Chapter 53

“A-a, miss! The young master has arrived!”

 

“Uh… I can see that myself.”

 

Stunned, I stared blankly at the ship. Soon a ladder was thrown down and knights began pouring in.

 

What tumbled down in a rush were knights in very familiar uniforms—the knightly orders of the Clies Count’s family and the Weiss Ducal House.

 

Perhaps it had been luck that the mercenary band spent time searching for the silver lily-of-the-valley that blooms under the full moon.

 

I watched in a daze as knights and pirates clashed and tangled, when I suddenly heard someone shouting my name from afar. A familiar voice.

 

I snapped my head up toward the sound. I had no idea how our eyes met at that distance—almost as if he already knew I was there.

 

Evan was staring at me, his face so pale it had turned bluish.

 

“Lep—!”

 

“…Evan?!”

 

Evan reached out a hand toward me, but too many pirates were blocking him. Guns fired, blades swung—each movement clearly aimed to kill him. I let out a sharp scream.

 

“Evan, watch out!”

 

A blade nicked right past his chest. I wanted to run to him immediately, but a pirate grabbed my wrist.

 

“Come here! Other goods don’t matter, but the top-grade ones can’t be allowed to escape!”

 

“Fran!”

 

“Y-yes, sir!!”

 

Startled by Evan’s loud shout, Fran answered with a jolt. He then hurled himself at the pirate holding me. The pirate stumbled backward when Fran collided with him, and Fran tried to lead me to safety.

 

He guarded me and pushed me toward a corner, but another hand reached out toward me again, unwilling to let me go.

 

“Where do you think you’re going!”

 

“Persistent bastard!”

 

For the first time, I resented my long hair. A pirate grabbed it and wouldn’t let go even when I yanked it. Then Pat, nearby, suddenly bit the pirate’s hand.

 

“Aaagh!”

 

“It’s free!”

 

But that only had the effect of drawing every pair of eyes toward us.

 

“The hostage is escaping!”

 

“Grab that girl! We can use her as leverage!”

 

“Damn pirates…!”

 

There were far too many aiming for me. It was obvious from the knights’ uniforms that they had come to rescue me, so the pirates closed in to seize me as an advantageous hostage.

 

Fran pushed me back into the corner as much as he could, keeping them from touching me, but his hands were still tied. And we were on a pirate ship in the middle of the sea. The only place to run was the edge—straight into the water. There was nowhere left to retreat as the pirates tightened their circle.

 

I swallowed hard. There were simply too many pirates, and the knights were overwhelmed. They were barely managing the endless stream of pirates coming at them.

 

“Just give up already.”

 

Fran wrestled with the pirates, leaving me isolated for a moment. I tried to look for a chance to run, but then a fist—out of nowhere—struck me. I collapsed hard.

 

“Shut up and follow me!!”

 

I held my aching cheek, staring at the pirate’s hand reaching for me. I squeezed my eyes shut.

 

“Lep…”

 

It happened in an instant—someone pulled me into an embrace.

 

When I opened my eyes, the pirate who had been threatening me collapsed in a slow, strange motion.

 

‘But Evan was so far from me…?’

 

The pirate was foaming at the mouth as if he had been struck in the solar plexus.

 

“What… how?”

 

I looked around. I saw the path Evan had carved out—pirates around him groaning and clutching their arms and hands in pain.

 

‘What on earth happened?’

 

I was bewildered. I knew Evan never lost even in practice duels with knights. But he was a sickly man, and the knights surely held back for him… wasn’t that the truth?

 

Could it be he was far stronger than I ever imagined?

 

Evan’s sword glowed green. In one vertical swing, he sliced Fran’s shackles clean in half.

 

“Fran. Do it properly.”

 

Hearing Evan’s chilling murmur drained the color from Fran’s face. Fran saluted in a panic and immediately turned to the pirates.

 

“You bastards nearly got me killed…!”

 

Fran, no longer the timid man from moments ago, cut down pirates without hesitation. The pirates’ momentum began to crumble, and relief spread through me—I could finally breathe.

 

“It’s really… a relief you’re safe…”

 

Evan pulled me into a tight embrace, as if the brutal battle around us were happening in another world. His gentle voice made all the tension drain out of me.

 

“Lep?!”

