Chapter 133

After handing over the task of dealing with Duke Ocleang,

I moved along with Auriel.

A little while later…

What caught my eye was a crowd of people gathered in one place as if they were witnessing some kind of spectacle.

And…

At the center of it was…

-Skrreeeeech!!!

The sharp collision of condensed power and writhing magical energy.

From that spot emanated an unsettling presence…

Two women were clashing swords with each other.

One wielding a butchering knife blazing with flames:


Franklin…

And,


Napoleona, who was using a magical barrier to block the attacks while looking for an opening.

Watching the two I knew well fighting for some unknown reason…


It wasn’t just a simple test of strength; they were genuinely trying to harm each other.

I found myself caught in a momentary glitch in my head as I remained silent.

Having already been shocked by completely misjudging Duke Ocleang, now I was faced with this inexplicable situation.

After a while, as I barely regained my composure, I turned to Auriel and asked,


“What… what’s going on… with those two… why are they doing this?”

“That… that is… it’s what I heard from Ambasha…”

With a complicated expression, Auriel cautiously opened her mouth.

*

Franklin immediately rejected the request to reveal the whereabouts of the Pirate King.

Even though we had respectfully asked for a legitimate reason, her prickly attitude made Napoleona feel momentarily irritated, but she decided to show patience once again.

“Come on… let’s not joke around, I really do not have the luxury of time for this. I have urgent matters to discuss with the Pirate King, so please tell me where he is.”

“Well, that’s your problem. I have nothing to say to you. If you’re in such a hurry, then search around here yourself.”

“… Are you really going to do this… tch.”

The atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense.

In that situation, Napoleona began to scan her surroundings.

Behind her were her subordinates, and nearby were other pirates.

With so many eyes watching, the current flow was not good.

In her usual state, Napoleona would have simply ignored an opponent like this.

However, she didn’t want to back down.

She knew well that the deeper they went, it would just be a childish squabble at best.

There was no benefit to be gained; all that would remain were wounds from a pointless fight.

Yet still…

In this moment,


Napoleona felt an intense desire not to lose to the woman in front of her.

No… she thought that she absolutely could not lose.

“Would you please… come with me for a moment?”

“… Alright then.”

With that, they moved to a location for the real fight.

A little while later, they arrived at a place on the outskirts of the campsite.

Although there were still people on the other side watching them, at least they could not hear their conversation.

However, despite the change of location, the words exchanged before them remained unchanged.

“As a general of the Kingdom of Frantz and representative of the alliance, I will ask once more. Where is the Pirate King?”

“I will say it again; I have nothing to say regarding that matter. Also, I would like to ask you not to approach the Captain any further.”

“You have no right to speak like that. Speak! Where is the Pirate King?”

As the number of eyes diminished, the tension in the atmosphere began to escalate.

In that moment,


Napoleona discreetly began to release her magical power.

Even though she was caught up in emotion while doing this, she still maintained a sense of composure deep down.

Here, her position was still one of an ally.

If she displayed reckless intentions to attack, she could risk turning the entire Golden Beard Pirate crew, which was watching from a distance, into enemies.

To prevent this situation, instead of drawing her sword first, she provoked her opponent.

“… Hah…”

Slowly rising from her seat, Franklin began to approach her.

But…

“How pathetic. To resort to such cheap provocation. I suppose that’s why you’re unable to handle your own business and begging like a beggar.”

“… H-what?”

Not a direct attack,


But a blow delivered through a chillingly cold voice.

Seeing Napoleona begin to feel embarrassed,


Franklin spoke in a voice dripping with iciness, different from her usual self.

“Isn’t it true? You spout about revolution and such while making a total mess of things, but the truth is you wouldn’t have made it this far without our Captain’s help. And now, you’re showing this pathetic display by leaving the aftermath to us. How utterly disgraceful you are.”

“Ugh…”

Suddenly, Franklin delivered a cowardly hit of truth.


As a result, Napoleona, who was about to provoke her back, began to feel like she was getting ensnared instead.

And,


Franklin’s assault was not finished yet.

“Though our Captain has shown mercy, honestly, it’s been tiring to watch from the sidelines. When kindness continues, it’s taken as a right; isn’t that what a beggar on the street looks like? If you have a shred of decency, shouldn’t you wrap this up and leave quietly?”

“…”

Napoleona was at a loss for words in response to Franklin’s remarks.

Although she couldn’t say it outright, she too had always harbored reservations in her heart.

How long would they continue to rely solely on the Pirate King?

No matter how much it was a transaction, they had long exceeded the bounds of that.

And yet, they were simply grateful for the Pirate King’s kindness, but with that gratitude came an ever-growing sense of debt inside her.

To escape even a little from that, this time she had come up with a plan herself, but it was clear that without the Pirate King’s help, the execution would certainly be limited.

As Franklin said, their current state, along with the Revolutionary Army, was nothing but a beggar reliant on the Pirate King’s goodwill.

But…

“… You might be right. But what does that even mean?”

“Pardon?”

Still,


Napoleona could not retreat here.

“I also know. That this is shameless behavior. That our current situation relies on his mercy. But isn’t all of this happening due to the will of the Pirate King?”

“…”

At those words, Franklin’s already terrifying face began to twist into something even more unsettling.

Feeling a strange thrill from her expression,


Napoleona continued to speak, feeling a surge of joy welling up within her.

“It doesn’t matter how you think about this. What’s important is the heart of the Pirate King. The fact that he continues to assist us means that he must have some goodwill towards us… perhaps even towards me?”

“…H-how dare you spew such nonsense…”

Speaking a personal truth… honestly a hopeful wish, Napoleona’s words only served to infuriate Franklin even more, and she felt exhilarated as control slipped away.

“You may not know, but I’ve already sworn to devote my heart and soul to him. If he continues to help me like this, it surely means he has some feelings for me. Honestly, just by looking at my appearance, I’m far better than you…”

“Shut… that mouth.”

With those words, Franklin released her magical power in an instant.

And,


Seeing the clear hostility radiating from her, Napoleona realized too late that she had overstepped.

‘Oh no… I excitedly spoke too much…’


Having let her feelings spill out carelessly, she realized she had crossed a line.

But still, Napoleona had no intention of lowering her tail and retreating here.

Separating her personal error from the pride battle at hand, she believed she had to win no matter what…

-Skrreeeeech…!

Franklin wielded her butchering knife, emitting fierce, blood-red flames.


In response, Napoleona began to unleash her magical power from both hands, forming a magic circle.


In that moment, feeling as if they were facing ironclad enemies,


the two charged forward without waiting for the other to make a move.

A massive clash of magical powers erupted at once.


The first attack came from Napoleona’s magic, which began to press down on the opponent, squeezing her palms.

However,


The moment it activated, the output of Franklin’s flames skyrocketed.

And.

-KABOOM!!!

“Tch!”

With sudden acceleration, Franklin evaded the magic entirely.


Right after, her attack surged toward where Napoleona stood.