The sea was calm again after their last encounter.
The ship moved steadily forward, cutting through quiet waves.
Carina sat on the deck, eating slowly.
"…I'm starting to think the sea is just waiting for us to mess up again."
Kuina stood at the bow, scanning the horizon.
"…Something is drifting ahead."
Kevin opened his eyes slightly.
"…Yes."
In the distance—
A small broken boat floated aimlessly.
Half-sunken.
No clear movement.
Carina stood up immediately.
"…That looks like trouble."
Kuina's hand moved to her sword.
"…Or bait."
Kevin spoke calmly.
"…We check."
They approached carefully.
The boat was damaged, drifting without control.
No flags.
No crew movement.
Carina frowned.
"…This feels like a trap waiting to happen."
Kuina stepped onto the broken vessel first.
Alert.
Controlled.
Kevin followed.
Then Carina.
On the center of the damaged boat—
A girl lay collapsed.
Unconscious.
Swords beside her.
Carina blinked.
"…Okay, that's just a person."
Kuina stepped closer.
"…She is injured."
Kevin crouched slightly.
"…Breathing stable."
Carina sighed in relief.
"…Good. Not a corpse situation."
Kevin spoke.
"…Water."
Carina quickly handed over a flask.
The girl drank slowly after being helped.
Her breathing steadied.
Her eyelids slowly opened.
Blue-gray eyes.
Sharp even in weakness.
She looked at Kevin first.
Then Carina.
Then Kuina.
"…Where… am I…"
Kevin answered calmly.
"…Open sea."
Carina leaned in slightly.
"…You were drifting. We picked you up."
The girl slowly pushed herself up.
"…I was attacked…"
Kuina's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…By pirates?"
She nodded.
"…Yes."
Kevin observed her swords.
"…You are trained."
The girl nodded again.
"…I practice swordsmanship."
Carina muttered.
"…Of course she does…"
The girl looked around slowly.
Then asked.
"…Who are you?"
Carina pointed.
"…We should be asking YOU that first."
Kevin replied.
"…Kevin."
"…Carina."
Kuina paused briefly.
Then—
"…Kuina."
The moment the name was spoken—
Tashigi looked at Kuina more carefully.
Silence.
Her expression shifted slightly.
Confused.
Focused.
Unsettled.
"…You…"
Kuina frowned.
"…What."
Tashigi stared at her face.
Longer this time.
Then spoke slowly.
"…We look… alike."
Carina froze.
"…Huh?"
She rushed closer, comparing them.
"…WAIT YOU'RE RIGHT."
"…WHY DO YOU LOOK THE SAME?!"
Silence fell.
Only waves moved beneath the ship.
Kuina and Tashigi looked at each other properly now.
Not emotional.
Not dramatic.
Just direct observation.
Same facial structure.
Same sharp eyes.
Same calm seriousness.
But completely different presence.
Tashigi touched her own face slightly.
"…I've never seen you before."
Kuina replied immediately.
"…Same."
But neither of them looked satisfied with that answer.
Carina whispered.
"…This is creepy in a weird way…"
Kevin observed quietly.
"…Coincidence."
Kuina spoke again, quieter this time.
"…You fight with a sword."
Tashigi nodded.
"…Yes."
Kuina studied her stance instinctively.
"…Similar fundamentals."
Tashigi blinked.
"…What do you mean?"
Kevin answered calmly.
"…Different paths. Similar structure."
Carina sighed.
"…There he goes again…"
A brief silence followed.
Kuina finally stepped back slightly.
Still watching Tashigi.
Not hostility.
Not friendship.
Something undefined.
"…You're not me."
Kuina said.
Tashigi nodded.
"…I'm not."
But the feeling didn't disappear.
For either of them.
Because the resemblance was too precise to ignore.
Carina exhaled.
"…This is going to be a problem later, isn't it…"
Kevin turned slightly toward the horizon.
"…We continue to island."
The ship moved forward again.
But now—
Nothing felt normal anymore.
Because onboard this ship—
Two almost identical swordswomen stood on the same deck.
And neither understood why it felt like fate was repeating itself.