Chapter 44
Magellan was holed up in the kitchen, fully immersed in cooking.
Meanwhile, Ambasha, Elkana, and Auriel were frantically running around the deck, carrying food and drinks.
Despite Franklin’s absence, they seemed to be handling things surprisingly well.
Watching them from a quiet corner, I silently sipped my rum.
‘Not bad. I always thought the cooking team was a bit lacking. Looks like things are finally falling into place.’
Franklin’s talent for cooking was undeniable.
If nothing else, the fact that she had managed to recreate kimchi to such a high standard in this world already made her, in my opinion, the greatest chef on the continent.
However…
Her naturally intimidating appearance and gloomy demeanor,
Not to mention her troubled past that made social interactions difficult,
Had always been obstacles to forming a proper cooking team.
As a result, she had been overworked day after day,
And the already dark circles under her eyes had only gotten worse over time.
But ever since Ambasha had—by sheer luck—started getting along with her,
And since Magellan and Elkana—who had originally been at odds with Franklin—had joined,
Plus, with Auriel now filling the last vacant spot,
This unexpected lineup of the ‘cooking crew’ was something I, as the captain, found strangely satisfying.
From an objective point of view, it was quite a bizarre scene—
A mid-story antagonist from the original work leading the protagonist duo (+α).
‘Well… who cares? In the end, good things are good.’
Deciding not to dwell on the irony of it all, I grabbed a piece of jerky from my plate.
At that moment—
“…”
A familiar presence beside me.
And at the same time, a hand reached out and casually took a piece of jerky from my plate.
Without bothering to turn my head, I spoke in a quiet voice.
“Must you always steal from others?”
“Oh, come on. After what I did for you yesterday, don’t be so petty over something like this.”
“…Haah…”
That damn logic again…
At Remine’s words, I could only let out a deep sigh.
“I do appreciate it. Thanks to you, I was able to handle the aftermath without any major disruptions.”
“Well… It’s just part of the job. As the first mate, it’s my role to be the one who gets angry on behalf of our ever-so-merciful Pirate King. Nothing new.”
With that, she casually chewed on her jerky.
I took another sip of rum, once again grateful for her presence.
Running an organization smoothly required a careful balance of the carrot and the stick.
One side had to offer mercy and leniency,
While the other wielded discipline and punishment,
Striking a balance between the two.
It was like the traditional household dynamic—
Where one parent scolded the children, while the other occasionally stepped in to mediate.
In that sense,
While I preferred to lead my crew with leniency,
Remine, as first mate, had to maintain a strict and authoritative stance.
Because of this, her reputation among the crew wasn’t exactly great.
But at the same time, everyone understood that she was the reason order was maintained on this ship.
For that, I was once again grateful.
Though it wasn’t a pleasant job, she had willingly taken on the burden of being the one to hand down discipline.
With that thought, I slowly got up from my seat.
At that moment—
“…You’re going to see her?”
Remine’s calm voice posed the question.
I answered without much thought.
“Yeah. She’s still bedridden, but if I don’t go now, I might not have another chance anytime soon.”
“Well… do as you like. That part is definitely your responsibility.”
With that, she lost interest, focusing solely on chewing her jerky.
Leaving her behind, I walked away.
***
Laughter and cheers filled the air from the banquet outside.
Mixed in were the sounds of her younger comrades busily working.
Lying face-down on the infirmary bed, Franklin felt an itch of restlessness.
‘They’re all working so hard, and here I am, doing nothing…’
Her back still throbbed with pain—she hadn’t yet received Healing Magic due to the punishment regulations.
Even so,
Whether it was a strong sense of responsibility or just a touch of workaholism,
The idea of resting while everyone else was busy felt unbearable to her.
Just as she was feeling more frustrated—
—Knock knock
“?”
Amidst the distant noise of the feast, a sudden knock.
As the door slowly creaked open,
Seeing the person who entered,
Franklin felt a mix of surprise and—if she were honest—
A tiny spark of joy.
“C-Captain?”
An unexpected visitor.
Despite the dull, throbbing pain in her body, Franklin sat up to greet him.
“How are you feeling? No need to push yourself—just lie down.”
“N-No, I’m fine. But… what brings you here…?”
“I was feeling a little tired. I was looking for a quiet place and ended up here. I hope I’m not disturbing you.”
“O-Of course not! You’re not a bother at all.”
“Good. Then, I’ll take a seat for a while.”
With that, the brief but awkward greeting ended.
The Pirate King took a seat, while Franklin, feeling somewhat flustered, sat neatly on the bed.
In this small infirmary, just the two of them.
For some reason, her heart started beating faster.
Then, after a short silence,
The Pirate King spoke first.
“…Thank you. Truly. You did an incredible job.”
“No… I only did what I had to. If anything… I’m sorry that this was all I could do…”
Her words were not just an attempt at humility—
They carried sincere regret.
And then…
“!…”
The Pirate King gently stroked her head.
For a moment, Franklin felt her already racing heart beat even faster, her face gradually growing redder.
“There’s no need to apologize. I know you’ve done your best. And… that sound you hear outside? That’s the result of your efforts.”
“…Huh?”
“I told you before, didn’t I? Once you become an officer, you need to know how to lead others. It may not have been perfect, but through this ordeal, you’ve shown remarkable qualities.”
“Captain…”
The voices of her ‘younger siblings,’ willingly taking her place as she recovered.
Their first encounters had been uncertain and shaky.
But now, they had become her comrades—
People she could no longer imagine being without.
Listening to their voices, a gentle smile spread across Franklin’s lips.
“And for that, I want to reward you for all your hard work.”
“…Huh? B-but… I…”
“No need to refuse. This is something I want to give. You wouldn’t dare defy a direct order from your captain, would you?”
The Pirate King teased, his tone playful yet firm.
Knowing his personality well, she realized that rejecting it would be meaningless.
“Now, tell me—whatever you want, as long as it’s within my power, I’ll grant it.”
He smiled as he spoke.
Franklin blushed slightly, hesitating as she debated internally.
There had always been something she wanted.
But she still wasn’t sure.
Would it be acceptable?
What if he disliked her for it?
Such worries had always held her back, and even now, they threatened to restrain her.
But.
‘Still… this kind of chance might never come again…’
Alone together, just the two of them.
A perfect moment—
Perhaps the first and last of her lifetime.
And perhaps,
Everything she had endured,
Everything she had worked for—
Had all been leading up to this very moment.
That thought pushed aside the hesitation that had always clung to her heart.
And at last,
A sliver of courage began to bloom inside her.
“…Captain… no… D-Dra—Drake…”
“Hmm?”
Franklin called his name in a trembling voice.
Then, she slowly stood up and reached out, carefully cupping his face in her hands.
“…Franklin? What are you…?”
“…You said… you’d grant me a wish, didn’t you?”
Looking straight into the Pirate King’s startled eyes, her voice quivered.
Her heart pounded as if it would burst.
Her face burned with heat.
But even so,
At this moment,
She made her decision.
“…This… This is my wish…”
“!”
And with those words,
Franklin hesitantly leaned forward.
And then—
—Smooch.
“!”
—
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