Navy Marygold (4)
Lancel threw himself straight into the sea to chase after Marygold, who had been snared by the pirates.
"Sir Lancel!"
"The landlubber's overdoing it!"
"Can you even swim?!"
The cold seawater enveloped his body amid the crashing waves. He felt his overheated frame cool pleasantly.
"Hoo!"
The underwater scene unfolded before his eyes. Vibrant corals and schools of fish in every color, the sun-dappled surface sparkling above, drifting ship wreckage, pirate corpses. And Marygold, her neck caught in a noose, being dragged away.
She entered his field of vision.
"Gulp! Pwah! H-hel, help, save a per—...!"
Lancel dove toward the rapidly receding Marygold. All those extreme swimming lessons during his time in the archipelago were paying off now. He glided through the water with fluid strokes, propelling himself downward several times before quickly reaching her.
"Hey."
He swam close and tapped her cheek. Light returned to Marygold's eyes, which had been fading to death.
"La, Lancel?!"
"You still look salvageable. Hang tight for a sec."
"Pardon?"
Lancel shot past her. He grabbed the rope connecting them and hauled himself up onto the ship in one swift pull.
"Damn navy bastards! They won't catch us now, right?"
"Hurry! Back to base!"
"We caught a lady navy officer—what's the big deal?"
"Haul her up now! We can take her and mess with her to vent."
"Aye! Huh? Why's this so heavy?"
The man gripping the noose leaned over the railing.
"...?"
"Hi there."
Their eyes met at paper-thin distance as Lancel climbed the rope. The pirate's eyes bulged in horror.
"Gaaah! N-Navy! Navy officer!"
"Navy?!"
The pirates, who had been catching their breath, leaped up in unison.
"Wh-where?! Where's the navy?!"
"What? What's going on?!"
"There's a navy guy!"
"What?!"
"There!"
Countless eyes turned toward Lancel as he crawled onto the deck. He counted the pirates one by one. One, two, three... roughly thirty in total.
"Navy... officer?"
"He's alone?"
The pirates stared in dumbfounded shock.
"Y-you're the only one?"
"There's one more below."
Caught in the noose, though.
"A navy... officer all by himself?"
"This crazy navy punk dares board the Ankhel Pirates' flagship without fear?!"
"Wanna end up fish food?!"
Having grasped the situation, the pirates drew their blades in a frenzy.
"Kill him!"
Swords, spears, harpoons, pitchforks, hooks—every manner of weapon rained down.
Oh.
Lancel reached for his waist. No sooner had he drawn his sword than a fountain of blood sprayed wildly.
"Gaaah!"
He slipped through the gap as three men crumpled, slashing two more throats in an instant. Five pirates hit the deck in a heartbeat.
"What are you doing, can't even grab one?!"
"Grab him! Tackle and take him down!"
These pirates, who had never faced a knight honed on land their whole lives, couldn't even track Lancel's shadow. The moment his blade flashed, a limb flew, rolling across the deck.
"Monster...!"
Only after nearly twenty had fallen did terror spread among the pirates. Watching him ghost through gaps and slice throats clean was soul-crushing.
"S-save me, plea—!"
Finally, Lancel faced the one who had thrown the noose at Marygold. He severed both arms of the man trying to drop his weapon and surrender.
"Eh, huh?"
"Fish food."
"...!"
He hoisted the pirate and flung him into the sea.
"Aaaah!"
The scream, raw as if tearing flesh, was swallowed by the depths.
Silence blanketed the deck.
"Now I feel like a real navy man."
Lancel slicked back his seawater-matted hair and turned slowly. The remaining dozen or so pirates had dropped their weapons and surrendered.
"We surrender! Mercy!"
"J-just spare our lives...."
Their raised hands trembled; the fire in their eyes long extinguished, replaced by the dread of facing a monster.
"You."
"Y-yes, sir!"
"Pull up the girl below."
"B-below, you say?"
"Don't make me repeat myself."
"Aye!"
A moment later.
"Kek!"
Marygold was hauled up, belching seawater violently.
