Chapter 380 - 171: Dawn Judgment
Clelia’s smile faltered. She frowned slightly, as if genuinely considering the feasibility of his proposal. "But... even without her, couldn’t I just find someone else?"
Hearing the question in her tone, Wei’en thought, ’There’s a chance.’ He looked at the still-bewildered noble lady. "Miss, may I ask your name and your family?"
Vian vaguely understood that this man was trying to help her. She said in a low voice, "The Soyel Clan. Vian Imma Sayer."
"She’s from the Soyel Clan... hm?"
Wei’en heard the somewhat familiar name and looked at her uncertainly. "Are you the heir to the Soyel Clan... the one from the Northern Continent?"
He had seen her name in the newspaper before. It said that Vian had led her clan’s fleet to the Andrea City State in the Shetland Kingdom, thereby securing her right of inheritance.
’So why is she being hunted now? And how did Clelia end up saving her?’
Vian’s face fell. Recalling her recent ordeal, she pressed her lips together. "I am."
"You see?" Wei’en snapped his fingers. "Wouldn’t it be good to have the heir of a great clan as the etiquette instructor for the Queen’s Guard?"
’Heir to a noble clan?’
Clelia was swayed. The hint of killing intent in her heart slowly dissipated. A noble clan capable of commanding an ocean-faring fleet was likely no small fry.
’Yes, only someone of such status is worthy of my Queen’s Guard.’
"Hm. I don’t care if your intention was to save her life, but this queen accepts your proposal!"
’Th-this queen?’
Wei’en’s mouth fell slightly open. He looked her up and down. ’What part of her looks anything like a queen?’
"What’s wrong, Captain~? Do you have a problem with me being a queen?"
"Whatever makes you happy."
Clelia shot him a flirtatious glare, then turned to Vian with a light smile. "From this day forward, you are the etiquette instructor for the Guard! Of course, you can also choose to refuse!"
’Etiquette...’
’I don’t have to become a puppet?’
Vian hurriedly shook her head. "I accept."
She knew the consequences of refusing. She, and Haisa, would lose their lives.
’Right, Haisa?!’
THUD!
Just then, the blonde woman burst onto the deck, carrying a Deep Sea fish more than twice her size. "Let her go!"
She had already seen Vian being "restrained," and her face instantly turned deathly pale. For the first time, she regretted their reckless escape attempt that night. ’Maybe waiting another two days would have been better.’
"Haisa," Vian said, seeing her state and shaking her head anxiously. "It’s alright now! Lady Clelia has agreed to let me be the Guard’s etiquette instructor. She won’t hurt us..."
"What?"
The blonde woman, Haisa, was stunned. ’Safe?’
"She’s... probably useless now, right?" Clelia asked, looking at Wei’en with a smirk.
’Now, what excuse will you come up with?’
"Don’t you think an Extraordinary who dares to leap into the Deep Sea at night is quite brave?"
Wei’en glanced at the controlled Deep Sea fish. Its dark green body was covered in barbs, and its dorsal fin emitted a faint fluorescent glow, much like the ones he had encountered beneath the waves.
However, he was more interested in the necklace in the blonde woman’s hands, which was emitting a faint Rune Power. Through his Spirit perception, he could see a barely-visible line connecting the necklace to the Deep Sea fish beside it.
’Is that the ability used to control it?’
’It seems a bit like the Magic used to control Mechanical Puppets...’
Clelia also looked at the blonde woman. "I suppose so~ But that’s not very useful. She’ll do nicely for venting some frustration, though."
As soon as she finished speaking, she gave a casual wave, and several beams of black light shot out from the shadows of the ship’s railing, forming into short, black blades.
"Hm?"
Before Wei’en could say anything else, the black blades vanished in a flash.
SCHLICK! SCHLICK!
After a few faint sounds, the black blades had sliced the flopping fish into several pieces—and had also severed the blonde woman’s legs.
THUMP.
A look of bewilderment crossed the blonde woman’s face. Her severed legs could no longer support her body, and she collapsed onto the deck along with the pieces of the Deep Sea fish.
"Haisa!!" Vian cried out when she saw her friend’s state. She scrambled over, a bottle of Magic Potion appearing in her hand, and fumbled to pour it into Haisa’s mouth.
"I... I’m alright."
After drinking the Magic Potion, Haisa endured the searing pain, aligned her two severed legs, and then looked up at the terrifying woman.
In that moment, she personally experienced the cruelty that was only spoken of in rumors.
Wei’en: "..."
He gave Clelia a helpless look. ’She’s changed a little, but not by much.’
"She’s your person now. You decide what to do with her."
"Hmph~ Hm?!" Clelia was about to nod, but her brow suddenly furrowed, and her gaze turned exceptionally cold.
"What’s wrong?" Wei’en asked, noticing her expression. ’She’s not changing her mind again, is she?’
But Clelia didn’t make another move as Wei’en had feared. Instead, she turned to look toward the stern of the ship, her tone grave. "It looks like you’re in for some trouble, Captain."
"Me?"
Wei’en was taken aback and followed her gaze. ’Off the ship?’
His Spirit perception probed in that direction—one kilometer, two kilometers... fifteen kilometers. ’There’s nothing back there, is there?’
In the distance, he could only see a few faint glints on the water’s surface. Even with the light of the red moon, his line of sight was met with nothing but darkness.
"Did something happen?"
"Someone’s catching up to us. He... dammit!"
Clelia’s expression changed yet again. A flicker of shock and panic flashed through her bright, cold eyes as her body went rigid and fell toward Wei’en.
"Huh?"
Wei’en reached out and caught her, only to feel that her body was as hot as fire. The temperature was like boiling water, making him frown involuntarily.
’What’s going on?’
’Was Clelia attacked by something?’