Garden of May - Chapter 128
“This is your boarding pass and cabin key. Cabins B32 and B33 are connected. If you go near the first-class section and show this to one of the crew members there, they’ll escort you straight to your room. Be careful not to lose it. And…”
Mary looked at Vanessa hesitantly for a moment before eventually shaking her head.
“It’s nothing. I’ll see you back at the cabin.”
With that, she turned and slipped into the dense crowd. The white ribbon of her loosened apron dragged precariously behind her, brushing against strangers as it nearly trailed across the floor.
Vanessa instinctively moved as though to catch the ribbon for her, but Mary disappeared into the sea of people before she could reach her.
‘Will she really be all right like this?’
Mary had always been dependable. But tonight, she looked strangely fragile.
Vanessa was still staring at the place where she had vanished when—
Boom! The first firework exploded across the night sky.
‘I need to hurry.’
Now that the fireworks had begun, people would soon flood onto the deck. If she intended to return to the cabin, she had to move before that happened.
Vanessa quickly crossed the narrow corridor running along the ship’s side.
Her feet had been aching terribly ever since halfway through the evening from walking around all day in pointed heels, but she never slowed her pace once.
“May I see your boarding pass?”
The crewman standing guard by the gate at the stairwell looked startled by Vanessa’s sudden appearance, as though no one had passed through this entrance since the voyage began.
“Here.”
Vanessa held out the small round token Mary had given her.
After carefully inspecting it, the crewman finally smiled politely and opened the gate for her, even offering his hand with a warning that sea spray made the deck slippery.
The dance aboard the upper deck was in full swing. Laughter filled the warm summer night. The light, graceful steps of couples dancing waltzes blended with the melodies of beautifully tuned instruments.
Above all those sounds drifting softly through the air like background music, towers of long-stemmed champagne glasses had been stacked high. Freshly uncorked champagne cascaded down from the top like glittering waterfalls.
For a brief moment, Vanessa could only stare blankly at the extravagance of it all. Then suddenly, the same crewman who had checked her boarding pass hurried toward her with an urgent expression.
“Lady Rosalyn?”
At first, Vanessa didn’t even realize he was speaking to her. Only after he carefully touched her shoulder did she blink in confusion.
“Lady Rosalyn.”
“…Were you speaking to me?”
Apparently, after checking the passenger list, he had mistaken her for Rosalyn. Before Vanessa could explain, the crewman hurriedly rushed through his explanation.
“We just received word that there’s been an issue with cabins B32 and B33. For safety and repair purposes, we’ll need you to vacate the room immediately.”
“There’s a problem with the cabin? Suddenly?”
“I’m afraid I cannot disclose the details, but I assure you upon the honor of the Bellus that it is not a serious defect. However, there is… a minor inconvenience affecting its use, and resolving it may take some time.”
“Then could I at least retrieve my luggage for a moment? All my clothes are inside.”
“My deepest apologies, but for passenger safety, that won’t be possible. Once a new cabin has been prepared, a crew member will move your belongings there personally.”
Vanessa could only blink at the absurdity of the situation, unsure how she was supposed to process it.
Were there even any empty cabins left to move her into? She had heard they sold every last room—including third class—to recover the enormous cost of constructing the ship.
“Then… when will the replacement cabin be ready?”
“I cannot give you an exact answer, but if you continue enjoying the ball, we will resolve the matter as quickly as possible. We humbly ask for your understanding, Lady.”
As the crewman bowed deeply in apology, the surrounding glances that had already been drifting toward them became noticeably more blatant.
Flustered, Vanessa quickly ended the conversation and slipped into the crowd of onlookers.
‘What do I do now?’
Her thoughts spun wildly between the ruined plans and the sudden attention focused on her. First, she needed to find Rosalyn and explain the situation. Then she had to leave word for Mary, who would undoubtedly come searching for her.
And after that, before anyone discovered it, she needed to hide the copied will…
Her mind kept racing ahead until she suddenly sensed a shadow falling across her path, blocking her way.
Vanessa looked up. The first thing filling her vision was a pristine white naval uniform buttoned neatly all the way to the throat.
“Vanessa.”
- Protected: Garden of May Chapter 152 - Jun 16, 2026
- Protected: Garden of May Chapter 151 - Jun 16, 2026
- Protected: Garden of May Chapter 150 - Jun 16, 2026
