Chapter 98: Impossible Journey

As the ship got pushed by the wind farther and farther away, Nozomi and the others stood at the edge of the ship to watch Shina.

The princess lifted her gaze to look at them. Their faces were full of shock, but still wary for a reason Shina understood.

They watched in silence the boat Shina was on, drifting away from the ship.

More than she was scared of her decision, Shina was sad that she had to part ways with them like this. Come to think of it, they might have been her first friends who didn’t know her through her high social status. They knew her as Shadowblade. And she knew them as the pirates who somehow broke the laws without hurting anyone.

She then grabbed the two wooden oars and began rowing. Remi was sitting in front of her, his back was facing the ship.

It was hard for her to end things this way, but she had no other options. Finch wasn’t going to put his crew at risk and blindly trust Shina, especially when she was so unwilling to trust them with Dheinyrus’ secret as well.

She felt a sting in her heart when they turned away and proceeded to sail opposite of her direction.

With their speed, the ship appeared smaller and smaller the farther apart they were. Eventually, the ship vanished into the horizon.

Shina looked at Remi while continuing to row the boat.

“I guess it’s you and me again, huh?” she mumbled.

Remi stared at her motionlessly.

“I did all this, but I have no idea how to navigate the waters… Are we even rowing in the right direction?”

Remi didn’t respond.

“Wait… are we even moving?”

Shina let out a sigh. The things that she used to not care about were suddenly all of her concerns.

Things such as navigation, food, and other daily necessities, she now had to provide them all for herself. But with this little boat that she had, she wondered if she would even be alive by the time she reached Sekhtar… that is if she is rowing in the correct direction at all.

The princess had found herself in a helpless situation once again.

“Dheinyrus…” she muttered to herself.

There was a heavy feeling in her chest that made it difficult to breathe steadily.

His face suddenly flashed through her mind. Just like she did everyday, Shina imagined Dheinyrus’ voice and how gentle yet powerful it sounded. She longed to hear him call her name again so, so badly.

Shina was missing him so much all this time.

Dheinyrus had rescued her so many times ever since they met. And right now that she was feeling alone and lost, she desired his presence more than ever. Even though she knew the truth about his powerlessness, she had no doubt in her mind that he was the one she needed. He would be able to make her feel like everything will be alright, as long as he was by her side.

Shina sniffled and before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face.

Remi immediately crawled towards her and licked her face, interrupting the princess’ emotional episode.

“Ugh! stop, Remi!”

When Shina pushed the dragon away and wiped her tears herself, she accidentally dropped one of the oars into the water. She tried to catch it but it was too late. That was when she noticed that the side of the boat that held that one paddle had a small crack when it hit the side of the ship.

“Just great…” she mumbled.

Shina removed the other oar from its pivot and used it lika a paddle to alternatively row on both sides. It was a much slower and more tiring process.

Her only guide was to row towards the opposite direction where the ship went. She also knew that Sekhtar was in the south, but not where to specifically dock.

She might end up on a remote island instead. Or, if she was really unlucky, the waves might bring her to the south pole.

That was if no giant sea creatures found and ate her first. Finch knew which routes to take to avoid them, she didn’t. Now, the risk of being swallowed whole by a leviathan had conceivably increased…

Shina sighed once again.

***

Hours had passed since she made her bold and foolish decision. The sun was beginning to set into the horizon and the winds became much colder. Luckily, she was still wearing her full versatile suit.

Since the waves were still just as calm, if not calmer, Shina knew that she was still in the tamer parts of the southern latitudes.

When she gets closer to Sekhtar, the waves and the winds would be ten times harsher. And the closer she gets to her destination, the deadlier the waters will become. Not to mention the monsters that lay beneath the ocean.

With all of this in mind, Shina didn’t plan to turn back or give up. In fact, she was trying to formulate the best strategy to arrive in Sekhtar alive. It was all that she could do after all.

If her reward was seeing Dheinyrus again, she made up her mind to overcome everything.

While Shina was busy thinking about what to do and rowing the boat at the same time, Remi went up to her and growled repeatedly.

Shina was snapped out of her thoughts.

“What is it?” she asked.

Remi kept growling and turning restlessly on the boat.

“You’re hungry, aren’t you? You haven’t been able to finish your meal back on the ship…”

As if trying to tell her she was wrong, Remi growled irritatedly and even nudged Shina’s arm with his head.

“We didn’t get to bring any food, Remi. Once we arrive in Sekhtar, the first thing I’ll do is feed you, okay?”

Remi still didn’t calm down. That was when Shina realized that the dragon was trying to tell her something else.

There was a trace of fear in the dragon’s eyes, and he was trying to warn Shina of something.

Because he sensed that something thrice bigger than the pirate ship was lurking right under their boat.

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