The royal airship did not have much interior space, but it had been ingeniously divided into areas of varying sizes.
Its most distinctive feature was a residential section divided into multiple layers.
The residential section was split into four zones that occupied just under half of the airship toward the rear. Arranged according to their duties, they ran from the innermost to the outermost: the prince's quarters, the royal guards' quarters, the security team's quarters, and the private soldiers' quarters.
Beyond the private soldiers' quarters lay the recreation area and a huge open kitchen, collectively called the outer area. This area connected directly to the outside through the airship's main door.
On the airship's lower level were the training area, reading area, and other facilities intended to help the Twelfth Prince pass the tedious hours.
Each of the four residential zones had only one exit. In other words, any attackers would have to break through three successive zones before reaching the prince's quarters.
Interestingly, the private soldiers' quarters had deliberately been placed on the outermost perimeter. They would be the first to face any attackers, and that arrangement would remain in place until they left the airship.
This reflected the royal guards' attitude toward these private soldiers-nothing but cannon fodder.
After entering the airship with the security team, Dio performed a routine inspection of every area from the security team's quarters outward.
Once he confirmed that everything was in order, he discussed the personnel assignments with Drobada.
In the end, Drobada and three security officers were stationed in the security team's quarters, while the remaining four officers spread out through the outer area.
Huh? Where did Dio go, then?
At that very moment, in the private soldiers' quarters.
Under the bright yellow lights, Corporal Jipa's face looked waxy and sallow. Fighting down his anger, he said:
"Officer, may I ask why you're staying in our quarters instead of leaving?"
Dio did not even glance at him. He simply plopped down on the sofa, then gave the wary Bokushin a warm smile and said:
"I'm under no obligation to tell you, and you have no right to refuse."
A vein bulged on Jipa's forehead, and his face instantly flushed red. Just as he was reaching the limits of his patience, Bokushin spoke up beside him:
"We are private soldiers of the Kakin Empire's Fourth Prince. Whatever your purpose may be, sir, if you're merely trying to antagonize us, please consider whether you can withstand the Fourth Prince's wrath."
Corporal Jipa's anger was understandable. Placing the private soldiers outside the security perimeter was already a roundabout way of using them as human shields.
Now someone had been sent into their quarters as well, preventing them from holding any secret discussions. It was a blatant display of disregard for them.
Bokushin assumed that the tall man before her had merely seen them relegated to the outermost ring and wanted to kick them while they were down, so she immediately invoked Tserriednich's authority.
But Dio remained unmoved. His smile did not change as he said something seemingly unrelated to Bokushin:
"Our mission is to protect the Twelfth Prince."
"Before the mission began, I specifically asked what we should do if private soldiers who refused to follow orders put the prince in danger."
"The answer I received was-"
Dio stared at the two before him, released a small amount of malicious Nen aura, and said calmly:
"Kill them on the spot."
Bokushin felt as though she had plunged into an icy abyss.
She felt as if some indescribable monster had fixed its gaze on her. An unfamiliar terror instantly stripped her of any courage to resist.
The feeling that her head might fall from her shoulders in the very next instant made a single second drag on longer than a year.
"What... is this...?"
Bokushin had never experienced anything like it. It was as though she were facing her natural predator; she could not muster even the slightest thought of resistance.
Private Third Class Otosin, standing nearby, was not convinced. This man thought he could kill all three of them by himself? Wasn't that a little too arrogant?
He was about to speak when a hand stopped him. Following its direction, he saw that Bokushin and Corporal Jipa were already drenched in cold sweat.
He isn't bluffing. That feeling... if we actually fought, even the three of us might not be a match for him...
What do we do? With him staying here, we can't discuss the plan at all.
Jipa gripped his gun tightly, but the memory of that abyssal terror kept him from acting. All he could do was glare at Dio.
I can't shoot. He's on the Twelfth Prince's security team. Shooting him would be rebellion, and it would damage the Fourth Prince's reputation...
Huh?
