Chapter 12

“Gahhh!!”

Magellan gasped for breath, his eyes snapping wide open.

The familiar ceiling of the cabin came into view, along with the scent of the sea.

Relief washed over him as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

‘Was it a dream…?’

The thought alone made him feel nauseous from the horrific nightmare.

He shuddered, recalling the brutal scene of his dear comrades being slaughtered by a vile noble.

A burning thirst gripped his throat,

and his whole body still throbbed in pain.

Yet, feeling gratitude that such a hellish scene was merely a dream, Magellan slowly attempted to rise.

But then…

“Huh?”

At that moment, a heavy pain shot through his shoulder.

As he registered it, Magellan’s face froze in shock.

“Wha… what…?…”

A wound wrapped in bloodied bandages.

And that wound was unlike any bruise…

It was the result of a gunshot.

Realizing what that meant,

his body began to tremble with a deep sense of foreboding…

Magellan almost fell off the bed as he got up.

“C-Could it be… ugh!”

Amidst the overwhelming dizziness, he struggled to move forward.

After opening the cabin door, he shouted sharply while scanning the deck.

“W-Where is everyone? Where… where are you? Elkana! Mark! Davin!”

Magellan desperately cried out the names of his companions.

But no matter how loudly he called out…

Despite frantically looking around like a madman.

He heard no voices and saw no faces.

“C-Could it be… th-that… that’s impossible…”

Even as he desperately tried to dismiss it, the harsh reality began to crystalize.

In this terrifying silence, he finally felt his legs give way and sank to the ground.

“H-How… how could this… b-be real…? Could it be… those guys… our Demanes family… they’re all…”

The unbearable truth sent shivers through his body.

The burning thirst felt increasingly torturous.

His body, already at its limit, could muster no more strength.

At that moment…

“!”

Something caught his eye as he sat there.

A bloodstain on the floor.

Not looking old at all, and as he noticed it, Magellan felt something compel him to follow it.

Soon, he arrived at the helm located at the back of the deck.

What started to come into view was…

“Elkana!”

His childhood friend, collapsed against a broken mast.

Magellan staggered forward, struggling to reach her.

“N-No… Elkana! Please… please wake up!”

He shook her roughly, trying to rouse her.

Then, suddenly.

“Enough already… I feel like I’m going to throw up.”

“Ah!”

That familiar voice tinged with annoyance.

Yet, at that moment, it brought Magellan an immense sense of relief and joy, causing him to pull her into a tight embrace.

“W-What a relief… Truly… truly, it’s a relief…!”

But then…

“…Huh?”

A sudden wet sensation graced his hand.

A familiar, metallic smell stung his nose.

“W-What… is this…?”

“…Ha… ha…”

Elkana offered a strange smile in response to Magellan’s question.

Only then did he realize that her face was completely pale…

And blood was still flowing from her chest.

“Ah… no…”

The bright red blood flowing dangerously was already too much.

Despite desperately trying to staunch the bleeding, he ultimately failed, watching in horror as the relief he felt transformed into despair.

“I’m sorry… I was just… so out of it… I messed up…”

“W-What do you mean? Why are you doing this? I told you! Leave me behind and run! Like the others! Why aren’t you listening to the captain?!”

“Heh… heh… it’s because… our captain hasn’t been setting a good example… Always jumping into danger himself… How can the subordinates learn from that?”

“Ugh… Just… just stay still for a second!”

Elkana smiled weakly despite her pale face.

In response, Magellan desperately began searching for any means to help her.

But… all he saw in that moment was the vast, empty sea.

Even the supplies in the hold were nearly depleted.

In their haste to escape after the expedition, they had left almost no medical supplies, not even food.

Ultimately… after rummaging through the ship, Magellan had no choice but to return empty-handed.

Shadows loomed over his face.

Seeing this, Elkana chuckled as if she had expected it.

“Heh… What now? With nothing left… well, at least… don’t lose hope; our timing was just right, a storm sent us off… Even if we have no idea where we are.”

“Y-You’re joking even in a situation like this…”

“Sorry…”

Elkana teased him despite having her life hanging by a thread.

As he watched her with no regrets,

Magellan’s heart was filled with deep regret.

“I… I was such a fool… I shouldn’t have accepted such a… ridiculous commission… I shouldn’t have trusted that noble…”

“Don’t blame yourself. We were all fools… that’s just how it is now…”

Even in this dire situation, Elkana tried to comfort him.

But in front of a comrade who was risking their life to save him, Magellan felt utterly powerless.

