Chapter 23: Elkain Antoine Capfrancis (3)

“Gahahaha! Move, move! I’ve stolen something incredible!”

Arthur burst through the crowd, his brown hair flying. After being scolded by Giuseppe a few days ago, he had headed to Madeira to settle affairs and had successfully escorted the Muse of the Road back to Las Palmas. Since the flagship’s crew had come along, the elegant aristocratic mansion had effectively turned into a pirate den.

Claire, sitting in the middle of the chaos, frowned as he saw what was in Arthur’s hands.

“Ehehehe. Can you believe it? The cellar was packed with high-quality brandy and port wine! I brought a whole load of it!”

“Did you… get permission to take that?”

“Permission? What, do you think this is Eton College? You ever seen a pirate ask for permission?”

Claire pressed a hand to his forehead at Arthur’s proud response. Unfortunately, Giuseppe was away, so there was no one to keep Arthur in check. Harrison excitedly popped a bottle open with his pocketknife and handed it directly to Claire.

“Here, here. Drink up!”

“…Straight from the bottle?”

“Wow, you really are a young master to the bone, aren’t you? What kind of man needs a cup!”

Claire wanted to argue that even servants used cups, but he figured it would only earn him more “young master” teasing, so he kept his mouth shut. In that moment, he actually missed Mary Read, who had always made sure he had a glass.

As Claire reluctantly accepted the bottle of premium port—which was being treated quite poorly considering its noble vintage—Arthur raised his own freshly opened bottle high for a toast.

“To the newcomer! Let’s drink until we drop!”

“For our new miracle worker!”

“You’re not doing this for me, you just want an excuse to drink!” Claire grumbled, but no one paid him any mind. After a violent clinking of bottles, everyone began chugging wine like water and talking at the top of their lungs.

“Where did Giuseppe go?”

“Don’t mention the First Mate, it ruins the taste of the booze. We can’t enjoy a party like this if he’s around!”

“Right! He’s just an old man who smells like ink and books! And he’s a pirate! A pirate! Don’t hang out with starchy types like him!”

Claire thought he might actually get along better with Giuseppe, but he pretended to agree for now. Regardless, he was touched that they had thrown a party with him in mind.

Thanks to Arthur and Harrison spreading rumors about him since Madeira, Claire had been branded a “miracle worker” who could make a dying man get up and play tennis with a single touch. Thus, the pirates—who were always looking for any excuse to raise a glass—had united under the noble cause of welcoming the recruit to turn the mansion’s grand banquet hall into a pub.

“Whose mansion is this anyway?” Claire asked, looking up at the glittering chandelier. The sophisticated taste of the place made it impossible to believe it was originally a pirate hideout.

Arthur took a long swig of wine and answered coolly, “It belongs to the Marchioness of Marchand from France.”

Why on earth would a Marchioness lend such an elegant mansion to pirates? Claire tilted his head, remembering how Elpian supposedly had women waiting for him in every port.

“Is the Marchioness… in a relationship with Elkain?”

“What? Bwahahahaha!”

Claire thought it was a logical deduction, but Harrison laughed so hard his head tilted back far enough to show his tonsils.

“A mistress? The Captain, who can’t even look a woman in the eye properly? That poor soul is the type who couldn’t handle a prostitute even if you pushed one into his room.”

“Yeah. The Captain is a total innocent who just reads books and swings his sword. Back in Veracruz, when the Spanish Governor’s daughter broke into his room at night because she liked him, he ran away to our room.”

“He’s got such great ‘equipment’ and yet he doesn’t know how to use it! If he gave it to me, I’d put it to very good use!”

“With your face, no woman would even be curious about what kind of equipment you’re carrying.”

Arthur and Harrison began bickering, insulting each other’s looks. Wanting to raise the conversation level above that of a ten-year-old, Claire changed the subject.

“Anyway, what is the fleet planning to do next?”

“Ah, we have to deliver the tribute to the 2nd Fleet.”

“And recruit a few more sailors.”

“The… 2nd Fleet?”

“No need to worry. We won’t make the doctor carry heavy luggage.”

“Right. The guys from the 2nd Fleet will come and pick it up themselves. We’ll just live it up until the cargo is gone, and then head back to the Caribbean.”

Claire had flinched at the mention of the 2nd Fleet, but the two seemed to misunderstand his reaction as a fear of manual labor. Claire asked another question.

“Is Elkain… not going to meet Elpian?”

“Who knows? The Captain is injured, so the other side will probably come to see him.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?”

