The sun had set, and the moon now hung high above the sea, casting a pale glow over the ship. The night air had grown noticeably colder.
Therese sat atop three stacked crates on the upper deck, her red coat rippling in the wind along with her long, curly dark brown hair. Her hazel eyes were fixed on the dark ocean, watching the waves as they rocked the ship gently back and forth. Her expression remained unreadable.
She idly tapped a coin on the wooden crate, humming the eerie tune of Humpty Dumpty.
"Lady Therese, you're here."
She turned her head slightly to see Chandler at the foot of the crates.
"Hmm…" Therese nodded. "Can't sleep?"
"Haha, right. Too much happened today. My mind's still wide awake," Chandler replied.
"I see." Therese patted the empty space beside her. "Come. We can talk."
"I'll gladly take the offer." He climbed up and sat beside her, taking the spot to her left.
"They still haven't woken up, huh?"
"Sorry? Oh, yes," Chandler said, glancing at the sky. "The royal highnesses are still unconscious. But there's nothing physically wrong with them—they're just asleep. Honestly, it might be better this way. Having them awake could be more dangerous."
"And how do you know they're only asleep?"
"Before I became a knight, I came from a family of healers. Learned a lot about medicine. But even so, I chose the path of a knight over becoming a healer."
"I see. You look like a gentle person, but it seems you're also quite the rebel, Sir Chandler."
He chuckled softly. "It was always my dream to become a knight. I guess everyone rebels at some point to chase what they truly want."
"And why exactly did you want to be a knight?"
"It's nothing grand. Actually, it's a bit silly," he said with a laugh. "I figured if I could protect people on the front lines, there'd be fewer to heal afterward."
Therese let out a short laugh. "You sound like a hero from a fairytale."
"Hero?" Chandler smiled faintly. "I'm nothing that noble. I thought I'd grown strong, but in the end... I wasn't able to protect anyone."
Therese said nothing. She simply stared out at the sea, letting the silence settle between them before gently steering the conversation elsewhere.
"Why did those two royal siblings rebel?" she asked. "The princess looks so young. And the prince… I don't really know anything about him."
Chandler's expression darkened. He clenched his fists and let out a long sigh.
"The Emperor and Empress were good rulers. They led the empire with fairness and wisdom for over two decades. When the second prince was named crown prince, no one objected—not even the first prince. Everyone believed the brothers were close. But one night, everything changed. An explosion shook the palace. We rushed to the scene…" He swallowed hard. "The first prince had driven his sword into His Majesty's chest. And the princess—she was setting fire to the halls with magic. We spent four months chasing them across the empire before finally capturing them."
"That's… awful." Therese's voice was low as her gaze returned to the waves. "We'll reach land in about four days. Until then, take it easy here."
"I'm truly grateful, Lady Therese. Once I return to the South... is there a way I could contact you? Or perhaps a way to repay your kindness?"
Therese tapped her chin, pretending to think.
"Repay me, hmm… Let's see. There's the cost of medicine, clothes, that little boat, food…" She began counting on her fingers before waving it off. "But since you've been through something worse, I'll skip charging you for sailing with me." She smiled faintly, glancing at Chandler's sky-blue eyes.
"Of course, I'll repay all of it," he said with sincerity. "After all, you saved my life. That's something I could never repay enough."
"Well, I was just joking," she said with a small chuckle. "But now I'm actually curious about what kind of reward you'll come up with."
Chandler smiled and looked back at the ocean. A quiet stillness fell over them—not awkward, just peaceful.
"Do you know about the legend of the Boundless Skies, Sir Everiel?" Therese asked abruptly, her voice cutting through the night air like a blade.
Chandler blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question.
"The Legend of the Boundless Sky or Dark Era?" he echoed, then nodded. "They say that three thousand years ago, when the world stood on the brink of destruction, three brave heroes ascended the Stairs of the Boundless Skies and saved us all. It's a tale passed down through generations. My grandparents swore it was true—especially since we bear the Everiel name, one of the Twelve Houses tied to that legend." He gave her a curious look. "You reacted earlier when I mentioned my surname. That's why you're asking, isn't it?"
