What’s going on?
Why am I still alive?
With my face wrinkled, I cautiously cracked open my eyes.
Dozens of weapons floated in the air within a one-meter radius around me.
A dagger with a chipped blade, an arrow with a rusted tip, a heavy sandbag, a sharp seashell.
Huh?
“C-C-Count?”
I never imagined the captain, who only knew how to bark orders, could speak so deferentially.
At the end of the captain’s gaze, a man dressed in a white suit was slowly walking toward me.
His clothes, made of some unknown material, subtly reflected the sunlight, giving the impression of a halo.
The aura around him was so mysterious that one might believe he was a divine messenger.
As he approached, the people on deck instinctively stepped aside.
Compared to him, the captain and the crew looked like nothing more than filth-covered thugs.
Unlike the captain, who shoved people aside as he walked, the very air around this man was different.
Finally, he stopped before me and looked down at me directly.
“You resemble my son. Are you a magician?”
Thud.
Clatter.
At his words, every weapon floating in the air dropped to the ground.
Now that I got a closer look, it seemed I hadn’t been the one performing magic—he had.
“A-Ah, no.”
“Then how did you use magic? Do you possess some kind of treasure?”
What nonsense is this?
Wasn’t he the one using magic?
“A-Ah, no. I just… I just thought about wanting to live, and then…”
“And then?”
“I don’t know. I might have been a magician… or something.”
“Or something?”
“My mind is just… a mess.”
Now that I thought about it, the headache I’d had was gone.
The moment I realized I had survived the crisis, a dull pain started creeping up from my thigh.
“You seem to be in pain.”
“……”
His gaze shifted to my thigh.
Naturally, my thoughts followed.
If I pulled the blade out, I feared the bleeding. If I left it in, I feared infection.
There probably weren’t any doctors on this ship.
“Captain.”
At the count’s call, the captain scurried over like a frightened rat and bowed his head respectfully.
“Yes, Count.”
“This one appears to be a slave. I will take him.”
The captain glanced at me.
He didn’t seem eager to hand me over.
So now I’m valuable? Wasn’t he about to toss me into the sea?
What a piece of trash.
“He’s still alive, after all. You’ll have to pay for him.”
The count slowly turned his gaze to the captain.
The moment their eyes met, the captain shuddered.
Well, anyone would probably piss themselves if they received such a cold stare.
“Fine. But until we reach land, you must keep him alive. If he dies, you’re responsible. Compensation will be three times his original price, as per custom.”
“……”
“What? Do you disagree?”
The captain forced a strained grin, like a nervous pup.
“Then let’s settle for half the price. Boys.”
With that, the captain signaled to the crew.
The sailors approached me slowly.
“You’re lucky.”
“Magic? Hah, ridiculous.”
Each of them muttered something as they picked up their weapons from the ground.
Ah.
I survived.
I let out a sigh of relief, which only made the pain in my thigh more pronounced.
Damn it.
“I am Count Furst. And you?”
Before I knew it, the count had stepped closer, removing his gloves and extending a hand toward me.
His hands were as pale as white jade.
Even under the sun, he was the kind of man who rarely removed his gloves—someone with an immaculate nature.
It seemed like he expected me to shake his hand, but my own hands were covered in dirt and filth.
I hesitated, feeling guilty about staining his pristine hand.
“Ran. My name is Ran.”
“Ran? That’s your given name. And your surname?”
At that, the captain standing behind us let out a chuckle. He probably thought it was some twisted noble joke.
After all, asking a slave their surname was as absurd as asking a fish where its legs were.
But I couldn’t laugh.
Instead, my blood ran cold.
Because I did have a surname.
“…I don’t have one.”
The count extended his hand further toward me.
“Do you truly believe I would offer my bare hand to a nameless slave, Ran? A person’s nature is something they cannot hide. Like a scent embedded in their very bones, no matter how much they try to wash it away.”
“……”
His eyes and expression were filled with certainty.
No one had ever noticed before. Yet, he had seen through me in an instant.
“What is your surname? I need to know whether your family has any ties—favourable or otherwise—to mine.”
Gulp.
My swallow sounded deafening.
I looked up at Count Fruits.
