Chapter 275. The Great Forest Is Peaceful (3)

There was a ship one should never encounter at sea.

It was astoundingly large, its hull adorned with murals painted by renowned artists and protected by preservation magic. The ship, armed with an overwhelming number of elite troops and all manner of anti-ship weaponry, was named Anemos.

Though it was a vessel of breathtaking beauty, those who made a living on the ocean spent their entire lives praying they would never lay eyes on it.

That was because Anemos was the ship of the Pirate Queen, Kynda Reynolds.

That terrifying ship had now entered Leston Port, nestled at the southernmost edge of the Southern Great Forest. Its sheer presence was enough to cast a shadow over the entire harbor, putting the port into a state of emergency.

And yet, inside the ship, things were moving in quite a different direction.

Kynda Reynolds, the famous Pirate Queen who struck fear into the heart of the sea itself, let out a sigh as she stared at the bold young man before her, who was questioning her without a hint of fear.

"Why are you picking on me about this?" Kynda asked with exasperation. "Do you have a death wish?"

"Pirates, mercenaries—aren't they basically the same thing?" Caron said flatly. "Unemployed mercenaries turn into pirates all the time, don't they?"

"I've heard of bandits becoming pirates, but mercenaries? That's a new one," Kynda replied.

"Are you seriously saying you didn't know that lunatic Mercenary King was up to something like this?" Caron asked.

"Why would some pirate like me know something even the prestigious Ducal Family of Leston doesn't?" Kynda answered.

Neither side was backing down an inch.

Leo sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead. He wondered,

How are these two both 8-Star?

Both of them were powerful enough to split a fortress wall in two—yet this was what they were doing with their strength.

"Anyway, this is your fault, Your Majesty," Caron said. "I hear a lot of pirates have been deserting your crew lately."

"They're just trying to earn their keep," Kynda replied coolly. "That's all it is."

"And by 'earning their keep,' you mean pillaging, right? If you can't keep them under control, maybe you should've just drowned them at sea," Caron suggested.

"You want me to drown people who were once like my own children with my own hands?" Kynda asked.

"Didn't you already do that back then—just using my hands instead? Ha! That's pirates for you. Always betrayals and purges," Caron said.

It was a fierce back-and-forth. Normally, arguments like this ended when one side lost their temper first.

Ching!

"Maybe cutting that tongue of yours off would finally shut you up," Kynda growled, drawing her spear. "So you've hit 8-Star and now you think you can jump like a mad dog? A mad dog needs a beating."

Kynda, clearly rattled, had drawn her weapon in frustration.

Caron simply smiled at her, unbothered, then said, "Come on, no need to get that angry over something like this."

"Then what is it you want, huh?" Kynda asked, still gripping her weapon. "You drag me out here and throw this tantrum—clearly you've got a reason."

"Judging by how quickly you showed up, I'd say you already had a good guess," Caron replied.

He took a sip of the rum sitting in front of him. As expected of pirates, it was incredibly strong. The liquid burned its way down his throat, warming his insides. He savored the heat and continued, "I need to borrow some pirates. A lot of them, if possible."

At that, Kynda's eyes gleamed with interest. She said, "Now that's an interesting thing to say. Let's hear this plan of yours."

"I hear that our dear Pirate Queen has some history with the Mercenary King?" Caron said, leaning back slightly.

"I was a mercenary too, back in the day," Kynda said with a nostalgic smile. "He was a grunt in the unit I led. Promising, sure—but needlessly cruel. That was always his problem."

"Then how about a partnership?" Caron suggested.

"A partnership?" Kynda echoed, narrowing her eyes.

"You used to share meals, right? No reason you can't again," Caron said.

Kynda Reynolds—the fearsome Pirate Queen of today—had once been a mercenary who roamed the continent. That tidbit had come from Sabina, Kynda's longtime rival.

Kynda stroked her chin thoughtfully, then said, "Nelson's a suspicious bastard. He's not the type to take an offer like this without question."

"Even a mouse will bite when cornered," Caron said. "If we shake him up from the outside, he'll have no choice but to reach out to you."

"That man swallowed an entire kingdom," Kynda said flatly. "But kid—whether Nelson devours the Neon Kingdom or not, if he listens to you, isn't that all that matters?"

"For me, sure," Caron said. He wasn't particularly interested in royal restoration or anything of the sort.

But Nelson had a serious disqualifying flaw.

"If he had succeeded in the rebellion with his own strength, maybe you could call it a revolution. But the Mercenary King hired dark mages. I'd say that makes him unworthy, don't you think?" Caron asked.

"That's true. I heard about that too," Kynda replied with a nod.

"There are lines that should never be crossed, no matter how ruthless your methods," Caron said.

