Chapter 21: Elkain Antoine Capfrancis (1)

“Claire, is the Admiral still sleeping?”

Mary Read asked worriedly as Claire stepped out of Elpian’s cabin. When Claire nodded, the shadow on her face deepened.

“He isn’t… in bad shape, is he?”

“He’ll be fine once he wakes up.”

It wasn’t a lie. He was merely sedated, and his injuries were nearly healed.

“Really? That’s a relief.”

Watching Mary Read sigh in comfort, Claire felt a twinge of guilt. He had received nothing but help from her, and deceiving her sat uneasily in his heart. As Claire’s expression darkened, Mary slapped him on the shoulder.

“Why the long face if he’s okay?”

“…”

“If it’s because that bastard Miguel is spreading rumors about you, don’t sweat it. I trust you, Claire. And the others probably…”

“Mary Read.”

The more she spoke, the more uncomfortable he became. Claire cut her off.

“I have something to tell you.”

Since Miguel was prone to eavesdropping in the corridors, Claire led Mary Read up to the deck.

It hadn’t been long since they left Las Palmas, but the silhouette of Madeira Island was already looming large on the horizon. Now able to gauge the ship’s speed, Claire predicted they would hit land by evening.

He wanted to explain himself to her before he left.

“When we get to Madeira, I’m planning to enlist in the main fleet.”

“Eh? But you’ve gotten so close to the Admiral. Why, Claire? I thought you’d had a change of heart.”

Dismay flickered across Mary Read’s face. She tried for a long time to change his mind, but once she realized his resolve was firm, she gave up on persuading him.

“Fine. Well, I suppose it was always going to end up like this. If that’s what you want, I won’t stop you.”

“I’m sorry. And thank you for everything, Mary Read.”

“Forget it. You saved the Admiral’s life, so you don’t owe me a thing.”

He had saved Elpian, but the reason Elpian had been ambushed in Porto was because Claire had helped Henry escape. However, since Elpian had intended to release Henry anyway and his injury was a result of his own actions, Claire didn’t bother mentioning it.

“Here, take this.”

Mary Read untied the red cloth she always wore around her neck and handed it to Claire. He thought it was a scarf, but once unfolded, it looked like a bandana.

“Thank you. I’ll treasure it.”

Thinking it was a memento to remember her by, Claire blushed as he accepted it. Mary Read burst out laughing.

“What, do you think I’m some village maiden giving a handkerchief to a soldier going off to war? Treasure it? Don’t get the wrong idea—unfold it.”

“What is it?”

Flushing even deeper at his misunderstanding, Claire unfolded the cloth. Embroidered in gold thread on one corner was a small crest, accompanied by the name ‘Capfrancis’ in beautiful cursive.

“That is the mark of a member of the Capfrancis fleet. If you take that with you, you’ll be able to contact the pirate recruiters directly without any hassle.”

“Is it really okay to give this to me?”

“I can just get another one, so it doesn’t matter. Just find the right person and tell them you’re a doctor. You’ll be through the doors in a heartbeat.”

“Thank you so much, Mary Read.”

“Save the sentimental thanks. More importantly, I won’t forgive you if you go and get yourself killed immediately.”

Claire nodded and gave her a brief hug. Feeling a bit bashful afterward, the two turned their conversation toward the harbor.

“Madeira is clearly in sight now. It’s the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and the New World. The fish here is incredible.”

“Mmm, the harbor looks like it belongs to a very developed city. It’s huge.”

The docks seemed to stretch from one end of the small island to the other. Mary Read snickered and shook her head.

“That’s not the harbor. Look closer.”

Following her gaze, Claire realized that what appeared to be a continuous dock was actually a massive cluster of ships. Even in Amsterdam or London, it was rare to see so many vessels gathered in one place.

“Those are all the masses welcoming the King of the Caribbean.”

“There are that many pirates?”

“Capfrancis is no mere pirate.”

She pointed toward the center of the mass.

“Those ships surrounded in the middle—that’s the Capfrancis main fleet.”

Where she pointed, there were five exceptionally large, eye-catching ships. As they drew closer to the pier, Claire could distinguish each vessel.

Then, Claire’s blue eyes locked onto one ship anchored at the very heart of the fleet.

High masts and an elegant hull that glowed pure white.

It was massive enough to feel intimidating, yet possessed an undeniable grace. Every line, from the railings on the deck to the curve from bow to stern, was so fluid that it spoke of the work of a master craftsman.

As Claire stared at the ship, entranced, Mary Read’s voice drifted into his ear.

“That is the flagship of the Capfrancis fleet, the ‘Muse of the Road’.”

“What a truly beautiful ship. To think that’s a pirate vessel.”

“If this ship, the Crescent, is the fastest in the world, then that one is the most beautiful. Even I lost my breath for a while when I first saw her standing against the sunset in the New World.”

Mary Read continued her explanation softly.

“They say the Queen gifted it to him as a reward for the King of the Caribbean crossing the Atlantic to serve her. That’s why the Capfrancis crest is on the bow and the Royal Seal is on the sails. Damaging those sails is considered an act of rebellion against the British Crown.”

Claire’s gaze lingered on the Royal Seal. During his student days, seeing that emblem would have made his heart swell with pride. Now, feeling discarded, the sight didn’t move him nearly as much as the beauty of the ship itself.

“They said it was heavily damaged, but it doesn’t look like it. Maybe the rumors of Captain Elkain being wounded are false too.”

