122.

Something to show me? That sounded like there was somewhere to go, if she heard correctly. Lo was dragged off the bed as Nick pulled her along. After three days without a single bite of food passing her throat, her arms and legs had no strength at all. Her loose gown barely clung to her shoulders. Nick took off his officer’s coat and wrapped it around Rosetta. And then, astonishingly, the door opened!

Nick strode out of the room, gripping her forearm tightly. His stride was long, and he showed not a speck of consideration for her. Whether her legs tangled or her strength gave out and she collapsed, his pace never slowed. Rosetta was practically dragged up the stairs. The sunlight, seen after so long, stung her eyes. The fresh outside air and wind, felt for the first time in ages, prickled gently across her skin.

“Walk straight.”

While being yanked back and forth by Nick, Rosetta gradually regained her vision. The deck was fairly crowded. Everyone wore Tilsen naval uniforms, but Rosetta instantly knew they were all pirates. And Nick—damn that bastard!

She frantically took in the ship’s structure. A large upper deck for an old-looking vessel, wooden floors well-maintained, cabins clustered beneath stairs and long corridors, a spacious captain’s cabin with large windows… Much had changed, nearly beyond recognition, but this was Kirgos’s ship, Belisa. Realizing this, her eyes flared.

He was riding Belisa—Kirgos’s legacy—and pretending to be some pirate captain.

Belisa was the ship Kirgos had promised to pass down to her—specifically to Rosetta—when she turned thirty. True to how much he cherished it, the ship was famous for its sleek, large, streamlined hull and massive sails proportionate to the vessel. It could carry a large crew per voyage, and in terms of speed, it could rival even Toulon if the wind was favorable.

The feeling was not just strange but filthy. The man who had stolen the bond meant to pass from Kirgos to her was now impersonating her as well. That face—never once turning a glance her way. The same face that, at some point in the past, had sworn eternal friendship and loyalty, now looked even more shameless for not changing a single bit.

“Captain, over there…”

“Gather everyone on deck.”

To a timid remark from one of the crew, Nick coldly issued the order. He didn’t even raise his voice, yet the assembly bell began ringing noisily. Everyone on deck dropped what they were doing and vanished to arm themselves. They disappeared as swiftly as cockroaches fleeing light. Their command structure’s tight enough, Rosetta mocked inwardly. One of the few remaining sailors cautiously raised his hand.

“Captain. What should we do with the imprisoned witch?”

“Keep her barely alive. We still need to extract things from her.”

Without hesitation, Nick replied, adding with a cruel smile:

“Chop off a finger or two if you want. It’s not like her body can die anyway.”

Her body can’t die? Calypso? Or did he capture another witch? According to Daisy, she had white eyes. Was there even another witch like that besides Calypso? Cutting off the spiraling thoughts, a trembling voice interrupted.

“Won’t we be cursed if we touch the witch?”

“…”

“Everyone’s uneasy, sir. The Tilsen navy’s already abandoned us, more than half our forces have been stripped bare. People are starting to wonder if this isn’t getting too dangerous…”

“You’d rather lose your heads before any witch’s curse arrives.”

Nick cut the sailor off, muttering darkly. Rosetta saw the man flinch and step back in fear.

“Instead of wasting time with such nonsense, think about claiming another navy head. That’s your order.”

The sailor gave a clumsy salute and ran off toward the cabins like he was fleeing. Nick glared at the back of the man as if he might devour him, then pulled Rosetta along once more. They approached the very front of the upper deck, where the prow stood. Looking up, she saw faint shapes beyond a hazy fog.

“See it?”

She did. Beyond the unnatural fog, countless Espiranda naval schooners formed a dense battle line, completely filling the horizon. Rosetta easily spotted Montrosa’s flag among them. Nick tightly gripped her jaw, forcing her face to remain turned toward the direction where Montrosa’s banner fluttered. A snake-like whisper scattered beside her temple.

“Your little lapdog has come trailing after you. How loyal.”

Her cheek, pressed down with all his strength, turned deathly pale. Bruises were forming on her delicate skin, but Rosetta didn’t even feel the pain. Only one sentence burned fiercely in her mind: Cardier is there.

The witch’s fog barrier. That he had pierced through it meant only one thing: the compass and letter she had left behind had reached Cardier in time. He was clever—he would have instantly understood how to use them.

Her plan, to be useful even in death, had failed from the start. Nick had hidden her captivity so thoroughly. Therefore, his presence there was purely the result of a naval officer fulfilling his duty. Rosetta tightened her grip on the railing.

“Do you want to go?”

He asked as if he could see right through her thoughts. Her expression nearly crumbled for a moment, but Rosetta forced herself to stay calm. She turned her gaze away from the schooners as if the question wasn’t even worth answering.

“I want to go back to my room.”

“Rejecting him and choosing to find that maid instead?”

His eyes narrowed, as if trying to determine whether her words were true.

“Really?”

“Yes. Just call Daisy for me.”

Rosetta said with a thoroughly exhausted tone. The wind was growing stronger, and staying up here risked being spotted by the navy’s telescopes—nothing good could come of it. Rather… rather, returning to her cabin was a hundred times better.

“I’d love to relay your words to him.”

Nick said with the smug look of a well-fed beast.

“…”

“I wonder how much that clean-cut face of his will twist when he learns you rejected him and chose this place instead.”

She tried not to react, but being lumped together with Cardier at the same level was horrifying. She immediately snapped back.

“Does Cardier know he’s like you?”

“He doesn’t? But I recognized it from the start. He and I are of the same kind.”

“…”

“The way he looks at you is exactly the same.”

Nick smiled, trailing a finger down her cheek. It sent chills crawling across her skin, like a repulsive insect creeping over her.

“All of this happened because you brought it on yourself. You should’ve stayed indifferent to everyone. After all I’ve done to endure you.”

It was incomprehensible nonsense. Before she could even ask what he meant, he released his grip on her arm. The supporting force vanished instantly, and she collapsed straight to the floor. At Nick’s gesture, burly men who had been waiting behind approached, grabbing her arms and hauling her up. One of them held a rope in his hand.

“What…! You filthy… hands… don’t touch me?”

No instinct was needed to sense the ominous intent. In that state, she was dragged roughly to the base of the tallest mast.

“You… damn… bastards! What the hell are you doing…!”

Rosetta struggled with all her might, but soon a gag was forced into her mouth. She had no strength to resist the men. Like a witch’s execution, wooden barrels and crates were haphazardly piled beneath the mast. Rosetta was placed atop them and tightly bound with rope.

“Ugh…! Ugh!”

Nick—she’d chew him to death and still not be satisfied. Did he really think she’d want to live after this? She felt a shadow descending over her and wildly opened her eyes. Nick gently patted her cheek as if soothing her.

“It’ll be hard, but bear with it a little.”

“Ugh, ugh…!”

“He won’t know how to hold onto your soul, so if I hang your body from the mast, he won’t dare fire even a single cannonball.”

Damn it. Death would’ve been better. If he hadn’t gagged her, she would’ve bitten through her tongue and ended it right then. This was the worst imaginable scenario. What if the navy found out the Duchess of Montrosa was here? If Cardier released a criminal to save her, sacrificing hundreds, thousands of naval lives? The Duke of Montrosa would instantly lose all respect in the east.

Just kill me. Nick read her eyes perfectly. The last trace of their remaining bond. He lowered his head, whispering into her ear:

“Impossible.”

A damp, relentless obsession.

“As long as I live, you’ll never be allowed to die.”