The Pirate King's Daughter - Chapter 66

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

Episode 66
I slipped back underwater, eyes barely above the surface.
The slow footsteps drew nearer, and with them came the spreading glow of light.
‘It has to be Kies.’
By all logic, he was the only one who should appear, yet the thought that it might be someone else sent fear crawling up my spine.
And why did the steady plink-plink of water dripping from the ceiling sound like something out of a horror film?
I readied myself to swim away if a stranger appeared, but then a bright light flooded my vision.
“Ugh.”
My eyes, adjusted to darkness, couldn’t take in the sudden brightness, and as I squinted, his voice reached me.
“Tatiana?”
“Ki—”
It really was Kies.
His silver hair, luminous with an almost intoxicating beauty, shone as though it were the breakthrough I’d been searching for.
“Am I dreaming…?”
Kies rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
And then I burst into tears.
“Waaah…”
“—!”
His shock melted into alarm, and he rushed toward me.
“Why… no, first come out of there. Take my hand.”
Unable to climb out and only managing to sob, I stayed submerged until Kies dropped to one knee, lowered himself, and wrapped his arms around me.
“Waaah, I mean, those jerks, they just, they kept calling me a goddess, hic!”
Clinging to his neck, I poured out words like a child tattling.
Kies hauled me up as if pulling a root from soil, then checked me over for injuries.
“Right, and then?”
He asked gently, keeping me cradled in his arms as he carried me toward somewhere deeper inside.
* * *
“Lae Eira has vanished!”
The man who burst from the house where Tatiana had entered cried out in alarm.
Berto, Dilshard, and Perian, who had been hiding on the village’s outskirts waiting to strike under cover of darkness, immediately began searching for Tatiana.
“I’ll head back to the village and search there.”
Perian spoke to Berto, who had been moving alongside him.
“It’s dangerous.”
Dilshard could fend for himself and had agreed to search alone, but Perian was different.
If the villagers spotted him, there was no predicting how things would unfold.
“Tatiana’s in more danger. She has basic Swordsmanship training, so she’ll be fine. Besides, we need to find Kies quickly.”
When he’d awoken, Kies was no longer with them.
“With only women and children left in the village, even if we’re discovered, I can escape easily enough.”
Berto weighed the risk: delay any longer and both Tatiana and Kies would be in mortal danger. He made a decision he didn’t like.
“If you’re caught, run for the riverside and get into the water. It’ll throw off pursuit.”
“Understood. I’ll head to the place we arranged to meet Dilshard.”
The two separated.
Perian clenched his teeth and ran.
‘I haven’t even apologized yet.’
Why had he said such things when he’d been hostile to her from the very first meeting?
He still couldn’t believe her completely. Cursed be his twisted nature—it kept him from truly opening his heart to anyone.
“Huff, gasp…”
The house where Tatiana had been appeared in the distance. Perian paused briefly to catch his breath.
‘Anyway, I can’t know what anyone truly thinks.’
No matter how clearly someone’s face might tell a story, without stepping into their mind itself, there was nothing he could say with certainty.
But now he at least knew Tatiana hadn’t joined hands with the Empress.
So what more did he want from her?
‘I should apologize.’
She was the type who came back alive even in moments when he’d been certain she was dead.
It would be fine.
With that thought, Perian moved his legs toward the village.
“—!”
Tatiana emerged from the house. And Pudding was with her.
But she was following some woman in a desperate hurry toward somewhere.
Perian chased after them without thinking, even as thorns raked across his face.
And in the moment he thought he’d nearly caught up—
“Lae Eira!”
He caught sight of Tatiana’s fleeing form.
Her golden hair, caught in moonlight as if scattered by a fairy’s glow, shone brilliantly.
Something felt wrong. It was like stealing a glimpse of a goddess forever beyond reach.
Splash!
Tatiana shattered the Tribe Chief’s strange power and disappeared into the depths.
Perian approached the woman who had led Tatiana here.
“I’d prefer not to hurt you, so don’t scream.”
Having swiftly subdued her, he extracted several pieces of information: where Tatiana had gone, what had happened to Kies.
‘If she fell in the Lake, she’ll be fine with Pudding around.’
Perian alone couldn’t rescue both of them.
He turned to leave for the meeting place with Berto and Dilshard, but the woman grabbed his arm.
