Chapter 43
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:13
A horrifying scene was unfolding before her eyes.
As she watched, Auriel instinctively recalled a passage from the Scriptures.
A verse symbolizing the Lord’s path of sacrifice for the sins of humanity.
She never imagined that she would recall it so soon—on a pirate ship, of all places.
—Snap!!!
A sharp lash of the whip.
The mere sound of it was enough to send chills down one’s spine, and the blow inflicted excruciating pain on the woman who was struck.
A woman named Franklin, a high-ranking officer of the pirate crew, whom Auriel had urgently treated just two days ago.
She was now being subjected to whipping as a form of punishment.
However, not only the other pirates present but even Auriel, who had only heard a rough outline of the situation, could easily deduce the truth.
The punishment Franklin was receiving was not because of her own wrongdoing.
She was taking the lashes in place of the two women crying behind her.
‘Even so… how could they go this far…?’
Auriel knew all too well how painful whipping could be.
She had never been whipped herself, but in the past, she had witnessed devout priests undergoing such self-inflicted suffering as a form of penance.
A punishment that tore flesh, splattered blood, and in severe cases, even broke bones.
Fortunately, the woman administering the whipping—clad in red robes—was skilled enough to avoid inflicting fatal injuries.
But that didn’t mean the pain was any less severe.
Avoiding lethal injuries simply meant that the punishment was executed with such precision that it inflicted agony without killing the victim.
Watching Franklin endure such pain, carrying all the blame upon herself,
Auriel felt something stir deep within her heart.
A feeling of reverence—
Awe, even.
***
A heavy atmosphere loomed over the deck.
Everyone’s face was clouded with shadows.
Some were filled with sorrow.
Some remained expressionless.
And some shed silent tears.
But there was one person—
The only person in this scene—who bore a faint smile.
The one being punished.
Franklin.
She alone—
In this entire gathering—
Was experiencing a sense of peace.
—Snap!!
Once again, a sharp pain sliced across her back.
Even as the agony left a vivid trail of blood upon her pale skin, Franklin made not a single sound, only trembling from the sheer pain.
“Sniff… Sniff… Ugh… Sister…”
“Kh…”
Ambasha sobbed uncontrollably, while Elkana’s eyes were red with unshed tears.
They knew.
They understood all too well.
That the one who should be standing there, taking those lashes, was not Franklin.
The punishment that should have been inflicted upon them was instead being borne by Franklin.
If only they could, they would have turned away.
No, if possible, they wanted nothing more than to take her place right this moment.
But they couldn’t.
If they stepped forward now, it would mean rejecting Franklin’s resolve.
It would mean betraying her decision to endure suffering in order to protect them.
Thus, though their bodies were unharmed, the emotional torment they suffered was far worse.
And so, with nothing else they could do, the two could only stand by and weep in regret.
—Slaaash!!!
Again, the whip tore across her back.
Had it been an ordinary person, they would have fainted long ago.
Yet…
Despite everything, Franklin endured until the very end.
Her tattered clothes were soaked in blood and torn flesh,
Her entire body drenched in sweat and crimson stains.
And yet, even in such a state, she neither cried nor uttered a single sound.
Gone was her usual hesitant demeanor.
In its place, the unwavering will and dignity of an officer shone through.
And finally—
“It is finished.”
A voice announced the end of the punishment.
At that moment, those who had been standing by released the ropes binding Franklin.
“Guhh… Haaah… Haaah…”
Having reached her limit, Franklin collapsed onto the ground.
Watching her, Remine spoke in a cold voice.
“As per regulations, no healing magic is to be used until the day after tomorrow. Reflect on your actions in the meantime.”
“…Y…Yes… I…under…stand…”
Through unbearable pain, Franklin forced out her response.
With that, the pirates who had gathered on the deck dispersed.
At the same time, Ambasha, Elkana, and Magellan hurried over to Franklin.
“Sister!”
“Franklin!”
Ambasha clung to Franklin’s collapsed form, her face a mess of tears and snot as she choked out her words.
“Sniff… Sniff… I… I’m sorry… It’s my fault… Because of me… you had to…”
She sobbed, apologizing over and over again.
“…”
Despite the burning pain consuming her body, Franklin gently stroked Ambasha’s head.
