Chapter 14: Restoration (Part 1)

For three days, Claire was plagued by a high fever.

Instead of binding him as Elpian had ordered, Mary Read chose to sit by his side and watch over him. In front of her, Claire sobbed like a broken child.

He wished he had died when the pirates first tried to kill him. He should have died the moment he realized Elpian, the man who “saved” him, was a pirate. He regretted surviving. Now, it felt too late to even die.

Since choosing life, he had accomplished nothing. He had only allowed his body and honor to be drenched in filth. If he died now, his survival would have amounted to nothing more than living long enough to endure a few more rounds of humiliation at that man’s hands.

His mental anguish was so severe that he couldn’t even swallow food. Giltre boiled a soup-like concoction from dried meat, which Mary Read carefully dripped into his mouth, but the fever refused to break.

During those days, Elpian did not show even a glimpse of his shadow.

Only after several days did the tears finally stop and the fever recede. As Claire sat up, Mary Read handed him a bowl of food. Looking at her worried face, Claire whispered.

“Why are you helping me?”

They had only met a few days ago, yet she took care of him with strange devotion. Mary Read smiled faintly and gave her reason.

“I’ve seen eyes like yours before. Eyes of a person who wants to die, but can’t, because there is too much left in their heart.”

It was a vague and peculiar reason, but Mary Read’s expression didn’t seem to hold a lie. Claire toyed with the wooden bowl of porridge and asked a question that sounded more like a thought to himself.

“Am I just a coward who lacks the courage to die?”

“There are times when dying is the easier path. I think you’re brave enough to survive.”

Mary Read stroked Claire’s soft hair and sat on the floor beside him. She nudged his arm as if to urge him to eat.

“Eat up. If you don’t, you really will die.”

“Even if I live… I don’t know what to do anymore.”

“Act for the sake of what you desire.”

For Claire, who had lost everything he meant to protect, all that remained was a burning hatred and a desire for revenge against Elpian. But the man was too strong, and he was pathetically powerless. Furthermore, it felt absurd to harbor such thoughts while clinging to life through the sympathy of the man’s subordinate.

“You know what I want, Mary Read.”

“I know. But I hate seeing you choose death as if there’s no hope left at all.”

“Then what? Should I work for the man I loathe and sharpen a knife under him?”

“The owner of the eyes I saw is living exactly like that.”

As Claire stared at her, Mary Read nodded and spoke clearly.

“Yes. The Admiral’s eyes were just like yours are now.”

The unexpected mention of Elpian made Claire’s face contort again. Seeing his blatant revulsion, Mary Read chuckled.

“Claire. The Admiral is a pitiful man.”

“If you’re trying to defend him—”

“I’m not defending him. I’m just telling you what I know.”

Leaning against the wall and staring into space, Mary Read began her story.

“Four years ago, I was a noboby pirate plundering small merchant ships near Edinburgh. One day, a man came looking for our crew. He said he’d give us money if we took him to the Caribbean.”

Claire didn’t need to be told that the man was Elpian. He wore a face of indifference, wanting to hear nothing of the man, but Mary Read continued.

“It was a large sum, but not enough to risk our lives crossing the Atlantic. We planned to take his money and dispose of him at sea once we set sail. But we couldn’t go through with the plan.”

“It would have been better if you had killed him then. Why didn’t you?”

“It’s not that we didn’t; we failed. There were fourteen of us, and in less than five minutes, he cut down three or four of our men in an instant. The rest of us lost our will to fight and surrendered immediately.”

Mary Read remained calm despite Claire’s cynical attitude.

“We accepted him taking over the ship and becoming captain, but then the madman tried to cross the Atlantic in a ship with only ten crewmen. When I asked why he was doing something so insane, Elpian gave a short answer: there was someone he had to kill.”

“Someone he had to kill?”

“Yes. The look in his eyes when he gritted his teeth and said that was exactly like yours now. Eyes filled with hatred, but without a shred of certainty that he could actually achieve it.”

Disgusted by the comparison to Elpian, Claire was nonetheless curious about the identity of the person he intended to kill. Just as he was about to ask, the door creaked open and Giltre poked his head in.

“I heard voices and came by. You’re up. Are you feeling more like yourself?”

As Claire nodded slightly, Giltre entered with a gratified expression.

“How are you? Feeling better? Is the soup edible?”

“Hey, old man. Can’t you see he’s eating? Don’t interrupt the story.”

“Story, my foot. What useless gossip are you spewing now?”

“Useless! I was telling him about the Admiral!”

At Mary Read’s flared temper, Giltre stopped his nitpicking, closed the door, and leaned against the opposite wall.

“Which part were you telling?”

“About the time the Admiral led our crew across the Atlantic.”

“Ah, that was truly madness. Haha. Heading off to kill Elkain Capfrancis, the King of the Caribbean, in a pathetic sailing vessel with fewer than ten gun ports.”

Claire was shocked to hear that Elpian had intended to kill Elkain.

“To kill Elkain? Why?”

