Chapter 18
Unknown Sender
At last, a pitch-black kraken monster rose above the surface, its massive body towering like a house.
Seawater splashed in all directions.
From the eight enormous tentacles that followed, not only seawater but something else dripped down as well.
Drip—
Thud—
A few pirates who glanced back out of the corners of their eyes foamed at the mouth and fainted on the spot.
What fell from the creature’s limbs were red liquid and chunks.
Monsters do not bleed red.
Which meant those were all human blood and flesh.
“My, my. You should go wash up, Okta.”
Caiman glanced briefly at the monster and lightly scolded it.
His eyes curved as if in mild exasperation—but they were redder than the blood dripping from the creature.
Splash, splash—
The kraken rinsed its limbs in the flowing seawater and let out a low, rumbling sound.
Rows of teeth sharper than blades shifted within its maw.
Two more pirates fainted.
“ᛗᛓ…….”
The creature’s incomprehensible language reverberated through the cavern.
But the pirate king was no ordinary human.
“A human woman?”
“ᛚ…….”
“Ah, humans die if they stay underwater too long.”
“ᛁᚾ…!”
“Really? Then I guess Richard was in the wrong. …Hmm. Wait a moment, Okta.”
His voice, warm as if speaking to a younger sibling, suddenly paused.
The sound of garnet beads clinking followed.
“My lord… a letter has arrived from a noble….”
A trembling man entered, keeping his gaze fixed straight ahead as he presented the letter at Caiman’s feet.
Caiman casually took it and stared at the red sealing wax stamped with a plain circular seal.
Smooch—
As his lips brushed it, black smoke rose and quickly dissipated.
Running his red tongue over his lips, Caiman opened the now-unsealed letter.
A flicker of interest lit up his otherwise dull eyes.
“…Richard personally saved a woman who fell into the sea, and now he’s dating her?”
“ᛗ…!”
“Oh? The human woman Okta mentioned is this one?”
At Okta’s confirmation, Caiman’s eyes sparkled with childlike delight as he continued reading.
Even the pirates who had managed to stay conscious began trembling violently.
“…‘Kalia,’ huh. That’s a pretty name.”
His lips curved pleasantly as he spoke her name.
Caiman rose fluidly to his feet, like a jaguar.
Then he casually kicked through the mountain of gold and treasures piled nearby.
“Let’s see… it should be around here somewhere.”
His large, veiny hand rummaged through glittering gold coins and pulled out a crumpled hat.
It was a black wide-brimmed hat adorned with a brilliant red feather and jewels.
Caiman plucked the bright red feather from it.
As he trimmed the end with a wooden sword, he spoke to the subordinate who had delivered the letter.
“Can you bring me some paper?”
“…Should I bring ink as well?”
“Hm? No, I won’t need ink.”
Smiling with crescent eyes, Caiman waved the man away.
Whoosh—
He tossed the hat back into the pile of treasure, but the kraken caught it and placed it atop his head.
Now wearing the crumpled hat, Caiman chuckled.
It was an oddly innocent laugh.
“Okta, did you want to see me wearing a hat?”
At the sight of their mad ruler in such a good mood, a few pirates who had yet to faint cautiously tested the waters.
“My lord… is there anything you would have us do…?”
“Hmm?”
Tilting his head after trying on the hat a few times, Caiman looked down at them.
The man immediately slammed his forehead against the cave floor and shouted—
“I-I am reflecting on my mistake! Please, give me any order! This time, I will definitely—”
“Reflecting? Why would you do that?”
Caiman asked in genuine confusion.
The pirate froze, blinking in shock.
After staring at him for a moment, Caiman suddenly brightened as if realizing something.
“Ah! Trying to go to heaven?”
With a light flick of his large finger—
Screams filled the cavern.
Caiman whistled a cheerful tune as he walked out.
Then he encountered the subordinate returning with parchment and grinned.
“You’re quick. Thanks.”
“…I-I…”
“Yeah, it’s fine. Just leave it inside and go. I’ve got plenty of ink now.”
Still smiling brightly, Caiman continued whistling as he stepped out onto the seaside cliff.
“Mono, Di.”
He casually tossed the wooden sword and doll he had been holding into the dark blue sea below.
Moments later, a fin surfaced briefly, grabbed them, and disappeared beneath the waves.
* * *
At the same time, at the Lavius villa in Vasium.
“…Will you be staying in again today?”
