The Pirate King's Daughter - Chapter 49

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

Episode 49
“I’ll carry you.”
I climbed onto Dilshad’s back without hesitation.
“But would someone capable of this really let us go?”
The question lingered in my mind.
After all, this was just entertainment for him—he could toy with us for a while and kill us at the end. Clean and simple.
“No matter what happens, you’re getting off this island.”
“You have to come with me. You didn’t forget the promise we made, did you?”
If we survived, I’d find out what wish Berto had spoken of.
“Of course not. That’s exactly why I’ve held on this long.”
As we talked, the tension eased slightly, and we finally reached the hilltop.
“I suspected it from the moment we were captured, but 199 took the victory after all.”
199 seemed to refer to Dilshad. I’d told him I was 200 last time.
“I’m leaving right now.”
As I stepped down from Dilshad’s back, Od answered with his usual ease.
“The ceremony has to be done properly for it to be complete. You follow procedures religiously, after all.”
Od stood before a table draped in white cloth, upon which lay a Laurel Wreath and Red Victory Ribbon.
“Go up onto that platform.”
He was about to repeat the same unfunny act from the Maze Game.
“Just let us—”
As I headed for the table, Living Armor blocked my way.
“I clearly said it wasn’t over yet.”
He flashed his eyes coldly in warning.
I couldn’t fight. A monster was probably lurking somewhere, ready to burst out like when we were first captured.
“Tatiana.”
Dilshad grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the platform.
With no choice, I stepped onto it. Od approached slowly, ignoring the Laurel Wreath.
He stopped directly in front of the platform and opened his mouth—and the ground trembled.
“Now I shall commence the Hidden Game.”
“…!”
The platform shot upward.
If Dilshad hadn’t caught me, I would have tumbled off and fallen.
My legs shook too badly to do anything until the platform stopped. We’d climbed so high that the trees had already passed far below.
“What are you doing?!”
Dilshad, who had focused entirely on keeping me safe, raised his voice. His face twisted with fury.
“200 finished the game too elegantly for my taste. I had no choice. It’s all your fault.”
As Od spoke, drifting through the air, Dilshad’s jaw clenched. His teeth ground together with a crack.
“You’ve done Hidden Games before. What’s there to be shocked about? Oh, you weren’t here then? The dawn after the Maze Game ended. That was genuinely fun.”
His tone was wistful, lost in memory.
“Fine. I’ll die. But only after I see Tatiana safely leave this island. I can die, and then you can kill her too.”
“I don’t want to kill people. I’m researching how ugly humans can become.”
“So fight a little. You can strangle me, stab me with a sword, or push me off the edge—whatever you like.”
Od showed no sign of backing down. Now there was truly no way out.
“Dilshad, do you trust me?”
Dilshad, who had been glaring at Od with deadly intent, looked down at me.
“…Why are you asking that now? You’re scaring me. Don’t.”
“No, I’m saying—I won’t die. You won’t either. Can you trust my word?”
He held my gaze, then slowly released the tension from his face.
“I trust you.”
I took Dilshad’s hand and rose, standing at the edge of the platform. Od and the Living Armor looked like tiny figurines below.
My legs trembled. Pure, primal fear.
“Murder-suicide? I’ve only seen one pair do that before. How entertaining that they resist to the bitter end.”
I ignored Od and embraced Dilshad instead.
He held me back firmly, as if to say he wouldn’t let go.
Knowing what I was about to do yet trusting me completely—his expression stirred something strange inside me.
“Ready?”
“Yes.”
We pushed off together and fell from the platform.
The brief moment before hitting ground stretched into eternity. Dilshad’s silhouette, falling without a trace of doubt, was something I knew I’d never forget.
Flutter—
In the instant before we touched earth, white Wings unfurled.
“What—”
Od, who had been standing near where we fell, widened his eyes and murmured.
As I cut through the air and surged forward, Dilshad reached out toward Od at the perfect moment.
“L-let go!”