His gaze was ruthlessly calm. Even if I died, he wouldn’t bat an eye. My fate would depend entirely on my answer.
“Prejean. I’m from the Frenche region.”
The count slowly nodded.
“Prejean… I recall that name. If I’m not mistaken, it was a once-prominent house that got burned to the ground after the head was caught dallying with the queen.”
Prejean—nothing good ever came from that name.
No matter how I said it, it would only bring scorn and laugh.
I shrugged, though my stiff shoulders barely moved.
“My father died disgracefully. I barely even remember his face.”
Unexpectedly, the count’s expression remained unchanged.
A true gentleman.
Most nobles would’ve openly mocked me.
“Well then, how long do you intend to leave my hand hanging here awkwardly?”
His voice was devoid of emotion.
Completely flat, like a cave speaking to me.
I grabbed his hand.
Then, I struggled to my feet.
A soft bed.
It felt like it might swallow me whole, never letting me leave.
It wasn’t entirely unfamiliar.
A distant memory of childhood reminded me of what a bed like this felt like.
“Is it to your liking?”
The count sat by the bedside, wiping his hand with a cloth.
The same hand we shook earlier.
After all that talk about “nature” and whatnot.
Well, I couldn’t blame him. My hands were dirty.
In a low voice, I asked,
“Do you think I’ll survive?”
The count glanced at my thigh and replied,
“If your artery had been cut, you’d already be dead from blood loss. The bleeding won’t be too severe when the blade is removed. The real concern is tetanus… I doubt the captain would have cleaned his weapon for his enemy’s sake. It was likely rusted, like all sailor’s weapons.”
“Then?”
“For a thigh wound… you probably have about a week before symptoms appear. We should reach the New World just in time. If a seizure start, you’ll have to use magic somehow. In the meantime, eat this.”
The count pulled an orange from his pocket.
On a long voyage, an orange was as valuable as its weight in gold.
The sailors outside would kill for a single drop of its juice.
My eyes widened as I stared at it in shock.
And the count used that moment of distraction well.
“Urk.”
Before I could react, he yanked the blade from my thigh.
Then, without hesitation, he grabbed a nearby bottle of rum.
And before I could say a word—
He poured it straight onto my wound.
“Haa… strangely warm.”
“……”
The count looked at me, surprised.
I simply said,
“I’m used to pain.”
After a moment, he remarked,
“If you’re not going to eat that orange, I will.”
Even in pain, I snatched it from his hand.
Then, I bit into it—peel and all.
He silently wiped the wound with a handkerchief and tied it behind my thigh.
How kind.
Every action of his was filled with goodwill.
If that’s the case, it might not be a bad idea to ask him directly about my suspicions.
“You wouldn’t be treating me well for no reason, would you? What is it that you want from me?”
“…….”
He stopped his movements, his expression hardening.
I quickly added,
“If my question was offensive, you don’t have to answer.”
Count Furst resumed his actions.
“No, I’m not offended. It’s just… that’s not something a fourteen-year-old would normally say. It caught me off guard.”
That expression was supposed to be one of surprise?
The fact that he admitted to being startled was even more surprising.
I spoke my mind honestly.
“It feels like you’re being kind to me because I used magic. Am I right?”
Count Furst lifted his gaze and looked at me.
I had thought his eyes were cold, but they weren’t entirely so.
They were simply rational.
“That’s right.”
I asked my next question.
“Then, if I turn out to be unable to use magic, will you abandon me? Or will you kill me?”
“…….”
No answer.
Did I hit the mark in one go?
It’d be nice if I got some kind of prize, but the atmosphere was growing tense, so I quickly continued.
“I’m just worried… What if I can’t use magic?”
Count Furst looked at me, then stood up as if he’d lost interest.
“Don’t worry. You can use magic. I’ll be back after meeting the captain. Stay quiet and wait.”
With those indifferent words, he walked out of the room.
Thud.
The only sound left was the creaking of the ship echoing in the room.
I flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.
What exactly is going on?
And what were those dreams I had?
They were so vivid that even if I closed my eyes now, I could see them clearly.
The knowledge that kept surfacing in my mind was beyond words.
I had no way of making sense of it all—it felt like recalling a blurry painting.
