In This Life I Will Be The Lord Novel - Side Story, Chapter 13

“Special cabin voucher?”
What is this suddenly?
Perez and I just stared blankly at each other.
“We’re having an event right now! And you two happen to be exactly the 100th passengers on today’s cruise!”
“Congratulations!”
The smiles of the two cruise staff were so bright that I almost smiled back without realizing it.
“Then, would you mind waiting here for a moment?”
“We’ll go check if the special cabin is ready.”
Saying that, the staff walked away quickly.
“A special cabin voucher, didn’t something like this happen last time too?”
“Something like this?”
“You know, at the inn in Akedia last time. The innkeeper changed our rented room to the best one because there was a leak.”
“Ah.”
Perez nodded, as if he just remembered.
“Good is good, but…”
Were these things truly happening just by sheer luck?
It was when I was thinking that.
I overheard a conversation between a couple passing behind us.
“It’s like a dream to be able to go to the East for our honeymoon.”
“It’s a good thing we were lucky enough to get cruise tickets, isn’t it?”
Honeymoon.
The moment I heard that word, I realized.
“Perez, this is probably…”
“Is it the work of the Pellet Merchant Guild’s head?”
As expected, Perez noticed it too.
I quickly scanned our surroundings and spoke softly.
“Yes. It seems this event win is a gift from Violet.”
Violet had always been unusually interested in my and Perez’s wedding whenever I saw her for Pellet Merchant Guild matters.
And she was even more disappointed than I was that Perez and I couldn’t go on a honeymoon due to our duties.
“Perhaps it’s Violet’s way of saying, ‘Enjoy your fake honeymoon to the fullest,’ even if it’s just pretend.”
But to openly take care of us would risk exposing our identities, so she must have given us the special cabin this way.
“I’ll have to send a separate gift to the Guild Head when we return.”
“Well, you don’t have to go that far.”
Though I said that, I also intended to thank Violet separately when I returned to Lombardi.
My surprise at the suspicious good fortune was brief; now I had enough leisure to look around.
“As expected, it’s lively.”
The area around the large wooden cruise ship was bustling with people.
People loading and unloading goods, people seeing someone off, and people departing.
Everyone was mixed together, moving busily.
“The wind feels good.”
The air blowing seemed as light as the excited people.
Perhaps it was because I took a deep breath of that cool wind.
My heart also began to pound faintly.

“This is the special suite.”
The staff opened the door directly and said.
“Ohh.”
It wasn’t bad.
No, it was excellent.
I had thought, no matter how large a cruise ship, how spacious could a cabin be?
“The windows are large too.”
Warm sunlight poured in through the large window at the front of the reception room, which also served as a living room.
Being the special suite on the highest deck, the view was also excellent.
I was already looking forward to the scenery I would see through this window once the journey began.
Not only that, but the furniture and decorations filling the interior were clearly top-notch at a glance.
‘Good, very satisfactory.’
It was a very pleasing sight, both as a guest unexpectedly staying in the special suite and as the owner of this cruise business.
“Then, have a pleasant journey.”
The staff bowed politely and left the cabin.
I continued to explore the cabin with my hands behind my back.
“The bedroom and bathroom are all separate?”
The bedroom and bathroom, wide open to welcome guests, were visible on either side of the living room.
Leaving the luxurious marble bathroom behind, I quietly peered into the bedroom.
‘As expected, there’s only one bed.’
Right, there’s no way there would be two.
I swallowed a small sigh that was about to escape and looked at Perez.
Despite the staff’s recommendation, Perez had placed his luggage bag in a corner of the cabin and was already looking out the window.
The dazzling sunlight from the sea made his dyed blonde hair look almost silver, and his red eyes, looking down at the harbor, shone like luminous rubies.
Damn, he’s handsome.
Not just because he’s my man, but objectively, his looks were unreal.
It was like looking at a painting even though I was seeing him with my own eyes.
I admired him for a moment, then turned my gaze back to the bed.
It was a large bed, big enough for four adults to sleep in.
White silk-blend sheets were laid out, making it look so soft I wanted to just throw myself onto it.
But that’s not what’s important.
‘Yes. Tonight’s the night!’
After that night when we were drunk and things were on the verge, the atmosphere between us had been incredibly awkward for a while.
Although it naturally returned to normal after a few days.
Still, I couldn’t help but think of that night from time to time.
There was regret, but most of all, Perez’s expression, forcing a smile for my sake, kept coming back to me.
I looked back and forth between Perez’s back and the bed a few more times, then finally made up my mind.
‘What more is there to hesitate about?’
My fiancé is so handsome.
Hesitating and being timid isn’t like me.
And Violet has even created such a good environment for us.
“Perez.”
“Yes, Tia.”
At my call, Perez immediately turned and replied.
Seeing the gentle smile on his sculpted face, my fists clenched on their own.
Tonight’s the night, tonight.
I put on the wide-brimmed hat I was holding, steeling my resolve.
“Shall we go explore the deck?”
From now on, the romantic atmosphere begins.
***
The deck, where a cool breeze was blowing, already had many people out.
Most were couples on their honeymoon, clinging to each other with happy faces.
“Let’s go over there.”
Perez and I also found an empty spot and stood in front of the deck railing.
Just then.
Booooo!
With a long horn sound, the ship slowly began to move.
“I thought there were a lot of people out here, so it must have been departure time!”
I wasn’t the only one excited.
“We’re off!”
“This big ship is really moving!”
The people around us also burst into exclamations and cheers.
