MLCIEF 02

Chapter 2

“What is this, sis? I was worried because you didn’t show up even though it’s almost time!”

“Don’t call me ‘sis’ while working. Call me Director.”

Martin was about to complain more, but when he saw her appearance, he suddenly frowned.

“What is this now? Did you even put the necklace in there?”

“Yeah. Lower your voice, will you?”

Alice frowned and glared at her younger brother, who was big but completely lacking in awareness.

“Pregnant passenger tickets are much cheaper. You get a boarding discount and no body search! Isn’t that killing two birds with one stone?”

She had planned this disguise in advance because if a commoner woman like her carried valuables, she might be wrongly suspected again and have them taken by the ship guards.

No one would believe her even if she said she owned a detective office in the back alleys of the imperial capital.

“Let’s go!”

In the end, everything went exactly as Alice expected.

The guard at the boarding gate glanced at her swollen belly and lazily waved his hand as if annoyed.

“Women may pass.”

Normally, fourth-class passengers were searched for the sake of first-class nobles.

But Alice had predicted that pregnant women would be an exception. Proud of her clever mind, she confidently boarded the ship.

Without knowing the terrible fate she would face three days later.

Exactly three days later.

Cough!

After painfully coughing out seawater, Alice looked around with a pale face.

A strong wind blew from somewhere, cutting across her soaked body.

‘This can’t be happening… Where am I…?’

Her confused mind slowly recalled her last memory.

On a stormy night, the passenger ship struck a massive reef. While the crew fought desperately, the passengers screamed in fear.

And finally, a huge black wave flipped the ship over.

Oh no.

Alice coughed again, seawater pouring out.

Even so, she tried to stay conscious.

The ship sank… right when I was about to succeed?
Am I… stranded right now?!

‘No, this can’t be!’

For a moment, frustration filled her—but then she remembered grabbing a broken piece of the ship and dragging Martin with her.

She quickly looked around.

Thankfully, not far away on the shore, Martin was coughing and getting up.

“Martin! Are you okay?”

Alice tried to stand, but she staggered from dizziness.

Still, knowing they had both survived calmed her immediately.

As long as we’re alive, that’s enough.

Cough!

Martin kept coughing out seawater, but he seemed just as healthy as her.

‘Thank goodness…’

Completing the mission and paying debts could wait.

Their lives mattered more.

“Martin, can you stand? Want me to pat your back?”

As Alice squeezed water from her skirt, she suddenly checked her stomach in surprise.

“Phew…!”

Fortunately, the large fake belly was still attached.

It was made from a lightweight bamboo frame shaped like a dome, covered with paper and plaster.

The structure hadn’t been damaged at all.

‘I really did a thorough job with the glue…’

Because of that, it didn’t let any water in and even helped her float.

“I guess people who are meant to live, live.”

She shook slightly and could still feel the items hidden inside.

Especially the necklace.

It belonged to a high-ranking noble from the Empire and had been stolen.

Alice’s detective office had been hired to retrieve it.

The official guards couldn’t trace the stolen goods, so the client came to her instead and offered a huge reward.

She had already received the advance payment and tracked the thieves all the way to the neighboring Lambit Kingdom.

She was just about to complete the mission—

And then the ship sank…!

Why does something this rare happen right now?!

But being naturally optimistic, Alice quickly changed her mindset.

‘No… we’re alive! Martin is alive, and so am I.’

After forcefully cheering herself up, she took a heavy step forward—

And suddenly froze.

In front of her, beyond the beach, stretched an endless deep-green jungle.

“Ugh…”

Martin lifted his head weakly.

“Where are we, sis?”

Alice stared at the endless jungle and spoke with trembling eyes.

“Martin… I think we’ve been swept into a jungle.”

“What? …Ugh! Cough!”

Even in his exhausted state, Martin was shocked.

Considering the route of their ship, this place could only be one place—

The Atis Jungle.

A lawless zone between the Iterion Empire and the Lambit Kingdom.

A place so wild it couldn’t be developed, abandoned by both nations.

Once trapped, no one could escape.

Some even called it:

“The Bottomless Pit of Deep Green.”

“Sis… if this really is that place… can we even make it out alive?”

Despite his large build, Martin clung to her just like when they were kids.

Alice wiped her face and answered firmly.

“Martin, has there ever been anything your sister couldn’t do?”

He shook his head.

“We’ll figure it out. And we’re still on a mission—so call me Director.”

Alice squeezed water out of his curly hair and helped him up.

At that moment—

A large shadow suddenly fell over them.

Alice looked up.

And met someone’s eyes.

Through wet black hair, cold gray eyes stared down at her.

They felt… familiar.

‘This person… could it be…?’

As a few seconds passed, her eyes widened.

The man narrowed his sharp eyes and scanned her.

Then his gaze dropped—

To her swollen belly.

Her heart started racing.

She instinctively held her stomach and stepped back.

‘This man…!’

He was the one who had mistaken her for a thief before.

The one she had kicked and escaped from.

If he recognized her—

Her face turned pale.

Without thinking, her gaze also dropped to his lower body.

Of course, she couldn’t confirm anything through his trousers, so she just swallowed nervously.

After a brief moment, he seemed to decide she was not the same person.

He turned and walked away.

‘That was… way too close…’

Shaken, Alice gently touched her fake belly.

It had saved her again.

Looking down, her wet maternity dress clung to her body, clearly showing the shape.

‘That was really dangerous…’

She looked away from the man walking toward the survivors under the sunset—

But then suddenly froze again.

Another person was approaching unsteadily.

“Benjamin? What are you doing here?”

“Ugh… Alice?”

He was also a childhood friend who had grown up like family.