The 31st Piece Turns the Tables
chapter-216

Pirates began pouring out of the bar in droves, shouting and yelling.

“Lots of meat! Lots of alcohol! Get them on the ship, fast!”

Riona’s jaw dropped after seeing the number of pirates walking past.

She then turned to Seol.

She was in disbelief. She couldn’t believe that it only took just a few words from him to make those dangerous criminals move like that.

Thud… Thud…

An extremely large troll lumbered out of the bar as well.

He seemed to be as large as Jamad, but there was a small difference. Unlike Jamad, who was clad in muscles, the troll was practically pure fat.

The pot-bellied troll was one of Julia’s pirates.

“We’re setting sail? Urgh… I don’t want to…”

Thud… Thud…

The troll disappeared through a large door the bar had prepared for giants.

Riona and the others quickly followed behind them.

Earl Brispin moved first to find Sicorze’s soldiers, returning not too long after with roughly a dozen men.

Everything was going well.

Julia’s smile was more than enough proof.

Luckily, the same could be said for Seol as well.

There was an extremely high chance of their journey being a success if they traveled with an influential pirate like Julia.

‘Well… Maybe not.’

Though the transferees might give up, the Church of Eternal Life definitely wouldn’t.

‘As long as they’re after the Joy of the Fallen, they’ll keep going after her.’

The church could still have a means to catch up to Julia’s boat and intercept them.

‘I can’t let them do that, though…’

Could Seol prevent that situation onboard Julia’s ship? He couldn’t give a definitive answer.

If the ship gets damaged during the fight, getting the Church of Eternal Life off their tail will be much more difficult.

‘We could only make it this far because of luck. There’s no guarantee how long we will be able to continue running away from them.’

There was no reason for Seol to strive for more since his rewards were already determined.

His mission remained solely to help Princess Riona reach Zonia.

Seol thought for a moment before calling for Ur.

‘Ur.’

- What is it?

‘Do you remember what you told me before?’

- I’ve told you a lot of things. What do you mean, specifically?

‘What you told me at the Bragrand Mountains.’

- Ah… Yes, I remember. Didn’t you refuse it then?

‘Is it still possible now?’

- I’m not quite sure… the situation is a bit different now. It could be possible, but it also couldn’t.

‘Why?’

- You’re asking me this because you’re trying to fight Bria, aren’t you?

Ur quickly realized Seol’s plans. Seol simply nodded, confirming Ur’s hunch.

- I don’t know how strong they are, but if they are capable, we’ll need to use a power different from the mana I have stored to defeat them.

‘Like?’

- Like your vitality. Your body will probably collapse from the aftermath, though. In fact, you’ll likely die.

Seol smirked before explaining his plans to Ur.

‘Yeah, so…’

After hearing Seol’s plans, Ur laughed as well.

- Hahaha! Just the plan I would expect from you! You’re definitely crazier than I could have ever expected you to be.

‘So, what do you think?’

- Not my style, but going out in a flamboyant way like that wouldn’t be a bad idea.

With Ur’s approval, their insidious plan was complete.

The outcome was something only the two of them could foresee.

As Seol was secretly forming his plans, Julia and her pirates were quickly preparing to leave.

Thud…

“Watch it! I’ll spill your blood if you spill even a single drop!”

“Hehehehe… I can feel my hands shaking already. Maybe I’ll feel better if I can get a sip first?”

“Sure, I’ve always wanted to see Julia stuff your head into an oak barrel.”

“Someone get me some water! This guy is stingy as hell!”

Julia’s ship was large enough to rival the massive merchant ships at the harbor.

Considering that her ship was equipped for combat, it was clearly much more powerful than it let on.

As Riona, Brispin, and Chadorf entered the ship, Seol met with Julia, who was waiting for him at the pier.

“Do you know about me?” asked Julia.

“Somewhat.”

“Then you must also know that I’ve never broken a promise before, right?”

“I do.”

“Princess Riona will arrive safely at Zonia, I guarantee it.”

