Chapter 90
90
*
As I stepped out onto the street, I felt uneasy despite seeing several guards Viktor had hired separately surrounding me.
The streets were sparsely populated with people who had already evacuated. Scarlett headed towards the Bestina Naval Residence through the desolate downtown area, which looked as if it had already been ravaged by war.
As she entered the residence, the navy personnel greeted her.
"Good morning!"
"Good morning, ma'am."
Scarlett entered the residence without being stopped by anyone.
No matter what the situation in the country was, the navy, with their good lineage, were as cheerful as ever. They were spending their leisurely time in the spacious residence.
Scarlett headed straight to the conference room where Viktor was. Soon, a navy man opened the door, and Scarlett stepped inside.
All the navy personnel in the meeting looked towards the door. She had entered because she was told she could, but she had never imagined they would be in a meeting. Scarlett widened her eyes and took a step back.
Viktor, who had spotted her, put out his cigarette in the ashtray and gestured, and a few people inside stood up. They saluted Scarlett in naval fashion and left the conference room.
Shortly after the door closed, Scarlett asked Viktor.
"Why did they leave... Why did they leave?"
Scarlett raised her voice because Viktor, who was sitting at the head of the conference table, suddenly felt distant. Viktor took out a new cigarette and said.
"It's because they're not air force, Miss Scarlett."
"I see."
Scarlett replied elegantly, but she avoided the gazes of the navy personnel who were staring at her too intently, feeling uncomfortable. After working alone for a while, she felt somewhat uncomfortable in crowded places.
Scarlett said.
"I came because I have a proposal."
Then, a naval officer who looked about twenty years older than Viktor asked.
"What kind of proposal is it, Miss Scarlett?"
At his question, Scarlett walked over and whispered in Viktor's ear.
"Can I say everything about the Aircraft here?"
Viktor turned his head towards her and replied.
"As much as you want."
The moment Scarlett made eye contact with Viktor as he said that, she flinched. It was because his gaze was gentle, which felt unfamiliar.
Scarlett opened her mouth.
"I want to announce on a large scale that I am building an Aircraft."
At her words, a hint of displeasure flashed across Viktor's face.
Scarlett continued.
"The reason I'm trying to build an Aircraft is to let Bestina know that there's no benefit in clashing with Salantie, right? So, I think we should start letting Bestina know that we've started building Aircraft. The Crimson family is a famous family of engineers. If I put my name, the eldest daughter, on it, it will have some credibility."
Even as Scarlett spoke, she worried if they would take her words so seriously. She was trying to maintain a firm expression, afraid that such timidity would be revealed.
Then Evan said, looking embarrassed.
"The royal family won't stand still, will they? Even if His Majesty is ill, the Crown Prince is still following the late King's will to suppress technology."
Then Scarlett replied.
"The gentlemen here will protect me, right?"
At her words, several navy personnel laughed cheerfully.
However, Palin said in an anxious voice.
"Even so, we can't guarantee complete safety. Even fanatics will cling to you."
"Yes. I know that too. But... I think it's necessary."
Viktor lit another cigarette without saying anything, and Palin said to Scarlett again.
"Besides, even if we protect you now, once we sign a peace treaty, you, Miss Scarlett, will become like a hunting dog after the hunt is over."
Viktor, who was listening to this, said.
"We just need to weed out the spies and punish them. Then the Crown Prince will be caught too. After that, no one will think of people as evil just because they have technology."
At his nonchalant words, not only the navy personnel but also Scarlett widened their eyes in surprise. They were surprised that Viktor was so casually talking about arresting and punishing the Crown Prince, not even using honorifics.
Soon, Evan, who was quick to adapt, said.
"Yes, that would work. Shall we contact the newspaper right away then?"
Then Viktor looked around at the navy personnel and said.
"If anyone has any objections, speak now."
Then those sitting at the table said one by one.
"No, sir."
"If anything, we're just worried about how to protect Miss Scarlett."
As everyone inside agreed, Scarlett sighed with a sense of burden.
Evan scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to his confidant, who was sitting on a chair against the wall behind the table, and said.
"Take it to the newspaper on 3rd Street. The Capital Newspaper is connected to the royal family, so there's a high possibility of censorship."
"Yes, sir, I understand."
The navy man, who received Evan's paper wrapped in layers of leather and tied with string, ran out of the conference room.
After that, she went to the drawing room and spent some time there. Since several navy personnel were also waiting in the drawing room, there was no need to have a private conversation even though Viktor was sitting across from her.
As the sun was setting, Evan's confidant who had gone to the newspaper returned. Then Evan received the newspaper and placed it on the round table in the drawing room.
"The newspaper printed it right away and brought us a copy. This will start selling soon."
Scarlett was amazed by the navy's drive and took the newspaper to check.
On the front page of the 3rd Street newspaper, famous for being politically neutral, the headline was written in large letters that Scarlett had never seen before.
[Is Light Coming to Salantie Too?]
[The True Heir of the Crimson Family, Lady Scarlett. Embarks on Aircraft Production]
Evan said.
"The bottom part is what I wrote, and the top part is what the 3rd Street newspaper wrote."
Scarlett's body, holding the newspaper, began to tremble. She muttered.
"Now I really have to make it. An Aircraft."
Then Evan said.
"Honestly, just putting your name out there like this is really brave."
"Is it?"
"Yes. You're better than most air force personnel."
As Evan spoke, his subordinates next to him made resentful expressions. Evan laughed cheerfully and then said to Viktor.
"Actually, aren't you air force now?"
As he asked, Viktor opened his mouth.
"Palin, among the students staying at the Vineyard Estate, are there any who are disqualified as maintenance non-commissioned officers?"
Then Palin, who had become quite close to the students these days while exclusively checking on them, said confidently.
"No, sir."
"Then we can receive support now."
At his words, Scarlett replied.
"I'll ask them."
"Please do, Miss Scarlett. Take Palin with you. He's the chief engineer."
At his words, Palin flinched. It was because he had momentarily forgotten that he was the chief engineer.
He had stayed on the Rubid Ship because he wanted to follow Viktor, and he was in charge of the chief engineer, but he didn't know anything about machines. He left the practical work to the engineers, and he was in charge of the force.
Anyway, Viktor had sent him to the College of Engineering as Scarlett's escort because he was in charge of machine-related work, and Palin was looking at Scarlett with pleading eyes.
Scarlett looked at Viktor and said.
"As you know, the College of Engineering students don't actually have any strength."
"What strength?"
Then Palin answered instead.
"Physical strength, I guess. They can't even open a jam jar."
At his words, Scarlett nodded and asked.
"Was I too harsh?"
"It's absurd."
Palin replied and sighed as if he had never seen such weak humans before.
Scarlett continued.
"Anyway, I wish there was someone who could use their strength."
"Draft someone from the air force."
"Last time, among the pirates... there were two people named Aisha and Johnny. They were siblings, and I saved Johnny's life."
Then Evan said.
"Ah, those guys are trustworthy."
Scarlett, who was worried that Viktor would definitely say no, brightened up thanks to Evan's intervention.
"I'd like to hire those two."
Then, unexpectedly, Viktor also easily agreed.
"Do it."
Scarlett, surprised that even Viktor had accepted, said as if it was strange.
"Are those two okay?"
Then there was a moment of silence, and Palin lowered his voice and said.
"Aisha killed her own father."
"...What?"
"Piracy was... what the people of that island thought of as a livelihood. As piracy continued, didn't they increasingly kill Salantie citizens cruelly as a joke? Especially after looting, it became increasingly common to kidnap women from the ship, saying they were holding a pirate-style funeral, and set fire to the ship with the remaining people on board."
"..."
"Aisha's father was also the captain of a pirate ship. When Aisha's father set fire to the ship and kidnapped women and brought them home, she killed him that day and gave the body to the navy. And she asked them to take the women and her siblings to Salantie."
Scarlett's lips trembled.
Viktor said.
"Besides, I heard that when you were kidnapped because you helped Johnny, Aisha prevented them from harming you."
"Ah, yeah. That's right."
As Scarlett nodded, Viktor said.
"Evan, send someone."
"Yes, Captain. These days, pirates aren't looting, so it's hard for them to make a living, so they'll do anything if you give them a job."
After deciding that, Scarlett took a deep breath.
After making the decisions in a rush, she felt fear. She didn't know how these decisions would change her in the future.