***

They say even if you’re caught in a tiger’s den, if you keep your wits about you, you can come out with a tiger’s pelt.

But what should one do to survive when it’s not a tiger’s den, but the residence of an Admiral who looks capable of defeating a tiger with bare hands?

“We’re here.”

A large, elongated hand in pristine white gloves gently pushed open the heavy bronze door.

I unconsciously flinched and tried to move away from that hand, but held back when I heard the voice from above my head.

“Go in.”

The Admiral, holding the door, nodded at me.

I entered, tense under his gaze.

There seemed to be no servants; the spacious and empty interior was so quiet that the sound of water droplets hitting the hardwood floor echoed throughout.

“Sit on the sofa.”

“But it’ll get wet…”

“Sit.”

“Yes.”

Perching tentatively on the luxurious sofa, it felt so cozy I could have fallen asleep right there.

The Admiral personally brought out a blanket and even brewed tea for me.

“I can do that!”

“Would you have a guest brew their own tea?”

“No, sir.”

When I came to my senses, I was sitting in the drawing room’s plush sofa wrapped in a blanket, sipping hot tea.

“Thank you…”

After being in cold water, warming up my entire body made me feel drowsy, like a child after playing in water.

I looked at the Admiral sitting on the opposite sofa, feeling slightly more relaxed.

Why is he being so nice?

Could he really have brought me here out of simple kindness?

Out of sympathy for a noble lady who fell into the sea…

“Lady Rabius.”

No way in hell.

Just look at those eyes. He’s definitely trying to lower my guard with this preliminary treatment.

The Admiral, who had been resting both arms on his thighs, leaned forward toward me.

With the light behind him, his massive shadow engulfed me.

His face, cast in shadow, looked inhumanly beautiful and cold.

My throat went dry, feeling like prey before a predator.

He opened his mouth slowly.

“Do you know why I brought you here?”

His penetrating gaze chased away any drowsiness. The comfortable sofa suddenly felt like sitting on pins and needles.

‘…I’ll deny everything first. If I can just hold out until Mikhail arrives with the dress, I should manage somehow.’

“I believe it was your consideration to prevent me from catching a cold. Like the Admiral who rules the south, with a heart as vast as the ocean, I’m grateful-“

“That’s not all.”

Damn. I gulped down my parched throat.

Then, widening my eyes in feigned surprise, I asked:

“Pardon? Are you saying you had other intentions in bringing me to your empty residence, Admiral?”

I deliberately gave him the look of someone facing a ruffian, which made him narrow his brows.

But he soon relaxed his expression and spoke in a leisurely voice.

“Yes, there are. Other intentions.”

His eyes, unlike his voice, blazed intensely.

‘Catching a great white shark with a fishing rod would be easier than surviving this…’

Fighting back tears, I forced my reluctant lips to move.

“…Actually, I knew. Why you called for me, Admiral.”

At my words, spoken with downcast eyes like a confession, the Admiral tilted his head once as if telling me to continue.

I clenched my fists to steady my trembling hands and spoke gravely.

“I…”

Activating Social Life Active Skill LV. 2 Acting.

“I must have destroyed the marine ecosystem through excessive fishing. I’m truly sorry! It was my first time fishing today, and I got too excited when the fish kept biting…”

The Admiral’s hand, which had been supporting his chin, slipped.

“What?”

“I promise never to disrupt the fishing grounds with overfishing again!”

I genuinely regret catching such a mountain of fish at the fishing grounds.

If I had caught a reasonable amount and left, I wouldn’t be facing this situation now. Damn it.

The Admiral, who had been just blinking for a moment, let out an incredulous chuckle.

“Very well, I accept your pledge.”

The atmosphere seemed more relaxed than before, and I finally felt relieved.

Fortunately, my acting skills honed through social life still seemed effective.

“I mean it.”

“Of course, I believe you.”

Though brief, his response felt somewhat gentler than before, though that might have been my imagination.

And just as I was looking for the right moment to express my thanks and leave.

The Admiral raised the corner of his mouth and asked me.

“So, how did you know about the curse?”

‘Aagh! Aaagh! Uwaagh!’

I thought it was over!

While internally screaming silently, I fought the urge to clutch my heart and struggled to ask, “What curse?”

“You avoided my hand at the fishing grounds.”

It felt like having my neck caught in a tiger’s jaws after being lured into a trap.

“Like you’d rather fall into the sea.”

Exposed to the predator’s leisurely yet thorough gaze, I fumbled through the excuses I’d prepared on the way.

“I was merely trying to be considerate of your germaphobia by avoiding contact. There was absolutely no other intention-“

“Is that so?”

The Admiral tilted his head without even listening to my tearful excuse to the end.

Then his large hand moved toward my head, aack!

“Aaah! Don’t touch me!”

I instinctively raised both arms to shield my head, but realizing he’d win if he touched me anyway, I dodged sideways, nearly falling over.

