Demi-human Girls Completion Manual
Chapter 458 - 24. Late Night Communication

Chapter 458: 24. Late Night Communication

"I’m sorry, it’s my fault."

On deck, Isabella emerged with her swollen face and humbly bowed her head to the crew member she had earlier clashed with, issuing an apology.

Pahetz looked surprisedly at Alagina standing beside her and then at Fisher who had also come up from below deck, cradling his hands. Only after confirming his gaze did she coldly glance at the crew member standing behind her being scolded, gesturing for her to respond.

In truth, Pahetz’s look didn’t reach the crew member’s eyes. The crew member just stared at Isabella’s swollen cheek, gently touched her own freshly cut short hair at the back of her head, and then, with an equally unnatural expression, uttered a "sorry."

Watching her squeamish behavior made Pahetz irritable, making her roar like an angry bear,

"Why so quiet? Are you even a woman? Speak louder, until I hear you!"

"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!"

After Pahetz gave the crew member’s back a fierce pat, the force seemed to release hidden shackles within her, causing her to close her eyes, straighten her posture, and shout "sorry" several more times.

Fisher, who was still leaning against the mast in the distance, watched the atmosphere there become lively again. Yet, he remained, repeatedly mulling over the words Isabella had said to him earlier, as the void of golden color continued to spread chillingly in his heart, unaware of when Alagina had approached him.

It took several seconds before he belatedly realized that Alagina had been silently watching him all along. His contemplative expression faded as he turned and asked her,

"What’s up?"

Alagina shook her head, moved closer to Fisher, and while looking towards the distant Isabella, she said,

"She got hurt on her face, I asked the ship’s doctor to apply some ice..."

"Thank you. Later tonight I’ll carve a Healing Magic for her, by tomorrow it’ll be as if nothing happened."

"You really know a lot..."

"It’s nothing."

Then, the typically brisk albeit not awkward conversation between them paused again. Alagina’s gaze moved back from the distance to him, stealthily looking at Fisher’s hand resting by his side.

After a moment, she suddenly asked,

"Fisher... are you unhappy?"

Somewhat surprised, Fisher glanced at the captain standing a bit taller beside him. He thought that Alagina had misunderstood him being irritated about Isabella’s apology, so he shook his head, explaining,

"No. The apology Isabella made to the crew wasn’t forced by me, it was her own decision, she knows she did wrong..."

But Alagina continued to look at Fisher, adding,

"Not that... I can feel you’re not happy, because of another woman."

Fisher tensed at that, having not expected Alagina’s insight to be so finely attuned that she perceived his thoughts about Elizabeth.

He remembered a joke that used to circulate in Nali about the Sardinian Female Country: It was said that if a Nali Gentleman decided to marry a lady from the Female Country, he might as well learn from the brusque Schwali people and also find a male partner, at least that way he wouldn’t have to leave the country...

The joke aimed to satirize the strong feminist leanings of the ladies from the Sardinian Female Country, not much different from the traditional gentlemen of Nali, known for their directness and their lack of grasp of human emotion. However, the legendary captain from the Female Country in front of him was not like that.

Quite the opposite, she was actually very perceptive.

With that in mind, Fisher didn’t directly answer her question, instead bringing up another matter,

"Oh right, I forgot to tell you before. Actually, Isabella is the youngest princess of the Gedelin Royal Family, and our departure from Saint Nali wasn’t approved by her biological sister Elizabeth... no doubt we’re currently wanted by Nali for a hefty bounty."

"I know... we received the warrant for your arrest and hers, Elizabeth was proclaimed in Saint Nali a few days ago, becoming the tenth Emperor of Nali, the first Empress."

"That makes sense."

Alagina’s gaze moved from his fingers upwards until it rested on his profile,

"...Fisher, are you upset because of Elizabeth?"

"..."

Fisher didn’t respond immediately, seeing this, a strange bitterness slowly spread through Alagina’s heart, but she didn’t press on and instead gently extended her own left hand to grasp Fisher’s hanging fingers.

At that moment, Fisher felt a touch of icy fingers slowly intertwine with his palm. Alagina’s hand was not soft; you could even feel the calluses formed from wielding a sword, but her gesture was gentle, wrapping around him quite proactively, and a bit of warmth was born out of that cool touch.

When she enveloped his hand, she exhaled a light breath of cold air, and beneath her pony-tailed white hair, her earlobes once again took on a cherry hue. She asked,

"Does this...make it a little better?"

Emhardt, sitting on Fisher’s shoulder, seemed to roll his eyes and ran off in the direction of Karma and the others, leaving Fisher unsupervised. Involuntarily, his gaze swept toward her fair neck, and as his eyes moved, he didn’t let go of Alagina’s palm but even more willingly tightened his grasp.