It had been a while since Emerion had gone to have a conversation with Anathema.
Arlienne had already finished filling up the refund documents, and the captain processed them without much delay before leaving the ship. As promised, Anathema's two guards Ryuuken and Rui remained in the dining hall with her.
Arlienne kept acting light, almost carefree. She ordered three plates of sushi for herself and remained seated, her posture relaxed, one leg crossed over the other. The faint aroma of vinegar and fresh fish filled the air as the plates were placed before her. To anyone watching, she looked like a noble girl simply enjoying her meal, unbothered by anything else.
"Why is she not suspicious yet?" Ryuuken whispered to Rui as they stood a few feet away from Arlienne's table.
Rui made a sharp hissing sound and shot Ryuuken a warning look, signaling him to keep his voice down. Still, Rui replied in a low voice.
"I don't know. But it's better if she doesn't get suspicious."
Rui observed Arlienne closely. Her expression didn't change at all. She wore that same eerie, mysterious, yet polite smile one that made it impossible to tell what she was thinking.
"I see… but it's been an hour, I guess," Ryuuken whispered again, his face showing concern. "Do you think Mui will be okay? It should've been over by now. As planned, the captain should've given us a signal by now."
"I know," Rui replied, maintaining a composed tone. "But you should trust Mui and his decision to make the deal with the captain. Our job here is to keep an eye on that silver haired girl."
Despite his calm words, worry gnawed at Rui's chest as well. They both knew Emerion wouldn't be an easy opponent. Still, Mui had the captain's two slaves helping him, which should've turned the tables in Mui's favor.
"Hey, do you guys want to eat?"
Arlienne's voice suddenly reached them, catching both guards off guard. They instinctively straightened and looked toward her table.
Rui's first thought was to decline. The food could be poisoned. But he paused when he noticed that the dishes had just been served, steam still faintly rising from the rice. Joining her would make them seem harmless and less suspicious.
Ryuuken, on the other hand, was about to decline on instinct, but Rui stopped him with a subtle gesture and spoke first.
"We would be honored to join," Rui said, walking toward Arlienne's table.
Ryuuken glanced at him in surprise but decided to follow.
Both guards sat across from Arlienne. Up close, her presence felt even stranger. Her blue eyes were calm and clear, her movements refined. That polite smile never left her face. If Ryuuken didn't know about her lineage, he might have fallen for her charm that was what Rui thought.
"You two seem very loyal to your lord, which is admirable," Arlienne said in a gentle tone. "What are your names? I don't remember us introducing ourselves."
"Why do you think we need to introduce ourselves to you?" Ryuuken replied, his voice coming off slightly aggressive.
Rui sighed and discreetly pinched Ryuuken to make him behave.
"My apologies on behalf of my friend," Rui said calmly. "He is an Imperial Knight. As you may know, they are very protective of their lord. And given our recent interactions, he's a bit hostile."
"I see," Arlienne replied, unfazed. "You remind me of my brother. He also tends to hold grudges over past actions. I hope the talks between Anathema and my brother go well."
She lifted another piece of sushi and ate it with perfect etiquette.
"Why don't you eat as well?" she added, gesturing lightly toward the plates. "I'm sure you must be hungry."
Rui felt something subtle about her an aura that made people easier to influence. Still, he found no solid reason to refuse. He picked up his fork and began eating. Ryuuken followed shortly after.
"My name is Rui," he said after a moment. "I am an advisor to our lord. And this is my friend, Ryuuken."
For just a split second, Arlienne's smile curved slightly higher so subtly that Rui wondered if he had imagined it.
"I see," Arlienne said. "I'm Arlienne, and my brother's name is Emerion. I hope we can at least be acquaintances."
She finished her food surprisingly quickly, despite eating so elegantly. Rising from her seat, she extended her hand toward Rui. After a brief hesitation, he shook it.
"I'll see you around," Arlienne said politely. "I need to take a walk after eating."
With that, she excused herself and left the dining hall.
For a moment, both guards sat there in silence, trying to process what had just happened.
They were supposed to keep an eye on her.
They were supposed to stop her from leaving the dining room even if it meant fighting.
"She left…" Ryuuken muttered.
"You idiot!" Ryuuken snapped a second later, punching Rui on the head. "She got away!"
Rui rubbed the back of his head. "I can still use my technique and hide in her shadow. Let's go."
They stood up to follow but a sharp voice stopped them.
"Excuse me, gentlemen. You are not allowed to leave without finishing your food."
An elderly woman stood before them, wearing a white apron. Her posture was straight, and her stern gaze alone carried authority.
"Pardon?" Rui asked, confused.
Ryuuken scoffed. "What are you talking about, you old hag? The girl already paid. Why are you stopping us?"
He reached out
Clang.
A pan struck Ryuuken square in the face.
He fell backward and landed hard on the floor.
Rui stared in disbelief. He had no idea where the woman had even pulled the pan from.
"You have no manners," the old woman scolded. "First you try to leave without finishing your food, and now you insult me?"
