Navy Marigold

9.

“Leave.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As Lancel silently bowed and retreated, the expressions of the men in the party seemed to improve.

It was probably due to the reassurance that there was hardly anyone here who could avoid the Third Princess’s harsh words.

‘So, it wasn’t just me who got scolded.’

‘If even Lancel Dante is getting criticized…’

Lancel was a man born with a good bloodline from a knightly family.

Compared to the people of the archipelago, he had a noticeably tall height and body proportions.

Objectively, he was a man blessed with looks that earned him compliments on his handsomeness.

Yet, the fact that he received sharp criticism from the Third Princess led to the reassurance that, in reality, she treated all men the same.

‘So, my looks aren’t that bad after all!’

‘What she said about me being a rotten squid probably wasn’t her true feelings… Yes, yes.’

Of course, that was only half true.

There were a few nobles and knights who met the Third Princess’s incredibly high standards.

“Rox Ruwen. Still, you’re a bit more presentable than these dried fish here.”

“…That’s very kind of you, Your Highness…!”

When it was Rox Ruwen’s turn to present his gift, for the first time, praise flowed out.

Rox Ruwen, the Count’s son with his slicked-back hair, couldn’t contain his good feelings as his lips twitched, and he kept glancing sideways at Lancel.

‘I won, Lancel Dante.’

It was as if those words were audible.

“In my eyes, Sir Lancel is much better.”

“That’s right, don’t be too disheartened, Lancel.”

The Iceford Heiresses of the archipelago subtly approached Lancel, offering words of comfort.

‘I know that.’

Of course, he was better than that pomade-haired guy who looked like he’d poured a bucket of oil on his head.

Then why didn’t the Third Princess say harsh things to Rox Ruwen?

Could it be?

Uncharacteristically, was she treating the Count’s son with respect?

“Well, he is the son of a Count. How could she insult him to his face?”

“That’s right, Sir Lancel. Don’t worry about it.”

The Iceford Heiresses gathered around Lancel echoed the same sentiments.

‘Third Princess Claria. Is she really a fake?’

Lancel took a sip of strong liquor, staring at the Third Princess. He stared so intently that it seemed he would penetrate the veil and see her face.

The scent of tropical fruits wafted thickly from the Iceford Heiresses gathered around him.

True to the open-minded Iceford Heiresses of the archipelago, they were constantly looking for opportunities. Lancel Dante, a Baron’s son from the mainland, might have seemed like prey at this banquet in their eyes.

Swoosh.

The Iceford Heiresses’ hands brushed deep into Lancel’s body. Provocative glances flew from all directions.

“Then, I’ll be leaving now.”

“What?”

Lancel got up from his seat before he got any more entangled.

“Are you leaving already?”

“I have some work at the naval headquarters, so I’ll have to stop here.”

“The banquet has just started…”

Leaving behind the Iceford Heiresses who were holding him back with regretful looks, Lancel headed out of the banquet hall.

“Already done with your business, Lancel Dante? Why don’t you play a little more? It’s a banquet hosted by Her Highness; you’re being disrespectful. Don’t tell me you’re sulking because you got scolded?”

Rox Ruwen’s voice, chuckling as he saw him off, pierced the back of his head.

He was having a lot of fun.

.

.

.

“Woman smell…!”

As soon as they returned to the headquarters, Marigold started sniffing.

“Two… three… no, four?”

He had been close to women covered in perfume until just now. It seemed Marigold had sensed the scent like a ghost.

“Five?!”

To even get the number right, was she a dog?

“You said you were just going to say hello, but how long were you with those women, Lancel! It’s no good. Relationships formed at banquets are all fake, fake! It’s just a one-night illusion!”

“…? How many banquets have you even been to that you’re lecturing me?”

“It’s a feeling. A feeling.”

“……”

“And I’ve heard a lot about what banquets are like, so I know very well. You dance and play with this person and that person, and if you hit it off, you go to a spooky place and get drunk… ahem!”

Marigold’s face flushed for a moment, and she coughed. She fanned herself urgently, trying to cool down the sudden heat.

“Ah, ah, anyway, I don’t think that kind of thing is real love.”

