0.
Beautiful scenery, vibrant islands and maritime cities, delicious seafood available year-round, and a geopolitical location far removed from the continental wars—these were just some of the reasons Lancel always chose this archipelago for his vacations, despite the long journey.
But now, looking back, Lancel wondered if the real reason was that this was the only land untouched by his sister’s hand.
Yes.
A map untouched by the game director’s hand.
How could such a thing exist?
“Should I just use these free assets? It says they’re free.”
‘They’re probably better than what my sister would make, right?’
“They all look good. I should just put them all in, right? The more, the better.”
“…That might not be a good idea.”
“Don’t you know the saying ‘the more, the merrier’?”
“…?”
It was a map crammed with every possible sea-themed asset.
“You said it was a secluded island, but what’s with all these ships?”
“A secluded island can still have lots of ships, right?”
“People are riding whales here!”
“Cool! Fantasy!”
“That’s clearly paragliding.”
“What if it’s supposed to be there?”
“This city is floating on the sea, not on land!”
“Wow! Fantasy!”
Looking back, that haphazard combination of free assets was precisely what gave this fantastical environment its unique character.
Seventeen islands and cities scattered across the sea, a land perpetually bustling with countless merchant and fishing vessels. In the game, it was primarily used for “summer vacations.”
“Have we met somewhere before?”
“No. This is our first time meeting.”
“Hmm.”
For some reason, Marigold was there, wearing a naval epaulette and staring intently at Lancel.
============
—July 21, 816 of the Imperial Calendar. Weather: Very clear.
—Event triggered! “Rescuing a Knight.”
※The knight, Lancel Dante, who was adrift on ship wreckage, was recused. Rescuing a noble like this is a tremendous achievement! Morality, Dignity, and Charm have gone up!
============
“I heard about a shipwreck nearby, but you’re the only survivor. You nearly died. You’re lucky to have met me.”
“Being shipwrecked is already bad luck, but…”
“No, you can’t be so pessimistic. If you’re alive, that’s all that matters. Always think positively. This is my advice as a four-year Navy veteran.”
“Four years?”
‘Is she serious?’
“You’ve got more experience than you look.”
“Ha ha.”
Marigold, who is only 15-years-old, has already been in the Navy for four years? That means she chose this path at the astonishingly young age of eleven.
Considering that just a year ago, she was the daughter of a count’s family, this career trajectory is nothing short of extraordinary.
It meant that she shed her noble upbringing in a single year and chose such a grueling profession.
“You joined so early. You still look so young.”
“…Actually, after arriving on the island with nothing, I realized there was nothing for me to do. But then I heard the Navy had no age limit, so I joined right away.”
“So that’s your story.”
The only tasks assigned to those who first joined the Navy were cleaning the deck, scraping barnacles, and raising whales.
These simple yet labor-intensive jobs meant the Navy would take anyone, even children, as long as they didn’t get in the way. They were so desperate for help, they’d practically hire a cat if it could lend a paw.
“First, I’ll take you to the island where our headquarters is located. There, you can meet the Chief Security Officer and discuss things with him.”
Marigold’s rank, indicated by her naval epaulette, was a Private First Class Officer. She was a Navy officer who had recently transitioned from administrative duties to practical field work.
Her face radiated a peculiar confidence, as if she had only recently been promoted.
“…But I’m running late for my return time, so we need to hurry. If I get scolded this time, I’ll be stuck cleaning the deck for days…”
“Do you get scolded often?”
“N-no way!”
Marigold avoided eye contact, beads of sweat forming on her brow.
“Hold on tight! Ruby is incredibly fast.”
“Ruby?”
“Yes.”
With that, Marigold raised the reins.
“Ruby!”
A whale surfaced, its head peeking above the water. The creature was tethered to the small patrol vessel carrying Lancel and Marigold.
It looked peculiar, but it was actually quite simple—a kind of carriage. In this place, whales performed the role horses did on land.
