Rosa raised her hand, the shackles around her wrists were rough and strong, and the other end of the chain was welded to a rusty anchor - pirates were mostly poor, and even if they became greedy and cruel, they were still quite adept at all forms of waste.

The anchor wasn't big, but it was too heavy for her to break free. Sitting alone in the dimly lit, stinking corner of the cabin calmed her mind and realized in amazement that she had been a mess all the time...... Although probably few people can see it.

She tugged at the chains involuntarily, feeling a slight agitation in the light of the clanging bells.

"You should know that our chains aren't the kind of things that can be opened with a single brooch. ”

Egger's laughing voice rang in her ears, and she had to take a deep breath to suppress the urge to pick up the wilting apple in her hand and smash it into his face.

"If I were you, I would sleep well and wait for your knight to save you like a princess who was taken captive by a dragon. ”

The man, who had almost grown up with her, made an exaggerated gesture and smiled meaningfully: "But...... That's not Rosa Latus, is it?"

Rosa looked at him for a while before smiling faintly: "If you really know me that well, you should know that I will not refuse a fair and reasonable deal...... I'm not that busy. ”

It was true that she was too careless to be surrounded by these pirates, but Egg never mentioned any "deals" to her at all - his target was Cesyana from the beginning, not her.

When exactly were they targeted?

Iger shrugged, "No." Rosa, I know you too well...... So I know you won't willingly accept any deal in such a coerced situation, rather than worrying about how and when you will ruin our plans or even take the opportunity to bite back. I'd rather lock you here at the risk of being skinned by Lange and make a simpler, more reassuring deal with your elf—he's a lot easier to deal with than you are. Sharp, dangerous, but also at a glance...... Just like his sword. ”

Rosa's heart sank.

Sesyana lacks scheming. Even if he has matured a lot in the past year, he is probably still as simple as a child in the face of a cunning and changeable guy like Egger who has no bottom line.

“...... What the hell do you want him to do?" she finally asked.

"Ah...... It's just killing a few people. Iger habitually snapped his fingers one by one. replied nonchalantly, "Sword Dancer...... The elves loved the awe-inspiring-sounding name, but he was trained to do it. Isn't it?"

Rosa silently suppressed the anger that welled up in her heart. Of course, it won't be that simple...... But what made her most angry at the moment was that Egger was so contemptuously treating the elves as a killer.

Sesyana's quiet, focused eyes came to mind. The panicked eyes could bring her unexpected peace at this moment.

They knew who he was, but they didn't really know the elf - he was more than just a pair of swords that could kill. And simple. It doesn't mean stupid, either.

She should have given him more trust...... Just like she wished she could get.

The elf flipped over and leapt onto the deck, silently diving into the shadows like smoke.

Most of the pirate ships were looted, but this one looked like a new ship built specifically for Black Sails. It was massive, sturdy, and deliberately exaggerated, with carvings of mostly skeletons needlessly appearing wherever they could, fighting each other, hugging and dancing, roasting their leg bones by the fire. Or pluck the ribs as strings...... The eerie scenes are eerie or ridiculous, but their abrupt, distorted shadows make it easier for the elves to hide.

The deck, which had been bustling for a while when I first entered the port, had fallen silent. Most of them have already gone into the cabins below deck to rest. Nine Toes, on the other hand, was supposed to stay in the captain's room—"a place that looked as gorgeous as some king's palace, but still smelled of stinky feet." ”

When Egger said this mockingly, the pirates next to him were laughing, but there was no smile in Egger's own eyes.

His eyes were clear and wary, but there was no uneasiness hidden beneath the laughter and rude demeanor of the others, which made him a little subtly out of place in the crowd.

The elf would unconsciously wonder what the man's past was with Rosa—Rosa didn't say anything, but he could see that this "Egger" was different to her. At least, she couldn't smile at his overly intimate behavior like she did with those she didn't care about...... And when she pulled his hand off her shoulder, there was a chance to counter him.

He could tell from the way Iger walked that the man wasn't very skilled, and the elves had seen Rosa easily subdue opponents who were much stronger than him.

He's a little distracted. A sailor grunted and hummed a ridiculous song and stopped in surprise as he passed by him—he had spotted him.

The elf reached out to draw his sword without thinking before he could open his mouth, but struck it backhand when the blade had already touched the other's skin, allowing him to sit down against a pile of debris.

Killing him is a no-brainer...... And it was just a pirate, and he didn't know why he hesitated.

That's why he agreed to Egg almost without hesitation - despite being coerced and used, the death of a murderous pirate leader is always a good thing for the world. As for whether Iger will keep the promise...... That's another story.

He concentrated and continued to move forward, stopping abruptly as he approached the captain's quarters.

The hatch opened, and a tall young man stepped onto the deck, paused for a moment, and then strode to the side of the ship.

"A tall young man with tan hair, a little hunched back, and a small half of his left ear missing. "—Nine-toed Walker, his target.

He was a little curious as to why it was the "nine toes" that could not be seen at all and not the more obvious defect in his left ear that became the nickname of this guy.

At this moment, the pirate leader, who was too young, stood not far away with his back to him, looking defenselessly at the shore, not even a guard by his side.

In the blink of an eye he could slice his neck open, and he could slip off the ship and escape before the nearest pirate found out that their leader had been killed...... But isn't that too simplistic?

The elf silently retreated, disappearing into the deeper shadows.

(To be continued.) )