Chapter 6
A small sailboat cutting through the sea at dawn.
It carried only a plain white sail and, though small in size, moved as swiftly as any full-rigged ship.
Such speed would be difficult to achieve for anyone unfamiliar with the currents and winds of the area.
The pirate steering the boat.
Franklin glanced at Ambasha beside her and continued explaining in a sincere tone.
“When you steer the boat… like this… it’s important to ride the currents and winds.”
“I see… But don’t the currents and winds change constantly? Even the wind now seems different from the one blowing earlier.”
“Yes, winds tend to change significantly depending on the weather, so we usually base our navigation on the relatively stable currents first, then adjust for the wind. For example, during early spring like now, you can ride the current by sailing slightly diagonally from where the sun rises.”
Being a pirate didn’t just mean being good at fighting.
Unlike bandits, who roamed the land, pirates had to master basic sailing skills as they roamed the sea on ships.
These skills were essential not only for combat but also for evasion.
Setting a direction, reading currents, and predicting wind changes—these were not easy tasks and required a fair amount of expertise.
There was a reason why the profession of piracy, which spanned a long history of human civilization, had managed to survive until the 21st century and continued to thrive on the sea.
“There’s so much more to learn than I thought… in order to become a pirate. I want to learn quickly so I can become as great a pirate as you, sister.”
“Y-you’ll pick it up quickly. You’re smart, Ambasha… You’ve already learned a lot more than I expected.”
Franklin, feeling slightly embarrassed by Ambasha’s praise and admiration, gave a shy smile.
Before joining the pirate crew, Franklin had been shunned solely due to her terrifying appearance and had never once received a compliment.
If anyone saw her now, steering the boat through the darkness, they would likely foam at the mouth and faint on the spot.
Though her fellow pirates had grown accustomed to her presence, making it less of an issue, it was still stressful for someone with such a fragile mindset like hers to venture outside, even if it was work-related.
However, today was different—by her side was Ambasha, smiling with pure sincerity and following her lead like an eager puppy.
The fact that Ambasha didn’t fear her and instead showed such innocent affection filled Franklin’s heart with warmth, and she thought that life as a pirate might be even happier from now on.
At that moment.
“Ah!”
Franklin’s eyes widened as she finally caught sight of a twinkling light far off in the distance.
“We’re almost there. That’s Cyprus!”
***
Cyprus Island.
Situated in the eastern part of the continent, under the territory of the Turque Empire, this island’s strategic location had made it a crucial trading hub with the East since ancient times.
Though its reputation had declined as the continent’s major trade routes shifted to the western Atlantian Sea, it was still used by many merchants as a gateway for trade with the East.
For the Golden Beard Pirate Group, which operated mainly in the Mediterranean Sea, it was the most convenient place to acquire Eastern goods.
Having quietly docked their small sailboat, Franklin and Ambasha headed straight for the marketplace.
Since Ambasha’s identity as a pirate was not yet known, she could walk around with her face uncovered. In contrast, Franklin pulled up her hood.
Despite everything, she was still a pirate with a bounty on her head, so it was necessary to conceal her identity.
Of course, this also prevented any bystanders from seeing her face and having a heart attack, but that was a secondary reason.
Regardless of Franklin’s concerns, Ambasha’s eyes were filled with curiosity as she eagerly looked around the marketplace with bright, sparkling eyes.
“Wow… There are so many interesting things here. I’ve been to Marenseu Port a few times, but there are so many things I’ve never seen before.”
“Most of these are rare goods from the East that are hard to come by in the continent.”
The market was filled with exotic items.
Snow-white porcelain, flower-shaped jade ornaments.
And even strange creatures that she had never seen in her life.
Ambasha’s eyes were shining brightly as if she had stepped into another world.
“I’ve heard stories, but the East seems like such a fascinating place. I wish I could go there someday…”
“You… you’ll get to go there eventually if you stay on our ship.”
“Really?”
“Our captain is the Pirate King, after all. Not long ago, we even sailed to the Eastern Indies and crushed the East India Company’s navy.”
“Wow…”
Hearing stories about the man she called “Father,” Ambasha began to understand a little more about what kind of person he was.
With a smile that was different from her earlier one, she spoke to Franklin.
