Navy Marigold. (2)

2.

“You can stay here. I’ll assign three servants to you soon.”

Lancel, who had become a senior officer overnight, was assigned quarters on the highest floor of the naval base.

The accommodation offered a panoramic view of the sea and the archipelago.

Three rooms, a living room, a bathroom, and a private toilet.

Compared to a mansion on land, it felt a bit modest for a noble, but considering the navy’s culture of cramming soldiers into coop-like accommodations under the guise of fostering patience to endure life on a cramped ship, this level of accommodation was already like a palace.

“It’s so big…”

As proof, Marigold, who had followed Lancel, was constantly exclaiming in admiration, glancing around the rooms.

‘That girl, who was a Miss from a Count’s family until four years ago, is already completely immersed in naval life. Looking at a room like this with such envious eyes.’

Moreover, the Marigold Count’s family was a noble family famous for being wealthy even within the Empire.

Marigold had lived a life without any shortages, under the care of numerous retainers.

“Haa… It’s so big that it would be hard to go around it all in one day.”

“Don’t exaggerate. It wouldn’t even take a minute.”

That girl was now sparkling with envy at just this level of facility.

Five years.

It seemed to be enough time for Marigold to become a commoner to her very soul.

‘Should I see this as good adaptability…?’

Lancel, being human, couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for her.

“Hey. Mary! Put that down nicely when I tell you to.”

“Ah, without realizing it!”

“Carefully!”

Startled by the superior’s words, Marigold’s hand slipped. The vase she was holding fell to the floor.

“Eek!”

“No!”

Crash!

The vase shattered into pieces.

“Kyaaak!”

“Mary! You’ve caused another accident! Again!”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’ll clean it up! I’ll clean it up right away!”

“Of course, you have to clean it up! The cost of the vase will be deducted from your next salary, so keep that in mind!”

“Hic, I understand!”

Marigold, with tears welling up in her eyes, was picking up the ceramic shards.

“…”

“Please understand, Ensign Lancel, she is still a young navy recruit.”

“It’s alright. I don’t mind, just clean it up neatly.”

“Did you hear that, Mary.”

“Yes! I’ll clean it up! I’ll clean it up without leaving a single piece!”

What could he do?

Marigold was Marigold.

“Ahem.”

At that moment.

Lancel turned around at the sound from the entrance.

“Cough.”

A naval officer in a pristine white uniform was leaning against the entrance of the accommodation, drawing Lancel’s attention.

“Seeing you move in next to where I’m staying, it’s reasonable to assume you’re also a knight? I don’t know how long it’s been since a knight joined the officers.”

It was a man who kept running his hand through his neatly combed hair, uttering a voice that sounded like he had just swallowed a bowl of oil.

The three Rapiers hanging at his waist were eye-catching.

“What are you doing? Private First Class Mary. Introduce me.”

“Ah, a-ah! Yes! This is… that…”

“……?”

“Th-that, very high…”

Marigold’s eyes were filled with confusion.

She probably didn’t know or had forgotten his name, one of the two.

“That, um, uh? That…”

Veins slowly bulged from the officer’s forehead, and a corporal, unable to watch any longer, stepped forward.

“This is Rox Ruwen, heir to Count Ruwen’s family.”

“I see.”

Lancel gave a soulless reaction. It was a name he already knew.

In the first place, he doubted if there was anyone in the archipelago who didn’t know that name.

That was because the Ruwen family was.

“Count Ruwen is the elder who leads one of the six leagues of this archipelago. And Ensign Rox here is his eldest son.”

In summary, he was of very high status.

That was true.

Count Ruwen was the number one figure in the entire archipelago.

And he was the head of one of the few ‘Navy Noble Families’ in the Empire, a family of die-hard navy enthusiasts who pushed all their sons and daughters into the navy as soon as they could walk.

“Ahem.”

Rox puffed out his chest and smoothed his clothes. It was an expression of confidence, as if to say, ‘With this much explanation, you must understand how great I am, right?’

“Yes.”

“……”

Rox’s face twitched at Lancel’s dry response.

He knew he was great, but it wasn’t enough to impress Lancel.

Now that he had reached a stage where he didn’t even think much in front of royalty, he was unlikely to pay attention to the son of a Count’s family.

“If you’re done with your business, you guys go back too. I want to wash up quickly and lie down to rest.”

“Ah, I understand. Let’s go, Mary.”

“I’ll see you again, Ensign Lancel!”

The corporal and Marigold retreated.

Facing the dazed Rox, Lancel slowly closed the door.

Squeak.

Slowly.

Bang!

“Ouch!”

The sound of Rox snorting, having bumped his nose, was soon heard.

It wasn’t out of any particular animosity. He just didn’t want to get close to that guy. The oil plastered all over his slicked-back hair was too much to handle.

That was all.

Bang-!

The door to the adjacent accommodation slammed shut violently.

3.

———

[Fallen Noble Lady Simulation]

Creating the schedule for the 4th week of July.

