Chapter 21: The Weight of Freedom

Captain Thor’s words carried a heavy weight, so much so that by evening, his stern, yet compassionate, face still lingered in my mind.

“Freedom?”

I muttered the word, my mind adrift, completely oblivious to someone approaching beside me.

“What are you spacing out for?”

A hand patted my back. I turned to see Aisha.

I hadn’t expected her to greet me first.

Hadn’t our relationship become somewhat strained, even icy, since our last argument?

Just as I was thinking this, she spoke again:

“Your thoughts are written all over your face, you brat…”

Her expression was a mix of helplessness and resignation.

“Ah, perhaps I was wrong. To be honest, I regretted hitting you the moment I did it. After all, you’re not my sister or anything, what right do I have to meddle in your affairs…”

Her hand slowly hovered near my face, her gaze fixed on me. She hesitated for a long moment, ultimately just offering a light, almost ethereal touch before lowering her hand.

“Does it still hurt?”

She asked, her voice imbued with an unfamiliar emotion. I wasn’t certain if it was guilt, but her tone was significantly softer than before, no longer like the harsh glare of that day’s sun.

“Nah, I’m not made of water. How could it hurt for so long?”

I chuckled indifferently, touching my cheek. “Actually, looking back, I was mostly just startled by your appearance at the time. It didn’t really hurt much.”

“Hmm, my appearance?”

Aisha leaned against the railing, gazing at the distant, fiery sunset, her expression complex.

‘She seems to be dwelling on her behavior back then?’

Indeed, I could sense that this child usually wore too many masks and bore too many burdens. She seemed to wish she could hide all her emotions deep inside, to self-dissipate them, yet she never anticipated they would completely erupt at a certain moment.

‘In some ways, this child is also having a tough time…’

Just as I was contemplating how to phrase words of comfort, Aisha suddenly leaned in, coming incredibly close.

“Eh?”

At such a close distance, I could clearly see the faint freckles on the bridge of her nose. Since arriving in this strange world, I had never been this close to a girl before.

Too close…

My body’s instincts urged me to retreat.

But…

“Don’t move.”

Two hands cupped my head, holding it steady. The strength in those hands was immense, or perhaps my own was so negligible, that I felt not the slightest possibility of escape.

Just as I wondered what Aisha intended, she slowly pressed her face against my forehead, as if gently sniffing something. The warm current of air from her nose felt like wool brushing my skin, tickling.

After a moment, she slowly released me.

“Indeed, it’s your scent…”

Her pupils widened slightly, her gaze seeming to fall entirely upon me, yet also looking at something illusory. A certain emotion spread across her brows like a white mist, clouding her otherwise clear eyes.

“Your scent reminds me of someone.”

“Ah…”

Seeing Aisha in this state, I felt a little scared, and even more utterly bewildered. ‘What’s going on? I haven’t showered in three days! I must either smell foul or, at best, greasy. How could that remind you of anyone?’

However, her expression didn’t seem like she was joking.

Unsure how to respond, I watched as she suddenly took a deep breath. The instant she regulated her breathing, the emotion on her face seemed to vanish without a trace. Had it not been for the lingering dampness around her eyes, I would have doubted that anything had just happened.

“It’s nothing, it’s nothing.”

She repeated these words several times, as if speaking to me, yet also to herself.

“Are you alright?”

I asked cautiously, fearing that I might destabilize her emotions again.

Aisha nodded, her gaze slowly sweeping around before she pointed towards a certain direction in the ship’s cabin.

“I walked around the ship a few times just now and found that it seems to be the ship’s kitchen. I asked the captain, and he said we maids can also use it.”

“So… uh, brat, after you finish your work tonight, will you have some time?”

“I actually know how to make a few hometown dishes, and they taste pretty good. Would you like to… try some?”

As she spoke, Aisha seemed unable to meet my gaze, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

‘Oh~ I think I understand.’

‘Is she trying to apologize to me this way? But she’s too shy to say it outright, it seems…’

Watching the child, my mood inexplicably brightened considerably.

So, I nodded.

“Okay, no problem!”

As I spoke, the bell in the crow’s nest rang loudly, and a sailor’s voice drifted down from above.

“Prepare to set sail!”

“Prepare to set sail!”

“Prepare to set sail!”

Upon the vast, curtain-like ocean, the Long Wind sailed gracefully. As a fast ship, its hull was slender and long, like a nimble seabird, cutting through the waves.

The evening sea breeze was not as fierce as during the day, merely gently billowing the triangular sails, creating a rustling sound.

The ship’s lights were sparse; only a few oil lamps flickered weakly at the bow and stern, casting warm, orange-yellow glows. Aided by the faint moonlight and oil lamps, the sailors diligently maintained their posts through the night, their eyes fixed on the sea ahead, ensuring the safety of the voyage.

Meanwhile, I, Miss Cassina’s maid, had just finished my cleaning duties. Staring at the cabin, now immaculately polished by my efforts, I felt a surge of confidence: ‘The young lady certainly won’t find any fault.’

‘It must be close to dinner time, right?’

I watched the sailors lining up on deck, making this assumption. According to the rules laid out before our departure, we maids from Coldwind Manor were not to eat the same food as the sailors.

Firstly, this was to avoid face-to-face encounters with those rough men, which might lead to unpleasant incidents. Secondly, it was out of concern that the sailors’ food might be too rich or unhealthy, so we had prepared our own dry rations.

“However…”

My mouth refused to salivate at the thought of the shriveled, hard, black bread I’d been eating for almost a week straight.

“Thankfully, once all the sailors have eaten, Aisha should have a chance to cook for me.”

I couldn’t help but lick my lips, thinking that I finally had an opportunity to improve my diet. After all, so many consecutive days of travel were exhausting not just for the body and mind, but for the palate as well.

While I wasn’t sure of Aisha’s culinary skills, I was, regardless, filled with anticipation at that moment.

‘Ah, but on another note…’

‘Miss Cassina certainly has it good. Not only does she have various freshly made foods every day, but she occasionally gets to eat freshly hunted game and such.’

‘If only one day, I could also live such a life…’

Just as I was envying someone in this manner, crisp footsteps sounded on the floor behind me. Unlike the creaking of the sailors’ shoes, this sound was distinctly like that of hard-soled footwear.

Instinctively, I turned my head. Sure enough, I saw that noble and arrogant figure.

“Young Lady… Ugh— Ah—”

My body’s reflex caused me to instinctively lower my head and bend at the waist, only to be grabbed by the chain around my neck and violently yanked to the floor. My entire body hit the wooden deck with a resounding thud, stinging terribly despite the material. The pain forced me to lie prone on the ground, gasping for air for a long moment, my head swimming.

As usual, the young lady paid no heed to my suffering. She silently dragged me into her cabin, urgently closing and locking the door.

Then, she looked at me, a smile like a child seeing a long-lost toy gracing her lips.

“Didn’t I tell you to call me ‘Master’ now? You really are a naughty child~”

Every pore on my body erupted in an instant.

Too familiar…

I was far too familiar with that smile…

The first time the young lady put this collar on me, she wore that very same smile—a smile brimming with malice. What did she want to do this time?