The Pirate King's Daughter - Chapter 78

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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 78
Azael took the head seat while I sat beside him, stealing a glance at him diagonally across the table.
His eyes looked hollow—the aide’s claim that he hadn’t slept seemed to be true.
‘But why isn’t he saying anything?’
Until the soup arrived, he remained silent, lost in thought.
And just as I reached for my spoon, hesitating slightly—
“Entertain me.”
“……What would you like me to entertain you with?”
“You need to amuse me, obviously.”
Here it comes.
I set down my spoon and cleared my throat.
“It’s not a particularly entertaining story, but would you mind if I shared something about myself?”
The laughter hunter couldn’t be deployed, and seeing him ask about Pudding yesterday, I thought he’d enjoy hearing something entirely new to him.
“Go ahead.”
Azael spoke casually, as if indifferent.
But my story was anything but ordinary.
“I actually remember my past life.”
With a fortune teller present, saying something like this wouldn’t result in a witch hunt, and while my past life was meant to be secret, I needed something to capture his interest.
Life came before secrets, after all.
“How peculiar.”
Azael looked at me as if I were pathetic.
“I asked you to amuse me, and here you are spouting nonsense in front of me. I find it so absurd that I don’t even have the energy to punish you.”
I’d made a resolution just now, and this man was throwing it back in my face.
A Pirate King who appeared for the first time in three hundred years, and one who traveled with a Divine Beast at that—surely it was believable.
“I’m serious. I remember my past life, I’m telling you. My Divine Beast vouches for it.”
“I vouch.”
At my words, Pudding materialized promptly and spoke.
But again, his eyes said we were both liars.
“Well then, why don’t you continue?”
He was genuinely curious, despite himself.
“I lived in a country called the Republic of Korea. It was very different from here.”
A world without status or magic, but with advanced science and medicine.
As I spoke, Azael even stopped eating, his interest plainly shown.
“Then were you a pirate in that place as well?”
“What an alarming thing to say. I was an extremely ordinary person. Well, if I had to compare it to something here, I’d say I worked for something like a merchant house.”
“Quite the advancement.”
“I became a criminal.”
Even in the Nedel Kingdom, piracy was a crime—I didn’t know what he was getting at.
“Then how did you die?”
“That was ordinary too. I was struck by something like a carriage.”
My memory was hazy, so Lucas had filled in the details for me.
“I see.”
“I have plenty more stories to tell, but I’ll stop here. My throat is getting sore.”
And I hadn’t even managed to eat anything.
“Who said you could stop?”
Damn.
“What else would you like to know?”
Azael paused, then, seeing that I hadn’t touched my meal at all, continued.
“We’ll continue your story another time. For now, eat.”
I had been hoping to return to my room and eat comfortably.
As I reluctantly picked up my fork, Azael spoke.
“Then it’s my turn now. I’ll tell you my story.”
I felt my throat tighten.
He had been upset enough yesterday after hearing about my mother that he’d even put a hole in his aide’s head.
“Your Majesty, surely you wouldn’t speak of your personal affairs……”
“My mother was from a distant foreign land. A very cold place, I’m told.”
Damn, I didn’t want to hear this.
“It was a political marriage, but my mother loved my father, and at first, my father felt the same way.”
I kept my eyes fixed on my plate and ate diligently.
“After that, my father took nine concubines, and my mother began to crumble. But then one day, she changed suddenly.”
Instinctively, I knew: a Treasure would appear at this moment.
“My mother, who had been grieving alone, began to torment the concubines. Beatings, poisoning attempts, assassins—all of it.”
‘Wait.’
My mind spun frantically.
A queen blinded by jealousy murders a concubine. Dilshard kidnaps those he wishes to protect.
‘And that insane bastard Ode probably—’
A man from a broken home gathered people and engaged in family role-play.
‘That’s it.’
A shiver ran through my entire body, and goosebumps rose on my skin.
The Treasure wasn’t about controlling people.
‘It stimulates people’s emotions.’
While I was having these thoughts, Azael continued reminiscing.
“And on the day my mother murdered the most favored concubine, she herself was run through by my father’s blade in front of me.”
“……!”
I had no time to compose myself—I gasped and looked at Azael in shock.
He smirked at the sight of my expression.
