The Pirate King's Daughter - Chapter 13

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 13
“What—!”
I was about to cry out in surprise when Serena covered my mouth with her hand.
‘Why is everyone doing this to me!’
The original heroine didn’t have this kind of image. And this is the Short Dagger I gave her, for heaven’s sake.
“I’ll take my hand away, so keep quiet. If you scream, I’ll slit your throat.”
I nodded vigorously.
“Now, tell me. What’s your real identity?”
“Well, my name is Tatiana, and—”
“Stop. That’s not what I’m asking. How do you know about me? You’re not an assassin, it seems… so who sent you?”
“No one sent me. I happened to find you and saved you. Wait, hang on. Is this how you treat your savior?”
Serena, tilted at an angle, let out a scoff.
“You knew my name already. You’d better speak straight.”
“I—the Troupe Captain told me. When I first got caught, he asked me, ‘Do you know Serena?'”
“And you expect me to believe that?”
“Then who else would I have heard it from?”
As I answered defiantly, Serena narrowed her eyes and looked down at me.
It felt like being dragged along by a teasing older sister.
“Fine, keep your secrets. But there’s one more thing I want to know. What was that power just now?”
“What power?”
I was someone with not a shred of strength to speak of.
“The Captain used Magic on you and you deflected it.”
“Oh, that. I don’t know either.”
It was probably connected to Popo mistaking me for a demon.
“You’ve got a lot of secrets.”
As if you don’t.
“Anyway, since I did owe you a debt, I’ll let this slide for now. But if we meet again next time, I won’t be so lenient.”
Serena placed her foot on the windowsill.
“Wait! You’re not leaving right now, are you?”
“Why? Does it concern you?”
Her bluntness was on par with Keis.
No, that was too harsh. Keis was the most unbearable trash in the universe.
“Have you heard of the Elianus Empire, beyond the darkness?”
The reason Serena joined in the original story.
It was because the Empire was her home.
“We’re heading there. If you’ve got nowhere else to go, want to come with us?”
Serena came closer and drew her blade.
‘Look at her personality.’
“Why would you make such an offer to someone who threatened you?”
“You saved me. You didn’t run away even though you were wearing that torture device.”
“I couldn’t leave because of the Ring. I’d have to take it from the Captain first.”
“That’s a lie, and I know—”
A blade came flying and embedded itself in the wall behind me.
“Say that again.”
Today’s been too much, honestly. Can I even survive with this much terror?
“The thing is, we don’t have a mage. You know how Krakens have been appearing in the sea lately? There will be a lot of dangers ahead, and there are things that blades alone can’t handle.”
“What’s the pay?”
“Uh…”
Winning over the heroine is harder than I thought. Did she really just demand money?
“We’re all rich. Keis will give you plenty once we get back to the Empire.”
“That foul-tempered bastard?”
Look who’s talking.
Dissatisfied with my answer, Serena placed her foot on the windowsill again.
“Hey, hey, you’re going? Really? Keis is loaded. It’s hard to find anyone as rich as him in the Empire.”
I jumped to my feet and rushed over, and Serena leaped onto the windowsill with fluid grace. She bent her knees and crouched, bringing our faces level.
“I’m not going today, so go get some sleep.”
“Promise? Really?”
I held out my pinky, but she was already jumping out the window.
“This is the second floor…”
I looked outside and she was gone.
What kind of mage moves like a thief?
I was beginning to think I’d have to completely rewrite the original story.
* * *
The inn’s dining hall buzzed with chatter, but at one table, only the sound of spoons clinking could be heard.
“…”
“…”
It was because of me and Keis. Days had passed since our big fight, but we still hadn’t made up.
Perian, watching the mood, ventured carefully to break the silence.
“But Serena, if you were being held by the Troupe, shouldn’t you go back to where you came from?”
“No. The people I knew there sold me out. And I can’t be bothered seeking revenge.”
“…”
At such blunt words, Perian, who had been trying to lighten the mood, closed his mouth again.
“Still, you can’t continue traveling with us. If you need money, I’ll give you some. Now each of you should go your own way. Prepare to leave today and depart tomorrow.”
That was when Keis spoke, coldly and firmly.
‘Of course, exactly what that reverse-harem trash protagonist would say.’
