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IBP 112
“It’s absolutely not because I hate Coco. How could I ever hate our Coco?”
“Then what is it?”
“But I won’t tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t let my Coco go just yet.”
Sister grinned, stretching out my pouting cheek.
“Wha-wha do you mea-mean......? (What does that mean......?)”
“Oh dear, what will I do now that our Coco has become such a grown-up puppy that she can notice those kinds of emotions.......”
As I tilted my head in confusion, Sister cut the conversation short, as if she had no intention of saying more.
“But it’s true. For now, I just want our Coco to stay right here in my arms.”
“Ung.......”
Feeling instantly cheered up by those words, I let out a hehe laugh, and Sister hugged me tight.
“Let’s go to sleep. Whatever happened, the party is over, and we decided to spend the night here.”
“Yup!”
Perhaps she was exhausted from today's schedule.
Without a maid, she changed her clothes quickly and meticulously dressed me in new clothes as well.
“I always sleep better when I’m holding our Coco’s warm body.”
“Ung! Hold me!”
Sister hugged me tight once more and soon fell fast asleep.
For hours, I silently gazed at Sister’s face illuminated by the moonlight.
With her eyes closed tight, her face looked, for some reason...
Much more peaceful than the face I had seen back at the dog star.
‘I will definitely protect Sister’s happiness.’
So much so that it made me make a solemn vow.
Around the time dawn approached, when the strength in the hand holding me loosened and the noise of the party had faded.
The Emperor of Mouse and Jjek-jjeki, whom I had sent outside, approached.
“Just as you said, as soon as dawn broke, a ‘dark energy’ began flooding into the ship, Coco.”
“......Gillen Amadeus, that man, completely drunk, has gone to check on that ‘bizarre square box.’”
At the words of the Emperor of Mouse and Jjek-jjeki, I secretly pushed myself up.
The time had finally come.
“Good. Now it’s time to punish the wicked Gillen.”
I took out the <cloak of saint mars> that I had tucked away tightly in the wardrobe earlier.
Jjek-jjeki’s eyes widened.
“What! Isn’t that the cloak I bought? Wasn’t that thing originally all tattered?”
The <cloak of saint mars>.
This cloak, which possessed the power to distinguish truth from lies, was originally called an ‘ego cloak.’
It was a cloak that could not exert its power while damaged.
Thus, people believed the cloak had no power at all.
But!
“They say this cloak originally had its own ego. So, I fixed it!”
......Actually, when I first bought the cloak, I wasn’t entirely certain.
However, in the future I had seen, the true identity of the <cloak of saint mars> had been revealed.
I had heard many people muttering, ‘If only someone with healing power existed, they could revive the cloak's ego and fix it!’
“So, what is the power of that cloak?”
“Watch closely.”
The moment the brilliantly shining cloak brushed against the ship's floor.
I saw darkness slowly creeping in from the floor.
Then, for a very brief moment.
Instead of the luxurious and beautiful floor, a rotten floor leaking water and covered in mold appeared and then vanished.
“W-what is this?”
“No time to explain. Hurry, wake up Sister and together.......”
......After saying this much, I paused.
Gillen Amadeus.
He possessed the ‘evil power’ that dominated this ship.
The reason Sister remained deep in sleep even while I was chattering like this was likely because she was being faintly influenced by that power.
Gillen’s ‘box’ was a far more threatening object to Sister than it was to me.
Perhaps to the point where it could threaten her very life.
And.......
‘I need proof that Sister was asleep in the room.’
If I exposed Gillen’s true nature today, everyone would suspect Sister.
To make it clear that she wasn't the one who did it, it was better to move alone for a short while at dawn.
I bit my lip hard and draped the cloak over my shoulders.
Then, I left a note by the bedside of the deeply sleeping Sister.
[Sister!
I’m going outside for a bit.
I’ll be back in 5 mins.]
‘......If I can’t do it within 5 minutes, I’ll send the mouse or Jjek-jjeki to ask another adult for help.’
That was why I had brought my animal friends along.
Having made a firm resolve, I draped the brilliantly shining cloak over my shoulders with a flourish.
And!
Like the first step of a great hero going to defeat Gillen, I stepped forward with a thud.
“You’re going like that?”
......The Emperor of Mouse, who was in the cloak's pocket, squeaked. The chirping Jjek-jjeki was an added bonus.
“Ah, right!”
I put on the pretty cloak Sister had bought me over the other one.
The translucent, shimmering cloak that looked like starlight hid inside the other cloak.
Then, I whispered to the two animals inside.
“Now! Soldiers! Follow me!”
“......What? Are we playing?”
I was imitating something I had seen in a fairy tale book Caligo read.
My eyebrows drooped into an inverted V as I looked forward again.
“How could that be? Anyway, about that box.”
“Yeah.”
“Tell me exactly where you saw it. Let’s go, hurry!”
* * *
With the mouse who would guide the way in my left pocket and Jjek-jjeki in my right, I trotted along.
Jjek-jjeki, tucked in the inner pocket of the cloak, muttered.
“I saw Gillen disappear that way. He was drunk as a skunk.”
I nodded.
‘Normally, he would have hidden it more thoroughly.’
But since he had been thoroughly humiliated thanks to Sister and Grand Duke Rivera, he probably didn't even think about hiding it.
Following Jjek-jjeki’s guidance, I stepped off the first-class deck and continued heading downward.
And then.......
‘Is it around here?’
I scanned the surroundings.
I saw knights constantly patrolling the area to ensure the safety of the nobles.
“Um, hello!”
“Ah, Young Lady. Hello. Why have you come near the anchor? It could be dangerous.”
That’s because I’m here to cause a ruckus.
However, I hid my inner thoughts and waved my hand.
“I couldn’t sleep, so I came out for a bit. But I was curious about when the anchor goes down.”
“You even know the word ‘anchor,’ you truly are intelligent.”
“Yup!”
Gasp, as soon as I received the compliment, I couldn't help but feel proud.
The sailors gave me a kind smile.
“The anchor will be dropped in about ten minutes. Since the party is over, it’s time for the ship that was drifting at sea to dock.”
I didn't understand the difficult words.
But I understood well enough that it would be in ten minutes.
I nodded and continued walking slowly, pretending to take a stroll.
And...... right then.
The ship tilted halfway.
I confirmed that the vessel was firmly fixed so that it could drop the anchor onto the sandy beach.
Then, I grinned and thought.
‘Ruckus start!’
* * *
People seemed to be subtly concerned about me wandering around without a knight.
However, pretending to take a walk and acting friendly toward the knights beside me, I quickly slipped out of their sight.
By the time I had circled around to the inner part of the ship, I grinned.
‘This is the spot.’
The stern of the ship.
The floor plank closest to the navigation light where a faint light leaked through.
My target was right here.
After quickly checking the surroundings, I sat down on the floor.
Because the planks were rough, small scratches kept appearing on my hands, but I hurriedly pried the plank up.
Unlike a noble's cruise, the rusted nails made a creaking sound.
But.......
I heard the sound of sailors whistling in the distance.
‘They can’t come now!’
I tore at the planks even more urgently.
One second, two seconds, three seconds.......
After barely ripping the plank away, I squeezed my body into the dark interior and climbed down. At the same time, I didn't forget to shift the planks slightly to conceal the situation.
By the time I closed and opened my eyes, I heard a voice from above.
“Hey, didn’t you hear some kind of noise from somewhere?”
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