“Well, if you want reasons, there are too many to count,” Giltre said, taking over for Mary Read. “I know this part better. Gregory and I are from Sheffield. The Capfrancis family were wealthy landowners there; they were a prosperous family that even received a barony.”

Claire had suspected noble roots given the man’s refined appearance and his unique background as a Cambridge graduate. Giltre continued slowly, lost in reminiscence.

“But clouds began to gather over the house when Elkain, the pride of the family, suddenly ran away. There was no word for years, and when news finally arrived that he had gone to the Caribbean and become a great pirate, we were truly shocked.”

“They say the Admiral was a university student when the Captain started making a name for himself as a pirate. Elkain was immediately disowned as the shame of the family.”

“But being disowned doesn’t sever all ties.”

As Mary Read added a comment, Giltre shook his head, stroking his beard bitterly.

“An African s*ave trader who lost a fortune because of Elkain hired men to attack the Capfrancis manor in Sheffield. They plundered everything and either killed the family members or dragged them off into slavery. Parents, siblings, servants—everyone.”

“Only the Admiral, who was living in a university dormitory, escaped the disaster.”

With a story like that, it was understandable that his nature would become twisted. However, Claire felt the direction of his revenge seemed misplaced.

“If that’s the case, wouldn’t it make more sense to get Elkain’s help to kill the s*ave trader?”

“You’re not wrong. But the Admiral’s hatred for the Captain goes deeper. That event, which cost him everything, was the spark that turned his resentment into murderous intent.”

Giltre spoke significantly and fell silent. Mary Read added:

“Admiral Elpian becomes exceptionally sensitive and violent around the time he has to offer tribute. He forgives nothing and reacts hysterically to everything. The way he’s being cruel to you now… it’s likely mixed with some of that.”

“Even hearing that, I don’t feel like understanding or forgiving him.”

After cutting her off, Claire asked a question that had been bothering him.

“But then, why is Elpian serving as the Admiral of the Capfrancis Second Fleet? And why did Elkain give such a powerful ship to the man who wants to kill him?”

Mary Read scratched her cheek. “Well… Captain Elkain is a very special case. I don’t know how to explain it.”

After thinking it over, she continued. “When we arrived in the Caribbean, we joined Captain Elkain’s fleet. We spent some time with them, and someone who had been in that fleet for a long time said something that seems to fit perfectly.”

“What did they say?”

“Captain Elkain is a man who opens the path to one’s desires.”

Claire let out a hollow laugh; it was absurd to hear such a messianic description for a pirate. But Mary Read didn’t laugh; she continued earnestly.

“I’m not joking. Captain Elkain always grants the wishes of those who prove their worth. No matter what it is. He allows those whose families were murdered to get revenge; he shows those ruined by money where treasure is buried. He helps a father who lost a daughter find her remains, and he lets those who want a title earn military merit.”

“That’s hard to believe. And so? What of it?”

“Captain Elkain recognized the Admiral, who crossed the Atlantic on his own strength to point a sword at him. So, he gave him what he wanted.”

“What Elpian wanted…?”

As Claire repeated the words, Giltre’s firm voice rang out.

“The chance to kill Captain Elkain. That’s why the Captain gave this ship to the Admiral—so he could build the strength necessary to kill him.”

Even for someone who “grants desires,” providing the foundation for someone to kill you was insane. Yet, Mary Read and Giltre continued the strange tale with total seriousness.

“At that time, the Admiral had no way to defeat Captain Elkain, even if the heavens fell. So he gritted his teeth and accepted Elkain’s offer. He returned to the North Sea with the riches Elkain gave him and turned the Capfrancis into the Queen’s privateer fleet.”

“It was a monumental task. Even with the best ship, delivering tribute while breaking through Spanish and Portuguese warships and legendary pirates was nothing short of a miracle. Furthermore, his political skill in manipulating opposing nobles to gain the Queen’s recognition is incredible.”

“The Capfrancis Second Fleet has already become a grand fleet with four warships. The speed at which he expanded his power and his ability to maintain it… it’s beyond even Captain Elkain’s expectations.”

“The Admiral is truly building his strength to kill Captain Elkain, Claire.”

Mary Read’s eyes were filled with a trust that held not a single lie. Whether the story was true or not, it was certain that she truly believed it. She took Claire’s hand, which was resting on his knee.

“Claire, you said you intend to survive, right? Then join the main fleet in North Africa.”

“…”

“If you prove your value to Elkain, he will open the path to your desire as well.”

What Claire desired was the power to kill Elpian’s brother—or perhaps Elpian himself. It was absurd, but looking at Mary Read’s face, he felt that Elkain might truly be such a man.

As a ray of hope appeared, a spark of life returned to Claire’s listless eyes.

“Yes, that’s the look. Once you pass through this, you’ll become strong enough that nothing can hurt you.”

Seeing the change in Claire’s gaze, Mary Read smiled.

📚 Also on NHV Novels

I’m Not the Saintess! I’m a Good-for-Nothing Young Master!

Female ProtagonistGender BenderReverse Pursuit

Read Now →
Not interested