Chapter 216
Chapter 216
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 216
>Chapter Title: A Pirate's Final Promise
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A large group of pirates suddenly burst onto the scene, chattering noisily.
“Lots of meat! Lots of booze! Anyway, load it up quick!”
Leona gaped at the sheer number of pirates rushing past.
Then she turned to Kang Seol.
As if she couldn’t believe this man who handled such dangerous tasks so effortlessly.
Thud… Thud…
A troll of enormous bulk emerged from the depths of the tavern.
He appeared similar in size to Jamad, but there was one key difference. Unlike Jamad, whose body was wrapped in dense muscle, this troll’s frame was a mass of soft fat.
The potbellied troll was a pirate who worked alongside Julia.
“Sailing out? Hmm… What a hassle….”
Thud… Thud…
The troll vanished through a massive door built for giants.
Leona and the others hurriedly followed in his wake.
Viscount Brispin moved to round up the straggling sailors and soon returned with over a dozen of them in tow.
Everything was falling into place.
Julia’s beaming smile made that abundantly clear.
Kang Seol’s situation was undoubtedly the same.
If they set sail with the big-shot pirate Julia like this, they’d likely get their happy ending.
‘No, that’s not the case.’
Even if they shook off the Transmigrators somehow, the Church of Eternal Life wouldn’t give up.
‘With a clear target like the Joy of the Fallen, they’ll keep coming.’
And they might even tail Julia’s ship for an intercept.
‘We can’t let that happen….’
Could boarding Julia’s ship prevent that? Kang Seol couldn’t say for sure.
If a clash led to the ship sinking even by accident, they’d be right back to a grueling chase with the Church.
‘Luck’s been on our side so far, but there’s no guarantee we can keep dodging.’
The reward was already set in stone—no need to push it.
Kang Seol’s mission was solely to drop Leona off in Jonia.
After a moment’s thought, he recalled something and called out to Ur.
‘Ur.’
- What is it?
‘You remember that talk from before?’
- What talk are you referring to?
‘The one in the Braggland Mountains.’
- Ah… I remember. Didn’t you refuse back then?
‘Is it possible now?’
- Well… The situation’s different. It might be, or it might not.
‘Why?’
- If you’re asking me this now, you must be aiming for Bria, right?
Ur saw through Kang Seol’s intent in an instant. Kang Seol nodded in affirmation.
- Hard to gauge their level, but assuming they’re decently strong, wiping them out would require more than my stored mana. We’d need another power source.
‘Like?’
- Your life force, for example. The backlash would probably destroy your body. You’d likely die.
Kang Seol grinned and conveyed his will to Ur.
‘That’s why….’
After hearing Kang Seol’s plan, Ur laughed without much deliberation.
- Hahaha! That’s so you! You’re even crazier than I imagined.
‘So, what’s your answer?’
- Not my style, but going out in a blaze of glory your way isn’t bad.
With Ur’s approval, a horrifying plan took shape.
Only Kang Seol and Ur had any inkling of the outcome.
While Kang Seol secretly formulated this plan, preparations for departure proceeded swiftly.
Clunk…
“Load it carefully! Spill even a drop, and I’ll drain that much blood from you!”
“Heh heh heh… My hands are shaking. Mind if I take a swig first?”
“Sure, I’d love to see Julia stuff your head in that oak barrel.”
“Someone get me some water—this guy’s a total cheapskate.”
Julia’s ship was moored at the harbor, rivaling the large merchant vessels in size without falling short.
Moreover, it had been modified extensively for combat, so its actual power was even greater.
Leona, Brispin, and Chadolf were already aboard, and Kang Seol faced Julia waiting at the gangplank.
“You know about me?”
“Somewhat.”
“Then you know I’ve never broken a promise.”
“Yeah.”
“Princess Leona will arrive safely in Jonia. I guarantee it.”
A contract with assured success.
That’s what Julia was claiming now.
I’ve kept my promise, so keep yours.
“Santos—you saw that fool’s end with your own eyes?”
“I… suppose you could say that.”
Because he was Santos.
Kang Seol knew the connection between Santos and Julia well. That’s why he wanted to ask: Were they still like that?
“Does his death mean something important to you?”
Santos himself would probably wonder the same.
Julia replied with eyes flashing ferocity.
“Shut up and keep your promise.”
Then she breathed heavily.
“That bastard… how… did he die?”
* * *
Julia was born in a weak nation on the western edge of Pandea. A desperately poor country where most of its people got tangled in crime just to survive.
Naturally, Julia followed a similar path.
She became a pirate at a young age.
The swordsmanship taught by a swordsman who had taken in the orphan girl made her a renowned expert in short order.
