The Pirate King's Daughter - Chapter 33

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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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Episode 33
“Damn it, Perian!”
At Kiis’s shout, Perian, who had been hanging back in the distance, drew closer.
Soon the patient arrived on a stretcher, and the moment we saw him, we all gasped.
The patient’s cheeks were gaunt and bloodless, one leg wrapped in a bandage with blood dripping steadily—the bleeding wouldn’t stop.
The other leg was in equally grave condition, a wide dark-red bruise spreading across it.
“The bleeding won’t stop. Do something about it.”
“Is it contagious?”
Perian, about to approach the patient with a grave expression, hesitated and turned to Kai with the question.
But Kai couldn’t answer easily.
“…I’m not certain. There are other sailors showing similar symptoms, and we all live together. If it were contagious, everyone would have it by now.”
Perian examined the patient from a distance with his eyes, then asked:
“Swollen gums with bleeding?”
Kai nodded.
“Teeth missing at the base, wounds that won’t heal, skin turning black and necrotic. Am I right?”
“…Yes.”
Kai’s jaw tightened with a grinding sound. Darkness settled across his features.
“You know what Sea Sickness Disease is, don’t you.”
Sea Sickness Disease?
It was a condition I’d never heard of. In this place, there were terms different from South Korea, and this seemed to be one of them.
“And that it’s incurable.”
It seemed to be a disease that struck people who lived at sea.
‘Sea Sickness Disease, Sea Sickness Disease…’
In South Korea, where medical science had advanced so much further, treatment might actually be possible.
‘The common thread among sailors…’
As I pondered deeply, Perian spoke again.
“Now let Tatiana go. It’s unfortunate your colleague is ill, but surely you don’t intend to infect us and have us die as well.”
“Insane!”
In the heavy silence, I cried out: “Eureka!”
All eyes snapped toward me, and I trembled with a sudden chill.
The Age of Exploration—that grand era when countless adventurers threw themselves into the sea to chart new routes.
And the scourge of those waters that claimed their lives: Scurvy.
Back then it was unknown, but caused by a lack of Vitamin C, in modern times patients were nearly nonexistent and treatment was simple.
“Let me go. I think I know what it is.”
I pushed away Kai’s loosened grip and rushed toward the patient lying on the floor.
“What are you doing!”
Kiis immediately grabbed my arm and yanked me back.
“No, I really do know. This isn’t contagious. If the legs aren’t completely necrosed—which I’m not entirely sure about—he can recover.”
“Still, don’t get too close. Have them do it.”
He positioned me at a distance, and Perian came over.
“Tatiana, are you really sure? This is an incurable disease.”
I thought he was stacking doubt again, but Perian’s eyes glinted with a brilliant light.
“I’m…not entirely certain…”
Faced with those eyes of an eager, capable physician brimming with hope, my confidence plummeted.
“Anything at all would help. Please, tell me. I’ll do it myself.”
Kai dropped to his knees before the patient and looked at me with a plea.
He truly loved his comrade.
“Did the pirate who kidnapped me bring that strawberry basket I picked?”
I asked the pirate, and with a puzzled expression, he found a basket lying scattered in a corner.
“Gather the unblemished strawberries, rinse them in water, squeeze out their juice, and have the patient drink it.”
“Do as she says.”
At Kai’s command, the pirates moved swiftly.
“That’s all?”
“Yes. Lemon would be better, but strawberry juice should suffice.”
“…There’s no other method, so I’ll follow your lead, but it’s oddly simple.”
“It’s been a while since you’ve eaten fresh fruit or vegetables, hasn’t it?”
Kai, lost in thought, nodded.
“The effects won’t appear immediately, but the bleeding should stop in a few days. The bruising will fade gradually. However, if necrosis has already begun, that part will need to be removed.”
I spoke to the other pirates.
“Once things are sorted here, go into the forest and eat some strawberries.”
“Um…”
The brigand—or rather, pirate—timidly raised his hand and asked:
“Does it have to be strawberries? What about other fruits?”
“Well, lemon and strawberries are best, but you don’t seem severe, so anything will do. Vegetables work too.”
The pirates nodded with innocent expressions and headed into the forest.
