Chapter 44
“I’ll go and check it out, Creator!”
With a single motion, Gari spread her wings and soared into the sky.
Though the “Sea of Dragons” was now a name without its dragon, ordinary ships still could not sail these waters.
The route had been sealed off for decades; the currents and tides were unfamiliar to sailors.
Only ships as large as the Belltein, or at least international trading vessels, dared attempt the passage.
“Could it be a trading ship from the Astrian Empire?”
Other sailors who had spotted the distant ship began murmuring and rushed onto the deck.
Just then, Gari returned from her scouting flight and shouted to everyone:
“It’s a pirate ship! There’s a skull drawn on the flag at the top!”
“What—pirates?”
“Did you hear that? A pirate ship!”
The deck instantly broke into chaos.
“Everyone, prepare for battle! Who dares lay a hand on the Belltein!”
…Though, the one who half-wrecked the Belltein is currently flying above us.
Ahem.
“Show no mercy! Those wretches will make fine food for the fish below!”
“Waaaaah!”
The sailors swiftly took their positions and entered battle formation.
“Wow, they’re fast. Maybe they came here the moment the dragon disappeared—looking to plunder the Dragon’s Sea?”
A massive pirate ship, even larger than the Belltein, glided toward them at frightening speed. It exuded an aura of menace—these raiders meant business.
“Jiana, it’s dangerous—why are you out here?”
Before I knew it, Duke Rupellen himself had stepped out onto the deck.
Behind him stood Gari, the Three Idiot Brothers, his aide Elliot, and the duke’s knights.
“Some people sure know how to go looking for their own graves,”
Elliot muttered loud enough for me to hear.
The pirates, now close enough to shout, began to sing with raucous joy.
“Rolling like waves,
We bow the world beneath our knees—
We are the free outlaws, kings of the sea!”
The Three Idiot Brothers picked their ears and each muttered a line.
“Your Grace, did you hear? They just called themselves kings.”
“Treason, isn’t it?”
“Shall we lop off their heads?”
“Wild waves, guide us on—
To the golden land of dreams!”
The duke listened to their song and murmured darkly,
“The Belltein is filled with gold, but not the kind meant to fill their bellies.”
“Indeed. Chase a dreamland, and you might find eternal sleep instead. Bold fools.”
Elliot agreed, his hand already on the hilt of his sword.
The pirate ship drew even closer until—crash!—it rammed into the Belltein.
At that moment, the Belltein’s engines went dead.
“Th-the ship’s stopped!” one sailor cried out. “It must be—there’s a magician on that ship!”
“A magician, huh. No wonder they charged in so confidently.”
The duke showed not the slightest hint of panic, his tone calm and almost bored.
“Creator! Just say the word—I’ll wipe them all out!”
Gari’s voice echoed from above.
“Your Grace, shall I take care of them? I’ll make sure none are left to stain your name.”
“No need for you to move, Advisor.”
“The three of us are enough, sir!”
“Strong and mighty men! Isaac!”
The knights of Belltein, clearly thrilled by the rare chance for a real fight, shouted excitedly.
The duke glanced at me.
“I’d tell my mermaid to stay safe in her cabin—but you’d ignore me, wouldn’t you?”
“Of course. If not for me, Your Grace would already be dancing with the fishes down below.”
“…What?”
He frowned, not quite following.
“My attacks didn’t even scratch that damn dragon. The weird one is that dragon—and the even weirder one is you, who managed to tame it.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. For now, could you make those noisy knights shut up?”
I pushed past the knights and stepped to the very front of the deck, shouting toward the pirates.
“Hey! You lowborn, barnacle-licking nobodies!”
The pirates who had just leapt onto the Belltein froze at the sound of my voice.
“My employer’s life is mine to protect. So if you’ve got half a brain, turn tail and run while I’m asking nicely.”
“Heh! So this ship had the bad luck to carry a woman aboard?”
“That’s why you met us. Guess this ship’s bound for a watery grave!”
“Did you just say that? That’s sexist!”
Jiana barked back furiously, making the pirates burst into laughter as they swarmed up the side of the Belltein again—like a horde of cockroaches rushing toward food.
“As expected. You people never understand polite warnings.”
I twisted my hair up into a bun, rolled up my sleeves, and stepped forward.
“Our contract isn’t over yet. I’ve still got plenty of payment left to collect from the duke—so this job has to end cleanly.
Anyone who gets in the way dies here and now!”
“Get that woman first!”
The scar-faced pirate captain gave the order, and his men charged.
Pathetic.
“I said you’ll die.”
I stopped where I stood and thrust out my right hand.
Light exploded from my palm—hundreds of beams shot forth.
They streaked toward the pirates, passed clean through them, and then curved midair as if alive, whipping back around to strike again from behind.
“Wh-what the hell is that?!”
The charging pirates stumbled to a halt, staring wide-eyed at the returning beams.
Then the lights latched onto their necks—one by one.
“Gaaah! It’s stuck to my neck! It won’t come off!”
The pirates clawed desperately at their throats, but the beams clung like leeches, refusing to budge.
“If you can tear them off, be my guest.”
I threw them a mocking smile.
They screamed, neither advancing nor retreating, until the lights all at once pierced their pressure points—
and in the next instant, every last one collapsed like dominoes, unconscious.
Over a hundred pirates fell in unison. The sight was… magnificent.
“Looks like we don’t even need to step in.”
“As expected of Lady Jiana—she’s worth a hundred men.”
“Then maybe we should give her all our salaries.”
“If I hand over my pay, what’ll I eat?”
“If you’re weaker than Lady Jiana, what’s the point of living?”
“Does anyone in this world even exist who’s stronger than her?”
“I’m forfeiting my salary.”
“Same here.”
“At this rate, Lady Jiana’s going to collect every paycheck in the world.”
The remaining pirates on their ship, enraged, launched a second wave—but their fate was identical.
In moments, the Belltein’s deck was covered with unconscious pirates, clutching their necks.
“…The Belltein was already over capacity,” I muttered.
“At this rate, it’s going to sink.”
I nudged one limp pirate with my foot, when suddenly a huge, scarred man let out a furious roar.
“Uwoooaaaargh!”
He leapt down onto the Belltein’s deck.
He was enormous—ripped with muscle, his face slashed with a long scar.
The very image of a pirate captain.
“My beloved crew…! You’ll pay for this!”
And behind where he had stood, a black figure appeared—a hooded magician, shrouded completely in a dark robe, chanting ominous incantations.
At that moment—
“My mermaid, stay still.”
“Your Grace?”
Duke Nox Rupellen, who had been quietly observing from behind, began walking forward.
He did nothing but step ahead—yet the sheer force of his presence was overwhelming.
“I’ll take that pirate captain myself. Even the dragon stays out of this.”
“Even for a Sword Master, wouldn’t two-on-one be a bit much?”
“Not two-on-one—two hundred-on-one, and I’d still win. Watch closely. I’ll show you what a true Sword Master can do.”
The duke smirked, striding forward.
The pirate captain sneered and called out,
“So, you’re the master of this puny little ship?”
“Eyes wide open and you actually got that right. Yes, I’m the master of the Belltein.”
“Then today, this ship loses its master and drifts the endless sea!”
The captain drew a massive blade—and on the pirate ship behind him, the magician chanted louder.
Dark energy began to surge around the weapon in the captain’s hand.
