“Captain Nicholas will become the first pirate marquis. And he’ll ensure we live with proper status and respect.”

Rosetta Toulon realized what Nicholas had used to sway the pirates of Kirgos. What he promised them was similar to her own approach, yet different. Rosetta didn’t try to save those who had already become pirates, those with others’ blood on their hands. She only sought to save the children forced into piracy with no choice.

She had never been ashamed of her identity as a pirate, but she hadn’t taken pride in it either. Rosetta had taken lives to survive and coveted others’ wealth for the sake of a steadfast life.

To make excuses, the ships Rosetta Toulon targeted were mostly merchant vessels of the nobility. Among them, she went after those who amassed wealth ruthlessly, the ones whose vassals starved while their own bellies grew fat as pigs. The spoils were divided exactly by headcount, and the surplus was given entirely to the poor. ‘Red Dawn.’ Her nickname was practically an expression of the poor’s affection.

Dawn always came at the darkest hour, after all.

But the truth was, despite all her grand ideals, she was a criminal. Just like the guard behind the door. In disputes, fists were easier than words, and living freely, sailing endlessly, was better than treading cautiously. On the ship, everyone was a king, and their attitudes and actions were the law. To think of blending those who had once worn the mask of predators into a flock of sheep? Nicholas had surely lost his mind.

“When that time comes, my family will be safe too. I’m planning one last big score before settling in Tilsen. I’ll have to tame my temper then.”

She could feel the man behind the door grinning. Rosetta wet her lips with her tongue.

“Just one more thing…”

“No. We really need to be quiet now. The bombardment has stopped.”

He was right. The ship’s swaying had lessened. As the smell of gunpowder faded, the fog grew thicker. They had likely caused enough chaos for the Esperanda navy and were now escaping.

After that, the guard didn’t respond to a single word Rosetta said. Unable to contain her frustration, she kicked the door with all her might.

Dawn. She woke with a familiar headache. Nicholas had drugged her in the middle of the night… The surroundings were still dark. In such cases, it was impossible to gauge how much time had passed. Unless she had woken after just a few hours, she might have slept through an entire day.

“Oh, miss…? Y-you’re awake?”

After lying limply for a while, Daisy entered the room. Rosetta tried to rise eagerly but collapsed as if her body gave way. Her arms, meant to support her, had no strength. Daisy set the tray on the side table and quickly came to support her.

“Y-you can’t move so suddenly!”

“…Ugh.”

Daisy. Rosetta, about to call the girl’s name, blinked in surprise. Her voice wouldn’t come out. The sound gurgled in her throat and vanished. Touching her throat, she found it terribly swollen. Daisy noticed something was wrong, opened Rosetta’s mouth, and examined it.

“I-it’s not too bad, the swelling… I-it should go down soon, I think…”

Could it be a side effect of the drug? To swell up like this out of nowhere? Daisy skillfully touched her forehead, soothing her.

“A-anyway, moving too fast is dangerous. You’ve only just opened your eyes after three days.”

What? Rosetta blinked in shock. Sometimes, when Nicholas used strong drugs, she’d be out for a full day, but never more than two. Three days? What in the world had happened… She clutched her throbbing head and hunched over. She wanted to keep thinking, but the pulsing headache made her mind boil.

“S-sit here. I-I’ll give you some porridge.”

Rosetta slumped weakly against the cushion Daisy propped behind her. Daisy scooped a spoonful of steaming porridge, blew on it, and brought it to Rosetta’s mouth. She had no appetite, but she gritted her teeth and opened her mouth. She had to eat. She had to regain her strength.

What she was waiting for was a single moment when Nicholas let his guard down. Just a brief opening. For that, no matter how vile, she had to survive on the food Nicholas provided and build her strength. Waiting for the right moment was what she did best, and no matter how cautious Nicholas was, he couldn’t keep sharp objects away from her forever. She was ready to wait an eternity.

“Ugh…”

But her utterly weakened body struggled even to swallow the porridge. A single spoonful made her nauseous. Her stomach churned, and bile rose. Rosetta barely managed to lean over the bed’s edge, vomiting the food onto the floor. Her hand instinctively gripped the bed. Daisy quickly supported her and wiped the porridge from her chin.

“I-it’s okay.”

Despite her startled expression, the girl tried hard to reassure Rosetta.

“There’s plenty more porridge. J-just take deep breaths first.”

Rosetta buried her head in Daisy’s small, warm body, catching her breath. The child’s faint warmth was her only comfort. That wretched Nicholas. She knew why he kept pushing Daisy toward her, yet she couldn’t turn away. Rosetta grabbed Daisy’s palm and wrote on it.

The girl’s face flushed bright red in an instant.

“I-I don’t know how to read well…”

It was Rosetta who had asked thoughtlessly, yet Daisy shrank as if she’d committed a grave mistake. That’s right. Rosetta had forgotten. Some people never had the chance to learn.

Just as Rosetta had been before meeting Kirgos, and Melvin before meeting her. Ordinary moments sometimes stung like this. Rosetta squeezed Daisy’s hand, let go, and gestured toward the outside with her hands and feet. The girl was quick to understand.

“Y-you’re asking what’s happening outside?”

Rosetta nodded.

“I-I don’t know much, but… the mood doesn’t seem good. They say the pursuit team is very close.”

Pursuit team? Rosetta cupped her ear, signaling for more, and Daisy whispered.

“The Esperanda navy. Y-yesterday, they say five of our ships sank.”

Daisy swallowed hard and continued.

“S-so the captain was really angry. And… and I saw an old woman with white eyes.”

Calypso. Had she been on this ship from the start? As Rosetta urged her to continue, heavy footsteps rapidly approached. The sound stopped at their door. As expected, it burst open. It was Nicholas. He was dressed head to toe in a Tilsen naval officer’s uniform.

“Get out.”

He jerked his chin at Daisy. She flinched as if whipped, quickly grabbed the tray, and hurried out. Rosetta glared at Nicholas with all her strength.

“…”

“…”

Nicholas’s gaze was the most menacing she’d ever seen. Not only did it gleam with cruelty, but his eyes were bloodshot. He smirked and spoke.

“You must be starving after three days, yet you’re full of energy, Rose.”

He peeled off his gloves one by one and approached her. Rosetta bared her teeth and raised her nails. But Nicholas subdued her as easily as if she were a straw doll. He grabbed both her wrists with one hand and pinned her thighs with his knee.

“Easy, Rosetta.”

With his other hand, he uncorked a glass bottle with his teeth. The bottle was forced between her lips, and an unknown liquid poured in. With great effort, Rosetta managed to spit out half of it.

“What a waste. It’s good medicine.”

He wiped her lips with his thumb, his tone so gentle it was chilling.

“You’d better swallow it willingly. Unless you’re fine with losing your voice forever.”

If she had the strength, she would have laughed in his face. But Nicholas was relentless, and after several gags, half the liquid slid down her throat. It felt like a spiky insect crawling down her esophagus. Yet her painfully hoarse throat felt noticeably better.

“You filthy [redacted], how dare you…”

Despite her unfiltered curses, Nicholas smiled smoothly.

“You must’ve been frustrated. I came to show you something.”