And through it all, she managed to muster a faint smile.
“W-why… why did you do that…? It… it was all because of me… Sister, you didn’t do anything wrong… It was my stubbornness that caused all this… But… But why…?”
A question filled with self-reproach and anguish.
Franklin had many possible answers she could give.
That it was the captain’s duty to take responsibility for her subordinates’ mistakes.
That it was also her own fault for failing to instill proper discipline in them from the start.
However…
Instead of explaining such trivial obligations,
Franklin, in a quiet voice,
Without the slightest pretense or embellishment,
Spoke the simple, pure reason that had driven her actions.
“Because… I’m your sister.”
“!…”
“We may not share the same blood… but I am your sister. No matter the situation, I must protect my younger siblings…”
“…! Sniff… nghh…”
“Kh…”
“I’m sorry… If I had done things right from the beginning, none of this would have happened… In the end, this was the only way I could protect you…”
“F…Franklin… Sis…!”
“Huuu… nghh…”
Finally, the emotions she had been struggling to suppress burst forth, and Ambasha broke down into uncontrollable sobs.
Franklin gently patted her trembling shoulders.
Watching this, Elkana, too, could no longer hold back her tears and began weeping beside them.
And so, on the now-empty deck, their cries echoed through the air.
Cries filled with regret, sorrow, and gratitude…
As they poured out their tears, both Ambasha and Elkana made the same silent vow in their hearts.
That they would never—never again—allow this to happen.
That they would never let their selfish desires harm someone precious to them…
That they would never again let their sister be hurt because of them.
Meanwhile, watching and listening to the heart-wrenching scene unfold beside him,
A bitter smile spread across Magellan’s lips.
‘I just can’t win against her… Seriously…’
From their very first encounter, they had clashed as rivals.
And time and again, he had suffered defeat.
And now, at last, he had no choice but to acknowledge it.
Franklin was a greater person than he was.
Their perspectives may have been different, but in the end, Magellan had not stepped forward.
If Elkana’s life had been at stake, he would have acted without hesitation.
But this was simply a matter of punishment for wrongdoing.
Deep down, he believed she deserved to face the consequences for ignoring both his and Franklin’s warnings.
That she needed to experience the harsh reality of the world at least once.
But Franklin had made a different choice.
As their captain, and as their sister, just as she had said, she had taken everything upon herself.
It was simply a difference in perspectives.
But there was no need to compare which was the harder, more admirable path.
As he acknowledged her from the depths of his heart, Magellan remained silent, watching over the sea of tears that continued for a long while.
***
“Cheers!”
“To our victory!”
“To gold and treasure!”
The somber atmosphere brought by the punishment,
Vanished swiftly with the feast that followed the next day.
Though there were still some lingering concerns,
The operation had ultimately resulted in a grand victory for the Golden Beard Pirate Group.
They had achieved their goals with minimal casualties,
While Arcroyal Warspite and Bennessa’s Navy had suffered heavy losses and disgrace.
The battle had undoubtedly made them sworn enemies of Bennessa,
But as pirates and navy men, they were bound to be at odds regardless.
Thus, with no further concern, the pirates reveled in their triumph, indulging in liquor and feasting on meat.
“Bring me more jerky.”
“Yes! Right away!”
“We’re almost out of booze! Bring three more bottles of rum!”
“Yes, sir! Coming right up!”
In the kitchen, Magellan was hard at work, tending to the flames,
While three others hurriedly carried food and drinks across the ship—
Ambasha, Elkana, and their newest recruit, Auriel, who had recently joined them.
Since Franklin was still bedridden due to her punishment,
They had taken over kitchen and serving duties in her place.
Of course, it was hardly enough to count as true atonement…
But that wasn’t the reason they were doing it.
From the moment they were assigned under Franklin,
This grueling work had been an inevitable part of their future.
‘Franklin… Sis really went through hell…’
‘Do these people have bottomless stomachs? How the hell can they eat so much?!’
‘Seriously… I just can’t win… in so many ways…’
‘This… isn’t the pirate life I imagined…’
As they slaved away, watching others eat and drink to their heart’s content,
The four of them gained a newfound understanding—
A forced yet undeniable respect for Franklin’s hardships.
—
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