He suddenly realized that the man had not looked at him once from beginning to end. Instead, he had kept his eyes on Bokushin. Why?
Was he attracted to her?
A string of thoughts drifted through Corporal Jipa's mind, but he had no solution. Helplessly, he turned to Bokushin, his gaze seeming to say:
Private Second Class Bokushin! That man seems to be here for you. Find a way to deal with him!
Seeing Jipa's look, Bokushin broke into a fresh sweat.
She was just an ordinary soldier who dreamed of a peaceful life. What was she supposed to do?
But with the man staring at her all this time, she had little choice. Bokushin took a deep breath and tried to calm herself.
He wasn't acting like this at first...
His attitude only changed after I threatened him with the Fourth Prince. So he isn't determined to make things difficult for us-he just doesn't like being threatened?
With that thought, Bokushin forced a smile and tried to negotiate politely:
"Sir, what we said just now was a little inappropriate. Please don't take it to heart. To apologize, my companion would like to treat you to some time in the recreation area. He'll cover the expenses. How does that sound?"
Dio suddenly picked up a deck of cards from the table. As he unwrapped it, he replied casually:
"No. My assignment is to stay here and keep watch. Besides, I'm not interested in those slot machines. I only like card games."
Bokushin was not discouraged. On the contrary, she picked up on a possible hint in his words and immediately said with renewed enthusiasm:
"Oh, I like cards too. Why don't I play a round with you, sir?"
She watched Dio nervously after speaking, waiting for his reply.
At that, a hint of a smile finally appeared on Dio's face, and his tone grew friendlier:
"Sure. Have a seat."
Seeing the smile on his face, Bokushin suddenly felt, for some reason, as though she had been tricked.
Could this have been
his goal from the start? But why? Why does he want to play cards with me?
It was too late to back out now. She could only sit down reluctantly on the sofa opposite Dio.
But now that she suspected she had fallen into a trap, she refused to let him lead her around by the nose. Her mind raced, and suddenly she thought of a way to regain the upper hand:
"Sir, do you know how to play exchange cards? Why don't we play that?"
Dio searched his memories and recalled the rules of the game. A look of interest crossed his face as he said:
"Sure. Let's play that."
No sooner had he spoken than Bokushin said, seemingly offhandedly:
"But... just playing like this seems a little boring. Why don't we add some stakes?"
"Oh, come to think of it, I still don't know anything about you, sir. How about this..."
"The loser has to answer one question from the winner. What do you think?"
After speaking, Bokushin looked at Dio with a perfectly casual expression, as if she had really just tossed out the suggestion.
Corporal Jipa, who had been quietly observing for some time, suddenly spoke:
"How boring. Private Third Class Otosin, come outside for a smoke with me."
Seeing no reaction from Dio, he felt reassured and immediately pulled Otosin out of the room.
Bang!
As the door closed, the atmosphere in the room instantly froze.
Dio sat without saying a word, staring at Bokushin with an odd look. Only when she began to feel unnerved did he speak:
"All right. But one condition: if either of us refuses to answer a question, they have to transfer ten thousand Jenny to the other."
Bokushin breathed a silent sigh of relief. Now she had a chance to obtain information about him.
Since the Fourth Prince's private soldiers were essentially unwelcome to everyone aboard this airship, she had no information on the security personnel and guards accompanying them on this trip. This was a rare opportunity.
And Jipa and Otosin had already left with his tacit permission, giving the two of them a brief chance to discuss their mission.
As for Dio's final condition, she paid it no mind, dismissing it as idle talk.
Refuse to answer? Can't I just make something up?
By then, Dio had finished unwrapping the deck and selected the ace through ten from all four suits, forty cards in total.
He deftly shuffled the cards and placed the deck on the table, then looked into Bokushin's eyes and said gently:
"Since we're playing a game, there's no need to be so formal and keep calling me 'sir.' I'll give you one answer for free. My name is-"
"Bai Lianna."
Before you continue