“You don’t need to look so stricken. I took my revenge myself. I killed my father and all seventeen of my half-siblings, and rose to this throne.”
I couldn’t imagine how painful that must have been, and I felt even more pity for him.
Because no one could ever empathize with that story.
“But once I became king, I found it hollow. No one ever tells you the path ends when you reach your destination.”
This was why Azael was unaffected by the Treasure.
Because there was no emotion left to stimulate.
“Still, today and yesterday have been quite enjoyable. I’ve never seen a Pirate King who remembers his past life and can barely use his body before.”
Was that supposed to be a compliment……?
Unsure what to say, I remained silent with an awkward expression, and Azael smiled, relaxed and at ease.
“Will you leave tomorrow?”
“Yes. I’ll wake in the morning, have a meal, and depart immediately.”
“That’s unfortunate. I would have heard many more stories if you’d stayed longer.”
He seemed at ease, without a hint of genuine regret.
“There’s a reason I need to leave quickly.”
Azael pondered for a moment, then spoke lightly, as if it were nothing.
“Then I’ll escort you to the ball tonight.”
“……You, Your Majesty?”
“Is there a problem? I thought we were quite close now, sharing each other’s secrets as we do. Only my closest advisors know that I killed my father.”
“…….”
But why were you telling me this?
“As a commoner and a pirate, I feel far too inadequate to accept an escort from Your Majesty.”
“Not just any pirate—a Pirate King. So is this you rejecting the king’s request to be his partner?”
“……How could I? It would be an honor.”
I had no choice but to accept, swallowing my reluctance.
“Your face looks like a death portrait. I seem to be tolerating far too much of your audacity.”
At that, I flashed him a smile—brilliant and bright, like a kind flight attendant.
“I’m overjoyed. I feel like dancing the moment I get up, Your Majesty, though I wouldn’t dare be so unseemly in your presence……”
“Then dance.”
Damn that bastard.
My smile froze as I sat motionless, and Azael spoke again, watching me like a lion observing a toy.
“Are you defying my command?”
“How could I possibly do such a thing?”
Gritting my teeth, I dragged my chair back with a screech and danced—actually danced.
“Hahahaha!”
Azael roared with uncontrolled laughter at the sight of me.
And I, mortified beyond measure, finished eating and returned to my room, tears streaming quietly down my face.
The moment I opened the door, I jumped with a start and let out a cry.
“Good grief!”
Perian was sitting rigidly on the sofa.
“What are you doing in my room?”
“You had dinner with the king.”
“Yes. Why does that matter?”
“Why?”
He furrowed his brow, repeated my words, and approached me with an ominous air.
“That fool you mentioned—he was the king? And here I thought you’d snare some minor noble and secure your future, but now you’re about to become a queen?”
“What are you talking about?”
Perian—the one who couldn’t hide his disdain once he dropped his mask.
I was facing him after a long time, and I realized he hadn’t changed at all.
“You said it yourself. That in the Empire, you weren’t treated well. So you were going to use that beautiful face as a weapon and trap some fool.”
And yet he’d apologized.
It was all a lie. The mask he’d worn claiming to protect his own heart kept cutting me.
I’d thought I could face Perian without getting hurt, but apparently I was wrong.
‘This is pathetic.’
My eyes stung as I held back the surge of emotion.
“What’s the problem? Marriage should be to someone you love, not—is this a lecture? Do you want to lecture me?”
Perian’s jaw clenched, and I heard the grinding of his teeth.
“I wanted you gone as quickly as possible. So why are you angry? Ah, is my exit too dignified for your taste? Does that twist your heart?”
“Are you seriously planning to settle here and marry the king?”
“Why are you asking? You already know the answer.”
He’d already made up his mind—so why ask me again?
“Tatiana!”
Perian’s voice suddenly rose to a shout.
I couldn’t understand. Why was he so angry? Why did he keep hurting me like this?
‘I tried.’
Thinking of my past life for the first time in so long, I ached for my family, my friends—all of it.
“You didn’t make a pact with a demon. But why doesn’t that demonic Treasure affect you at all? If you’re truly unaffected, why did you lie and say you didn’t understand the reason?”
He grabbed me, demanding answers.
The tears I’d been barely holding back spilled over, streaming down my cheeks.

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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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