“So you’ll guarantee the safety of my property, including ownership of this two-masted merchant ship, and buy my cargo under your family’s name?”

Ever since learning Kain’s true identity, Eda’s face had held no trace of fear or unease—only respect and a hint of excitement. He clasped his hands together and looked at Kain, happily repeating the other man’s promise.

“Yes. The Orlan Navy guarantees that every traveling merchant will receive fair and just treatment within the Empire. That naturally includes the safety of their property and their lives.”

Kain nodded, then continued, “That’s the guarantee I can offer you. In return, I need your promise that my companion and I will have a quiet, safe place aboard the ship. She… needs time to rest properly.”

Thinking back on everything they’d gone through on the deserted island, Kain had to admit that Roy had taken meticulous care of him. So much so that she often didn’t get enough rest, food, or fresh water herself. She couldn’t finally relax and rest easy until his injuries had mostly healed.

Kain still remembered the day he’d first taken over the chores. Roy had curled up with her knees hugged to her chest in a little rocky hollow and slept for nearly half the day, like a squirrel. So, though the pirate had moved nimbly just now and still had plenty of explosive strength, her nerves and body were already stretched and exhausted to the limit.

She needed plenty of time to rest, not to spend all day and night scheming against people.

Kain reaffirmed his purpose and looked up at Eda’s chubby face. “What do you think, Captain?”

Only then did Eda snap out of his dreamlike joy. His ship had lost its bearings in the earlier misfortune, and by the time they reached the Orlan Empire, the buyer would surely have left the port. He’d been worrying about how to sell his cargo—and now the young master of House Howard had appeared right in front of him. It was as if the goddess of fortune herself were watching over him.

“I have no problem with that. I’ll do everything I can to meet your requirements. I won’t let those clumsy fools disturb either of you, my lords. It’s just… about The Lady…”

When Eda brought up Roy, Kain fell silent for a moment before saying, “I’ll take care of everything.”

“Then… a pleasant partnership, Mr. Howard.” With the officer’s assurance, the captain stood and held out his greasy hand, wearing a broad smile.

“A pleasant partnership, Captain.” Kain stood as well and gave his hand a light shake.

Everything went just as Kain had expected. Once the captain’s order was passed down, the exhausted pirate was shown to her cramped little room. She didn’t even bother with the wooden bed, which was hard as stone. She spread down a little straw, lay back, and fell asleep.

She slept for the better part of the day. It wasn’t until the sunset turned the sky red that she rubbed her bleary eyes and knocked on the navy officer’s door.

“Come in.”

The young man’s voice was as calm as ever. He didn’t use the customary “please” favored by people of the Empire, but spoke in a matter-of-fact, almost commanding tone. That, too, was proof of his extraordinary status.

Roy yawned and pushed open the creaky, cheaply made wooden door. At once, she spotted the navy officer sitting on the bed, reading a thick book called *The Making and Appreciation of Wheat Liquor*. She shut the door, casually sat down on the other side of the bed, and asked curiously, “Where’d you get that book?”

“Borrowed it from the captain,” Kain replied without looking up.

“Borrowed it? Why? This ship is mine now, so everything on it is mine too. Just treat it like it belongs to you.”

Roy smiled and waved a hand. Then she asked, puzzled, “By the way, what did you and the captain talk about in his cabin?”

At the mention of business, Kain finally put down the thick book and repeated the promises and deal he’d made earlier, leaving out only the part about letting Eda keep ownership of the ship.

As far as he was concerned, there was no rush to discuss that until they reached shore. Better that than having Roy make a fuss about it all day.

“Tch, how could you give his cargo back? That was the seed money I needed to make my comeback! But… fine. Since you’ve already promised, we pirates aren’t completely without honor. Just don’t go making decisions like that behind my back next time.”

Unaware that she’d already been “sold out” in one way, Roy kept boasting about the pirate’s nonexistent virtues. She also gave her newly appointed first mate a talking-to, hoping he’d put her decisions first. Her sincerity gave Kain the rare sensation of guilt, and he hurriedly came up with an excuse to usher her out.

“What’s with him? He looks guilty.” Pushed out of the room, Roy rubbed her nose, deeply suspicious of the navy officer’s motives.

Time flew by. Half a month had passed since Roy and Kain had come aboard the merchant ship.

Guided by the navy officer and pirate, both familiar with the sea routes, Eda and his crew finally escaped the waters around the deserted island that was no longer Devil’s Island and made it back onto the routes marked on the sea chart.

One day, bright sunlight broke through the clouds and fell across the deck of the two-masted merchant ship. Under the wary gazes of more than thirty sailors, the navy officer, now dressed in a clean uniform, stood shoulder to shoulder with the captain. His blue eyes swept over the sea, just as blue, as he pointed Eda in the right direction from time to time.

This had been going on for a full fourteen days.

The first day, the pirate had come to watch, just to be safe. She was delighted to discover that her newly acquired first mate not only knew plenty of proper naval techniques, but was also an excellent navigator. After that, she never came near the helm again, leaving him to it while she went off to enjoy herself.

Kain had thought today would be no different. If Roy wasn’t in the captain’s cabin drinking the liquor that made Eda wince with every swallow, she’d probably be on the other side of the deck, bickering with the old sailor. But a shrill cry broke the calm and shattered Kain’s still-as-the-sea composure.

“We’re doomed! We’re doomed! The captain’s going to die!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Kain managed only a quick “Sorry” to Eda before sprinting toward the sound. He dodged a mast in his way, hurried down the stairs, and didn’t have a chance to catch his breath until he reached a shut, cheaply made wooden door.

He looked at Elfie, flapping about in a panic after being chased out of the room. “What happened?”

For some reason, the jackdaw couldn’t stand him. Still, Kain had to admit it was unusually clever—clever enough to manage simple conversations with people. So he asked.

“Blood! Blood! The captain’s lost lots of blood!”

Elfie had clearly been scared out of its wits by a sight it had never seen before. Its tiny head couldn’t understand why the captain was bleeding for no reason, as if cursed by the Devil from the Bible.

It was convinced the captain was going to die, and that was why it had started shrieking like mad, calling for help from the “Mambo” it had once hated so much.

Blood? Had that woman accidentally broken a bottle while sneaking a drink of wheat liquor? Or had she actually come to blows with the old sailor after an argument?

Kain couldn’t figure out what had happened, so he shoved the wooden door open and went to see for himself.

“Captain, you…”

But the moment he stepped inside, he froze, as if a siren from legend had stolen his soul. Even his thoughts stopped, leaving his mind completely blank.