From Usher’s perspective, it was nonsense.
But the fact that this lie could shape the relationship between him and the pirate in a more friendly direction could not be denied.
More than that, it wasn’t a complete lie.
Kyle —it was undeniably the name of one of the mercenaries who had raised him, a self-proclaimed “Sea Man.”
Because of that, Usher’s shock deepened.
But his understanding came quickly.
‘Now that I think about it…?’
The pieces finally seemed to fall into place.
A man from the sea, a fugitive pirate, and an extraordinary display of power.
The Eastern martial artist and assassin “Hwaran” had mocked him as a commoner swept up by the tides of time, but in reality, Kyle had been a strong warrior in the mercenary band, serving as the vanguard alongside the leader.
The Pirate King.
The Pirate King, huh?
In the midst of the tense situation, facing an unexpected truth, the shock was immense.
But he couldn’t remain in a daze forever.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Usher decided to ride along with this flow.
Of course, it was more fitting to be called “son” or “disciple (important!)” rather than “daughter.”
The rest of the proceedings went smoothly.
“Hey! Stop the attack! From now on, these guests will be treated as extreme poverty!!!”
“Wooooo!!!”
The man who introduced himself as the Black Hawk, Lycas, shouted loudly.
The pirates looked up at him with eyes filled with admiration and cheered.
Usher, caught in their whispers, shrank back.
“The Pirate King’s daughter…! Does this mean the archipelago will reunite?”
“But she’s a woman. Can she fight well?”
“Didn’t you see just now? That swordsmanship—it’s the Pirate King’s ‘Wave Catcher’! No wonder she was rampaging on the ship!”
“Pirate Empress! The Pirate Empress has arrived!!!”
Is this really happening?
The thought came late, but it was already too late.
The returned prodigal, the bloodline of the king who would rule the chaotic archipelago.
Surrounded by all sorts of extravagant embellishments, Usher stood on the pirate ship’s deck.
And then, sitting gracefully in a beautifully adorned chair, he heard the cheers of “Ooooh!!!”
He sent a pleading look for help, but no one responded.
Judith sent him a message saying, “Yes, just do that.”
Melvin laughed without any awareness and clapped, while the priests at the helm were too busy hugging each other and crying in relief. Bersia? For now, Bersia was the furthest from Usher.
‘Ugh…?’
Usher lowered his eyes.
Bersia, standing in a corner with her arms crossed and staring at him, had a chilling gaze.
He felt that if they were alone, the scolding he would receive would be much harsher than anything he had faced so far.
So this is what a thorny seat feels like.
Caught up in the chaotic cheering, unable to settle down, they finally reached the outer rim of the archipelago.
They arrived at the island of the Black Hawk.
“Hey! Bring out all the remaining alcohol! Today’s a festival!!!”
Lycas seemed the most excited of all.
From what he had heard, he was a subordinate and friend of Kaili.
When Usher asked, feeling guilty, “Don’t you think it’s possible I lied?” the response had been:
“You can tell just by watching the swordplay! That guy even copied his old habits exactly!!!”
If he had been moved by that, would it be too much of a loose emotion?
The fact that his swordsmanship had been so perfectly passed on, even his closest friend could see it, brought a small comfort to Usher.
In any case, Usher and his group were guided to the most extravagant building on the island.
It was large enough to rival a banquet hall, with one wall torn down to connect to the outdoors, providing enough space for all the pirates of the island to gather.
There, Usher sat face-to-face with Lycas.
Lycas took a single oak barrel and chugged it down in one go, then let out a loud burp.
Afterward, he immediately said:
“So, did Kyle leave well?”
Usher flinched, his fingertips trembling.
When he looked up, there was a bearded man with a smile like a boy’s but eyes that belonged to an adult.
It was hard for him to speak.
The fact that the message he had to deliver was about a death, and that the other person already knew about it, made the situation anything but pleasant.
Seeing Usher hesitate, Lycas added:
“It’s alright. I know better than anyone that he wasn’t some noble, high-class guy. I grew up with the little brat.”
“Ah…”
“I’d planned to visit him for a bit. That’s what he said the last time we met. I thought he was probably dead by now…”
Boom—
Lycas opened another oak barrel and continued:
“…If his daughter is here instead of him, then the answer is clear. I didn’t think about it earlier because I was too excited on the ship, but…”
He chuckled.
After a brief moment of bitterness, he licked his lips and soon regained a cheerful expression, returning to the initial question:
“So I’m asking. Did he go out like he said, with a glorious end?”
Usher thought that, for this question, he could not lie.
So, after more than ten years, he finally spoke about the end of his memories.
“…I don’t know if it was a glorious end. He threw himself in to protect me.”
His last words were still fresh in his mind.
“Live without regrets. Even if you make enemies of the whole world, follow the path you believe in. A man never retreats, even if a tsunami is coming.”
“That’s what he said.”
At that moment, Lycas fell silent.
He chewed on something, as if mulling it over, then suddenly broke into a wide smile.
“Isn’t it just the best?”
He chuckled softly, letting out a “Khehe.”