“Come to think of it, we’ve been taking our time, haven’t we? Where do they sell those spices? I want to make something delicious for Fathe… I mean, for the other crew members as soon as possible.”
“Ah… It’s not far from here. If we go straight down this street, we’ll reach the place we’ve always traded with.”
Guiding Ambasha, who seemed to be in a bit of a rush, Franklin led the way into a quiet alley.
It was a familiar shortcut for her, but today, simply walking along it with Ambasha felt delightful.
‘Maybe… we could grab a meal on the way back… I usually just go back after buying supplies, but… today, with Ambasha here…’
Even though Franklin had wanted to visit this restaurant many times, she never mustered up the courage to go.
Remembering that place brought a smile to her lips.
‘A-Ambasha will surely love it, right? It’s a restaurant recommended by the Vice-Captain after all…!!’
In that moment.
Suddenly, Franklin felt a chilling presence.
Reacting instantly, she ducked down and pulled Ambasha into her arms.
Then—
-Bang!!!
“!!”
Franklin embraced her body tightly.
Ambasha was momentarily overcome with confusion.
“!!! Si…Sis…ter?”
The warm, red liquid splattered on Ambasha’s face.
Realizing it was blood flowing from Franklin’s body, Ambasha’s face turned deathly pale.
“S-Sis…? A-are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It’s just a light wound.”
Saying that, Franklin slowly turned around, still holding Ambasha in her arms.
Her expression had completely changed—she now wore the look of a sharpened blade.
Ambasha was taken aback, silently consumed by shock at the transformation.
“Come out.”
A cold voice, carrying not even a hint of her usual shyness.
In response, a group of people began to emerge in front of them.
***
The girl with a cross-shaped scar on her forehead, as foretold by the prophecy, had indeed appeared on Cyprus Island.
And with her, a hooded figure trying to conceal their identity.
From their behaviour alone, it was clear that she was a pirate—just as the request had indicated. Seeing this, Magellan and his subordinates began tailing them immediately.
With skilled movements, they kept their presence hidden as much as possible.
Fortunately, their target hadn’t noticed them at all and had even entered a perfect alley for an ambush. Magellan’s men wasted no time and launched their attack.
A dozen bullets flew toward the pirates.
But even under a surprise assault, the pirate managed to protect the girl while also deflecting most of the shots—albeit incompletely.
The pirate stood up, unscathed, despite being hit by what should have been a fatal barrage.
Though her face was obscured by the hood, this alone was enough to show she was quite skilled.
Recognizing this, Magellan’s sense of caution heightened, and he stepped out with his men.
“Ho… You managed to deflect that. You’re no ordinary pirate, I see. Well… no wonder that Duke would offer such a hefty sum for you.”
“Who… are you?”
The pirate’s voice was calm and controlled.
Magellan grinned confidently and spoke.
“Hoho, yes, it is I—the great Magellan himself!”
“…Who is that?”
“…What?”
A completely unexpected response.
Magellan couldn’t help but feel a twinge of confusion.
“Ah… No, I’m telling you, I’m Magellan.”
“And… what exactly do you do? Why did you attack me all of a sudden?”
“W-wait, are you serious? I’m Magellan, you know?”
“I… I don’t know any Magellan… A-are you from the Turque Empire’s navy, by any chance?”
“…”
It wasn’t a provocation. She genuinely looked perplexed and clueless, as if she had no idea who he was.
Even though they had launched the first attack, it felt as if they were the ones getting beaten down.
“You, how can you be a pirate and not know the boss?”
“You’ve never heard of Magellan, the top pirate hunter in the Mediterranean?”
“Pirate… hunter? Oh, I see. So that’s why…”
The pirate finally seemed to grasp what was going on.
However, the fact that Magellan had to explain himself this much meant that his reputation was already damaged. His frustration only grew.
“Grr… Well, whatever. Th-that’s not the point right now. Just hand over that girl peacefully. If you don’t…”
-Clang!!!
Suddenly, a large butcher’s knife flew straight toward his neck.
It wasn’t just any blade but one used in slaughterhouses, aimed with deadly precision.
Barely managing to block it in time, Magellan felt a chill run down his spine.
“Then I suppose… I can just kill you instead, right?”
—
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