Maelstrom - Chapter 9

At first, it was so ridiculous she couldn’t even look at his face, but maybe because Barbara had carefully dressed him up, the more she looked, the more decent he seemed.

The ash-gray hair curled in rolls bounced lightly beside his face, and the reddish tones brushed over his eyelids showed off a woman’s mature allure. His lips, already full and pretty for a man, were naturally the color of flower petals without needing anything applied.

Although he had to wear a wig used in the Imperial Assembly because they couldn’t find anything suitable, his original features were so good that it was still passable.

The problem, however, was that sturdy body of his. No matter how much she shaped his chest to look fuller, his broad shoulders and thick arms were never those of a woman.

No matter what he wore, it was obvious it was a man’s body, so Barbara had no choice but to take drastic measures. What was the point of making his face look like a woman’s when his body was still male?

So Barbara made him wear her dress. The buttons at the back wouldn’t close and the shoulder line didn’t fit, but since it was sleeveless, it was somewhat acceptable if covered with a cloak.

“If you just change your voice, it’ll be perfect. No one will realize you’re that Admiral Farrell.”

They wouldn’t. They wouldn’t, but everyone thought he looked like the kind of person who would get attacked a lot.

With a satisfied face, Ernest whispered into Barbara’s ear, “Really? Then wouldn’t it be fun to do it like this for once? Switching roles sounds like it could be pretty fun.”

“Still, I don’t think I’d enjoy doing it with a woman.”

“That’s a shame.”

Ernest, who had been pressed close to Barbara, smacked his lips and stepped back. Not as much as with pants, but the skirt at the center was slightly lifted.

Barbara frowned as she looked at it and said, “Control yourself in that outfit. It makes me want to shoot you.”

“Mm, I’ll try.”

It was grotesque. It was something you couldn’t bear to look at directly, yet it seemed the two of them had completely different standards of beauty.

Unaware that everyone else thought so, Barbara forcibly tore her gaze away from him and looked toward the harbor right in front of them. Even at a glance, it looked chaotic.

“If we wait, they’ll come, right?”

Would she finally meet them?

“We should hope it doesn’t take too long.”

Hearing Ernest’s low voice, Barbara recalled someone.

A swollen face, a body bruised all over, ragged breathing….

Remembering the emotions from that shocking day, it felt as if she could feel the rough grip that had clutched her hand, and as if that trembling voice brushed past her ear.

‘Barbara, please….’

Do you know? That your request was never fulfilled.

Because I’m a sinner, I’m taking revenge with a sense of atonement. Or maybe I’m just venting my anger.

No, that’s not it either.

In the end, I’m going to find the cause that led everything to end in tragedy like this. Even though I know nothing will change even if I kill him with my own hands, I can’t just stand by while that cause, that person, is still alive and breathing.

If I can end that worthless life with my own hands….

Will you smile at me then?

“By the way, Barbara, are you letting me take part in your revenge plan?”

Unlike his ridiculous appearance, the voice asking her was serious.

“Well…. I just hope you don’t get in the way.”

She didn’t want to grant them a noble death by simply putting a bullet through their bodies.

She wanted to pay them back exactly as much as she’d suffered. To the point they would collapse at her feet and beg her to just kill them, to the point they would wait every night for the face of the reaper that would take their lives.

“There’s no way I’d get in the way. If it comes down to it, I can be an excellent shield of flesh.”

He was talking about his immortal body.

Barbara glanced at Ernest, who spoke so casually, then muttered quietly as she brushed past him, “Don’t let your guard down. Watch your back.”

You must have a weakness too.

Death comes from unexpected places. Even if you have a body that won’t die, danger always strikes from behind where you can’t see it.

“Ha, fuck….”

Watching Barbara’s back as she got off the ship, Ernest rubbed his face dry. He stared blankly at the reddish tint smeared on his palm, then clenched his hand tightly.

Had anyone ever told him to be careful? Even if someone had, it would’ve been so long ago he couldn’t even remember.

With a body that recovers anyway, what was the point of being careful?

Thinking about it, it was a ridiculous thing to say.

“Barbara, Barbara, Barbara….”

