Chapter 24
“I’ll give you the freedom you want.”
That day, when everyone was pointing their fingers at her, calling her a criminal—
I remembered the sight of her quietly holding her head high. Kanoe Bluebell, who looked as if she bore some noble destiny.
There were so many things I wanted to ask. What had made her that way? How could she so clearly point to what she wanted?
So when I drove away the navy and was left alone in the open sea, I decided to find her. It was, at least half, an impulsive choice.
“Then why did you pull that prank on me?!”
Yes, that blunt honesty—that was still the same. Kanoe never held back what she wanted to say, never hesitated to show her feelings.
Sometimes, I teased her just to see how she would react.
I was curious. Meeting her made me realize that not knowing what someone feels can be… fun.
I’d met countless people. People who spoke kind words while secretly mocking you. People who pretended to care but stabbed you in the back.
It disgusted me, but there was no avoiding it. That was Ian Frederick’s world.
But Kanoe was different. She was someone from outside that world.
Maybe that was why—
The more I couldn’t understand her, the more curious I became. What was she really thinking? Was she truly okay? Even when she smiled, what kind of ripples stirred in her heart?
Yet she never revealed what was inside.
“It’s fine. Why pile on more debt for nothing?”
She was the one who approached first with that playful smile. But when I looked back, she had already walked far away.
I was aware of that subtle distance between us. But I didn’t dare close it.
Because from the start, this was a relationship based on a contract.
A relationship where we agreed to use each other when necessary.
Ian never got to know Kanoe’s heart.
If he had even the slightest clue—could he have predicted this?
<Master, I’m scared, so I’m leaving.>
In the empty cabin, Ian picked up the note lying on the table.
The crooked letters looked as though a child had written them, and the smudges of ink hinted at haste.
It was clearly a final farewell.
“Hey, Ian? Where are you going?”
Lloyd, who had returned with both hands full of goods, sensed something was off. His eyes swept across the room that held no trace of her.
“I… I need to step out for a bit.”
Ian brushed past him, shoulders slumped. Lloyd stared in disbelief, dropping the shopping bags with a thud.
“Seriously? At least keep your lover’s quarrel out of my sight!”
After that, everything blurred.
Ian wandered aimlessly after storming outside. His head felt feverishly hot; he needed to cool it down somehow.
‘…Until the navy’s pursuit is over, right?’
He recalled what Kanoe had said about the duration of their temporary partnership and let out a hollow laugh. Then, he carefully unfolded the note in his hand again.
<Master, I’m scared, so I’m leaving.>
At last, it all made sense. The way she smiled brightly while her eyes looked elsewhere. The way she always seemed ready to leave at any moment.
‘…Kanoe.’
From beginning to end, she never once trusted him. Because she was afraid of believing in someone and getting hurt.
Ian exhaled slowly, lowering his head. The note in his hand trembled slightly.
“Hah…”
Only then did he realize the nature of that indescribable sense of betrayal.
He was angry. At her, for leaving without a word. At this damn world. But most of all, he was angry at himself for not seeing it sooner.
“If the jellyfish hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t even have known…”
What the hell are you so mad about, Ian Frederick?
A heavy frustration gripped his chest. He sighed so deeply it felt like the ground would cave in, yet the tangled mess of emotions refused to settle.
After long contemplation, he finally realized there was only one solution: he had to find Kanoe.
Snap.
Ian removed the indigo earring from his ear.
Instantly, his senses sharpened, and every sound in the surroundings rushed in on the wind. The unpleasant hum in his head was deafening, but he strained to catch them all.
Out of countless voices, searching for just one name.
“Because we’ve captured Kanoe Bluebell!”
Found her.
Ian’s golden eyes sank coldly.
He spun around at once. The moment he moved, the wind burst like a beating heart. Fierce currents surged under his feet, propelling him forward like a storm.
The raging gale carried him straight to its destination: the pirate ship of the Raging Wave crew.