Kynda looked into Caron's eyes and saw a fierce, burning hatred flickering within them. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

I really don't get this kid,

she thought. She wondered how a human's hostility could feel so pure. There was no doubt that this boy despised dark mana more than anyone she had ever met.

Sure, most of the bloodline of the Ducal Family of Leston held contempt for dark mana. But this youngest one—he was on another level entirely.

Kynda quickly ran the calculations in her mind. She wondered if it would be good to side with the Ducal Family of Leston again this time.

Honestly, there's nothing to think about,

she thought.

Of course it would. She had to stand on the Ducal Family of Leston's side. The family, which now held even the Holy Kingdom in its grasp, had become an overwhelming force. And at the center of it all was this young man, Caron.

He was the tide.

Kynda wondered if there was anyone on the continent who could truly oppose Caron Leston now and survive.

He has this strange way of drawing people to him,

she thought.

If one couldn't fight the current, it was best to ride it. Even if that same current had pulled away a good portion of her own pirate crew.

After all, it was Kynda herself who had banned all pirate activity on the trade route between the Southern Great Forest and the Ducal Family of Leston's domain.

But she didn't particularly regret it. Caron had generously handed her a fair share of influence and profits in return.

"What would you have me do?" Kynda asked with a smile.

Whatever the case, things were always more entertaining with this young man around. Caron had a knack for thinking big. And more importantly, he always paid his dues.

If she gave something, she could count on getting something back. He could be annoyingly persistent at times, but he never shortchanged her.

The important question wasn't whether to work with him. It was how much she could get out of it.

"Right now," Caron began, "I want you to send a personal letter to the Mercenary King—in your name, as the Pirate Queen."

"And what would the message be?" Kynda asked.

"Something like this: 'We'll protect your seas. So let's get along. Share a little of your cut, and we'll make sure no one else invades from the ocean.' That should do," Caron answered.

"You're proposing a business deal? Profit-sharing?" Kynda asked.

"Exactly," Caron said.

Kynda chuckled and said, "Now that's a pirate-worthy offer."

Pirates were, at their core, creatures who would do anything for gold. If they made it look as if they were muscling in to take a piece of the pie, it would seem perfectly natural.

"You'll need to negotiate with him directly in the end," Caron added. "When that happens, bring me and my crew with you. We'll handle our own disguises. I've got some artifacts made from doppelganger hide—pretty convincing."

"But for this plan to succeed, we need outside pressure to stir things up. I need a proper excuse to get involved," Kynda said.

"Don't worry about that," Caron replied with a sly grin. "I figured you'd agree, so I already set things in motion."

Right then, the door to the captain's cabin swung open, and a gruff-looking pirate stepped inside.

"Your Majesty! We've got urgent news. The Pope of the Holy Kingdom has declared war on the Mercenary King who took over the Neon Kingdom!" the pirate shouted urgently.

"Already?" Kynda asked as she raised a brow.

The pirate continued, "Yes! They declared that they would no longer stand by and watch as evil dark magic destroys the innocent Neon Kingdom! In response to this statement, both the Orias Empire and the Pajar Sultanate have also expressed their intention to join the war—"

Kynda turned to Caron, clearly amused. She remarked, "You really can pull off anything, can't you? Ever consider becoming a pirate? I like people who make moves first and ask questions later."

Caron laughed and replied, "Well, for now, I am a pirate."

"Oh, that's right. So you're under my command now?" Kynda asked.

"I guess you can say something like that," Caron said.

"I've picked up quite the useful subordinate. Very well, Caron Leston—I accept your offer. Congratulations on becoming a pirate," Kynda declared.

The deal with the Pirate Queen had been sealed.

Grinning with satisfaction, Caron turned to Leo and Seria. He said with a smile, "Alright, everyone. It's time to be pirates. Oh, by the way, Seria—has there ever been a saintess who turned into a pirate in the history of the Holy Kingdom?"

"Of course not! What the hell kind of question is that?" Seria snapped.

"Congratulations, Seria! You're the very first pirate saintess—wait, why are you raising your fist?" Caron said.

"S-Saintess Seria, please! Calm down!" Leo shouted, grabbing onto Seria.

"Let me go, Leo! I swear I need to plant my fist in that Warrior's smug face or I'm going to lose it!" Seria shouted.

And just like that, Caron became a pirate.

***

A week passed since the agreement between Caron and Kynda was sealed.

Ryan, the direct subordinate of the Pirate Queen Kynda Reynolds, let out a quiet sigh as he looked at his new commander.

"You lazy pirate bastards! What are you doing goofing off on deck? If you've got time to breathe, use it to scrub something!" the new commander ordered.

"Yes, Commander!"

"We'll clean with our lives on the line!"

