After the Tarot Club Meeting

News traveled fast. Mr. Azik had taken Klein and me to the new Black Tulip on Saturday, and by Monday, another Pirate Admiral had already heard about it... Angel marveled at how quickly rumors spread at sea, then asked cautiously:

"What do the rumors say?"

Cattleya pushed up her thick glasses and recounted what she had learned through secret channels:

"Two days ago, Hell Admiral Ludwell and his fleet were trying to approach the Berserk Sea in search of Death's treasure when three people—two men and a woman—boarded his flagship. They included the Golden Queen, Angelica Zaki, who had once blown up half his flagship; the 'Mad Adventurer,' Gehrman Sparrow; and a Death Consul. But Ludwell offered no resistance. He surrendered and was taken away, while his flagship was reduced to palm-sized fragments that drifted into the depths of the Berserk Sea he had so longed to reach.

"As for the remaining ships and crew, a man calling himself the Death Emissary, Mirella, took command. He announced that Ludwell had angered the Golden Queen and paid for it with his life, but that the other ships and their crews would not become enemies of this Pirate King..."

That Death Emissary who took over was clever. He knew defiance wouldn't do him any good. One night, I might come for him, and he'd end up like Ludwell, so he chose to back down publicly... Angel muttered to herself. Seeing everyone look her way, she nodded and admitted:

"I destroyed the Black Tulip, but Hell Admiral Ludwell is still alive. He's just... not in good shape."

She had meant to say that the unfortunate Pirate Admiral had become a Marionette, but then remembered that Klein needed to keep acting as a Marionettist through that identity, so she bent the truth a little.