One thing was certain: it was related to my ability to use magic.
A magician.
I had only heard about them a few times but never actually seen one.
They never age, live for hundreds of years, conjure fire from their hands, and even soar through the skies.
Did I really use magic?
“No, I have to. I have to, in order to survive! First, I need to be sure—I need to confirm that I can truly use magic.”
I glanced around the room.
It was impeccably tidy, a clear indication of how meticulous the Count was.
People barely had enough water to drink, let alone wash, yet he managed to keep this place spotless.
As I scanned the room, my eyes were drawn to something.
“A necklace.”
The green gemstone set in the center looked valuable at a glance.
It must be quite expensive—something fitting for someone of the Count’s status.
I should try using magic.
I took a deep breath and reached out toward the necklace.
Of course, nothing happened.
“No, I know it’s possible. The Count may have stopped the weapon, but I was the one who threw Oshalo and the captain. If I could throw that heavy Oshalo, there’s no way I can’t move a tiny necklace.”
I sharpened my focus and fixated on the necklace.
Its colour, shape, and patterns—
I burned them into my mind as if engraving them.
Then, I reached out.
Thunk.
The necklace lifted slightly—then dropped.
“Wow… It actually worked—ugh.”
It felt as if someone had jammed a straw into my temple and was sucking out my brain.
A headache so intense I could hardly bear it.
“Kh…! Kgh…!”
The pain instantly drowned out the ache in my thigh.
Even after enduring years of suffering as a slave, this was nearly unbearable.
After some time, the pain drained away, leaving my body limp.
Looking down, I noticed my shirt was soaked in blood.
“W-what…? Kgh…”
No wonder I felt warm.
It wasn’t blood from my thigh—this was a nosebleed.
I touched beneath my nose and saw bright red blood staining my fingers.
At that moment, the door swung open, and Count Furst entered.
“I had a good talk with the captain—wait, did you use magic again?”
I smiled.
“I just tried it once. To see if it would really work.”
His face twisted in a deep frown.
“You’re barely hanging on, and you’re using magic? Are you insane? Do you have a death wish?”
Judging by how genuinely angry he was, I must have messed up.
I spoke calmly.
“I didn’t want to deceive you, Count. Pretending to be capable when I’m not isn’t in my nature.”
His expression softened.
“You can train in magic after you recover. No, you’ll have no choice but to do so, endlessly. So don’t worry too much.”
I hesitated before asking,
“Did your meeting go well?”
Count Furst sat down in a chair and answered,
“You are now entirely mine. But you must not step onto the deck. Until we arrive, stay inside this room.”
It seemed he had paid the captain.
I bowed my head briefly.
If he was willing to buy me, could he buy another slave as well?
It was worth asking—to test how much goodwill he had toward me.
I made up my mind and looked straight at him.
“Count… if you have the means, would you consider buying one more slave?”
Thump.
Thump.
Good.
The corners of his lips lifted.
He must like me quite a bit.
Or he was so wealthy that buying a slave meant nothing to him.
Likely both.
“Did you befriend someone over the past month?”
I nodded repeatedly.
“Oshalo. He rowed in my place along the coast and worked in my stead on the open sea. He’s incredibly strong and sturdy. He could be of great help to you, Count.”
Count Furst gazed at me with half-lidded eyes.
I wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but I understood the look.
It was an evaluating gaze.
An analyzing gaze.
I held his stare without looking away, and soon, he spoke.
“You must mean the one beside you earlier. But a slave as robust as him won’t be easily given up by the captain. If he survives until we arrive, I’ll see what I can do. Let’s hope he’s as strong as you say.”
“Thank you, Count.”
For the first time in a long while, I felt genuinely happy.
Count Furst continued to watch me with an unreadable expression before he suddenly remarked,
“So that’s what your real smile looks like. Now that I’ve seen it, I think I understand your expressions better.”
The moment he said that, my joy evaporated.
A mistake.
I had let my guard down and revealed my true feelings too soon.
And worse, he caught on immediately.
Then, I should learn more about him, too.
“By the way, Count Furst, what is it that you do?”
He observed me for a moment before answering.
“In any era, humans seek to pioneer new limits. My work is the same.”