I leaned slightly against the railing and looked down.
The people remaining at the harbor were waving at us.
They were wishing us a smooth voyage and a safe arrival in the East.
“Ah, those people.”
Among them, I saw the two staff members who had informed us about the event win earlier.
They must have been watching me, as our eyes met immediately.
And the two of them slowly bowed.
“As expected, they knew.”
They must have known who I was from the beginning.
I waved my hand slightly at them out of gratitude.
Meanwhile, the land was getting further and further away.
The cruise ship, as massive as its body, began to move rapidly along the river.
People became scarcer along both sides of the river, and soon the green landscape of mountains and fields unfolded.
“Ah, it’s beautiful.”
The river surface, reflected in the sunlight, sparkled as if jewels had been scattered upon it.
“Look at that sparkle over there, Perez.”
I turned to Perez and asked.
“Isn’t it really beautiful?”
Perez looked briefly in the direction my finger was pointing, then turned his gaze back to me.
“…Yes, it’s beautiful.”
Perez smiled loosely as he replied.
Just as I was about to smile back.
A strong gust of wind suddenly blew, and the hat I was wearing flew off.
I instinctively reached out to grab the flying hat.
Fortunately, the hat was caught by my fingertips quickly, but my body, which had been holding onto the railing, swayed violently.
“Ah!”
However, I didn’t fall over the railing.
Something firm wrapped around my waist, and I felt someone’s warmth against my back.
And before I could even fully comprehend what had happened, a low voice reached my ear.
“You need to be careful.”
I was more surprised than when my hat flew off.
Tilting my head back, I saw Perez, his handsome face slightly furrowed.
“It’s dangerous, Tia.”
I could feel Perez’s heart pounding wildly against my back.
Was he surprised that I might fall off the railing?
The problem was that my heart also started pounding like crazy.
It was getting difficult to remain in Perez’s embrace.
“Th-thank you.”
I said, trying to keep my voice calm, and slowly pushed Perez’s chest away.
For a moment, his gaze lingered on my hands.
“…I’ll take the hat back to the cabin.”
Saying that, Perez took the hat I was holding and turned his back.
I stood there for a moment, watching his retreating figure, then barely muttered in a small voice.
“Ugh, why am I trembling so much?”
It’s not the first time I’ve seen Perez’s handsome face or touched his firm body.
But perhaps because of tonight’s plan, I just couldn’t calm down next to him.
“Hoo, calm down, calm down.”
I took a deep breath and reviewed tonight’s plan, one by one.
Just then, I heard a song.
“…Here, with you, holding hands…”
“Oh, this song.”
The lyrics were definitely familiar.
I walked in the direction of the singing.
It was on the opposite side of the deck.
After walking a bit, I saw a man playing an instrument and singing, his voice becoming clearer.
A slender build, long tied-back hair, and delicate features.
“Mortega.”
Mortega Lupe was a famous singer whom even I, who had no interest in music in my previous life, had heard of.
And Mortega was singing on a cruise ship I owned.
I found a spot and began to enjoy Mortega’s song.
“…Let’s open our eyes together in the morning, and dream the same dream at night. And please show me your smile with the flower I give you. Forever.”
Indeed, a fitting song choice for a cruise full of newlyweds.
When the song ended, the people who had been listening to Mortega’s song applauded in unison.
Some were even wiping away tears with handkerchiefs, moved.
It seemed to be the last song, as people were putting money into the box placed in front of him.
It was an opportunity.
I approached, put a silver coin into the box, and spoke.
“I enjoyed the song very much.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you…”
Mortega stopped speaking while greeting me.
He had a somewhat dazed expression.
Was he very tired from performing?
“Are you alright?”
“Yes, yes!”
Mortega nodded vigorously and bowed deeply.
“Thank you for listening to my song, th-thank you.”
He had been so relaxed, looking at the audience and singing just moments ago.
It seemed he was a shy person in real life.
I smiled to put Mortega at ease and asked.
“May I know your name and the title of the song you just sang?”
“Oh, of course. The song title is <Vow of Love> and my name is Mortega Lupe.”
It’s him after all.
If he’s the Mortega Lupe I know, he’ll become very famous in a few years.
And the Lombardi Scholarship Foundation could reduce those years of effort.
“Mr. Mortega.”
Just as I was about to make my proposal, Mortega spoke first.
“May I… know your name too?”
“Me? Oh, my name. I am… Larita Gloe.”
I almost said my real name out of habit.
But Mortega’s reaction was a bit strange.
“Ah, Larita… Ms. Larita.”
He muttered the name I gave him a few times, looking even more dazed than before.
“Ms. Larita, what brings you to the East?”
He was asking a question completely unrelated to what I was about to say.
Well, it wouldn’t hurt to get a little closer before making a formal proposal.
“I’m traveling to Luman territory.”
“You’re traveling! Luman is truly beautiful this time of year.”
“That’s good to hear then.”
After a few more exchanges, Mortega cautiously asked me.
“Then, do you have a companion? If you’re traveling alone…”
“Ah, I…”
I was just about to talk about Perez.
“Honey.”
It was a familiar voice, but an unfamiliar word.
I turned around, and there was Perez, walking towards me with a smile.
But something was a little off.
He was clearly smiling.
But his face was subtly dangerous.
“Honey, what are you doing here?”
“…What?”
What did he just say?
Perez, ignoring my confusion, gently pulled me into his arms.
And whispered.
“I’ve been looking for you for ages, honey.”