Even If I'm Reborn as a Cute Dragon Girl, I Will Still Make a Harem-Chapter 43Book 6: : Annoyed

“It’s a shame to draw conclusions before understanding the full picture—for both parties.”

Graybert puffed on his cigar and looked off into the distance, looking like a seasoned life coach trying to guide a confused young girl.

Lilith’s mouth twitched.

*Does this man think I’m a rebellious little girl who ran away to the sea after a fight with her parents? Do I really look like that? But… still…*

There was a question Lilith wanted to ask so badly. It was almost like she couldn’t bury the flutter of uncertainty stirring in her heart.

“If… there were a chance your daughter wasn’t actually your biological child… would you still treat her the same way you do now?”

Graybert flicked his cigar into the sea and glanced at Lilith out of the corner of his eye.

“What kind of dumb question is that? How can you not know whether your child is yours or adopted?”

Lilith gave him an exasperated look and repeated, “It’s a hypothetical question…”

Graybert shrugged nonchalantly. “Fine, but before I answer your question, I’ve got one of my own.”

“…Go ahead.”

“Miss, how do you define ‘parents’ and ‘children’?”

Lilith tilted her head slightly, puzzled. “Isn’t it obvious? Parents give birth to children…”

Graybert raised his hands in defeat. “Well, if we’re going by that definition, there’s only one answer I can give you.”

Lilith was confused for a moment before she understood what he meant. If parenthood were defined strictly by blood, then her question had been pointless from the start.

“So… is it defined by the bond shared between them instead?”

“Yes… That’s closer to how I understand it, but…”

Lilith narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t beat around the bush.”

Graybert waved his hand as if to placate her. “Alright, alright, I’ll spell it out for you.”

“To me, a parent is someone who, without any reason or obligation, chooses to call you their child. And a child is someone who, just as sincerely, calls you their parent. The ones who care about you, truly and unconditionally, are family. It’s not that complicated. All that blood ties and lineage are just nonsense.”

Graybert spat into the sea, expressing his contempt for the blood ties that countless held sacred.

“There’s an old saying… If someone gives you life but doesn’t raise you, a severed finger is enough to repay the debt. If they give you life and raise you, you owe them your life. But if they raise you without giving you life, that’s a debt you can’t repay—not even in a hundred lifetimes. To me, love without blood ties only makes the bond more genuine.”

“So, my answer for your question is… It’s pointless to answer it.” Graybert gave Lilith a strange smile. “I’ve been talking about my daughter all this time… but did you notice that I haven’t mentioned a wife even once?”

Lilith froze for a moment before realization dawned upon her. “You mean to say that…”

Graybert let out a boisterous laugh. “Bit embarrassing to say out loud, but I’m a fifty-year-old bachelor. I’ve never even held a woman’s hand, let alone date anyone.” Despite saying that, he did not even look embarrassed.

Lilith looked at him speechlessly.

“Hey, what’s with that pitying look?!”

“Nothing…” Lilith sighed softly and looked away. An emotion she couldn’t quite name stirred within her. Her fingers drummed softly on the railing in a quiet rhythm as she hummed a tune from her previous world.

“In this world, only mama is good…”

All the noise in her heart quieted, and all the chaotic thoughts in her mind settled.

*I’m not naive. But right now… I still choose to believe in you. So, are you ready to answer my question, Mom?*

“What the hell are you singing?!” Graybert slammed his fist on the railing with a growl. “There’s no one better than papa in this world! Whoever wrote that song must’ve been kicked in the head by a donkey!”

Ignoring the captain’s outburst, Lilith tilted her head toward the navigation chart in his hands.

“So? Are we making any progress?”

“Oh… Yes, of course!” Graybert slapped the back of his head. “Look at me, I got completely sidetracked.”

He spread out the chart, covered in tiny notations and markings that Lilith couldn’t decipher. He pointed to a spot in the lower right corner that had been circled.

“Based on the range you’ve marked in your map, we cross-referenced our own charts and adjusted course as fast as we could. We’re heading there now, full speed.”

“You don’t need to explain all that. All I want to know is how long it will take to get there?”

“Hmm…” Graybert looked up at the blazing sun, rubbing his chin. “Two days at least, a week at most.”

Lilith blinked. “A week? That’s a huge gap. You’re not trying to scam me, are you?”

“Of course not!” Graybert snapped, face full of indignation. “I swear on my reputation across the great sea—I’d never scam my esteemed employers!”

Lilith massaged her temples, finding it difficult to trust this man fully. “Then why…?”

“We don’t want delays either, believe me.” Graybert looked out toward the horizon, feeling the humidity rising in the air. “But there’s a storm ahead.”

“Storm?” Lilith glanced up at the cloudless sky and blazing red sun. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Are you sure you’re not lying to me?” 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

“Hehe, this is exactly when you trust the instincts of a seasoned sea dog, Miss.”

◆◇◆◇◆

As it turned out, while Graybert’s character was questionable at best, his expertise at sea was truly undeniable.

The moment the warm afterglow of the setting sun vanished beyond the horizon, Lilith saw dark clouds gathering ahead, blotting out the sky like a scene from the apocalypse.

Even from a distance, she could smell the heavy humidity in the intensifying sea breeze, and hear the low rumble of thunder echoing faintly like divine judgment.

“Tsk… a storm like this? Even after more than ten years at sea, I’ve only seen a few of this magnitude.” Graybert turned to Lilith. “We’ll need to lower the sails and slow down soon. Even the SS Behemoth might not survive if we charge straight through something like this.”

“When you said two days earlier… You meant at full speed, right?” Lilith asked suddenly.

“That’s right.” Graybert blinked, confused by the sudden question. “In a storm like this, just staying on course is hard enough. Trying to speed up would be suicide. Trust me—storms like this usually last only three days. Please wait it out.”

“I’m not waiting.”

“…Eh?” Graybert thought he’d misheard. “Come again?”

“I said I’m not waiting. We’re pushing through at full speed. I’m in a hurry,” Lilith repeated flatly.

“You’ve got to be joking.” Graybert’s cheek twitched, forgetting his manners momentarily. Under normal circumstances, he would’ve already started scolding this ignorant brat for barking orders like a captain despite not knowing anything.

But then he looked at the girl beside him, who had her eyes fixed on the storm.

In the face of mother nature, powerful enough to make even saint-level experts lower their heads and wait it out in silence, the blonde girl’s eyes held not fear but a flicker of irritation… and annoyance.

Yes, she was annoyed.

Annoyed that a mere storm dared to stand in her way.