novelraw Chapter 18: Earlobe
Chapter 18: Earlobe
The backyard behind Martha's house was her private space. Located close to the partition wall and far from other houses' yards, she had planted some cabbages she loved there. She often came to guard them, fearing the neighbors' dogs might come chew on her vegetables.
Behind them, Arajina surveyed the quiet surroundings. Only now that they were close did Fischer notice she carried a faint, refreshing scent like sea salt, matching her hair color. The slim men's suit fitted her perfectly, allowing Fischer to clearly see the soft curves at her chest that proved she wasn't some elegant young nobleman, but a young woman.
"A pirate worth 7.5 million, brazenly walking the streets of Nary," Fischer remarked as they entered the yard, glancing back at Arajina who was still observing their surroundings. "If it were me, I'd definitely consider taking your head to the Sarding Matriarchy for a lifetime of riches."
She turned to Fischer, her gaze fixed unwaveringly on his Adam's apple as she explained calmly, "Pirates... also take private contracts. Employers convey requests through information brokers. This employer was special, but... the broker was killed. I happened to meet that elderly woman outside."
"Information broker?"
Arajina nodded. There had been a murder on Karen Street. She'd gone to find their contracting broker, only to discover the person dead with Nary police already surrounding the scene.
This also explained why the Iceberg Queen had unprecedentedly appeared in the South Sea - to fulfill some employer's request in Nary.
"I see... Since you helped Martha, I should return the favor."
"Favor?"
"Even for completing a private contract, a high-bounty pirate like you shouldn't come ashore personally unless there's something crucial requiring direct negotiation... Like discussing Nary's future support for your crew."Arajina's gaze flickered several times before finally lifting completely to Fischer's face. After studying him for a long moment, she said calmly, "You're no ordinary man."
"I'm a scholar with some inside information."
"..."
After a pause, Arajina removed her black gloves, revealing pale, delicate hands. "I've already negotiated with them. Nary's position is they won't provide us any convenience for the foreseeable future. Their ports will be closed to us, and their navy will make symbolic efforts to drive us away."
"...That's rather unfortunate."
As previously mentioned, the North Sea bordered only three nations: Schwalli, the Sarding Matriarchy, and Nary. If even the last country strictly banned the Iceberg Queen, survival in the North Sea would become extremely difficult, as unlike other oceans, it had virtually no islands for anchorage.
To Nary's officials, the Iceberg Queen was merely a disposable pawn - fed when useful, kicked aside when not. Had Fischer been in her position, he'd likely have started raiding Nary ships in anger.
After coming ashore and learning more about the Four Great Pirates, Fischer understood why the Iceberg Queen only plundered Schwalli's assets, rarely took lives, and allowed captured crews to return unharmed - which explained how so much intelligence reached Schwalli.
"They offered me a choice - abandon my ship and crew for political asylum."
Fischer mentally shook his head. The New Party's "political asylum" was nonsense - they just wanted to temporarily hold the Iceberg Queen as a strategic card. If relations improved, they'd hand her over for better terms; if not, they'd release her to resume raiding.
"You refused them."
Arajina's expression rarely changed, but now her sapphire-blue eyes revealed unmistakable determination. Seeing those clear sky-like eyes, Fischer suddenly remembered the necklace Reina had stolen from her, still in his pocket - he should return it.
"I killed a feudal lord of the Sarding Matriarchy. That night, I escaped to sea with the sisters who rebelled with me."
The Matriarchy operated a feudal system - besides the central Great Queen, numerous vassal states guarded the capital. These feudal lords were mostly descendants of meritorious officials or royalty, responsible for protection and tribute.
"That woman was my mother. She humiliated my father to his death. The rebellion was personal vengeance, yet my sisters followed me into exile at sea, unable to come ashore. Now facing this choice, I cannot abandon them."
Though her aristocratic features remained impassive, Fischer could hear the turbulent emotions beneath her measured words. So she was a descendant of a Sarding feudal lord - no wonder she carried none of a pirate's roughness.
As the sun dipped lower, an evening breeze stirred, lifting strands of the woman's white hair. Through the fluttering strands, Fischer glimpsed her small, delicate earlobe.
Contrasting sharply with her pale, composed face, that tiny earlobe had turned a visible shade of pink, like the most tempting cherry.
Fischer blinked in surprise, but the hair fell back, concealing that vulnerable earlobe, leaving only the cool, collected Arajina.
"I understand now..." Fischer sighed, reaching into his coat for the cool necklace. "As I mentioned, I'm a scholar currently researching demi-humans. A month ago, after you left our ship, I captured an ocean demi-human."
"Demi-human?"
Arajina tilted her head slightly, processing the term.
"She claimed to have stolen a woman's item from a nearby ship and gave it to me. I wonder if it's the valuable item you've been searching for."
He produced the blue necklace. Arajina instantly recognized it as her missing piece. Her deep blue eyes - matching the necklace's gemstone - flickered, but then she looked past the necklace straight at Fischer.
Suddenly, she pressed her pale hand against Fischer's chest, pushing him against the courtyard wall. As Fischer frowned to speak, she leaned down imposingly and said, "That woman I returned... was quite talkative. She shared much about her... outstanding child..."
Fischer stiffened mid-movement, suddenly remembering the lie he'd used last time to escape - that he and Renée were married. But Martha knew his actual status as a handsome, single 28-year-old whom she loved promoting to everyone.
Had she... by any misfortune... told Arajina?
Arajina lowered her head, obscuring her beautiful face, letting Fischer only feel her cool breath on his neck as she murmured softly, "She said... you're unmarried... and very eager for a child?"