Chapter 39 – The Youngest Daughter of the Count’s Family (2)
As I’d expected when they said “the middle of the Pacific,” the coach and I traveled by boat from the port.
‘I wanted to take a plane…’
Still, I was somewhat satisfied.
Seeing the overwhelming expanse of the ocean, with nothing but water for hours, made me feel how small and insignificant I was—
“What are you zoning out for?”
“…I was marveling at the greatness of nature.”
“Geez! I’m already missing land, and here you are, proving you’re a swimmer, even with a different aptitude.”
“Yeah.”
The coach, who kept striking up conversations out of boredom, seemed to grow more haggard by the day.
“Moon-soo.”
“Yes.”
“No ghosts on this ship, right?”
“Out of nowhere?”
Has he actually lost it?
“I thought I knew you well, but I’ve never seen you do your shaman thing.”
“Didn’t you ask me not to?”
When did he beg me not to chase away water ghosts?
Ridiculous.
“That was during regular training! Now it’s just eat, sleep, eat, sleep. Feels like I’m being raised like livestock!”
“Hm…”
He had a point.
A cramped double room with just a bunk bed, salty food that tasted pickled, and a public bathroom that got dirtier by the day…
It definitely felt like a 20th-century prison.
“Aren’t you tired?”
“I am.”
Honestly, I wasn’t tired at all.
The ship’s food was overly salty, but other than that, I had no complaints.
It’s not like I was working late-night shifts, right?
I could sleep as much as I wanted.
“Sigh…”
“Coach, hang in there. We’re almost there.”
“Don’t get cocky. I’m still the adult here. You think I can’t handle this without whining?”
“…”
The guy who’d been grumbling all day saying that? I was speechless.
Then,
(Attention, passengers.)
An announcement came on.
(We will arrive at our destination in approximately 15 minutes. The ship may rock, so please return to your cabins and stand by.)
“Ooh!”
“Coach, I think I see land.”
“Where?!”
“Over there!”
I pointed to something faintly visible on the horizon.
“Ooh!”
“…But Coach, didn’t you say we’d train on a luxury cruise ship?”
“I did. What about it?”
“That’s an island. Sounds like you got it wrong.”
“Great question!”
“Really?”
“The luxury cruise ship where the top-tier team is training is 10km from that island.”
“No way…?”
Not 5km, not 8km, not 20km—exactly 10km.
That meant,
“When we reach the island, you’ll drop your bags at the reserved hotel and swim to the cruise ship. It’s 10km marathon training.”
“Crazy…”
It was the only thought that came to mind.
***
I suspected the coach might’ve pocketed the travel budget, but the accommodations were surprisingly decent.
A spacious bed, plush sofa, beautiful scenery, shower, bathroom, open-air hot tub…
If it weren’t for the insane training, I’d be happy.
“Rest well, and I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Call if there’s a problem.”
“Huh? What about you, Coach?”
I thought we’d share the room?
Leaving his bags and sleeping elsewhere was puzzling.
“…”
“Coach?”
“I’m meeting another coach to catch up all night. Maybe have a few drinks.”
“…I see.”
It made sense, but I couldn’t shake my suspicions.
“Ahem! Anyway, let’s meet at 6 a.m. local time tomorrow. Breakfast is at the hotel buffet, but lunch and dinner will be packed meals for diet control.”
“Okay.”
“…Oh! Almost forgot, nearly caused a disaster! The area outside the hotel isn’t safe, so never wander alone.”
“Ugh.”
I was disappointed, having planned to stroll the exotic streets.
“See you tomorrow!”
Thud.
The coach waved and left, closing the room’s door behind him.
Was he the only one excited?
‘That’s too much!’
Tomorrow’s scheduled 10km marathon training was postponed due to bad weather.
But according to the coach, I’d be stuck in the hotel until the typhoon passed, so sightseeing was out of the question.
I glanced at the guidebook on the room’s dining table.
“Let’s see…”
It was in a foreign language, but being a tourist spot, it also had translations in the global common language, so reading it was no trouble.
‘Who knew I’d use the foreign language I learned in school!’
I thought I’d never leave the country in my life.
Yet here I was, with a passport, reading a foreign guidebook?
These changes happened in just a few days, so while it felt surreal, I also felt rewarded for memorizing words and studying grammar.
“Golf course, billiards hall, gym, outdoor pool, bar, restaurant, convenience store…”
The hotel was equipped with all sorts of entertainment and amenities.
And that’s not all.
Every night at 8 p.m., there were various concerts, and on weekends, a circus at the outdoor pool…
But they’d be canceled automatically if the weather was bad!
“Sigh…”
I was disappointed, but there were still plenty of things to enjoy besides concerts and circuses.
Like strolling through the garden or the beach?
Free entertainment was abundant!
‘Shall I go?’
Wearing the sunglasses the coach gave me as a gift, I left the room.
***
After walking through a garden decorated with exotic trees and flowers, I strolled for about two hours on the sandy, typhoon-warned, deserted beach…
Still with plenty of time, I sat in the hotel’s luxurious top-floor restaurant, sipping iced coffee.
The money for the coffee?
If I hadn’t learned that hotel guests get one free drink a day, I wouldn’t have even glanced at it.
“…Now I get why it’s free.”
The coffee wasn’t great, but the view from the restaurant, even amidst the brewing typhoon, was stunningly beautiful.
So I gazed at the scenery, losing track of time…
“Excuse me.”
“Oh, yes.”
