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The overwhelming seawater threatened to pull Floria down to the depths, but Zanarf’s sturdy frame powerfully pushed her back up to the surface.
“Cough, cough…”
“Just a little more. That’s a good girl. Just a little more, keep going.”
Zanarf’s outstretched arm gripping the rope from the boat was tense, his veins protruding. The swollen muscles were trembling with effort.
Floria held her breath. Against the current, he was supporting both of them with just one arm. Feeling guilty, she gently pressed her lips to his shoulder, hoping to ease his pain even a little.
“Hey, Zanarf! Grab onto that life ring!”
Without realizing it, they had escaped the maelstrom and drifted back to the gentler ebbing current.
The large man she had seen on the night of the attack was leaning out from the deck, throwing a life ring attached to a rope.
Zanarf released his grip on the rope and powerfully paddled to grasp the life ring.
When Zanarf finally let out a relieved sigh, Floria realized they had been saved.
She had escaped almost being swallowed by the vortex and losing her life, but Zanarf had come to her rescue.
A rope ladder was lowered from the ship, and with Zanarf still cradling Floria, they climbed aboard. As the large man pulled them up, Zanarf fixed Floria with a stern gaze.
“You foolish girl! What were you thinking, trying to escape in that tiny boat?”
Floria was rendered speechless by his harsh tone. She silently shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes.
“──No, that’s not it. I wasn’t trying to escape.”
‘I just boarded the small boat for a brief moment… But that ended up putting Zanarf’s life in danger.’
“Then why? Why did you go out on the boat?”
Besides Zanarf, a large man and the ship’s crew members had gathered and surrounded the two. They seemed quite curious.
“Oh, the parrot…”
Floria finally managed to speak, letting out a small throat clearing sound.
“What about the parrot?”
“I-I was taking a walk on the beach and saw a beautiful parrot perched on the small boat, and I just really wanted to touch the parrot. It was so cute, and I ended up stroking its feathers on the boat, and before I knew it, I had drifted away…”
Zanarf’s mouth dropped o
A parrot?
He had been petting a parrot and drifted away?
Suddenly, a burst of laughter erupted from the surrounding crew members.
“Haha, princess, You’re a piece of work indeed! Isn’t that right, Zanarf!”
The large man was clutching his belly, laughing.
“S-sorry…”
Zanarf turned bright red, looking away.
Was he furious? Of course he would be. She had put him in danger.
The ship quickly returned to the land, but this time Floria was hurriedly escorted back to the castle, tearfully greeted by the bewildered Aura and Kirie, the healer who greeted her with a dismayed look on her face.
During this, Zanarf didn’t utter a single word.
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