Chapter 22

“Alright, feel free to pick whatever you like.”

“Thank you, lady.”

“Fufu, even though I told you to call me sister, you still do that.”

The woman with the red bobbed hair was gently laughing while looking at masks together with Ambasha.

It was Achroiel, the Navy Admiral of the Britannia Empire stationed in Benessa.

The other three people nearby were feeling uneasy as they watched from a step away.

—“What on earth is going on? I went through all this trouble to get the money, and now that woman is here?”

—“I don’t know; it just turned out this way. I’ve been on a bad streak lately, and now I’m in this mess as a pirate?”

Magellan groaned, and Elkana, frowning similarly, responded.

Hearing this, Franklin cautiously asked in a quiet voice.

—“Umm… Is there really no need to worry this much? Even if it’s just me, you were comrades before, right? If you explain the situation well, maybe it could be brushed off…”

—“Impossible.”

—“There’s nothing like that.”

Even though they had once been comrades, that only served to deepen their understanding of who Achroiel was in front of them.

She was one of the few people who had defeated Magellan through sheer skill, and despite being from the Britannia Empire, she had risen to the position of Navy Admiral in Benessa due to her remarkable abilities.

Her combat ability alone was at the level of a Grade 10 Grand Warrior, making it uncertain that even if Magellan and Franklin attacked simultaneously, victory could be assured.

Additionally, this was her home ground, Benessa, where even a slight delay would summon reinforcements in droves.

In such a situation, the chances of winning in battle were virtually nonexistent.

Furthermore, there was one more serious issue beyond her overwhelming power.

This Achroiel had an extraordinary hatred for pirates.

The Britannia Empire, which operated privateers, displayed a somewhat lenient attitude towards pirates. However, she had kicked the officer position aside in the Empire and enlisted in Benessa, rising through the ranks from a mere sailor to an admiral, all because she loathed pirates intensely, considering them targets that needed to be eliminated at all costs.

Even if it was someone she once called a comrade…

—“The moment we bring up that we were pirates, she would draw her sword immediately…”

—“And if we mention we were under the Pirate King… Ahh… she’d probably chop our heads off right away.”

—“Umm… We should stay silent for now…”

Having ended up in a situation where they were traveling with someone they wished to avoid the most, they could do nothing but wait quietly for this uncomfortable moment to pass.

‘Well, at least… she still likes what children do, like before…’

‘She even seems more interested in Ambasha than us. Well, once she finds out our identities, that’ll flip right away…’

To those who knew, it was a scene akin to a ticking time bomb.

However, the parties involved were appearing quite amiable, almost like long-lost friends.

“I like this one. The Crow Mask.”

“Hmm? Isn’t this one a bit too bland? The decorations aren’t that pretty…”

“It looks a lot like the one my father used to wear. Since it’s come to this, I’ll choose the same one.”

“Really? Your father… fufu. Do you like him a lot?”

“Yes… I really do… I want to get praised by him this time too.”

Ambasha blushed slightly and smiled.

Watching her, Achroiel gently ruffled the girl’s hair.

“You’re quite similar to me; I used to love my father a lot too…”

“Ah… Is that so? What kind of person was your father, Achroiel?”

“He was a wonderful man… respected by many… and yet, always kind to me.”

“My father is like that too. People talk about him being great, but he’s always kind to me. He often pets my head like this too.”

“I see… I envy you… truly…”

“…”

Achroiel’s face began to wear a slight shadow along with the sincere voice.

Though trying not to show it, she seemed to recall some not-so-pleasant memories.

Ambasha maintained a moment of silence before rising on her tiptoes and reaching out her hand.

And then.

“!”

She began to pat Achroiel’s head.

It was a simple action, but it left Achroiel feeling a blend of surprise and warmth in her heart.

“Cheer up. My father said that parents always think of their children, no matter where they are. Surely, your father is thinking of you from afar.”

“…”

Though spoken in the voice of a young girl, her words struck with a powerful resonance.

Achroiel showed a vacant expression for a moment before her face brightened, and she smiled lightly.

“Haha… it seems like I have to return the favor even more now, huh? Hey, Elkana.”

“U-uuh? What is it?”

“Is your schedule free later? I have some time and would like to grab a meal together.”

“A-ah… no… that’s a bit…”

—Grrggh…

“…”

The relentless sound of a stomach grumbling.

They had actually planned to eat right after finishing their banking tasks, so they were quite hungry.

“You’re going to eat anyway, right? Don’t be shy. I’ll treat you specially.”

Saying that, Achroiel turned to Ambasha.

It was clear that Elkana was merely a pretext, with Achroiel’s main focus directed elsewhere.