“We need to hurry. Can you speed up?”
Beep!
Ruby, the whale, emitted a high-pitched sound from her mouth and released a jet of water from her blowhole.
Whoosh!
She sliced through the calm sea like a torpedo, accelerating rapidly.
“Let’s go!”
Only then did Lancel notice the surrounding scenery: the vast sea, the azure sky, massive clouds stretching to the horizon, and Marigold… Marigold?
‘Why is Marigold really here? Why did she come to the archipelago?’
Lancel’s questions were quickly forgotten as the first island of the distant archipelago came into view on the horizon.
1.
“Why are you so late?!”
“I-I’m sorry! We were rescuing survivors…”
“Is that so? Even after I’ve already received reports that you deserted your patrol to take a long nap?”
“Hic—! I’m so sorry, Chief Security! I didn’t think I’d get caught!”
“You didn’t think you’d get caught?”
“Ah, I-I misspoke…”
“A week of deck cleaning. Dismissed!”
“Y-yes, Sir…!”
Marigold’s face crumpled as she slumped dejectedly.
“Now that a junior’s arrived, you’re already slacking off. Tsk tsk.”
After clicking his tongue briefly, the Chief Security approached Lancel, returning the plaque that identified him as a member of the Dante family.
“My apologies for doubting your identity, Sir Lancel. It was difficult to believe a landlubber drenched in seawater claiming to be nobility. Please understand my skepticism.”
“Don’t worry about it. If I saw myself in this state, I wouldn’t believe it either.”
“I’m grateful for your understanding. But what brings someone from the mainland all the way out here?”
“Does a journey always need a reason?”
“If you’re simply traveling… do you have any expenses?”
The guard captain’s eyes were filled with concern. Lancel truly looked like a beggar, draped in tattered rags that made him seem anything but a noble.
“Money? I have plenty… huh?”
Lancel finally realized his pockets were empty.
‘Damn.’
It was all gone.
He had brought nineteen gold coins this time, more than enough for his trip. But the shipwreck had swept away every last one, leaving him without even enough for tonight’s lodging.
Worse, he didn’t even have the fare to return to the mainland. He was stranded on the island, utterly penniless.
‘Guess I have no choice. I didn’t want to resort to this.’
Lancel looked at the Chief Security.
“I would like to see Baron Coral, the Commander of the Naval Guard. Would you please deliver my message?”
“Please wait a moment. Mary, take good care of Sir Lancel. He’s a high-ranking official, so treat him with respect.”
“Y-yes, Sir!”
“Your voice.”
“Y-YES, SIR!”
‘You’re such a pushover, Marigold.’
“I’m so sorry for not recognizing you, Your Excellency…”
A thoroughly dejected Marigold handed him her canteen.
“Would you like a sip?”
“Is it water?”
“It’s… fruit juice. Ah! Please keep this a secret! I’ll get scolded if they find out I’m carrying anything other than water.”
Lancel remained silent.
No wonder it smelled so sweet.
Lancel immediately tilted the canteen and drained its contents in one gulp. After drifting at sea for so long, he was parched and starving.
Glug, glug.
“Ah, um, if you could just leave a sip for me… Uwaaaah!”
Gulp.
“huh—eek!”
Marigold watched in despair as Lancel drained the entire fruit drink.
“That was delicious.”
“…W-well, I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
Her smile twitched, and a tear slipped from her eye.
The Navy provided food, clothing, and shelter, but their wages were meager.
A precious treat such as fruit drink must have been something Marigold had painstakingly made herself, gathering local fruits and carefully stocking it away.
‘Come to think of it, Marigold is technically my savior, isn’t she? She’s the one who rescued me when I was adrift.’
“Hmm.”
“Oh…”
Marigold’s sad gaze lingered on the empty canteen.
‘Was I being too rude? I’ll repay her later, I guess.’
“Sir Lancel, the Captain is looking for you.”
.
.