“Dangerous? Why?”

“Elpian might… well, he might attack Elkain, right?”

At Claire’s words, the two burst into boisterous laughter, spraying wine.

“Attack Captain Elkain? Impossible. That ‘useless’ captain is, unfortunately, invincible. He can cut down ten men in the blink of an eye by himself.”

“Exactly. If he weren’t that strong, I would’ve challenged him to a duel and tossed him into the sea long ago, considering how my eight fiancées all dumped me saying they liked him better.”

“But he’s injured right now.”

“I heard the other guy is injured too, though?”

By the time Claire had left the 2nd Fleet, Elpian’s wounds were healing significantly, while Elkain’s were still serious. As Claire worried that Elpian might try to finish off a weakened Elkain, the tipsy Arthur reached out and pinched Claire’s cheek.

“Hey, what are you thinking about so hard at a party? Your pretty face looks like a funeral.”

“If you’re worried about the Captain, don’t. He’s not the kind of person who makes worrying worthwhile.”

“Right. Just drink… Wait? Could it be?” Harrison squinted and poked Claire. “Do you like the Captain?”

“What are you talking about? I’m a man.”

The blushing Claire jumped in surprise, but the two only looked more amused.

“What does being a man have to do with it? I’ve seen a whole battalion of men throw themselves at the Captain. You even came here saying sappy stuff about wanting to ‘serve’ him.”

“That’s not what I meant! I only—”

“Only what?”

“I just heard stories about Captain Elkain and came here to achieve my own goal.”

“What stories did you hear?”

“That the Captain is… well, a man who makes people’s wishes come true.”

The moment the words left Claire’s mouth, both men clutched their stomachs and jeered.

“Wishes? What kind of wishes does he grant? My wish is to peel off the Captain’s face and wear it as my own!”

“It wouldn’t matter even if you wore it over your ugly face! It would be a waste of the Captain’s skin.”

The two devolved into another tangent of bickering. It seemed a normal conversation was impossible with these two. Claire gave up on digging for more information and sipped his wine.

As empty bottles piled up, the party’s atmosphere matured with the night. Village girls had appeared from somewhere, and the scene became rowdier as everyone swayed, sang, and danced. When the attention on him finally faded, Claire excused himself, using the pretext of checking on Elkain’s condition. He went up to the second floor and knocked on Elkain’s door.

“Come in, Claire.”

He was startled that Elkain knew his name before he even opened the door. Entering with wide eyes, he found Elkain chuckling.

“Ah, I just had a feeling it was you.”

“How…?”

“Giuseppe went down to the village. Anyone else would have come in loud and drunk.”

It was a plausible deduction. As Claire approached, Elkain set the book he was reading on the side table.

“You’re here to check on me, right?”

When Claire nodded, Elkain unhesitatingly pulled open his robe. Despite both being men, Claire felt strangely awkward and lowered his gaze.

As he cleaned the wound with a fresh towel and reapplied oil to the areas where the medicine had been absorbed, Elkain lay back languidly, watching Claire’s movements. His expression was calm, but the weight of his gaze made Claire’s face feel hot.

“Did Elpian treat you poorly?”

Claire flinched as Elkain suddenly mentioned his brother’s name.

“Why… are you asking that all of a sudden?”

“Even if your main stage is Europe, elite doctors like you aren’t common on pirate ships. Elpian wouldn’t have wanted to let you go, so why did you come here? Was the treatment not to your liking?”

His eyes were still soft, but his tone was sharp. Seeing the keen logic of this man who was teased as a “useless captain,” it was clear he was more than just a figurehead.

Claire thought carefully about his answer. Many men had transferred from the 2nd Fleet to the 1st. There was no way he could keep his past and his circumstances hidden forever. In the end, he decided to be honest.

“I came to you to get revenge on Elpian.”

“Revenge?”

“Yes.”

Claire told Elkain about his kidnapping and what had happened until his escape, omitting the more explicit details. Elkain frowned, but he didn’t offer any empty words of comfort. Instead, he tilted his head.

“Then why come to me? You do know Elpian is my brother?”

“I know. That’s why I thought being by your side was the best option.”

“Hmm… I see.”

It wasn’t a particularly revealing answer, but Elkain seemed satisfied. Claire watched him closely. The violet eyes were transparent; there was no hint of hostility toward someone who wanted revenge on his brother. It was a relief that there was no sign of dislike, but he still couldn’t read the man’s thoughts.