Julia, the rose that blooms in blood on the sea.
She escaped her impoverished homeland to captain a privateer for a wealthy nation.
Many extraordinary figures passed through her ship—pirates who later rose to become big shots.
If someone asked her about the romance of piracy, her answer would be the sea first, second, and third.
A job where nothing remained but the freedom of the waves.
In particular, she dismissed all the talk of pirate loyalty and unbreakable friendships as nonsense.
She was the prime example.
On a cramped ship, you couldn’t afford to be swayed by personal sentiments to survive.
You had to stab backs to climb higher and watch your own.
Fools who became pirates for dreams died early.
She’d turned to piracy for money, and she believed that goal would never change.
With money, you could do anything.
She deemed all other values inferior to it.
Then judgment came for her.
Her privateer was captured by an enemy nation.
At first, she thought she’d be freed soon enough—her nation just needed to pay the ransom.
But as days passed without word, anxiety set in. Then one of the guards delivered shocking news.
“Death sentence, Julia. Congrats on your dog’s death.”
“What are you talking about… I…”
“Ransom talks broke down. Lucky you, witch.”
Only then did Julia grasp her reality. She would die in enemy territory.
Lonely and alone.
“Time for the hunting dog to go in the pot? Ha…”
The shackle on one leg, chained to an iron ball, made even two steps a struggle.
Days later.
“Escape! Prison break!”
“Fire! Put out the fire first!”
“They’re fleeing! Catch them!”
Roar—!
Acrid smoke drifted into her solitary cell.
“Waaah!”
“Kill them! Get out!”
A few of her subordinates rushed past her isolated cell.
“Over here! Help!”
Did they not hear? Or did they ignore it?
“Waaah! Kill them all!”
“Too much smoke! Let’s get out first!”
A guard’s blunder had let every prisoner escape. Everyone except her.
“Julia! What about Julia?”
“I’m here…”
“Idiot, we can’t waste time there. Run!”
“…….”
Her cell was in the prison’s remotest corner—an isolated room hard to reach.
With flames raging, she was abandoned.
“Fuck… Fuck…”
She knew it.
There was no loyalty among them.
She herself would have fled first in such a crisis.
“…….”
Even so, it was lonely.
She didn’t want this kind of death.
Crack—!
That’s when it happened.
The sound of a handaxe smashing the door.
Crack!
Roar—!
Flames were visible even here—how had anyone broken through?
Who had even come for her?
“Julia! You in there?”
“Damn it… Santos!”
First mate Santos.
Strong in combat, but missing a screw or two in the head.
He had come.
“Santos! I’m here!”
“Wait!”
Crack!
Craaack!
Craaash!
The clear ring of axe blows.
Finally, the door burst open.
“Santos… your face…”
His face was burned, eyes and ears seared shut.
Santos appeared, scorched.
“Ta-da! I’m here!”
“You idiot! You should’ve escaped!”
“Shut your mouth! Don’t call me an idiot!”
He entered the cell and froze at the sight of Julia’s shackles.
“Uh… this… damn…”
“Leave me, Santos. At least you survive.”
“That’s not something you say while shaking like that. Puhehehehe!”
“Why’d you come… You’ll die too.”
Santos looked at Julia with kind eyes amid his hideous face.
“Don’t tarnish a sea dog’s path! I’m getting you out.”
“…….”
“…Gonna cut your leg, Julia.”
“Okay.”
“It’ll hurt. What if you die?”
“…Shut up and cut it quick. If I die here…”
Crack—!
“Gaaaaaaahhhhhh!”
Julia screamed until her throat gave out.
Santos pulled unknown potions from his pocket and stuffed them into her mouth.
“Don’t know what they do, but I brought everything!”
“You… bastard…”
“One’s gotta work! See, the bleeding’s stopping!”
Rip…
Santos tore his clothes to bind her leg. It soaked through with blood instantly.
But the bleeding seemed to slow.
“Huff… Huff…”
Santos hoisted Julia on his back and ran.
Roar—!
Craaash!
The prison collapsed behind them.
Fortunately, Santos and Julia escaped first.
“…I’m done for. Crippled now. No more sword-for-hire life.”
“Puhehehe! What’s that matter—we’re heading back to sea!”
“You’re so simple… Ugh… Lucky you.”
“Yeah, I’m simple!”
“…Where to?”
“Got it ready!”
He took her to a secretive spot on the island, hard to find.
An one-eyed man waited there.
With a small rowboat.
“Julia!”
“Brick! You’re alive!”
“Santos said he’d bring you. He actually did…”
“Enough! Let’s go!”
But then, sounds came from around them.
“They’re here!”
“Prisoners passed through!”
