Silver Lining Yesterday - Chapter 10
“…Butler. Has Nix sent a reply confirming his attendance at the banquet?”
“I haven’t received any such message.”
“Is that so?”
Gemma responded coldly, gracefully lifting her glass of water.
Frustrated, Luke slammed his fist on the table.
“Mother!”
“Luke Heidegger.”
Leroy Langdon, who had been quietly observing the situation, spoke in a low voice to caution him.
Gemma motioned with her eyes.
“There’s no need to set a seat for someone whose attendance is uncertain. If the seat that was prepared in advance is left vacant, only useless rumors will spread.”
“But it’s my brother!”
“If he truly comes, then he will learn the valuable lesson of letting us know whether he will attend in advance next time.”
Luke clenched his fist and glared with resentment.
Leroy Langdon, who had been watching his son with concern, sighed.
“I’ll make sure a seat is ready for Nix when he arrives, just in case.”
“…You’re always working so hard.”
Gemma smiled faintly and gently kissed Leroy’s hand.
A hint of color appeared on Leroy’s cheek. Despite being married for over twenty years, their affection for each other had not diminished.
Soon, Gemma stood up from the table.
“I’ll leave first. There’s work to be done, so don’t wait for me. Luke?”
“…Yes.”
“Make sure you don’t be late.”
Gemma swiftly left the dining room, receiving her coat from the waiting attendant and spoke softly.
“Find out where that kid, Nix is.”
“Yes.”
“Do it discreetly, so it doesn’t stand out.”
With a short sigh, Gemma tightly closed her red eyes.
“I hope this time it passes quietly…”
* * *
The old warship that crossed the sky took two more days to arrive at Satin.
Rather than bringing the ship directly into the city, Nix docked it in a valley within the Aisendor Mountains. The narrow path that led to Satin seemed to be rarely traveled.
“It should be fine, but if anything happens, don’t try to fix it yourself. Stay put and wait for me to get back.”
Nix gathered the crew on deck and gave them a stern warning.
“Have you seen how bugs think? They don’t think. You’re worse than bugs, so just follow my orders and you’ll be fine.”
“Yes!”
Jean, sitting by the mast at a distance, sniffed her red nose from the cold.
The crew members’ eyes were filled with admiration, respect, and a hint of fear as they looked at Nix. Despite his young age, he managed his subordinates well.
Nix, having dismissed the crew, walked across the deck in unfamiliar civilian clothes.
With his tall frame, the hem of his coat fluttered down to his knees as he wore a fedora, looking more like a sophisticated businessman than a soldier.
Compared to him, Jean felt like a child sneaking out in her mother’s clothes.
Jean adjusted the oversized coat and followed Nix diligently. The boots that were too large for her, kept slipping off like crumpled newspaper, making it hard to walk.
By the time she reached the deck, Nix was already speaking with a technical officer.
“How’s the repair?”
“Roughly done.”
“Roughly?”
Nix frowned, glancing skeptically at the prepared vehicle.
“Between fixing the engine and the motor, when can I find time to deal with this old junk? Just think of it as something to throw away and get on with it.”
The officer, whose eye bags stretched under his eyes, nodded with a stiff wrist, barely moving the wrench.
Nix, eyeing him suspiciously, opened the car door and turned the ignition. It was quiet.
“It’s not starting.”
“It worked until earlier, but something’s off now.”
“Should I just drag it like an ox?”
“Please, if you could?”
“Unbelievable…”
With a sigh, Nix placed one hand on his waist, then kicked the car in frustration. Jean, dragging her boots as she approached, stopped in shock.
The red metal body of the car was being repeatedly kicked with force.
“Ensign Robinson, are you just going to watch? We need to make this thing work somehow.”
“Can’t you just walk? At the Captain’s pace, it might be faster.”
“Are you joking? Am I alone here?”
“Well, honestly, I think that person wouldn’t want to go with you either.”
“What? What nonsense…”
Nix, turning his head irritably, met Jean’s wide eyes. Realizing she had been watching, the anger in his fierce expression softened just slightly.
The kicking stopped, and a brief silence settled.
Jean, awkwardly shifting her gaze, suddenly flinched. The quiet car body vibrated, and black smoke began pouring out.
Startled, Jean squeezed her eyes shut and began coughing as the fumes covered her.
As the sharp smoke filled her lungs and tears sprang to her eyes, Nix’s strong hand grabbed her arm and pulled her away.
His hand brushed off the soot from her hair and shoulders and he quickly lowered himself as she was dazed due to the coughing
“Hey, are you okay?! Why the hell did this junk start working suddenly?”
“Ugh, don’t kick it! You should save the engine that barely started!”
“You still have the luxury to watch?”
Through the blurry vision from her tears, Jean could see Nix’s face that was gritted with frustration. When he noticed her gaze, he turned his head but paused.
Jean sniffed again, rubbing her reddened eyes.
After a brief distressing moment, Nix wiped the expression from his face and pointed at the passenger seat with a sharp gesture.
“Get in.”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