"Yes," Therese replied softly. "It's rare to meet someone who bears a name from the Twelve Houses. I remembered it, that's all."
"Are you… a fan of that legend?" Chandler asked, tilting his head. "Not many people respond the way you did—except maybe scholars obsessed with history."
"Not a fan," she said with a faint smile. "More like… that legend is my life's obsession."
Chandler chuckled, though the sound held a note of unease. "Obsession, huh? Like how I chased knighthood instead of following my family's path as healers?"
"You could say that," Therese replied, letting out a small laugh of her own—just a little too light.
Chandler looked away, his eyes on the endless black sea.
"Still… I don't really believe in all that. Our family isn't anything special. The name's just that—a name."
Without a word, Therese rose to her feet. The wind caught the edges of her crimson coat and the loose strands of her hair. She dusted herself off and stretched.
"I have one more question, Sir Chandler."
"Go ahead," he said, turning back to gaze at the vast, dark sea. The breeze whispered against their skin, bringing with it the scent of salt and silence.
Then her voice changed—just a fraction. Calm, almost pleasant.
"I understand, you know. We're strangers, after all. It makes sense that you've been lying to me for most of this trip."
"Hmm?" Chandler looked at her confused.
"The funny thing is…" She tilted her head. "I've been doing the same."
Boogsh.
The sound cracked the quiet night. In one swift, precise motion, Therese's boot connected with Chandler's chest. His eyes widened in pure shock, body flying backward before he could even raise a hand in defense.
A loud splash echoed as he hit the ocean—hard—vanishing beneath the dark waves.
Therese stepped forward, peering over the edge.
"Whoah… Nice kick, Therese." she muttered to herself, lips quirking as she counted the distance. "Five meters… not bad."
Without another glance, she turned her back to the sea and leapt down from the crates. Her coat flared behind her like a streak of crimson flame.
She was smiling.
---
As she made her way to the lower deck, a familiar flutter of wings joined her.
"Therese!" chirped Melic, the turtle dove, flapping beside her. "Prilla's finished removing the poison. The royals will wake soon!"
"Good." Therese descended the stairs, her tone light and almost musical.
"Make sure our dear knight finds his way back to the ship. I'd hate for him to drown… not just yet."
"You could've just slipped a sleeping potion into his meal," Melic muttered. "Or bound him with your magic. Did you really have to kick him overboard like that?"
Therese shrugged, unbothered.
"He looked like he enjoyed the water."
"Hah. Real funny," the bird huffed. "You know he was genuine earlier—hauling his fallen comrades without complaint."
"He won't die that easily," Therese said coolly. "He's an Everiel, after all."
Her voice carried the same weight as someone commenting on the weather.
"Right, right," Melic sighed, flapping off. "I'll go make sure your knight doesn't become fish food."
Therese didn't look back. Her boots clicked softly against the wood as she strode toward the cabin, a faint smile on her lips and her eyes gleaming with something dangerous and yet amused.
She opened the door to find a snake inside—coiled gracefully beside the still-sleeping royal siblings. Now lying on the bed, they were no longer in their drenched, tattered clothes. Someone had changed them into more modest garments, and they remained bound, though more comfortably.
With practiced ease, the human-sized snake used her tail to remove the acupuncture needles from the royals. Beside her sat a basin filled with discarded needles, each stained with traces of purple blood.
"Prilla, how are they?" Therese asked, stepping closer.
"They should be waking up soon," replied Prilla, the serpent—another one of Therese's familiars who had remained hidden from Chandler all day.
"Can you wake them now?" Therese stood at the foot of the bed, watching closely.
"That can be done…" Without hesitation, Prilla reached for a nearby pitcher and splashed cold water across the royals' faces.
"Ah!"
"What the—?!"
The prince and princess bolted upright, soaked and gasping. Therese's expression twitched into a mild wince, while Prilla looked positively pleased with herself, as if she'd just performed a noble deed.