Chapter 150

After finishing preparations for departure, the cooking crew gathered.

In their eyes,

For some reason, the sight of Vice-Captain Lemain, gently petting Chomski, who had been sent ahead, caught their attention.

“Eh? What are you doing, Vice-Captain?”

“You’re here? I was just giving some gentle pets to the new recruit because she’s just so cute. After all, I’m the Vice-Captain, right? Taking care of the little ones is only natural.”

“Ah… yeah…”

To be honest, they didn’t look that much younger, but I didn’t bother to point it out.

Franklin, even with that appearance, was somewhat aware of Lemain’s actual age.

“Anyway, let’s get moving quickly; the current will change soon.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Following Lemain’s words, the cooking crew hurriedly boarded the ship.

However, not everyone was coming along on this trip. It wasn’t like we were going straight into battle either, and with most of the people, including the Pirate King, still back, we needed someone to cook. Besides, everyone had been through a lot in the last operation and needed some rest.

As a result, Ambasha, Magellan, Elkana, and the pet Zebby stayed behind on the ship, while this time, it was just Franklin, Auriel, Cheshire, Schrödinger, and Chomski who would go.

The cooking crew set off with about half the usual military force.

However, at this moment, the total power on board the sailboat, moving away, was actually higher than usual.

Traveling alongside these people was the Vice-Captain…

Lemain.

Though she was a Cleric who could handle Aura, her real combat ability was unknown.

Within the pirate crew, she was regarded as a powerhouse, even higher than key officers like Franklin. The only one who could rival her was the Pirate King, so in some ways, she was a very reliable companion.

With the thought that it was a bit of an overkill for a simple shopping trip, Franklin silently smiled, feeling grateful for the Pirate King’s kindness in setting up this situation.

‘But… Vice-Captain has been sticking pretty close to Chomski since earlier.’

To be honest, Lemain hadn’t been very warm towards the new recruits before.

Yet now, with Chomski in her arms and refusing to let go, it felt quite awkward in many ways.

‘Is she unexpectedly into that kind of face?… But she’s a woman too…’

*

Lemain, still holding Chomski tightly, showed no signs of releasing her.

Yet even in this situation, Chomski… no, Queen Louis couldn’t utter a single complaint.

Lemain was the highest-ranking person in this group and knew her true identity.

In other words, if she wanted to, it would be entirely possible for Lemain to toss Queen Louis into the sea at a moment’s notice.

Of course, the chances of that happening were slim, but it was best not to do anything that might upset her and provoke her.

Feeling like she was cradled in a lion’s paw—a terrifying yet oddly skilled touch—Queen Louis simply gazed at the sea, feeling cold sweat trickle down her.

At that moment…

“Yawn… I woke up early this morning to get the ship ready, and I’m pretty tired now. The current’s good, so I think I’ll take a bit of a nap.”

Lemain yawned widely.

Then, without letting go of Queen Louis, she looked at Franklin and said, “I’ll be in the cabin for a bit. Wake me up when we arrive.”

“Ah… Yes, understood.”

“Thanks, and this little one seems pretty tired too, so I’ll let her rest with me.”

“Huh?!”

“Feel free to do as you wish. I’ll wake her when we arrive.”

Franklin accepted her words without a single doubt, but with an uneasy feeling from the ominous tone of her voice, Queen Louis felt her heart drop.

In the end, she was led by Lemain to the cramped cabin.

And finally, the moment they were left alone…

Lemain, still holding Queen Louis, smiled softly and said, “Now then… let’s have a little chat.”

“Th-this chat… is about…”

“Isn’t it obvious? What brings Your Majesty here to such a shabby place? Why is the ruler of a nation mingling among pirates?”

“Um… well…”

With a question that struck right at the heart of things, Queen Louis found herself wondering how to reply.

She had no idea what this woman was thinking.

In such a situation, a clumsy excuse would only complicate matters further.

As a result…

“I… entrusted myself here to survive.”

“Eh?”

She concluded it would be best to just be straightforward.

“To survive, you say… What do you mean by that?”

“Before I answer that, did you say your name was Lemain? Do you know what’s happening in the Kingdom of Frantz?”

“I don’t know the details. I just know there’s been a revolution and war, and that our pirate crew got involved.”

“Yes, the revolution you just mentioned. Right now, the Kingdom of Frantz is engulfed in massive chaos. Thousands of nobles have lost their heads already…”

“The revolutionaries did that? But General Rafael wouldn’t allow such things…”

“General Rafael was captured as a prisoner of war during the conflict. Currently, the one in power is a person named Robes Fiora.”

“!… Robes… Fiora?”

At the mention of that name, Lemain’s face began to harden.

It seemed she knew enough about the recent news, and observing her reaction made Queen Louis think that this conversation might flow more easily than expected.

“Yes, she ruthlessly began slaughtering the nobles and clergy of the Assembly the moment she grasped power, and then she started a massive massacre against the nobles in Pare. Just before I escaped that place, many had already lost their heads.”

“…Um…”

“I’ve already lost all power due to the revolution. If I had remained there, I would have probably just ended up as one of Robes Fiora’s puppets and lost my head. In the end, I had no choice but to board this ship to preserve my life. This is why I’ve been traveling with them while hiding my identity.”

“…Does the captain know… about this fact?”

“He knew I was under his command. However, he might not know that I left the Kingdom of Frantz and boarded a pirate ship. At the time, I pretty much glossed over that part.”

“I see…”

Having finished explaining the situation, Queen Louis noticed that Lemain was still staring at her, her face as hard as stone.

Except for when the story of Robes Fiora came up, she maintained a serious expression throughout.

Watching her like this, Queen Louis anxiously waited for what kind of judgment this woman would make.

It wasn’t only to get through the current situation.

It was because, depending on this woman’s decision, it would determine whether she would formally be able to board a pirate ship or not.

‘Even if the cooking crew were fine with it, if the Pirate King were to find out, who knows how things could turn out… I must somehow make this Vice-Captain my ally…’

While feeling a burning sensation inside her, Queen Louis prayed that she would be granted mercy.

And then…

“I understand well. If that’s the situation, it’s reasonable to consider fleeing to survive.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

At last, Lemain broke the silence and spoke.

While she seemed to say something somewhat favorable…

“But that’s as far as it goes. Your Majesty’s circumstances must also be considered on our side.”

“Co-consider? What do you mean by that?”

Lemain spoke in a tone that sent shivers down Queen Louis’s spine.

She reached out her hand toward Queen Louis’s head and began to slowly pet it, just as she did before.

A calm yet unsettling sensation washed over Queen Louis.

“After all, you know how dangerous it is to be carrying the ruler of a nation aboard our ship. You could be labeled as a kidnapper, or it could become a reason for war. While I understand your situation, it doesn’t justify putting us at risk.”

“That… that’s true, but…”

Indeed, bringing a queen, not just any common person, aboard was a considerable burden.

The reason Queen Louis had concealed her presence from the Pirate King was due to precisely this.

And towards the queen, who was now floundering, unsure of how to respond,

Lemain started smiling coldly, as if she had already calculated something.

“How about it? …Would you like to make a contract with me?”