“I see.”

‘…She knows a lot?’

She grasped the essence of banquets, Marigold.

Chirp-!

It was then.

Lancel looked up at the sound coming from one side of the duty room. There was something he had never seen before.

“Sorry, sorry! I’ll give it to you soon!”

Marigold quickly got up and filled a plate with jerky.

“What’s that?”

“A bird! Isn’t it pretty?”

Marigold came in cheerfully, holding a birdcage.

“No, I can see it’s a bird. Where did you get it?”

“I found it on the ship that came this time. I looked it up, and it seems like it doesn’t have an owner, so I’m temporarily taking care of it. Until the owner shows up.”

“A bird without an owner?”

Lancel stared into the birdcage.

The haughty-looking bird turned its head away, avoiding his gaze.

Inside were a cleanly wiped plate and a water cup.

“That’s an expensive-looking plate for a bird feeder.”

“It seems like it won’t eat unless it’s on a pretty plate.”

“So picky for a bird.”

“Maybe it’s a noble among birds? It’s pretty, too.”

“A bird is a bird; where are there nobles? So, you’re going to carry it around and raise it?”

“Yes!”

Marigold looked happy.

She was at the age where she would want to have a pet.

“I named it Pia. What do you think? Isn’t it cute?”

“It’s alright.”

“Pia is listening, so please say it’s good, just say it.”

Marigold’s expression softened as she stroked the feathers on its head.

“Hehe, pretty, pretty. I think you’re the prettiest of all the birds, Pia.”

The bird seemed to puff up with pride whenever it heard it was pretty. As if it understood Marigold’s words.

“Stop playing around and finish writing the log, Lieutenant Marigold.”

“Ah, yes, sir!”

Marigold saluted and sat next to Lancel.

This week was his duty period at the naval base. His first duty.

Naturally, he had pushed all the work onto Marigold, whom he had appointed as his adjutant.

“The patrol team went to Sector 1 an hour ago, so they should be in Sector 2 by now…”

Watching her fill out the patrol log, relying on the faint candlelight, Lancel closed his eyes without a word.

The image of the veiled Third Princess kept bothering him. What was that all about?

Just his imagination?

Or…

“Lancel!”

He opened his eyes abruptly.

The door to the duty room opened, and Coral Baron, soaked in the rain, appeared.

“Ah, I wasn’t sleeping! Private Marigold is continuing the mission, sir!”

Next to him, Marigold, startled, was wiping the drool from her mouth.

Judging by the log, she had scribbled for a few minutes and then fallen asleep.

“Leave the duty to someone else and come with me for a moment.”

“What’s the matter at this hour?”

“Count Ruwen is looking for you. Hurry.”

As Coral Baron was about to turn around, he suddenly said,

“Marigold! Yes, Marigold, come too. You’re also involved in this matter.”

“Yes?”

Even this girl?

10.

“I’ve brought Lancel Dante.”

The place they arrived at was the Count’s salon.

“You’ve come. Sit.”

Count Ruwen was the first thing that caught his eye.

Around him were Count Ruwen’s son, Rox Ruwen, as well as senior naval officers, knights from the Imperial Palace, and nobles who had accompanied the Princess, all seated.

As Lancel sat down at the table, sensing the situation, Marigold was left standing awkwardly behind him.

“Is that Marigold behind you?”

“Yes, sir! Count Ruwen!”

“Lower your voice. It hurts my ears.”

“Yes.”

“By the way, what are you holding?”

“Ah, this is Pia… a bird… sir!”

Because Coral Baron had been rushing her, saying it was urgent, she was flustered, and even Lancel was too late to stop her.

“Pia gets anxious if I’m not there…”

“……”

The Count seemed to have already recognized Marigold’s clumsiness with just that one sentence, shaking his head and muttering, “Alright, just sit down in front.”

Marigold, subdued, sat quietly next to Lancel.

“Listen carefully. Everything that is said in this room from now on is only known to us. Especially Marigold. Understand?”

“Yes, C-Count!”

She nodded with nervous eyes.

“Marigold causes a lot of trouble, but she’s not the type of soldier to spread secrets around. Don’t worry too much, Count Ruwen.”

