The Pirate King's Daughter - Chapter 75

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

Chapter 75
“You’re moving on just like that?”
Dilshard spoke as if he found it absurd, but Kies didn’t seem to mind much.
“Well…….”
Kies was about to tell the attendant he’d be staying at the Royal Palace when someone cut him off.
“I am the Captain’s personal physician. Regardless of gender, surely I may lodge in the same palace in my capacity as a doctor, no?”
Perian said this to the Royal Palace attendant.
“Ah, if you’re a physician, that’s certainly possible! I hadn’t thought of that.”
The attendant looked delighted, as if he’d finally found a way out of his predicament.
…….
Kies’s inscrutable gaze settled on Perian, but he pretended not to notice and approached me instead.
“Captain, shall we share a carriage?”
He knew from the start there was such a method.
‘Slippery as always.’
In any case, the matter seemed resolved, so I turned my steps forward.
“Let’s go.”
Thus I arrived at the pristine white palace where Perian and I would be staying.
The tall arched corridors and dome-shaped ceilings were impressive, but it was the delicate carvings and gilt ornaments that were particularly lavish.
‘Even pocketing one small piece wouldn’t leave me worrying about living expenses for months.’
With such piratical thoughts in mind, I followed the head maid’s guidance up to the second floor.
“You may use this room, Captain. The servants here will attend to you, so please tell us if you need anything.”
“That’s fine for today. I’d just appreciate being woken in the morning.”
The thought of strangers bathing me made me deeply uncomfortable.
“Understood.”
I had just grasped the door handle, eager to wash and sleep, when—
“I shall take the room next to yours. As you know, being your physician, I must rush to your aid if anything happens.”
“Ah…….”
At Perian’s words, the head maid hesitated, clearly flustered.
“Is the Captain ill?”
“There’s no illness, but the Captain insists on keeping me close at hand.”
When did I ever—
“There are knights and many servants in the palace, so you needn’t worry. Regardless of your role as physician, a man cannot lodge on the same floor as the Captain.”
Perian’s gentle expression turned toward the head maid.
But his eyes held no warmth whatsoever.
“We respect the customs of the Royal Palace, which is precisely why our companions have not come here. To the extent that we show respect, the Kingdom must also be willing to compromise, wouldn’t you agree?”
“……Very well. You may use this room then. As for service—”
“Service won’t be necessary.”
He seemed unusually tense today.
Even though his temperament was never particularly pleasant, he usually didn’t show it.
‘What happened to everyone this morning?’
When I asked where the four had gone after they woke early following the fighting incident, they said they’d simply gone for a morning stroll around the neighborhood.
‘Well, of course they’d be upset hearing talk of killing a comrade.’
Finding my own answer to the sudden question, I bid Perian good night and entered my room.
“Sleep well, Perian.”
“You too.”
Click—the door closed.
By the soft glow of candlelight, the full expanse of the room came into view.
The spacious chamber prepared for an honored guest was lavish in every detail, but what captured my eye was something else entirely: the doors.
A set of large, rounded French doors.
As if entranced, I walked over and pushed them wide open, and white sheer curtains billowed in the night breeze.
“Wonderful…….”
After standing on the terrace for a moment, admiring the view, I went back inside to shower and change into nightclothes.
‘This negligee is incredibly thin.’
A few washes and it’d fall apart.
“Pudding, are you going to bathe too?”
Pudding usually enjoyed splashing around in cool water while I showered.
That’s why I asked.
“Eep?!”
Pudding startled visibly and stared at me.
“What did you do wrong?”
“What?! Me? Ha! This is ridiculous! What sin could a small, adorable jellyfish like me possibly commit. Tch, honestly!”
“Hey, Pudding.”
I crossed my arms and looked down at Pudding.
“Speak plainly.”
Pudding avoided my gaze, sinking lower and lower.
“Fine. Don’t tell me.”
“W-what?”
“I’ve told you everything because I thought there were no secrets between us, but I won’t force it from you. It hurts, but I can’t help it. That’s the level of our relationship, after all.”
