Episode 14.
What on earth is going on right now?
“This is the cannon attached to the Theronya. Its firing angle and range compared to the Ulysses, the Empire’s fleet, are……”
Adrian, with that slick face of his, didn’t even flinch at the task I gave him to screw him over.
Of course, the information Adrian spoke of was already published in the kingdom’s newspapers.
If the existence of the Theronya itself were top secret, it wouldn’t have been introduced to Schultz Tugrahan and the Shulid delegation in the first place.
In fact, warships stronger than the Theronya were not disclosed at all.
The reason the Theronya was revealed was that it was a ship just strong enough to ensure other nations would not look down on Sepia. Just strong enough to cause no hindrance to diplomacy or trade.
Because of that, anyone with even a slight interest in the Sepian Navy, vessels, or warships—even a civilian—could probably find this information.
To put it in perspective, the name of the ship that appeared most frequently when young boys in Roserica played war games was the Theronya.
But for Adrian Oberon to know all that information about the Theronya?
Him, who comes from the Northern
Knights and is usually too busy ignoring the Navy?
Adrian continued the briefing on the Theronya so perfectly that there was absolutely no gap for Elisa to intervene.
Unbelievable.
Now, rather than being angry at Adrian, Elisa was simply appalled by the situation.
While Elisa was in a daze, Adrian had already finished all the explanations to Schultz Tugrahan and returned to her side.
Only when she felt his intense body heat nearby did Elisa snap back to her senses.
“How was it? I wonder if my fiancé’s guidance was to your liking.”
“I was very satisfied. To think there were so many technologies here that do not exist in Shulid.”
She deliberately referred to Adrian as her ‘fiancé’ rather than ‘Vice Admiral.’ And as soon as she said those words, Elisa felt Schultz Tugrahan’s gaze measuring the distance between her and Adrian.
Elisa naturally placed her left hand on the side of the vessel, exposing her engagement ring to Schultz Tugrahan’s sight.
“Even though our technology is lacking, I am overwhelmed that you praise it so.”
Schultz Tugrahan’s eyes lingered once on
Elisa’s ring finger, and once on Adrian’s left hand, which wore the same ring.
“As a return for the welcoming gift of introducing the Theronya, I have also prepared a gift for Admiral Shooter. Will you accept it?”
Hearing Schultz Tugrahan’s words, Adrian stepped forward about half a pace in front of Elisa, subtly blocking Schultz Tugrahan’s line of sight.
“In that case, would it not be more appropriate for me to receive that gift you have prepared?”
Tugrahan looked at Adrian with sharp eyes for a very brief moment, then laughed loudly.
“Haha, I would like to do so as well, but I did not know I would meet Lord Oberon and prepared only a gift for Admiral Shooter. I shall personally select Lord Oberon’s gift before I leave Sepia.”
Saying so, Schultz Tugrahan held out a large, antique wooden box to Elisa.
“This is too generous a gesture for simply introducing a single ship.”
“It was brought with the intention of asking for your favor in the future, so I hope you will accept it.”
Unable to refuse any further, Elisa eventually reached out and took the large box. And she felt Adrian’s gaze, which regarded the scene with great disapproval.
After all the scheduled events were over,
Elisa headed toward the base carrying the large chest she received from Schultz Tugrahan. However, the sound of someone following behind her continued to be heard, which was incredibly annoying.
Finally, unable to endure it, Elisa whipped around.
The owner of the long shadow following half a pace behind came to an abrupt halt.
The sunset was falling behind Adrian, who was dressed in his white uniform.
His transparent blonde hair fluttering in the sea breeze was dyed vermilion. Legs as long as the shadow cast on the beach and a well-proportioned body.
Add to that a sculpted appearance that would make anyone turn their head at least once.
However, what Elisa saw before all those perfect features were his red eyes. That face, which showed no fluster and no change in expression, did not look human.
Unpleasant.
“Well, how far are you planning to follow me?”
“Shouldn’t that gift be inspected? It is more strange to accept something given by the King of another nation so without suspicion, is it not?”
