Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 106
He would have preferred to remain single. Whoever became his wife, he was sure to die first.
It would be better to live alone than to add another widow to the world. He didn’t want to hesitate in the fray over a responsibility he didn’t need to take on.
“Do you often encounter pirates at sea?”
The question came flying in.
It wasnât her.
Her sister… What was her name?
“Yes, there are days like that.”
He knew it would be more considerate to call her by name, but he couldn’t remember it.
Logan added more to his response to hide his inattentive rudeness.
“On a lucky day.”
“Lucky, you say?”
Her sister widened her eyes in surprise.
“When you cut off a pirate’s head, there’s a bounty. Itâs quite substantial.”
“No matter how large the bounty, considering the Harpersâ… um…”
Riches. That would be too blunt a word.
She seemed to hesitate.
Logan quickly responded.
“I donât collect it for myself. I just cut them down and distribute the bounty among my crew.”
“Ah, a sort of charity then.”
A flustered cough came from Count Lasphilla. Logan did not let his smile wane.
He only shifted his gaze momentarily.
The purple-haired head bobbed slightly. He almost laughed in response. He managed to suppress it by pulling his lips in deeply.
“Monsters leave no trace when they die, making it difficult to claim individual bounties. Therefore, itâs better to encounter humans.”
“Monsters… just the thought is frightening.”
The sisterâs exaggeratedly shrunken shoulders seemed somewhat unnatural.
“Do you know what monsters look like?”
“No! Such terrifying things… Iâve never seen one.”
If she hadnât seen them, sheâd likely never encounter them in her lifetime. If she truly feared them, it was a foolish waste of emotion.
“They vary a lot. From large to small… some resemble humans, others fish.”
“Fish… that sounds disgusting.”
The woman who had been slicing pale cod spoke.
“In reality, theyâre not so frightening. Those that look like that are not very intelligent, so theyâre easy to catch.”
“But theyâre still disgusting.”
Logan responded with a smile.
The conversation shifted as the meal continued. Once Count Lasphilla took over leading the discussion, the topic mostly revolved around the stories of the western merchant guilds rather than tales of conquest.
The sister lost interest in the conversation and focused on her meal. Logan answered the Count’s questions earnestly, though his responses were consistently similar.
âI donât really know much about the guildâs business.â
He had no interest in commerce, let alone inheriting his grandfatherâs trading guild.
He preferred to remain solely in the navy if possible.
As Logan repeated his answers, Count Lasphilla appeared increasingly anxious.
âI heard that unlike the army, the navy doesnât require constant service. I was told they only go to sea for about three months a year, and the rest of the time they manage their family businesses.â
âThere are those who do that. But I spend half the year at sea.â
The Countâs face hardened. He nodded while poking at an empty plate with his fork.
âA master remains a master, no matter how long he stays.â
Was this the moment? Logan intended to answer honestly. He did not plan to inherit his grandfatherâs legacy.
Then, as they conversed quietly, the Countess spoke up.
âCeci, why donât you say something too? Youâre the star of the night.â
Suddenly, the topic changed. Logan missed his chance, and she lifted her head for the first time after the meal.
âHer eyes… they do resemble him.â
Was she indeed the Countâs child? It was rare to bring an illegitimate child into the household. He had experienced that too.
Had her mother died, leaving no one to care for her?
âEven if that were the case, this man doesnât seem like one to raise a child himself.â
He would have sent her to an orphanage rather than creating a scandal.
As Logan pondered her origins, the conversation continued.
âSo, Ceci. Donât you have anything youâre curious about Mr. Harper?â
Her sisterâs words. He felt slightly annoyed. He preferred being treated as a naval officer.
âMe?â
She finally spoke, her tone as cold as her expression.
Logan anticipated it. Probably nothing. Her tone was as indifferent as her response.
But her question completely defied expectations.
Cecilia asked,
âLieutenant Harper, do you think the Caswick navy could fully occupy Gatpolla one day?â