A contract guaranteed success.

Julia was claiming she wouldn’t fail.

And as she was going to keep her promise… she was asking Seol to keep his as well.

“Santos… Did you see that idiot’s final breath yourself?”

“You could say that… yeah.”

After all, Santos was him.

Seol also knew about Santos and Julia’s relationship because of this. That was why he had a question for Julia: Did they still have the same relationship after his death?

“Does his death… hold a special meaning for you?”

It was something even Santos would have wanted to hear as well.

Julia shot Seol a vicious glare.

“Shut up and keep your promise.”

She then took a few heavy breaths.

“How… did that bastard die…?”

* * *

Julia was born in a small nation in western Pandea, one of those places where the majority of the country’s citizens survived through crime.

As such, Julia walked down the same path as the others around her.

At a young age, she turned to piracy.

Thanks to a house of swordsmen who took her in as an orphan, she swiftly gained renown as a skilled individual.

Julia, the Sea-Blooming Rose.

After leaving her impoverished homeland, she rose to become the captain of a pirate ship operating near a wealthy nation.

She also filled her ship with a number of unusual individuals, some of whom ended up becoming influential themselves.

If anyone had asked her what drove her to piracy, her first, second, and third answers would all be the sea.

After all, it was a profession that offered nothing more than the wind and the waves.

In fact, pirates considered everything else pointless, especially notions like loyalty or friendship.

And Julia was no exception.

If they wanted to survive on that cramped ship, personal feelings came second.

One had to stab others in the back to rise to a higher position, all the while watching their own.

Those foolish enough to pursue piracy as a dream often met an early end.

Julia simply became a pirate for the money, and she believed that goal would never change.

With money… she could do anything.

To her, nothing was more valuable.

However, there came a time when she had to confront her sins.

The pirate ship she was operating was captured by a country.

At first, she believed that she could escape quickly. After all, the country she operated in only requested that she pay bail.

However, as the days passed without any news, her worries grew. Then, one of the guards delivered shocking news.

“Congratulations on receiving the death penalty, Julia. Tell me, how does it feel to die a dog’s death.”

“What are you saying… I…”

“The negotiation for your price broke down. A fine ending for a witch like you.”

Only then did Julia realize the situation she was in. She was going to die in prison.

All alone.

“I guess it’s finally time to hang my hat, haha…”

The iron ball she was chained to made it difficult for her to take even two steps in her cell.

A few days later…

“They’re escaping! The prisoners are escaping!”

“Fire! Put out the fire first!”

“They’re getting away! Grab them!”

Fwooooosh!

Smoke poured into her prison cell.

“Yeahhhhhh!”

“Kill them! We can escape!”

Her subordinates sprinted past her cell.

“Here! Over here!” shouted Julia.

Could they not hear her? Or did they just choose not to listen?

“Ahhhhhhh! Kill them all!”

“There’s too much smoke here! Let’s just go now!”

The prisoners were freed from their cells due to a mistake made by one of the guards. Everyone was freed... except for her.

“Julia! What about Julia?!”

“I’m here…”

“You idiot, we don’t have time to waste. Just run!”

“......”

Julia’s prison cell was in the deepest corner of the prison, in a difficult-to-approach solitary confinement room.

And as the fires blazed on… she was thrown to the side.

“Fuck… Fuck…”

She knew it as well.

There was no loyalty between pirates.

In fact, if she were in their position, she would have been the first person to run away.

“......”

Even so, it was lonely.

This was not the death she wanted.

Clang!

And then…

She heard the sound of an axe clanging on the door.

Clang!

Burn…

Even she could see the fires from beyond the door. How did they manage to come here?

More importantly… Who came here?

“Julia!” shouted a voice. “Are you there?”

“Damn it… Santos!”

Santos, her vice-captain.

He was strong, but he was also someone with a screw… no, at least two screws loose.

He had come for her.

“Santos! I’m here!”

“Hold on!”

Clang!

Claaaang!

Claaaaaang!

