"I'm hungry. Come to the dining room after you wash up. I'll make something to eat."
"The Duchess is going to cook...?"
Keith looked as though he wanted to throw up just imagining it.
How ridiculous. I might not be a great cook, but I could make food good enough to keep us from starving.
"It would probably be better if I cooked."
"Just go wash up already. I'm hungry. Oh, and can I use the captain's cabin?"
I pointed toward the room next to the infirmary, the only bedroom above deck.
"Do whatever you want."
"If there's anything you need, feel free to take it. Anyway, I'm off to cook."
"Wait—!"
Ignoring Keith's attempt to stop me, I entered the dining hall.
Because of various interruptions, the food I prepared ended up becoming dinner.
"Duchess."
As I carefully arranged the finished food onto plates, Keith entered the dining hall after taking a shower.
"Oh, you look like a pirate."
"That's because I'm wearing pirate clothes."
Instead of the formal uniform of a typical crown prince, he wore a loose shirt and black buccaneer pants, giving him a rather roguish appearance.
He really is handsome.
That's probably why I'd been engaged to him.
Even though our engagement had ultimately been broken because of the fake duchess.
In fact, ours hadn't been a political engagement—it had started from genuine romance.
You could say we were each other's first love.
Keith had always been cautious because of his status. Naturally, he'd never really dated anyone.
But when we first met at my debutante ball, we fell in love at first sight and became engaged before the year ended.
Young love tends to be pure and deep.
Otherwise, why would Tatiana have worried only about Keith even while imprisoned underground?
But when Keith returned from war, the person he met wasn't the Tatiana he had loved.
It was the infamous troublemaking duchess.
Keith endured her terrible treatment in silence for a long time, but eventually her awful personality led to the cancellation of their engagement.
Now it was all in the past.
"Are you really going to keep dressing like that?"
Keith's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
I picked up two plates and carried them to the table.
"Like what?"
When I asked casually, he sighed and shook his head.
"Never mind. Let's eat. Hopefully it's edible."
"Just don't ask me to make more after you taste it."
Although Keith seemed surprised that the food looked normal, he remained suspicious.
"I've never seen food like this before. What's it called?"
"Cabbage toast."
It was the kind of toast sold by street vendors.
I was disappointed there wasn't any ketchup, but I'd sprinkled plenty of sugar on it instead.
"How exactly did you make this?"
"It's not poisoned. If you'd like, we can switch plates."
Before Keith could reply, I swapped our plates and took a huge bite.
He watched me skeptically, then took a bite himself.
His eyes widened in surprise.
Looks like he likes it.
I had thought he'd completely grown from a boy into a man, but I could still see traces of his younger self.
"By the way, Keith, there's something I want to discuss."
"What is it?"
"It might sound disrespectful, but it's part of my survival strategy."
"I won't execute you immediately for insulting royalty. Go ahead."
"You can't execute me later either."
"Fine. Just say it."
He's so irritable. He should've acted like this earlier.
"First, I think you should change the way you speak. If people realize you're a noble, it'll only cause trouble. Agree?"
"Yes. Though it won't be easy to change immediately."
Keith answered surprisingly readily.
"Good effort. Second, let's stop using formal titles. Same reason."
"Then what should I call you?"
"You know my name."
"So you're planning to casually call me by my name?"
"I'll still be polite."
Perhaps Keith was tired of questioning my changed behavior because he merely nodded.
"Great. Let's get along from now on, Keith."
"You adapt remarkably quickly."
Earlier that morning he'd been extremely cautious, but now he looked much calmer.
Perhaps waking up in an unfamiliar place had simply thrown him into panic.
That was enough for today.
Maybe later I'd even drop the formal speech entirely.
"The more we use our names, the more natural it'll feel. You should try it too."
"...Tatiana."
After hesitating, he quietly spoke my name.
"Well done."
It wasn't a bad start.
After dinner, I left the cleanup to Keith.
Once I'd checked the compass, I climbed onto the bow deck on the second floor.
"This is the life."
I flopped into a hammock.
An endless sky stretched above me.
Countless stars woven together like threads of light filled the heavens.
They were so beautiful they seemed unreal.
Darkness used to terrify me.
As I stared at the stars, my eyes gradually grew heavy.
Soon, I fell asleep.
"Tatiana!"
For the first time in a while, the fallen angel—also known as the Demon King—appeared in my dream.
He wore pure white robes that looked straight out of mythology.
His hair was golden and radiant.
He was incredibly handsome.
"Lucas."
They said Lucas had fallen after rebelling against God.
As a result, his corrupted power had spread across the sea and land.
That power became the Black Sea, the Dead Lands, and the Darkness.
"It's finally starting."
Lucas bounced excitedly as he spoke.
"You absolutely have to return within one year. If this world gets destroyed, I'll never be forgiven."
Well, maybe he shouldn't have done something he'd regret.
Still, from my perspective, this arrangement was completely unfair.
He dragged me here without permission and then expected me to suffer for survival.
That wasn't acceptable.
"Lucas, I have a favor to ask."
I grabbed his arm tightly before he could back away.
"You need to think carefully. Unlike the original story, I'm going to be at the front of everything. What happens if I die?"
"...Go ahead."
"Give me extra lives."
Lucas stared at me in disbelief.
"Tatiana, what nonsense are you talking about?"
"In games, characters usually get multiple lives. Something like that."
Lucas frowned and thought for a moment.
"Fine. I can't literally give you extra lives, but I can give you an awakened ability."
"An awakened ability?"
He nodded.
"When you're about to die, the ability will activate and save you from danger."
"Really?"
"But only three times."
That wasn't bad.
Three guaranteed chances to survive.
"However, using that much power will exhaust me completely. Once I fall asleep again, I probably won't wake up until you return to the Empire."
"It can't be helped. I'll save the world, so you should start preparing your apology to God."
Lucas looked deeply moved.
"Tatiana, remember—only three times. Crossing the world won't be easy."
"Don't worry. I'll make it back within a year."
Lucas smiled softly, though concern remained in his eyes.
He stepped closer and kissed my forehead.
A warm energy spread through me.
Dark light formed a mark on my forehead before sinking into my skin.
"See you later, Tatiana."
"Yeah. Sleep well, Lucas."
As we said goodbye, my eyelids slowly opened.
It was morning.
"Where am I...?"
I sat up and looked around.
A walnut desk.
A wardrobe.
Sunlight streaming through a small round window.
The place where I'd awakened after falling asleep in the hammock was the captain's cabin.
Keith must have carried me here.
I'd thought he wouldn't care even if I froze to death.
"Maybe all I have to do is stop acting like a villain."
Our current relationship felt just right.
I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and stepped outside.
At that moment, Keith emerged from the navigation room.
"Keith! Did you check our course?"
"Yes. Though I still don't know how much farther we have to go."
Hmm.
We should have arrived today.
I was worried, but I'd already done everything I could.
If we didn't arrive before evening, we'd just have to start fishing.
But first—
"Come with me to the weapons storage."
When we entered the underground armory, I opened a drawer and searched for the weapon I'd already chosen.
Found it.
A polished black revolver decorated with intricate golden engravings.
I grasped the white mother-of-pearl handle and turned toward Keith.
"...No."
"That one's even worse. How am I supposed to protect myself with that?"
Keith held up a tiny dagger while staring doubtfully at my revolver.
Since he couldn't argue, he clearly knew a gun suited me better.
"You're going to teach me how to shoot, right?"
"Haah..." (Keith let out a long sigh.)