“Captain’s down! Bring the stretcher!” “Damn it, we can’t let this end like this! Avenge him!” “Stop the Lord of Storms! Surround him—don’t let him take a single step!”
Crash! The pirate ship rocked violently in chaos. There was no way they could stay united after losing their captain.
Several blades lunged at Ian at once. Weapons filled with murderous intent slashed from every direction.
But every motion was slower than the wind.
Boom—!
A sharp shatter echoed. It happened in an instant. The air twisted violently.
In the blink of an eye, every weapon charging toward him shattered to pieces.
“One at a time? No. Come all at once. I don’t have time to waste.”
Ian tilted his head slightly, shards of fractured steel glittering in the air.
Broken hilts and shattered blades littered the floor. The pirates stumbled back in shock.
“H-he’s not a man… he’s a monster!”
Ian deflected another flying sword with a single gust of wind, walking forward with an indifferent expression.
Air spiraled around him like a raging vortex, as if the entire world bent its direction around him.
He struck down every pirate who dared to attack, kicking open doors as he swept through the corridors.
“…Where is she?”
He had already pushed his ability to the limit; he couldn’t track Kanoe a second time. Anxiety clawed at him, but he shoved it down and kept tearing open doors.
One door. Another. And another.
After checking every room on the crew deck, he was about to descend another level when—
“Hey, big bro.”
A cheerful voice stopped him in his tracks. Ian turned and saw a boy with tied-back red hair grinning slyly.
“Looking for that lady?”
Ian stared silently. If he searched the entire ship, he’d find Kanoe somewhere. But it would cost too much time—and who knew what might happen to her in the meantime?
He remembered hearing she had been ‘captured and brought here.’
“I can tell you where she is.”
Who knew what she was going through right now? He had to find her as soon as possible.
“What, you don’t trust me? Afraid I’ll lie?”
As Ian pondered, Lucas asked with a smirk. Without hesitation, Ian stepped closer.
“Talk. Where is Kanoe?”
Even at his intimidating tone, Lucas just kept grinning.
“Whoa… so the rumors were true! You two really fought!”
Guess they were right—lover’s quarrels never last long, huh, sis?
“What the hell are you talking about…”
As Ian frowned at Lucas clapping his hands, the last remnants of the pirate crew seized the opening and lunged again.
“Lucas, you traitor! Betraying your crew?!” “Kill them both!”
But it was pointless. Ian flicked his wrist and sent them flying. Lucas leapt over a volley of arrows and whistled in admiration.
“I stick with the strong ones, baby!”
With a wicked grin, Lucas jerked his chin, signaling Ian to follow.
The Lord of Storms came to find his lover, huh?
That’s what they said outside my cabin. Whether it was just a ridiculous rumor or not, I could find out soon enough.
As the ship’s rocking eased for a moment, I crept toward the door. I was just about to peek outside when—
“…I really didn’t want it to come to this.”
Dark energy slithered along the floor. It was the innate ability passed down through the Valenteer family—the Empire’s Shield.
“…Lev.”
The power of Protection. It could shroud a target in a barrier to shield them from harm. But if turned around, it could just as easily bind them.
He was determined to restrain me by force. Pale mist coiled up my ankles, crawling along my skin.
“Do we really have to do this?”
I opened my hand without hesitation. A chilling aura of water gathered swiftly in my palm.
Swish—!
Ripples of crystalline blue flowed up my arm. Droplets merged into surging waves, crashing down on the pale barrier gripping my ankles.
“…!”
Fwoosh—!
The splash shattered Lev’s protective mist without mercy, scattering in a storm of blue light.
“Kanoe… when did you awaken that ability…?”
Before his stunned words finished, the floor quaked with a tremor. The hull tilted slightly.
“…This way, big bro.”
A faint voice brushed from beyond the door.
Thump, thump. My heartbeat, once steady, broke into an uneven rhythm.
There was no time to breathe, no chance to steel myself. I hadn’t even thought of what I should say when I saw him.
But my heart already knew—
Ian was on the other side of that door.
