Chapter 70
A ship was approaching the Lazybones. A carving of a falcon with its silver wings spread wide adorned its bow.
"That's...! It's Mary's ship!"
Captain Maurice shouted with a frown. The approaching ship was the Silverwing, which Mary-san had sailed away on. It was moving fast. I instinctively sensed that a battle was brewing.
The Silverwing came toward us at a speed like it was flying, then changed course partway and pulled alongside the Lazybones on our port side. About fifty short, masked sailors were stationed on its deck. Every one of them had a sword at their waist and a bow in hand. When I looked toward the stern, I saw a woman wearing a tricorn hat over her curly red hair and gripping the wheel. It was Mary-san, Captain Maurice's only daughter.
I remembered the stories about pirates who had recently begun appearing in the Mebyum Inland Sea. They were said to be masked pirates, but their true identities were Mary-san and her group.
"What are you doing, Mary?! Stop this foolishness!"
Captain Maurice shouted angrily, his face reddening. He, too, had sensed that Mary-san was about to initiate an attack.
"Father! I can't leave the island in your hands anymore. From now on, I'll be in charge!"
Mary-san, wearing a long red coat, accepted a bow and arrows from a masked subordinate beside her.
"Stop! Things were just starting to work out with the Lionel Kingdom. If you cause trouble, you'll ruin everything!"
Sweat streamed down Captain Maurice's forehead as he shouted.
Mary-san was armed, but hostilities had not yet begun. Even now, she could insist that she had joined us as an escort. But if even a single arrow were fired at me, that would be the start of war.
"Captain Rome."
Al slid down from the lookout platform by a rope and leaped onto the stern. Ray, Borel, Gatt, Zeze, and Jini surrounded me, along with Paula-san.
"Romelia-sama, please retreat to the cabin."
Ray urged me to take shelter while keeping a hand on the sword at his waist.
"No, I can't do that."
I looked toward Captain Maurice, and he looked back at me. There was hesitation in his eyes.
This situation could be called an internal conflict on Merka Island. However, headstrong as she was, Mary-san was Captain Maurice's own daughter. He obviously did not want to fight her. The sailors aboard the Silverwing were probably residents of Merka Island as well. They would not want to fight their fellow islanders.
To avoid a conflict between family members, Captain Maurice might side with Mary's intentions. If that happened, we would be hopelessly outnumbered, and even Al and the others could not win. More importantly, all the effort we had put into building our relationship with Merka Island would be for nothing.
"We need to ascertain Merka Island's intentions here."
I looked around at the sailors nearby. They were still uncertain as well. But they had to decide whether to sell me out or protect me and move forward together. They needed to make their position clear.
"Mary-san!"
I raised my voice and glared at Mary-san as she readied her bow.
"I intend to move forward with everyone from Merka Island. Why are you interfering?!"
I shouted so my voice would carry over the sea wind. At the stern, Mary-san, who had nocked an arrow, twisted her red lips.
"Hah! I'm not like my father! I can't bring myself to believe all those sweet promises the mainlanders have been spouting!"
Mary-san drew the bowstring back, aiming the fully drawn bow at me.
"Stop! You idiot!"
Even as Captain Maurice shouted, Mary-san released the arrow. It shot toward me with tremendous force.
Immediately afterward, Borel and Gatt stepped in front of me, shielding me. But the arrow never reached us. The instant Al drew the sword at his waist, he knocked the incoming arrow out of the air.
The deflected arrow pierced the deck in front of the wheel.
"You... you stupid girl!"
Captain Maurice, gripping the wheel, grimaced and closed his eyes. But the next moment, his eyes snapped open, and he glared at Mary-san.
"Everyone! Prepare for battle! Capture that stupid girl!"
Upon hearing Captain Maurice's decision, I quietly clenched my right hand.
I still did not know how this battle would end. But now that Captain Maurice, Merka Island's representative, had taken my side, there was still a path toward maintaining our relationship with Merka Island. All that remained was to see whether we could drive off Mary-san's ship.