“Can you… open the path for me as well?”

“Who knows? You’ll have to take it for yourself.”

Claire had asked boldly, but Elkain only replied vaguely with a smile. When he tried to sit up, Claire stopped him.

“You shouldn’t get up yet.”

“It’s stifling to keep lying down. I don’t think my guts are going to spill out anymore, so I want to move a bit.”

“Moving is too much. You shouldn’t put strain on yourself yet.”

“You can just support me.”

Elkain replied softly, draping an arm around Claire’s shoulder. Claire clicked his tongue, thinking these brothers were both equally immune to pain.

“No. You must lie down.”

“Haaa. I want some fresh air, then. At least open the window.”

That was a request Claire could grant. He opened the window leading to the balcony right next to the bed. Perhaps because the sea was close, a strong breeze blew in, causing both of their hair to flutter.

Claire’s gaze became fixed on Elkain’s long, flowing hair. While Claire’s was a vivid, golden blond, Elkain’s was closer to a shimmering silver.

“It’s pretty.”

Claire, who had been thinking the same thing, flinched when the words actually came from Elkain. Elkain reached out and caught a lock of Claire’s shining hair. It had grown quite a bit since he left London, covering his ears and hanging long.

Normally, it was an odd situation for two men to be touching and complimenting each other’s hair. But somehow, coming from Elkain, it felt natural. Claire sat beside him for a while as Elkain stroked his hair like one would a puppy, before speaking quietly.

“About what I said earlier…”

“Yes?”

“May I take it?”

Elkain seemed to realize Claire was talking about ‘the path he desired.’ His violet eyes crinkled softly.

“Anything, as long as you can take it.”

When Elkain smiled, Claire’s face flushed again. Bathed in the moonlight, the man’s pale face was so beautiful it was hard to tell if he was a spirit of the sea or an angel from the heavens.

Embarrassed, Claire looked away. Elkain watched him with a playful grin before suddenly bringing his face close.

“W-what are you—!”

“It’s cool. It feels good.”

Elkain pressed his cheek against Claire’s. Claire had thought his own cheeks were warm, but Elkain’s was even hotter. He must have been feeling the heat from a slight fever.

“You seem to have a fever. I’ll get a cold towel.”

“No, it’s fine. Just for a moment.”

Elkain seemed genuinely okay with it, but Claire was not. When he tried to pull away, Elkain spoke in a sorrowful voice.

“Why? Are you going back to the party?”

“It’s… it’s not that. I’m just tired…”

“Stay with me. Everyone is partying, and I’m bored being all alone.”

“You need to get some sleep.”

“Then sleep with me.”

Before he could react, Elkain tugged on him, and Claire was pulled onto the bed. The idea of two men who weren’t even close sleeping in the same bed was absurd. Yet, looking at Elkain’s smiling face, the strange situation felt almost natural. Claire grumbled half-heartedly.

“You and your brother… why do you both insist on having me sleep beside you?”

“You don’t have a room yet anyway, so you’ve nowhere else to go. Besides, did you sleep with Elpian too?”

Regretting his slip of the tongue, Claire nodded with a red face. Elkain looked surprised.

“He’s never been able to sleep with anyone else since he was a kid. That’s interesting.”

“From what I saw, he seemed like the type who wasn’t satisfied unless he dragged someone into his bed.”

“Hmm. I doubt it. Maybe he just found it comfortable to sleep with you.”

Perhaps Elkain really was an innocent as the crew said, because he didn’t seem to think of it in a scandalous way. Wearing a bright expression that didn’t look like that of a 29-year-old at all, he placed Claire’s hand on his forehead.

“Mmm, it really is cool and feels good. I see why he did it.”

Claire’s hands must have been cold from his nervousness. Finding himself being used by both brothers for both cooling and warming purposes, Claire felt the situation was ridiculous, but soon decided to just let it be.

There was none of Elpian’s sticky desire in Elkain’s touch. If anyone was being overly conscious of the situation, it was himself. So, to stop overthinking, he relaxed and lay down properly on the bed. As his mind settled, the fatigue that had been building since morning washed over him, and his body grew heavy.

Just as sleep began to take hold, Claire heard Elkain’s small voice.

“If you truly desire it, make sure to take it, Claire. A life that remains frozen and incomplete is a curse in itself.”

Through eyes blurred with sleep, Claire saw that the smile had vanished from Elkain’s face. For the first time, Claire felt that the man looked strikingly like Elpian as he drifted off into a deep sleep.