Knight's Lady

Nami trembled as she clung to that Greatsword for a long time before finally shaking off the dizziness brought on by high-speed flight.

The first thing to meet her eyes was Garen's amused smile.

Nami immediately tensed up:

As a thief, being caught by the victim was never a good thing;

If she'd run into a vicious pirate, her life might well have ended right there.

But Nami wasn't too panicked either.

As a seasoned professional, she'd had many narrow escapes and turned danger into safety before—all it took was a cool head and a sharp mind.

So, Nami began to think deeply about her escape plan.

Garen's teasing voice cut through her thoughts:

"What's the matter?"

"My Knight's Lady, still not willing to get off my sword?"

As he spoke, Garen cheerfully swung the greatsword in both hands.

Even with a whole young woman dangling from it, the superhumanly strong Garen had no trouble.

"Mmph"

Only then did Nami reluctantly set aside her obsession with that Greatsword for the moment, fumblingly letting go and dropping back to the ground.

She blushed, a rare sight.

But while distractedly tidying her slightly messy hair, Nami couldn't help sneaking a glance at the gorgeous Sapphire set in the greatsword.

Garen silently moved the greatsword to his other side.

Nami's eyes instinctively followed.

"Stop staring!"

Garen said irritably: "My Greatsword—you're not stealing it!"

Though Garen's tone wasn't exactly friendly, Nami, who had read countless people, relaxed in that instant.

She could tell that this Iron Can in front of her didn't actually bear her much ill will; instead, there was a hint of care and consideration, even though she'd nearly stolen his precious weapon.

This guy might really be a knight who knew how to treat women well.

"So, my lady?"

Garen put his nasty grin back on:

"Shouldn't we discuss your little 'absconding with the goods' problem?"

Two unsightly veins bulged on Nami's smooth, fair forehead, and she silently swept the subtle misconception she'd just had into the trash.

"Hmph!"

Nami let out a haughty snort, then crossed her arms and puffed up her aura.

"Who's your lady!"

"A guy who needs a woman to pay for his meals—you think you can find a wife?"

Garen's soul took ten thousand points of true damage. He choked out:

"Watch your attitude—you're my prisoner now!"

"So what do you want?"

Nami simply started playing dumb with her mouth.

"What do I want? With my prisoner, I can do whatever I want."

"Hehehe"

Garen let out a deliberately sinister laugh.

That creepy sound gave Nami goosebumps all over.

"Pay up!"

Garen suddenly thrust a broad palm toward her: "Ransom!"

Walking the world, no money meant nothing—that truth held in any world.

New to the pirate world, Garen saw his first pot of gold in this beautiful little thief who'd failed her heist.

"What? You want me to pay?!"

Nami's reaction was even more intense than if she'd run into a lecherous pervert. She bristled and shouted at Garen:

"That's absolutely impossible!"

"If you won't pay—"

Garen eyed Nami's perfect figure with interest, then said with full malicious amusement:

"Then I'll just have to follow your script and keep you here as my Knight's Lady!"

"Heh."

Nami let out a disdainful chuckle.

After all this back-and-forth, she had pretty much completed a full character profile of the Iron Can in front of her: this was definitely a guy who rarely interacted with women, had the heart but not the guts, and was a top-tier racing game player who had mastered every drifting technique but never once touched a real steering wheel.

"Oh yeah? Try me."

Nami flashed a charming, seductive smile, then rose on her tiptoes to press her voluptuous body against Garen's cold breastplate. Finally, without flinching, she gazed deep into his eyes with a look of tender affection.

The distance between them was so close that Garen could clearly feel her breath.

And, as expected, just like when they first met, Garen found himself flustered and at a loss.

"Hehe."

Having seized the upper hand completely, Miss Nami let out a light, triumphant laugh right by Garen's ear.

"If you want me to be your Knight's Lady, being this scared won't cut it."

With that, Nami pulled her body back and abruptly turned around.