People began to stare. It was lunchtime, and more passengers were gathering in the dining hall.
"We're sorry," Rui said quickly, bowing his head slightly. "We can pay more if needed, but we really must leave urgently."
Her eyes didn't soften at all.
"If you had urgent business, you should have finished it before coming here. Wasting food is unacceptable."
At that moment, a young woman entered, drawn by the raised voices. She wore the same apron. Her deep brown eyes were gentle, and her long dyed brown hair was neatly tied.
"Lady Misselda, are you okay?" the girl asked.
"Yes, Lily," the old woman replied. "I was just stopping these two from leaving without finishing their food."
"But this old hag doesn't understand..."
Ryuuken's words were cut short as Rui grabbed his arm.
"I'm sorry" Lily said calmly. "But the rules are posted clearly. You're not allowed to leave without finishing your meal, even if you pay."
Rui realized too late that they hadn't checked the menu.
"Can we pack the food in containers?" Rui asked.
"I'm afraid not," Lily replied gently. "This isn't a restaurant."
The truth settled heavily.
Arlienne had tricked them.
With a tired sigh, Rui returned to the table and began eating.
"What are you doing? We need to catch her," Ryuuken hissed.
"We can't leave unless we finish," Rui replied quietly. "And people are staring."
Ryuuken clenched his teeth but eventually sat down.
"You should learn some manners from your friend," Misselda said, smacking Ryuuken on the back of the head with her pan.
His face fell straight into the plate.
The dining hall burst into laughter.
Rui continued eating in silent embarrassment.
"Could my day get any worse…" Ryuuken muttered as he lifted his face, food sticking stubbornly to his skin.
The laughter only grew louder.
Meanwhile
Arlienne moved through the deck with measured grace, her posture relaxed yet her blue eyes sharp, missing nothing. The hum of the ship, the muted voices of sailors, the faint salt in the air she took it all in while keeping her thoughts carefully ordered.
"The captain played his cards, she reflected coolly. Almost clever. I'll admit that much."
Lost in thought, she collided lightly with someone else who also hadn't been paying attention.
The blonde haired girl froze for a fraction of a second. Panic flickered across her features before she quickly composed herself, smoothing her expression into something calm and mature.
"Oh it's you, Arlienne. I'm sorry, I wasn't looking," she said in an even voice. She wore a long white dress that caught the daylight softly, giving her an almost fragile appearance.
"It's fine. I wasn't looking either, Riruka," Arlienne replied.
Her gaze drifted not rudely, but observantly. Riruka's eyes carried a trace of surprise at seeing her, but what drew Arlienne's attention most was the thick cloth wrapped around Riruka's right shoulder. Against the brightness of the day and the pale fabric of her dress, it stood out clearly.
Riruka noticed.
She instinctively lifted a hand to cover the bandaged area, then hesitated, stopping mid air as if realizing that doing so might only draw more suspicion. The awkward pause said more than the motion itself.
"Forgive my curiosity," Arlienne said gently, gesturing toward the shoulder. "But are you injured?"
She caught the subtle stiffness in Riruka's posture, the slight delay before her response details most people would overlook. Arlienne did not. Years as the chief strategist of her house council had trained her to read such signs. Observing powerful people had sharpened that skill further.
"W-well… yes," Riruka said, forcing a small laugh. "Um, my sister and I were just pretending to be warriors with knives. She accidentally hurt my arm." She laughed again, as if trying to turn it into a harmless joke.
Arlienne recognized the tactic immediately. Even high ranking nobles used laughter to soften demands or deflect suspicion, presenting falsehoods without raising tension. Riruka, however, lacked the polish of those veterans.
"I see," Arlienne replied, her expression shifting smoothly into one of belief. "I hope you recover quickly. Are you performing tonight?"
Relief flickered across Riruka's face, her shoulders relaxing as the topic changed.
"Yes, I am. It's in a few hours. I hope you'll come to watch," she said, then her voice dipped slightly. "I was supposed to perform yesterday, but… I didn't get the chance because of that fight."
"I'm sorry about that," Arlienne said sincerely. "I'll come to hear you sing, of course. I need to change my clothes it's getting a bit sweaty. I'll see you around, alright? Bye."
With that, Arlienne turned and walked away, her steps composed, her posture as calm as ever.
Riruka watched her retreating figure. From that brief exchange alone, she understood something unsettling Arlienne controlled the flow of conversation effortlessly. A faint frown creased Riruka's brow, worry settling in.
Arlienne walked deeper into the ship and stopped before a specific room. She raised her hand and knocked softly on the door. Her posture was relaxed, her usual composed smile resting naturally on her face. Moments later, the door opened, revealing a woman with golden blonde hair.
"Arlienne? Come in," Seraphyne said, stepping aside to let her enter. "How did the conversation with the captain go?"
Arlienne moved inside and sat down on the couch, crossing one leg over the other as she looked at her aunt. "Would you freak out if I said something stupid… but very likely true?"
