Neither Elaine nor Cecil mentioned the previous night's incident during breakfast. Though still reeling from the ordeal and lacking in appetite, she finished her meal like usual. Mariam came behind her to clear the table, then stepped out to return the food tray to the kitchen. After the young maid left, Elaine veered her attention to the blond-haired young man. Her mind flooded with questions she wanted to ask him, yet she did not know where to begin. "When did you start guarding outside?" She finally decided on her first question.

"Since the first night," he answered.

"Why would you need to go this far?"

"I swore to protect you, milady." Cecil extracted the rules from his sleeve. "The items listed here could appear anytime during the voyage and endanger your life. The only way to fulfill my oath is to always stay beside you."

Elaine lifted her head, evaluating the bond-haired young man before her. His unwavering commitment suddenly washed her with shame. While Elaine selfishly utilized him as a pawn and shield to help achieve her purpose, Cecil always prioritized her safety ahead of himself. She subdued the uncomfortable feeling and continued. "My hearing…was injured last night. How did it heal?"

"You are mistaken, milady. You were never injured," Cecil stated.

Elaine's silver eyes stared at him incredulously. She vividly recalled the popping sensation in her ears and the viscous liquid flowing outward. Was it another illusion created by the manipulative entities to entrap her? Despite her impression of the event, her hearing had returned the following morning. She could neither prove nor disprove the recollection. "Did I say anything last night?" Elaine reached her final and most important question. Cecil confirmed he did not hear the creatures' beguiling words, but she could not shake off her trepidation. What if she incriminated herself while under their influence? The Étoile Empire forbade the practice of necromancy. Elaine would face death if her secret was revealed.

"You were calling for your parents, Lady Estella. You must have missed His and Her Grace very much."

Elaine's entire body relaxed from the tension, like discarding a boulder from her shoulders. He thought I was referring to Gerard and Liviane. "Yes, this is my first time venturing such a distance from the Croix estate. Perhaps I am yearning for home," she concurred without correcting the blond-haired young man's inaccurate assumption.

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Several light knocks sounded outside the door. "May I come in, milady?" Mariam had returned from her trip.

Before she allowed the young maid into the chamber, Elaine again addressed Cecil, "The story from yesterday. Will you tell me the ending one day?" she inquired despite already having an inkling of the conclusion.

"As long as you wish to hear it, milady."

Their conversation ended, and Elaine permitted Mariam to enter. "Did we lose anyone today?"

"Yes, milady." The young maid sighed, shaking her head. "Two maids and a servant went missing. They even found a crew member's body parts in the barrels."

"It is unfortunate," Elaine lamented. Despite the Caispean captain's warnings and the list of rules, the monsters successfully lured many toward their demise—even a seasoned crew member could not escape their claws. Elaine's traumatic encounter yesterday was another reminder to never underestimate these supernatural beings' resourcefulness. The experience imprinted in her memories and induced a visceral reaction in her body whenever mentioned. Without Cecil's intervention, she would have been among one of the missing or dead.

At noon, instead of eating alone like she usually preferred, Elaine decided to join others in the dining area. There is safety in numbers. The phrase rang true more than ever in the current situation. After analyzing her options, Elaine concluded that the more people she surrounded herself with, the less likely the malignant entities could whisk her away unnoticed. Though she would have to interact with Elias, she could keep him at a manageable distance.

When Elaine's group arrived, the dining area was already crowded. Everyone halted their movements and conversations at her sudden appearance, surprise written on their expressions. The reaction was predictable. After all, it was Elaine's first time patronizing the venue since boarding the vessel. Ignoring the stares, she scanned the seating arrangement and continued her advance.

The crews and servants retreated, opening a path toward the table with an extravagant set-up at the furthest back. The male protagonist and the raven-haired young girl had already settled in their seats. Upon seeing Elaine, the girl immediately erected from her chair and bowed. "Forgive me, Lady Estella. I have overstepped my bounds," Clara apologized. Her body tensed, bracing for admonishment or punishment. Despite her close relationship with the black-haired young man, she understood her position. Her sitting at the table reserved for the aristocrats was intolerable behavior.

Elias neither comforted his companion nor interfered. He stayed silent, observing the unfolding situation like an unrelated bystander.

Though others would perceive the raven-haired young girl's actions lacked decorum, Elaine had no pressure to maintain appearances because they were no longer within Étoile's territories and far away from the nobles' judgemental gazes. "Ease your mind." Elaine's lips curled amiably. "We are not in the Capital, and I am not captious enough to cavil at such trivial matters." She settled into a chair facing them. "Please continue as you were, Sir d'Amboise and Miss Clara. I am only here to dine like everyone else."

A stretched silence descended between them, with Clara too stunned to speak. She did not expect tolerance from a high noble like Elaine.

"You should express gratitude to Lady Estella for her generosity," Elias reminded the bewildered raven-haired young girl.

"Thank, thank you, milady." Clara snapped back from her daze. She inclined her body and meekly sat down.

Elaine nodded and slightly shifted her head. "There's no need to wait on me. You both can join the others," she said to Cecil and Mariam.