“Alright. I hope Coral Baron’s words are true. Then…”

Count Ruwen turned around.

“Tell them to gather.”

“Yes, Count.”

A moment later, the salon door opened again.

‘The Third Princess.’

The veiled Third Princess arrived inside with elegant steps.

She raised her hand to stop those who were about to get up from their seats.

“It’s alright. Everyone, please remain seated.”

It was a soft voice.

So unlike what one would expect from the Third Princess.

‘Could it be?’

Only then did Lancel realize who she was.

Just hearing it made him feel a slight surge of anger, because it was the exact same tone as a certain woman he had heard in the past.

“Let me reintroduce myself.”

She carefully removed her veil.

“I am Airi Wiz Iceford.”

The woman he had even formally married, albeit in name only.

The so-called one of the three great beauties of the empire, Iceford.

She was here.

Under the name of the Third Princess.

“H-Her Highness?”

“What’s going on…”

“Quiet!”

The interior, which had been murmuring, quickly quieted down at Count Ruwen’s roar.

“She is the daughter of Count Palatine Iceford, the Chamberlain of His Majesty the Emperor, and the Iceford Heiress, a maid of the Imperial Family. Everyone, show respect to the prestigious lady of the Imperial Capital.”

‘To see her in a place like this.’

He should have been meeting her, living a life obsessed with parties in the Imperial Capital, but he met her again in the archipelago.

If it was a bad relationship, it was a bad relationship.

“Please bring out that item, Count Ruwen.”

“Alright. It’s faster to see it and talk about it directly.”

Count Ruwen took something out from under the table.

“Ah!”

Marigold opened her mouth as if she recognized it. Lancel was the same.

“Lancel probably already knows, since it’s the item that came from the pirate ship you personally captured.”

Of course, he knew.

“Soul Flower.”

Iceford Heiress opened her mouth.

“The thing you are looking at now is the flower that casts magic, called the Soul Flower.”

Pointing to the flower vase, she continued.

“When the flower activates its magic, it randomly swaps the souls of the people around it. It’s a very scary flower.”

“I don’t understand what that means…”

“To put it simply, if a slave and a master look at this flower at the same time in the same place… the slave will take over the master’s body. For exactly one minute.”

“…One minute?”

Puzzled reactions spread. The thought of ‘Only one minute?’ flashed through their minds.

The duration seemed too short for such a great effect.

“Yes. After one minute, they return to normal. As if nothing had happened.”

The next moment.

Iceford Heiress’s eyes turned cold.

“…Provided that the two people are still in the same place.”

It was what Lancel and Marigold had experienced. If they were in the same place for one minute, nothing would happen.

But what if they weren’t?

“In other words, what if one of them runs away during that one minute… or gets killed… What would happen? Let’s all imagine it.”

No further explanation was needed.

“Heo!”

“T-This is ominous!”

“G-Get rid of it! Immediately!”

The nobles and officers of the archipelago recoiled in horror.

‘There’s a reason why it’s nicknamed the Emperor’s Flower.’

A flower that could make even a beggar an Emperor.

A device managed only by the Imperial Family because of its terrifying effects and dangers.

That was the true identity of this ‘Soul Flower.’

“The magic is activated only once a year. Right now, it’s just a flower in a water bottle, nothing more or less, so don’t make such a fuss.”

Iceford Heiress answered coldly and sighed.

“To get straight to the point, the reason why the Third Princess is currently missing is because of this flower.”

A moment of silence spread. As if the entire space had been paused.

Clink.

Only the sound of Iceford Heiress quietly lifting her teacup could be heard.

“Missing!”

“Her Highness!”

Shock.

Horror.

-Chirp! Chirp!

Just then, Marigold’s bird flapped its wings and made a fuss.

“Get rid of that thing!”

“S-Sorry!”

At Count Ruwen’s roar, Marigold hurriedly lowered the birdcage under the table.

“I told you to be quiet, Pia, I’m going to get scolded. Please, please, I’ll give you more snacks when we get back.”

She shouldn’t have brought it in the first place.

Lancel chuckled.