Muttering this, Mary Read looked at Claire’s profile and sighed.

“Haaa. Once you’re gone, I’ll be back to a life full of nothing but burly, rough men.”

“It’ll be the same for me.”

“No. You’ll be on the flagship. You’ll likely meet Captain Elkain himself.”

Claire imagined the pirate captain who ruled the seas and asked, “What kind of man is Elkain Capfrancis?”

“He is a beautiful man. But his inner self is entirely different.”

Claire, who had been imagining a rugged, terrifying pirate, was puzzled by the description “beautiful,” but he understood once he remembered Elkain was Elpian’s older brother.

‘If his inner self is different, I suppose he has a cruel nature similar to Elpian’s.’

He sensed the road ahead wouldn’t be easy, but a strange sense of anticipation bubbled within him.

He had nothing left to lose anyway. If he couldn’t go back, joining the world’s greatest pirate fleet and seeking adventure might not be such a bad idea.

With that thought, Claire gazed at the Muse of the Road. The setting sun hit the golden figurehead, making it shine brilliantly.

“Don’t get in the way, you moron!”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Claire apologized while rubbing his nose, which had turned red after being hit by the elbow of the man in front of him. Even so, he didn’t give up his spot and kept pushing forward.

With Mary Read’s help, he had managed to find the inn where the Capfrancis fleet was staying, but getting inside was another matter entirely.

It was a large inn for a small island, but the hall and stairs were packed with young men hoping to join the fleet. Among them were a few faces Claire recognized from the Crescent.

“A bunch of nobodies have swarmed the place. Half of you couldn’t even raid a fishing boat on your own. If you haven’t got the stomach for it, go home!”

While looking around for an official, Claire turned toward a loud voice.

A tall man was shouting at the crowd, a purple cloth wrapped around his arm.

Having been told that the 2nd fleet wore red and the 1st fleet wore purple, Claire hurried toward him.

However, just as he was about to speak, he was shoved hard from behind and fell.

“Can’t even stay on your feet? You little runt!”

The man from the main fleet grabbed Claire’s arm to pull him up and shouted. Expecting a blow, Claire squeezed his eyes shut, but the man’s hand paused as he noticed the red bandana wrapped around Claire’s forearm.

“What? You’re from the 2nd fleet? Is the 2nd fleet recruiting children these days? How ridiculous.”

While he escaped a beating, the man spoke dismissively and turned to walk away. Seeing other pirates swarming him, Claire felt that if he lost this man, he’d be stuck wandering the corners of this crowded inn for a long time.

Claire hurriedly reached out, grabbed the man’s sleeve, and shouted.

“Wait a moment! I—I’m a doctor.”

All eyes in the vicinity landed on Claire as the man turned back.

The tall, bronze-skinned man looked like a veteran who had aged on the battlefield. Seeing Claire flinching in fear, the man’s gray eyes flashed.

“A real doctor? You’re not a quack? You’re the surgeon for the 2nd fleet?”

“Yes. And before I joined the fleet, I worked as a surgeon in London.”

“London?”

The man’s gaze grew even more intense. Claire worried he had made a mistake, but then a wide grin broke across the man’s scarred face.

“A surgeon in a place like this. Perfect timing. Follow me.”

The man grabbed Claire’s arm with a powerful hand and led him out of the inn. Fearing he might be in for more trouble, Claire followed obediently, fingers nervously brushing the pistol he had hidden in his clothes.

“Wait, where are we going?”

Instead of answering, the man went to the pier, approached the Capfrancis fleet, and exchanged a few words with the men gathered there. After a long wait, he returned to Claire and spoke firmly.

“You’re coming with us to Las Palmas.”

“What? I just came from there. I wanted to join the Capfrancis main fleet…”

“If you do this job well, you’ll be in the main fleet whether you like it or not.”

Slapping Claire on the back with a hand the size of a pot lid, the man didn’t offer any further explanation and ushered him onto the ship. Before Claire could process the sudden turn of events, the sails were raised and the ship departed.

Claire stared back at the Madeira pier with an expression of disbelief. Alongside the Muse of the Road, he could see the Crescent far off in the distance. Leaving it all behind, Claire was carried back to Las Palmas on a small sailing vessel.

The small ship was a fast sailer, though not quite a match for the Crescent, and it entered Las Palmas harbor before sunrise the next day. Claire, who had been dozing in a corner of the deck, was woken by a shove. The man from yesterday shouldered the pack Claire had been leaning on and spoke gruffly.

“Wake up. We don’t have time to waste.”

The man seemed in a desperate hurry and disembarked immediately. Claire scrambled after him, following as he walked at a brisk pace despite his luggage. They passed the market where The Bloody Horn was located and arrived at a large mansion in a secluded area. Claire was surprised to see a pirate entering a mansion that looked like it belonged to a nobleman, but the guards didn’t stop them.

Passing through the arched main gate and a well-kept lobby, they climbed to the second floor. The man opened the door to the innermost bedroom.

“Eh? Giuseppe? Weren’t you supposed to be in Madeira?”

A surprised voice came from inside. Giuseppe gave a curt response as he entered.

“I came back for a reason. Captain. I’ve brought a doctor.”

At the word “Captain,” Claire’s heart hammered against his ribs. Entering the room late and scanning the interior cautiously, Claire’s gaze eventually locked onto one spot.

“A doctor?”

The man sitting on the bed asked in a low voice, looking back at Claire.

The moment their eyes met, Claire knew for certain.

This man was Elkain Capfrancis.