Finally, facing away from Garen, she waved her hand with carefree grace.

"Since you're not going to force me to stay, I'll be on my way!"

"Goodbye, my Knight!"

Even as she said her farewells, Nami had already given up all greed for Garen's treasure in her heart.

Bullying an honest man wasn't her style, and this flying Greatsword of Garen's was simply something she couldn't steal.

She'd just have to slowly scrape together the rest of the money another time.

Nami comforted herself with that thought, but the image of that enormous, dazzling blue Sapphire still lingered in her mind.

Still, she gradually walked farther and farther away.

"Sigh."

Garen muttered to himself in mild exasperation.

"I actually got teased by a thief instead..."

"No wonder they say female drivers are the kings of the road—I can't keep up with this pace at all."

And under Garen's watchful gaze, Nami's figure slowly disappeared into the surging crowd.

For some reason, Garen felt a pang of loss.

But then, Nami's figure suddenly darted back out from the dense throng.

And the moment she appeared, she charged straight toward Garen's burly frame like a fledgling returning to its nest.

In the end, Nami collided squarely into Garen's arms.

"What the hell?"

Caught off guard by this sudden blessing, Garen was completely unable to react.

"Honey!"

Nami's voice, dripping with feigned shyness and affection, rang out right by his ear.

And it wasn't quiet—loud enough for all the passersby to hear clearly.

Garen was left dizzy by that call.

But in his daze, as he looked down, he caught the unabashedly sly grin on Nami's face in his arms.

Nami's whisper drifted softly up from his embrace.

"Knight, your Knight's Lady has arrived."

"So, about what happens next—I'll leave that to you."

Garen snapped awake in an instant.

This witch was definitely up to no good!

Sure enough, just as Garen was wondering what evil scheme Nami had in mind, a thunderous roar from a man rang out not far away.

"Oh, I see!"

"So that's why a brat like you dared to touch our Steel Cutlass Pirates' treasure."

A violent brute nearly three meters tall strode forward menacingly, brandishing a massive steel blade in his hand, and glared at Garen in his resplendent armor through gritted teeth.

"So you had this kind of backing all along!"

"Huh?"

Garen stood frozen in shock.

But Nami, with perfect timing, slipped out of Garen's arms, and the sly smile on her face instantly transformed into a pitiful, helpless expression of sorrow.

With one hand, she hooked Garen's armored arm, and with the other, she pointed at the ferocious captain, "Steel Cutlass," before speaking in a soft, distorted, syrupy voice.

"Honey, these are the ones who wanted to bully me!"

With that, Nami shrank behind Garen's broad back.

Led by the captain "Steel Cutlass," dozens of knife-wielding thugs fixed their furious gazes on Garen.

"I—"

Garen suddenly felt the urge to curse.

"Gentlemen."

Garen helplessly tried to explain: "I don't really know her."

But Captain "Steel Cutlass" was in no mood to listen to such weak excuses; his hot-tempered nature only wanted to cut someone down.

"Brothers, hack him!"

A man of the world, few words.

In just a few seconds, amid the bustling marketplace, several pirate underlings brandishing large steel knives swarmed toward Garen.

"Calm down, everyone, calm down!"

A heavy blade slammed into Garen's greatsword, metal clashing against metal.

"Brother, I really don't—"

Another knife sliced into Garen's arm guard, ringing out sharply.

"Don't—"

A third knife came chopping down from above.

"What the hell!"

Garen swung his greatsword in fury, sending the crude steel blade—pitiful in comparison—flying dozens of meters away.

The sheer force even sent the pirate underling tumbling through the air.

"Excellent!"

"In broad daylight, under the clear sky, you dare to defy the law and kill in the streets!"

"You vermin, how many innocent lives have you ruined over the years?"

Garen raised the Sword of Justice, his body radiating righteous aura:

"I, the Lone Ranger Garen, shall act on Heaven's behalf today!"