From the beginning, the reason he took me out of that cruise ship was because he had a business with me. At least until that business is done, he plans to keep me alive.
“Crazy b*tch.”
As expected, Ignis mumbled as he dried her wet body with a blanket he found in a corner.
“Do you think you can swim back to that ship? Idiot. You look smart, but you’re just a blockhead, aren’t you?”
“…ld.”
“What?”
“C-Cold.” Dana pleaded in a trembling voice. “H-Hug me.”
“…”
“H-H-Hold me. It’s so cold I think I’m going to die.”
Ignis then let out a laugh as if he found it ridiculous. “Funny b*tch. Did you think the winter sea at night would feel like a hot spring?”
Crazy b*tch, insane b*tch. Ignis grumbled curses under his breath but eventually pulled her onto his lap.
“Don’t get the wrong idea, Danae Windsor. After I take over your vault, I’ll throw you into the sea just like that.”
Sure you will…
Dana shivered and burrowed into Ignis’s embrace, hugging his waist as if holding on for dear life, like a baby bird clutching its mother.
After hesitating briefly, Ignis wrapped his arms around her. Thump, thump, thump, thump, his heartbeat echoed.
Dana buried her face into his broad and firm chest. “Lord Ignis.”
“Shut up, Saintess.” As if afraid of what she might say next, Ignis sighed in annoyance. “Keep your mouth shut before I toss you back into the sea.”
“A-Are you really going to kill me too?”
“Why ask the obvious, Cutie? Of course, you’re going to die soon too.” Ignis sneered. “But before that, I’ll get my hands on your vault. Then I’ll torment you until you’re begging me to kill you instead.”
“I-Is that true?”
“Yes. So, look forward to it.” With a threatening tone, Ignis pulled her closer. “Ever since the day you screwed me over, I’ve been living solely to ruin your life.” His voice spilled venomously from above her head. “Just know this—I’m going to kill you in the most brutal way possible.”
Dana let out a wry laugh. Sure, of course he would. Obviously…
“Thank you.”
“What for?”
“For saying that.”
Fortunately, there’s no need to feel guilty. Click. Dana aimed a gun at Ignis’s temple. His scarlet eyes met hers for a fleeting moment.
“You—”
That was the last word he managed.
Bang! Blood splattered from Ignis’s head as his body collapsed. Bang, bang, bang! Dana continued firing at his head. How many bullets had she embedded into him?
Ignis no longer moved. His head, completely destroyed, lying there blankly staring at the sky.
Dana approached cautiously, checking for any signs of breath. There was none. He was dead. It was a natural outcome. Even with superhuman regenerative abilities, there was no survival as his head was destroyed.
What the. That was easier than I thought.
Apparently, the empire’s security was a mess, considering they let such a simple-minded man like him escape. He’s such a simple-minded man that he didn’t even notice when I stole the gun from his waist, and yet they struggled so much to catch someone like him.
Dana deliberately steeled herself to be ruthless. Ignis was a kidnapper and a terrorist planning a mass murder. She didn’t want to feel guilty for killing b*stard like him.
Not sparing a glance at his mangled corpse, Dana hurriedly grabbed the oars. She had to return to Daiana immediately. Before the bomb exploded, before anyone else died. And above all—
Carl has the deputy head ring, the holy relic. It would be troublesome if he died at sea. Even if he died, she had to at least find his body. If Carl sank with the ship, how would she find his body in this vast sea bed? Losing the relic meant living in this world until death. That must be avoided. So, hurry-
Boom! At that moment, a loud explosion rang in her ears. Dana looked up abruptly. “Ah…” And she saw it. The Daiana would be engulfed in a giant flame.
No.
Boom, boom, boom! Explosions followed one after another, and majestic clouds of fire rose.
No.
Dana gripped the oars with trembling hands, rowing frantically.
No. No. No.
Carl, the ring, and the holy relic were there. Carl couldn’t die. Her holy relic—
But the Daiana continued to break apart and explode. Boom! The giant ship was swallowed by the fiery red flames and then exploded. Completely, utterly, into pieces.
