Chapter 195

I stared for a moment, shocked to find Callisto here. His shout reminded me of the gravity of the situation, however.

“F-fire fission!”

Forgetting my embarrassment about yelling the silly spell names, I launched the spell at the beast. The stumps were engulfed in flames before new legs could grow back.

(2/14)

Yes!

The number on the counter had changed. The monster shrieked, thrashing even more violently than before. This new strategy seemed to be working. The slimy tentacles were crushing parts of the ship, and it began to tilt sideways. Various objects on deck began to tip over and roll into the sea.

“Aaaah!”

One of the sailors, hit by a wooden barrel, was knocked into the ocean between one blink and the next.

“Oh no!” I could feel my own body beginning to tip sideways.

“Lady Penelope!” Callisto caught me, tucking me under one arm as he climbed the stairs that led to the steering wheel, avoiding the falling objects. He jumped from the elevated position and came down on the other side of the ship, slashing at the tentacles that were attempting to drag it down.

As he did so, my body swung about wildly like a sack. I felt so dizzy that the world was beginning to spin.

“Ugh! L-let me down!”

“If you have air to shout, cast those spells!”

“Fire fission!” I cried, and flames burst forth once more.

The kraken shrieked in pain and the ship returned to its upright position.

“Well done,” he said, lowering me until I was standing on my own two feet once more.

Dizzy and clutching at my head, I studied the sliced tentacles as they burned. If they were seared with fire after they were cut, new legs did not grow back.

Oh, so the order matters. Understanding what I now had to do in order to kill it, I began casting spells.

“Wind frasson! Fire fission! Wind frasson! Fire fission!”

(7/14)

The number of destroyed legs climbed steadily. Callisto stared at me, puzzled that I suddenly seemed to be doing just fine on my own.

The monster screeched, another tentacle looming over our heads.

“Tsk.” The crown prince tutted and cut it down.

“Fire fission!”

The remaining sailors must have caught on to what we were doing. They fetched the torches and began burning wherever a leg was sliced off.

“Wind frasson! Fire fission!”

After several minutes of shouting the same spells over and over, all the legs were finally defeated.

(14/14)

The squid moaned weakly and fell away from the ship.

<SYSTEM>

Special quest [Defeat the Hungry Kraken] complete!

A message appeared, informing me that the quest was over.

“Ha...”

I sighed with relief, swaying unsteadily on my feet. My entire body was drenched in seawater. The hood I wore tugged over my head and my mask were also soaking wet, and stank of the ocean. I scowled.

Since wearing the boy’s disguise made me smaller than I actually was and caused me to feel cramped, I’d taken off the magical bracelet and worn the robe and mask in its place.

In the process of fighting the monster, however, these items of clothing had become burdensome. I was panting, wondering if I should just cast the robe aside and breathe in some fresh air, when a cold voice called out to me.

“Penelope Eckhart.”

Oh, right. In my relief, I’d completely forgotten—the insane crown prince had actually followed me all the way here. I slowly raised my head to look at him properly and a soaked Callisto stalked over, his red eyes glowing. I hadn’t wronged the prince in any way that I could remember, but his expression made me feel like I’d committed some grave crime.

But how did he get on my ship? We’re out in the middle of the ocean.

Terribly confused, I stuttered, “Y-you’re supposed to be up north handling the uprising. How did you—”

“The uprising is the very last thing on my mind right now!” The crown prince rushed to my side and grabbed my shoulders. “Do you have any idea how dangerous it was, coming out here alone? It seems as if you really desire to see me lose it.”

“Y-your Highness.”

“After I received word that you’d vanished from the manor, I browbeat a palace mage into taking me to the capital right away. I thought you were with that possessed demon bitch and when I saw her at the manor, I—” he trailed off, his hostile expression crumbling into one of dejection. “How can you be so heartless?”

Callisto lowered his head, unable to speak anymore. His forehead rested against mine, though I couldn’t feel the warmth of his skin through the mask. “Don’t you think you’ve already made me worry enough after the coming-of-age ceremony? Why are you trying to drive me over the edge like this?” he whispered in a voice heavy with fatigue.

I’d never heard him speak like this before, lacking in belligerence or mockery.

I have no idea why you’re acting this way. You don’t love me. But the weariness in his voice made my heart ache so badly I almost couldn’t breathe.

Callisto stood, breathing raggedly, his forehead pressed against mine, before taking a deep breath and straightening. “Tsk. And what’s with this silly mask?”

He didn’t seem to appreciate the barrier the mask formed between us and he tugged it off my face irritably, throwing back the damp hood of my robe in the process. Cool air kissed my cheeks, and I suddenly realized that he’d been able to recognize me instantly despite the mask.

“How did you... know it was me?”

“How could I not recognize you?” Callisto laughed hollowly. “If it’s for you, I will abandon any meeting or battle and come running to your aid.”

