If You Wish to Have Me - Chapter 140

Even in the early dawn, the harbor bustled with activity.

Kisa had no time to hesitate at the unfamiliar sight as she was led by the coachman toward the nearest ship among the several vessels docked at the harbor.

Thanks to the robe that had been prepared in the carriage beforehand, none of the people coming and going through the harbor paid her any attention.

When they finally reached the dock, the coachman who had been leading the way greeted a figure who was there.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Oh, good morning to you. Mr. Gale, you must be working hard with another voyage.”

Judging by what appeared to be a ledger in his hands, he seemed to be someone who kept track of boarding passengers.

“Ah, this must be the person you mentioned before…”

The man glanced at Kisa as well, but showed no particular expression and pointed to the stairs behind him.

“In any case, the cargo loading has just finished, so the ship will depart soon. Please board quickly.”

Though she didn’t know exactly how the arrangements had been made, it seemed Manoa had minimized Kisa’s inconvenience in advance.

Kisa felt grateful to her once again as she followed the coachman up the stairs leading to the ship’s entrance.

Even on the ship, she encountered a couple more people, but they all only exchanged brief greetings or glances with the coachman and paid no attention to Kisa.

“You can use this room.”

A moment later, the coachman opened the door to a cabin and handed Kisa the key.

“Food and emergency medicine have been stocked in the room as much as possible, so I recommend you avoid leaving the cabin unless necessary.”

What Manoa’s trading company had prepared for her wasn’t just that.

“And please change into these clothes. The dress you’re wearing will stand out.”

Though it was the most modest outdoor dress among Kisa’s possessions, it inevitably differed from the clothes worn by the people on the ship.

Knowing this situation might arise, she had deliberately brought only nightclothes and undergarments from the Vansfelt estate.

“Thank you.”

After receiving the clothes offered by the man called Gale, she bowed politely.

He gazed at Kisa for a moment with what seemed like a complicated expression before speaking.

“They’re all decent fellows who have worked with our trading company for several years, and I’ve introduced you as a distant relative of Miss Manoa, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“I see.”

Did she look so untrustworthy? He continued with several additional warnings.

“But since you never know what might happen in this world, always keep your door locked. I’ll be staying in the cabin at the end of the corridor, so if you need anything, come to me. And Miss Manoa asked me to give you this.”

Saying this, what Gale pulled from his chest was a small pistol.

Facing Kisa, whose expression had stiffened somewhat, he explained the pistol’s usage in considerable detail.

Holding an object she had thought she would never need to use in her lifetime, Kisa said quietly:

“Please tell Miss Manoa that I’m grateful. I’m indebted to her again.”

“I understand. By the way, let me mention once more that this gun is not being lent to you, but given to you. Even when you disembark, you don’t need to return it to me.”

“…”

“The best scenario would be for no situation requiring its use to arise at all, but if something happens, it’s better to pull the trigger without hesitation.”

Kisa remained silent for a moment, then nodded heavily.

“Also, this might be unnecessary meddling, but when you come out of your room, I suggest you wear a headscarf or something. That fine, long hair of yours is quite noticeable too.”

“Ah, yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Afterward, Gale informed her about the location of the bathroom and the sleeping hours of the crew members using the same floor as Kisa.

It was his consideration, telling her to use those time periods when she needed to use the bathroom or go on deck.

“I’ll be going now.”

Not long after he left, a loud sound echoed. “Boooom.”

The ship began to move, sounding its horn.

Kisa placed the pistol on the small table, then looked for seasickness medicine in the medicine box beside it.

A moment later, after swallowing the pills she found with water, she sat on the makeshift bed in one corner of the cabin.

Thump, thump. Somehow her heart wouldn’t calm down.

Soon, her wedding ceremony with him would begin in the courtyard of the Hillan estate.

The wedding with him that she had so eagerly anticipated. Feeling dizzy for some reason, she pressed her hand to her forehead.

It must be seasickness. Surely it was seasickness.

Kisa swallowed a sigh, waiting for the medicine to take effect.

The ship had already left the harbor, and there was nothing that could be undone now.

After staring blankly into space for a while, she suddenly stood up.

This was because a certain object on the table that she hadn’t noticed before came into her view.

It was a dagger that looked quite sharp.

Judging by the several fruits placed alongside it, it seemed to have been prepared for use as a fruit knife.

