Chapter 19
19
The two started lunch. While talking, Isaac pulled on Isaac's hand to check, and there were calluses on the palm.
"Look at these calluses."
"Cool, right?"
"What's cool about it? Nothing cool about it."
"I finally have a sign of labor. I never had them because I never worked."
Isaac was delighted and touched the tips of Scarlett's fingers. Scarlett's fingertips, which did delicate work every day, were tattered.
Isaac touched Scarlett's fingertips and smiled.
"Your hands are cool too."
"Well, if you say so, I guess they are."
Scarlett somehow agreed, and Isaac took a box out of his jacket pocket.
"Oh, and this is a gift."
"What is it?"
Scarlett opened the box and found earrings with thin silver butterfly decorations.
Scarlett was surprised and said.
"Why would you buy something like this!"
"Just... I wanted to buy you a gift as soon as I got paid."
Scarlett took out the earrings Isaac gave her and looked at them for a long time in her hand.
"They're so pretty..."
"Really? I'm glad."
Isaac had chosen them by relying on his sense of touch with his Prosthetic hand, so he was very nervous until Scarlett reacted.
Scarlett put the earrings on with a strange feeling. The fact that she received a gift from Isaac, who she always thought of as someone who needed to be taken care of, made her feel strange.
"You really don't have to give me things like this."
"How is it? Does it look good on you?"
Usually, the person who gave the gift should say that it looks good, but Isaac tilted his head and asked. So Scarlett had no choice but to smile and answer.
"Yeah. Of course."
After saying that, Scarlett was silent for a moment, and Isaac asked.
"Is something wrong?"
"Huh? No, nothing."
"Tell me."
Scarlett laughed loudly at Isaac's worried voice.
"Really, nothing. Nothing at all."
If Isaac found out that she had drawn the Biplane blueprints, Isaac would also be involved in this.
Scarlett cut the bread, folded the square paper, and handed it to him so he could hold it easily.
While Isaac was eating the bread, Scarlett asked.
"Are you still wearing the bandage on your eyes?"
"Huh? Yeah. I'm used to it, and I'm worried that people will be surprised if they see my eyes."
"Why, it's okay."
When Scarlett reached for the bandage, Isaac was startled and turned his head.
Isaac had never avoided Scarlett's hand before. Scarlett was very embarrassed, but she soon laughed nonchalantly and said.
"Okay. If you don't want to, you don't have to."
"Sorry."
"What are you sorry for?"
She ended the bandage story there, and the two ate and talked about interesting things in their daily lives. Then, Scarlett said she had to go across the lake, so he dropped her off on the other side.
Only after sending Scarlett away did Isaac cover his eyes with his hand. Then Carel, the raft manager, ran over.
"Young Master! Are your eyes hurting again?"
Isaac was an important asset who attracted a huge number of customers to the raft with just his face. It was like a jewel rolling in for the owner of this raft.
Isaac smiled and shook his head.
"It's okay. It's not because it hurts."
"Please tell me right away if your eyes hurt again. Your condition is the most important thing for our raft business."
"It's not that much..."
"It is that much. It's like, since you can't see your own face, no one believes you even if I say you're handsome."
Isaac smiled at that.
From some day after using the medicine Scarlett brought, he felt terrible pain inside the bandage. Judging from the fact that Carel fainted when he saw it once, it must have been unspeakably hideous. So he could never take off the bandage in front of Scarlett. He didn't care if he had to wear the bandage for the rest of his life.
If he could keep Scarlett from being hurt, that was easy.
Today, the naval base was a bit noisy. Viktor's retired subordinate, Nikolaus, had visited after a long time.
The sailors greeted him cheerfully.
"Hey, Niko. What was the name of the ice cream shop again?"
"Ah, how many times have you asked? 'The Sailor's Ice Cream Shop'."
The sailors burst into laughter again at that.
Nikolaus, who had enlivened the atmosphere of the base so noisily, stood in front of the captain's office.
In every military, the highest-ranking officer was a member of the royal family, and the same was true for the navy. The Chief of Naval Operations was the current Crown Prince Adam Iren, but it was an honorary position, and Viktor Dampfelt, the captain of the Rubid Ship, the largest ship in Salantie, was effectively leading the navy.
