[Interlude] The少年's Journey – On Board the Ship 3

The ship was struck by a powerful impact.

I was thrown into the air and slammed against the wall. I couldn't understand what had happened and stood dazed for a moment.

After a while, I managed to get up to confirm what had occurred. I realized Anne was lying beneath me.

"Anne, are you alright!? I'm sorry, I didn't notice!"

"No, it's quite alright. Are you hurt, young master?"

"I'm fine. I wonder what happened? We need to secure our bodies somewhere first."

As I say this, I glance outside the window. Many adventurers are clinging to the floor, masts, and railings. Taro-san was also caught on a mast—good thing.

"Eh?"

I ended up looking at the sea.

The sea was churning with rough, irregular waves. Yet the water was completely red. I couldn't figure out why it was red when suddenly a leg floated into view.

"Boss!?"

When Anne saw the scene, she shoved her body in front of me and pulled me into the depths of the room, covering my eyes.

I couldn't comprehend what I'd seen, and my mind went blank.

Yet another violent jolt struck the ship—slightly weaker than before, but enough to shake me hard.

"Are you okay!? Anne!?" What exactly was I supposed to be okay about?

"I'm fine. Let's get to bed now—lying down will help reduce the shock."

A crew member's shout echoes from outside the room.

"Damn it! What the hell is going on? We didn't have to go out into the winter sea and run into a monster like this."

I sit down on the bed, thinking. People died because of me. The dangerous sea was only exposed because I was here.

"It's not your fault, Master! No one's to blame at all!"

I must have spoken aloud without realizing it.

Anne holds me tightly in her arms. But I can't help but wonder—could it really not be my fault? Come to think of it, I once saw a document in the monster research Anne had shown me earlier, stating that mages and monsters are naturally drawn to one another.

Was that monster summoned by me?

I didn't understand anything—I was just terrified, trembling uncontrollably, unable to do anything but cling to Anne.

Outside, waves of seawater crashed violently, and shouts of anger from people could be heard.

After a while, the surroundings grew quiet. Had the battle ended? Curious, I glanced outside and saw a flash so bright it seemed like the sun, followed by a violent crashing sound, and something unusually thick and fast struck the ship's mast.

"Ah!"

The thick mast was snapped effortlessly, as if it were nothing. The ship's magical stone lamp attached to the mast flew through the air, smashing into the wall, shattering both the window glass and the lamp itself, with shards piercing deep into the wall.

It's impossible. There's no way we can win against something like this. We'll all be eaten here. No. I don't want to die.

The ship was struck by another powerful impact. This time, since I was sitting down and on the bed, I wasn't thrown against the wall.

Please stop, I'm scared, I don't want to do anything anymore. All I can do is tremble.

What kind of magic is this?

Even if we could use something like that, it wouldn't help at all. It's just going to attract the monster, isn't it?

The explosion roared, cannons fired. Screams could be heard.

The battlefield beyond the wall has nothing to do with me.

Suddenly, the door to the room I was in swung open. Looking up, I saw Alex, covered in soot, and Taro, drenched and utterly exhausted.

"William! Come in. I'm sorry, but I need your help."

Taro's voice was weary, but clear. But I can't do it. Even those two, so strong as they are, are in such a terrible state.

I realized I was still being carried in Anne's arms. A disgraceful state for a noble boy. But I couldn't push her away. I had no strength left.

Another maid stood before us. She looked terribly pale.

"Sir Adventurer. The young master is unwell due to the ship's environment and cannot receive you. Instead, have you defeated the monsters outside? Please complete your mission."

I hate being a weak person who needs to be protected by a maid. I'm a noble, I can use magic, yet I have no power at all. If this continues, I'll never amount to anything!

But the monsters don't read the air.

"Brace yourself—here comes the breath again!"

A crew member outside shouted.

Taro turned around, and lightning struck right before him. It was immediately clear that this was Taro's magic.

Geometric patterns clung to his arm, but he didn’t even need to look to know. He’d seen them before, during his magic practice. Where once only crackling energy shot from the small metal rod, now it was canceling out that mass of water.

Splashes of water and radiant beams of light spread throughout the area. The light reflected off the droplets, making the surroundings even more dazzling. Together with this, Taro’s, no—his master’s back appeared incredibly large.

So cool… I want to become like my master.

All the hesitation and doubts I’ve had before vanished in an instant, as if they were never real. Logic and rank don’t matter. I want to be able to protect everyone just like he does.

The deviated water breath carved into the roof of the room where I was. I heard a maid's scream and snapped back to reality. My master was hunched over, his face twisted in pain.

No wonder, too. He'd already taken considerable damage by the time he entered this room.

Being soaked means he must have fallen into the sea.

They say the winter sea won't let you survive more than three minutes—but my master is truly incredible, after all.

Alek is tending to him. My master won't be able to continue fighting. Then I'll fight too, so I can get one step closer to my master.

My body, which had been trembling all along, still trembled, but I could clearly feel strength building up, a warmth spreading through me.

"Just wait a moment. Alek, Taro, I'm needed, aren't I?"

"Please wait. Even without the young master, we'll reach land shortly. Besides, the combatants are still intact."

As expected, the maids rushed to stop me.

"As I said before. They are fulfilling their duties. Then, I must also fulfill mine— as a noble."

I declared this, yet I'm still afraid.

I arrived on the deck, accompanied by the guards and maids. The ship was in terrible condition. Various objects were scattered everywhere, and multiple people were injured nearby. The vessel appeared to be barely afloat, with numerous sections broken or missing.

If we keep taking hits like this, the ship will surely sink. I’ll settle things before that happens.