A woman—speaking the same language as me—pushed a wheelchair and asked for passage.
I pulled my chair aside to let the wheelchair through and glanced at the woman.
She looked to be in her mid-50s.
In the wheelchair was a young woman, likely her daughter.
‘Autism…?’
The woman, who appeared to be in her mid-20s, stared blankly ahead with unfocused eyes, drooling slightly.
Around her neck was a handkerchief, like one for a baby, to wipe drool and snot.
What stood out?
She clutched a novel with a medieval-style 2D girl on the cover, holding it like a treasure.
<I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Count’s Family.>
The title alone hinted at the story.
‘A rags-to-riches tale of being adopted as a noble’s daughter, huh?’
Not my taste, so my interest faded quickly.
Clack.
The mother, looking exhausted, parked the wheelchair by the window with a good view and sat beside her daughter.
The daughter didn’t even glance at her mother, who ignored the beautiful scenery to focus solely on her.
Clack.
“Hm?”
A waiter I hadn’t called placed an expensive ice cream and spoon in front of me.
“Enjoy.”
“Wait! I didn’t order ice cream!”
Startled, I grabbed the waiter’s wrist as he turned to leave.
“The customer over there ordered it. It’s already paid for.”
“Over there…?”
The mother met my eyes and smiled reassuringly.
Why did she buy it for me?
I couldn’t understand.
“Hm…”
I believe there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but no matter how I thought about it, I didn’t owe her anything.
‘Whatever! I’ll eat it first!’
Ice cream doesn’t wait while I ponder.
It’d be a shame if it melted, right?
I decided if the mother was still there after I finished, I’d ask why she bought it.
***
“Wow…”
The free iced coffee was disappointing, but the ice cream with cookies and marshmallows was delicious.
Clink~
I neatly finished, placing the spoon in the empty glass.
Happiness.
“Thank you for the treat.”
I conveyed my gratitude to the lady with sincerity.
“Traveling alone?”
Leaning comfortably against the chair’s backrest, she asked, and I answered honestly.
“No, I’m here for training camp.”
“Like a retreat?”
“Yeah. I’m a swimmer.”
Once the typhoon passes, I’ll have to swim 10km to the luxury cruise ship. And it’s a round trip?
Just thinking about it is depressing.
“Must be fun every day. Training in a beautiful resort.”
“Ha, ha…”
Maybe, if you exclude the grueling training?
I’m realizing how tough it is to become a national team member, reserved for only the best athletes.
“How long are you staying?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Personally, I hope you stay a while. As you can see, it’s hard to find someone to talk to with so many foreigners here.”
“Why’s that?”
“I don’t speak foreign languages… Just enough for basic orders or greetings.”
“I see.”
I couldn’t understand why she’d stay abroad long-term despite the language barrier.
“Curious?”
“Huh?”
“Why I’m living here.”
“…A little.”
The lady seemed eager to keep the conversation going.
Starved for it, maybe?
I didn’t ask for it, but I wanted to repay her for the expensive ice cream. Plus, I had nothing to do back in my room.
Scrape—
So, I grabbed a chair and sat near the wheelchair.
Did she catch my intent?
Her face visibly brightened as she continued.
“Before my daughter became like this, she begged for a birthday gift. She wanted to live on this island.”
“I see!”
It must be a rare case of acquired autism.
“Of course, I said no. It’s been almost a year since then. Her birthday’s the day after tomorrow…”
“Stay strong.”
I had nothing else to say to the lady gazing wistfully at her daughter.
‘Time to head back?’
Staying longer might drag me into her somber mood, making me gloomy too.
“Want something to drink?”
“Uh… not really…”
“Tropical fruit juice with soda is refreshing and tasty. Highly recommend.”
“…I’ll gladly accept.”
Weak to food, I gave up on leaving.
“My daughter…”
The lady tirelessly recounted memories of her daughter before autism.
Habits, hobbies, personality…
Not all were happy stories.
“After hitting puberty, she resented her father a lot. Said she couldn’t get a boyfriend because she took after him.”
“Geez…”
Isn’t that too sensitive?
In my opinion, she wasn’t unattractive enough to lack a boyfriend.
Of course, compared to Song Sun-young…
“Got a girlfriend?”
“Cough! No.”
Her sudden question made me choke.
“High standards?”
“No. I’ve never even thought about dating. Too busy with part-time jobs.”
“Wow… Still a hundred times better than my daughter, who only chased after a prince on a white horse.”
“Ha, ha… Thanks.”
Even with her mother badmouthing her right beside her, the young woman in the wheelchair showed no reaction.
Wasn’t her state closer to a vegetative one than autism?
But given how tightly she clutched the book, she didn’t seem entirely devoid of will…
“That book is her favorite romance novel. She never lets go, so bathing her is a struggle.”
“I bet.”
<I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Count’s Family.>
Did she want to become a silver-haired heroine like the one on the cover?
And maybe her ideal type was the handsome man gently embracing the heroine from behind…
“Sleepy?”
“…Yeah, I’m suddenly super sleepy. I’ll head—”
***
In the blink of an eye, my vision changed.
One moment, I was chatting on the hotel’s top floor; the next, I stood in the middle of a lush green plain.
‘What the…’
Rustle~
I turned toward the cool breeze and let out a hollow laugh.
“Ha, ha, ha…”
A medieval European-style fortress and village, almost impossible to find in the modern world, faintly appeared in the distance.
“This is insane.”
My drowsiness vanished completely.
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