North x Northwest

“I’ll return all the profits that I received from the League. All my hard work throughout the years will be remembered as ‘service’ without pay. I recognize that it’s only a small amount of money, so aside from this, I’ll also include the share of the navigator who carried out his duties in the hope that his service would be spent on a place where it could be useful. I’ll even add some more if that will ease your heavy hearts.”

A captain hostile to Lil shouted.

“Who cares about your and your navigator’s salaries?”

Lil handed the gold certificate to Jarles on her right.

“This is a gold deposit certificate from the imperial bank. Look at the amount.”

As Jarles’ eyes widened, the captain next to him snatched the check. He eventually showed the same expression.

“Now, you… how did you even get this amount…”

“The certificate is fake.”

“Fake?”

“This is a forged receipt, but I tested it out and exchanged it for gold at the Marchand Bank. The evidence is on the Bell Rock. You can go check it out right now if you want.”

“…”

Lil kept talking while looking at their still rigid faces.

“This is something I’ve been working on for a long time. When Anunchio accepted me as a Captain in the League, he had a strategy in mind that could utilise my origin and appearance. I’ve tried different kinds of ways to repay the League hospitality for accepting me, and this is the most successful one. I’m glad to show it before I leave the League.”

“…”

“And lastly, I’ll give you the Bell Rock.”

There was quite a commotion at the table. It was only natural that the League not only needed funds but also ships to continue its operations. The Bell Rock was an imperial merchant ship and therefore strong and sophisticated. The captains began exchanging glances, they were probably all thinking the same thing, that the ship is most likely more appealing than the money. For now, it’s up to the others to debate about whether she would leave as a coward or resign with dignity. At Anunchio’s signal, Lil left through the kitchen door and went out to the living room.

In the living room, gambling under the pretence of playing cards was still in full swing. Besides the players, about ten other people gathered around the table and watched. Shouts erupted as soon as someone won a game, but Lil only walked past them and slumped on the sofa near the stairs.

Lil leaned against the backrest and drank the entire bottle of Qanyon she’d brought with her. 

‘For once, it doesn’t matter if I become drunk or not as I’m now finished being a Captain.’

She’d never drunk much alcohol even before becoming a captain, so she had no idea how much she needed to drink to get intoxicated. Even after shaking off a whole bottle, she remained sober. Lil’s mind was racing with thoughts as she opened the second bottle. 

‘Cesar and ‘Liloa’ will settle in one of the Empire’s principalities, a long distance from Sesbron and the South. In fact, Cesar would wholeheartedly accept living with me in any far away land… Yeah, I should be content as I could enjoy it to this extent… Cesar must’ve struggled as well. How difficult it must’ve been for him…’

Lil vividly remembered their first fight after witnessing the reality of the South.

{ “This is unfair. The nobles of the Empire don’t have the authority to exploit them.” }

{ “Islands are no exception, Liloa. This is similar to how the Empire conquers other countries, obtaining grain from their fields and controlling the people born on that land.” }

{ “Are they the same in your eyes? The Empire’s nobles are slaughtering them without any nationality or social checks. They’re carrying out torture just for the heck of it. You said you mourned my tragedy, that’s why you helped me. Why don’t you also mourn their tragedy?” }

{ “Liloa. You were oppressed, you deserved that freedom.” }

{ “Are you saying they don’t even have the right to be free in the first place?” }

{ “They are slaves, Liloa.” }

{ “They’re free people! Have they been born as slaves? If someone with a gun comes and appoints you as a slave, does that make you a slave? Where’s the freedom that they once enjoyed?” }

{ “What the hell is even a free man in your opinion?” }

{ “Sir Cesar!” }

Lil ultimately joined the League following her disagreement with Cesar. It wasn’t easy at first as she had the appearance of someone from the Empire. However, there were already a lot of mixed races in the South, so when Lil acted like them, it made things a lot easier. And her good fortune in meeting Anunchio early on played a significant part. Cesar served Lil as her right-hand man as she rose to the position of captain of the Bell Rock. There were times when Lil advised Cesar to leave. But Lil suspected that Cesar stayed with her because he didn’t want their relationship to be harmed by the variable called the Bell Rock. He probably never really understood what the Bell Rock meant to her.

