Chapter 50
Chapter 50
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Ghost of the Sea (6)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Neither Galen nor Lilia were the type to make a big deal out of breakfast, so the meal was mostly over by then.
Chewing on the last piece of bread, Galen asked flatly,
"All our sailors are on land, right?"
"Ah, yes."
"Good call. Tell them to grab any personal belongings left on the ship, just in case. Oh, and put the skiff down too."
"Got it!"
The captain dashed back outside.
Galen swallowed his bread and turned to Lilia, who was drinking water.
"All done?"
"Just finished!"
Galen nodded and stood up. Lilia followed suit.
Stopping by the room, Galen packed away anything unnecessary for combat into his bag, lightening his load as much as possible.
Lilia did the same, but she'd added weapons, so she looked even heavier laden.
A black leather belt over her white priestly robes. A sword hung at her left hip, and two more crossed behind her back.
She'd prepared spares on top of spares—no worries about running out of blades. She could swing away freely.
Yesterday afternoon, they'd rested their mana and holy power, but they hadn't just lounged around.
Galen had wandered to gauge the city's mood and gather any extra info he could. Lilia had gone around comforting people.
The swords were from then. Ever since gaining the Miracle of Radiant Light, Lilia had gone unarmed, but when Galen asked why the change, she replied,
"This time, it's really just you and me, brother."
"That's true."
"The Miracle of Radiant Light is convenient, but it guzzles holy power. I figured I'd conserve as much as I can."
If Radiant Light could be spammed endlessly, Moritz would've been obliterated back at the Devil's Cradle.
They'd had Myra too then, and while the other priests hadn't helped in combat, the full subjugation team had been there.
Now, it was just the two of them handling everything, so minimizing holy power waste made sense.
'I need to fight smart too.'
The skill of that woman who supposedly controlled the Ghost of the Sea was unknown.
Going all out with mana against pirates, only to get overwhelmed by the Seven later? That'd be pure comedy.
The ideal play was taking out the Seven fast, then leisurely farming the rest with leftover mana.
But for now, he'd see how the enemy moved and adapt accordingly.
"Shall we go?"
"Yes!"
With preparations complete, the two headed to the docks.
Even accounting for the morning hour, the streets were eerily empty. People had hunkered down in their homes out of fear.
City soldiers and retainers from prominent families were mustering toward the harbor, but that was it.
The numbers were pitiful—even being generous. They'd taken heavy losses in the naval battle off Varan, then again during the pirates' landings and raids.
Dragged out crying and kicking, their morale was predictably rock-bottom. The vibe was bleak overall.
"At least you look a bit better than yesterday, Lady Lilia."
"Yeah, I was pretty drained then."
Lilia had seen innocents suffer at the hands of specific villains before.
But witnessing an entire island—thousands of people—in agony? That was new.
Galen wasn't exactly experienced either, but Lilia, being more innocent, had taken the emotional hit harder.
She'd moped all yesterday, but thankfully, by this morning, she'd bounced back decently.
"Better to buck up and take down the culprits than wallow in sadness!"
"That's the spirit."
Galen praised her fired-up resolve.
They reached the docks mid-conversation. They nodded to the clustered captains and sailors, then scanned the sea.
"Hmm."
The captain's "wolf pack" description was spot-on.
Pirate ships crammed the horizon, no matter where you looked.
That density made escaping to open water without a fight impossible.
"More than I expected."
"Eh, about what I figured..."
They had opposite takes. Lilia, who'd spoken first, tilted her head.
"Huh? Doesn't look like much to you, brother?"
"Not quite. Just... pirate-level. No capital ships."
"Those aren't capital ships...?"
"You need hundreds per ship for that."
"Hundreds?!"
"Of course, those cost a fortune, so pirates can't touch 'em. Medium ships are big by pirate standards, though."
Lots of numbers, but small ships mixed among the mediums diluted the threat.
Harsh benchmark, comparing to the Oceanis fleet.
"Anyway... they're not charging the island yet."
"They know we've only got one ship."
"And they've already lost over a dozen to us. Gotta be on high alert."
"Maybe luring us out to sea!"
"Playing their game works for me too."
Galen smirked. Then Lilia's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Something's coming from over there?"
Sure enough. Galen spotted it moments later.
One pirate ship eased toward the harbor.
Ready to smash it if they messed with the warships, but the pirates ignored them and neared the pier.
No docking—they kept distance. A few pirates lined the rail.
"Surrender!"
They bellowed in unison.
"Hand over the shady bastards who docked yesterday! We'll let this slide! Surrender nicely!"
Loud voices, quiet surroundings—everyone nearby heard.
Some divide-and-conquer ploy, clearly.
"Close enough to reach."
Lilia murmured softly.
"Want me to snag 'em?"
"No need. You go ahead—I'll follow. Just ask if the Seven are aboard."
"Leave it to me!"
Galen headed for the warship—or rather, the skiff beside it.
Lilia moved too.
A couple normal steps, then her body rocketed forward at insane speed.
"Huh?"
"Wha—?"
Harbor folk and pirates alike reacted late, voicing confusion in sync.
Lilia had already sprinted pier's end and kicked off hard.
Crack!
Wood splintered under her force. Her lithe form arced through the air toward the pirate ship.
Boom!
She slammed onto the deck amid a crash.
"Wh-what?!"
A pirate's startled words became his last.
The five yelling surrender from the rail tumbled into the sea with one strike each.
