Chapter 36

“So… in the end, you two came all the way here just the two of you?”

“Uh… yes, Captain…”

Elkana explained the situation in a voice that almost crawled out of her throat.

Standing nearby, Ambasha smiled proudly as if to show off, saying, “B-but look! It was a bit dangerous, but we brought back so many treasures! I got a little hurt, but isn’t this a good job?”

“…Sigh…”

“…A… Father?”

The Pirate King sighed deeply at Ambasha’s words.

Instead of expressing joy as she had expected, his demeanor seemed heavy, causing Ambasha to feel a strange anxiety along with her doubts.

Then, he said, “For now… let’s go back and talk about it. This isn’t a place to linger.”

“Ah… y-yes.”

Feeling that something was off but thinking it wasn’t anything serious, Ambasha got ready to move.

At that moment, the Pirate King Ezra lowered his stance and extended his hand towards her.

“We don’t have much time, so get on. We need to run the moment we step outside.”

“Got it, Father.”

“Elkana, you too, pass the baggage this way. It would be too much for you to run while carrying a sack alone.”

“Th-thank you, Captain.”

Thus, with Ambasha on one side and the bags on the other, the Pirate King stood up and prepared to move.

Following behind, Elkana tried to step forward.

At that moment.

“Ugh!”

– Thud!

Suddenly feeling a burst of pain, Elkana collapsed right where she stood.

“…Are you okay?”

“Y-yes… I’m fine… ugh…”

Blood was flowing from her injured leg.

She had been hurt while saving Ambasha from the surging crowd.

With the tension slightly relaxed, the pain felt even more vivid to Elkana, who gritted her teeth and tried to get back up.

At that moment…

“Huh?”

“Tch… Faster than I expected.”

The thick smoke suddenly began to clear.

As the obscured sight brightened in an instant, the inside of the Auction House became clearly visible.

And simultaneously, a group of people began to come into view.

Realizing who they were, Elkana’s face began to harden.

“Ah… Achroiel…”

She had arrived with plenty of navy troops.

Unlike before, it was a situation where excuses were really impossible, making Elkana’s expression shift to a frown.

Of course, that didn’t mean she felt any specific danger at this moment.

After all, standing right in front of her was none other than the Pirate King.

‘The Pirate King who had played around with Franklin and Magellan at the same time. No matter how much Achroiel and her subordinates…’

As she braced herself for a fight or to flee at a moment’s notice, Achroiel began to scan the surroundings.

But…

“Eh… Elkana, are you okay?”

“…Huh?”

Instead of displaying anger towards this side, Achroiel asked with genuine worry.

Then she pulled out two pistols strapped to her waist, facing the Pirate King dressed as a Plague Doctor, and shouted, “Just wait a moment! I’ll save you and Ambasha right away!”

“…? W-wait… What’s going on…?”

Elkana expressed her bewilderment at the situation, which she couldn’t comprehend.

However, even before she could clearly voice her questions, Achroiel and the navy started charging forward.

At that moment.

– Whoosh…

“!”

A tremendous magical power gathered at the feet of the Pirate King.

Feeling the brilliant flow of mana, chills ran down Elkana’s spine.

*

In front of her was the daunting sight that captivated Achroiel in deep fury.

The massive Plague Doctor stood before the injured Elkana.

In one hand, he held what looked like stolen treasures, and in the other, he clutched Ambasha as a hostage, showcasing the truth that had been hidden in thick smoke until now.

He was the mastermind behind the incident, and her precious friends had been injured while trying to stop him.

“Arrest that guy!”

If he could take Elkana down without a scratch, he was surely quite strong.

Determined to engage with all her strength from the start, Achroiel drew her pistol and began to channel magic into it.

But…

“!! W-what?”

A sudden surge of overwhelming magic enveloped them.

The brilliant light emanating from his feet left Achroiel and the navy seized by confusion.

Instinctively sensing a chilling feeling, Achroiel anxiously shouted an order as she charged.

“Watch out! It’s dangerous! Everyone dodg—”

And then.

“Get lost.”

– Boom!!!!!

“!!”

An overwhelming shockwave came crashing down in an instant.

Achroiel hurriedly deployed a magical barrier, but as she was forced to switch to defense, she failed to absorb the full impact.

