Chapter 4: Elpian Temike Capfrancis (4)

By the time Claire regained consciousness, the sun had already risen. Even after waking, he remained motionless in a daze for a long while. It felt as though his mind had overloaded, unable to process the sheer magnitude of his misfortune. The events of the previous night felt like a distant memory from a long-lost era.

However, the heavy arm weighing down on his body gradually brought reality back into focus. Claire slowly turned his head to the side. Since it was not a soft bed, even that small movement elicited a creaking sound.

Elpian was asleep, holding Claire close. His sleeping face, illuminated by the sunlight, held a delicate and strange dignity that did not suit his tyrannical actions in the slightest. If he were simply to sit still in a high-society salon, many maidens would likely throw themselves at his feet. Yet, looking at that beautiful face, Claire felt a surge of profanity rising in his throat.

‘A knight of the sea fighting for the Queen? He understands honor?’

The traces of the vulgar atrocities committed by that face were branded across Claire’s entire body. If he could have his way, he would have strangled the man to death right then and there. But his helpless arms were as heavy and exhausted as wet cotton, and he could find no strength in his limbs.

Recalling the acts of the night before made his stomach turn. He felt nauseous, perhaps from seasickness due to being unaccustomed to the ship, or perhaps because he had been forced to swallow semen. He felt despicably pathetic for having endured those lewd acts without a single proper resistance, suppressed by the man’s sheer force.

As his mind cleared, tears began to pool in his eyes. The fact that the man was sleeping peacefully, oblivious to Claire’s miserable and sorrowful emotions, provoked even more resentment. Holding his breath, Claire let the tears fall. Only after washing away his emotions with tears did his fury subside just enough to manage.

Once his agitated state calmed, he was met with a hollow, extreme hunger and fatigue. It was only natural, considering he had consumed nothing but a piece of hard bread and a few sips of water for days, but it still felt absurd. To be alive after such an ordeal should have been an insult to his status as a reputable gentleman, yet his instincts remained stubbornly alive.

‘I cannot die in a place like this.’

Moistening his parched mouth with saliva, Claire muttered inwardly. Even if he were to die here, these villains would never face punishment; at most, they might suffer a single night of restless sleep. That would be a dog’s death.

He would absolutely not die that way. He would struggle to stay alive until he could witness this damned pirate ship sink miserably. Deeply resolved, Claire forced strength into his weakened arms. He gently pushed Elpian away and forced his aching body up, realizing he was still naked. Turning his gaze away from the red-and-purple marks of the tryst, he looked around for his clothes.

In the daylight, the room was wider than expected and incredibly clean for a pirate ship. Aside from the wooden floors and walls, one might have mistaken it for a middle-class bedroom. There was a heavy desk bolted to the wall, several high-quality leather trunks, and, surprisingly, a bookshelf filled with books.

When his drifting gaze landed on the armchair where the terrible incident had occurred yesterday, Claire quickly looked away. He noticed a pile of clothes sitting on the side table. Water must be precious at sea, yet they were clean as if they had been freshly laundered.

He tried to exit the bed without making a sound. Fortunately, Elpian’s sleeping face remained still. He was just pulling his clothes over his trembling limbs and reaching for the door handle when a voice stopped him.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

A dry voice brought Claire to a halt. The green eyes he thought were closed in sleep were staring directly at him. He tensed up, fearing another assault, but Elpian remained lounging lethargically, making no move to approach.

“The deck is crawling with men like the one who lunged at you yesterday. I’ve given the word, but those idiots don’t always listen to me.”

“Being with you isn’t exactly any different.”

His voice came out cracked, likely due to what had happened the night before. To Claire’s stiff reply, Elpian merely gave a strange smile and said nothing. Claire hesitated for a moment, then let go of the door handle and approached the bed where Elpian lay, extending his hand.

“Give me a knife.”

At Claire’s demand, Elpian looked up at him with an intrigued glint in his eyes.

“Do you take me for a fool who would gift a knife to someone who wants to pierce my heart?”

“I intend to step on land alive. I have very little interest in piercing your heart.”

