A Sweet Girl Won't Be Fooled By The Villainess - [Vol. 3] Chapter 3

[Vol. 3] Chapter 3: Thanks for the Gifts from the Sea

Seemingly sensing the threat of death, the sea monster’s collisions became even more intense, causing the ship to sway more violently. Accompanied by several screams, people struggled to stand on the deck, and a few unfortunate individuals even fell to the ground. Fortunately, the deck’s railing was quite sturdy, preventing anyone from falling into the sea. However, even so, in the panic, those who fell were inadvertently trampled by others.

Jessica, holding her own hands, was more clever. When the ship began to shake violently, she had already grabbed onto the railing, not letting go even when she was almost thrown into the air. As a result, she was fortunate to remain unharmed, although her heart was racing.

Unable to pat the wildly beating heart in her chest, Jessica turned her head to look in the direction where Ifia and Miss Barlen were standing, wondering how they were faring. Hopefully, they hadn’t fallen!

Then…

Jessica saw Miss Barlen standing firmly like a pine tree, one hand embracing Ifia’s slender waist. Amid the chaos of people stumbling around, her fearless appearance was truly impressive! Wait, despite the turbulence, she didn’t even sway!

Miss Barlen is truly amazing!

Jessica held onto the railing tightly, silently shedding tears of envy. Truly, she was so envious.

Amidst the screams of the panicked crowd, Ifia reached out and embraced Amelia. The rocking of the ship felt like being on a pirate ship, but unlike others in a state of panic, with Amelia, a skilled individual, there was no need to worry about unexpected incidents. So, Ifia found it quite enjoyable.

(~ ° w °)~

However, if the sea monster continued to collide with the ship, it wouldn’t be fun anymore once it capsized.

“Moo.”

While Ifia was considering the possibility of abandoning the ship, the sea monster emitted a mournful cry. The collisions suddenly ceased, but soon, in just a dozen seconds, even more violent impacts erupted.

The enormous fish tail slapped, causing towering waves.

Ifia, nestled in Amelia’s arms, watched the waves with her dark eyes, showing a hint of confusion. In this day and age, there were no nuclear waste discharges, so why was the splashed seawater black?

Soon, the black seawater changed color, mixed with red.

This prompted Ifia to instinctively tighten her embrace around Amelia. Subsequently, the sea monster’s painful wails intensified her curiosity. She wanted to take a peek down from the railing, ensuring it wouldn’t compromise safety.

She wanted to see what the sea monster looked like!

Perhaps it was the novelty that surpassed her previous understanding, touching the wonders of a new world. While Ifia was feeling a sense of excitement in her heart, Amelia thought she was scared by the ship’s rocking. She unfolded the Abyssal Realm, enhancing its power, intending to shatter the sea monster into pieces and sink it to the ocean floor.

The legend of the Sea of Terror in the Sith Empire was not entirely fabricated. During sea voyages, aside from storms, one needed to guard against sea monster attacks. Not all sea monsters were friendly, some lurked near ships solely because they enjoyed human flesh.

Now, it was the demonic aura that attracted this giant sea monster first, causing other lurking sea monsters to keep their distance. Even without this giant sea monster, other sea monsters would hesitate to attack the Barlen family’s fleet. After all, Amelia was now part of the Barlen family, and maritime trade and treasure hunting belonged to her. Therefore, casually assigning some demons for protection was not a difficult task.

“Amelia, I want to see this sea monster. Can we, please?”

Ifia, with a pitiful look, tugged at Amelia’s sleeve and shook it. Her face was filled with eagerness, and her dewy eyes gazed directly, making it hard to refuse.

Unfortunately, Amelia chose to decline.

“No, it’s too dangerous.”

Upon hearing these words, Ifia instantly became despondent. She didn’t continue pleading but muttered softly to herself, “I thought Amelia was so powerful, no need to worry about danger. Now it seems I was too presumptuous.”

After saying this, she sighed softly, but it made Amelia couldn’t help but laugh. A hint of helplessness flashed in her purple eyes. Did Ifia think that this kind of provocation would make her compromise? In fact, it really could.

Amelia didn’t want to leave an impression of incompetence in Ifia’s heart. So, instead of immediately using the domain of hell to strangle the giant sea beast, she only temporarily restrained its movements. Then, holding Ifia’s waist, she conspicuously went against the crowd, which was continuously retreating.