In this darkness where nothing was visible.

Despair filled his heart as he tried to do something,

laying his outer garment over her cold body.

“…Is there nothing clean? It smells…”

“U-Um… there’s nothing… this is all I have…”

“Seriously? You shower the whores with shiny dresses decked with jewels, and this is all I get? You really are the most annoying childhood friend…”

“…Sorry…”

“Ah… umm… was that a little much?… Th-Thank you… I’m not really angry…”

“Next time… next time I’ll buy you something… so please… please…”

“!…”

As Magellan held Elkana’s cold hand,

he squeezed it tightly, tears streaming down as he pleaded.

“Don’t die… please… live… If you leave… If you go too… then I… I…”

“…”

With a voice trembling as if about to crumble, Magellan begged.

Seeing her childhood friend show vulnerability for the first time left Elkana momentarily silent.

If only she could tell him.

That she wouldn’t die…

That she would stay by his side as she always had.

But…

Elkana couldn’t bring herself to say those words.

She already knew better than anyone.

That her life was… slipping away.

That promising something impossible would only hurt him more.

“El… Elkana?”

Gently reaching out, she caressed his cheek.

Her hand was still warm, unlike her cold one.

But she thought to herself… this person would somehow survive.

With great effort, Elkana forced a smile.

“…I’m sorry, Magellan… I…”

—Bang!!

“!!”

A sharp sound whizzed past his ear at that moment.

And a rough spray burst before them.

The two quickly turned their heads.

“What… what’s that?”

“That’s…!”

A medium-sized ship appeared before their eyes.

Spotting another ship out here could have been a glimmer of hope for them.

Yet the flag flying on that ship brought despair to their hearts.

“That’s… Oclea…”

“How the hell are those bastards here?!”

The duchess’s subordinates, who had not only slaughtered all their comrades but also tracked them down to this very spot.

Considering the weak navy strength of the Kingdom of Frantz, it was hard to believe this sight.

But the enemies right before them were undeniably real.

“Damn it!”

“! M-Mag…?!”

In a rush, Magellan sprinted towards the lifeboat while carrying Elkana on his back.

Seeing this, Elkana squeezed out what little strength she had left to stop him.

“Stop… I-I’m already…”

“Shut up! Don’t talk about dying now! We live together or we die together!”

With Magellan’s fierce words, Elkana fell silent.

He charged towards the lifeboat below.

A ship with neither combat ability nor navigation ability was merely a massive target.

In this situation, it would be better to use it as bait and escape on a smaller vessel to increase their chances of survival, even just a little.

But then…

—Bang!!!!

“Ugh!”

“…”

A cannonball struck right in front of them.

Fortunately, they narrowly avoided a direct hit, but it sent Magellan and Elkana tumbling onto the deck.

“Elkana!”

“…”

Elkana lay limp and unresponsive.

Desperate to save her, Magellan heaved her onto his back again, trying to reach the lifeboat.

At that moment…

“I’m sorry…”

“! E-Elkana! I—I’m so glad you’re… safe…”

“You have to… survive… Magellan…”

“!”

With those final words, Elkana suddenly pushed Magellan away.

Her body fell onto the collapsing deck.

And then…

“Ah… no…!”

—Bang!!!

A cannonball crashed exactly where Elkana had been.

In an instant, flames and smoke surged upwards, leaving Magellan standing there, dazed.

“…No…”

The moment his last hope was snuffed out.

With a blank expression, Magellan sank to the ground as his remaining will to fight disappeared.

The fact that he had lost his last companion drained him of all motivation.

He could no longer care about anything.

The cannonballs falling all around him.

The bullets flying in from all directions.

The sound of trumpets echoing somewhere.

An unbearable sense of despair…

The bitter agony of knowing everything ended due to his own foolish mistake made him forget all sense of danger.

All he could do was chastise his foolish, useless self and shed tears in silence…

“What are you staring at?”

“….? Huh?”

At that moment, a voice suddenly pierced his ears.

It was unfamiliar, yet


never to be forgotten.

Slowly, Magellan raised his head.

Then…

“Smile!”

He felt a familiar sensation envelop him.

At the same time, a glimmer of life returned to the despair-stricken face of Magellan.

“E-Elkana?”

“Take care of yourself. I don’t plan on babysitting your things.”

With that, he slowly turned to face the enemies’ ship.

Dressed in a golden uniform, exuding an overwhelming magical presence even in this perilous moment.

Seeing this figure, Magellan…

Couldn’t help but mutter in a daze.

“A pirate… king… how…?”