* * *
The piercing sound of the emergency bell echoed as sailors jolted awake from their sleep.
Cannonballs burst in rapid succession, striking the Kraken’s massive body with loud bangs, but they barely left a scratch.
Its enormous body, dozens of writhing tentacles, and the unsettling yellow eye at its center resembled something straight out of a nightmare, leaving the sailors paralyzed in fear, retreating in hesitation.
“T-That’s the biggest Kraken I’ve ever seen!”
“We’re all going to die today!”
The Kraken’s tentacles coiled around the mast, and with a sharp, splintering sound, the mast broke before their very eyes.
Without wasting a second, I drew Maya’s bow from my back.
Amidst the chaos, Jerome hacked at the Kraken’s limbs crashing onto the deck.
I shouted loudly in his direction.
“Jerome, move aside!”
Jerome deftly dodged at the sound of my voice.
An arrow shot through the air, lodging itself in the Kraken’s yellow eye.
Writhing in agony, the monster sank into the ocean.
The sailors cheered, but their relief was short-lived as someone stammered in terror.
“D-Damn it. This can’t be real. It’s not just one!”
My eyes widened at his words.
As if summoned by the death cry, dozens of Krakens emerged from the mist.
One by one, sailors were snatched by the creatures, their screams piercing the air as the Krakens’ cruel strength crushed their prey alive.
“If we get past that Cliff of Despair, we’ll be out of their territory! Just hold them off until then!”
Layla, who had finally emerged to take the helm, shouted at the top of her lungs.
The mist parted faintly, revealing a distant cliff.
It had to be the Cliff of Despair she spoke of.
Jerome, having learned the Kraken’s weakness thanks to me, drove his blade into the eye of an attacking Kraken.
But something felt off.
His reactions were strangely sluggish.
I narrowed my eyes at the unusual sight.
‘What’s wrong with him? Is he unwell?’
My mind raced.
If Jerome were at full strength, it might have been manageable.
But in his current state, facing this many Krakens alone was impossible.
Knowing the limits of a human body against such colossal foes, there was only one solution.
Clutching the pocket watch hanging from my neck, I shouted.
“Parak, heed your master’s call! Right now!”
Light burst from the watch, and from the mist, Parak, the divine beast, appeared.
With a roar, Parak tore through the Kraken’s tentacles, causing the creatures to hesitate and retreat.
Everyone watched, awestruck, as the massive divine beast clashed with the Krakens.
“It’s Parak! The divine beast Parak!”
“The Goddess Maya is protecting us!”
While Parak battled the Kraken, I ran toward Jerome.
Kneeling on the deck, coughing violently, Jerome suddenly coughed up blood.
Frozen by the sight of him in such a state, I could only watch as he wiped the blood away with the back of his hand, as if it were nothing.
“It’s no big deal. Just got hit in the wrong spot.”
“……”
“Don’t make that face. I’m fine, really.”
He spat out the remaining blood, stood up, and readied himself as a group of Krakens, emboldened by their instincts, began gathering for another attack.
Jerome gripped my shoulder firmly, his calm voice cutting through my panic.
“Go below deck and check for usable cannons. Fire everything you’ve got.”
“But you just—”
“Jeanne.”
He looked at me like a parent placating a stubborn child.
I bit my lower lip, torn between emotions.
Falling apart now would only hinder everyone.
“Fine, I’ll head to the cannon room and fire everything we’ve got. But before that…”
Looking at Jerome, coughing blood, made everything feel far too real.
One wrong move could be fatal.
Swallowing my fear, I steeled my expression and shouted.
“If you die, there’s no kiss for you.”
For a moment, Jerome looked at me in surprise before chuckling softly.
Leaving him behind, I turned and dashed toward the cannon room.
By dawn, the ship finally escaped the Kraken’s territory.
Though several sailors were injured, miraculously, no one had died.
Layla, having ensured their safety, let out a deep sigh as she stepped away from the helm.
“Phew, that was a close one this time.”
…This time?
Her ominous remark left me momentarily frozen, but my thoughts were soon stolen by the sight ahead.
The labyrinth loomed before us, an enormous structure resembling a fortress more than anything else.
Jerome, who had just returned from being treated, stood beside me.
Bandages wrapped around his muscular frame, his shirt loosely draped over him.
