PBGS 27

chapter 27

Rinka Maribel.

Taking the woman who had snuck into the ship was an impulse. Perhaps it was because it amazed him that she dared to sneak onto a pirate ship, or maybe because he was curious how she had avoided the crew’s eyes.

No, perhaps it was because of the way she boldly talked back at him.

In any case, at first, it had been purely an impulse.

Though she had boarded the ship out of necessity while being chased by the Cader Navy, she adapted surprisingly quickly.

“Does she feel the sense of danger, or not at all?”

It was strange that she could get along so easily with pirates when she had no intention of living as one herself.

Of course, this ship’s purpose wasn’t like other pirates who plunder merchant ships or fight the navy. Its main task was to roam the open sea, so from her perspective, she might not even have realized this was a pirate ship.

“Captain, could you get some milk for me?”

“The milk’s in the refrigerated hold.”

“It’s not there. Has it all been used up?”

She wouldn’t know that she was the only one asking such trivial questions.

Ananta was indulging Rinka more than anyone else.

Just letting her stay in the captain’s cabin was already a great concern for her safety, and on top of that, he stayed close, attending to her needs constantly. It was the first time anything like this had happened since the crew had boarded the ship.

“But it couldn’t be helped.”

Even when she created waves, he had merely thought of her as a human with an unusual ability. Many people’s magical powers awaken later, after all, so he had thought she might be one of them.

But the real change came after Rinka began staying in the captain’s cabin.

Daily, Ananta was overwhelmed by headaches. And the cursed words.

He thought he would never escape from there. That he would have to live with that voice until his dying moment.

But on the first day he allowed her into the captain’s cabin…

“Did you sleep well?”

“Rinka? When did you wake up?”

“About two hours ago. Come out, breakfast is ready.”

Unaware that she had gotten up and left, Ananta was able to fall into a deep sleep.

No headaches, no nightmares.

The first time, he thought it was a coincidence. The second time, he didn’t even believe it. He expected he wouldn’t be able to sleep again tomorrow.

But while Rinka was nearby, he could sleep.

“If you’re going to moan in pain like this, don’t use your power.”

“Haha, moan in pain…?”

“You are moaning right now.”

Relying on his improved condition, he had once overexerted himself and ended up half-sick in bed—but even that felt tolerable as long as Rinka was by his side.

It was then, probably, that his curiosity about Rinka Maribel began.

What Ananta carried was a curse. A curse no one could break over a long period of time, and all the supposed solutions had failed.

His father, and even those before him, had all died because of this curse.

And yet, simply having this one woman nearby allowed him a clean, peaceful night.

Why?

Why did it feel like the curse weakened when Rinka Maribel was nearby?

Yes, it surely started there.

He was only curious about why the curse seemed to lighten.

Before he realized it, Ananta found himself following Rinka Maribel’s back all day.

—Find the half-mermaid.

And from that moment, the curse began again,

Like a warning.

Ananta’s curse, in a way, was a very simple command.

Find the half-mermaid. And kill it.

Only by killing it could he escape…

But there was no way to determine what the “half-mermaid” the curse referred to really was, or if it even truly meant a mermaid.

So all the members of his family had fallen exhausted from the curse.

To end this generational curse, Ananta had resolved not to leave any heirs.

Yet, he couldn’t stop wanting to keep this blonde woman lingering around him. He felt uneasy if she wasn’t within sight.

One night, when he feared that what he was feeling might actually be love, the curse spoke to him for the first time.

—Foolish one.

—You cannot even recognize the mermaid in front of your eyes.

He didn’t even need to ask who the voice was pointing to. The only new person aboard this ship was Rinka.

Perhaps he didn’t want to believe it.

Even though refusing to believe it wouldn’t solve anything.

“Captain?”

Worried that this might actually be love, Ananta now…

Feared that the feelings he harbored were just a side effect of the curse.

“I brought thin stew because you said you were in pain. Can you sit up?”

“I don’t need it.”

“You do. Don’t you know that eating while sick helps you get better?”

“First I’m hearing that.”

Her tone was somewhat grumbling, yet excessively kind.

Though the crew would have said to leave him alone when he was sick, she came close anyway to take care of him.

“Are you worried about me?”

“Of course I am. You seem better now that you’re smiling a bit.”

“Rinka is cold no matter what. Stay here a little longer if you’re not busy.”

She worried.

About him, who was hardly human.

Rinka might not have realized it, but humans couldn’t wield magical power the way he could. Wizards might be able to shape it in forms, but using raw magical power as a weapon was something only he could do.

His ancestor had learned to control this power from sea-dwelling monsters instead of inheriting it naturally, taking the curse in the process.

Perhaps it had been a crucial skill during the era of war, but Ananta had been born too late.

The curse worsened with time, making him suffer for long periods even after using his power just once or twice.

‘Even if you knew that the power came from a non-human source, would you still worry about me?’

Begging her to stay by his side and revealing that the source of his power was not human had been pure impulses.

Perhaps he had even wished she would recoil and run away.

If she had, he might have been able to confirm the “traitor to be killed” that the cursed monster spoke of.

But Rinka Maribel…

“I see. So that’s why it hurts?”

“Huh?”

“I wondered if it hurts because your human body can’t handle such excessive power.”

“That… might be true.”

“Then don’t use it anymore. If anything happens, there are so many people to protect you. There’s no need to create more pain. Everyone else worries about you too.”

Instead of being horrified or running away, she looked at him with concern.

Hoping he wouldn’t cause himself pain.

At that moment, Ananta realized something.

Even if Rinka truly was the mermaid, he could never kill her.

On the contrary…

“Rinka.”

“Yes?”

“Would you consider the captain as a husband?”

“I really doubt it.”

He wanted her nearby.

If possible, for as long as he could.