The sound of the axe clanging against the door echoed in her cell.

Eventually… it burst open.

“Santos… Your face…”

An eye and ear had burned, melting onto his face.

Santos had arrived at her cell at the cost of heavy burns.

“Tadah!” happily shouted Santos. “I have arrived!”

“You idiot! You should have just run away!”

“Shut up! Don’t call me an idiot!”

However, he was soon at a loss for words after seeing the chains on her ankle.

“Uh… This is… a bit…”

“Leave me behind, Santos. I want you to live.”

“You shouldn’t say a cool line like that while shaking, hehehehehe!”

“Why did you come… You’re going to die too.”

Santos’ disfigured face greeted Julia with bright eyes.

“Don’t you dare leave a stain on my life! I am a man of the sea! I’m getting you out of here.”

“......”

“...I’m going to cut off your leg, Julia.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s going to hurt. What if you die because of it?”

“...Shut up and just cut it already. It’s better than dying her—”

Crush!

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

Julia let out an ear-piercing scream, one that would likely leave her voice hoarse later.

Santos then quickly pulled out a bunch of medicine from his pockets and stuffed them inside Julia’s mouth.

"I don’t know what any of these do, so I brought all of them just in case!"

“Y-You bastard…”

“I’m sure at least one of them will work! See? Look! Your bleeding is stopping!”

Riiip…

After tearing the cloth from his clothes, Santos tied it around Julia’s leg as a makeshift bandage, quickly becoming drenched with blood.

However, the bleeding was definitely slowing down.

“Haah… Haah…”

Santos began running through the prison with Julia on his back.

Flaaaaare!

Crumble!

The prison was collapsing.

Even so, Santos and Julia had managed to escape before it did.

“...It’s all over now,” said Julia. “I won’t ever be able to fight with my leg like this.”

“Hehehehe! You can still head out to sea, who cares?!”

“It must be nice… urgh… to be so simple.”

“Yup, I’m simple!”

“...Where do we go now?”

“I already prepared something!”

Santos then carried Julia to a hidden and secluded spot on the island.

And there, was a one-eyed man.

Along with a small boat.

“Julia!”

“Bric! You survived!”

“Santos said that he’d be coming back with you. He… really did it.”

“Now’s not the time for this! Let’s go!”

As they were preparing to leave, the three heard people shouting around them.

“Over here!”

“Prisoners passed through here!”

“Search the perimeter!”

Thud.

Santos kicked off the ship Julia and Bric were on.

“...Santos?”

“Bric! Go, now!”

“I’ll kill you if we go, Bric! Santos, come with us!”

“We’ll all die if we do. Even someone simpleminded like me can tell, you idiot.”

Santos stumbled and flailed as he ran toward a light.

“Tadah! Here I am!”

“Over there! Get him!”

“Don’t let him go! He still hasn’t escaped yet!”

The boat slowly drifted away from the island.

That was the last she ever saw Santos. An image she can still vividly remember.

* * *

Translator - goguma

Proofreader - Karane

* * *

“My leg still hurts whenever it rains. That idiot… He should’ve done a better job. So, how did he die?”

“He managed to steal a reconnaissance ship to get away. His back did end up getting covered in arrows because of it, though.”

“...And?”

“He escaped to Srika and became a respectable captain.”

“What? Hahahaha!”

“And… he died in the Alfrina Strait.”

“......”

Julia’s expression grew dark.

“Did he not use the canal?”

“There were probably some circumstances.”

The Alfrina Strait was notorious in the southeast. Its waves were fierce, but there was another problem entirely.

“If it’s Alfrina… Is it perhaps…?”

“Yes. He had his soul taken by Vitona.”

Vitona was the name of a monster.

A monster also known as the father of all sirens. There were rumors that being devoured by this massive sea serpent would result in having your soul stolen.

“How… do you know all this?”

“I don’t know… Is that important, though?”

“...No, it isn’t. I was just surprised by how much you knew.”

“That was everything I had to say.”