Lifting his hands from my shoulders, he wiped some of the seawater from my face. I could finally feel the warmth of his skin against mine, and my heart was suddenly racing. Feeling my eyes grow warm, I gritted my teeth.

“Are you hurt?” the crown prince asked after wiping my face. I shook my head.

“No. And are you...”

I was about to ask if he was well when I caught a whiff of the metallic scent of blood. I turned my head, finding a damp bandage wrapped tightly around his right hand, which was soaked red with blood.

“Y-you’re hurt!” I shouted, grabbing his wrist.

“This isn’t because of the squid.”

“Do you think I gave you that cuff on your ear just to wear as an ornament?”

“I can’t bring myself to use it.”

“That’s absurd...” I said, at a loss for words.

He grinned, bragging, “Don’t you worry. A bit of saliva on the wound and I’ll be just fine.”

“Do you enjoy pain, Your Highness? I gave you that expensive trinket so you wouldn’t get hurt!” As I shuddered with rage, he suddenly grabbed my face.

Whoa!

Before I even realized what was happening, I’d been gathered up in his damp embrace.

“It’s nice to hear you say something sweet for a change,” he said, resting his chin on my head.

I stuttered, then struggled to free myself as I realized what was going on. “Wh-what... Let go of me!”

“Do you understand my feelings for you now, Lady Penelope?”

“How am I supposed to know how you feel? I have no idea! Just let me go—”

“Don’t ever do that again,” he whispered, his face buried in my hair. That gave me pause. “I think I understand what it is you want now. Whatever it is, I’ll make it happen, even if it takes destroying the duke’s manor or forsaking my position. So don’t ever do anything like that ever again, Penelope Eckhart.”

Something Emily had told me resurfaced from the depths of my memory.

“He didn’t leave your side even once after you passed out.”

“...how desperately he pleaded every night, holding your hands.”

I wondered if things would be different had I heard these words before hard mode ended. It was silly to even think about it, of course. It’s already too late.

I tried to push Callisto away but to no avail. He was hugging me so tightly I could hardly breathe, his arms quivering around me, revealing just how relieved he was at this moment. Unable to push him away or hug him back, I simply stood there doing nothing.

“A-ahem!”

Someone cleared their throat. “Uh, C-captain, we...”

Huh? I suddenly felt multiple sets of eyes staring at us.

“Eeeek!”

Screaming, I thumped Callisto on the chest and shoved him away.

“Urgh!” he groaned, stumbling back.

The surviving sailors were staring wide-eyed at us. Trying to get my breathing under control, red in the face, I spun to face them.

“What?” I growled viciously.

The former owner of the ship jumped and stammered a reply, “W-we’re coming up on Arkina City now!”

“Is that so?”

I followed his pointed finger with my gaze. Perhaps we’d been carried by the current during the fight with the kraken. I could see a large island looming in the distance.

“So we’ve arrived? Shall we go take a look?” the crown prince asked, leaning against the mast and staring down at something in his hands.

“And how do you know where I’m headed?”

I shot back, pulling the map of Ancient Valta from my bag. I’d just opened it when he said with a mischievous smile, “I thought you were going to Arkina City?”

He wandered closer. I glanced at the scroll he was holding, freezing when I saw what it was.

Huh? It looked familiar.

“Wait...”

It was identical to my map, and there was a red dot on the same exact spot.

Wait... He followed me to Solael, too. A sense of deja vu washed over me, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

“What is that?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why is my location visible on your map?”

“This isn’t your location, it’s mine—”

I already knew the answer to my own question. He seemed to realize that there was no use lying to me, and guiltily confessed, “It’s a copy.”

“Of what, exactly?”

“Of the map that considers you its owner.”

“Ha! So last time...”

I suddenly understood how he had been able to find me so easily every time he sought me out. I laughed incredulously.

The crown prince tried making excuses, “Don’t misunderstand, my lady. It wasn’t done on purpose. It was a mistake that occurred when we were confirming that the map’s ownership fell to you—”

“You perverted stalker.” I humphed and spun away.

The crown prince called after me, uttering something so appalling it made my skin crawl. “Now, now. You can’t go about calling your lover a stalker.”

“My lover? You?”

“Of course. We’re lovers, the two of us.”

“I believe you are suffering from some sort of severe delusion. I suggest you go to see the court doctor right away—”

Something soft pressed against my lips then disappeared just as quickly.

“You have such a thorny tongue,” he said with a playful smile.

It took me a moment to process what had happened. Then I clapped a hand over my mouth, scrambling away from him. “You utterly insane little man, look here! What do you think you’re—”

“‘Look here?’ How could you speak so casually to the crown prince? Yet another slight against a member of the imperial family.” Callisto didn’t seem at all offended.

My lips suddenly felt like they were burning.