"La, Lancel, kek, what hap—keuk!"
"Follow me. Since we've captured a pirate ship, let's check the spoils, Mary."
"The pirates... kek, what happened, ugh!"
"...."
.
.
.
—Imperial Year 816, July 24. Weather: Very clear.—
'Pirate Ship Plunder: Great Success!'
※After a fierce battle, you plundered a pirate ship brimming with silver coins, weapons, booze, food, and more—in collaboration with Lancel Dante! An enormous achievement! Charm UP!! Stamina UP!!
The pirate ship's deck hold was stuffed with plundered goods.
"Jackpot! Total jackpot, Sir Lancel!"
...Collaboration?
Come to think of it, he had climbed up the rope she was snared in. If that counted as collaboration, then sure.
Whatever. He'd prevented her from becoming fish food or a pirate plaything. Fine, collaboration it was.
"Sir Lancel! Look at this! Chickens! Chickens!"
Marygold hoisted a cage of chickens overhead, beaming ear to ear. Hard to believe her belly was still bloated from seawater moments ago—her face was pure sunshine.
"Pigs! Sir Lancel, pigs here too! Sheep even! Meat party tonight?"
Chickens, pigs, sheep—what didn't they have? Silver coins, spices, books, animals—a jumble of loot from meticulous pillaging, until they hit the wrong ship.
"What're you doing?"
"Hehe."
Marygold was busy stuffing a few silver coins and a shiny gem into her shoe.
"Pocket some too, Sir Lancel. No better pocket money than this. This is why we do navy."
"...."
"Here, for you. The priciest-looking one. A ring."
As if it were hers to give, she offered a pair of gold rings. Marygold slipped them onto his ring fingers willy-nilly, then flashed a sly, lecherous grin.
"Ehehehe."
I can read your mind, Marygold.
"Huh?"
Then it happened. While rummaging for anything useful, Marygold dragged out a wooden box from the corner, grunting.
"This one's locked... ugh, heavy!"
"Step back."
"Pardon?"
She flinched as Lancel drew his sword, retreating.
Clang—!
He brought the blade down clean on the lock.
"Huh?"
The lock remained unscratched, pristine.
"Tough... one, huh."
Marygold forced a bright smile, as if sparing his embarrassment. That only irked him more.
"Hoo."
Lancel closed his eyes. Hand on the hilt, he steadied his breath. Mana surged from his heart, coursing through his body. A blue haze seeped from the blade.
"Sir Lancel, smoke from the sword...!"
"Quiet."
When the roiling mana fully cloaked the blade, Lancel's eyes snapped open.
Now.
The sword traced a perfect arc. Boom—the air tore with a deafening roar.
Ruuuumble—!
"Kyaaak!"
Marygold clamped her ears. A long gash followed the blade's path. Ceiling, walls, floor—neatly sliced, the ship rocked. Even the sturdy lock split clean in two.
Creeeak!
The lid creaked open. Lancel and Marygold pressed close, peering in.
"Huh? Sir Lancel, this is...?"
"...?"
Inside was something utterly unexpected.
"A flower."
"A flower, yeah."
A single small bloom in a vial of clear water, scattering sparkling light.
"Do flowers normally bloom in water?"
Marygold leaned in close, inspecting. Lancel shoved her head aside and snatched the vial.
What is this?
Shimmer—pale purple pollen seemed to drift beyond the glass, a hallucinatory haze clouding his mind.
Feels familiar.
Why? It rang a bell. Not a good one—more like an ominous premonition.
Lancel absently stroked the vial's surface with dazed eyes.
"Huh?"
Something felt off. His hand—rough, callused from years on sword hilts—was now pale and slender.
A strange sensation made him look up.
"Sir Lancel? Huh? Your voice. Ahem, ahem!"
There stood Lancel. Himself.
"Uhng?"
Letting out a ditzy sound he'd never make.
His own self.
"Ah."
Then he knew what the flower was.
.
.
.
"Back to normal."
The change reverted quickly. The problem was the ripple it would cause in the archipelago.
Lancel sensed it instinctively.