“Search!”
Clunk.
Santos tossed Julia onto the boat.
“…Santos?”
“Brick! Go!”
“We’ll kill you if you stay! Santos! Come with us!”
“Then we all die. Even simple me knows that, idiot.”
Santos flailed noisily toward the light.
“Ta-da! I’m here!”
“There! Grab him!”
“Don’t let him escape! He hasn’t gotten away yet!”
The boat pulled away from the island.
That was the last image of Santos Julia still remembered vividly.
* * *
“Storms still make this leg throb. Idiot… Couldn’t cut cleanly? So, how’d that guy die?”
“He stole a scout ship and escaped. Took an arrow to the back—suffered for it.”
“…And?”
“Went into exile in Srika, became a proper captain.”
“What? Hahaha!”
“Then died in the Alprina Strait.”
“…….”
Julia’s face darkened.
“Didn’t use the canal?”
“Circumstances, I suppose.”
The Alprina Strait was infamous in the southeast. Fierce waves aside, there was another issue.
“Alprina… No way?”
“Yeah, soul taken by Bitona.”
The sea beast Bitona.
Called the father of sirens. A giant sea serpent—rumored to steal souls from those it devoured.
“How do you know that?”
“Who knows… Does it matter?”
“…No. Just surprised you know so much.”
“My story’s done.”
“…….”
“You’re not planning revenge on Bitona, right?”
“Me? You nuts? Santos lived a different life from me. Crazy bastard who went to sea for dreams. Knew he’d burn out young. And Bitona’s invincible at sea—not for pirate scum like us.”
“Got it. Payment made—satisfied?”
Julia eyed Kang Seol’s face before asking.
“You close with Santos?”
“…You could say that.”
“Does Santos think so?”
“Probably?”
Thud—!
Julia tossed a money pouch at Kang Seol’s chest.
“Take it.”
“Returning it?”
“I didn’t take this job for money, that ditzy princess, or your irritating face.”
She turned away.
“It was for Santos.”
“…Understood.”
“See you if fate allows.”
Clack…
Thud…
She climbed to the deck.
Julia spoke to a pirate following her.
“Bring rum.”
“Starting already?”
“Shut up… Do as I say.”
“Got it!”
Gulp…
Julia chugged the rum from the bottle, then poured the rest into the sea.
“Thanks, idiot. When I’m done regretting your death… I’ll come find you.”
Sailors’ news travels by sea, went the superstition. She didn’t believe it usually, but this time it had to reach him.
Meanwhile, Kang Seol stood at the dock, watching Leona’s group.
“Cut the ropes and raise anchor! We’re sailing!”
Leona called from the deck to Kang Seol.
“We’re about to depart—hurry…”
Kang Seol heard but stood rooted.
“You’re… not coming?”
“You no longer need me, Princess. You’ve cleared the last rule of the Dangerous Path.”
The last rule of the Dangerous Path.
Trust the trustworthy.
“Julia is trustworthy. She’ll get you to Jonia.”
“But… staying here alone is dangerous.”
“I’m always in danger, so it doesn’t hit hard.”
Kang Seol spoke of parting calmly.
“Thank you for enduring the long journey, Princess.”
“Th-this…”
“I wish you achieve your goals. This is… sincere.”
If Leona had remained weak, Kang Seol’s plan might have failed.
They’d all done their best from their positions to reach this point.
“Hey!”
Thwack—!
Brispin threw something.
Kang Seol caught it.
A statue of a black woman.
[You acquire the Joy of the Fallen.]
“Take it! And thank you! We made it here because of you!”
Chadolf cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted.
“Hey! Let’s be friends next time! You seem younger, so I’m taking the loss. Thanks for everything… Truly, thank you.”
Ssshh…
The ship began pulling away from the dock.
“W-wait!”
Princess Leona cried out desperately.
“I want to know your… name, no, at least your face…”
Her eyes glistened with moisture as she spoke.
“I want to know about you.”
Brispin knew his name anyway.
Kang Seol glanced around, then removed his stuffy mask.
His face emerged in the sunset glow.
The hand holding the mask touched his opposite shoulder. A light nod.
A gentlemanly salute.
“Safe travels, Leona.”
“I… I really hope we meet again! No, I’ll find you! Stay safe until then!”
Kang Seol smiled faintly.
[Princess Leona has embarked on her final path to exile.]
[Whether Princess Leona succeeds in exile is unknown.]
[Linked adventure continues.]
[Rewards available only after all adventures end.]
[Next adventure begins.]
[30th adventure begins.]
[Adventure 30. Blockade Line]
…
Kang Seol donned the mask again.
He remained here.
Because there was still work to do.