“Miss Barlen, what are you doing? Don’t continue, it’s very dangerous!”

“The Barlen family is too arrogant, thinking they have extraordinary abilities?”

“Please don’t get close to the railing, or you might fall into the sea!”

“Do they want to die? Quickly stop them!”

While Amelia satisfied Ifia’s curiosity, others were discussing fervently. Perhaps because danger made people uneasy, they didn’t bother to lower their voices, and their words were loud enough for Ifia to hear clearly.

This left Ifia speechless as she pursed her lips, then tugged at Amelia’s sleeve once again. With a hint of frustration, she said, “Amelia, because of me, they’re talking about you. Maybe you should just go back!”

“Ignore them,” Amelia replied, smiling as she reached up to pat Ifia’s little head, preventing her from overthinking. Others’ opinions and thoughts were insignificant to Amelia – just a group of ants. Since Ifia wanted to see, she would let her, knowing she had the ability to protect her.

Upon hearing Amelia’s reassurance, Ifia chuckled. Since even Amelia herself didn’t care, she didn’t need to think too much about it. She decided to focus on witnessing the true appearance of the sea monster!

Interestingly, after Amelia decided to take her to see the sea monster, the ship suddenly stopped rocking. When they reached the railing at the edge of the deck, Ifia grabbed the railing and looked down. Perhaps the earlier perception of black seawater was due to the lighting, as now, it was still the deep blue sea. However, the seawater, mixed with the blood of the sea monster, continued to turn red, staining a large area of the sea.

The gigantic sea monster seemed to be bound by something, not quickly sinking into the depths but remaining motionless on the ocean surface. As for its appearance…

Hmm, how should I put it? It was truly a bizarre creature. It had the shape of a whale, but at the front of its body, there were two enormous crab pincers. Its abrupt dorsal fin had numerous ribbon-like streamers, and its large mouth continuously opened and closed, revealing several rows of sharp teeth inside.

Combined with its immense size, it was like the ocean’s top predator! It was incredibly frightening! Ifia, seeing the true form of the sea monster, accidentally made eye contact with its enormous eyes. Immediately, she shivered in fear. Just as she was about to ask Amelia to take her away from the railing, the monster let out a low, moaning roar.

The previously motionless body seemed to break free from its constraints, instantly leaping out of the sea surface.

A towering wave surged, but it seemed to be blocked by something, preventing it from reaching the deck. The sea monster didn’t continue to collide with the ship’s hull either. Instead, it… performed a mid-air spin followed by a backflip.

What in the world was it doing???

If someone were to throw a large beach ball, its agility could rival that of dolphins performing tricks at an aquarium! Ifia stared in astonishment as the sea monster seemed to playfully showcase its acrobatics on the ocean. She felt like she might still be dreaming and not fully awake.

She looked up at Amelia with a puzzled expression and asked, “Amelia, is this sea monster performing acrobatics? It seems like it’s trying to please me?”

“It might actually be trying to please you,” Amelia replied with a smile at the corner of her mouth. However, her purple eyes showed no amusement. As she watched the sea monster display affection towards Ifia, the hand that had been securely holding Ifia’s waist, ensuring her safety, emitted a flash of red light from the fingertips.

The next moment, a detestable radiance of holy power emanated when it touched Ifia’s soul. It was the work of the Saint Tiffany.

After realizing the reason for the sea monster’s affection towards Ifia, Amelia immediately withdrew her exploration. Holy blessings were not a bad thing for humans.

“Wow, do I really have such an affinity with animals? Even dogs that passed by me before couldn’t be bothered to look at me.”

“……”

Amelia raised her hand in resignation and pinched Ifia’s soft cheek. After the sea monster ceased its attacks on the ship, Amelia chose not to use the hell domain to kill it again. First, the sea monster was enormous, and killing it now would be too obvious. Second, these sea monsters might be social creatures, and killing one could attract more trouble later on.

Amelia didn’t want her journey to be tainted with bad luck from the very beginning. After she withdrew the hell domain, the giant sea monster immediately sensed it. The bleeding wounds on its body stopped due to its robust regenerative abilities. After tumbling in the air once more, it plunged into the sea and disappeared.