“Ugh!!”

Caught in the destructive whirlwind, Achroiel was helplessly pushed away.

In a bid not to fall, she gritted her teeth and stood her ground.

‘Damn it! What kind of power is this… Who the hell is this guy?’

Even she wavered under the strike dealt by the ‘enemy.’

This being, capable of wielding such power, was at least of her level or higher, at grade 10.

With the realization that this despicable abductor was much stronger than she imagined, Achroiel was engulfed in an even deeper sense of crisis.

And…

“Cough… hack… cough…”

Gasping for breath in the subsiding whirlwind, Achroiel barely managed to deflect the attack, but beside her, a gaping hole remained.

The wall had been blown away completely.

However, just as she started to feel relief at having blocked the enemy’s attack, despair washed over Achroiel’s eyes.

“Ah… No…”

Her trembling voice spilled out automatically.

At that moment, she saw.

After Ambasha, there was also Elkana, standing with a face twisted in pain, caught in the Plague Doctor’s grasp.

And…

“Ah… No! Stop!…”

That guy was already slipping through the opening created beside her.

She tried desperately to halt him, but because her friends were taken as hostages, Achroiel had no way to act.

Watching helplessly as her friends were kidnapped right before her eyes, despair settled heavily in her heart.

“Th-this can’t be…”

Images flashed like a passing light—a flood of regret washed over her.

Upon reflection, she realized that all of this had been her fault from the beginning.

Her wrong intuition had drawn the two of them here, and her suspicions and surveillance had triggered the current situation.

With an overwhelming guilt stabbing at her heart, Achroiel felt her body tremble.

At that moment, her subordinates nearby shouted in urgent voices.

“Captain! This isn’t the time to be doing nothing! We need to chase after him!”

“No matter how much he runs, this is Benessa. It’s not too late! The way out is obvious!”

“!”

Encouraged by her subordinates’ words, Achroiel managed to gather her wits and rose to her feet.

“…Right… I can’t let it end like this…”

If she gave up here, the two of them would truly be in danger of losing their lives.

To avert the worst-case scenario, she had to throw everything she had into the fight right now.

“Contact the troops… Inform all navy and warships in Benessa. Immediately seal off the port.”

“Yes, Captain!”

“And the remaining forces will focus entirely on pursuing and capturing the perpetrator. Execute immediately.”

“Understood!”

As soon as the orders were given, the soldiers began moving rapidly.

And.

“Huh…”

Right after that, Achroiel closed her eyes for a moment, then began to unleash her magic.

An immense magical power radiated from her entire body.

She started feeling countless presences within the 4 km radius she could cover.

The Circle of Magical Power.

A shallow magical aura instantaneously expanded, and within it, she successfully pinpointed a movement.

It was that guy, hastily moving while carrying Elkana and Ambasha.

Immediately after she identified their location, Achroiel opened her eyes and initiated the pursuit.

‘I won’t let you escape… And I will definitely rescue you… Elkana… Ambasha…!’

*

“Ah… Father, is it not heavy?”

“I’m sorry, Captain… I… just…”

“It’s fine. Just hang on tightly.”

With two subordinates on each shoulder and the auction items, my arms were sealed. I moved to get out of this place as quickly as possible.

At that moment.

“Captain!”

“Elkana!”

A familiar voice suddenly echoed.

There were two figures wearing Noble Masks running toward us.

Though they had changed their masks and outfits for disguise, we immediately recognized who they were through their familiar shapes and voices.

“Ah! Sister!”

“Magellan!”

The two waiting for us near the promised southern square.

As soon as we faced them, they took the ones hanging off me.

“Elkana! What happened?”

“It’s nothing much, just a scrape… ugh!”

“Tch, hurry and get on. Thank you, Captain, for your grace again…”

“Don’t worry about it. And…”

– Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!

“!”

Suddenly, the sound of bells ringing out echoed.

Everyone here knew what that sound meant—it was the alarm for the entire city.

“We’ll talk in detail after we get out of here.”

“Ah… understood.”

Given Achroiel’s abilities, she’s likely using the Circle of Magical Power right now to locate our position.

Even now, the enemies are rushing toward the spot where we are.

So before setting off, I pulled out the pocket watch I had kept in my robe.

‘Time left… 30 minutes…’