Chapter 111

“Why is this here?” Rodella exclaimed, recognizing the handcuffs from when Aivert had offered them, saying, “Just tie me up instead.” What was he thinking, using handcuffs for an escape? They’d only get in the way.

Of course, they were much improved from the last time she’d seen them. Only Felix could make the key, but now the length of the cuffs could be adjusted. Apparently, they were even linked to the Azure Knights’ badge. As Rodella looked at Aivert with a puzzled expression, he glanced at her injured arm. He meant the rope was too dangerous for her.

“…If only my arm wasn’t hurt.” Indeed, with her arm in this state, she wouldn’t be able to swim properly if swept away by the current.

—Click!

Meanwhile, Aivert fastened the other cuff to his own wrist and adjusted the length.

“I like being stuck with you.”

Rodella froze at his calm remark. Was he saying that because the nobles were present? But his voice was too low for them to hear. She was confused again.

As Rodella let out a breath, Aivert continued, “You said you didn’t like it when I avoided you, too.”

“…!”

This was clearly meant for her. Rodella’s lips parted slightly. What did he mean by that? She couldn’t understand his feelings at all.

But perhaps because of the urgency of the situation, Aivert gestured to her without giving her time to ask anything else.

“Get on my back.”

He then turned his back to her. His urging made Rodella awkwardly climb onto his back. Meanwhile, the nobles were tied together like strung-up fish on the rope. Fortunately, the rope seemed long enough.

“Then—”

Just as Aivert was about to kick off the wall, Rodella pointed to a corner of the ship.

“Ah, we need to take that.”

Someone, perhaps attempting to secure their future amidst the chaos, had brought a heavy safe, and now they looked distraught.

“The key is lost in the explosion anyway.”

It probably contained the contract with Duke Benerix. They couldn’t leave it behind.

“We can worry about opening it later; just carry it.”

“C-can I even carry this…?” The man hesitated, clearly wondering if he could manage the heavy safe. But Rodella gestured towards Aivert with her eyes. There was a man here who was about to swim, pulling over a dozen people on a rope.

“…Ah.” The man finally understood and hastily picked up the safe.

Aivert told him, “If you drop it, I’ll throw everyone else into the sea and tell them to find it, so carry it together.”

“…!”

Several startled nobles clung to the safe, holding it tightly.

“Are you sure about this?” Rodella quietly asked Aivert. It was a question about whether this escape was even possible. Without his innate strength, it would be an unimaginable, bizarre escape method. But Aivert nodded.

—Bang!

At that moment, an explosion roared nearby. This meant their current location would soon explode too.

Aivert instructed the terrified nobles, “I’m going to break through the wall and enter the water, so everyone hold your breath.”

Aivert, with Rodella on his back, headed toward a wall. As she hooked her feet slightly on a stacked object, clinging to him.

“Hup.”

The people held their breath, and the moment Rodella held hers,

—CRASH!

Aivert, holding one end of the rope, smashed through the ship’s wall.

—Whoosh!

Water poured in, instantly engulfing the group.

Aivert moved swiftly. Since those tied like fish on the rope couldn’t move freely, he had to make a large enough hole in the wall even underwater. He also didn’t forget to check that Rodella was securely on his back.

Rodella hugged his neck tightly and looked back. She couldn’t keep her eyes open for long underwater, but through her blurry vision, she saw the nobles following in a line, still tied up.

—…

In that brief moment, reactions varied from those who closed their eyes and curled up to those who thrashed about. One thing was certain: everyone was in a panic, fearing death. Rodella closed her eyes instead of trying to open them again.

***

“Phew!” The people tied to the rope surfaced one after another.

“Vice-Commander!”

“Quartermaster!”

The voices of the Azure Knights were heard. They were about to offer a hand down from the ship but, seeing the line of people tied to the rope, switched to ladders instead.

—Splash!

Some even jumped into the sea to rescue the unconscious nobles, pulling them up. As a result,

“We’re alive!!”

The nobles, as soon as their feet touched the deck, shouted in unison. It was an act that threw away all dignity, but the Azure Knights, not being a group that cared about such things, weren’t surprised.

“Gasp!”

But their joy at being alive was short-lived. Still tied to the rope, they wriggled, trying to cling to the ship’s railing.

“W-what is that?!”

At the end of their gaze were the assassins, subdued by magic handcuffs. They seemed to be struggling, as the normally transparent handcuffs were pulled taut, revealing blue chains.

“Ugh…!”

The assassins, dressed in blue clothes that made them hard to see in the sea, were much more thoroughly subdued than the nobles who had been “taken hostage” earlier. It was understandable why Rodella Syveric had called the nobles’ kidnapping attempt clumsy.

“Did you capture all of them alive?” Rodella, who had dismounted from Aivert’s back, exclaimed in admiration. Aivert seemed surprised too, raising an eyebrow slightly. Wasn’t capturing people alive one of the Azure Knights’ weakest areas? It was because such delicate strength control was impossible for them.

The knights all nodded with proud expressions. It was a moment when Rodella’s training achievements shone brightly.

“But is it okay to leave the nobles like that?” Meanwhile, one of the senior knights pointed to those tied in the rope, soaking wet. He, too, was of noble descent, though fallen. He asked because he knew how much nobles valued their pride in such situations.

But…

“They’re from the aristocratic faction,” Aivert said, and the knight instantly lost interest in the nobles’ treatment.

“Yes.”

And they turned away, truly thorough individuals. Before the nobles could despair, Rodella quickly spoke. No matter how much she’d persuaded them as witnesses, they needed to be treated well until they opened their mouths!

“There are centrist nobles too!”

The effect of that statement was immense.

“Bring towels and blankets! And warm water!”

The aristocratic faction nobles, seeing this, decided they would never reveal which faction they belonged to.

***

While the nobles were being treated to warm water and blankets, and the assassins were being interrogated, Rodella separated the centrist nobles and led them into the cabin. There was no need to instill more fear in them. Afterward, she spoke to the aristocratic faction nobles with a stern face.

“As you know, Duke Benerix attempting to take noble lives is a grave crime. You are the ones who can be witnesses to this serious crime.”

At her words, the nobles swallowed hard. Now that the urgent situation was over, suspicion was clearly creeping in. Would the Imperial faction really protect them?

“Those who committed the kidnapping will be punished, but the more thoroughly you explain why you had no choice but to do so, the more lenient the treatment you can expect.” Especially if they actively proved that Duke Benerix ordered it.

Rodella turned to Aivert and said, “Lord Royden, along with myself, will promise you this.” Although it was a promise made in the chaos of a sinking ship, Aivert wouldn’t forget his promise to her.

“I’m doing it because you asked.”

At his words, Rodella and his gazes met for a brief moment. Again, it was that kind of remark. Just as Rodella’s mind began to spin again,

“Let the knights handle this side for now. Let’s treat your arm first.” Aivert’s hand guided her. Was it because she’d been in the sea too long, or because of the tension? Her trembling body, in an instant, was pulled into Aivert’s embrace.

“Ahem.” The knights smiled, amused. The situation was mostly resolved, and the leading couple of the Azure Knights had returned safely, flaunting their affection, which finally allowed the tension to dissipate.

But then,

—Clink.

At that moment, as Rodella moved and the chain linking their wrists was revealed,

“…??”

The knights’ faces were filled with confusion. Why were both of you wearing those?