“Heh, the Young Lady’s consideration is truly remarkable.”

The Admiral’s amused voice echoed lowly over the black marble coffee table.

It was utterly, utterly humiliating.

But they say rolling in a dung field is better than dying.

While I’m somewhat skeptical of that saying, I’m still an ordinary citizen who agrees that life is precious.

“Actually, I have germaphobia too!”

“You seemed completely unbothered when that butler touched your shoulders.”

“….”

“Anything else to say?”

I gritted my teeth.

“He’s familiar, and you’re not, Admiral. Besides, while that was to help me, trying to touch a lady’s body upon first meeting! I clearly overestimated you as a gentleman.”

The Admiral’s eyes curved in amusement.

“My apologies. I thought having seaweed stuck in one’s hair wasn’t very ladylike either.”

“…This is a new trend.”

“Is that so.”

“I’m going to make it trendy.”

“I’ll support that.”

I roughly pulled the seaweed from my hair and threw it aside.

Watching me, the Admiral tilted his chin and muttered.

“So you avoided it because you’re uncomfortable with strange men touching you.”

He spoke as if he didn’t believe it at all, but what could he do about it? That’s what I’m saying.

However, he didn’t question me further.

“What do you think, Zipfel?”

“It’s clearly a lie.”

A cold, businesslike male voice answered from right behind me.

I hadn’t known there was someone else besides the Admiral. Goosebumps spread across my entire body.

“The Young Lady has no such germaphobia. She has over five fiancés to begin with.”

“I-I-I had a traumatic experience in Rainfeld before coming down here, and after that…”

“According to the testimony of the coachman from the Rabius villa, when he offered his hand while getting in and out of carriages, she showed no aversion and expressed gratitude.”

Coachman mister! How could you do this to me!

And when did they even investigate such things?

“He, like Mikhail the butler, isn’t a man to me but simply an employee-“

“I’m so glad there are many handsome men in the south. It’s wonderful that they even greet with handshakes. The noble fishing grounds are for catching nobles-“

“Ack! Stop! Stop!”

I feel like dying from shame…

How can he recite everything without missing a single detail…

“Have, have you been monitoring me all this time?”

“The people at Count Elkanto’s residence have good memories.”

“Are you openly admitting to having spies in Count Elkanto’s household?”

“Count Elkanto is a Naval Lieutenant General.”

“….”

I sank like the Titanic right there. No survivors.

“In conclusion, I confirm that Lady Callia Rabius knows about Admiral Aquilus’s curse.”

“Good work.”

“Thank you.”

The man offered a brief salute, but I didn’t hear footsteps leaving.

Instead, he asked shortly.

“Shall I dispose of her?”

Before those words were even finished, I felt something cold at my neck.

“Heek!”

Barely rolling my eyes to look, I saw a blue-gleaming dagger less than a hand’s width from my neck.

“P-p-please spare-“

“Who told you about the curse’s existence?”

The Admiral asked with a dry expression, as if he had never smiled at me before.

“Th-that…”

I might get my throat slit with my eyes open, but what answer could I possibly give?

I learned it through a scene in a romance fantasy novel called “Contract Saint” where the Admiral, an extra character, falls victim to the Emperor’s, the male lead’s, underhanded scheme.

…If I said that, I’d be lucky to avoid torture for talking nonsense.

“If you won’t answer…”

‘This is crazy. Why did I catch so many fish in the first place… Wait. Fish?’

“I didn’t learn about it from anyone telling me.”

“Then you must have overheard something. Was it Duke Rabius?”

“No. I, I just instinctively felt I should avoid your hand.”

Naturally, the Admiral didn’t look convinced at all. The blade seemed to move closer, making my neck tickle.

Feeling tears well up in my eyes, I frantically blurted out what came to mind.

“I’m not entirely sure either, but maybe the Sea God! I think the Sea God told me!”

My desperate yet timid cry echoed softly through the spacious residence.

“The Sea God told you?”

I’m not a religious person, but I’ve heard everyone in the south of this world believes in the Sea God.

So I can only hope this works.

“You dare speak of the Sea God with that mouth.”

Zipfel spoke through gritted teeth from behind me as I felt a sting on my neck. His faith seems no joke.

Wait, but you just mentioned it too.

“It’s true! Didn’t you see how I caught those fish earlier? Realistically, would that have been possible without the Sea God’s help?”

It was purely the artifact’s effect though.

The southern navy probably wouldn’t know about the ancient bracelet kept in a secret room accessible only to direct Rabius family members.

“There might be, some truth to that.”

At the Admiral’s muttered words, I felt like I’d been pulled from hell to heaven.

But hearing what followed, I felt like God was mocking me.

“That would explain why you didn’t know much about the curse.”

“What…?”

What did I just hear?

“You didn’t know that my curse only affects people I touch with my bare hands.”