HTWBB Chapter 33

"Well."

Rietta gazed at the two facing off. Both Melian and Theodore had used the word "unpleasant" to describe Abel.

While Melian possessed instincts tied to his species, Theodore—originally human and still close to human even now—feeling a similar kind of discomfort was strange.

Even Sword Masters, those with abilities rivaling non-humans, couldn't artificially develop that kind of "sense."

'...No.'

Come to think of it, there were differences from Melian's case. The fact that Abel was bound by a binding vow with the contract with Rietta in mind. The fact that he'd released enough magic to alter his appearance because of it.

Also, the magic stone in Theodore's mouth. That thing, currently serving as the power source enabling his movement, might play a role in developing such perception.

Hadn't he immediately identified Rietta's true nature? Then who was the one who revived Theodore, brought medicine to his wife, and asked him to guard the way forward?

Rietta stepped boldly between them.

"Answer me now. Who is that woman?"

Theodore answered readily this time.

"I don't know her name. She only asked me not to let anyone in except those she permitted."

"And how are you supposed to distinguish these permitted people?"

"She said they'd be carrying something. Ah, right. Something like that."

He pointed at Rietta out of the blue. She lowered her gaze in the direction his finger indicated. The dagger she'd been holding ever since entering the ship entered her sight. A denial immediately burst out.

"No."

"That's not for you or me to decide."

"Someone else gave me this."

"I only do as I'm told. Anyway, if the dagger isn't the permitted object as you say, even if I step aside, you won't be able to enter the captain's quarters."

The more she heard, the more ambiguous points there were. Judging further explanation meaningless, Rietta moved past Theodore and stood before the captain's quarters. He didn't block her way.

The captain's quarters stood there just as when she first saw it, emanating warm light. Instead of doing something with her blade, Rietta first placed her hand on the doorknob of the captain's quarters.

Crackle! Sparks flew as if they'd been waiting. Quickly pulling her hand back, she slowly clenched her reddened palm into a fist.

She couldn't even get near it, let alone grasp it. If she'd ignored this and tried to force it open, her hand would have been severed.

"What's wrong?"

"There's a barrier."

Rietta grabbed Abel's shoulder as he approached, stopping him. The protective barrier covering the entire door wasn't ordinary magic. It was subtle enough to be difficult to detect from the outside, yet powerful enough to reject anyone unwanted on its own.

Theodore shrugged as if to say "try it." Rietta reversed her grip on the dagger in her hand. If there was a method, she'd use it; if not, she'd create one.

Intending to tear through the barrier if it wouldn't permit her, she struck down with the blade. And the sharp edge dug into the upper crest at the top of the wooden door as if it were a lie.

Rietta pulled out the embedded blade forcefully, slightly flustered. The blade, which always maintained a calm silver color, was emitting a subtle white glow.

The barrier hadn't broken. Just as Theodore had said, it had let through a "permitted" person.

"My job is finally done."

Leaving the dead captain's words behind, Rietta pushed the door lightly. With a heavy sound befitting its accumulated years, the captain's quarters finally revealed itself.

A bed and small side table on the left, an old desk arranged on the right, and a captain's coat hanging on the front wall. Rietta turned her head to the right. The warm glow originated from a lamp on the desk.

Rietta entered the captain's quarters completely. Even after Abel set foot inside, the characteristic noisy sound of wooden floors wasn't heard.

She tried stepping back for no particular reason. A soft rug with not a speck of dust covered the entire floor.

It was far too ordinary to hide anything. But had treasures ever been hidden in easy-to-predict places?

Treasure hunters always had to abandon preconceptions. Rietta bent her knees without hesitation and lay prone on the floor. It was to examine under the bed.

"Abel. Bring the lamp."

"Now you're just ordering me around."

"Don't if you don't want to."

"...Fine. Wait there."

Abel, exhaling softly, scattered an orb of light under the bed. As expected, it was clean without a single small fragment.

They divided roles and systematically searched places that seemed good for hiding things. The wardrobe behind the door, desk drawers, behind the desk, even shaking out the captain's coat.

