Rebellious Young Lady

Arthur did not ask why.

From the brief exchange at the Secret Sect Long Table, it was clear that Arena had some unknown connection with the Black Devil Order. Judging from the curse, it might have been a threat or a means of control.

Having obtained the Molting Technique, Arena was about to break free from Black Devil's control.

What did that have to do with the Jasmine?

Linking Arena, the Black Devil Order, and the Jasmine together, Arthur could think of only one possibility. The Black Devil Order's target was the contraband aboard the Jasmine, and they had coerced Arena into helping them.

Now that Arena had broken free of their control, her ordering him to bombard the Jasmine made her purpose obvious. She wanted to sever her connection with the Black Devil Order and, incidentally, turn the contraband aboard the Jasmine from family property into private property.

The Great White Shark and the Jasmine would fight, the Black Devil Order would launch an attack, and the contraband would vanish.

How pleasant it sounded—so reasonable that no one would suspect a thing.

When dealing with a sinister, evil, twisted cult, losing a merchant ship was perfectly normal.

"Understood."

The short yet forceful reply showed Arthur's determination, but it did not match Arena's expectations.

She had already prepared herself to be questioned.

Within the Stuart Family, the power concerning inheritance was divided among her three older brothers. As for Arena herself, she only had the right to be capricious from time to time.

"Hm?"

Arena looked at Arthur, a trace of confusion rising in her eyes. You aren't even going to ask why?

Wouldn't the words she had prepared have been for nothing?

After a brief pause, she asked, "Don't you have any doubts?"

Arthur shrugged and said indifferently, "The pirates on the ship want to attack the Jasmine, and the Shadow Temple also wants me to attack the Jasmine."

"Miss Arena wants me to attack the Jasmine as well. The three sides are perfectly aligned, so I won't have to rack my brains explaining things to the Church of Light."

Arena gave a soft snort, rose to her feet, and raised the sword in her hand.

She suddenly appeared behind Arthur, laying the blade flat against his shoulder, where it came into intimate contact with his neck.

The sharp edge made his neck sting faintly.

What kind of madness is this woman having?

Arthur did not dare make any rash movements and quietly waited for Arena's next words.

Arena asked coldly, "Everyone who came to Blue Bay Island today is my trusted subordinate, loyal to me, Arena Stuart."

"Now that you know my plan, make your choice."

"Will you be loyal to me, or to my three foolish brothers?"

A trace of understanding appeared in Arthur's eyes. So that was why.

Grand Duke Stuart had three sons. Every one of them had inheritance rights, and the power of their maternal families was immense.

More importantly, their mothers came from three different families.

As Grand Duke Stuart's daughter, Arena lived an extremely luxurious life, but she had almost no inheritance rights.

He had never heard which noble family the mother of this duke's daughter came from.

Now that Arena had come into contact with the Secret Sect Long Table, she had developed ambitions to fight for the inheritance.

Arthur fell silent. His small action had given Arena such enormous confidence.

Directly challenging the inheritance rights of a ducal family was a life-or-death struggle.

"Captain Arthur swears undying loyalty to Miss Arena."

"Why should I believe you?"

Arena circled around to stand before Arthur. The blade also circled around his neck, cutting a line of blood.

Arthur's mouth twitched. He had the urge to reveal his identity and tell her not to be so arrogant.

But the timing was not right. He had yet to decide what identity he would use to meet his followers in reality.

Arena's killing intent was not intense, but it was pure. It was as if, if he could not provide a reasonable answer, the blade would slit his throat.

A flash of inspiration struck Arthur, and he suddenly said loudly:

"Because I admire Miss Arena! I am willing to brave wind and waves for Miss Arena!"

As long as he was not embarrassed, the embarrassed one would be someone else.

Arena raised an eyebrow and carefully considered the credibility of Arthur's words. After serious consideration—

She felt that Arthur's reason was quite reasonable.

"You admire me? What a lowly pirate. Who gave you the courage to indulge in such fantasies?"

As she mocked Arthur, she sheathed her longsword, and the killing intent gradually receded.

Arena walked to the window and said calmly, "In the near future, I will take a fast ship to the Jasmine and seize control of the cargo vessel in advance."

"In three days, you will lead the Great White Shark Pirate Group in an attack on the Jasmine."

"Do not spare the gunpowder or cannonballs. Sink the Jasmine, and someone will take responsibility for what follows."

After simply laying out the attack plan, Arena clasped her hands behind her back and asked, "Do you have any other questions?"

Arthur gripped the Sun Medal in his pocket and thought about the process of a pirate raid.

He raised the following two questions:

"First, Miss Arena, how strong are the Jasmine's defenses? Are there any supernatural beings aboard?"

"Second, what dangers does the Jasmine's contraband pose? What precautions should we take?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Arena froze slightly.

How many men were aboard the Jasmine? It was her eldest brother's trading operation, and she did not know the exact manpower either.

Were there any supernatural beings? Probably, maybe... there were?

The Stuarts' supernatural beings were all extremely valuable and had to be used in crucial places.

Would her eldest brother dispatch supernatural beings?

What exactly was the Jasmine's contraband?

She seemed to have heard within the family that a batch of contraband had been smuggled to the Old Continent, which would benefit the family's growth.

But she did not know exactly what it was or what negative effects it had.

After pondering for a moment, Arena replied, "You do not need to know. Just sink the Jasmine!"

Arthur gave her a look that said he had expected this all along. There truly had been no preparation whatsoever.

Her rebellion was driven entirely by hot blood and confidence bestowed by some unknown existence.

Seeing Arthur's look, irritation rose in Arena's heart. She suddenly looked at him, her gaze gradually turning icy.

"How did you know there was contraband aboard the Jasmine?"

Contraband could also be called "supernatural items."

Any supernatural item, when used in the right place, could unleash tremendous power.

Every one of them was precious.

The Sun Medal Wallace had given him was a one-use supernatural item that bestowed a blessing.

Arthur let out a long sigh, took the Sun Medal from his pocket, and waved it before her.

"Miss Arena, have you forgotten?"

"I am the spy the family planted in the Shadow Temple. They asked me to attack the Jasmine and gave me part of the intelligence."

Arena suddenly remembered that he had mentioned earlier that the Church of Light had also asked him to attack the Jasmine.

She turned expressionlessly toward the window, her ears red as ripe pomegranates.

It was her first time stealing from those she was supposed to guard.

She was a little nervous and not very practiced.

"In short... cough, cough!"

"Do you have any mature ideas? You can tell me."