“It’s a glorious end, isn’t it?”
He stood up from his seat.
“Just like Kyle ! He really lived a remarkable life!!!”
He raised an oak barrel high.
“Everyone, lift your glasses! Let’s toast to our king who has departed!!!”
“Wooooo!!!”
With that, he emptied the second oak barrel in one go.
His expression didn’t change even a little bit.
He was a master of drinking.
He didn’t ask how Kyle had died.
Instead, he urged:
“Hey, nephew! You drink too! You’re old enough, right?!”
Usher didn’t enjoy drinking.
He thought losing one’s restraint and staggering around lacked dignity.
But, today, he thought maybe having one drink wouldn’t be so bad.
There were moments that left only bitterness behind when he thought back.
There were names left unsaid, people who had been left behind without being properly honored.
Now, finally, he could raise a glass to one of those names, meeting someone who remembered the same face.
“Yes, just a little.”
Usher took a sip of his drink.
“…Hehehe.”
And with that, he was drunk.
Bersia de Astalion.
Her body, it seemed, had a terrible performance, becoming incapacitated even with a single sip of alcohol!
Up until now, at least, in all the situations, Bersia’s opinions hadn’t been reflected at all.
It wasn’t that the fact itself annoyed him.
What frustrated Bersia was, without a doubt, Usher’s handling of the situation.
‘It didn’t have to be this way.’
Every one of his actions could be explained that way.
In the end, things had worked out fine, but wasn’t it too reckless?
He had chosen to join the fight at sea, even when it wasn’t necessary.
While Usher could overcome enemies with his body, what about his safety?
Had the enemy been a third pirate and not Lycas, the situation would have taken a drastic turn the moment the pirate targeted Usher.
While blocking a knight who used mana with his frail body, it was possible he had been injured.
It was hard to say how the prayer that had contributed to the body-switching would manifest in that moment, but from Bersia’s point of view, Usher’s choices were all wrong.
Thus, her displeasure had reached a point that couldn’t be put into words.
Amidst all this, Melvin offered Usher a drink.
“Usher! Come on, have a drink too!”
Bersia smiled softly but gently declined.
She didn’t understand why she had to drink such things in the first place, and right now, she was more concerned about other matters.
Her gaze landed on Usher.
The sight of him, with his face flushed and laughing carelessly, made her stomach tighten.
He should at least be stopped, but Judith, sitting next to her, was just sipping her drink, listening to the conversation.
‘This won’t do.’
Bersia thought, and tried to approach him.
But Usher was quicker.
“Ah!”
He suddenly stood up, looked at her, and smiled brightly.
Then he staggered over.
He was definitely drunk.
It didn’t sit well with her.
Wanting to leave the situation immediately, feeling like she might feel better if she yelled at him, Bersia approached him and grabbed his hand.
“You’re drunk. Let’s go.”
“Seventy….”
“I’ll go ahead.”
Bersia nodded toward Judith and Lycas, then pulled Usher toward the direction of the room they were assigned to.
A small village at the edge of one of the islands in the archipelago.
The pirate residents were all still there, so as they walked, the noise faded, and silence took over.
The shadows of night and the starlight adorned the dark path.
The laughter from behind became a distant echo, transforming into a whisper, while the empty space was filled with the sound of waves.
The stillness and peace surrounded them, but inside, Bersia was overwhelmed with emotions.
At a corner, she stopped, gritting her teeth.
Then, she turned sharply and was about to lash out at Usher.
“Sir, I need to talk for a moment…”
At that moment, Poof
Usher stumbled into her, possibly losing his balance or maybe seeking support, but the truth was, he had buried his head in her chest.
For a moment, she was flustered.
Usher lifted his head slightly.
At that moment, another emotion replaced her confusion.
Everything felt strange.
“Hehehe…”
Usher flashed a half-lidded smile, his eyes half-closed.
Between the salty sea air and the smell of alcohol, his scent mixed with hers.
The sound of waves, his breathing, and his laughter tickled her ears.
Everything felt distant, yet dreamy.
Despite her anger, in that moment, she couldn’t help but feel sentimental.
“Impression….”
When he poked her forehead with his finger,
“Wrinkles… not supposed to…”
Her emotions unraveled completely.
Bersia stared into his eyes, drawn into them.
In those eyes, all she could see was confusion.
She understood the reason.
The anger she had felt moments ago began to fade, and the words she had planned to say disappeared.
All that remained was the person in front of her.
‘Why?’
She knew the answer too well.
Her lips were tightly shut.
In that moment, Usher collapsed against her.
Bersia caught him.
Looking up, she found Usher had fallen asleep.
She stared at his peacefully sleeping face for a long time.
She had thought about this many times, but the answer remained the same.
Usher was frustrating, but she couldn’t help but love him with all her heart.
If her heart could soften so easily, what would happen in the future?
The thought itself was frightening.
Bersia furrowed her brow, lifting the corners of her lips.
What was spilling from her mouth now was no longer resentment but softened words.
“Really…”
As Judith had said, “You’re clever. You really are.”
Usher was an incredibly sly and frustrating person.