As I turned toward the bathroom with my negligee, not pursuing it further, Pudding let out a sharp sound.
“No!”
“What is it?”
When I turned back indifferently, Pudding flew at me with a quivering face and clung to my cheek.
“I’ll tell you! We’re not on that level! We’re the most special pair in the whole world!”
Easy, easy.
I kept my expression in check while laughing silently to myself.
“Then tell me. What’s going on?”
“It’s just that…….”
The usually bold Pudding fidgeted with two tentacles before speaking.
“There’s a Treasure Fragment in this palace.”
…….
I squeezed my eyes shut and pressed my hand to my forehead.
“Well, Treasure is dangerous for humans, so we have to recover it. Plus, if I’m really going to become the Pirate King, I need to collect them all.”
“The latter’s your true motive, isn’t it? You let me come in here completely unprepared just because of your greed?”
“I thought you wouldn’t come if you knew…….”
The way Pudding pouted suggested it still didn’t understand what it had done wrong.
“No matter what, it’s too dangerous. Don’t you worry about me?”
“It’s not dangerous!”
“How can that be? Do you understand why I’m unaffected by Treasure? Do you think there are others like me in the world?”
The most likely reason I wasn’t influenced by Treasure was Lucas’s power.
There was no way there could be another person bearing the power of such a being—angel or fallen angel alike.
“I’m telling you it’s true! When Dilshard and that madman had it, I felt the Demonic Power. But coming to the palace, I know for sure now. It’s the same aura as when you have it.”
“Are you certain about this?”
Pudding nodded vigorously, begging me to believe.
If that were the case, then wasn’t it Lucas’s power resisting the Treasure?
“You could verify it directly. You said you could see the Treasure glimmering yourself.”
I didn’t think Pudding was lying.
Pudding would never betray me.
“Where is it now?”
“It’s moving slowly, not too far from here.”
It wasn’t yet the dead of night, but this was a time when activity was sparse.
‘It might be good to check it out quickly.’
We’d be leaving in two days anyway. Tomorrow would be busy with the banquet.
The moment I started walking, Pudding flew up and asked.
“Right now?”
“Yeah. With Perian.”
“With the weakling? Just the two of you?”
Pudding’s question stopped me in my tracks.
…….
Why had I instinctively turned toward Perian?
Because it might be dangerous? To ask him to protect me? Because Perian would naturally guard and help me?
‘That can’t be right.’
He’s not a fundamentally bad person. So if I were in danger, he’d try to save me.
But if I tell him about the Treasure, if he witnesses the situation, his doubts will only deepen.
‘To get through without major trouble…….’
I turned to Pudding and asked.
“You’re absolutely sure there’s no Demonic Power to be felt?”
“Yeah. Not at all.”
“Then let’s just the two of us go.”
There are many knights in the palace, and there are still quite a few people moving about, so it should be fine.
Thus I left my room with Pudding.
Unaware that I had left the terrace doors open and ajar.
Whoooosh—
The place we arrived at was a garden brimming with water.
There were waterways running alongside grand fountains, with marble paths extending beside them.
“Who do you think has the Treasure Fragment?”
Pudding asked.
Having followed only the Treasure’s location, it was difficult to ascertain exactly where we were or guess at its owner’s identity.
“A garden in the middle of the night…….”
In romance novels, it would be the perfect place for a secret tryst. Between, say, a knight and a maid.
“Tatiana’s thinking weird thoughts. You’re a pervert.”
“That’s not fair.”
As Pudding and I bantered while walking, a sharp sound cut through the water’s murmur.
Clang—
……!
The sound of blades clashing. Almost certainly, it meant combat.
We understood instantly and, the moment our eyes met, we both ducked behind the nearby shrubs.
“I’ll go look.”
Pudding flew off before I could stop it.
No matter how well one hides, a keen observer would sense the disturbance.
A moment later, I heard a very faint voice from far off.
“……na!”
Pudding?
“Tatianaaa!”
……!
I sensed immediately that something had gone wrong and rushed out from behind the shrubs without hesitation.
Then I saw Pudding racing toward me at high speed, and—
“Tatiana, run!”
Behind Pudding came a man with a sword in one hand, his entire body drenched in blood, and our eyes met.

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