“What kind of show?”

Seeing the nasty smile slowly spread across the captain’s face, Kain knew whatever she meant couldn’t be good. It probably had something to do with the governor he’d just mentioned, so he asked with utmost seriousness.

The rumor Roy had heard was true. Federo and Kain’s father had been an unlikely pair of close friends, so close they were practically brothers. Because of that, Kain had received no shortage of care and help from the old man while growing up.

To outsiders, Governor Federo looked like a demon. But to Kain, he was one of the few elders he could entrust with his feelings, so of course Kain began to worry about him.

“Well… Oh, whatever. We’re leaving the day after tomorrow, so this has nothing to do with us.”

Roy seemed to recall something unpleasant. She began to stammer, looking troubled and unwilling to say more.

“Captain, Governor Federo is an important elder to me.”

Kain kept his eyes fixed on her shifting dark-gold gaze and spoke in a low, firm voice. There was no room for compromise.

Roy nudged the few scraps of steak left on her plate with her knife and fork, regret written all over her face, as if to say, “I shouldn’t have told you about this.” But faced with the navy officer’s unwavering resolve, she could only sigh helplessly and say, “Let me make this clear first: I’ll tell you, but don’t do anything rash.”

Only after Kain promised did Roy lower her voice and say, “Remember the tavern we were just at? You might not have noticed, but as soon as I walked in, I spotted two rats hiding in a remote corner, dressed up as people.”

Kain raised an eyebrow and asked uncertainly, “You mean… some kind of monster? The holy scriptures have never described anything resembling a rat.”

“How could they be monsters? They were just two people. We pirates call anyone who crawls out of that filthy hole a rat.” Roy lowered her voice conspiratorially. “As for the name of that hole, I think your Empire calls it…”

“The Black Crow Society.”

Kain sprang to his feet and stared at Roy, unable to accept what he’d just heard.

The Black Crow Society he’d spent years searching for—the Black Crow Society, as elusive as the mythical Gate of Shadows; the Black Crow Society he hated with all his heart and had never given up on burning to the ground—had just appeared before him!

If he hurried back now, he might still be able to catch those two. No—he had to alert the major at once and seal off the entire town. But would they get there in time…?

Kain’s thoughts were in complete disarray. He’d never felt so lost.

Tell me: if an enemy you’d hated throughout your childhood and into your youth—an enemy whose place in your heart time itself couldn’t erase—suddenly appeared right in front of you, could you really stay calm?

“Sit down, Kain!”

Roy’s low command pulled the navy officer back from the chaos in his mind. He looked at her face, which had never before worn such a serious expression, and seemed to glimpse the true captain of the Mermaid, the pirate who had sailed across the Eastern Sea Region. He took several deep breaths, then sat back down.

“Sorry. I lost my composure.” The first mate apologized sincerely.

“I understand how you feel. They’re enemies of the Howard Family—or rather, of the entire Orlan Empire. But you need to understand: now that we’ve exposed ourselves to them, they’ll be watching our every move. Unless you think I can keep my identity hidden.”

Roy’s familiar smile returned. She looked relaxed, as if she were meeting her boyfriend. It was the disguise she was best at using whenever she had to deal with eyes lurking in the dark.

What she didn’t realize was that the one whose identity had been exposed this time wasn’t Captain Roy, but Admiral Kain.

Understanding Roy’s point, Kain gradually calmed down. He watched the surroundings from the corner of his eye and quickly picked out his target: a traveler haggling with the owner over the cost of a room. He was the only guest at the inn besides them.

“You guessed wrong. It’s not him.”

Roy gave him a smug smile, as if she’d just won a bet with her boyfriend. “It’s the owner.”

Remembering how obsequiously the innkeeper had acted when serving them, Kain’s pupils narrowed slightly. He forced down his agitation and asked in a low voice, “Are you sure?”

“Yes. The Great Captain once taught me how to recognize these rats: by their scent.”

Roy tapped her slender fingers against the side of her glass and shared everything she knew with her first mate. “They all carry a scent that marks who they are. The lowest-level spies in the Black Crow Society, for example. That owner has a faint trace of blackcurrant on his left arm. It smells a lot like red wine, with only a subtle difference.”

“As for those two I saw in the tavern, hmph. I could smell that blended violet perfume from three tables away.” Roy pinched her small nose, looking disgusted. “They must be what they call enforcers.”

Blackcurrants were a common ingredient among the cooks of the Orlan Empire, often made into jam and the like. Violet perfume, meanwhile, was extremely popular among nobles and wealthy merchants.

So whether it was the blackcurrant scent on the owner or the violet perfume clinging to those two dressed like merchants and slave traders, both were utterly commonplace in the Empire. No one would think to sniff them out.

“If the difference between the scents is so subtle, how did you notice it, Captain?” Kain had caught a flaw in her explanation.

“Why do you ask so many questions? Believe me if you want. If you don’t, then don’t.” Roy waved a hand, looking displeased. Was she supposed to tell him that the Great Captain had once held her head down and made her sniff those scents for three whole months?

Those had been three truly dark months. From morning to night, apart from eating and sleeping, she’d been learning how to identify the scents of Black Crow Society members. Who knew where the Great Captain had found the time—or the inclination? Then again, this pirate, an emperor in all but name, spent his days doing nothing but drinking and eating meat.

Seeing Kain fall silent, Roy felt a headache coming on. Given his temperament and his hatred of the Black Crow Society, there was no way he’d stay out of this mess. She really shouldn’t have brought it up…

“I’ll settle the bill. We can talk more once we’re back in our room.”

As if he’d made up his mind, Kain got up and walked toward the owner. By then, the other guest had completed the arduous task of haggling and gone upstairs with his bags. Only the innkeeper, wiping away nervous sweat, remained behind the counter as the expressionless navy officer approached.

Roy watched nervously, afraid her first mate might lose his temper and take out the Black Crow Society’s spy.

Fortunately, Kain didn’t do anything so rash and foolish. He spoke amiably with the innkeeper, paid for the food and drinks, then beckoned to Roy.

They went upstairs without drawing attention and entered the double room they’d booked. After carefully checking every nook and cranny and making sure there were no tiny holes for spying or listening in, they each sat down on a bed.

“You made the right call. You can’t shake off the Black Crow Society. No one knows how many people they’ve planted on this island, so it’s best not to alert them.” Roy placed Elfie on the soft bed and spoke to her first mate in a low voice.

“Besides, the Black Crow Society’s members aren’t necessarily trained sentries or swordsmen. Most of them are ordinary people who take on the tasks it assigns for the generous pay.” Kain wasn’t moved by the captain’s praise. He lowered his head and fell into thought.

After some time, when it seemed Kain had nothing more to say, Roy climbed into bed and gave a small yawn. “If there’s nothing else, I’m going to sleep. Remember to put out the oil lamp.”

But just as the captain lay back with an arm under her head, closed her eyes, and prepared to drift off, Kain’s slightly awkward voice suddenly reached her ears.

“Captain, would you… be my dance partner?”