“Mikhail, it’s hot outside.”
After successfully finishing my first date with Richard, I was now enjoying a perfectly legal unemployed lifestyle until the next appointment.
More precisely—a wealthy unemployed lifestyle.
No worries about making a living, just lounging at home to my heart’s content.
“You’ve been lazing around like this for three days straight. Don’t you get bored?”
“Not at all. Having you acknowledge how hard I work at doing nothing makes every day feel fulfilling!”
It was a shame there wasn’t much entertainment.
But then again, wasn’t Mikhail’s face itself entertainment?
‘Today as well—your jet-black hair is neatly in place, your skin flawless, your posture as proper as your features, and your expression as cold as ice.’
Thanks to this cold, handsome man, I didn’t even need an air conditioner.
Though the magically designed building kept things cool anyway.
“Mikhail, I think I’ll skip dinner tonight.”
“…If your stomach isn’t well, I’ll brew some chamomile.”
“It’s not that—I’m too full from looking at your face.”
“Don’t skip meals for such a ridiculous reason.”
Mikhail snapped coldly and let out a deep sigh.
That look… was the gaze of someone looking at the most pathetic freeloader in the world.
Ouch. Even my shameless conscience stung a little.
“You’re so harsh, Mikhail. For an introvert like me, if I go out twice a week, I need the other five days to recover at home. Especially after a date like that, where I burned through all my social energy.”
“….”
“I’m just storing up energy for the next date, so please understand.”
“…While you’re in Vasium, do you plan to have no schedule other than meeting the admiral?”
His expression softened slightly, but there was still a hint of frustration in his voice.
Had I been that troublesome?
Well, if you’re working while your boss lounges around cracking jokes, you might feel murderous intent… No, wait, that’s not it.
Thinking about it, I felt a bit wronged.
“Isn’t it better for you if I stay still? That way you have less work.”
After all, his top priority from Duke Lavius was taking care of me.
Lying on the bed with my chin propped up, I asked casually.
Mikhail’s expression turned strange.
“What, are you touched?”
“Touched? Hardly.”
But he quickly regained his composure.
“You should still meet other people. …And try not to grab anyone by the hair.”
Ah, he meant the sherbet-throwing noble lady.
I never told him about it—guess the servant network works fast.
“But that was part of the contract. If needed, I plan to cause even bigger scenes. You can’t cause chaos politely, can you?”
“Quiet chaos” sounded like hot iced Americano—completely contradictory.
If you half-ass it, you fail entirely.
“That only applies when you’re with Admiral Aquilus.”
“After the scene I caused four days ago, do you think anyone would want to see me separately?”
Well… Luisa and Maribel probably would.
But aside from them?
“There are more than you think. …Surprisingly many. What exactly have you been doing out there?”
Mikhail said, sounding slightly uneasy, as he placed a tray on the desk.
It was piled high with something.
“…What’s that?”
“All letters addressed to you, my lady. About half are invitations. Even if you decline, it’s proper to reply.”
Oh no. Writing replies to people I barely know?
“Since I’m already known as a villainess, I might as well not become rude too… Fine, I’ll write them, so stop looking at me like that and leave them.”
Ignoring messages entirely wasn’t good manners either.
With a sigh, I sent Mikhail out and spent about ten more minutes mentally preparing—by continuing to laze around.
Then I stretched and sat at the desk.
“Let’s see… There really are a lot.”
Letters from Luisa and Maribel, invitations to social gatherings, banquets from prestigious families, charity balls, even a noble fishing club…?
“…I think I’ll avoid fishing for a while.”
My first fishing trip turning into underwater diving was a bit too intense.
Clicking my tongue, I picked up a fountain pen and began writing a polite refusal.
Thankfully, Kalia’s memories made this easy.
After all, she had been educated as a noble lady.
…Though she hadn’t always followed etiquette—like the time she just wrote “Decline” in huge letters and sent it.
Anyway, after finishing replies to Luisa and Maribel, I felt a gentle breeze brushing my cheek.
‘Did Mikhail leave the window open?’
Tilting my head, I stretched my shoulders.
Then I noticed a piece of paper on the floor.
“What’s this?”
It looked like parchment, but rough—nothing like the high-quality paper in the letters.
Turning it over, I saw red writing.
[Are you really Richard’s lover?]
“…What is this?”
No sender. Just a single line.
…Spam mail?
