To You Whom I Don’t Love That Much (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 086

86.

She had Melvin summoned the moment she returned to the residence. She laid the purchased sea chart flat on her desk. The map thoroughly depicted nearby ocean currents, coastlines, and archipelagos. She weighed down the four corners of the chart with bookends and dipped her quill deeply into ink. Her mind had already drifted back to that day when she discussed the expedition with Cardier.

‘It’s dangerous enough as it is—what reason could there possibly be for a nighttime departure? And so suddenly, without even a hint. It must be a special operation breaching Tilsen’s coastline.’

At the time, Cardier hadn’t denied a single word. Coastline of Tilsen, special operation, invasion… Though she had vaguely anticipated such a mission, now that she saw the map firsthand, the number of variables she needed to consider was overwhelming, and the information she possessed was extremely limited. She didn’t even know how many soldiers had set sail or how much supply they carried.

She retraced her memories. Perhaps recalling her conversation with Cardier would reveal some clue.

‘There’s nothing truly dangerous about it. Aside from sharing a border, it’s not a particularly difficult operation.’

Border. It could’ve been dismissed as insignificant, but it might also hint at the ambiguous boundary where territory and territorial waters met. She circled several prominent capes and about half a dozen nearby archipelagos. Then, pacing the room, she rapidly muttered calculations under her breath and marked X over a few of them. Unless the sea had gone mad and changed drastically within the past four years, sailing through those areas would be suicidal. What else had he said?

‘Besides, you know well the principle that Father and I never sail on the same ship. The commander’s vessel naturally takes the front line, so I’ll likely just be trailing somewhere behind.’

If they weren’t on the same ship, and the commander’s ship led the front line… Total warships, including supply vessels, would be at least three, possibly up to seven.

‘I could return as early as within twenty days.’

The moment she recalled that voice, she bit back a curse. Damn it, in two days it would already be the twentieth day. She should’ve been wary of the silence. Ever since he’d set sail, she had deliberately avoided hearing anything about Cardier’s thoughts or current state. The more she thought of him, the more anxious she became, and his absence grew vividly present in her mind.

Even now, merely recalling his voice was becoming increasingly painful. It felt as if Cardier might open that door any second, walk in, and pull her into his arms. Then she’d press her cheek against his chest without a care, breathing in his broad, firm embrace and his pleasant, musky scent. ……Damn it, focus, you fool. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood and tightened her grip on the quill.

“Twenty days.”

She whispered the word aloud. She didn’t know the scale or size of the supply ships, but if the one-way voyage took about ten days, then for a typical frigate, the maximum range would be roughly this far. For a larger battleship, the distance would be even shorter. Even if both fully resupplied at the last naval base…

“Mistress.”

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