From our first meeting, he’d kept his guard up, and through the second half of the story, he remained ambiguous.
“But Tatiana said she’d come with us—ow!”
I hurriedly stuffed bread into Serena’s mouth.
Everyone’s eyes went wide as they stared at me.
“Ha ha, I already promised Serena I’d go shopping with her tomorrow. Right?”
She looked at me with narrowed eyes before reluctantly nodding.
“You’re almost done eating anyway? Let’s go figure out what we need to buy. We’ll head out first. Finish your meals.”
I forcibly got Serena up and pushed her along by the back.
Once we were in the room, Serena swallowed the bread and spoke in disbelief.
“So that’s how it is—you asked me to come along, but you didn’t tell those people anything?”
“I had my reasons.”
“What reasons? You’re just fighting with them.”
“Anyway, you said you’re still thinking about it.”
As I grumbled, Serena was about to leave the room but turned back to face me.
“Just so you know, I have no intention of shopping with you.”
“That’s not happening. We really have to go shopping. Look at the state you’re in.”
Serena was tall and muscular, so my clothes were far too small for her.
“I don’t need it. My clothes will be dry by tomorrow anyway.”
“That’s still not acceptable. How do you expect to get all the way to the Empire in just one outfit?”
“I haven’t even said I’m going yet.”
And yet you haven’t left for days, pretending to resist.
“Just know that’s what’s happening. Now go.”
“You’re so stubborn.”
When I opened the door, I ran into the three of them coming up after finishing their meal.
Keis pretended not to see us and walked past, while Perian approached with a bright grin.
“I’ll come apply medicine around 10 o’clock tonight.”
“Can’t you do it now?”
I glanced at Berto. He showed no interest and went into his room.
Berto and I had something to do separately at night. Though he didn’t know that yet.
“I’m fine with it, but didn’t you say you and Serena had to figure out what to buy?”
“Since she doesn’t have anything, I figured we’d just buy everything.”
“Got it. I’ll prepare and head over right away.”
* * *
Late at night, Berto and I slipped out of the inn.
“Perian will scold us if he finds out.”
At his concern, I spoke with nonchalance.
“It’s gotten much better. I’m fine now.”
I still felt some pain, but thanks to Perian, my recovery was progressing smoothly. The wound that had been torn open had mostly closed.
“Still, no alcohol. Why don’t you just have milk at the inn instead? They should have travelers there.”
Berto blocked my way right in front of a tavern.
“My target is the tavern keeper. There should be something other than alcohol here.”
The inn keeper already knew me, so it would be difficult to carry out my plan there, and besides, there was a high chance Keis would see me.
Since we hadn’t even made up yet, if he saw me doing something suspicious again, I felt like we’d split up for good, regardless of whether the world was ending or not.
By bringing Berto along and getting what I needed, he’d suspect less.
“We need to set out soon, so I have to find our next destination quickly.”
Before leaving Primanu for the next continent, it was customary to go through Balas, the largest island.
But that place had a Naval Alliance base—the very place where the protagonists had been imprisoned.
“Islands other than Balas that are worth stopping at aren’t marked on official maps. Deliberately going somewhere else means there’s something suspicious about it.”
Usually, people would secretly obtain a map from an acquaintance, go to another island to stock up on provisions, and then head to the next continent.
But we had no acquaintances and needed to save money, so there was no other way.
“Then have some juice.”
“Fine, fine. Let’s just go inside.”
I dragged Berto into the tavern.
The atmosphere was chaotic. Dangerous-looking pirates and mercenaries mingled with merchants and travelers, all cheerfully guzzling beer.
Berto and I took a seat at the bar.
“I’ll have a beer, and she’ll have an orange juice, please.”
The tavern keeper, her purple hair pinned up, set a juice in front of me and struck up a conversation.
“You must be travelers.”
“Yes. We’re heading to the Orfena Continent.”
“That far? You don’t seem cut out for seafaring, miss.”
“Is that so?”
“Someone as fragile as you would find it quite difficult. So you’ll be stopping at Balas Island?”
“Well, actually…”
I trailed off.
The tavern keeper, who had been making light conversation, became interested and leaned against our bar table, resting her chin in her hand.
“Is something wrong?”
As I hesitated, I glanced around before leaning in to whisper softly.
“We made a Nighttime Escape.”
“My goodness.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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