Kisa stared at the fruit knife for a moment, then with a determined expression, took the knife in one hand and grasped her hair with the other.

Soon, golden strands of hair fell to the floor in clumps.

Though it was hair she had carefully grown over no short period of time, she felt no regret at all.

A new life required a new appearance.

“I’ll need to borrow trimming scissors from Mr. Gale later.”

Muttering this, Kisa picked up the scattered hair from the floor and threw it in the trash.

For some reason, the face of someone who had often praised it as beautiful and frequently caressed it flashed through her mind, but she deliberately ignored it.

Even if she could never forget for her entire life, she would never look back.

‘Seyard.’

So please, you too, live your own life. Kisa closed her eyes in the narrow cabin, hoping her wish would be carried by the wind to reach him.

****

Hillan Estate.

As carriages carrying guests arrived one after another at the estate’s main gate, the sunlight illuminating the ground was nothing but warm.

People enjoyed the fragrance of spring flowers in full bloom in the garden, laughing and chatting that even God seemed to be blessing today’s wedding.

Perhaps due to the beautiful weather, even the royal couple, who arrived just in time to avoid being late, didn’t look particularly displeased.

For attending the wedding of Duke Hillan, whom they had once considered pairing with their youngest daughter, their attitude was relatively good as they received greetings from others in turn.

The distinguished upper-class figures of the Sorbi Kingdom who had gathered to celebrate Duke Hillan’s wedding leisurely enjoyed a peaceful time before the ceremony began.

The scenery of the outdoor wedding venue, decorated as if with spring’s freshness, further enhanced the festive mood.

Could there be a more suitable day than this to meet the turning point of marriage amidst such blessings?

At least among these guests, none seemed to doubt that a splendid wedding ceremony would soon unfold.

However, the expression of Gilliam, a loyal servant who had served the Hillan family for many years and was called Duke Hillan’s right hand, was far from good.

“Your Grace.”

With a dark face, he looked at the man dressed in black formal wear.

“We just received word from the Vansfelt estate that they searched the vicinity of the mansion thoroughly once more, but not a single hair was found.”

The man looking out through his study window gave no response.

“Not only the maid who serves the young lady, but even her nanny has no idea of her whereabouts, and they felt no strange signs or presence whatsoever last night.”

The view of the estate visible through the window was beautiful beyond description.

The completed outdoor wedding venue was full of flowers and boasted elegant yet splendid beauty.

It was the finest form that the two of them had conceived together after discussion several months ago.

“Your Grace.”

When his master continued to gaze outside for a long time, Gilliam called him again.

“Don’t you have any idea where she might have gone, Your Grace? The wedding ceremony will begin soon. We could postpone it briefly, but since His Majesty the King is also present, there are limits to that as well.”

“…”

“Your Grace, even Count Vansfelt, who had been pleading for more time, now seems to have given up. He’s asking us to postpone the wedding on the grounds that the young lady has fallen ill, but honestly, I…”

Though he wondered if he should dare say such things in his position as a servant, Gilliam continued with an expression as if he had made some decision.

“I have doubts about this marriage. There’s no guarantee that postponing will help us find the young lady, and if the truth leaks out, I can’t imagine what people will say.”

Moreover, the current situation alone had already wounded the pride of the Hillan family.

No, to be more precise, his pride in serving Hillan would not allow it.

“Why should Your Grace, Lord Vischer, have to endure such humiliation?”

Only then did the man who had been called several times speak.

“A guess.”

He turned around to meet eyes with his elderly aide.

“Now that I think about it, I had harbored thoughts that something didn’t seem right, but I wanted to believe despite ignoring those feelings. It was my mistake.”

Gilliam couldn’t bring himself to say anything more and closed his mouth.

Though he appeared much the same as usual outwardly, having watched his master since he was very young over many years, he could tell.

Currently, within his young master, a tempest more fierce than any in his lifetime was raging.

“I don’t know where Kisa might have gone either. Not right now.”

Reddish-brown eyes containing various emotions disappeared behind long eyelashes.

“In the end, it became a wedding for one person alone.”

The man with closed eyes murmured quietly.

“Kisa.”

His face was as if that name had taste and fragrance, and he was savoring them.

How much time passed like that? Finally, the Duke moved toward where Gilliam stood by the door.

“Let’s go. The ceremony is canceled.”

As if reading the question that appeared on his aide’s face, he turned back and added one more thing:

“Until the bride returns.”