章節 26: Cabin Preparations
Aren and Keiran were getting ready in the small cabin on the ship before heading to the party. Aren stood in front of the mirror, fixing his hair, deep in thought. Keiran, meanwhile, was tying his shoes while maintaining his lively and energetic demeanor.
Keiran glanced at Aren's silent reflection in the mirror and let out a laugh. "Are you always like this? Everyone's out there waiting to have fun, and you're here looking like you're preparing for a serious meeting."
Aren looked at Keiran's reflection in the mirror with a blank expression. "Taking everything seriously isn't as bad as you think."
Keiran stood up, hands in his pockets, and shrugged. "Maybe not, but a little relaxation never hurt anyone."
Aren took a deep breath, loosening his shoulders. He was used to Keiran's light-hearted attitude, yet he felt a brief moment of tension rise within him. These were the kind of emotions he never used to feel, but now, even though he could control them, they sometimes surfaced for just a moment. From the outside, however, his facial expression remained almost the same as always.
Keiran smiled and lightly patted Aren on the shoulder. "One day, you'll learn how to really relax, my friend. Maybe tonight will be the night."
With the same calm, steady voice, Aren replied, "Maybe." The little ripples inside him had already passed.
Just then, a large shadow shifted behind Aren's back. Keiran's gaze fell on the massive spider that was hanging behind Aren. Victoria, the spider, slowly adjusted her legs, her giant black limbs gently wrapping around Aren's shoulder. Aren looked at Victoria calmly, reached out to stroke her head, and they set off.
When Aren and Keiran finally stepped into the ship's spacious party area, the light breeze from the sea was cooling the crowd gathered around the bar. The colorful lights hanging from the ceiling reflected onto the dancers on the floor, and the clinking of drinks in glassware mingled with the rhythm of the music. The crowd rippled with laughter and conversation; some were simply enjoying themselves, while others were looking for opportunities to meet strangers.
In one corner, a group of young women gathered near the bar, occasionally scanning the crowd. One of them immediately noticed Aren and Keiran as they entered.
"Look at those two," said the girl with red lipstick, nodding subtly toward them. "Which ones? The one in the black suit or the one with the crazy shirt?"
The other girl let her eyes linger on Keiran, raising her eyebrows. "The one with the crazy shirt looks amazing, I think. A bit too bold, but not bad at all."
"The one in the black suit seems more serious," another chimed in. "But they definitely look like they're here for the first time. What should we do?"
"Let's see if they come over first," said the girl with red lipstick, taking a sip of her drink. "Do you think they'll talk to us?"
"They will," said the other girl with a giggle. "No one comes here just to dance, you know."
The girls burst into a brief laugh and turned back to their drinks. But one of them leaned in slightly to her friend, whispering, "But I call dibs on the tall one."
In a quieter corner of the party, Seina watched the crowd with a hint of unease. The chaos of the ship seemed to be suffocating her; she looked as if she was expecting a threat to appear at any moment. Beside her, Nathaniel remained calm, keeping his hands in his pockets, his demeanor composed.
"Why did we board this ship?" Seina asked, frowning. "For our Ashar tradition, we should be on a first-class ship."
Nathaniel shrugged, maintaining his usual calm tone. "Don't worry. We chose this ship because we won't stand out here. We need to stay invisible until we reach the island."
Seina still wasn't convinced. "But we could have chosen a mid-range ship. Why are we on a ship filled with criminals and lower-class people?"
Nathaniel stepped forward, looking into Seina's eyes with a softer tone. "Because this is the safest place for us. Here, no one cares who you are."
His eyes suddenly caught sight of someone in the crowd dressed in a black suit... And Keiran was beside him. For a moment, it seemed like her breath had been taken away. "Keiran..." she whispered, her voice shaky and filled with surprise.
Nathaniel turned in the direction she was looking and saw Keiran and Aren. He nodded slightly with a smile. "Looks like we have a familiar face here."
Nathaniel's eyes narrowed. "It seems he's part of the game now. Or maybe he doesn't realize it yet... but he will, very soon."
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