“So that’s the labyrinth. It looks even bigger up close.”
“Another guild must’ve arrived first. Their ship’s already docked. But there aren’t many of them. Is this really how guild trials work?”
“Plenty of guilds probably didn’t make it past the Kraken’s territory. This is the first cut.”
Today’s labyrinth was essentially a test.
To gain the right to meet the third divine beast, we needed to purify the soul of the second, Belges, and retrieve its treasure.
“Now, tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“You coughed up blood.”
Jerome, buttoning his shirt, froze briefly.
His expression darkened as he finally spoke.
“I’ll be honest. I… I have a terminal disease.”
“T-Terminal?”
“Yeah. It’s a rare, incurable condition. Without regular… uh… ‘seed extraction,’ I’ll die. It’s something neglected husbands are prone to.”
I squinted at him, suspicious of the absurd explanation, but still asked, just in case.
“Really?”
“Of course not… What kind of ridiculous romance novel nonsense is that? Mismanaging one’s aura can cause issues. That’s all. You don’t need to worry.”
Swatting his hand away as he playfully pinched my cheek, I felt a wave of relief.
Of course, if all humans were terminal, Jerome would probably still be the healthiest of them all.
As the ship docked, the sailors dropped anchor.
“Jerome, I don’t know what’s on your mind. I don’t even want to know. But… just as you’re a source of strength for me, I want to be the same for you.”
“You don’t need to.”
Jerome’s voice, usually so gentle, turned cold.
Startled, I looked up to find him staring at me, his expression calm but chilling.
Pushing stray hair from my face, he added softly.
“There’s no reason to.”
“……”
“Don’t waste yourself on me. I won’t appreciate your noble sacrifices. And…”
After a brief hesitation, he smiled faintly.
“I’m not worth it.”
✽ ✽ ✽
As soon as my lips parted slightly, I felt my face flush red.
It was as if I was angry, embarrassed, and hurt all at once.
It was a complicated, indescribable feeling that was hard to explain.
Recently, Jerome had definitely seemed off.
I grabbed his wrist as he was about to pass me by, swallowing dryly as I tried to steady my racing heart.
‘I have to tell him. The reason I’m collecting Maya’s Stones is because I want you to stay alive.’
Just as I was about to confess the words I had hesitated to speak, I suddenly felt a sharp gaze from somewhere.
I quickly turned my head toward the source of the gaze, only to find Luke staring at me with fiery, intense eyes.
He wasn’t someone I was particularly happy to see, so I deliberately turned away, pretending not to notice.
Jerome, noticing Luke only now, asked with an amused tone.
“By the way, didn’t Luke bet on something?”
“Oh, right. He said if I defeat Belges, he’d grant me any request.”
“Luke made a bet like that? He must be confident, huh?”
“Or maybe he just thinks I’m easy to underestimate.”
Jerome laughed heartily at my tone, and the conversation naturally shifted, causing me to miss the chance to confess my true feelings.
The guild members, gathered in front of the labyrinth, were whispering and glancing my way.
“Wait, Jeanne’s here? She’s definitely going to bring disaster.”
“Don’t look her in the eye, you’ll get cursed.”
I stared them down on purpose, watching as they hurriedly scattered away from my gaze.
Amid the crowd, a familiar face appeared.
It was Dylan, the eccentric student council president who ranked people.
He had been chatting with some other officers and spoke up.
“Looks like all the guilds that can gather have shown up. Now, I’ll explain the details of this guild selection. But first, there’s something I want to say.”
Dylan, who had been grinning, suddenly grew serious, as if he had never smiled.
“The third divine beast is much stronger than the second one, Belges. If you’re just seeking fame and want to take part for the thrill, you’d better turn back now. The guilds chosen in this selection will be sent to subdue the third divine beast.”
Dylan’s expression darkened as he clasped his hands behind his back and chuckled darkly.
“Of course, if you succeed, you’ll become a hero who saved the Empire… but if your life is more important to you than that kind of honor, feel free to go home now.”
The tone of Dylan’s words made the crowd murmur.
However, it seemed like no one was willing to leave after making it this far.
Seeing their reactions, Dylan grinned again and stepped forward.
“Alright, I’ll explain everything now, so listen up carefully. This is the only time I’ll say it.”
* * *
Jeanne needs to confess common
Imagine if Jerome actually dies…