Chapter 5

Port City Marinseu.

As the second-largest city in the Kingdom of Frantz and one of the four great ports of the continent, this place was always bustling with countless people.

At the heart of the city stood a colossal tavern.

Not just a simple tavern, but a gathering spot for merchants, sailors, and even pirates, navy personnel, and bounty hunters, making it a hub for various stories and requests to flow freely.

It was not uncommon for discussions about assassination contracts for people sitting just a table away to happen right before your eyes.

Nevertheless, this tavern was designated as a place of peace for all factions, making battles forbidden; however, that often resulted in chaotic sword fights the moment one stepped out the door.

And at this very moment,

a man quietly entered the tavern.

He seemed to have recently been injured, with one shoulder wrapped in a bandage, and carefully surveyed his surroundings until he spotted a man deep inside the tavern.

“Haha, look here! This is the famous glass sword of the pirate, Transparent Mustache!”

“Oh my, this is…!”

“Truly impressive! Indeed, it’s the bounty hunter Magellan! How on earth did you manage to find and capture that elusive brat?”

“Hehe, that’s a secret, but I can tell you this: to lovely ladies like you, of course.”

The man sat surrounded by women clad in revealing outfits.

With his black hair tied back and possessing a rather handsome appearance with a dusky complexion, he grinned wickedly while caressing one of the woman’s chest beside him.

‘Is he the one…’

The bounty hunter Magellan.

As the leader of Demanes, one of the prominent bounty hunter groups in the Kingdom of Frantz, he was known for specializing in hunting pirates.

Once a contract was placed, he would certainly track down pirates even in locations difficult to search on land, making him a figure of terror among pirates because of his glorious record.

Thinking he could use this guy to solve his current troublesome situation, John, a subordinate of Duke Ocleang, cautiously began to approach him.

His purpose for being here, one might say, was a matter of life and death.

Hoping for a favorable resolution, he rubbed the Duke’s seal bearing scorpion he had kept hidden in his robe.

“Uh, what do you want?”

“My apologies. I would like to make a request…”

“Can’t you see I’m busy? Come back later when I have time.”

Magellan spoke with an arrogant tone.

Even though it was normal for notorious bounty hunters to deceive right away with a request, he didn’t get that vibe from the man in front of him.

As if he considered himself in a superior position, Magellan gestured once again at John, appearing annoyed.

“What are you doing? Why are you just standing there like a fool?”

“…”

Magellan’s words became increasingly sharp.

However, John knew very well how to manage such a proud person.

And that method was simply…

“First, let’s check the amount before anything else.”

With that, John handed over the letter that the Duke had written.

Magellan narrowed his eyes with a frozen expression as he glanced at the contents of the letter.

“Is this… some kind of joke? Are you trying to mock me with money…?”

Shooting a sharp glance at the letter, he had just revealed astonishment that replaced the nonchalant attitude he’d had moments earlier.

“…W-what… is this true?”

The change from informal to formal speech happened in an instant.

In this situation, where pride had to be preserved…

It was an overwhelming amount of money.

Watching Magellan begin to waver like this, John spoke in a serious tone.

“It’s true. Moreover, my master has promised an additional 2000 talents if this matter is resolved well.”

“…Hmmm…”

With a simple nod, Magellan dismissed the women around him.

Then, maintaining a serious expression, he looked at John and asked.

“What task do I need to carry out?”

“It’s a simple… job. You just need to find that person inside and bring them back.”

Magellan quickly began examining the contents of the letter with urgency.

Noticing his expression starting to frown, John cautiously asked.

“Is it… possible?”

“A girl captured by an unidentified pirate… and this is all the information you have? At least tell me which pirate crew took her!”

“Hmm… If I knew that, I would have told you. We have no information at all. But you, who caught Transparent Mustache, should be able to find her easily, right?”

“Seriously… Even so, this is a problem. I need some clues about the kind of guys I’ll be facing…!”

In front of Magellan, John presented another letter.

After verifying the additional amount written in that letter, Magellan spoke with greater seriousness.

“Don’t worry; just wait comfortably. I will definitely find her for you.”

Thus, fueled by money, Magellan accepted the request.

Seeing this unfold, John internally sighed in relief at overcoming a significant hurdle.

*

The morning for the cook always comes early.

They must finish preparing meals for countless people before others wake up.

In addition, as a cook, they must also manage and procure ingredients, leading to a day as busy as any other.

Current time: 5 AM.

Even in the faint light of dawn, with the sun not having fully risen, Franklin had risen earlier than any other, except those on night patrol, beginning to prepare food.

On ordinary days, it was a task she would handle alone.

However, recently, someone began to help her.

“Should I place the sliced carrots here?”

“Y-yes, thank you for your hard work.”

“Hehe…”

With her smile becoming a little less awkward, Franklin stroked the head of the new recruit…

Ambasha.

Seeing Ambasha radiate cuteness like a little puppy, she thought to herself,

‘Ah… it’s healing…’

After a surprisingly warm first meeting, Ambasha naturally became her junior and companion in the kitchen.

After washing her rather disheveled appearance and dressing her neatly, seeing Ambasha transformed into a rather cute girl, Franklin felt she could muster enough energy to get through the day.

“What’s on the menu today? That yellow soup?”

“It’s Mackerel Curry. I made it from mackerel caught yesterday, blended with spices called curry from the Eastern Region.”

“Wow… This is the first time I’ve seen a dish like this… It looks delicious…”

Ambasha gazed in wonder, salivating at the sight.

Perhaps due to her past life as a slave where she couldn’t enjoy food properly, she exhibited cute reactions every time Franklin cooked something new, but today seemed even more exceptional. Franklin presented the nearly finished Mackerel Curry in a bowl towards her.

“Would you like to taste it first?”

“Yes! Thank you for the meal!”

Without hesitation, Ambasha blew on it and took a bite.

A smile filled with happiness instantly graced her face.

The simple act of eating, warming the heart of anyone watching her.

Feeling joy at being able to monopolize this smile in such a manner, Franklin returned the smile at her.

“Is… it to your liking?”

“It’s delicious! This is the first time I’ve eaten something this good in my life!”

“Hehe… Well… it’s one of the Captain’s favorite dishes… The other favorite is a side dish made with a spice called Pepper and vegetables pickled in seawater.”

“Oh… As in your father?”

At the mention, Ambasha momentarily wore an expression of seriousness.

Unaware of this, Franklin continued to finalize the cooking.

“B-but right now, both the curry and the Pepper are almost gone… I have to go shopping tomorrow. Would you like to come along?”

“Yes! I’d love to!”

In a lighthearted tone, Franklin mentioned the shopping trip.

Ambasha accepted it with great anticipation.

After becoming a pirate, it would be her first shopping trip on land, so it was only natural for her to respond this way.

With a smile on her face as always, Ambasha thought to herself,

‘The ingredients my father loves the most… Hehehe…’

*

The bounty hunter group, Demanes.

Consisting of over 20 specialized hunters, they sat before one woman alongside their Captain, Magellan.

As usual, under her hood, she gently caressed a shimmering Crystal Sphere.

With a small voice, she muttered something before ceasing her speech and withdrawing her hands from the now dim crystal.

“Have you found it?”

“Yes, the great God Mola has shown the way. The person you seek will be found in this region of Cyprus within ten days.”

The woman pointed to an island on the map while speaking.

Magellan slowly nodded his head.

“The territory of the Pirate King is quite close… We must move carefully to avoid conflict…”