“What about you? Got anything you want to eat?”

“Yes, I want clam bake! Elkana said he wants juicy clam bake and mushrooms!”

“…Clam bake… and mushrooms?”

It was certainly a peculiar combination, especially with Elkana as the source.

Achroiel briefly wore a strange expression as she turned to her long-time friend, who was trying to avert his gaze.

“Don’t say weird things in front of the child.”

“Ah… no… It’s not like that. Cl-c’mon, clam bake and mushrooms are great, right?”

“Oh, and I heard it’s tasty to add cream cheese to it.”

“…”

“…Sigh, you really… haven’t changed at all since back then, huh? Magellan, aren’t you supposed to be properly training your subordinate?”

“I’m really sorry… I couldn’t stop him.”

Magellan sincerely apologized, causing Elkana to feel an entirely different kind of awkwardness.

*

A steaming hot clam bake.

After carefully lifting and serving the well-cooked meat from the shell, Achroiel offered it to Ambasha.

“Is it good?”

“Yes, it’s delicious.”

The warm and tender taste of clam melted in her mouth, causing Ambasha to wear a happy expression.

While some people disliked clams due to their distinct fishy smell, the sauce here, which included tomatoes, effectively masked it.

Of course, Ambasha was also the type of child who enjoyed eating just about anything.

“That said, I didn’t hear back from you earlier, but what are you doing here? Really here to hunt pirates?”

“Hmm… well, it’s similar…”

“If there’s a decent target, I can help out; the coastal waters have been quite calm lately, so I’m itching for something to do.”

While it might have sounded friendly, it made the pirates inadvertently tense.

At that moment…

“That’s not it; we came here for the auction.”

Ambasha, happily devouring clam bake, suddenly spoke with shining eyes.

This caught Achroiel’s curiosity.

“You mean the Great Auction?”

“Yes, I was told there’s something I really want to buy there. But I’ve been struggling with how to get inside.”

“!”

The innocent face of Ambasha, who had appeared mindless, now casually dropped a hefty bombshell.

Feeling a mix of surprise, Magellan quickly jumped to support her statement.

“Y-yeah, we came all this way to get the money, but there was absolutely no way to get an invitation.”

“Haha, well, it’s not easy to obtain one, right? I’ve heard this year there will be a lot of big-name guests.”

“So, what about it? Is there any way you could help us out? You’ve helped me before, after all. Even if you can’t get an invitation, is there a way to at least go in for a bit and come out after buying something?”

“Hmm… well, I don’t know… Even if it’s just my home, I can’t just let someone in without an invitation… But if you use an unconventional method…”

Achroiel looked thoughtful at Magellan’s request.

Watching her, Elkana silently cheered inside, thinking that Ambasha was handling the situation remarkably well.

‘Whoa… what? I thought she was just a clueless kid, but she’s actually more competent than me? If this keeps up, could we hit two birds with one stone?’

*

“…Hmm…”

Lying on her bed, Auriel stared at the ceiling.

Normally, she would have been reviewing the score for the upcoming performance or tuning her voice, but her mind was completely devoid of thoughts about the concert.

There was only one thing on her mind.

At this moment, it was the man who had made arrangements for her right next door.

She had initially seen him as her savior from their first meeting, and then thought of him as the pagan she had to save afterward.

However,

Now she began to wonder if someone like her could truly “save” that person.

Even though he was a pagan who did not believe in the gods, somehow, every word and action of his stirred her heart and feelings.

The way he showed patience to the point of making her feel guilty.

Moreover, the unwavering resolve in his response to her questions.

Though he might not serve the Lord, as a human, he embodied qualities she deemed noble, provoking feelings of admiration… or even affection.

Along with the confusion that arose from this.

‘Why is this happening… why do I feel this way towards a pagan whose face I haven’t even seen?!’

At that moment, Auriel realized she hadn’t even asked for his name.

She promptly rose from her bed and headed for the door.

‘This… doesn’t have any special meaning. I… I can’t go on without even knowing the name of my benefactor…’

With a suitable reason forming in her head, she started to excuse her actions, while feeling increasingly puzzled about her motivations, Auriel reached for the door and opened it.

But…

“…Huh?”

“…”

Right in front of her, the man, donned in the attire of a Plague Doctor, stood just about to knock.

Seeing him still wearing his mask inside, Auriel felt a blend of awkwardness and excitement, leading her to cautiously ask.

“Wh-what is it?”

“I have something to say. May I come in?”

His question about entering the room where a woman was alone elicited not a sense of rejection from Auriel, but rather an inexplicable anticipation.

“Pl-please… come in.”