* * *

The cabin Cadel was assigned had a small circular window, a hard bed, and a shelf with cheap liquor.

No wonder it was not a luxury cruise ship. Danila had suggested a more comfortable way to travel, but the trade ship was the fastest way to the Principality of Mystic.

‘There’s no point in staying in the Kingdom. I don’t know exactly when the Osma Empire storyline will take place, so I need to break Lydon’s seal as soon as possible.’

The knight order promotion quest was right in front of them. However, it was a story only seen in the story order, and the exact time of occurrence of the quest was not known. Frustrating, but bearable. These were the words of a skip-worm.

The choppy waters rattled the hull, and Cadel felt a little seasick. He opened the window for ventilation and a cool sea breeze rushed in. The view was blocked by stacked crates outside, but he didn’t care.

“Cadel, it smells fishy.”

But not Lydon, it seemed. He poked his head out of Cadel’s embrace. The guy that hadn’t batted an eye at the pulsating demonic stench was reacting to the foul odor of the sea.

“I told you not to come out until I say so.”

“But I smell a fishy odor. I don’t think it’s coming from Cadel’s body.”

“Of course, this is the smell of the sea.”

“……Huh?”

Lydon’s face turned pale at the dry reply. His red, shocked eyes trembled slightly. Cadel blinked in bewilderment at his embarrassing agitation. It turned out Lydon was a fairy who could make an expression like this.

On the other hand, from Lydon’s point of view, this reaction was natural. Even though he was unable to change form with his [Wings of Illusion], he ended up secretly boarding the ship.

Lydon was more excited than anyone else in the mercenary corps when he heard of Cadel’s plans to travel across the ‘sea’ in a ‘ship’ to the ‘Desert of Blood’.

Wasn’t it because he had never seen the sea?! He had only heard of it in the conversations of the elders and seen in pictures in books. An infinite body of salt water, teeming with life. Several times a day, he would ask Cadel when they were going to go to sea.

It would be dazzlingly beautiful. It would smell fresher than flowers and sweeter than candy.

He imagined it and anticipated it with giddy anticipation. He would bury himself in Cadel’s robes, waiting for the smell of the sea to wash over him.

“This fishy, salty smell…… is the smell of the sea??”

“Well, yeah. Seawater is supposed to be salty.”

“……It’s not funny, Cadel. Don’t make fun of me.”

“Why would I do that?”

When Cadel asked with sincerity, even the forced laughter disappeared from Lydon’s face. After escaping from Cadel’s arms with a weak flap of his wings, he soon returned to his humanoid form. Cadel’s criticized gaze about what to do if someone saw him was clearly ignored.

His shoulders slumped as he sat down on the hard bed. His sunken eyes and drooping mouth made him look pitiful.

“Nonsense. The ocean is supposed to be the most beautiful place in the world, so shouldn’t it be the most fragrant?”

It was not funny. It was offensive. Melancholy murmurs filled the cabin, threatening to eat away at all the happiness in the world. Fearing someone might happen to pass by and see a giant fairy in a state of melancholy, Cadel hastily closed the window and drew the curtains, then said in a panicked voice.

“No, why are you so disappointed? You haven’t even seen the sea. It smells just as beautiful as it looks. The waves in the sunlight look like……. Well, uh……whatever, it’s beautiful! You’ll think differently when you see it in person.”

Cadel bemoaned his poor descriptive skills and tried to comfort Lydon. There was no telling what the disgruntled giant fairy might do if Cadel didn’t placate him.

But Lydon remained stony-faced and glared at his toes despite Cadel’s best efforts.

“How do I see the waves in the sunlight? I thought you said not to go around in the daytime. The sun only comes up in the daytime, right?”

“Uh……? Well, yeah, but the ocean is just as pretty in the moonlight, and we can sneak out at night to see it without the sailors noticing.”

“……You said you would show me the world, Cadel.”

Was the world Cadel was talking about a dark, fishy place with demons spitting all over it?

The sour accusation stung for a moment. Cadel shuffled his feet, studying Lydon’s ever-darkening complexion.

‘What was he expecting, to be so depressed over something that smells a little fishy? Did he imagine some kind of paradise?’

He didn’t even make the sea, but he was sweating at Lydon’s deep disappointment. And at that moment, someone knocked on the cabin door. It was the worst timing. A feeling of bewilderment flashed through him as he whipped his head around.

‘Why now……!’

Why did the guest come when the despairing giant fairy was sitting on the bed and not moving? Cadel held his breath trying to pretend he wasn’t there, but the guest didn’t care and kept knocking on the door.

Cadel, who was quickly turning sullen, grabbed Lydon.

“Lydon, someone’s out there. Let’s hide, okay?”

“Why should I listen to a liar?”

“Hey, I’ve never lied to you before? Please, I beg of you. Okay? Hurry up and get smaller!”

“Don’t wanna.”

“Don’t be stubborn! We’re in the middle of the ocean, so I can’t do anything about it!”

Cadel lowered his voice and scolded Lydon, but it was no use. Lydon had already connected his disappointment with the sea to his sense of betrayal from Cadel. Cadel could tell by the grim look on his face.

At the insistent knock on the door, Cadel looked up, his eyes narrowed as if he were enduring something. A long exhalation revealed a complex expression of anger and compromise.

‘……Yes. I’m the one who got hit by a truck and transmigrated.’

His eyelids lifted and his gaze landed on Lydon’s gaunt face. The look of displeasure was still there. After studying the face for a moment, Cadel reached out and grasped Lydon’s chin. His fingertips lifted the firm jaw, and Lydon’s brow creased.

Taking a deep breath, Cadel leaned down and locked eyes with Lydon. He could feel Lydon’s warm breath on his cheek from being so close.

“……What are you doing, Cadel?”

A dry, unsmiling voice cut through the air. Swallowing hard, Cadel shook his head slightly. He didn’t have the courage to make eye contact with Lydon. His lowered lashes fluttered pitifully.

Lydon’s smooth lips filled his pupils, which were shaking like an earthquake.

‘For a female-oriented…… For a female-oriented game, once you have skinship…… most of the problems are solved…….’

So even the twisted feeling of Lydon would be easily undone with a kiss. His lips had been bitten off and forced to receive a treat anyway. It was like rubbing their lips together a little bit. No problem. If that was all it took to hide the existence of a giant fairy from outside guests, he would do—

“Aaargh! I can’t! I can’t do it!”

It wasn’t good! Embarrassment? Shame? Whatever it was, Cadel couldn’t fight the feeling. To take the initiative and kiss him? To bend his head and aim for Lydon’s lips and capture them with precision?

“If you don’t get smaller soon, I’ll never buy you dessert again, and I’ll eat all the cookies you brought!”

“Huh! That’s the worst, Cadel!”

“Shut up! Change! Change now!”

Red-faced and screaming, Cadel tapped Lydon on the head. The giant winced at the unnecessary beating, but eventually spat out a laugh and reverted to his tiny fairy form.

“F*ck…….”

He felt his eyes fill with tears of frustration. Quickly snatching up the smaller Lydon, Cadel flung open the door, and what he saw before him was.

“Ah, Commander. I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you some food. Were you sleeping?”

It was Van, two plates propped up in one hand and a bright smile on his face. Cadel’s face crumpled at the sight of the familiar face.

“Was it you?”