"Oh, guests have arrived. I thought none of you would come!" Seeing Cons's timid appearance, Integra blinked playfully, then spoke in the tone of a young girl pretending to be an adult. "So, tell me. What did you come to see me for?"
"Um, Ms. Integra..." Looking at the woman before him, who could entirely be called a girl, Cons felt an increasingly strong sense of familiarity. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he could not recall where he had seen her before. He could only take it as a revelation from his spirituality and soften his tone slightly.
"I came to ask, um, what you think of this fog."
Cons had originally wanted to ask about the Black Pearl slowing down, but that seemed rather like an accusation, so he wisely chose a more tactful approach.
"I see." Integra nodded lightly, then beckoned to him.
"Come with me."
"Oh!" Cons followed without a second thought. Only then did he notice that the sea sirens' song by his ears no longer possessed that maddening, addictive power. Though it had become even more beautiful and pleasant, it no longer made him want to throw himself into the sea.
Though Cons was young, he was still an outstanding graduate of Tingen University and had spent several years in MI9. Naturally, he did not think the sea sirens had suddenly become merciful. As he followed Integra toward the bow, he asked curiously:
"Ms. Integra, did you do something? The sea sirens' song on this ship doesn't seem as terrifying as it was aboard the Scylla."
"Yes, just a simple barrier." Integra spoke casually, as if she had done something utterly insignificant, and gestured for Cons to sit down.
"Simple..." Cons savored the word with a bitter smile. Although he was somewhat resistant