How the Villainous Consort Avoids His Death Ending

There was one thing I could not deny.

The mercenaries of Hezekia truly fought one against a hundred—no, one against a thousand. Otherwise, they could never have survived this long.

“Uncle, which ship am I riding? Can I go see it now?”

Constantine, full of excitement and unaware of the situation, bounced up and clung to Tristan’s arm. I quietly looked at the boy’s beaming face and sighed inwardly.

There was a reason Tristan had hesitated to bring Constantine out to sea. I finally understood why people say you should listen when others advise you.

But worrying about Constantine was the least of my problems. I wasn’t sure how long I could last there myself. If I had known the fleet was in this condition, I would have planned things differently.

No—was it even possible to load trade goods onto those ships?

As I sank into deep thought, a flock of seagulls circled above my head, crying loudly. The ropes tied to the ship’s hull creaked and swayed uneasily in the wind.

That was when I heard whispering somewhere nearby.

“How long do you think they’ll last?”

“Hard to say. A week? No, they won’t make it in three days.”

“Three days? If they don’t start causing trouble from the very first day, that alone will be a miracle.”

I snapped my head toward the direction of the voices. Several sailors gathered on the deck flinched and quickly averted their eyes before scattering.

There was no need to wonder who they were talking about. I clenched my teeth and glared at the spot they had been standing.

“I’d prefer if you didn’t blame them.”

I looked up at the voice above me. Tristan’s deep blue eyes were quietly fixed on me.

“This voyage is a gamble for them as well. It isn’t your fault—it’s because of the route. If they lose this gamble, their families’ livelihoods will be at risk too.”

His calm, low voice continued evenly.

“They are simply venting their fear of the new route. They’re rough sailors. I ask that you be generous with them.”

I turned my gaze to the fleet anchored at the harbor. Even as the sailors and navigators prepared for departure, they kept glancing this way. Their faces, hardened by the sea wind, were full of worry and unease.

Not long ago, Tristan had agreed to my proposal—to stop mercenary work and open a trade route to the Northern Continent. I hadn’t expected him to accept it so readily. Perhaps he, too, had long been troubled by the limitations of mercenary life.

Still, just because the Grand Duke decided it didn’t mean everyone accepted it willingly.

I straightened my back, then nodded.

“Don’t worry. I’m used to hearing things like—”

“Anyone who behaves rudely will be punished by me.”

“What?”

I blinked wide-eyed at the sudden words. Wasn’t he just telling me to overlook it?

“I mean you need not concern yourself with such things. You won’t be hearing such talk again.”

“Ah, yes…”

He was the one who asked me to be understanding—so why was he punishing them himself?

After declaring this unexpected bit of hypocrisy, Tristan turned his back. His long legs carried him toward the flagship in long strides. Constantine, clutching his uncle’s hand tightly, hurried along beside him, his short legs flailing to keep up.

Constantine had recently gained some weight. His once-skinny legs had grown quite plump.

Life aboard a ship would not be easy for a child, but it would surely be far better than spending anxious days not knowing who might target him. Being with the uncle who raised him would make him much happier.

I watched the two of them walk away and drew in a deep breath.

But the challenges were far from over.

“I’m staying here?”

When I was shown the cabin I’d be using, I froze. Was this a joke?

The cabin Tristan guided me to was not large, but it was neat and well-kept. The space was divided into an outer sitting room and an inner bedroom. The sitting room had a wide table, several chairs, and a long sofa. On the wall hung a large map—the kind used by an admiral.

That’s right. A map used by an admiral.

Which meant this was Tristan’s cabin…