Calm Belt

After bringing the pretend-sad Monet back to the warship, Kane settled her in an empty cabin and instructed everyone not to disturb her except when delivering meals.

"Why didn't you send her to Cuckoo's ship?"

Hina asked curiously. She felt that Kane's attitude toward this Monet was somewhat strange.

"She was the only prisoner on the pirate ship. Other than imprisoning her, the pirates didn't do anything else."

Kane spread his hands. With just those two simple sentences, he successfully aroused Hina's suspicions.

There was no helping it. Hina would discover these suspicious points sooner or later, so he might as well tell her early and have her keep an eye on Monet.

"You're saying her identity is questionable?"

Hina's gaze shifted toward Monet's cabin. Her slender, beautiful arched brows furrowed as she said thoughtfully,

"Hina will keep an eye on her."

"When you handle something, I have nothing to worry about."

Kane patted Hina on the shoulder and handed her a new box of lollipops.

"I know you like peach flavor, but once in a while, you can try the flavor I like too."

"...Okay."

Hina took it and saw a large watermelon drawn on the wrapper.

Hina's eyes shifted slightly. She then tucked the lollipop into the inner pocket close to her body, the corners of her lips unconsciously curling upward.

Baby 5, who had just finished frying the steak, hurried over as well. Her little legs moved swiftly, yet the steak in her hands remained perfectly steady.

"Kane, Kane! The steak you wanted is ready!"

"It's wonderful having you around!"

Kane had never been stingy with praise for Baby 5. He first tore off a small piece and fed it to her before wolfing down the rest.

"So delicious!"

Kane put on a shocked expression and even licked the fingers he had used to tear the steak, as though he still wanted more.

Seeing this, Baby 5 immediately beamed and danced with delight, her face flushed with excitement and happiness.

Only Hina stood quietly to one side with her hands on her hips. The lollipop in her mouth slid from left to right, then right to left, its little stick pointing and poking at Kane.

Monet boarding the ship did not seem to affect anything. The fleet continued sailing toward the Calm Belt, while pirates continued charging at them with howls.

When night fell, Monet, who had curled up in her cabin all day, lay on her bed and felt the swaying brought by the waves. Her mood was inexplicably complicated.

During the day, she could sense that the female marine named Hina had been watching her.

But before boarding, Kane, disguised as Vergo, had repeatedly warned her. She had made thorough preparations and was confident she would not expose herself before Hina.

Luckily, I met Mr. Vergo!

Monet let out a long breath and gently turned over, unable to stop herself from frowning and lightly biting her lip.

She had not been whipped during the day, but the spot that hot, large hand had fiercely smacked was now red and swollen.

Yet she inevitably used that part of her body whenever she walked, sat, or lay down. Lying in bed was especially unbearable, making it difficult for her to sleep.

Fortunately, stern Mr. Vergo has a merciful side too...

But he's far too strong...

It hurts so much...

I'm a little curious what Mr. Vergo is doing right now.

"What do you want?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"Call me Instructor! I want to fight~"

"We just fought, and you want another round? Instructor, you're not a swordswoman—you're a berserker!"

"Scared? Then admit defeat!"

"...Fine, let's fight! Just don't beg for mercy later!"

"Call me Instructor! You'll be the only one begging for mercy... mmh~!"

After an intense, satisfying battle, Cuckoo locked Kane's neck between her arms and said weakly,

"Do you... admit... defeat!"

Kane raised a pinky finger and lightly flicked it, undoing the lock around his neck. He mocked her,

"Dear Instructor, if you still have the strength to raise your arms, then I can admit defeat."

"You... are... bound to lose!"

Cuckoo summoned all her strength to raise her hand, only for her strength to suddenly fail halfway. Her hand drifted softly down onto Kane's chest.

"Sorry, Instructor. I won again."

"It was clearly... a draw... a draw!"

"A swordswoman's pride is terrifying..."

Kane shook his head and gently wrapped Cuckoo in his arms.

Cuckoo let out two comfortable little hums. Her strength gradually returned, but then Kane's quiet whisper reached her ear.

"Instructor, I want to give you a gift."

"What gift?"

Cuckoo looked up in astonishment and saw Kane lean in with a mischievous grin. Then an oddly tingling sensation came from her neck.

She seemed to realize something. Her pretty face instantly turned red, but instead of pushing Kane away, she was faintly looking forward to it.

A moment later, Kane raised his head, looked down at his handiwork, and nodded in satisfaction.

Cuckoo hurried eagerly to the mirror. On her neck in the reflection was a patch of crimson, like a red cuckoo flower adorning a snowy field.

Cuckoo stretched out her neck and lightly brushed the crimson mark with her fingers. That tingling sensation seemed to linger.

Whatever she thought of, she turned sharply toward Kane like a warrior who had received a reward, her eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

"Little Kane! Fight me—"

"No!"

Kane decisively refused. Without another word, he roughly dressed the pouncing Cuckoo, dragged her out of the cabin and onto the deck, then climbed to the crow's nest at the top of the mast in just a few leaps.

Kane chased away the marine on watch in the crow's nest and pulled Cuckoo inside to sit with him.

"Has a swordswoman's pride ever told you that when two people are together, there are many other things they can do besides fight?"

As Kane spoke, he pointed at the star-filled night sky.

"For example, watching the stars."

Cuckoo looked at Kane's sharply defined profile. Under the moonlight, it seemed to gleam with a clear radiance, and a sudden feeling of happiness flooded her heart.

She softly murmured in agreement, tilted her head slightly, and rested it on Kane's broad shoulder.

The crow's nest was narrow and cramped. She and Kane were squeezed closely together, yet it inexplicably made her feel secure.

The cool night breeze swept past. Cuckoo's golden hair fluttered in the wind, brushing over her cheeks and then Kane's earlobe, teasing them both again and again.

The sound of the waves was especially clear in the quiet night, but Cuckoo could not hear it, because all her attention was focused on finding Kane's heartbeat.

As a swordswoman, she possessed exceptional hearing. Before long, she heard a sound like beating war drums, deep and powerful.

Cuckoo could not help placing her hand on Kane's chest. As she listened carefully, his strong heartbeat began pounding against her palm.

An indescribable ripple followed that heartbeat, flowing up her arm and into the depths of her heart.

In an instant, Kane's heartbeat in her ears suddenly grew louder, pulling her own heartbeat into an excited thump, thump, thump.

Kane noticed Cuckoo's unusual behavior and turned to look at her, meeting a pair of jade-green eyes.

Those eyes were bright and crystalline like gemstones, reflecting the brilliant starry sky above.

Suddenly, Cuckoo smiled, her brows and eyes radiant as spring.

"Little Kane, your heartbeat sounds so nice."

Beneath the light of the stars and moon, Cuckoo's breathtakingly beautiful face made Kane's heart stop for an instant.

Suddenly, a strand of Cuckoo's hair was lifted by the night breeze and fell across his neck.

Kane felt as though a mysterious force came from that strand of hair, drawing him down into a kiss.

Who knew how long passed? The night breeze that had circled around them suddenly vanished. The sound of the sails billowing disappeared as well, and even the waves calmed.

But the suddenly silent world awakened the two, who had been intoxicated with each other. They rose to look around and saw that the sea was perfectly still, without even the faintest sound of wind nearby...

They had arrived at the Calm Belt.