Luke could sense Madam Tasia's distrust and hostility toward him.
He said, "Hanging pirates is the duty of the Imperial Navy and the Security Bureau. We are Imperial Secret Agents, responsible only for safeguarding the Empire's security. As for who or what endangers that security, we have our own standards.
In my eyes, you... you are fishermen."
"Fishermen? It seems that in the eyes of Meteor Detective Chief, we are very insignificant beings indeed."
Just then, Lambert's men brought in dinner.
After personally setting the plates for Luke and the other three, Lambert had a pirate make room for him as well, then sat down on the Secret Intelligence Bureau's side.
Luke picked up his knife and fork and examined the food on his plate.
Grilled bread slices, pan-fried fish steaks, buttered beef, and a heap of yellowish mashed potatoes.
An oak cup was filled with frothy ale.
"Very insignificant... You sail a few broken boats along the shipping routes. Whenever you encounter the navy or a large merchant convoy, you flee far away, and all you can do is bully lone merchant ships.
The reason you abide by the Pirate Code is mostly because you are afraid of angering the Imperial Navy and bringing a campaign of extermination down on Fishbone Island.
And judging by how you dress and eat, it seems you live even worse than the fishermen in our Cape District."
Luke's words made Madam Tasia glance at the pirates around her.
Their clothes were ragged, and they wolfed down their food.
Life at sea was harsh, and clothing rotted quickly from seawater corrosion. Pirates had difficulty obtaining supplies; many things could not be bought even with money, and they often went long periods without fresh food.
Judging only by their clothes and the way they ate,