“Now tell me what you did to Tatiana. What was on the blade that cut her throat?”
“Nothing like that. Just disinfect it so it doesn’t get infected and apply medicine.”
“That bastard…”
Kiis was about to swear, but glancing at me, he trailed off.
When Kai tried to stand and approach, Kiis blocked him.
“I apologize, Tatiana. And thank you for your help.”
“That’s it?”
“Should I…kneel?”
“What use do I have for your knees.”
Only then did Kai seem to understand, and he spoke.
“How much will it cost?”
“Hmm, do merchants take orders?”
“Probably. But they only come every three days, so you’d have to wait a while here.”
Three days—I’d shortened the voyage time compared to the original, but there was still far to go. Who knew what else might happen.
“I’ll buy anything you want. In exchange, could you look after my comrade until then?”
I looked at Kiis.
He said nothing more, as if leaving the decision to me.
‘What should I do.’
Since leaving Primanu, I hadn’t properly maintained the ship, so it wouldn’t be bad to get repairs done. And there had been the battle with the Siren.
“Does anyone among you know how to maintain a ship?”
“Of course.”
“Good. Then contribute your labor, and let’s go see the merchant first.”
* * *
I sat on the sofa and sipped my Iced Americano.
It had been satisfying shopping.
“You’re really evil.”
Kai sat down hard beside me on the sofa, tears welling in his eyes.
“I cured an incurable disease, and you’re complaining it’s expensive?”
“That’s not it…but I didn’t expect you to order spirits like that. With a crew of only five.”
I’d let them freely order vegetables and fruit, as well as the alcohol Dilshad had wanted.
Strange that the youngest loved spirits so much.
Not just me—everyone else had named things they needed as well.
“My kids can’t hold their liquor well.”
“I’m sure. But what’s this?”
Kai snatched my glass without warning and gulped it down.
“Ugh—your personality even comes through in your beverages.”
Kai scrunched his face and crunched ice as he spoke.
“Why are you drinking from someone else’s cup? And what’s so bad about my personality? You kidnapped a defenseless woman and pulled an extortion scheme.”
“I really am sorry for that.”
“Tatiana.”
Kiis, who had gone to inspect the ship with Berto, approached.
“What?”
“I need to talk to you.”
Kiis’s gaze shifted to Kai. A silent request to leave.
“Don’t mind me, you can talk.”
“Get lost.”
“How about renaming your crew from the Jellyfish Pirates to the Ferocious Pirates?”
Kai cursed at Kiis and stood up.
“I’ll check on my subordinate’s condition and come back, so wait a moment, Tatiana.”
“Don’t bother coming back.”
Kai answered with a shrug of his shoulders.
“What did you want to say?”
Kiis didn’t sit on the sofa but stood looking down at me. I had to crane my neck to look up at him, and it hurt.
“Why did you provoke him like that.”
“Provoke…you mean when I got caught by Kai earlier?”
At the sound of Kai’s name, Kiis’s brow twitched.
“That wasn’t the time to provoke anyone.”
“I didn’t think you’d really kill me.”
“How are you so certain of that?”
His tone came rushing back sharp and cutting. Yet in his face, fear was written thick and clear.
‘Why that look again.’
Though I didn’t want to indulge in hopes, the past memories had become vivid, and I could read what emotion he carried.
“Sorry for worrying you.”
“It’s not…”
Kiis was about to protest, but he trailed off and spoke with a firm gaze:
“If you know that, be careful. I’d go to save you even if you did nothing but call my name.”
“What?”
Faced with unexpected words, I opened my mouth dumbly in shock, then smoothed over my expression and spoke playfully.
“So if I don’t call your name, you won’t come?”
“…”
Kiis, who had been watching me quietly with obvious embarrassment, laughed softly and sat beside me.
“How did you learn the treatment for Sea Sickness Disease?”
“That’s what I wanted to know too.”
Perian suddenly appeared from somewhere.
He sat in a single armchair, plucked a flawless, gleaming strawberry from the basket, and ate it.
“So Sea Sickness Disease really is cured just by eating strawberries?”
“Probably.”
“How did you know?”

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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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