Mon – Cleaning the naval dock. (Location: Dock, Deck)

Tue – Postal Office duty. (Location: Naval Postal Office)

Wed – Archipelago sea patrol. (Location: Sea)

Thu – Archipelago city patrol. (Location: Archipelago)

Fri – Monthly regular training evaluation. (Location: Archipelago Beach)

Sat – Monthly regular training evaluation. (Location: Archipelago Beach)

Sun – Combat rest.

※A new officer has arrived! I’m worried about whether he’s a good person or not, but somehow he doesn’t feel unfamiliar. I’ll live each day as a navy recruit this week too! Strength, stamina, and condition UP!

———

Coral Baron, Lancel still not having a proper position, told him to stand by for the time being.

Stand by.

Stand by, huh.

From the listener’s point of view, that word only came across as meaning to just play around and eat, so Lancel decided to faithfully follow Coral Baron’s words.

‘New recruit standby period, what a sweet deal.’

-Monday.

“Scrub the trees until they shine! Anyone caught slacking off will be sent to a task that’s not boring enough to make their drowsiness disappear! Understand, Mary!”

“Yes!”

“Will the deck be cleaned by scrubbing like that! Scrub with all your might! Like this! Like this!”

“Yeeees!”

The navy recruits were dying from the officers’ shouts, and among them, Marigold’s name was frequently shouted.

“Mary!”

“Yes!”

“Maryyyy!”

“Yeeees!”

“Mary, you dimwit!”

“I’m sorry!”

Peaceful, indeed.

Lancel watched Marigold rolling around here and there with a leisurely gaze.

“One more mistake and you’ll be disciplined! Understand!”

“Yes, yes!”

A series of minor and major accidents.

‘She’s just a troublemaker.’

From time to time, he also noticed Marigold mingling with her juniors in hidden corners.

“You guys saw it too, right? The naval base wouldn’t function without me. There are so many people looking for me that it’s hard every day, really.”

“As expected of Private First Class Marigold.”

‘What is she even saying.’

The juniors didn’t seem to believe her much either, but anyway, Marigold’s nose was high in the air when she was with those guys.

—Tuesday.

“Let’s go.”

The next day, Marigold put on clothes that fit her well and jumped into the sea. She had a large waterproof wooden barrel on her back.

“Ruby, please.”

-Pooo!

Marigold was seen riding on the back of a whale and moving far away.

In the archipelago, delivering letters was also a job done by the navy.

Lancel, who had been wondering, opened his mouth.

“Is it okay to entrust the postal office work to a child who is only a private first class? There must be many letters going to nobles. What if she loses them?”

“Are you talking about Mary?”

Coral Baron blew out cigarette smoke and looked at her back as well.

“Well, she’s not trustworthy. But the whales follow her well. Even though she looks like that.”

Follows well? Whales?

“When you watch, it’s almost like they can communicate. If we send other guys, they spend a lot of time just trying to appease the whales. Sometimes they can’t even start.”

Now that he thought about it, he didn’t remember seeing those grumpy whales resisting Mary.

Lancel had also tried to ride a whale every time he came to this island. Of course, he had never succeeded. They were shy creatures.

‘She had some talent after all. Marigold.’

So she wasn’t completely useless.

‘Well, that’s possible. Because she’s the protagonist.’

She’s had grass growing on her head before, so being able to communicate with animals wasn’t that surprising.

He encountered Marigold again with the letter barrel when Lancel went for a walk to the harbor.

“Mail’s here!”

“Oh, Mary! You’re working hard! Why don’t you come and have a bite?”

“Hehe, should I?”

“Of course! Come on in!”

Marigold joined the sailors’ meal, who were grilling lobsters, and began to gobble them down.

“Thank you for the meal!”

“Come again when you’re bored!”

She went off on a tangent in that way every time she had a chance.

Picking fruits, digging for clams, chasing schools of fish, or going to the side of the fishermen’s boats and chatting.

She delivered the letters while doing as much slacking off as possible.

By the time the letter barrel was empty, the entire sea was covered with a red sunset like a carpet.

“We’ve had our fun, so let’s go back now. Ruby.”

In a way, she was really faithful to her life.

‘She’s living a more peaceful life than me.’

Lancel had a feeling that he might be able to spend this round comfortably.

Even though it was a bit busy, as long as he was in the navy, at least his basic needs would be met.

“I will assist you with your bath, Ensign Lancel.”

That night.

Lancel closed his eyes, entrusting his body to the maids.

Feeling the hot water being poured over him, he briefly imagined life on the archipelago with Marigold.

‘It might be surprisingly okay.’

Yes.

Maybe it would be a good round.

No matter how comfortably he spent his vacation, he must have been worried about what Marigold was doing somewhere.

He must have been concerned in the back of his mind that she might have met the worst ending.

Thinking that way, it might be a better vacation now that Marigold’s healthy appearance was confirmed.

Even though she had become a naval officer.

The archipelago was a peaceful island.

.

.

.

“Pirates!”

“All hands, prepare to set sail!”

The next morning, an alarm bell rang loudly, awakening the naval headquarters.

All the navy personnel, regardless of officer or soldier, rushed out and climbed onto the ships.