After moving onto the Bell Rock, Lil began to feel more and more sorry for Cesar as the days went by. That’s why she was glad that she eventually got carried away with the thrill of exercising her free will. Obviously, she had been a free woman the moment she left the duchy, but leading the Bell Rock was a result of her first choice as a free woman. However, her guilt toward Cesar became so great, that she couldn’t stand in front of him anymore. Lil told him carefully that they didn’t have to be together. Only Cesar refused as he loved her. The guilt was slowly eating away at her, but whenever she thought about quitting as captain, it felt like her flesh was being cut all over again. Fortunately, though, Cesar also refused that offer and stated that he didn’t want to limit her freedom…

Lil began to feel dizzy halfway through her second bottle of Qanyon. So she leaned her head backwards and gazed up at the ceiling. Suddenly, a face appeared in her field of vision, which was initially filled with grey-white tiles.

“Captain. What are you doing here?”

“…”

Lil rolled her eyes.

“Captain?”

“…”

Ed waved his hand in front of her nose. Lil, who became even dizzier by this act, smacked his hand out of annoyance. No, she tried to but she actually didn’t and swung aimlessly in the air instead. Still, Lil thought she successfully struck it, because she couldn’t see the hand gestures anymore. Ed lowered his hand and speechlessly looked at her from left to right. He then asked with a big smile.

“Captain! Are you drunk?”

“What?”

“Are you drunk?”

Ed put his face closer to sniff the alcohol. Lil watched curiously as green eyes transformed into the eyes of a fly. 

‘No, now that I see it, it’s not a person, it’s a fly.’

“A fly…”

“What?”

“…”

Lil swung her hand swiftly as if she was about to catch a bug and hit Ed on the top of his head. However it wasn’t really as fast or as hard as Lil fought it to be, so Ed could only laugh while grabbing his stomach. The still smiling Ed shook his head and lowered Lil’s hand, which was still resting on it. He then gave her the bottle of liquor he had grabbed and took a seat next to her, laughing uncontrollably.

“Drink some more. I think it’s still a long way before you’re drunk.”

“Huh?”

“Have more.”

“…”

Ed was about to wrap his hand around the bottle to help Lil, but she pushed it away as if his interference was annoying and she drank the last of the Qanyon on her own. Meanwhile, Ed covered his mouth because it was about to tear from smiling so broadly and swallowed another outburst of laughter. Then as she put the empty bottle down, he asked happily.

“Do you know who I am?”

Lil looked blankly at Ed, who kept shoving his face back and forth.

“You..? You’re a fly.”

“I’m a fly?”

“So die!”

Lil laid her hand on his crown again. Ed burst out laughing, and he immediately thought about taking her out of here because her drunkenness seemed a great opportunity for him. When Marenzio, who was also recovering from a severe injury, stated he was going to a drinking party, Ed followed him here. But now the guy was nowhere to be found. Looking around, it appeared that Cesar wasn’t here either. So Ed crouched in front of the couch with the intention to put Lil on his back, completely forgetting his own injury. When he felt her hands on his head again, Ed chuckled as if he’d lost his mind and tugged Lil’s arm. Her heated body brushed up against his back.

“Are you all right, Captain?”

“…”

The question came from a slowly approaching voice next to them. Ed, who turned his head like a criminal caught red-handed at the scene of a kidnapping, confirmed his opponent. It was Jericho. After yawning loudly, the tired-looking Jericho asked earnestly.

“What are you doing with the Captain?”

“Jericho. Are the old man, Marenzio and Joe also here?”

Startled by the sound above him, Ed let go of the arm he was holding.

“Well… Yeah, they’re on the second floor.”

“Bring them down.”

This time, it was a pretty clear voice. Ed, who began breaking out in cold sweat, carefully raised his upper body and placed Lil on the sofa again. Jericho couldn’t help but give Ed an odd look as he walked up the stairs to the second floor. Slowly glancing over his shoulder, Ed was afraid about what kind of expression Lil was making. However, she sat perfectly still, without hurling any punches or kicks at him. He then turned around completely and looked at Lil, who was staring at him blankly. He knelt in front of her, met her gaze and before he knew it, her palm fell on his head again. Ed couldn’t help but burst out laughing once more…

“…Lil!..”