silently observing for a while, the young boy turned his gaze back to the young lady.

"Oh, where are my manners? I forgot to ask the young gentleman his name. Would you be so kind as to tell this little one?"

"I was so startled that I forgot. May I introduce myself as an apology, young lady?"

He bowed politely while showing an apologetic smile.

He truly seemed sorry, but for some reason, his manner made one feel provoked.

The young girl's lips trembled slightly, and for some reason, she felt uneasy.

"...Please."

"This inexperienced boy's name is Leon, Leon Evenius. Would you be so kind as to tell the young man your name, young lady?"

'...But I'm sure I said my name before?'

Slight veins appeared on her forehead from the ridiculous question, but she hid her discomfort with a gentle smile.

"This little one is Lilith, Lilith Cronus. It was a pleasure to meet you, young sir Leon."

The conversation was dry and boring. Whether it was their beginning or their replies, they came immediately, as if they were puppets programmed to do so.

The conversation took on a somewhat comedic turn, and an unspoken competition began to see who could speak in a more boring and polite way.

'My suspicions were confirmed...' As the friendly and casual conversation continued, the two thought silently.

'This person won't give up!'

"Um, young sir Leon, I think we're being silly. Don't you think so?"

'Will he take the bait?' She looked at Leon with a hidden look while smiling.

"You're right, young lady Lilith."

Both smiled bitterly at each other before bursting into laughter.

For the young girl Lilith, she would usually not show such behavior in public and would not even start this conversation with Leon.

But in the midst of the past catastrophe, although she maintained her composure well, shadows of fear of death crept into her heart, and she began to panic.

In the midst of trying to calm herself, after the violent and ferocious storm had ended, she went out at dawn when the environment was somewhat dark.

But she was surprised to see someone who had preceded her in the idea, and unlike her, this person seemed relaxed and peaceful.

From that distance, his form was somewhat unclear.

She ignored him and thought about the storm. She felt afraid; this incident reminded her of her insignificance and unimportance compared to nature. It was just one storm, but she felt she would die at any moment.

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It was indeed an achievement that she had maintained her sanity in such a situation. Nevertheless, deep down, she wanted to complain and scream like others to alleviate her fear.

She wanted to cry without shame; she wanted someone to comfort her; she wanted someone to lean on and tell her that everything would be alright.

Unfortunately, the only answer she received was the cold wind that hit her body.

Despite her fears, she didn't lose her sanity. There should be someone to calm the passengers, and she had taken that upon herself. The benefits of this were many.

Whether to get closer to prestigious families, to enhance her image in front of others, or even to make them indebted to her, many advantages could be listed.

Lilith was not a saint, and she didn't care about helping others without reason, but performing this role from time to time brought her benefits.

Even with such a reason as a justification for her actions, she was still exhausted from it. No matter how strong she was, she was just a young girl on the verge of life. Let alone the fact that it involved her life or death, she hid it from people, but she was tense.

She tried to lead the passengers to gather in one area and close themselves in the safest places inside the ship.

Fortunately, the ship was large enough to be called a liner, and that was a useful advantage. If Lilith had boarded a medium-sized ship or a boat, the waves would have swept her away long ago.

No matter how much magical energy she possessed or how strong she was, in the face of the power of nature, even a storm or natural disaster was enough to crush her hundreds of times.

There was some opposition to her orders, but it was quickly suppressed after her identity was revealed.

Even a group of people maintained their composure even in the midst of the disaster.

These people led Lilith in organizing the passengers and having them bring all their belongings and luggage to the banquet hall. Since it was the largest, they gathered there.

Her idea was that all the weight of the ship should be concentrated in one place to reduce the likelihood of drifting, even if only slightly. Fortunately, the banquet hall was in the middle of the huge ship.

She also ordered the crew members to lower the sails and focus on rowing manually with the current.

The work was difficult, and some said they might deviate from their destination, but she just shook her head at such ideas.

There was no use in such thoughts. If they died, all their worries would disappear, but their hopes and dreams would also perish with them.

As long as they remained alive, they could worry about getting lost and their destination as they pleased.

There should be a group on the deck to sweep rainwater and waves away from the ship, and all windows should also be closed to prevent water from seeping inside.

She ordered the repair crew to look for any cracks or damage and repair them immediately; the medical crew should look for anyone injured or suffering from sea problems and treat them immediately.

After saying everything that needed to be said, she promised that everyone who did their job well would be generously rewarded by her family.

Of course, she wasn't the only one; the nobles united and made promises to reward those who worked to save them. Of course, this was after her instigation and under her leadership.

All this was to prevent any internal unrest and conflicts. If that happened, no brilliant plan would save them.