But his surging possessiveness ran wild even at those trivial words.

***

The harbor of Thalassa Island was beyond disorderly. It was filthy. Piles of nets with no clear purpose were scattered everywhere, and from the empty wooden crates stacked to one side, which seemed to have once held fish, rose the stench of rot mixed with fishy odor.

The sticky humidity clinging to their bodies, combined with the loud clamor, brought the Angelos crew the worst kind of discomfort.

And in the middle of all that, there was no way Ernest would avoid the provocations thrown at him.

“Tch, damn it, ptui!”

“Fuck, feels like what I ate last night is coming back up. What the hell….”

How many times was this already….

“Shouldn’t he be covering up even more, Lady Barbara?”

Alfredo, walking behind her, stuck close to Barbara’s back and glanced at Ernest from the corner of his eye.

“He’s satisfied with it himself….”

Barbara also looked at Ernest, who had just punched the face of the pirate who spat at him.

“Aagh!”

“Oh my, my mistake!”

At first, he at least tried to adjust his voice, but now he didn’t even bother.

“Just because your tone sounds feminine doesn’t make you a woman! You did disguise yourself to avoid being exposed, right?”

Alfredo trembled with anxiety at the appearance that only drew more attention.

Barbara patted Alfredo’s shoulder, reassuring him, “More people are trying to avoid him instead.”

In fact, many people were desperately avoiding eye contact and just walking straight ahead.

Barbara had to admit it. Anyone could tell Ernest was a well-built man in women’s clothing. From the moment he stepped off the ship, countless eyes had been drawn to him. The curses that burst out with every step were enough to make anyone flustered.

A perfectly fine-looking man walking around in something unbearable to look at would naturally invite trouble, given the aggressive nature of pirates. And since Ernest wasn’t the type to just endure it, crushing a few people as examples like that meant more people were avoiding him now.

They just think he’s crazy.

Isn’t it true that a madman who exists beyond understanding is more frightening than someone strong who wields overwhelming power? And Ernest seemed to possess both.

“No, this is actually scary now….”

Alfredo’s expectations were more than fulfilled by Ernest.

Ernest, who had been habitually wiping his dripping, bloodied fist against the dress, suddenly flinched and glanced at Barbara.

“There’s filthy blood on Barbara’s dress.”

“It’s fine, come here….”

Barbara couldn’t finish her sentence.

“Blood from a bastard like you touching Barbara’s clothes.”

Whether he had already passed out, the pirate who had spat earlier couldn’t even let out a groan despite Ernest’s relentless kicks. As the hem of the skirt lifted and his bare leg shot out, clearly unlike a woman’s, even the onlookers watching frowned and turned away.

After venting his anger for a while, he still seemed unable to calm down. Letting out a deep sigh, he straightened his crooked wig and then came to stand quietly beside Barbara.

“I’ll buy you a new dress.”

“Do as you like.”

Answering indifferently, Barbara was finally able to relax once they rented out an entire inn.

That was thanks to the people who had witnessed Ernest’s grotesque display holding back their disgust for the moment. Of course, the owner’s complexion had turned extremely sour the moment he saw Ernest.

“Go wash up. We’re going to buy you a set of clothes.”

The room was ordinary, with a bed large enough for two people, a bathroom, a small wardrobe, and a table. Even on a pirate island, it seemed a place where people lived was no different.

“This is already enough.”

Sitting on the bed, Barbara looked Ernest up and down and spoke with a sigh, “Why don’t you take a look in the mirror?”

His previously sour expression eased, and Ernest finally looked down at himself.

The back of his hand, where dried blood had hardened into rough scales, the dirtied white dress, and the wig, weighed down heavily by moisture, drooping over his head.

Once he became aware of it, he could easily imagine how he must look.

“Hmm, it is a bit repulsive. We’re buying women’s clothes, right?”

Barbara looked at him like he was pathetic and replied, “Yeah. Women’s clothes.”

Saying it was a good idea, Ernest immediately went into the bathroom.

Whether he unexpectedly liked his appearance in women’s clothing, or whether it was refreshing to swing his fists again at pirates picking fights with him after so long, it was hard to tell what he was thinking.