Elpian gave a short laugh at the answer. The last part was a lie, and Elpian’s gaze felt burdensome as if he were reading Claire’s mind, but Claire did not look away. After a brief moment of eye contact, Elpian reached out, grabbed Claire’s slender wrist, and yanked him toward himself. The motion was so swift that Claire was pulled into his embrace before he could resist.

“I thought so at the tavern, but you really do have a pretty face. I only needed a doctor, but it seems you’ll be useful in many ways.”

Grabbing Claire’s chin with one hand, he turned it side to side like a toy. Elpian’s lips touched Claire’s, which were clamped shut to endure the humiliation. Though he hated it, Claire remained still and endured. After sucking on Claire’s red lips, which were as rigid as a stone, Elpian laughed lowly.

“You’ve become quite submissive.”

“In exchange for listening to you, promise me that I won’t be subjected to anything filthier.”

As he made the demand in a calm voice, Elpian raised an eyebrow.

“I want to go outside. I need a means to protect myself.”

“Is there still something left you want to protect?”

Elpian deeply swallowed Claire’s lips again, which had frozen at the mockery. This time the kiss did not end quickly; it continued for a long while. Unlike the biting roughness of the previous night, this was dense and lingering. As Claire panted heavily at the strange sensation of the tongue tickling the inside of his mouth, Elpian chuckled.

As their lips parted with a soft sound, a thin silver thread stretched between them. Staring straight into the emerald eyes right in front of him, Claire spoke in a trembling voice.

“I’d rather bite off my own tongue than suffer this at the hands of every man I encounter out there.”

The corners of Elpian’s mouth, moistened by Claire’s saliva, curved upward. He stood up, stepped off the bed, and opened a leather chest leaning against the wall. Something he pulled out flashed in the sunlight before flying toward Claire. He caught it reflexively, but it was so heavy he nearly dropped it.

“That is my dagger. If any moron dares to lunge at you even after seeing that, feel free to gut him.”

Claire looked at the dagger, which made a metallic clicking sound. Regrettably, it was not a cutlass or a longsword, but a dirk, though it was very ornately decorated. The hilt was ivory banded with gold, and the scabbard, made of luxurious crafted black leather, was set with a green gemstone the same color as Elpian’s eyes.

As Claire unsheathed the blade and carefully examined the diamond-shaped steel, he sensed Elpian approaching him. Wrapping his hand over Claire’s, which held the dagger, Elpian whispered gloomily into his ear.

“If even by mistake this blade is turned toward me, I will cut off your limbs one by one.”

A chill ran through Claire’s entire body. Having finished the threat, Elpian released him immediately and walked back to the chest with an air of nonchalance. After swallowing hard, Claire spoke cautiously.

“Is it… alright for me to go out of this room?”

“Do as you please. It’s better than staying cooped up crying like a girl.”

His tone was light, as if he didn’t care. Claire felt that while the man was violent, he was at least someone who could be reasoned with—meaning he could be manipulated if Claire played his cards right.

While Claire was calculating his next moves, Elpian began to dress using clothes from the chest. Even though Elpian’s back was turned in a vulnerable position the entire time, Claire remained frozen even with the blade in his hand.

The man’s broad back was packed with muscles like tempered steel, marked here and there by sword scars and gunshot wounds. He felt an overwhelming pressure from a body that had survived through slaughter. He was certain that if he lunged with the dagger, he would be effortlessly subdued. The threat to dismember him was surely no joke.

While Claire stood still staring with the dagger in hand, that well-trained body disappeared beneath a black coat. Having finished dressing, Elpian cast an indifferent glance toward Claire.

“Stick with Mary Read.”

“Are you putting a guard on me?”

A cold sneer played on Elpian’s face. His expression seemed to say, ‘Why would I bother putting a guard on someone like you?’ The dismissive attitude stung, even after everything Claire had already endured.

“If you don’t want to die, do as you’re told. I have no desire to play sentinel for your stupid life.”

“…”

“Mary Read will be here soon. For now, put something in your stomach.”

Leaving those words behind, Elpian exited the cabin. Claire did not hear the sound of a bolt being slid across the iron door. No, there was no reason for a bolt to be on the outside of the Admiral’s door in the first place.

The man was filled with enough confidence to believe Claire was already entirely within his grasp.

“One day, I will drive a blade into that arrogant heart of yours.”

Claire muttered lowly, grinding his teeth.