Chapter 49

“Right now… what did you say? We’re… capturing someone?”

A voice filled with confusion came from General Rafael.

In response, Achroiel spoke to him seriously once again.

“We’re capturing this man. The one called Ezra Drake, the Pirate King.”

“…Do you really think that’s possible? Capturing the Pirate King? You must know how terrifying he is.”

General Rafael, known as the strongest man in the Kingdom of Frantz, showed a slight but clear hint of fear in his voice at that moment.

To think someone with military authority over a traditional powerhouse like the Kingdom of Frantz would react this way—it conveyed just how fearsome the name of the Pirate King truly was.

Despite Rafael’s reaction, Achroiel maintained her steady demeanor and said, “Of course… I know very well. In fact, I know all too well. Not long ago, our Benessa was ravaged at his hands without being able to retaliate.”

“Someone knows this and still suggests such a thing? I’m sorry, but we’re out. Aren’t you already aware that the Navy strength of the Kingdom of Frantz is lacking? I have no intention of doing anything reckless against those who defeated even Benessa.”

Rafael quickly expressed his decision to withdraw.

Meanwhile, the blonde woman remained silent, observing the situation but seemingly not viewing it very positively either.

Opposition and silence emerged one after the other.

The reaction was far from favorable, but if they were going to back down this easily, they shouldn’t have even been called in the first place.

“Rather, that’s why I believe we should lend our strength to the Kingdom of Frantz in this matter, General Rafael.”

“…What did you just say?”

His reaction was tinged with displeasure.

Nevertheless, Achroiel continued speaking earnestly. “Don’t you understand? It’s not just our Benessa that has been ravaged by him. If we are suffering this much, do you think the ports of other nations will be safe from harm? What about Marinseu in the Kingdom of Frantz? Cala? Toulon? If that place, with its relatively weak Navy strength, gets attacked by the Pirate King, what do you plan to do then? Are you just going to sit back and whine about our Navy strength?”

“!…Ugh…”

“For the Kingdom of Frantz, this matter is an opportunity. A precious chance to eliminate an enemy that must be dealt with eventually by joining forces with others. I hope you reconsider this matter seriously.”

“Hmm…”

Rafael’s face displayed discomfort, yet he could not voice a counterargument.

While Achroiel’s words were very unpleasant, they nonetheless hit the nail on the head.

The Kingdom of Frantz was barely maintaining naval supremacy in nearby waters by mobilizing mercenaries.

If a formidable opponent like the Pirate King were to descend upon them in such circumstances, that area would be finished.

It would surely be far worse than the Benessa incident that couldn’t even be compared.

Moreover, considering how embarrassing the situation had become, the Kingdom of Frantz was trying to keep the matter under wraps.

‘There is definitely some truth to what is being said. The damages from pirates have been piling up, and not long ago, Magellan was purged for the most ridiculous reasons…’

That incident returned to mind, still ridiculous even upon reflection.

Magellan, who had performed outstandingly in maintaining order near Marinseu, was labelled a traitor and killed simply for displeasing Duke Ocleang.

After that, the morale of the mercenaries in that region plummeted, leading to the Kingdom of Frantz’s Mediterranean Sea naval authority being unable to even sustain itself.

Trade with the Eastern and Southern Regions via the Mediterranean had been stifled.

With the ongoing drought and the aftermath of the Amerigo War of Independence rattling the economy, if maritime trade died out, the economy of the Kingdom of Frantz would surely plummet.

‘But… no matter what, he is the Pirate King. To engage with that monster who traverses the Five Seas like his home and has brought even the strong to their knees… even if we join forces, we are bound to suffer huge losses. And…’

From a long-term perspective, it was certainly something that needed to be done eventually.

But still, at this moment, the timing was quite poor.

‘We must avoid losses in military force during such a crucial period.’

A gigantic storm was about to begin…

Considering the danger posed by the Pirate King, it was a different matter altogether.

At a time when he needed to conserve strength, he didn’t want to risk his power and reputation on rash endeavors.

‘In times like this, it’s better to appease and sway the enemy than to confront them directly…’

Though he mulled over it, he felt his mindset leaning towards opposition.

Rafael glanced at the blonde woman sitting next to him.

Unlike Achroiel, whom he had a favorable connection with, under normal circumstances, he would have drawn his sword immediately in her regard.

She was an entity that would eventually have to be eliminated for the sake of the Kingdom of Frantz, but given the current situation, Rafael suppressed his murderous intent as much as possible and quietly observed her reaction.

“What are you planning to do?”

“Hmm… well?… What should we do? Honestly, I want to help with whatever my Achro asks, but the High Nobles of the Assembly aren’t exactly keen on stirring up big issues these days…”

“Even so, we can’t just leave the Pirate King be. You know you owe him a debt as well. If we join forces, we can surely repay that debt.”

“True, but… the timing is a bit… that’s why…”

As she spoke, she subtly glanced at Rafael.

This made his eyebrows twitch, but he chose not to speak up.

He felt a bit uncomfortable, but thinking it over, she was also a person with military authority over a nation.

There was no way she wouldn’t be aware of the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Frantz.

Including the events that were to unfold soon.

‘If she’s reacting this way… there’s even less reason to get involved. While I acknowledge the risks, they are still pirates. No matter how chaotic it gets, they won’t crawl inland…’

Though he felt pained thinking about the coastal citizens who would suffer as a result, sacrificing the small for the greater good was sometimes unavoidable.

‘Duke Ocleang is really making things troublesome… If he hadn’t made such blunders, I wouldn’t have to worry this much…’

After repeatedly warning against the continuation of the slave trade and provoking the Pirate King’s ire, he even went so far as to eliminate Magellan, making a mess of the seas under the Kingdom of Frantz.

Swallowing his anger towards that man, Rafael concluded that to deal with such nuisances, he had to focus on the larger goal at that moment.

Rafael opened his mouth to clearly express his intent to decline.

At that moment…

‘…No… Wait a minute…’

A sudden realization struck him.

Feeling as if the scattered puzzle pieces had finally aligned, Rafael paused his words and held his silence.

And after a brief moment…

“Alright. I’ll help you.”

“…Huh?”

“General Rafael, is that really true?”

“Have I ever spoken idly? As you said, this is a good opportunity for our Kingdom of Frantz. I’ll lend my strength to uproot the Pirate King.”

“Th… Thank you! Thank you, General!”

Unlike before, Achroiel bowed her head genuinely, expressing her gratitude.

As she did so, the blonde woman, who had remained silent for a moment, wore a slight smile on her lips and said, “…Is that so? This means the Kingdom of Frantz will be assisting us?… Good. Then we can’t just stand by and do nothing.”

“Ah!”

“I’ll help. Although it’s a bit inconvenient to get directly involved, that guy should be enough of a support.”

“That guy… you don’t mean?”

The words from the blonde woman caused Achroiel, who had been showing joy, to momentarily frown.

“Ha ha, don’t think too badly of it. Despite appearances, he’s still one of us… a creature belonging to the Brittania Empire.”

“…Can we really trust him? No matter what, he is a pirate. I’m worried that we’ll end up being betrayed.”

“No, you don’t need to worry about that. This time, he will be more trustworthy precisely because of his status.”

“…Why are you so confident about that?”

Achroiel asked with a cold voice.

In response, the blonde woman calmly set down her now-empty teacup and explained, “The second place always grits its teeth to surpass the first. If a chance arises, he’ll tear into them more viciously than any beast.”

“!…”

At those words, Achroiel expressed a look of mild understanding.

Looking at her, the blonde woman smiled again and added, “We’ll use two sharks to catch a whale… They’re quite rough, but you know they’re capable.”