"Sharp eyes. Just what I'd expect from the Pirate King's right-hand man, Dark King Rayleigh."
Randall smiled and made no attempt to hide it.
"Heh, there's no Dark King here. Just a decrepit old man who wants a quiet life."
Rayleigh smiled, his gaze softening.
"Oh dear, since the Navy's brightest rising star has spoken, ordinary folk like us can only swallow our grievances if we want some peace."
The woman shrugged.
"Come now, Shakky. When you look at it that way, we're getting quite a bargain."
Rayleigh laughed heartily, looking every bit the harmless old man he claimed to be.
"Fine, you have the final say." Shakky sighed leisurely, then looked at the unmoved Randall and said:
"Go on, then, you coldhearted young man. What information do you want?"
Randall neither agreed nor disagreed with her assessment of him as coldhearted.
Christa, however, was not happy about it.
"Randall is the kindest person in the world! He's not coldhearted at all!"
Her declaration suddenly lightened the atmosphere in the bar.
"Haha, what an adorable little girl. Here, this one's on me."
Shakky looked at Christa and set a glass of milk on the counter.
At that, Christa could no longer maintain her stern expression.
"Ah, oh, thank you, miss."
Randall sneered inwardly. Miss? Shakky was old enough to be Christa's grandmother.
"Good girl." Shakky's smile grew much more sincere, and she turned to head into the back to fetch the information.
"Little girl, your brother is bullying two hardworking civilians. Isn't that coldhearted?"
Rayleigh smiled as he spoke.
"Don't think I'm stupid! I heard everything. You're a pirate!"
Christa widened her eyes and put on a stern little face.
"Hahaha, little girl, you have some serious misconceptions about pirates.
Pirates are the embodiment of freedom, not another word for