Reiju carefully carried the tea and snacks, her fingers trembling slightly.
She was wearing a simple servant-style outfit. "Trash" had casually requested it, saying it was "easier on the eyes." She tiptoed to "Trash's" side and placed the teacup on the table, afraid of making even the slightest sound.
"Lord Rhett... your tea." Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
Rhett was leaning by the window, looking out at the sea. He didn't turn around. "Did you add sugar?"
"Y-Yes..."
"How many pieces?"
Reiju froze. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead. "T-Two pieces..."
Rhett suddenly turned around. The blood mist swirled around his fingertips. "Wrong. It's three pieces."
"Ah?!" Reiju panicked. "I-I'll go change it right away—"
"Heheh~ Just kidding." Rhett suddenly laughed. "I don't even like sweet things."
Reiju stood frozen in place. Her expression was blank.
Moria was laughing so hard he slapped the table. "Kishishishi... This little girl is so easy to fool!"
Enel rolled his eyes. "Boring."
---
The next morning, Reiju was sent to organize "Trash's" bookshelves.
"Arrange them by color," Rhett commanded, crossing his legs.
"B-By the color of the spine?"
"No. By the hair color of the character on the cover. That seems more reliable to me."
Reiju: "...?"
That's not reliable at all!
She picked up a book titled "North Blue Fish Illustrated" and stared at the bald fish on the cover. She fell into deep thought.
"Lord Rhett, this one has no hair?"
Rhett ate a piece of pastry. "Then draw some on. Why are you asking me about something so simple?"
"What color, Lord Rhett?"
"Whatever you like."
This one task kept Reiju thinking for an entire day. Rhett didn't disturb her. Let her think. Children needed to use their imagination. Children had unlimited creativity.
---
On the third day, "Trash" asked Reiju to read the newspaper to him.
"Skip all the political news. Only read the pet section. And give me a couple of funny activities."
"Um... 'The Puppy Championship finals will be held next week'..."
"With more emotion."
Reiju steeled herself and read in the tone of reciting an epic poem. "The competing poodle 'Marshmallow'... displayed an astonishing... um... fluffiness..."
"Now read it backwards for me~"
"Fluffiness... um... displayed an astonishing... the competing poodle 'Marshmallow'..."
"Hahahaha! Who reads backwards like that?! I'm dying. My stomach hurts." Rhett laughed uncontrollably at Reiju. Then he patted her on the shoulder. "When it comes to reading newspapers backwards, I name you the 'Strongest.' Hahahaha."
Gradually, Reiju began to realize... this "Mist Lord" wasn't as terrifying as she had imagined.
His requests were strange, but he never truly got angry. His blood mist looked fierce, but it had never hurt her. Even when she accidentally knocked over a teacup, "Trash" just waved his hand, and the blood mist caught the falling porcelain.
"Clumsy girl. Be careful not to burn yourself." He said it, but there was no blame in his voice.
---
One night, Reiju sat alone in the garden, lost in thought. Under the moonlight, her fingertips gently brushed over a wildflower. This was something that had never existed in Germa's cold laboratories.
"You like it?"
Rhett's voice suddenly came from behind her. Reiju almost jumped out of her skin.
"L-Lord Rhett! I was just—"
"Starting tomorrow, you're in charge of this garden." "Trash" cut her off. The blood mist rolled a cup of warm milk into her hands. "If even one of these plants withers, I'll put Judge in a flowerpot as fertilizer."
Reiju held the warm cup. Suddenly, she let out a small laugh.
"Yes, Lord Rhett." This time, her voice didn't tremble.
Reiju took a small sip of the milk. The sweetness melted on her tongue.
This kind of life... wasn't so bad, was it?
---
One day, Reiju carefully picked the most beautiful red rose. Rhett rejected it. "Too tacky. Pick another one."
She bit her lip and picked a white lily.
"No. Too plain. Pick another one."
The third time, she picked a wild daisy out of spite. To her surprise, Rhett took it and tucked it behind her ear. "Isn't this nice?"
Reiju's face turned bright red.
---
On the sixth day, when Rhett sent her to the study to get a book that didn't exist again—
"Lord Rhett!" Reiju suddenly clenched her skirt. Her voice was still soft, but there was clear frustration in it. "A-Are you... making fun of me..."
The words had barely left her mouth when she herself was startled. She quickly covered her mouth.
The entire room fell silent.
Well, to be fair, there were only two people in the room.
But then—
"Pfft."
Rhett laughed.
Not that cold, mocking laugh. A genuinely amused laugh. He reached out and ruffled Reiju's hair. His movement was as casual as teasing a cat.
"Finally angry, are you?" His voice was unusually gentle. "I was starting to think you were going to be a wooden doll forever."
"Ah ah ah~ If you hadn't gotten angry, I would have started to think my skill at getting on people's nerves was slipping. I was about to go find the Five Elders and have a little chat about life and dreams."
Reiju looked up, dazed. She met Rhett's crimson eyes. There was no killing intent there. Instead, there was something like... satisfaction?
"Keep it up." Rhett withdrew his hand and lounged back on the sofa. "Now, go get me a storybook. I actually want to read this time."
Reiju blinked. She suddenly felt something warm in her chest. It was something she had thought had been long removed from her.
Emotion.
She turned and ran toward the library. Her steps were much lighter than before.
Moria clicked his tongue. "Kishishishi... Captain, you've always been so patient with children, haven't you?"
"Aren't you the same? Or rather, everyone on this ship has a special affinity for kids."
Rhett watched Reiju's retreating figure. Blood mist swirled around his fingertips. "Rather than tools..." He said softly. "I prefer 'people.'"
Rhett suddenly remembered something. "And Enel. If you use your damn Mantra to spy on me again, I'll make you fly. If you're worried about the kid, just come out and say it."
A blue bolt of lightning appeared in Rhett's room. Enel scratched his head. "This child... this god doesn't dislike her. By the way, Captain, do you remember that yellow-haired kid from when we first arrived? She was the one who let him go. My Mantra heard it."
"Her humanity isn't completely gone. She can still be saved. It's a small thing. I have time. And she's now part of my family's assets."
Outside the window, the setting sun painted Germa's steel castle in shades of warm gold. Meanwhile, in the laboratory, Judge stared at the baby crib blueprints. He had unconsciously drawn little cartoon duck decorations on them. He fell into even deeper self-doubt.
"What am I even doing..."