How the Villainous Consort Avoids His Death Ending

“Tristan. It is not east.”

“…What do you mean, Ruellin?”

“I mean, well…”

How should I explain this? As always, it was awkward trying to explain when following a System-triggered event. I hesitated, unsure of how to phrase it.

“There is too little information about the eastern islands. The nautical charts only mention a few islands…”

“But isn’t it worse to go west?”

“However, if we sail west, we will reach the Taurraka Continent in a short distance. That direction is much closer. Probably…”

“Taurraka Continent?”

Tristan raised one eyebrow in puzzlement. Understandably so. The chart Matthias had made, this time, clearly showed only the Eastern Continent routes. Information about the Western Continent was unreliable. The Rubyere Empire’s older charts before Matthias were the same.

It was an ancient, untouched land that no one visited or cared about. Suggesting we sail west blindly would sound absurd.

I felt deflated and anxious, unable to continue speaking, only glancing at Tristan. Unexpectedly, Tristan seemed to accept the idea.

“You did not think of that. Indeed, Taurraka may not be far.”

“Really? You believe me?”

“…Were you not speaking with certainty?”

His gaze suggested he thought I was guessing. I flinched and quickly protested.

“No, no. I am confident in what I said. I just assumed Your Highness would not accept it…”

“I once drifted in the western sea. Not all the way to the Death Sea, but I was adrift in the northwest waters for some time.”

“Really?”

Tristan nodded calmly.

“Yes. Storms can easily cause such situations. Fortunately, we found a small island and could resupply. However, the natives there were extremely different in appearance and language.”

“Do you mean you reached the Taurraka Continent?”

Surprised, I asked quickly, and Tristan chuckled. His long fingers slowly reached forward and ruffled my bangs.

“Taurraka is a distant continent. With the ships of Hezekia at that time, we would have been swallowed by the sea before arriving.”

“…Ah, right…”

I replied awkwardly, my ears turning red for no reason. I should have stayed quiet. Still, the warmth from Tristan’s fingertips was comforting, so I remained silently.

“One thing. The natives we met on that island spoke of the Taurraka Continent. They were an indigenous people who survived by harpooning fish, yet they seemed to travel to Taurraka frequently. I was astonished that they covered such distances in their small wooden boats.”

“Really? Then…”

“That island is far to the north of here. However, in terms of longitude, it was much farther east. We cannot be sure of Taurraka’s coastline, and if it is indented, difficulties may arise. Still, it is more feasible than heading blindly east.”

I opened my mouth halfway in surprise, then quickly realized the odds were not just feasible. The event had been triggered by the System, so the probability was one hundred percent.

I glowed with determination and smiled at Tristan.

“Of course we will arrive safely at Taurraka. I give it two days. Do you accept the wager?”

❖ ❖ ❖

The fleet surged rapidly toward the western sea. By the end of the first day, the sailors’ expressions, which had been anxious, noticeably brightened.

Evidence that the coastline was approaching began appearing here and there. The deep blue sea gradually lightened. Faint layers of sand were visible beneath the water. In the distant sky, seagulls circled in round patterns. Everyone realized land was close.

The next morning, everyone gathered at the ship’s rail, staring intently at the horizon with expressions mixed with hope, excitement, anxiety, and nervousness. Tristan and I were no different.