 

My body collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. Evan hurried to catch me. I clung to him, teary-eyed.

 

“Evan… I missed you.”

 

“Sorry. I was too late.”

 

I shook my head. Then the cut on my cheek brushed his hair, and the sting forced me to swallow a groan. Evan quickly pulled back, took my chin, and lifted my face.

 

Right in front of me were his violet eyes darkening with rage. His expression hardened.

 

“What is this wound…?”

 

His trembling hand reached toward me. He gently traced the cheek bruised by a grown man’s punch and my swollen lip that even water stung. His gaze traveled from head to toe, as if confirming every injury—and finally stopped at my neck.

 

“How dare they…”

 

A low growl—like a beast—rumbled from him, and a strange energy swirled around him. The sheer pressure made me swallow. His sunken eyes were brimming with fury.

 

“T-that’s…”

 

I tried to hide the wound, but my cheek throbbed with even a brush of air, my lip was split, and though my neck didn’t hurt much, it had bled enough to stain my clothes. Anyone could tell someone had tried to kill me.

 

Evan’s gaze fixed on the pirate he had knocked out—one who had laid hands on me. Without mercy, he stomped on him with brutal precision. The pirate coughed even in unconsciousness.

 

“Was it this bastard?”

 

“E-Evan! I’m fine!”

 

His voice, sharp with fury, made chills run down my spine. Then a dreadful realization hit me—while I had survived, what about Evan?

 

He had come all this way, fought hard. He couldn’t possibly be fine.

 

“If you move too violently, the poison will spread faster…!”

 

My legs trembled, but I forced myself to stand and grabbed his hand tightly. I had to get him down—he needed rest.

 

“Evan, let’s escape now! It’s dangerous to stay here!”

 

Evan stared at me, baffled.

 

“Dangerous…?”

 

“You can’t stay here!”

 

A cold wind cut between us. The air grew tense. Evan’s eyes were icy as he questioned me—was I truly saying that?

 

His brow furrowed sharply.

 

He didn’t even know where we were. He had fought pirates in the middle of the sea. His body must be burning with fever. He could even cough blood. This was no place for someone sick. And who knew if he had brought the antidote?

 

“Think about your body! Why did you come to such a dangerous place? The knights were enough!”

 

I bit my lip. I had found the moon-lily. Ben would’ve delivered it. Evan should be in the safety of the ducal mansion, drinking the antidote.

 

“You moved too much, right? Are you okay? How’s your stomach?”

 

All the danger I went through—who was it for? Why did I come here and find a flower that blooms under a full moon?

 

“Lep!! Is that what matters right now?!”

 

“Of course! Why else would I come here for herbs? I did it to save you, Evan!”

 

“You expected me to sit quietly at home while you were in danger?”

 

“You’re in more danger!”

 

Evan stared at me, dumbfounded.

 

“…So that’s what Piote meant…”

 

“Evan?”

 

His expression twisted painfully. His gaze clung to me, trembling with something hollow—his eyes glistened as if on the verge of tears.

 

My words—meant for his sake—only made him look crushed. My heart dropped.

 

“No… I only said it because I was worried…”

 

“…”

 

I had snapped because I was anxious, but he had come all this way—for me. Yet I’d scolded him for it.

 

I hurried to correct myself.

 

“I’m not blaming you. But your condition isn’t good. You’ve been on a ship for days—your health must’ve worsened. And then you fought…”

 

I tried gently soothing him, but his expression didn’t change. His throat bobbed as if he were swallowing back words.

 

“I knew it…”

 

“…Brother?”

 

While Evan and I were locked in our tense conversation, the knights and Piote had already taken down the remaining pirates. The elite suppression force subdued them effortlessly.

 

Piote pushed between us and wrapped me in a tight embrace.

 

“Mother and Father were worried sick. And… so was I.”

 

Usually full of mischief, Piote spoke without a trace of his usual smile. Tears finally broke free and streamed down my face—I had acted calm, but I truly thought I might die today.

 

“I’m sorry… for worrying everyone…”

 

“Don’t apologize. You’re safe. That’s all that matters.”

 

Piote gently stroked my head. Through the blur of tears, I could faintly see Evan’s face—still pale, still cold. My sobs echoed across the deck.