Translator: CinderTL
"Hmm?"
Hearing Roland's murmur, Trevor turned his head and followed his gaze. "Do you know that lady, Roland?" he asked curiously.
"Yes."
Roland studied her for a moment, confirming that the silver-haired woman leaning against the ship's railing in the distance was indeed Theresa. He nodded lightly.
"She's my... um..."
He frowned, struggling to define their relationship precisely. After all, they had only met twice, including the incident in Mist Creek Town. They were hardly familiar.
After careful consideration, he finally replied slowly, "I suppose you could say... a friend."
"A friend? Why 'suppose'?" Trevor glanced at the distant, handsome face and a mischievous grin spread across his own. He deliberately drew out his words. "I see, Roland. So it's..."
"Trevor, it's not what you think."
Seeing the ambiguous look in Trevor's eyes, Roland immediately understood his misunderstanding and shook his head helplessly to explain.
"We've only cooperated a few times to exterminate demonic beasts."
"Alright, alright..."
Trevor raised a thick eyebrow noncommittally and tactfully changed the subject.
"But thanks to this young lady, we were able to reach the River Domain Nations without incident..."
As if recalling an extremely unpleasant experience, the halfling captain smacked his lips, a hint of lingering fear flashing across his face.
"What happened, Big Brother?"
Hoby, sensing his brother's unease, quickly pressed him for details, his voice filled with concern.
"Don't even mention it. On the return voyage through Howling Gorge, the whole crew nearly lost their lives!"
Trevor habitually ruffled Hoby's hair, his brow furrowed, the shadow of terror still lingering on his face.
"The steering wheel's turning shaft snapped without warning, and the ship careened toward the Jagged Reefs like a wild horse! By the grace of the gods, a sideways wave nudged us just enough. The hull scraped against the submerged reef, but the ship miraculously held together!"
He wiped his face, still shaken.
"We thought it was a mechanical failure. We chewed out the Chief Engineer, but couldn't find the cause. The atmosphere on the ship grew so tense that everyone looked like a traitor. Just when panic was setting in..."
Trevor's gaze shifted to Theresa, his eyes filled with awe.
"That young lady stepped forward!"
"She seemed to see right through souls, plucking that 'thing' out of the crowd! At the time, it was acting more innocent and terrified than anyone else!"
"It?"
Roland caught the unusual word immediately.
"Yes, a demonic beast that can perfectly mimic anyone!" Trevor's voice was chilling. "Not just faces! It steals memories, habits, even those unique little mannerisms that belong to a specific person! Who knows how long it had been lurking on the ship? Who knows if that 'accident' was a carefully orchestrated murder!"
"If that young lady hadn't exposed this viper in the shadows..." Trevor's voice trailed off.
"Next time we have an 'accident,' we won't be as lucky as we were at Howling Gorge! Don't even think about returning to the River Domain Nations—you won't even find a floating plank!"
After letting out a long sigh of relief, the halfling captain waved his hand dismissively.
"Forget it. Since we're all safe and sound, let's not dwell on it."
Trevor tilted his chin slightly, gesturing towards Theresa.
"By the way, Roland, since you know that lady, why don't you invite her to dine with us? I have plenty of fine wine and meat to share!"
He lowered his voice, muttering to Roland with a hint of grievance.
"You wouldn't believe it. I sincerely brought her the finest wine and food to express my gratitude, but what happened?"
He rolled his eyes dramatically.
"She accepted all the food, but when I asked her anything, all I got were 'hmm,' 'ah,' and 'oh.' I spoke ten sentences, and she barely uttered a word. She was like a block of ice."
Listening to Trevor's complaints and recalling the silver-haired woman's somewhat aloof demeanor, Roland chuckled softly before waving his arm towards the ship's railing.
"Theresa."
The silver-haired woman leaning against the railing turned at the sound of her name. The moment she saw Roland, a flicker of surprise flashed across her eyes.
Immediately after, the icy aloofness that had kept everyone at arm's length melted away, replaced by a radiant smile that lit up her face and brought her entire being to life.
Trevor's sarcastic remark about the "ice cube" died in his throat, leaving him frozen in place with a look of complaint, eyes wide, mouth slightly agape.
He glanced at Theresa's dazzling smile, then at Roland's calm demeanor beside him, and finally looked down at the gesture he'd been making.
The halfling captain silently closed his mouth, swallowing the rest of his grumbling.
"Mr. Roland..."
Theresa's steps remained graceful and swift. Before she could finish speaking, she was already standing before Roland.
The silver-haired woman awkwardly tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear with her fingers and said softly, "I didn't expect to meet you here."
"Indeed..."
Roland nodded slightly, his eyebrows arching subtly.
He sensed a subtle change in Theresa.
Not in her appearance, but in her overall aura.
If she had once resembled a sharp sword bared for battle, she now felt more like a blade sheathed, poised and ready to strike.
The exposed sharpness had receded, replaced by an inward intensity.
"Has your journey in the Golden Valley Kingdom ended?" Roland asked, then, remembering Trevor's suggestion, seized the opportunity to extend an invitation. "Captain Trevor is about to treat me to dinner. Would you like to join us?"
"Captain Trevor?"
Hearing the name, Theresa finally noticed the halfling beside her and bowed respectfully to Trevor.
"So your name is Trevor? And you're the captain here... truly remarkable!"
She doesn't even know my name or position?
But I told her already...
Recalling his earlier attempts to strike up a conversation, the halfling captain grumbled inwardly, but wisely swallowed his complaint. He simply extended his arm in a gesture of invitation.
"Miss Theresa, thank you for your assistance the other day. I was just about to treat Mr. Roland to a meal. I've prepared fresh seafood and the finest ale. Would you care to join us?"
Perhaps influenced by Theresa's respectful yet subtly ambiguous attitude toward Roland, Trevor found himself becoming uncharacteristically reserved.
"In that case..."
At the mention of "fresh seafood," a distinct glint flashed in Theresa's eyes.
"Then I gladly accept Captain Trevor's generous invitation."
Watching Theresa, who readily accepted the invitation but kept her gaze fixed on Roland, Trevor opened his mouth but said nothing. He simply led the way ahead with a relieved air.
Roland, meanwhile, chatted with Theresa about Sean and the others' recent activities as he walked beside her.
The cabin door swung open, releasing an intoxicating aroma. The charred fragrance of grilled fish mingled with the rich, complex scents of butter and spices, making their stomachs rumble with hunger.
(End of the Chapter)
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