Secrets of the Azure Sea - Chapter 45 part 2
When Kyrie reached the harbor, a small merchant ship was docked, loading the island’s specialty products of silk and seashell crafts.
Aaron, a familiar merchant supervising the loading, noticed Kyrie and called out cheerfully.
“Oii, Kyrie. The medicinal herbs and medical books you’ve been waiting for have arrived!”
“Thank you as always, Aaron.” she said lightly. “You seem busy today, taking a large shipment this time?”
“Aye, it sells for a high price in the Farnese and Ranunculus kingdoms on the continent.” he replied, rubbing his hands together.
“…Speaking of Ranunculus, I wonder how Prince Franz of the Ranunculus Kingdom is doing?”
Aaron’s tone grew somber. “Ah, poor soul. I heard that during his honeymoon, they were caught in a storm, and his bride, Princess Floria, was swallowed by the sea. Prince Franz is now called the Prince of Grief, gathering sympathy throughout the land. In Princess Floria’s homeland, they still can’t believe she’s dead, and her father, the King, is scouring the seas for any sign of her, body or jewel. After all, she was a princess doted on like a treasure, cherished more than life itself, they say. But she must have become sea foam by now…”
“How tragic,” Kyrie murmured, her voice soft with feigned sympathy.
“Her father, the King, must be grieving terribly. But imagine,” she added slowly, “if that treasure were not lost after all. If it were here, on this island… the king would surely reward whoever brought him such news.”
The merchant Aaron’s eyes gleamed sharply. His mind seemed to be working rapidly.
“Do you have reliable information?”
Kyrie took something shiny from her pocket. It was an emerald ring. She handed it to Aaron, ensuring no one else saw.
“This is…” He examined it closely.
Inside the ring, the royal crests of both kingdoms Farnese and Ranunculus were engraved. As a merchant who also dealt with the royal palace, Aaron understood at once that this ring was genuine and held a special meaning, this was no trinket, but a royal keepsake beyond price.
The merchant clenched the ring tightly in his hand.
“So,” he said, his voice low. “The treasure… is alive?”
Kyrie nodded.
“Lord Zanarf set sail today to chase away fishing boats that entered the nearby territorial waters. He probably won’t return for ten days.”
Aaron’s grin widened. “And your price for this information?”
Kyrie shook her head.
“Greenhouse roses cannot grow on a sandy beach. That is all.”
“In that case, today’s herbs and books are my gift to you. Let’s pack up quickly and head at full speed for the Farnese Kingdom. The king will pay handsomely for what I bring him.”
The merchant’s greed was despicable, but for just this moment, Kyrie was satisfied.
By now, he was already imagining the chest of gold waiting for him across the sea. He would surely head straight for the Farnese Kingdom and obtain a massive amount of gold coins in exchange for the ring and the information.
Yes, that night, the ring Zanarf threw from the bedroom window did not fall into the sea, never sank into the ocean
It must have hit a rock or something. By luck, it had landed on the sandy beach.
Guessing that Zanarf must have thrown it from the window, she had searched for the ring at dawn, driven by instinct, and when she found it, she felt as if fate had smiled upon her.
What was lost had finally returned to where it belonged.
After receiving the herbs and books from the merchant, Kyrie hummed softly as she walked back toward her room in the castle.
In ten days, the world would surely have changed.
Once Floria is gone, he will surely look at her. Especially if she confesses these feelings, Zanarf will realize her love was the one meant for him all along.
And with that hope brightening her heart, Kyrie smiled, a rare, tender smile that almost looked like happiness.