"What are you doing here, you nerd?" a raven haired girl interrupted.
Arlienne felt a faint twitch of irritation but kept her composure. She knew exactly who that voice belonged to.
"Nyxelle," Arlienne said, her smile polite and sweet, though to Nyxelle it sounded unmistakably sarcastic, "you shouldn't interrupt when adults are talking."
"Well, you're sixteen," Nyxelle shot back, looking straight at her. "So technically, you're not an adult."
Before the argument could escalate, Seraphyne raised her hand.
"Arlienne, you wanted to say something," she said firmly. "Is something wrong?"
At Seraphyne's voice, Arlienne stopped glaring at Nyxelle and composed herself. She took a brief pause before speaking.
"Yes… the thing is, my brother has been kidnapped by the captain. I just can't prove it."
The room went quiet.
Seraphyne's eyes widened in disbelief, while Nyxelle's mouth fell open with the same stunned expression.
"What do you mean by kidnapped?" Seraphyne demanded, slamming her hands onto the table as she sat across from Arlienne. Her warm, gentle expression vanished, replaced by sharp anger and frustration. The sudden change caught Arlienne off guard she had never seen her aunt like this before.
"Well…" Arlienne said sheepishly, unsure how to respond, "kidnapped usually means when someone is taken somewhere by force."
Nyxelle facepalmed.
Seraphyne pinched the bridge of her nose, holding back her temper. "I didn't ask for the literal meaning. How did it happen, and why would the captain kidnap Emerion?"
Nyxelle stayed quiet this time. She knew better than to interfere when her mother was like this.
Arlienne took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "The captain suggested that my brother have a private conversation with Anathema. Apparently, Anathema was regretful about what happened yesterday. His guards stayed behind, and I was busy filling out refund documents. It's been almost two hours since my brother left, I believe."
She tilted her head slightly. "He's not a very social person, so I doubt he's having a bromance."
"This girl…" Seraphyne muttered under her breath before speaking again. "You let him go alone while you were dealing with paperwork? What kind of sister does that?"
"A smart one," Arlienne replied bluntly.
Both Seraphyne and Nyxelle froze.
"What?" Seraphyne asked, clearly caught off guard.
"Well, I've already formed a plan to rescue him," Arlienne said, a confident smirk spreading across her face. Her blue eyes shone with certainty.
"How are you sure he's even alive?" Nyxelle asked, but the sharp look from her mother immediately shut her up.
"Judging by the expressions of Anathema's guards, they find the situation suspicious as well," Arlienne said thoughtfully. "The captain wouldn't risk harming the lord of House Corvus and the same applies to my brother, even if we're disguised as commoners. The captain strikes me as a strategist. He would likely keep both of them alive for negotiation."
Her voice wavered slightly at the end. It was still a calculated gamble, and she knew it.
"What do you mean by disguised as commoners?" Seraphyne asked, narrowing her eyes.
Arlienne realized her mistake and cursed herself inwardly.
"I can explain later, Aunt," she said softly. "But rescuing my brother is more important right now and I need your help."
Seraphyne studied her for a moment, then nodded, choosing not to pursue the matter further.
"Where should we look for him?" Nyxelle asked, glancing around as if the answer might appear. "This ship is huge."
"The restricted areas," Arlienne replied immediately, her smirk returning. "Places where passengers aren't allowed."
"I see your point," Seraphyne said, arms crossed. "But security will be tight. We can't bypass it without drawing attention. The captain has clearly played both sides with words."
Arlienne didn't seem fazed in the slightest.
"Don't worry," she said calmly. "I have a perfect plan to rescue my brother."
Her smile turned devilish, and the air in the room grew heavy with anticipation.
"Why would the captain kidnap Emerion in the first place?" Nyxelle demanded, her expression sharp and suspicious.
Arlienne's lips curved into her familiar, unreadable smile. "I have a theory. The captain simply didn't want his business to be interrupted."
"Business?" Nyxelle echoed, visibly confused.
"I don't have enough time to explain everything right now," Arlienne replied calmly. Then she turned her attention away from Nyxelle entirely and looked straight at Seraphyne. Her expression softened, her blue eyes widening ever so slightly. "But do you trust me, Aunt? We are family, after all."
She even added a subtle tilt of her head, the infamous puppy dog look she rarely used because it worked.
Seraphyne let out a slow sigh, rubbing her temples. "Of course I'm obligated to help. I still don't understand why the captain would do something like this…" She paused, then straightened, resolve settling into her posture. "But you're right. We're family. That means I'll trust you."
Her gaze shifted briefly to Nyxelle. "The same goes for you. We're rescuing Emerion."
Seraphyne looked back at Arlienne, her voice firm with determination. "So tell me your plan."
Arlienne's smile deepened, satisfaction flickering across her face.
"With pleasure," she said.
For a brief moment, something dark and calculating passed through her expression so fleeting it could almost be imagined yet it left the room feeling heavier than before