The storm did not calm.
It only changed shape.
Wind shifted in violent bursts, pushing the sea into uneven peaks.
Kevin kept both hands on the helm.
His stance never broke.
"…Still stable."
The ship creaked under pressure, but it held.
New repairs were doing their job.
Barely.
Behind him, the girl lay on the deck.
Unconscious.
Rainwater sliding off her body.
Kevin glanced back once.
Then returned his focus forward.
"…Not the priority."
Survival came first.
Everything else waited.
A massive wave formed ahead.
Higher than the previous ones.
Kevin narrowed his eyes.
"…That one will hit hard."
He adjusted the angle of the ship.
Not away.
But through it.
Trying to split the impact instead of taking it head-on.
BOOOOM—
The wave struck.
Water exploded across the deck.
The ship tilted sharply.
Wood groaned loudly.
For a moment—
It felt like it might flip.
Kevin shifted his weight instantly.
Counterbalancing the tilt.
"…Hold."
The ship resisted.
Slowly leveling out.
Another wave followed immediately.
Then another.
No pause.
Kevin clicked his tongue.
"…Chain waves."
He reduced sail exposure again.
Letting the ship drift instead of fighting speed.
Stability improved.
But movement slowed dangerously.
The storm did not care.
It pressed forward endlessly.
And then—
Something snapped.
A rope line tore loose from the mast.
THWACK—
It whipped across the deck.
Kevin reacted instantly, grabbing it mid-air before it could hit the girl.
"…Annoying."
He secured it quickly.
No damage done.
But the strain was increasing.
Behind him—
A weak cough.
Kevin paused slightly.
Turned his head.
The girl had moved.
Barely.
Eyes half-open.
"…Where…?"
Her voice was weak.
Almost lost in the storm.
Kevin replied without turning fully.
"…Sea."
Silence.
She tried to sit up.
Failed.
Fell back onto the deck.
"…Storm…"
Kevin nodded slightly.
"…Correct."
She looked around slowly.
Confused.
Disoriented.
Then her eyes focused on him.
"…You… saved me?"
Kevin finally turned his head slightly.
Looked at her properly.
"…Yes."
No emotion.
No decoration.
Just fact.
She stayed silent for a moment.
Then spoke again.
"…Why?"
Kevin paused briefly.
Not because he didn't know.
But because the answer was simple.
"…You were still alive."
That was all.
A wave struck nearby.
The ship shook violently again.
Conversation broke for a moment.
Kevin immediately returned focus to the helm.
"…Sit still."
The girl obeyed without argument.
Weakly holding onto a rope.
Minutes passed.
Then more.
The storm did not ease.
But slowly—
The waves began to lose some consistency.
Not calmer.
Just less chaotic.
Kevin noticed.
"…End phase approaching."
Storms never ended suddenly.
They weakened in stages.
The girl spoke again quietly.
"…Where are we going?"
Kevin replied without hesitation.
"…Forward."
She frowned slightly.
"…That's not a place."
Kevin answered calmly.
"…It is on the sea."
Another silence.
She studied him carefully now.
Despite exhaustion.
"…You're alone?"
Kevin nodded.
"…Yes."
She hesitated.
Then asked softly—
"…Were you always alone?"
Kevin didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"…No."
Just that.
Nothing more.
A stronger wave hit the side of the ship.
Both of them steadied instinctively.
The storm was weakening.
But not finished yet.
Kevin adjusted the helm slightly.
"…We'll survive this stretch."
The girl looked down at the deck.
Then back at him.
"…I don't have anywhere to go."
Kevin didn't react immediately.
He kept steering.
"…Then don't fall off the ship."
Simple answer.
No promise.
No rejection.
She blinked.
Then slowly nodded.
"…Okay."
The storm finally began to ease after a long stretch of violent waves.
Wind softened.
Rain thinned.
Sea motion stabilized.
Kevin maintained control until everything settled.
Only then did he relax his grip slightly.
"…It passed."
The ship floated through calmer waters again.
Still moving forward.
Still intact.
The girl sat up more carefully this time.
Watching him.
"…You're strange."
Kevin replied without looking at her.
"…I've heard that before."
Silence returned.
But it was different now.
Less survival tension.
More unknown presence.
Not enemy.
Not ally.
Just someone added to the ship.
For now.
Kevin adjusted the sails once more.
Letting the ship return to steady travel.
"…We continue."
And the sea accepted them again.
As if nothing had happened.