Maelstrom - Chapter 6

At the same time Ernest visited Diego’s antique shop, Barbara was spending a leisurely afternoon.

As she watched the children still playing around the harbor laughing innocently, a quiet smile formed on Barbara’s lips as well.

Someone approached Barbara while she was enjoying the rare peaceful scenery.

“Lady Barbara, can’t we just ditch that bastard and leave?”

It was Adam, one of the Angelos executives.

“It’s already insane enough that he walks around hard all the damn time, but every time I see him, I remember the past, and it seriously freaks me the hell out!”

He pleaded with a miserable expression that didn’t suit his massive build at all. Arms as thick as a child’s torso, a towering height like a small fortress wall, and a rough angular face made him look like a fearless warrior who feared nothing in the world, but unexpectedly, Adam’s heart was as delicate as a young girl’s.

“Isn’t now our chance while that bastard’s gone? We should leave immediately, urk!”

If Ernest, who had disappeared as soon as they arrived in Zelia, had heard those words, he probably would’ve tried to tear Adam limb from limb. But unfortunately, Ernest wasn’t here right now, and fortunately, the only one whose eyes flipped back at Adam’s booming voice was Carly.

The doctor affiliated with Angelos slammed her fist into the back of Adam’s head before shouting, “And what’s Lady Barbara supposed to do without the admiral around? Go insane after getting devoured by the curse? You selfish fucking trash!”

“What? No, that’s not what I meant!”

Apparently, he hadn’t thought about Barbara’s curse at all. Adam, furiously rubbing the back of his head, looked startled by Carly’s words and hurriedly apologized.

“I-I’m sorry! I wasn’t thinking….”

“It’s fine.”

Watching his huge body shrink down, Barbara waved her hand dismissively.

Because she understood how Adam felt. The long trail of blood was still vivid in her mind.

For the first time in a long while, Barbara recalled the Ernest of the past. The man so different from now, the arrogant admiral himself who drove people into constant tension.

***

It happened the day she returned from the Eastern Continent across the sea.

The strange thing rising along the unusually blue horizon first caught her attention just as a colder-than-usual breeze brushed coolly past the hair beneath her ears.

Feeling uneasy, she raised her telescope toward it, and the moment she did, a massive fleet revealed itself and seized her attention.

Long blade-like beakheads, elegant sea goddesses carved into the sterns, black hulls that didn’t suit the bright weather at all. And behind them, one ominous ship-of-the-line after another slowly came into view.

“Admiral Farrell?”

The hulls scorched black like they’d been burned were the trademark of the ships-of-the-line owned by Admiral Farrell, one among roughly twenty admirals. Since rumors painted him as an utterly unpredictable man, anyone who wasn’t a pirate rarely ever saw his fleet.

‘What is this?’

The moment Barbara’s brows narrowed, a signal flare exploded from one of the rapidly approaching ships-of-the-line. At the distant bursting sound, her full lips bit down hard.

“The Hound?”

The sailors’ pale faces turned toward Barbara.

Why? Why are they stopping the Angelos?

Her thoughts raced, but nothing came to mind. Still, one fortunate thing was that the cargo hold contained nothing but sugar, cotton fabric, and luxury goods. There were no excessive firearms or cannon shells aboard that would clearly look intended for sale.

“Lower the sails!”

An irritated order burst out.

At her command, the sailors moved in perfect unison, and soon the sails rose with loud flapping sounds as the sheets of canvas billowed violently.

Now visible clearly even to the naked eye, the navy ships wrapped in darkness came charging toward them like predators hunting prey.

And soon, an ominous sound followed.

Clunk, boom! The chained noise echoed across the sea.

Barbara knew exactly what that sound meant. And the sailors aboard the Angelos were equally familiar with it.

The black hull, like a looming shadow that had drawn close before anyone noticed, turned sideways and opened its gunports toward them. The Angelos, being a galleon, was far taller, yet somehow it still felt overwhelmingly oppressive.

Barbara clenched her fist and lifted her chin.

Something unexpected was happening, but as always, panicking first would solve nothing.

“By order of His Majesty the Emperor! The Angelos Trading Company will now submit to inspection!”

After a cold silence, a sharp ringing voice called out. Behind the man with the harsh-looking features stood rows of navy soldiers in dark blue uniforms, all raising their guns toward the Angelos.