At that moment, the crisis of capsizing disappeared, and the situation returned to a safe zone. People breathed a collective sigh of relief, with some immediately collapsing on the ground from exhaustion. There were also those who had fallen and been trampled earlier, now crying out for help. Apart from the nobles who boarded the ship, there were also the captain, crew members, and maids serving the nobles, adding up to a considerable number of people on the ship.

“Thank goodness! I thought I was going to die here. I even had my farewell letter prepared.”

“Where are the medical personnel? Come and help! I think my leg is broken!”

“Sailing on the sea is really full of danger.”

“Was that just now a giant sea monster? Truly frightening!”

While people chatted away, Ifia looked somewhat regretfully at the sea. She had hoped to watch the sea monster’s acrobatic performance a bit longer—it was truly spectacular! Moreover, this was the first time her affinity with animals had been so good, almost unbelievable. After all, even Amelia’s cat wouldn’t let her touch it before…

“Oh!”

Just as Ifia felt regretful, the sea monster’s distinctive call resounded again. People’s voices instantly ceased, and they hurriedly secured themselves, anticipating potential injuries due to the ship’s movement. However, this time, the sea monster did not collide with the ship. Instead, it playfully circled around the vessel, occasionally moving away and quickly returning, as if chasing away something. In the next moment, its enormous fish tail forcefully slapped the surface of the sea. Immediately, the sea churned, and countless fish and shrimp soared into the air.

Crackling sounds echoed as the seafood landed on the deck, covering it in a thick layer, still jumping and wriggling. Ifia looked down at lobsters almost as long as her forearm, her black eyes gleaming.

Excitedly, she grabbed Amelia’s sleeve and exclaimed, “Amelia, let’s have a barbecue on the sea tonight!”

So much seafood!!! Thanks to the ocean’s generosity.

“Sure, there’s coal in the storage room. I’ll have the crew prepare the stove,” replied Amelia. She had no objections to Ifia’s suggestion, as long as it made Ifia happy. Besides, Ifia’s cooking was so delicious, the barbecue would undoubtedly be delightful. Amelia wanted to taste it.

After Amelia quickly nodded in agreement, Ifia proudly lifted her chin and gave Amelia a knowing look, then mysteriously said, “I’ll personally prepare a secret seasoning, absolutely super tasty!”

Due to Amelia’s prestigious position in the Barlen family, she naturally held sway on the ship. With a command, people immediately began to organize the fish, shrimp, and crabs. By the time it got dark, everything was ready. At the stern of the ship, where the barbecue was set up, special oil lamps were romantically placed.

Glass bottles, each with a candle inside, were tied together with hemp ropes, and with the caps removed, they emitted a warm light, illuminating everything around.

Ifia also prepared the secret sauce, spreading it over the already prepared seafood. The seafood was so large and fresh, a rare treat that tasted heavenly with every bite. Jessica, who was helping on the side, was so tempted that she wished she could devour the ingredients raw. Amelia smiled as she watched the two of them handle the ingredients and barbecue. She sat in a lounge chair, gently playing a mouth organ, a melodious tune filling the air, accompanied by the gentle sea breeze, creating a beautiful picture.

With the sound of the waves, the mood became more relaxed.

“Hey, Ifia, mind if we join in?” However, perhaps due to the bustling activity of the impromptu seafood processing on the ship, someone immediately came without an invitation before the seafood barbecue was fully cooked.

Austin winked at Ifia with her emerald green eyes, wearing a mischievous smile on her face. Seeing the people standing behind her, Ifia suddenly felt a bit of a headache.

Classmates Isabella, Prince Carloy, and Irene, along with the eligible bachelor, Andrea Manlo, were all familiar faces and had gathered quite promptly.

“Of course,” Ifia said with a forced smile on her face. Although she disliked the interference of the main characters in the affairs of the male and female leads, she wouldn’t outright refuse in their presence.

However, freeloaders were not welcome! Ifia was not a free laborer.

(-_-)

Immediately, Ifia assigned tasks to ensure that everyone was kept busy. As for Amelia, who was sitting still… Hmph, didn’t she hear the beautiful music being played? That’s quite tiring too! Besides, just sitting there, Amelia was already eye-catching, making Ifia find the barbecue particularly interesting.

When everything was done, and the first batch of barbecue wasn’t ready yet, a few people sat around the table in silence, creating a slightly awkward atmosphere. Austin took the initiative and suggested, “To avoid boredom, let’s play a game!”

“What game?”

“Truth or dare!”