The greatest source of pain always comes from within.

After explaining everything to the passengers, no one hesitated to execute it faithfully, and everyone showered her with praise.

She was truly a wise leader.

There was also another aspect of her simple plan that she didn't tell anyone, namely that keeping the passengers busy would make them forget their initial fear and panic.

Of course, this included her too.

There must be hope for survival, and their busyness in trying to survive is their hope.

As long as there is a goal, there is a way...!.

At least, they wanted to believe that; any means, even slightly higher, they wanted to do whatever it takes to survive.

With such thoughts, Lilith directed the people to their respective tasks. Gradually, the previously noisy and bustling hall began to become quiet.

Lilith had ordered her guards and servants to go and help; some wanted to stay, but she refused them, saying she needed some rest.

The number of people decreased, and only two remained. And naturally, one was Lilith; the other was a young boy about her age. From his appearance alone, he seemed to be about her age.

This boy had no initiative, whether to help others or lead them; he didn't do anything; he remained calm and didn't make a sound.

No, in fact, he couldn't make a sound.

Because a person who is usually asleep doesn't speak.

And at this moment, believing that anyone in such a catastrophe would not hesitate and would do anything to survive, she didn't put in her mind that someone would sleep.

Those weren't just her thoughts; anyone in this situation would try to survive; it was simply sound instinct.

But it seems that this young boy doesn't fit that sound instinct; he was sleeping peacefully, ignoring the chaos, the violent and catastrophic storm.

Usually, Lilith wouldn't bother to even look at this interesting thing, but after doing everything she could, there was nothing left to occupy her mind, so she unconsciously stared at the sleeping person.

For some reason, she felt calm and at ease after staring at the boy. His undisturbed sleeping figure was full of serenity.

Sleeping alone without company, breathing softly with a reassuring expression.

Instead of the appearance of an ignorant person unaware of his misfortune, he looked as if he was confident that nothing would happen.

Unlike everyone else, he didn't try to survive desperately or rush to run; he simply made a simple gesture.

He slept peacefully away from the noise of the external environment.

Disconnected from the world, as if he lived in his own world, full of peace and tranquility.

The current catastrophe wasn't his concern; whatever would happen had already happened.

This boy exuded such an atmosphere; that's what she sincerely felt.

Whether it was because she was tense, or because of the feeling of loneliness from the surrounding environment, or perhaps because she was simply exhausted.

For whatever reason, she unconsciously dragged her feet closer to the boy.

Humans are social creatures by nature; the nature of fear of loneliness is instinctive for them.

While giving herself such an excuse, she sat in the chair opposite the sleeping young boy's chair.

The table where the boy was sleeping had four chairs. In the silent environment, Lilith calmly looked at the boy who was breathing peacefully.

If someone tried to kill him, would he remain like this or would he respond?

She thought silently about something random; even she knew how foolish her thinking was.

In any case, Lilith never expected such a thing to happen to her.

She, Lilith Cronus, didn't think she would be calmed by a gesture from another person in her entire life.

Perhaps there were many contributing factors, but that doesn't negate the fact that it was a major reason for her calmness.

Perhaps this boy, oblivious to his actions, did what no one had ever done before.

Regardless of her inner thoughts that were beginning to enter narcissism, she was slowly losing her physical strength.

Her consciousness began to drift towards sleep gradually.

A slight smile began to appear on her face, even if unconsciously.

She muttered in a low voice something that piqued her curiosity.

"...How can you even remain undisturbed by what's happening?"

Her last words flowed slowly before she fell into a deep sleep.

"...I...I truly envy you."

She still had a mountain of work to do; she would have to rest and reassure her charges.

She would have to build common relationships with the prominent families here.

Let alone a chance to rest, it might take her a few days without rest.

Whether it was writing reports, making work plans to open trade channels.

She even had to open an intelligence network and expand her information further.

This time only, perhaps this time only, like this boy, she could sleep peacefully.

She wouldn't think about anything; she would simply sleep peacefully. She deserves that, at least, right?

A violent storm and raging waves, people screaming in an attempt to survive, it seemed like a fairy tale, but it was a harsh reality for those who lived through it.

The least that can be said about the situation is that it was noisy.

But in the midst of this noise and the vital cries of humans, deep within the ship tossed by the waves, there was a quiet hall.

The only sound that could be heard was the sound of the waves and the thunder that roared in the sky from time to time.

Unlike anywhere else in the ship, and perhaps in the entire ocean of the storm, this place might be the most peaceful.

And in this peaceful environment, a boy and a girl slept facing each other while serene and relaxed expressions adorned their faces.