🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 20
“…Sir Ferata.”
Sir Relly asked with difficulty.
“Even now… shouldn’t we just stop this…?”
“What nonsense are you spouting after coming this far!”
Sir Ferata shouted harshly, his voice full of frustration. If not for the current situation, he would’ve already slammed his fist into that pathetic face.
“Are you scared now, of all times?”
He sneered, telling them not to say anything so ridiculous.
But as he looked closer, he realized it wasn’t only Sir Relly—others were also hesitating.
Just two days ago, they had been so determined. Now, all of that was gone.
Sir Ferata was dumbfounded.
“…We’re all accomplices anyway.”
At those words, the knights’ expressions darkened. Unfortunately, the moon was bright tonight, leaving the darkness unable to hide their shame.
“Even if you regret it now, it’s already too late. We’ll end up on the gallows without even making any money.”
“……”
“……”
Even after reminding them of the harsh reality, the knights didn’t budge.
“…Tch.”
In the end, Sir Ferata shoved Sir Relly’s shoulder roughly aside.
He went into the warehouse alone and grabbed one of the personal ships stored nearby.
But he had forgotten, blinded by anger at his men’s betrayal—
—one personal ship weighed forty kilograms.
“Argh!”
Losing his balance, Sir Ferata fell flat to the ground. In his effort to protect the ship, his hand slammed down hard. Pain shot through his bones—something might have cracked.
Still, groaning, he forced himself up.
It hurt, yes. But—
“You damn cowards! You’ll lick the navy’s boots and climb the gallows anyway!”
He hurled curses at his men.
With his injured hand throbbing so much that tears welled in his eyes, his madness looked all the more chilling.
The knights kept their heads bowed, saying nothing.
In the end, Sir Ferata carried the personal ship alone and headed for the coast.
The others neither stopped him nor followed him.
That only made Sir Ferata’s steps more hurried.
The traitors wouldn’t run straight to the navy to expose him—not yet. If they did, they’d be incriminating themselves too.
But that didn’t mean he could trust them. Trusting traitors was suicide.
Luckily, the rendezvous point written in the note was close by.
The beach where he had trained to exhaustion over the past week was right near the armory.
Behind the swimming training facilities set up there, a small headland jutted out.
A small boat prepared for their escape was hidden behind it.
“…Alone?”
Sir Delrat, already there waiting, frowned when he saw him. He could guess what had happened.
“We’ll have to hurry.”
“Get aboard quickly.”
The smuggling broker urged. He was the same man who had once posed as Sir Delrat’s lawyer at the Maray School.
When Sir Ferata stepped on, the boat rocked slightly.
“Why’s this thing so heavy?”
Sir Delrat, touching a personal ship for the first time, was surprised at its weight.
Soon the boat moved forward. Though it had a motor, they deliberately rowed with oars—
—with the sea calm tonight, any sound of a motor could expose them.
They rowed until the lights of naval headquarters were swallowed by the darkness.
After some time, the ship they were meant to transfer to appeared. It was only the size of a small fishing boat, but far superior to the dinghy.
While the broker boarded first, Sir Delrat and Sir Ferata stayed behind for a moment, speaking over the personal ship.
“…Your wife and son—?”
“What a joke.”
Sir Delrat openly laughed.
“Why would I bring such burdens?”
He had no affection for his family—or even his household at all.
Soon news of his family’s bankruptcy would spread across the kingdom anyway.
It was all from his gambling, yet Sir Delrat felt no responsibility.
Instead, he blamed his wife for failing to make up for the squandered fortune.
“Household management has always been the wife’s duty.”
He had already let them enjoy wealth and prestige in the capital. Now it was time for his wife and son to shoulder their share.
When their talk ended, the two men drew revolvers.
The cylinders were fully loaded with five rounds each.
“Hurry aboard.”
A voice urged from the ship. At the impatient tone, they tucked the revolvers into the back of their belts.
Then, one after the other, they climbed aboard.
Six burly men of unusual presence stood waiting on deck.
They surrounded the two knights, exuding a threatening air.
“Let’s see the personal ship first.”
The broker’s glasses caught the moonlight, flashing sharply. Paired with his sly grin, the atmosphere instantly grew tense.
“We’ll hold onto it until you arrive safely in the Empire.”
“There’s no need to waste emotions over this. We all want to keep our heads on our shoulders until then, don’t we?”
The standoff dragged on longer than expected. Neither side willing to yield.
…Splaaash.
The ship rocked slightly, water lapping against the hull.
“Go check.”
At the broker’s order, a muscular thug leaned over the railing to look below.
Bang!
“Arghhh!”
The man screamed and collapsed. Blood gushed from his leg.
“Wh-what the hell!”
“An intruder!”
“Those kingdom dogs! Did they sneak someone aboard—?!”
Bang!
Another shot rang out.
“Gaaah!”