Sarcastic words poured out of Adrian immediately, and Elisa’s face crumpled fiercely.
“So, do your eyes not see that I’m bringing it to the Naval Base? Did I go to Her Majesty to commit terror with this, or did I disclose it to civilians?”
“……”
“In your eyes, I must look like a moron who can’t tell heaven from earth, but I swore the knight’s oath before Her Majesty just like you did, and while you were leading the Northern Knights, I was building up the Southern Navy.”
“I know.”
“A guy who knows that babbles such nonsense?”
“……”
“If you have nothing to say, get lost.”
When Elisa said that and turned to go alone, Adrian strode over and finally snatched the box away.
“What on earth are you doing right now?”
“I have to see what is inside as well.”
“Why are you seeing this?”
“I am now your fiancé, and the person who will marry you. I have at least this much right.”
He must have had a face made of iron. Or his conscience was plated in armor.
Elisa looked up at Adrian with an incredulous expression, but his red eyes seemed to have no intention of backing down.
Without even listening to Elisa’s answer, he began to stride across the beach.
Even after the two arrived at the residence, Adrian’s attitude remained the same.
As if he had to see with his own two eyes what was inside that box, Adrian Oberon kept his boots glued to the floor and would not leave.
As if he couldn’t trust Elisa Shooter. Adrian closed the office door and asked Elisa this:
“Are you not checking?”
At that attitude of acting as if it were his own residence, Elisa even lost the will to fight.
Whatever.
Everything that comes out of here will be reported to Her Majesty anyway, and if so, Adrian Oberon is the type of person who will find out everything by any means using his power.
Elisa reached out toward the large paulownia wood box placed on the table.
The quality of the oiled paulownia was high-grade, the latch was made of pure gold, and even the small buckle was a work of craftsmanship engraved with traditional Shulid patterns.
As Elisa reached out, the latch released with a crisp sound.
Exotic jewels were filling the box. The first thing that caught Elisa’s eye was a brooch made of tiger’s eye, which is said to be used only by royalty in Shulid.
She also saw malachite earrings with a mysterious blue light—a specialty of Shulid that was previously found only beneath the soil of Schultz territory.
Besides those, the box was full of necklaces embedded with small, finely crafted diamonds, ruby ring sets, sapphire anklets, and more.
However, after examining all of them meticulously, Elisa tossed them aside as if she felt no inspiration.
In that process, there was no admiration or praise for the beautiful ornaments, nor any greed for the expensive jewels.
Elisa’s attitude was nothing more than an inspection to see if there was a dangerous object or an item that shouldn’t be brought in.
Subsequently, Elisa began to immerse herself in her work, forgetting that Adrian was standing next to her.
Thanks to Elisa maintaining a businesslike attitude throughout and quickly examining the ornaments, the box was soon emptied. When the deep box was nearly empty, Adrian tossed a word toward Elisa.
“……Is there anything you like?”
Only then did Elisa lift her gaze and recognize the presence of Adrian, whom she had completely forgotten.
As soon as she understood what he had said, Elisa had to barely suppress the urge to throw the ruby brooch she was holding in her hand at Adrian Oberon.
“Do you perhaps mistakenly think I’ve come to a jewelry shop? In the eyes of the Vice Admiral, does my behavior not look like searching for dangerous items or prohibited goods?”
When she spoke with full sarcasm, only then did Adrian shut his mouth.
Naturally, you would have nothing to say.
Elisa left Adrian alone again and began to focus on the jewels in the box.
Just as she was thinking there would be nothing more to wish for if that bastard would just go back on his own, the bottom of the box began to appear.
And as she lifted a bracelet made of emeralds, a small white piece of paper was visible at the bottom of the box.
Elisa carefully picked up the paper. Upon unfolding the several-times-folded paper, there was a greyish powder inside.
When she touched and rubbed it with her finger, the fine powder scattered into the air like a mist.
“This, was the real gift.”
☆▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎☆
