Chapter 97
97
*
Because Victor did everything from start to finish, all Scarlett did was hold the fishing rod and wait quietly. Meanwhile, Victor lit a fire in the brazier.
"If you catch cod, we'll grill and eat it right here."
"What if I don't?"
"Cheese is fine too."
"I'll catch one."
"Let's trust in beginner's luck."
"Yeah. Let's eat grilled fish."
Scarlett spoke and gripped the fishing rod tightly with both hands.
Staring intently at it wouldn't make the fish bite any better, but Scarlett watched the float diligently. Victor smiled at the sight, but his expression soon darkened as he remembered that the whole situation was fake.
He no longer wanted to become royalty. Now it even felt unpleasant. If only he had given it up sooner and created moments like this.
After staring at the float for a long time, Scarlett asked,
"Didn't it move?"
"Not at all."
"...Can I really tell if it moves?"
"You won't miss it."
"Got it. I'll trust you."
Scarlett replied and looked at the fishing rod. Victor, who had been gazing at her endlessly, asked,
"You trust me?"
"Yeah. I do."
"What if I'm a liar?"
"Doesn't matter."
Perhaps because she was out on a date with him, Scarlett wore an expression of pure bliss. She continued,
"I believe even your lies. When you say something, it becomes the truth to me."
"...Because you love me?"
"Yeah. Because I love you. Even if your lies sink me to the bottom of this sea, I'll still believe you."
Victor nodded.
Scarlett looked at Victor and asked,
"Does it burden you?"
"Not at all. But I can imagine you'd get angry if I couldn't trust you despite that."
"Why would I get angry? I have no reason to lie to you. I never lie in my life."
"You do lie."
"When did I?"
"You smile even when you're not happy."
At his words, Scarlett looked at Victor.
Victor continued,
"You always do."
"No. I don't."
"You always have. That's why I thought you were happy living with me. Sounds like an excuse, but."
As Scarlett looked at him, trying to understand his words and about to ask something, a tug came through the fishing line in her hand.
"Ah, I got one!"
"Reel it in."
"H-How... L-Like this?"
"Now let it out."
"Why let it out!"
As Scarlett shouted in panic, Victor laughed.
"You said you trust me."
"Ah, true, but..."
Scarlett repeatedly let out and reeled in the line. As the cod drew closer, Victor scooped it up from under the boat with the net. Scarlett's eyes widened.
"D-Did I catch that? Really?"
"Beginner's luck, but yes."
"No way. I think I have a talent for fishing."
Victor chuckled foolishly at Scarlett boasting despite not even being able to bait her own hook.
As he prepared to clean the cod, Scarlett asked,
"You can clean fish? You?"
"A sailor who can't clean fish is no good."
"I thought you couldn't do anything like that..."
"I do everything that needs doing at sea."
Victor spoke as he cleaned and began grilling the cod. Scarlett swallowed hard, watching the cod grill to a golden crisp and release a delicious aroma, then said,
"Ah, right. If we eat it like this, there's no proof I caught it."
"Why don't you catch another one, like a proper sailor."
"Hm, that's a good idea."
While Scarlett's shamelessness amused Victor, the grilled fish, lightly salted, was ready.
Scarlett flaked off some well-charred flesh and put it in her mouth, exclaiming in delight.
"It's so good..."
"Good?"
"It's fantastic. It's the fish I caught..."
Scarlett trailed off, bursting into laughter mid-sentence.
"Why?"
As Victor asked, Scarlett replied,
"No, you did everything, even grilled it, but I'm insisting I caught it—it's funny."
Victor laughed along at her joyful voice.
Scarlett's face stayed lit with smiles, finding Victor's unusually frequent laughter today both strange and delightful.
After eating their fill of grilled fish and sharing a bottle of wine, Scarlett was completely drunk and had to be carried in Victor's arms.
Mounted on the horse, Scarlett buried her face in Victor's chest and said,
"I'm so happy today..."
"Yeah?"
"Yes. It's the happiest I've been since we married. I don't think there was a day this happy in the whole year."
"The whole year?"
Victor asked back.
Her memory had stopped right before the divorce. That was after they'd celebrated two anniversaries.
Scarlett lifted her head.
"Huh?"
"Nothing."
Maybe because she's drunk.
Thinking that, Victor pulled her into one arm as if to reassure her. Burying her face back in his chest, Scarlett pleaded,
"Do this with me often... okay?"
"I should."
Scarlett smiled sleepily upon hearing Victor mutter, 'I'm your husband—where would I go?'
Living like this wasn't bad. At least he could have a part of her.
Victor was satisfied with that. Someday, she might never regain her memory again. He thought that would be a good thing.
*
A strange atmosphere hung over the Dumpelt Family after Scarlett returned. However, Victor's nonchalant behavior was solidifying into what seemed like truth. His subordinates were the most anxious in that situation. Pallin Redford could no longer wait and stormed into the Dumpeldt Mansion.
Victor was holed up in the mansion enjoying time with Scarlett, while Bestina's threat grew ever clearer.
Even upon hearing Pallin had arrived, Victor didn't come out, so Pallin steeled himself for death and climbed the stairs.
Evan hurriedly followed and tried to stop him.
"Are you crazy? Do you want to die like this?"
"Dying like this or that—it's the same, isn't it?"
Pallin shook off Evan as he spoke. Though he always acted meek as a junior, Evan, who couldn't win in a fight, sighed as he was pushed back by force.
Pallin flung open the door to Victor and Scarlett's marital bedroom. Victor, who had been sitting on the edge of the bed where Scarlett lay asleep despite being fully dressed, looked toward the door.
Pallin said,
"Captain. Even if you shoot me dead right now, I have to say this. If this continues, Bestina will invade in an instant. If Miss Scarlett doesn't produce the aircraft, Salantier is finished!"
He shouted until Victor grabbed him. Victor soon clamped his hand over Pallin's mouth.
"Doesn't matter. None of my business."
Despair washed over Pallin's face at his words.
Then a rustle came from the bed as Scarlett sat up. While Victor was distracted by her, Pallin pushed his hand away and yelled,
"Miss Scarlett! Snap out of it! Salantier is falling!"
At his shout, Scarlett flinched. She clutched her pajamas and looked at the three men standing at the door. Soon, she got out of bed and backed away.
"Young master?"
"...What?"
Victor's grip loosened.
Scarlett blinked rapidly, then looked at her attire in horror and dove under the covers. The three men fell silent at her actions, and only after a long pause did Evan speak.
"...Has Miss Scarlett always forgotten everything up to the early days of your marriage?"
"...No. She hasn't."
Victor strode over with wide steps and pulled Scarlett into his arms. At that moment, she startled violently, trembling her shoulders. Victor let go.
Scarlett backed away in confusion.
"Y-Young master, you're here?"
"..."
"I-I must have overslept..."
Victor froze in place, staring at Scarlett for a long time.
Breaking the long silence, Evan spoke.
"She's forgotten. Everything with you, Captain."
"..."
"Captain. You need to use the antidote."
What if her memory regressed to before they met, like this?
Victor let out a hollow laugh.
"We'll start over. From the beginning."
"Captain."
"Get out."
Victor shut the door.
He didn't even know what he was doing himself, but no other answer was in sight. He locked the door completely and stepped away.
Like everyone else in Salantier, he held devout faith in the Lesc Kia God. The only reason he didn't attend church was the royal family's interference irking him.
He figured that when he died, he'd fall to hell and burn eternally in the fires pirates lit.
He prayed every day to fall to his hell as soon as possible.
His mother was right. He shouldn't have been born.