But there were only empty spaces. Though they'd heard this was a place Theodore used during his lifetime, there were no traces of anyone having lived there. Not even a compass or map for navigation. Rietta finally opened the side table next to the bed.

"Found it."

It was a very old music box. It wasn't as splendid as the box that had contained the rainbow whale's heart, nor as small as the box with the nymph's pollen.

The music box, slightly larger than a palm, was plain with no decoration except for the clasp. However, seemingly made by a skilled craftsman, the corners and interlocking parts were perfectly aligned and smooth without gaps.

Rietta caressed the deep green gem attached to the clasp. This wasn't an earthly stone like emerald. It was a mineral from the deep sea, one only visible in the ocean depths. Something humans could never see.

"It's more ordinary than I expected."

"We'll have to open it to see if what's inside is ordinary too."

Rietta sat on the bed and gently placed the music box she'd taken out on her lap. Just in case, when she brought the dagger close, the blade glowed white again before returning to normal.

She couldn't understand what connection there could be. She set all questions aside and touched the box's locking mechanism.

Click—the clasp released with a sound and the lid slowly began to open. An agonizingly long time passed, and when the music box fully revealed its interior, Rietta froze completely.

Familiar music flowed out very slowly.

"What is this? It seems like harder mineral than a pearl."

"......"

"Rietta?"

The calling didn't register properly. Rietta couldn't even blink as she stared at what lay docilely on the wool.

It was small and round like a pearl, yet its surface resembled the shell that held it, scattering iridescent light in every direction.

She knew what the back of this looked like. She couldn't not know. The shipwreck they'd come to hadn't sunk with the legendary "Mermaid's Heart."

Rietta reached out with pitifully trembling hands. And when her finger touched the small gem, light bright enough to blind erupted, illuminating the entire captain's quarters.

"Rietta!"

The voice calling her and the childhood lullaby flowing from the music box sounded distant. But she couldn't do anything because of the feeling of someone pulling her from behind.

Having reflexively raised her arms to cover her face, Rietta opened her closed eyes when the surroundings darkened again. And blinked once more.

This wasn't the captain's quarters of the wrecked ship. A peaceful atmosphere embraced her completely. Rietta stood stupidly frozen in place.

She saw books filling one entire wall and a desk with no empty spaces despite being extended lengthwise. Charming lights made from woven luminescent seaweed hung from the ceiling. And...

"Oh my, I forgot about that again."

In this deeply missed space, she saw the back of a person she'd longed for terribly.

A woman with rippling golden hair hanging long was humming and moving busily when she suddenly turned her head. That brief moment seemed like an infinitely slow scene.

The woman, halfway turned, found Rietta without hesitation. Sunset-deep crimson eyes bent intimately, filled with mirth.

"You're here?"

It was the dwelling of the Sea Witch, El Nas.

Abel shook his head carelessly and stood up. He was in a very bad mood right now. Being forcibly swept up by another's magic was extremely rare, so the unpleasantness when it happened was indescribable.

Lightly exhaling to calm his emotions, he looked around. When Rietta was engulfed in light in the captain's quarters, Abel had definitely grabbed her arm.

However, she who'd been within his grasp was nowhere to be found, and he was alone in the empty ocean.

'We'll have to open it to see if what's inside is ordinary too.'

Had Rietta known? No, she hadn't. Though she might have predicted something somewhat special was inside, she wouldn't have known this kind of magic was involved.

The Rietta he'd observed until today was closer to a swordsman than a mage. Though she had considerable knowledge of magic, that was all—sometimes she executed movements faster than skilled knights and seemed more accustomed to using her body at the front rather than the rear.

Even Abel only noticed when Rietta touched that object, so there was no way she could have known.

Bubbling water passed by him as he was lost in thought. Following that came bustling noise and something like thin cloth.

He turned around as soon as he sensed a presence, but what approached ruthlessly passed through him.

"What."

It hadn't passed beside him—it literally "passed through" him. Abel suddenly looked down at himself. Seaweed swayed faintly beyond his semi-transparent body.

Once he recognized his state, he finally felt that his senses were dull. Apparently his mental body had been pulled into someone's past or memories.

"Where did Lady Rietta go?"