Pirates: I Can Repel Everything

"All right, you two have a good talk. Discuss it between yourselves."

At that, King Riku stood up. With his back to the two women, he sighed and said, "If you really don't like Chris, then forget I said anything."

"But sometimes, there's no choice but to make a small sacrifice for your country. Ah..."

After saying that, he shook his head and strode toward the door, his retreating back looking slightly stooped and full of loneliness.

Silence.

The room fell quiet at once.

Earlier, the two of them had only been joking and teasing each other. Neither had seriously meant anything of the sort.

But now, King Riku had actually turned their jokes into reality.

It was simply unbelievable.

"I thought Father wouldn't bring this up, but he ended up saying it after all. Ah..."

Viola rubbed her forehead and sighed, a helpless look crossing her lovely face.

Rebecca still hadn't quite processed King Riku's words. Hearing Viola speak only confused her further.

Furrowing her delicate brows, she asked in bewilderment, "Aunt, did you notice something?"

"And why would Grandpa say all that? We're already working with Chris. Why would we need a marriage alliance?"

"Grandpa must have gotten confused and said the wrong thing."

Viola shook her head and said with a wry smile, "You still haven't figured it out? Father didn't leave earlier because he had things to do. He deliberately stepped away."

"Why? So we could be alone with Chris, of course. He was creating an opportunity for us."

"Did you really think he had urgent business to attend to? Not a chance."

Rebecca was a clever young woman. She understood immediately, and anger rose within her.

"How could Grandpa do that? We don't even know Chris well, and he's already making arrangements without asking us.