“......”

“You’re not planning on getting revenge on Vitona, are you?”

“Me? Are you out of your mind? Santos and I lived different lives. He’s just a fool who came to the sea to chase his dreams. He died young, I knew it would happen. Also… Vitona is invincible in the sea. He’s not something a pirate should be getting themselves involved with.”

“Got it. Anyway, I kept our promise. Are you satisfied now?” asked Seol.

Julia looked closely at Seol.

“Were you… close with Santos?”

“...You could say that, yeah.”

“Would Santos think like that too?”

“Probably?”

Fwip!

Julia tossed a pouch filled with coins at Seol.

“Take it.”

“Are you giving it back?”

"I didn’t take this job because of the money, that stupid princess, or you and your punchable face,” said Julia, turning back around. “It was because of Santos.”

“...Okay.”

“Then… We’ll see each other again if the stars align.”

Tack…

Step…

After boarding the ship, Julia ordered the pirate beside her.

“Bring rum.”

“You’re… starting already?”

“Shut up… and just bring rum already.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Gulp…

After drinking half of the bottle, she poured the rest into the sea.

“Thank you, you idiot. When I don’t mind dying later… I’ll go see you.”

There is a myth among pirates that those who set sail can receive news from the sea. Though Julia did not believe in such tales, she hoped that just this once, her message could be delivered.

Meanwhile, Seol was looking at Riona and the others from the pier.

“Cut the ropes and raise the anchor! We’re setting sail!”

Riona quickly called out to Seol from the ship.

“We’re going to be leaving soon, you should quickly…”

Despite gazing directly at Riona, Seol remained rooted in place as if he were nailed down.

“Are you… not coming with us?” asked Riona.

“You won’t need me anymore, Your Highness. We’ve managed to keep the final rule of these streets, after all.”

The Final Rule: Trust only those who could be trusted.

“Julia is someone you can trust. She will take you safely to Zonia.”

“But… staying here on your own will be dangerous.”

“I’m always in danger, so I don’t mind.”

Seol then calmly began to say his final goodbyes.

“Your Highness, thank you for enduring that arduous journey.”

“Ah… ah…”

“I sincerely hope that you will be able to do what you wish. These… are my honest feelings.”

If Riona had remained weak, there was a large possibility that Seol would have failed this Adventure as well.

This result was achieved because everyone had done their best.

“Hey!” shouted Earl Brispin.

Toss!

Seol caught the item that Earl Brispin threw at him.

It was a black statue of a woman.

[You have acquired Joy of the Fallen.]

“Take it! And thank you! We only managed to make it here because of you.”

Cupping his hands around his mouth to make his voice louder, Chadorf shouted as well.

“Hey! The next time we meet, let’s do so as friends! Since you’re younger than me, I can help you out with a few things! Also, you’ve worked so hard these past couple of days! I am really, really thankful for it all!”

Fwoosh…

The ship began to slowly leave the harbor.

“E-Excuse me!” hurriedly shouted Princess Riona.

“I-I want to know your nam—No, even just your face…”

She had tears in her eyes.

“I want to know about you.”

Seol knew that Riona would eventually come to learn his name through Earl Brispin anyway.

With a glance at his surroundings, Seol removed his stuffy mask.

The sunset cast its reflection upon his face.

Seol then held the mask close to his chest and gave a slight nod—a gesture of farewell, filled with respect.

“I hope you have a safe journey, Riona.”

“I… I really hope that we can see each other again! No, I… I’ll find you later, no matter what! Stay safe, okay?!”

Seol smiled after hearing those words.

[Princess Riona is now in the final stretch of her journey toward asylum.]

[You do not know if Princess Riona will succeed.]

[The Linked Adventure continues.]

[You can only collect your rewards after all Adventures have been cleared.]

[You begin your next Adventure.]

[Your 30th Adventure is starting.]

[Adventure 30. Final Line]

…

Seol donned his mask once more.

There were still tasks at hand, and he had no intention of leaving just yet.