One of the engineers explained while scratching his head.

“Hm? I mean, we’re supposed to stop at the next port for about half an hour. Is that what you mean?”

“No, half an hour isn’t enough. I want the Victoria to stay in port for a whole day—no, preferably until we get a signal.”

“Why?”

“Me and this girl, Lynn, were locked away in a hidden room on this ship. There are many other women there besides us, waiting to be sold to brothels in foreign countries. They were all women who were kidnapped in port towns and brought here. If we leave the next port, we won’t be able to escape.”

“What are you talking about? There’s no way that would happen on this ship.”

Naturally, the engineer didn’t seem to believe Avril at all. He smiled troubledly, but after glancing at Lynn, he grew shocked.

“…Now that I think about it, you’re always wandering around here by yourself. It did strike me odd that you’d always be coming to a place like this on your own. Aren’t you on board with your family?”

“Huh? Me? I see. I don’t speak the same language, but I think I get what you’re saying. It’s true. I was actually looking for food. I’m tired of eating cheap bread.”

Avril explained in behalf of Lynn, who couldn’t speak the language.

“Lynn has been locked away and hasn’t been able to eat properly. She was only wandering around the ship to find help her ailing friend.”

“No way… This has to be a lie?”

At first, they didn’t seem to believe Avril at all, but after putting two and two together, they seemed to be convinced. Avril stared straight at them, feeling the looks on the engineers’ faces change as the tension grew.

“No, it’s the truth. The womenare being threatened by guns, so they can’t escape. While they did allow us to leave through the back passage, if we don’t return, they be killed. The same thing will happen if intruders force their way in.”

“So, you want us to dock the ship at the port?”

“Yes. There’s someone else working outside besides me. As long as the ship doesn’t leave, I’m sure that person will be able to do something about it.”

Lord Dylan will cover every possibility, so I’m sure it’ll be fine.

Biting her lip, Avril clutched the necklace in her pocket.

Meanwhile, the engineer, who was watching Avril closely, seemed very confused. Clutching his temple, he furrowed his brow.

“But… we can’t just stop the ship on our own…? We’re engineers and stokers employed by the company that operates this ship. We’d get fired if we acted without orders from above. Moreover, the passengers who’re oblivious to the situation will probably complain…”

I expected as much.

“Indeed. I understand that you shouldn’t suffer any disadvantages by helping us. If the criminals are caught, there won’t be any problems. I’m sure it’ll work out—but you probably find that difficult to believe.”

“I guess so…”

As the engineer hesitated, Avril took out the jewel from her pocket and waved it.

A beautiful reddish orange gem dangled from the end of the gold chain.

Even those who didn’t know the name of the gemstone would instantly be captivated by that special necklace.

This is a keepsake from my grandmother. It’s also a precious memento that Lord Dylan went to great lengths to buy back for me.

Avril shook the precious necklace in front of the engineer and said firmly.

“This gemstone is of considerable value. I’ll give it to you as collateral for your reward, and should you happen to need new employment or living expenses afterward, I’ll pay you later upon request. In the name of Duke of Lancester.”

“‘The Duke of Lancester,’ you say?”

The engineer’s eyes widened went agape. Avril didn’t use the name of Duke of Lancester very often.

When she had first married into the duke’s family, she had forced herself to use his name when she went shopping and pretended to be a villainess, but she was usually careful not to rely on it as much as possible.

After all, it had a direct impact on Dylan’s reputation.

But this is probably the time when I should use his name. People’s lives are at a stake, and if this necklace and the family name are enough to sway them…

Besides, if she had to compensate them, she’d be sure to use her own hard-earned money.

A while ago, a new merchant house was given a tax deferral thanks to Avril’s advice, and thanks to that, the business recovered and the house had been making large donations on a regular basis.

It was more than enough for the people of the territory, and Dylan had saved it in Avril’s name. Who would’ve thought it would come in handy here.

Still, Avril was half-praying as she begged for their help. If the ship were to depart after only half an hour, there was a chance that Dylan wouldn’t be able to find the women, no matter how hard he tried.

She could’ve run away by herself, but Avril never considered that as an option.

Lynn, who had been acting as she pleased up until just now, read the mood and kept her mouth shut. Meanwhile, the man who seemed to be the engineer’s junior and the stoker stared at Avril in disbelief.

About ten seconds had passed. The engineer spoke as if he had made up his mind.

“You can put away that necklace.”

“Eh? But the lives of many women are at stake! Can you please reconsider…!”

“Since you came here, you’ve been clutching your skirt pocket tightly every now and then. I was wondering what was in it… Did you get that necklace from someone important to you?”

“…Yes.”

That was certainly true, but Avril wanted to do something somehow. When she tried to persuade them again, the engineer grinned.

“I don’t need a reward. We have pride as sailors too. It’s only natural to help a passenger if they’re in trouble, right?”

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*A/N: The necklace seen in this story also appears in Volume 1 of the LN and Volume 1 of the comic.

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