“Wait—”
“Is there anything else?”
Perian, who always wore a gentle smile, showed his true face now.
The warmth vanished, replaced by a cold, expressionless gaze that turned toward her like winter itself.
“We should apologize for what our Tribe has done to you—”
“That’s enough.”
He had no time to waste listening to useless apologies.
Cutting off her words, Perian turned away without hesitation.
* * *
“Hic! So the banquet and all that…”
Speaking through tears and rambling, I gradually grew angry, and the tears finally dried.
As I was about to begin properly cursing while still clinging to him, I suddenly noticed that his body was far colder than mine—and I’d just been in the Lake.
“So? You just went back to your room right away?”
His voice sounded strained and squeezed out, and his pace was much slower than usual.
Holding me while also trying to keep hold of the torch, his face wasn’t clearly visible.
“Kies, put me down.”
“Why?”
“Now.”
Urged by my insistence, Kies set me down, and he stumbled.
“—!”
I stepped forward to catch him, and the moment my shoulder touched his face, I felt the chill radiating from him.
“Ah… sorry. I just mistepped.”
“What’s wrong with you? Are you hurt?”
I touched his exposed skin—face, neck, hands—and every part was ice-cold.
After a moment’s hesitation, Kies decided deception was impossible and spoke openly.
“…I think I was poisoned when I fell in the Lake.”
“What did you just say?”
So he’d known all this time and still carried me without saying anything?
My anger flared for an instant before I forced it down, then I snatched the torch and grabbed his arm.
“We need to get a fire going. Sit here.”
“If we walk a little farther, I have one already prepared.”
Supporting Kies as we went deeper, a campfire came into view.
“Lie down here.”
Too weak to resist further, he obediently followed my words.
In the light, his face looked terrible.
‘How did he manage to hold on in this state?’
Foolishly wondering why he would do such a thing.
I bit my lip and carefully brushed his bangs aside.
His face was pale, his lips had turned purple, and his breathing was far too shallow.
“Pudding, go through that hole and bring me Dilshard. With Dilshard’s Vine technique, we won’t need to find another exit—we can use that one.”
But even if he went, there was still a problem.
“And tell Berto to come too. If necessary, take a Tribe member as a Hostage and bring back an Antidote by any means.”
“Got it.”
Pudding flew off with grim determination.
“Tatiana…”
Kies called my name slowly, reaching out his hand.
I took both his hands in mine, and he continued speaking with an oddly peaceful look in his eyes.
“I have something I want to say.”
The way he said it—as if leaving a final testament—made me furrow my brow, and I pulled my hands away.
“Don’t.”
“Tatiana.”
“You’re an Aura user. Are you really going to surrender to this? It’s not like you’ve never been poisoned before.”
I didn’t want to speak this way, but the words came out harsh and accusatory.
“Tati—!”
I turned away and undressed.
My Dress fell to the ground with a wet slap, and naked, I moved close to the fire to warm myself.
“Will warming up like that… cure the Hypothermia…?”
Kies, his head turned toward the wall, murmured stupidly.
“You talk nonsense just fine, so why do you act so weak?”
After drying myself, I approached Kies and began unbuttoning his shirt.
“You—!”
He couldn’t even look at me, just grabbed my hand.
‘He’s moving fast enough, so he’s still okay.’
So we just needed to wait for Dilshard to arrive.
“We have to try everything we can. Let go.”
When I struck the back of his stubborn hand still gripping his collar, he formed a fist and straightened into attention.
As I undid the buttons one by one, a body pale as sculpture emerged.
“Stop—!”
I lay down beside Kies, pressing my cheek against his chest and pulling his cold frame tightly to me.
I draped the Cloak over us both and lay still, letting the heavy thud of his heartbeat flow through my face.
“Hold me properly, would you?”
I grabbed the arms of this stiff, rigid man and made him wrap them around me.
“When you’re fully better, you’re in trouble. I’m going to give you such a scolding.”
How could he have carried me in a state like this?
“…Are you upset?”
The tension left him, and he pulled me close, burying his face in my hair.
“Upset? I’m furious.”
I felt a soft laugh—a breath like wind through leaves.
“Tatiana.”
“What.”
“Tatiana.”
“Why do you keep calling me?”
“…”
When I lifted my head to meet his eyes, I felt his hands tighten their grip around me.

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