He had served him for a long time, and he had already retired, but Nikolaus was extremely uncomfortable with Viktor. On top of that, he had brought ice cream for someone who had grown up eating all sorts of precious things.
"Ugh, I must be crazy."
Blight, who was standing in front of the door, smiled when Nikolaus muttered to himself.
"He'll like it."
After comforting him, Blight knocked and said.
"Mr. Nikolaus has arrived."
After reporting that, Blight opened the door, greeted him, and left.
Nikolaus smiled awkwardly and held up the container of ice cream.
"I opened an ice cream shop."
At that, Viktor gestured. He was still an uncomfortable person.
When he opened the box on the table, the ice hadn't melted as much as he thought because it was cold. Only then did Nikolaus say embarrassedly.
"I guess ice cream wasn't a good idea on this cold day, Captain?"
"I think it's too late now."
Viktor said and took out the ice cream himself.
Only then did Nikolaus sigh in relief.
Viktor said.
"Your expression is better now."
"Yes, this is better than my hands. It's sturdy."
Viktor chuckled at Nikolaus' nonchalant words.
As a sniper, he had been hit in the wrist by a poisoned arrow fired by pirates and had to have both arms cut off. He immediately bought Prosthetic hand with the consolation money given by the country, but it took a long time to make, and he was only able to receive the Prosthetic hand a year later.
Nikolaus clenched his fist and said.
"It looks flimsy, but I can still make a fist."
"Well, more than I thought."
"Ha, you're still haughty. That's your charm, Captain."
Nikolaus, who was always cheerful, joked like that and then flinched and looked around. But Viktor just chuckled as if he would let it go.
Nikolaus was relieved, thinking that Viktor was letting him off the hook because he had lost both hands.
Nikolaus, who was ten years older than Viktor, was the only non-aristocratic officer on the Rubid Ship. It was thanks to his precise shooting skills, which allowed him to achieve consecutive achievements, that he rose above the precious sons of noble families who had graduated from the military academy.
Viktor asked.
"Is the thumb not moving on purpose?"
"Ah, this. It seems to be broken."
"You should fix it."
"Don't even mention it. It took half a year to make this and half a year to bring it here. It'll take another half a year to repair, send, and receive it, so how can I live for half a year without a hand?"
"Order a new one. I'll buy it for you."
"Wow, that's great. But it's too expensive to be indebted to you like that, so I'll refuse."
After saying that, Nikolaus thought for a moment and smiled slyly.
"I didn't think you would meet me, Captain."
"Why."
"To be honest... I was a little disappointed when you told me to get off the ship right away. You didn't have to stop the operation and return to port in the middle of the sea because of me."
"It was an operation that couldn't be done without you, but you couldn't do your part."
"Still. You are... ah, well, since I've retired, I'll say it frankly. You're the type to throw people away if you don't need them."
Nikolaus was about to pour out his resentment, but he thought he had crossed the line and his face turned white.
But fortunately, before Viktor could say anything, the door burst open. And Scarlett, who was standing in front of the door, stopped in surprise when she saw that there was a guest.
Scarlett, who was wondering which one she should be surprised at, the man with Prosthetic hand instead of two hands or her ex-husband eating ice cream, froze, and Viktor said.
"It just so happens that there's a mechanic here. Ask her to fix it."
"Yes, yes? No, that's not it..."
Nikolaus' face turned even paler when he recognized Viktor's ex-wife, whom he had divorced. It seemed like he was being punished for crossing the line.
Viktor said to Scarlett nonchalantly.
"Even if you're very interested in machines, it's not polite to look at Prosthetic hand so strangely."
"It's also strange that you're eating ice cream."
"I have to eat it since someone without hands brought it all the way here."
Nikolaus, with eyes that seemed to say, 'You're much more rude, Captain!', looked at Viktor for a moment and then looked at Scarlett again and smiled kindly.
"I can't fix it for you, but you can take a closer look if you're curious. I heard that you opened a watch shop..."
"Come to think of it, should I call you Miss? You're single now."
Nikolaus was even more uncomfortable with Viktor's words and shut his mouth tightly.
