Chapter 81
With Mary-san, I went out onto the deck of the Silverwing. We stopped by the passenger cabin where I had been confined until just a short while ago, so Paula-san came along as well.
"All right, you lot! Don't let your guard down!"
Wearing her long red coat, Mary-san issued orders in a clear, carrying voice. The masked sailors followed her instructions and moved with impressive agility. She would have been a failure as the head of an organization, but as the captain of a single ship, she was truly outstanding. A girl named Ann, the burn scars on her face clearly visible, stood at her right. On her other side stood the masked sailor whose right arm was wrapped in red cloth, also serving as a guard.
Mary-san peered intently beneath her unruly red hair. When I followed her gaze, I saw a ship approaching us. A statue of a lion breathing flames was mounted on its bow. It was the Flame Lion of the Vaal Archipelago, the ship I had seen when I came to Merka Island.
A man had one foot propped on the ship's bow. He had black hair, a rakish mustache, and an unlit cigar clenched between his lips. He was Bohn, the captain of the Flame Lion.
After passing in front of the Silverwing, the Flame Lion circled around and came alongside on the port side. The crew's precision in bringing the ship alongside showed that they were skilled sailors.
When I looked over the deck of the Flame Lion, I saw around thirty sailors. Every one of them wore a sword at the waist. Seeing that they were prepared for battle, Mary-san's expression grew slightly tense.
"Hey, Mary!"
Bohn walked from the bow toward the center of the ship. He lit the cigar in his mouth with magical fire conjured at his fingertip.
Trailing purple smoke, Bohn smiled at us from the Flame Lion across the intervening water. In response, Mary-san signaled to the masked sailors with her chin, and a sailor laid a plank between the two ships. Bohn wore a broad grin, but his eyes remained alert as he carefully surveyed the deck of the Silverwing.
Bohn seemed to notice that the Silverwing's sailors were armed, but he crossed over alone.
"Heave-ho."
Despite his words, Bohn leaped lightly onto the Silverwing's deck.
"Bohn. As promised, I've captured her."
As Bohn came aboard alone, Mary-san grabbed my left arm and thrust me toward him. Bohn let out a breath when he saw me.
"Well, she's alive. A corpse would have been fine, too."
"What are you talking about? Weren't we supposed to use this woman to collect a ransom from the Lionel Kingdom?"
Things had turned out exactly as I had predicted, and Mary-san's voice grew hard.
"Oh, that plan's changed. Or rather, apparently the young lady isn't on good terms with Prince Henri of the Lionel Kingdom, so we can't get a ransom for her."
Bohn raised both hands.
What Bohn said was true. I had a poor relationship with Prince Henri of the Lionel Kingdom, to the point that he had broken off our engagement. And no father would dote on a daughter so inept that the royal family had broken off her engagement. I could hardly imagine my father paying a ransom for me. One could say that Mary-san had chosen exactly the wrong person to abduct.
"Don't worry about it. We never knew whether we'd be able to get a ransom in the first place. More importantly, we've pulled one over on a whole nation. Isn't that right? Let's go on a rampage against those landlubbers from here on out!"
Bohn rattled off one glib line after another. Before she'd spoken with me, Mary-san probably would have been swept along by his words. But now that the situation had unfolded exactly as I had predicted, she was beginning to waver.
"Mary-san. Before you kill me, shouldn't you confirm the reward you've been promised?"
I offered the wavering Mary-san some advice. Honestly, she should have thought of this herself.
"That's right. Bohn! Is it really true that Hameil Kingdom will support us if I kill this woman?"
"What? I showed you the letter the other day, didn't I?"
"We've captured her. Hand over the letter recording the promise."
"You doubt me? I trusted you and came here alone, didn't I?"
Bohn spread his arms. Even if it was only to win Mary-san over, it took some nerve to come aboard alone.
"That's not what I mean, but... a promise is a promise."
Mary-san's voice grew more forceful.
"Of course I have the letter, but..."
Bohn glanced toward the stern of the Flame Lion. The letter recording the promise was probably in the captain's cabin at the stern.
"Trust me. Come raise some hell with us. I think you and I could get along well, you know?"
Bohn placed a hand over his chest, but the gesture was terribly theatrical.
I stepped forward and looked at Bohn.
"Bohn-san. Long time no see."
"Well, well, Romelia-sama. I never imagined we'd meet again under circumstances like these. But that's the world for you—unexpected things happen."
Bohn spoke breezily, a faint smirk on his face.
"Indeed. Then, for another surprise, why not abandon Hameil Kingdom and join me?"
When I made my proposal, Bohn opened his mouth wide and laughed. I smiled along with him.
"Hahaha! You're an interesting young lady. Are you serious?"
"Yes, of course."
I nodded as if it were obvious. I had gone to Merka Island to recruit migrant workers. But recruiting workers wasn't my only goal. The trip was also meant to secure the safety of the trade routes.
Even if the port were operated successfully, it would be meaningless if merchant ships were attacked by pirates. The people of Merka Island, who were struggling to find enough to eat, were highly likely to attack ships. That was why I had negotiated with them first and turned a potential enemy into an ally. But there were other pirates as well. The Vaal Archipelago, which served as an agent of Hameil Kingdom, was one of them. So I wanted to bring them over to our side too.
"What do you say? Why not have some fun with Mary-san and me?"
"Your offer is tempting, madam, but I'll decline. More to the point, do you understand the situation?"
Bohn looked at me as if I were a fool, but of course, I understood perfectly.
"I believe I understand that we're in a fairly advantageous position."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
Bohn furrowed his brow. I ignored him and slipped my right hand into the breast pocket of my red jacket. I always kept a handkerchief in that pocket. I took out the snow-white handkerchief, grasped one corner, and waved it two or three times to spread it open.
Neither Bohn nor Mary-san understood what my gesture meant, and they both looked puzzled. In front of them, I threw the unfolded handkerchief onto the deck.
The instant the white handkerchief touched the deck, the grating hatch in the center of the Silverwing's deck, leading down to the hold, flew open. Captain Maurice, with red hair and a red beard, burst out of the hold.
"You brats! Time for your punishment!"
Captain Maurice gripped a long piece of lumber and roared like a bear.