Dylan quickly left the cabin after hearing Chris’ words. He went down the soft carpet covered stairs and reached the gate managed by the crew. It was a place where the first and second class areas met, but which were usually closed to one another.

“Is there something I can help you with? I don’t think there’s anything up ahead that may be of interest to you.”

“My kitten has wandered in. I’d like to look for it, so please let me through.”

“Understood. Please enter through here.”

“A kitten… is it?”

Even without glancing to his side, Dylan could tell that Chris was trying to hold back his laughter.

“What is it?”

“Nothing. I just thought it was a great metaphor for a newlywed couple on their honeymoon.”

Dylan told him that he was talking too much. At the same time, the gate opened and they were led through. As soon as they stepped off the stairs, they stepped onto a wooden floor. A lively singing reached their ears.

The spacious are turned out to be a dining hall. The room, which exuded a casual atmosphere, was accompanied by the sound of an organ. It was a different world from the party upstairs.

“I wonder if she’s here?”

“This dining room is quite vast, but not as large as the main dining hall upstairs. If by ‘kitten’ you mean your wife, you’ll find her easily.”

“Right… Wait.”

Dylan, having spotted something, grabbed Chris’ shoulders before the man could move on. Before his eyes was a woman dancing happily, her curled, platinum blonde hair fluttering about.

Teresa looked exactly the same as she had when she was at the Duke of Lancester’s house.

Chris followed Dylan’s gaze and sighed in exasperation.

“She’s not even in disguise.”

“I see… If Teresa is here, there’s a high chance Avril is also nearby. So where on earth could she have gone?”

Capturing Teresa was supposed to be the purpose of boarding the ship, but now that Avril had gone missing, that had become his main concern. In other words, they needed to quickly capture Teresa and move on.

Dylan and Chris signaled for several of their companions to block the exit. Afterwards, they approached Teresa and called out to her.

“Teresa Pannella. Please come here.”

“?! You are… Huh, why are you here?!”

“I’ve come to retrieve you as the head of the Duke of Lancester family. The police are on standby.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Forgive me, but I gathered all the evidence after you ran away. No more excuses.”

Dylan spoke, and handcuffed Teresa’s wrists.

“What… Why do you have these?!”

“Because some young ladies are adept at untying ropes.”

“Haa?”

“I’m not referring to you.”

“Oh, of course, as if that wasn’t obvious enough.”

Dylan sighed at Teresa’s attitude, something she wouldn’t have dared show when she still residing in the duchy.

“So, how long have you been here? Have you seen my wife?”

“You mean that innocent young lady? Did she disappear? Also, no clue.”

“I see, let me change my question. Where were you before this ship set sail?”

“Where? In the cabin, obviously.”

“I looked at the list of passengers and your name wasn’t there. Did you use an alias? Which room?”

“…”

Teresa immediately fell silent. She had to be hiding something.

However, while Dylan was gentle to Avril, he wasn’t so kind to other women—especially when the other party was a criminal.

So, Dylan handed Teresa over to the several police officers disguised as servants that he had brought with him.

“Take her away. Make her talk.”

“?! That hurts! Let go!”

“Shut up.”

“—What are you guys doing to my companion?”

As Dylan was beginning to tire with Teresa’s rampage, a dashing, familiar blond man with curly hair appeared. He was “Corinna’s ex-boyfriend,” who had played chess with Avril on the day of the masquerade ball and ended up losing.

—I see, it seems that most of the people at the masquerade ball were customers of Thomas’ “business.” In other words, they’re all involved in drug trafficking.

Originally, Dylan had planned to thoroughly search all the disembarking passengers at the next port as a safeguard in case he couldn’t find Teresa. However, it seemed that Teresa wasn’t the only person he needed to find and capture.

Regardless, since the Duke of Lancester had no authority over the ship, the best he could do was restrain Teresa.

Realizing that, Dylan ignored the curly-haired man and decided to contact Lawrence through the radio operator.

---

Read a month’s worth of translations ahead on patreon for only $3~

<Previous Chapter

Next Chapter>