North x Northwest
Chapter 123

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Headnote: We corrected a small mistake in the previous chapter. Ed didn’t lock the chest, he simply closed it.

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Ed could almost hear the sound of Courant’s heart beating nervously from anticipation.

‘But the boy can’t yell too soon because nothing has been confirmed yet.’

He knew that the fear of not being able to see anything wasn’t one to be easily overcome.

While keeping an eye out for any potential movements, Ed took a quiet step back.

‘Things can get very complicated if he has the sudden courage to break the lid open.’

Ed kept his gaze fixed on the chest right up until the moment he shut the door. When he passed the first bulkhead a commotion surrounded him. Ed walked right past them. The sailors he saw on the side were those of Jarles and Valtano.

‘Fortunately, they’re from the hired crew, which will make it easier for possible charges to be dropped. Even if Courant reports the incident to Cesar, there’s no reason to associate me with the intruder who broke into the cabin. It could have been a simple robbery attempt on an officer’s cabin. And based on that crew’s recent behaviour, it would be a fairly credible accusation… Anyway, it will be fine as long as I keep my face hidden.’

***

Lil stared at the palm-sized jewellery box.

In it was a handful of pearls that shimmered in soft colours. Some were light pink, some were light yellow, and others were bright green. Although each colour was unique, the overall effect of them mixed together was quite elegant. Lil swept her finger across their surfaces, listening to the sound of the rolling beads. It felt good as if the sound was tickling her ears. After she placed some pearls in her palm and rolled them on her hand, her nerves that had been on edge due to Julio soon relaxed.

She slipped her fingertip through the pearls. As she repeated such action over and over again, her thoughts were sucked through those beads. Her eyes closed as she felt herself gradually calm down.

Since the day she met Bellus, checking the pearls was the first thing she did when she opened her eyes. Every time she touched them, their round and hard surface reminded her that their encounter was real, that the ecstasy she felt while meeting Bellus was no illusion. In that way, it was fortunate that Bellus had left her something. Since then, it became her habit to check the jewellery box whenever she had the time.

That has been the case for the past week. But today, after looking in the jewellery box, Lil made a fairly reasonable decision.

‘I received them as a token of appreciation, but Ed also contributed significantly to her release. But he didn’t receive anything. It doesn’t matter if the pearls are a rare replace.’

Lil felt guilty about monopolising Bellus’ gratitude as if it were only natural, so she made her way toward Ed’s cabin to get her daily dose of medicine and hand some of the pearls over.

While arranging his medicine box, Ed changed his mind shortly after responding initially with “It’s fine”. He raised his head and muttered that it might be worth owning, and immediately picked one up. Lil stared at Ed as he rolled the pearl in his hand, it made her almost forget about her original plan. She intended to express her gratitude to him for helping her cross their language barrier and assist her.

“Thank you.”

“…What?”

“You helped me, so thank you… Actually, it ended up with me watching you struggle alone as I could only wait on the side…”

“I didn’t just help because you asked. You know that, don’t you?”

“…And thank you for convincing me to follow you into the sea.”

Ed took his gaze away from the pearl and cast a suspicious glance at Lil. He had a complex expression on his face before rubbing his ear lobe and pouting his lips. His tightly closed mouth moved in a spasm-like manner. At the same time, Lil noticed that Ed’s earlobe was turning bright red as he rubbed it mercilessly.

‘If you’re going to be flattered about this, just accept it, I don’t know what the hell you’re doing now.’

“Captain, what did you eat today? We’re at anchor these days, so the food should be good, but are you sure you haven’t picked up something that was spoiled?…”

“Your contribution was great.”

“Well, I’m glad you acknowledge it.”

Ed pretended to be arrogant.

‘It’s written all over his face that he’s trying not to like it too much. There wasn’t a time in the past when he hasn’t been treated harshly by me, but now he seems embarrassed by the fact that I came here out of nowhere and told him this. I noticed this the other day as well but Ed has a rather cute side to his personality…’

Lil, who suddenly realised she found that fact amusing, bursted out laughing. Ed’s green eyes, which had been looking elsewhere like a curt child, unknowingly turned towards her.

Lil spoke while looking into Ed’s dazed eyes.

“It was beautiful.”