The atmosphere was openly coercive, making it perfectly clear they intended to sink the ship if necessary.

An inspection, out of nowhere.

Barbara disliked the incomprehensible situation, but she had no other choice.

“Drop anchor and prepare the boarding plank. This might be a good chance to win over the Hound while we’re at it.”

“Yes.”

Barbara whispered softly to Alfredo as she looked down at the lined-up navy soldiers. Among them, she saw no one who appeared to be Admiral Farrell.

“The Angelos Trading Company promises to cooperate faithfully with His Majesty the Emperor’s inspection!”

With Alfredo’s shout, delivered while standing perfectly straight, the boarding plank was laid between the two ships.

The navy soldiers, now aiming their guns toward the sky instead, crossed over onto the Angelos one by one. The sound of low heels striking the thick wooden plank spread out like the ticking of a clock.

Barbara descended to the main deck with a familiar smile resting on her lips.

Turn crisis into opportunity.

Engraving the cheap proverb into her mind, she approached the man who boarded last, seemingly the captain. His sharp features made him look especially strict.

“I’m Barbara Miller. As you likely know, I’m the head of the Angelos Trading Company.”

The man did not take the pale hand she extended alongside her gentle greeting. Instead, he pressed his clenched fist against his thigh and stiffly stepped aside.

At the same moment, heavy footsteps she hadn’t heard until now rang out, followed by the sudden spread of a strong cigar scent. It was rich enough to drive away even the salty smell of the sea for an instant.

“Ah.”

At the low murmur that seemed to rise from deep in his chest, Barbara lifted her gaze forward.

A man was stepping aboard the Angelos through the hazy smoke. The moment she met those radiant blond strands and those cruelly gleaming transparent eyes, Barbara tensed despite all her earlier resolve.

“So you’re Barbara Miller.”

The brilliant gold embroidery stitched into his uniform and the epaulettes that anyone could recognize as those of an admiral clearly revealed that he was Admiral Farrell.

“Yes. I’m Barbara Miller.”

The sharply honed eyes of a predator pierced straight through Barbara. It contrasted with his refined, almost noble appearance. His gaze was the kind that crushed people beneath it.

Barbara skillfully concealed her surprise and extended the hand she had withdrawn once more.

“….”

Admiral Farrell stared blankly at the long pale hand stretched toward him as he took a deep drag from his cigar. Shadows fell across his hollowed cheek, and for a fleeting moment, it felt as though she had glimpsed the raw face hidden beneath everything.

Barbara pretended not to notice and stubbornly refused to withdraw the hand she had extended.

And soon, over the brief silence, he exhaled a harsh stream of smoke that had scraped through his lungs together with a deep smile.

“A pleasure.”

At that very moment, a thick rough hand with hardened knuckles seized hers almost aggressively.

“It’s unfortunate we have to meet like this, but we have our duties to carry out.”

Contrary to her expectation that he would simply let go after speaking briefly, the admiral continued surveying the surroundings while still holding Barbara’s hand.

It felt as though sticky sweat might gather in her heated palm. Despite the refreshingly pleasant early summer weather, the area around him seemed to radiate heat like midsummer.

Unable to tolerate that uncomfortable warmth, Barbara pulled her hand free from his grasp. Cool refreshing air touched her fingertips at last.

The feeling of finally being able to breathe again made Barbara draw a shallow breath before speaking to Admiral Farrell.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean. The Angelos Trading Company isn’t a pirate crew.”

After silently glancing over her once, the admiral continued carefully examining the cannons arranged across the deck before finally looking directly at Barbara.

“Well. We received a report about illegal dealings.”

“…Even if that were true, our trading company isn’t large enough to warrant the personal appearance of an admiral….”

The admiral abruptly cut off Barbara before she could continue.

“Perhaps they felt it was necessary to put a leash on you. You should’ve been more careful.”

“….”

A report, my ass.

The navy was simply becoming wary now that Angelos had grown too large. From the navy’s perspective, a trading company that prioritized private profit over the nation was nothing but a headache. After all, they were the kind of people who would sell out even their own country for money.

Even so, the fact that they had sent not just an admiral but specifically the “Hound” for something they could’ve handled with minor officers made it obvious.