* * *
What should I do?
“Dana!”
Am I trapped in this world? Can’t I go back?
“Dana!”
Overwhelmed with anger, sorrow, grief, and confusion, tears burst forth. Dana looked ahead with tear-soaked eyes. Carl was there.
“Dana, are you alright? Huh?” He held her face gently, his hand brushing away the tears soaking her cheeks.
“…Uncle?”
“Yes, yes. I’m here.”
Dana stared at him blankly. What is this? What’s going on? Why is Carl in front of me— Ah. Right, Carl. Carl was there. Realizing this, Dana threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.
Carl. Her ring. Her holy relic. It’s here.
“Dana?”
Is this real? With a heart pounding painfully as if it might burst right there, Dana clung to him. She desperately needed evidence that this moment, this proof, was real.
“What’s wrong? Hmm?”
It’s real. The arms wrapping around her, the hand stroking her back and hair, the strong heartbeat against her chest—they were all real.
Then what was that? Dana clung to him desperately, savoring the sense of reality.
This is reality. So, did she open her third eye? Did she see the future? For such a long time?
It was different from before. Whenever she saw the past or future with her third eye, it was always brief. She only glimpsed a moment and returned. So brief, it might as well have been an instant. But this long? Even the sensation of briefly losing consciousness in the future, all of it was vivid? Even the heartbeat she felt in Ignis’s embrace. Yes, just like what she feels from Carl now. The big, resounding heartbeat was all vivid.
Then what is this? A chill swept over her. Is this real? Is this reality? Or is she seeing the future again?
Feeling anxious, Dana swallowed. Gulp, the sound of swallowing echoed loudly in the silence. She then realized the surroundings were enveloped in a terrible silence. Only their breathing intertwined.
“Uncle…” Dana uttered with a hoarse voice, clinging to him.
“Yes.” His low voice replied.
The hand gently stroking her back suddenly tickled, snapping her back to her senses.
Where is this?
A dimly lit room, a cabin, and a bed. It was her bedroom.
“I’m sorry.”
As she gently pushed him away, Carl gently retreated. His face was filled with concern.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Did you have a nightmare?”
“Yes…” No. In reality, she saw the future.
Dana firmly grasped Carl’s hand, feeling the cool metal of the ring. Thankfully, the deputy head ring, the relic, was here. A sense of relief finally calmed her heart.
“What happened?”
“You suddenly collapsed in the hallway.” Carl, with his free hand, wiped away the last tear that had wet her eyes. “The doctor came and went, saying your breathing and pulse were normal. There doesn’t seem to be any major problem, but I was worried, so I’ve been taking care of you.”
Collapsed? In the hallway? Dana looked down. The hem of her silver dress was soaked in red wine. So… I was on my way to wash up. Her foresight had activated, showing her the future.
“How long was I unconscious?”
“Well.” Carl glanced at his wristwatch. “About ten minutes, I think.”
About ten minutes? Then— Ignis’s plan to kidnap me failed.
The future changed when her third eye opened. Ignis, who was waiting in the bathroom preparing for the kidnapping, must have missed his chance. But Dana couldn’t be at ease yet.
“What about the bomb?”
“It’s operating smoothly. It will explode within an hour.”
A bomb that would completely destroy the Daiana was somewhere. If ten minutes already passed, that meant there were fifty minutes left until the bomb exploded.
Dana quickly pulled Carl towards her. “Uncle.”
Carl leaned towards her, his face smoothing into a velvety smile. “Yes.”
“I have something important to tell you.”
“Go ahead, tell me anything.”
Just as she was about to speak, the door burst open. Bright light poured through the opened gap.
“Ah.”
A man with silver hair stood at the door, then stopped. It was Rumie. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at them and then, without any concern, entered with a smile. “Dana, there you are.”
Rumie’s gaze swiftly moved from the intertwined hands of the two up to their faces. His smile grew wider.
“I came looking for you since you didn’t return… What are you doing here, Father?”
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