This time the bullet grazed a man’s inner thigh. A little higher, and it would’ve been disastrous.
“Apologies.”
A voice cut in, sounding anything but apologetic.
“I’m a little upset right now. My aim slipped.”
Muttering nonsense to herself about how firearms lacked the satisfaction of beating enemies with her hands, the woman’s words were brief and sharp.
By then, the broker’s men had drawn their weapons. Hooks, thin knives, silenced pistols—all glinted even in the dark.
“…The moon is so bright tonight.”
It wasn’t just the weapons that gleamed under the moonlight.
“Which makes this all the more unfortunate.”
Her tone was hard, her expression devoid of feeling.
But the woman’s movements as she drew her sword were flawless.
Her posture was as graceful and refined as a dancer’s. The men facing her flushed despite themselves.
“I’ll skip introductions.”
Her beauty, radiant under the moonlight, could have captivated even the mythical monsters said to lure sailors to their doom.
“I’ll try not to kill you.”
Closing the distance in an instant, Noah’s voice was melodic, almost sweet.
“So please—scream moderately.”
Shraaack!
Her blade slashed. Flesh tore. Screams echoed.
The feast of blood began.
The plan had originally been this:
Split the knights. Then, while Sir Delrat and Sir Ferata contacted the brokers to escape by sea, ambush them.
Investigations had revealed that aside from those two suspicious senior knights, the others had been forced into the smuggling scheme.
The method had been pathetically obvious. The brokers targeted only knights of commoner origin—specifically those desperate for money because of loved ones.
So Reto took responsibility for Delrat, while Lt. Ice took Ferata.
That way, the waiting chaplain could quietly approach the remaining knights.
“Let go of your burdens.”
“We know everything.”
“You’ve suffered enough, haven’t you?”
“The navy stands with you.”
Just as expected, the desperate knights confessed everything to Colonel Benedicto.
Major General Flancy, however, was left alone.
Men who feigned kindness for reputation’s sake were, in truth, pathetic narcissists who thought the world revolved around them.
Such fools walked into traps all by themselves.
He had smuggled in the Empire’s brokers during a visit to headquarters. At a drinking party, he had “accidentally” passed Sir Ferata the key to the armory—thanks to Reto’s planted slip.
Once his usefulness ended, Flancy was immediately arrested.
The brokers were deliberately left free, so that the two treasonous knights could be captured with them at sea.
The special task force had been meant to handle that arrest.
“…That was the plan, at least.”
Reto, about to give the order to mobilize, could only stare blankly at the sea.
Near the horizon, a small fishing vessel was barely visible.
Onboard was another of the navy’s mad dogs—raising hell.
The very one ruining Reto’s carefully laid plan.
“How did this happen?”
His voice, seeking an answer, sounded almost desperate.
“Um, Vice Admiral…!”
Ami, with her head pressed to the ground in punishment, spoke up.
She had been caught secretly passing information to Noah and helping her slip into the armory.
Beside her, Hones also kept his head down. He too had been forced into aiding Noah and was being punished jointly.
“Captain knew everything from the start.”
“…I knew it.”
Reto could guess when she had realized.
“Was it when she asked about Major General Flancy?”
Yes—that question had been the spark.
“I told you! That damn Noah has too much pride—she hates being excluded and will always act on her own!”
“……”
“Ugh, damn these once-in-a-generation idiots!”
Ami beat her chest furiously, nearly choking on frustration.
“Vice Admiral.”
Lt. Ice, who had been watching her antics with amazement, called out.
“What will you do now?”
“What else can I do…?”
Fwoooh.
Reto inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with the salt air, and exhaled several times.
“…She’s going to get one hell of a scolding.”
“You mean the Captain?”
“……”
He didn’t answer, but the faint smirk on his face looked anything but reassuring.
“…She’s really going to get it this time.”
He gazed toward the fishing boat drawing closer.
“Two traitorous knights who tried to flee with personal ships.”
Splaash, splotch.
Noah tossed the blood-soaked former knights, now bound, into the sea.
The waiting military police quickly dragged the unconscious men out.
“And eight smugglers.”
Splash.
She threw only one—the broker with cracked glasses—into the sea. He floated, unconscious, blood streaming from his nose.
“And the other seven?”
A military policeman asked while pulling the broker aboard.
“They’re still on the ship.”
While the police boarded to secure the rest, Noah brought the captured personal ship down herself.
Shouts of shock rang behind her, but she ignored them.
“Vice Admiral.”
Standing before Reto, whose face was set in stone, Noah smiled brightly.
“I’ve brought back the stolen personal ship.”
“……”
Reto said nothing. Noah, unfazed, tossed the ship aside as if it didn’t matter.
She then shed the personal ship she was still wearing.
“Vice Admiral.”
Noah asked softly.
“…Is this really your answer to the opportunity I gave you?”