"Any of the Seven here?"
"What'd you say?"
"Oh, not getting it like that? The woman who just became pirate boss, and her guys."
"What the hell you babblin', you crazy bitch!"
"Can't make it any simpler."
Lips pursed, Lilia strode forward.
"Uh, uh?"
"St-stop her!"
Two rushing pirates swung before she even blinked—heads gone.
No more clean heart stabs for these pirate scum.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Emotionless, like reaping weeds. One slash per pirate, one per step.
Over ten corpses in moments. They died not knowing what hit 'em.
"Not a tough question. Yes or no. Easy."
"A-aaahhh!"
Terror-struck pirates scattered. Blind charges, futile hides, desperate sea dives.
By the time Galen leisurely rowed up in the skiff, it was over.
"What'd they say?"
"The Seven mobilized! All of 'em!"
"Makes sense. Sending minions only and taking big losses hurts the boss's cred. Anything else?"
"Boss is on the best ship, but wouldn't say which. Just kept repeating 'the best one.'"
"They know it when they see it. We'll figure it out."
"Heading out now?"
"Thought about luring them ashore first, but can't use the Ghost of the Sea trick then."
Galen shook his head slightly.
"Plus, islanders take the hit secondarily, and no guarantee they'd bite the lure."
"They don't seem that dumb."
"Exactly. They could bail if it turns sour. Hiding would make 'em hard to find. Better strike while our full strength's hidden."
"Agreed!"
"But no overdoing it. Pull back if they're stronger than expected. Worst case, we gotta get word to the Grand Diocese."
"Yes!"
Lilia hopped aboard the skiff with gusto.
It slid forward, charging the pirate fleet's heart.
Flagships often sat mid-formation—highest odds.
Shwooo!
A mage-only feat. Just approaching would break pirate spirits—proven many times.
"Wh-what the hell is that?"
"Snap to it! Move, move!"
Small ships escorting a medium one rushed to block, but...
Not like shield walls on land. Ships couldn't pack tight without crashing.
"Please!"
"Got it!"
The skiff slipped gaps effortlessly, dropping Lilia off. She landed lightly on deck.
"Argh!"
"Guh!"
One ship reduced to chaos in seconds. Lilia kicked off the rail.
Her slender frame, launched with deck-cracking force, dropped onto the next small ship.
"Gasp!"
"H-how?!"
Clustering to block the skiff? Worst move ever.
Lilia hopped ship-to-ship, her blades unleashing merciless carnage.
The medium ship fared no better.
Galen rode a small wave right onto its deck, slinging spells.
Pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew!
The spirit, neglected lately, vented with a barrage of water spirit orbs.
All enemies around—no collateral worries.
Front-runners pulped, mid-rankers pummeled, rears massaged to broken bones.
"Uh, ugh..."
Stiff survivors: captain, first mate, etc. Fancy clothes made 'em easy to spot. Left untouched on purpose.
"Where's the boss?"
"Wh-what?"
"The woman. The Seven. Which ship?"
"Like I'd tell y—"
A water orb pulped the captain's skull mid-bluster.
"Hiiik!"
"Where's the boss?"
"Th-the best sh—"
"No vague crap. Tell me so I get it."
"Uh... well..."
One spirit orb silenced the mumbler forever. Remaining pirates yowled.
"That way! Over there!"
"The big one positioned there!"
Even mortal terror yielded useless drivel. How'd these idiots even function?
Direction was something. False-hope stragglers cleaned out.
Seawater buoyed the skiff again. It slid deck-to-sea like a waterslide.
"Lady Lilia! That's enough!"
"Oh, you're done!"
Skiff alongside, Lilia rejoined quick.
"Got the direction. Rinse and repeat till we find 'em."
"Yes!"
The skiff raced the waves again.
Pirates weren't blind—seeing mediums and escorts wrecked, they swarmed Galen.
But skiff agility outpaced normal ships. Slower than a horse? Faster than a man? No contest.
"It's back—!"
"Block it! Blo—gk!"
The skiff toyed with them, weaving ship gaps, slaughtering pirates.
Soon, five more mediums and twenty-three smalls were crippled.
Finally, useful intel.
"Th-there! That ship!"
The latest captain shivered, pointing. Galen saw the silhouette.
"That's where they are!"
"All seven?"
"Y-yes!"
"Found 'em."
Galen shoved the helpful captain aside, easing the skiff seaward.
"...?"
The sea always churned with waves and currents.
But Water Flow Manipulation sensed something off.
No signs moments ago.
Suddenly, flows warped.
Some distance away. Galen whipped the skiff around the medium.
Lilia cleaved pirates from a small ship as usual.
The anomaly—from under that ship—
Whoosh!
Water pillars erupted left and right of the small ship.
Not explosions. Pillars surged high, spraying foam.
"Dodge!"
Galen yelled urgently—no honorifics in panic.
"Huh?"
Lilia, assuming Galen had it, barely registered the massive pillars crashing in.
Crack!
Like a giant's whip, it splintered the deck.
"Kyaaah?!"
Lilia hurled herself aside full-force. Seawater exploded behind her, drenching her.
If Galen hadn't twisted the trajectory with Water Flow Manipulation at the last second, it'd have crushed her skull.
Still, just a graze. Launched airborne, she tumbled several rolls into the neighboring small ship's deck.
"You okay?!"
Galen shouted, flooring the skiff.
"Fine, but what the hell was that?!"