Ryan had boarded this ship at the Queen's personal request. Unlike ordinary pirate ships, this one had been constructed with exceptional strength. Its name was Lophiomus—a vicious name, fitting for a vicious ship.

Naturally, the name had been chosen by its captain. The madman who had just joined the crew—Caron Leston.

"If you don't want to end up as fish food, move faster!" Caron shouted.

"Eeeek!" one of the pirates answered.

"Want me to toss in a few more of you? Huh?" Caron asked.

"I'm sorry!" the pirate said.

Ryan watched as his new boss bent the unruly pirate crew to his will, and couldn't help but be impressed. He wondered who would ever guess that this pirate was the scion of a noble house.

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Though Caron was currently in disguise, Ryan knew exactly who he was beneath the tanned skin and seafaring clothes.

Was piracy his true calling all along?

he thought.

Caron Leston was the young hero who had shaken the entire continent. He was a young man who had already accomplished countless feats—and would surely accomplish many more.

When Ryan was first ordered by the Queen to help organize this new pirate crew under Caron's command, he'd been filled with concern. The Queen's personal subordinates were all brutes—wild animals who wouldn't obey just any stranger. Letting a noble-blooded young lord command them had seemed almost suicidal.

But Caron had shattered Ryan's expectations with ease.

Splash!

The very moment the new pirate crew was assembled, Caron had taken complete control of the atmosphere.

"I don't like the look in your eyes," Caron said.

"B-Boss! Please, let me live! I'll do better!" one of the pirates begged.

"Thirty minutes of sea swimming. And if you can't even handle that, you may as well die," Caron said.

"Please have mercy!" the pirate shouted.

Caron was truly merciless. If someone annoyed him, he didn't hesitate to kick them straight overboard. He was a vicious man, through and through. With an overwhelming charisma and a cruelty that didn't falter at tossing his own men into the sea... In Ryan's eyes, Caron had clearly been born to be a pirate.

"Boss," Ryan said cautiously, stepping closer.

Caron turned his head slightly to glance at him, replying, "What is it?"

"I... I respect you," Ryan answered.

"Want to go for a swim too?" Caron asked.

"I-I mean it! I'll serve you with everything I've got! Just leave it to me!" Ryan replied.

Among seafarers—especially pirates—Caron Leston's name had already begun to spread like wildfire.

Just a few months ago, a monumental incident had taken place on Caron's return journey by sea from the Southern Great Forest to the Leston Duchy. Ten pirate islands had gone up in flames, and the pirates lurking around the trade routes had been wiped out in a single stroke.

Every survivor had testified to the same thing: That Caron had done it all on his own.

Naturally, infamy had followed.

"By the way, when do we make landfall?" Caron asked.

Ryan responded in a sharp, disciplined voice, "The moment Her Majesty gives the order. She's currently in contact with the Mercenary King via the communicator, so we just need to wait a little longer!"

"What's your take? You're an Imperial Academy graduate, aren't you? Do you think he'll accept the offer?" Caron asked.

"I believe he'll have no choice. It's an offer that even the Mercenary King will find hard to resist," Ryan answered.

"I see," Caron responded. He turned his gaze toward the distant coastline, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

This was the coast of the Neon Kingdom. The faint outline of a city visible in the distance was Oros, the kingdom's port city.

The mission this time was simple: Eliminate the Mercenary King, and eradicate the dark mages infesting the Neon Kingdom.

"Tracking each one down would've been a pain. I appreciate the convenience," Caron muttered to himself as he scanned the shoreline.

The Mercenary King's lust for power had made things easier. The dark mages, once scattered and hiding all over the continent, had rallied to the Mercenary King. They had to have lent him their power in exchange for a fortified sanctuary.

And when it came to building strongholds, no one rivaled the dark mages. It wouldn't take long for them to flood the Neon Kingdom with undead and dark magic.

That was why they had to be cut out quickly, before they took root.

"Time to clean house," Caron said.

A cold, vicious smile crept across his lips.

Ryan, who couldn't possibly guess the thoughts behind that expression, shivered. He thought,

That smile...

It was the classic pirate's grin—one of textbook cruelty. If it were up to him, Ryan would make every pirate in the crew study that smile.

Boss is a pirate through and through,

he thought.

As Ryan stood there, overcome with admiration, a pirate in charge of communications came running over.

"Boss! The landing order just came in!" the pirate shouted.

The long-awaited command had arrived.

Caron ordered, "We're going ashore, you lazy pirates! Grab your gear, all of you!"

"Wooooooah!" the pirates cried out.

"I'll personally reward the first one to set foot on land! So move your asses!" Caron added.

Caron's shout electrified the pirates, whipping them into a frenzy. And so, the pirate ship carrying him surged toward the harbor at full speed.

Caron Leston had finally landed on the shores of the Neon Kingdom.