Noon the next day.
When Lovia woke up, she felt a moment of confusion; the constant sound of waves in her ears and the slight rocking beneath her reminded her of where she was.
She sat up and rubbed her eyes, having rested quite peacefully last night. Her gaze subconsciously swept across the room, past the bright sunlight streaming through the window, and finally landed on the closed cabin door.
It should be morning now, right? Neuvillette... must be up already?
A thought sprouted in her mind: before Neuvillette left yesterday, he had mentioned that if she felt stifled, she could walk around the ship a bit.
She quickly finished washing up, straightened her clothes, and specifically made sure the quill pen on her left arm was secure. Taking a deep breath, she then gently pulled open the cabin door.
The corridor outside was quiet and empty, with only the faint, distant sound of the ship's operation. A sea breeze carrying a fresh saltiness brushed against her face, a stark contrast to the slightly stuffy air inside the cabin.
Hesitating, she poked her head out to look at both ends of the corridor. One side seemed to lead into the ship's interior, while the other showed the stairs leading to the upper deck, where brighter light was pouring down.
Go see the deck? This thought made her both expectant and nervous. Her emotions were somewhat conflicted now; for some reason, she was a bit afraid of seeing others, yet also somewhat looking forward to it.
After much thought, Lovia decided to go out and take a look. Gripping the cold metal handrail, she stepped up the stairs carefully, one step at a time. The higher she went, the stronger the sea breeze became, ruffling her short blue hair and causing her exposed antennae to sensitively capture more vibrations in the air.
When she finally stepped onto the deck, the vast seascape instantly occupied her entire field of vision, feeling completely different from what she had seen through the porthole in her room. The sky was a clear azure, meeting the boundless sea in the distance. The ship cut through the deep blue surface, leaving a long wake behind.
A few bold seagulls circled the stern, letting out loud cries.
The deck was spacious, with a few crew members busy in the distance, but no one paid her much attention, which allowed her to breathe a small sigh of relief.
Lovia chose a relatively secluded corner, leaning against the railing and gazing out at the endless sea.
The ocean was incomparably magnificent; the ship sailing through it seemed like a solitary leaf.
It really is... spectacular, she marveled silently.
Just as Lovia was immersed in this azure expanse, a gentle voice spoke from not far beside her.
"Good afternoon, Lovia."
The voice was gentle and familiar. She looked toward the sound and saw Neuvillette standing nearby at some point, still in his formal attire, his long silver hair fluttering slightly in the sea breeze.
Afternoon? Wasn't it morning?
Lovia instinctively looked up at the sky and found the sun indeed hanging high in the center.
No way? She had actually slept for that long?!
After a moment of daze, Lovia realized Neuvillette was still waiting for her response. She hurriedly turned around and greeted him softly, "Good afternoon, Lord Neuvillette."
"How did you rest last night?" He took a few steps closer and stopped beside her, also looking out at the distant sea.
"Um... alright," Lovia replied softly, her fingers unconsciously stroking the cold railing. "I just didn't expect to sleep until noon."
"It matters not. Sailing is inherently draining; sufficient rest is a good thing." Neuvillette's gaze remained on the distance, sunlight dancing on his silver hair.
Lovia nodded.
What should she say next? It felt like the conversation was stalling... She wasn't used to such private talks. She struggled to find a topic and finally remembered something: "Thank you... for yesterday's dinner. It was delicious."
"I am glad it was to your taste." Neuvillette seemed to relax slightly. "It seems you are adapting more smoothly than expected."
His gaze only then slowly withdrew from the sea, resting briefly on her.
"The sunrise at sea is spectacular, though it is a pity you woke a bit late," he stated in a calm tone. "However, the ocean by day has its own unique charm as well."
"Yes..." Lovia followed his gaze to the water. "...It is vast."
As a Little Writer from Liyue, her mind was unexpectedly blank at this moment, unable to think of anything else to say, so she could only describe it with such a sparse vocabulary.
She felt that in the face of this vastness, she appeared exceptionally small.
"Indeed. No matter how many times one sees it, the expanse of the ocean is always awe-inspiring." Neuvillette paused and turned his head to look at her for a moment before his gaze returned to the sea. "It accepts much and hides much. Beneath this azure lies another world of which we know very little."
Was Neuvillette referring only to the ocean? Lovia wondered privately.
"Sometimes, facing its vastness can also broaden one's mind."
Lovia nodded, half-understanding.
She wasn't sure if her mind had broadened, but standing here, feeling the sea breeze and looking at the endless blue, did indeed dissipate some of the slight oppression in her chest caused by the enclosed environment and the uncertain future.
She noticed that Neuvillette didn't watch her too much, instead keeping his eyes on the distant sea. He stood at just the right distance, making her feel safe without feeling pressured.
Occasionally, crew members would pass by and bow respectfully to Neuvillette. When their gazes swept over Lovia, though filled with curiosity, it was only a polite glance and did not linger.
This was good... She stayed on the deck for about half an hour, mostly immersed in her own thoughts, quietly watching the water surge ceaselessly and the clouds change shape on the horizon. Occasionally, she would steal a glance at his calm profile while Neuvillette looked elsewhere.
He seemed to enjoy the sea breeze and sunlight at this moment. Although his expression remained unchanged, his eyes appeared exceptionally serene and distant, as if he had temporarily detached himself from his heavy official duties to find a moment of rest.
Until a stronger gust of sea breeze hit without warning, not only making her hair even messier but also bringing a noticeable chill. Lovia couldn't help but shrink back and then sneezed softly.
This movement immediately caught Neuvillette's attention. He turned his head, his gaze falling on her somewhat thin clothing. "The wind is cold now and growing stronger; it is not suitable to stay long. If you like the scenery here, come back when the waves have calmed a bit."
His reminder was timely and thoughtful, without a hint of force, only concern.
Lovia nodded. She indeed felt a bit cold, and her exposed skin even had small goosebumps. "Thank you, I... I'll go back now."
She followed Neuvillette off the deck and back into the relatively warm cabin corridor. Before parting, Neuvillette gently informed her that lunch would be delivered on time and reminded her again that she could find him if she needed anything.
Returning to her own cabin and closing the door, Lovia walked to the porthole, watching the flowing seawater outside and letting out a soft sigh.
After talking with Neuvillette, the apprehension in her heart regarding the unknown seemed to have lessened by another degree.
Moreover, she hadn't felt too nervous today about being exposed to others after taking off her Hood and cloak.
This sudden thought caused even her a hint of surprise.
Lovia stood before the porthole, her fingertips lightly touching the cold glass, her gaze following the splashing spray outside, but her heart was not as prone to ripples of panic as before.
Just yesterday, she couldn't have imagined being able to appear alone before others without the cover of her cloak, even if only for a moment.
Although Lord Neuvillette was by her side afterward, those gazes from the crew members were real, and she... had endured them.
She hadn't dodged immediately, hadn't subconsciously reached for the quill pen on her left arm for comfort, and hadn't even felt the urge to flee back to her room right away.
Was it because of Neuvillette? His calmness in seeing everything as ordinary, his tolerance, made her subconsciously feel that her exposed self might not be so strange or worth hiding after all.
Or was it because... she herself was also quietly changing a little bit, without even realizing it?
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