Chapter 52 Departure

Translator: Tseirp

The next day, Mike came to collect the documents. Jeffrey was away at work.

Like me, Mike had an uncharacteristic appearance, a face, and figure that would be easily overlooked and forgotten if he mixed in with other people. However, there is no opening in his movements at all.

“Lord Asher was here yesterday, so I couldn’t talk about it in detail. So I heard you’re Haggle’s former ace.”

Mike glanced at me curiously and immediately voiced his mind.

“I have some questions for you.”

It was on the reason I left and how I escaped from the Special Forces.

He was working to keep me and my family safe. I answered honestly, thinking that I should thank him for his consideration.

Mike listened attentively and affirmed my words with ‘I see’.

“Anna, did you help the prisoner escape from prison? My superior suspects that you had a hand in it. Of course, I will only report this to my superior and it won’t be leaked beyond that.”

“…Yes. I was the one who broke him out of jail.”

I made up my mind and answered.

Mike made a face and murmured, “That person is amazing after all”. And he asked about the reason and the means. I was mostly honest, except for further information on the siblings.

“Since I gave the man money for living expenses outside the castle and parted, I don’t know what happen to him after that.”

“Is that so? A coping saw in the heel of your shoe. I see.”

After murmuring, he ask another question.

I was asked, “Are you the one who knocked the man at the royal castle’s evening party unconscious?”. I again answered honestly.

“You wanted to prevent murder? I guess there are operatives who think that way. Oh, pardon me.”

Mike, who was half talking to himself, suddenly came to his senses and turned his face to me.

“That’s all for the questions. Thank you for your cooperation. If you’re interested in medicine, it’s possible to study with Lord Asher in the country of Shen.”

“Yes! I definitely want to study that!”

“Yeah, I thought you would say that. I look forward to your accomplishments in Shen.”

“Um, that doesn’t mean you want me to steal information, right? If that’s the case, I’ve already…”

Mike laughed out loud.

“No. I mean study normally, interact with the people of Shen, and absorb everything you can. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention something important. When you return five years later, you may meet your past acquaintances. Haggle’s organization shouldn’t have that much free time to chase you down after so long. Since Sir Asher will become a Count when he returns home, Haggle’s side will also not want to be guilty of killing the wife of a noble in our country. It’s not worth it.”

Why would they go to such lengths to help me, a mere agent? Even when I asked that, Mike said

“If I tell you that, I will lose my job. Please think of it as someone’s intention.”

He didn’t tell me the reason.

Marriage proceedings with Jeffrey was completed. I got a new career, a new ID, and a new surname. I also received a letter from the Prime Minister to give to the ship captain and a letter to give to the head of the house who would take care of us over there.

“Mike, I announced that I was from Randall when I went to the castle party.”

I’ve been wondering about that.

“It’s rude to say this, but you’re the kind of person who doesn’t leave much of an impression. If you’ve only met someone once, it’ll be fine if you insist, ‘I think you’re mistaking me for someone else?’. And my superior and I are the only ones who know that Anna is Victoria. His Majesty, the Prime Minister, and His Highness the Crown Prince all just glanced at you from afar at the evening party.”

Mike’s superior holds a high position, but he seems to have kept my identity a secret from His Majesty and the Prime Minister. I wondered why.

I was about to say, ‘Lord Cedric knows about me too’, but I stopped because I didn’t think it was wise telling him that I was the cause of his fracture.

“Jeffrey may look that way but he’s good at paperwork. I’m looking forward to when you come back. Good luck.”

“Thank you very much.”

“Anna.”

“Yes?”

“Congratulations.”

I didn’t know if it was for ‘getting out of the organization’ or ‘getting married’, but I smiled and bowed my head.

The day before boarding, Jeffrey returned home after quitting less than a year’s job as a security officer. Lord Cedric seemed to have been disappointed until the end.

It was finally time to set sail.

The ship slowly turned and headed off to sea.

“Mommy! Look!”

“Hm?”

Nonna ran on the deck with her glittering blonde hair flowing behind her. And then she jumped up, twirled in the air, and landed cleanly.

“Fufufu. Well done, well done.”

While applauding, Jeffrey walked up from behind Nonna.

The girl I met on the day I arrived at Ashbury’s royal capital was now my daughter, and the Knight Commander who became my guarantor was now my husband.

My husband, Jeffrey, has a worrier’s disposition and always wants me next to him. I am always protected and pampered.

“Mommy!”

Nonna clung to me tightly.

“Looks like you’re having fun, Nonna.”

“It’s fun to go to Shen and to ride a boat!”

A sailor from Shen appeared on the deck and spoke to me. He had good Ashberian.

“Ma’am, would you like to make any orders on the meal menu?”

“Myself, my husband, and daughter will eat anything. Please prepare the same as everyone else.”

“Shen’s cooking is delicious. Please look forward to it.”

“Okay!”

The ship will sail along the land and aim for Shen while replenishing food and water. The voyage will likely take more than two months.

If there were books on board, I would love to be able to read and write Shen’s words a little. It’s always exciting to learn a new foreign language.

“Anna, the sea breeze is cold.”

“Jeff… It’s summer so on the contrary, it feels good.”

“Right. Then don’t get too much sun.”

“Daddy worries too much!”

From the day Jeffrey told her that he was going to be her father, Nonna began to carefreely call him ‘daddy’.

“I’m just as happy to have Jeffrey as daddy as to have him buy me a blue ribbon.” she said. And when she was told that we would live five years in a distant country, she was not concerned.

“I don’t mind if mommy is here. I feel even better if daddy is here too.”

She replied with a laugh. She was so frank that I wondered if she was sincere.

“When I get back, I’ll teach Clark Shen’s words!”

“I’m sure he’ll say, ‘I want to be able to speak, too’.”

The voyage was smooth. There was no sign of a storm coming.

“Jeff, I guess I am truly free now.”

“Oh yes.”

Jeffrey hugged me from behind. The two of us look at the sea and sky in silence.

Nonna rushed between the two and hugged me, and the three of us laughed.

One day after 10 days of sailing.

Nonna and I were watching the sun sinking into the sea from the deck, but Nonna started talking while looking at the sea.

“Long ago, when I was sitting alone in the square, I knew that I was abandoned. At that time, mommy stayed with me in the square until evening.”

After saying that, Nonna turned to me.

“I haven’t said thank you yet. I didn’t know the language very well back then. Mommy, thank you for helping me when my mother ran away. Thank you for grilling delicious lamb. Thank you for buying the blue ribbon. Thank you for being my mommy.”

While stroking Nonna’s head, all I could say was “Mm, mm”.

The sun was sinking into the sea leaving only a little bit of light left. The night started.

If it wasn’t for Nonna, I wouldn’t be alive right now. Without knowing that the assassination order was issued, I would have returned to the special forces and gotten myself killed.

“Oh, the two of you were here? Let’s go inside. It’s time for dinner.”

“Okay.”

“Okay daddy.”

To cherish one’s family and live.

Staying in touch with people you know for a long time.

Be useful to people.

There are many others. This time, I will live while filling in what was missing in my life.

With Jeff protecting my back, I held hands with Nonna and headed inside the ship.

Author’s note:

Thank you for reading until the end.

If you don’t mind, please rate my work. It will be an encouragement for my next work.

Translator’s note:

Thank you for reading to the end too!

The author did start writing ‘Victoria part 2’ and it’s at Chapter 71 now, but I will likely not continue this series as there’s not much interest. And not really my style. I fear my writing style didn’t bring out much of the romance.

There will be 3 more side chapters after this on their life in Shen!