“Uh… really… beautiful…”

Suddenly, Lil had the distinct impression that they were referring to different things as beautiful, so she raised her brows and made her intentions clearer.

“After you pushed me into the water, you mentioned being curious about how beautiful the freedom would be that we gave her… That freedom was indeed beautiful.”

Ed blinked vigorously as if he had come back to his senses. He then nodded forcefully, remembering what he had forgotten.

“…Oh, that.”

“Yes, it was so beautiful that I’ll never forget it, and I wouldn’t have seen it if it hadn’t been for you.”

“I see…”

As he lowered his head, his voice faded and eventually became inaudible. Lil lowered her gaze to Ed, who appeared to be interested in the pearl again. His hand holding the pearl was resting on a notebook containing a detailed drawing of Bellus. He seemed to have been in the middle of drawing her when Lil walked in because the lower part of her tail was still incomplete. It wasn’t surprising to Lil that a curious researcher like Ed was good at drawing. Especially because Ed had studied medicine, so he was used to portraying complex bodies on a daily basis.

Even after Lil tilted her head from side to side while staring at Ed’s drawing, Ed himself remained silent. She was even more perplexed when he didn’t so much as flinch when she thanked him.

‘I expected him to put up a silly act or pretend to be arrogant like he did a while ago… Hm, Strange… This isn’t typical of him…’

With her interest piqued, Lil observed Ed’s current behaviour and noticed that he was refusing to make eye contact with her.

‘I haven’t really thought about it, but now that I do, I realise he’s been looking elsewhere a lot lately.’

Lil tilted her head again and spoke.

“You really managed to capture her likeness with your drawing.”

“Oh, you think so?”

Ed calmly fiddled with the pearl in his hand. Lil bent her head even lower, trying to meet his gaze. However, Ed’s eyes remained fixed on the pearl.

‘How strange. Ed is the one who has always tried to look me in the eyes or even stared at my face. So why is he suddenly acting like this?’

She sensed some distance between them and Lil, who did her best to act friendlier than usual, suddenly felt awkward. When she eventually left his cabin and came back to her own, she recalled Ed’s flushed expression.

Lil rubbed some of the pearls with her fingertips.

‘It appears that Ed struggles to adjust to my more easy-going demeanour. Of course, things are already better than they were a week ago. There are good times, like when we were on the deck, and awkward times, like just now… However, I keep getting this faint sense of déjà vu as if I’ve seen such behaviour before…’

Lil followed her memory all over the place, and the answer came easily to her.

‘Yeah, I’ve seen reactions like that in Sesbron… Half of the men who approached me were composed perhaps due to rigorous practice, while the other half hesitated to look me in the eyes. I haven’t seen it in a long time, so I almost forgot about it. But, if my memory serves me correctly…’

Lil’s eyes widened in shock.

‘What?!’

She groped down her throat, making sure her necklace was still in place.

‘No, I don’t think so…’

Unlike her previous experiences in Sesbron, Lil ruled out the possibility that Ed may be liking her as a man.

‘If he’s really attracted to men, he would have been acting like that from the start. Besides, he looks at me so clumsily as if he hasn’t seen me smile before. I guess he’s just shy about finally being recognized…Yes, that’s right.’

Lil nodded with her hand touching her chin.

‘Getting to know Ed without any prejudice puts my mind at ease.He turned out to be a good and decent man. I’m relieved to know that he is…Well, I’m not really relieved, but…’

Lil clenched her fists, making the pearls’ surfaces grind tightly in her hand. In the corner of her mind, a stern voice started to bark incessantly.

‘…Don’t look for him… Don’t think about him…’

A desperate scream echoed through her head.

‘…This is wrong… You can’t follow him…’

Ed was an outlaw who easily infiltrated Mortu’s castle. Despite no one telling him to do it, he kept visiting to talk about the world outside the castle. The landlord showed his displeasure every time Ed left the gates wide open when he walked out of the castle he allowed himself to enter without permission. And as always after his departure, a strong wind blew in the open space Ed left behind. Even though Lil stood far away from him, his wind fluttered the hem of her skirt. It was a tickling breeze. A pleasant one that made her feel good every time it reached her. Lil had no choice but to stand still, hoping and waiting for Ed’s return. Thinking this would be the last time…

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