.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Welcome. Call me Baron Coral.”
A middle-aged man wearing a Navy cap reached out to clasp Lancel’s hand in a handshake.
He was a burly, muscular man constantly adjusting his sharply pointed mustache—Baron Coral, Commander of the Naval Guard.
‘Here I am, seeking this man out again. My vacation was doomed from the start.’
Emergency situations were inevitable when indulging in leisure.
Whether it was gambling away his fortune, having his travel funds stolen from an inn, or simply overspending until he found himself penniless, Lancel always turned to Baron Coral in such times. However, unlike Baron Ibil Shen, borrowing money from him wasn’t exactly a comfortable affair.
“I heard you’re having financial difficulties. A noble’s son can’t be broke! What about your dignity? That simply won’t do.”
“……”
“I’ll take care of any problems you encounter here for the time being. A large room, food, clothes, even servants—everything. So, about that…”
Baron Coral fumbled around and pulled something out.
“Here, take this.”
A gold coin lay next to a familiar object. This was the third time Lancel had received this item.
‘Damn it, not again!’
It was a gold-plated naval seal.
More specifically, a Senior Officer’s seal. It was an emblem that represented the third rank in the Navy’s five-tiered hierarchy.
When someone of knightly rank joined the Navy, he or she started at this rank.
In other words…
“These days, the archipelago is swarming with ships—merchants, mercenaries, and pirates—they come at all hours. Even working through the night, there’s no end to it.”
“Ah, yes.”
“But these knights only want to stay on land and show no interest in the Navy. How can things ever improve?”
“…I understand you’re working hard, and I sympathize, but why are you telling me all this?”
“Think about it! The Empire’s seas have become lawless territory. How can the Empire be safe if we only defend the land?”
‘The land is important, though.’
The early stages of the war were confined to land battles.
Even in Lancel’s memories, which he had relived dozens of times, full-scale naval engagements were rare, occurring only once or twice.
But Baron Coral, unaware of this, pounded his chest and lamented, unable to contain his anguish.
“Is this even reasonable?! As a member of the Dante family, a knight who holds chivalry deep in your heart, you must think about it! We can’t simply stand by and watch this happen, can we?!”
Lancel quickly wiped away the rain of spittle that landed on him with his handkerchief.
“…Personally, I find this regrettable. But I’m better suited for land warfare…”
“Thank you.”
“Huh?”
“Thank you for understanding our situation. Now, take this!”
Baron Coral practically forced a gold coin and a Senior Officer’s seal into Lancel’s hand. He even gripped Lancel’s hand tightly, as if determined to prevent him from putting them down. It was clear the baron had no intention of letting a knight who had wandered into his territory leave empty-handed.
“Sir Lancel, congratulations on your enlistment!”
The Commander of the Naval Guard, a burly man with bronze skin and bulging muscles, exuded an intimidating presence. Most people would find it impossible not to feel overwhelmed by his imposing aura.
“…Baron Coral, I’m merely traveling for…”
“Congratulations on your enlistment!”
“…leisure…”
“Congratulations!”
That day, Lancel became a temporary officer.
* * *
Under normal circumstances, Lancel would have refused by any means necessary—or at least run away.
After all, he had previously pretended to accept officer positions only to find alternative routes and quickly slip away. A naval officer? For Lancel, whose sole purpose was to enjoy his vacation, such a thing was utterly unthinkable.
But this time, he accepted the position for the same reason as before.
“Mary! Where have you been?!”
“Yes, Corporal! I was just gathering seashells!”
“Did you think being honest would excuse your dereliction of duty?! Get over here now! Aren’t you going to clean?!”
“Y-yes, Sir! I’m coming right away!”
The reason was Marigold, who had somehow become a naval officer in the archipelago.
‘Right. I’ll just slack off moderately and coast through the next ten years. What’s the worst that could happen? Besides, that girl’s here too.’
That’s how casually Lancel thought about it.