The moment Dilshad grabbed Od by the nape of his neck, I soared toward the sky.
I alighted gently back on the platform, and Dilshad hurled Od away before—instead of threatening him—started fiddling with my Wings.
His eyes gleamed with the unmistakable light of a scholar’s curiosity.
“You’re the first person I’ve ever met who grows more curious the more they learn.”
“It tickles.”
I fluttered my Wings to signal him to stop. He stared at me with frightening intensity, as if conducting research.
“We need to deal with him first.”
I pointed at Od, who sat panic-stricken at the edge of the platform.
Below, the Living Armor and the monster writhed, but couldn’t climb up.
“You got the dramatic moment you wanted.”
Dilshad approached Od as he spoke.
“I’ll let both of you live. Problem solved, yes? Your ship is still there, and I’ll load whatever else you need. I’ll even give you navigation charts.”
Od, glimpsing the cliff below from the corner of his eye, pleaded desperately.
“Eager to live?”
“Of course!”
“Then throw that Staff over here first.”
Od’s eyes trembled fiercely. Even with his life on the line, he couldn’t bring himself to surrender that treasure.
What on earth was that thing?
“If you won’t, just fall.”
“No! I’ll give it! Here, I’ll give it! Just don’t come closer!”
Od threw the Staff.
I rushed to pick it up. Dilshad couldn’t touch it.
As expected, I felt no influence whatsoever.
‘Od, though…’
He should have been freed from the treasure’s control, but there seemed to be no real change in him.
“Well?”
Dilshad asked.
“Well what?”
“Are you feeling any guilt at all for the people you killed?”
Dilshad, who had been controlled by the treasure himself, seemed to be thinking that perhaps this killing game wasn’t what Od truly wanted.
“Yeah! I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault. I apologize to you both. I’ll make proper amends, so just let me down.”
“So it was just trash?”
But there was no trace of remorse in his manner.
Dilshad had been freed from control and showed shame and regret, but Od had none of that.
‘Any normal person would be shaken.’
Even if he’d been controlled, he had still done such things.
As Dilshad took another step forward, Od realized he wouldn’t be shown mercy. He suddenly leaped up and charged.
But Dilshad simply pivoted out of the way with ease, and I too spread my Wings wide and soared upward.
“Argh!”
Unable to stop, Od fell off the platform. He barely managed to grab the edge.
“Save me! Please save me! I was wrong!”
We waited silently. Not long after, the ground thundered below with a crash.
After the long ordeal, I breathed deeply and gazed at the distant sky.
The clear heavens stretched endlessly above the forested landscape, like an infinite ocean.
“Let’s go. We need to go. We have another voyage ahead.”
Od’s game had ended, but my journey still stretched far ahead.
As I beat my Wings and descended back to the platform, Dilshad stared at me slack-jawed.
“What? Didn’t hear you.”
“No, nothing. It’s nothing.”
His cheeks flushed, he turned his head away.
“Shall we head down?”
The Wings would vanish soon. It was a dreamlike ability, and I felt a strange wistfulness.
“Dilshad, don’t let me fall.”
Embracing him, rather than descending to the ground, I beat my Wings powerfully toward where our ship lay.
A refreshing wind touched my cheek. So this is what it feels like to fly through the sky.
In this moment alone, the weight of all those lives on my shoulders seemed to vanish—I was utterly free.
As we reached the Coastal Shore where the ship had been, I spotted the familiar pirate vessel.
“Dilshad! The crew’s here!”
“Looks like it.”
I didn’t notice the heaviness that had crept into his voice as I hastily dropped to the ground.
“Pudding!”
I waved frantically and ran.
Pudding, who had been spraying poison at the Living Armor, abandoned everything without hesitation and flew toward me.
“Tatiana!”
Pudding hugged my face and wept.
“Sob, sniff—I missed you so much!”
“I missed you too.”
Tears threatened to spill over. How I’d longed for this soft, squishy warmth.
Soon the crew came running, having left the Living Armor for the Kai Pirate Crew to handle.
“Everyone…”
I was about to say I’d missed them, but a large figure rushed past me.

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