It has been quite some time now since Ichirou went back inside that room. He knows full well that I would not obey his request so the door in front of me was firmly locked. With my scrawny thin arms, there is no way I can even budge it.

I want to see what he is going to do. It is not that I do not trust him, I want to see him doing it with my own eyes because I am also responsible for what happened.

Even though this body of mine ceaselessly quivers from what I have done, I could have at least stayed there.

I just broke down there earlier thoughtlessly. The feeling of drowning in regret and guilt suffocated me and clouded my mind. I am a terrible person for bawling on my own when they who were wounded by my carelessness suffer.

But those negative emotions were washed away by his embrace, Ichirou. I cannot comprehend what kind of faces I was doing but oddly enough, he stilled those swirling uncontrollable emotions that tormented me. His presence that I usually enjoy becomes what supported me in this dire moment. My heart warms up and I felt ecstatic from his consolation as he wraps me around his arms and pulls my body toward his.

Come to think of it, we were so chummy with each other earlier…

………

That can’t be…right?

As I was contemplating something weird, the door opens ever so slowly as light illuminates the cavern path. I jolted as my thought was disturbed and tension started to rise from within me and my heart starts pounding.

From the slit of the door, a small petite hand emerges. From there, a face of someone I knew casually peeks and emerges from it. It was Merissa who softly broke into a smile. My feet, without me noticing, started to walk towards her in anticipation of the news.

“Merissa! What happened there?! Please…tell me…”

“Calm down. Everything is alright now so you don’t have to worry.”

“You just can’t tell me not to worry about it! After all, it is because of me that this happened! Merissa, let me through, okay?”

“Ichirou…that man…he is amazing.”

“Eh? What do you mean?”

“You are going through, right? See it for yourself.”

I immediately walk past Merissa.

What meets my eyes is the figure of people cheering. An explosive sound of joy resounds the whole room while their faces are filled with smile and happiness. Even the medical staffs are crying in joy as their comrades and companion rise again from being bed ridden.

From the center of the room, I saw him standing as people gives their thanks to him many times.

I only stare at him from the distance as people whom he saves flocks around him. And then, as he turns around, he sprouts a strained smile at my direction. I quietly take steps as I keep my sight to him and he patiently waits for me.

I stop right in front of him.

“I told you, right, Asagao. Everything will be okay.”

“Of course…I trusted you.”

From the formation of the crowd, Gants emerges.

Naturally, it got my attention but I could not look at him in the eyes. I could only look down from the shameful act that I have done earlier. Instead of moving into action, I broke down.

“Kiddo, I won’t berate you any further. Your boyfriend already solved the mess that you did. Not to mention, I myself made a hasty judgment against you even though you saved us from that large devil.”

“But!”

“Also, such splendid mind in naval warfare. It amazes me that your strategy let us hold out against that monstrosity. “

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I am not satisfied. I am nowhere convinced.

My gaze wanders towards the people who just recovered from the effect of the radiation. They are looking at me with blank faces and some are gossiping as they steal glances to me.

I fall on my knees in front of them lower my whole body. Actions may be meaningless, words may be meaningless but, I feel like I am still compelled to do this. It is the only way now to show my apology even though it does not even have a single merit for them. For that, I buried my head in the ground firmly held my own.

“The cause of your suffering, the cause of your pain, it was all because of me. It’s all because of my carelessness that you people have to go through such excoriating pain! Please, please, accept my apology for now. If this is proven insufficient for all of you, I shall continue apologizing!”

Suddenly…

“Isn’t she the belly girl?”

“Yeah,…she’s a lot hella cuter in personal, huh!”

“Wow…I’m a woman but her cuteness makes me floaty.”

“Isn’t her belly cute? You guys have seen it, right?”

“Careful there, she’s with her man.”

Was I branded as the belly girl?

Also, aren’t these people too carefree?

Most of them are dying earlier and now, they are chit chatting like perverts…

This is giving me a strong sense of déjà vu.

“Hey, did you guys understand what was about to happened to all of you if it is not for Ichirou! You could all lose your life! It is literally my fault tha--!”

“You’re still the captain of the fleet.”

“Haa?!”

I bolted upright upon hearing something absurd!

Captain of the fleet they said?!

“To be completely honest, we kind of recognize you as one.”

“If you feel bad about what happened, don’t be!”

“We aren’t slightest scared to lose a life! Such is a pirate life!”

“We aren’t trying to be nice to you. We are just stating facts. Also, splendid tactics there, captain!”

“Whatever the hell happened back there, our lives are completely in your hand. According to a pirate’s doctrine, the captain’s order is absolute. Our life is in the hand of our captain. They decide if we can live or not.”

My head made a sharp glance over Merissa as I look for an answer. Clueless, she shrugs her shoulders from my soundless query. Still searching for answers, I reluctantly turn to Gants.

“I did felt the same way. I guess I’m only blaming you for what happened. Also, everyone here witnessed the extent of your power, the way you fought that giant devil, that giant flower that came out from the sky, no wonder you reeled in some faithful followers.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

“Stop bashing yourself. Don’t get full of yourself if you think that everyone needs sympathy.”

This can’t be real!

It’s like what literally what happened in the Lost Capital with the dragons. I wonder if Gants and Pr’thcor know each other. Aren’t old men of this world too vicious?!

“Hey there, kiddo, you’re thinking of something rude, aren’t you?”

“I was just thinking how old men can be really scary.”

“I don’t know what you have gone through but Merissa is definitely older than me. She won in the age game by more than ten times.”

“……”

“Anyway, kiddo, since everything turned out perfectly fine because of your boyfriend, then everything is settled just like that.”

“I’ve been wondering for a while now but…w-why…did you guys assumed that Ichirou is my boyfriend?!”

.

.

.

Currently, Gants together with Merissa and several more captains entered a place called inner sanctum. The room we are in earlier had another passage going to this place. It seems there are several more passages hidden but this time we are being taken to the emblem of the first pirate.

This time, the passage is clean and well structured as fitting bricks is laid down on the ground and the wall and ceiling are carved well. It’s a little humid and cold air frequently blows but nonetheless, it was a safe passage.

And so, the inner sanctum is an open air room with a long table laid out with several chairs prepared beforehand. There are torchlight and chipped sword stuck on the wall on all four sides. The most important part, in the altar, a battered white shield with eight headed serpents as a design in the center, is enclosed inside a glass and placed atop of a pedestal.

Each and everyone took their seat at the long table where the conference will be immediately held. They said that since the initial problem was taken care of, the conference will just be brief.

Right now, I feel so out of place due to my lack of appearance as a pirate, though I don’t plan to be one in the first place. I sat beside Merissa in the very most edge of the table while Ichirou stands behind me.

I nervously look around and found some familiar faces like Airene, the captain of Veriny, who was revealed earlier to be Gants granddaughter and Hois, the captain of Bismarck and the current top one in the rankings and like Merissa, he is also a first generation dwarf.

But the real question is why I am even here?

After what happened earlier, after it was solved, shouldn’t we be dismissed?

Are we developing another story here?!

Also, this Ichirou here, instead of denying the boyfriend thing earlier, he just let it pass and reasoning it that it sounded cute. You are not in high school anymore, you know!

Geez…this people are absurd…

As the meeting started, a speech and praises we told for the glory of the pirates of the olden time. Rites and vow together with their tenets are also performed and said. The whole opening speech up until now was done equally by the members of the meeting excluding me and Ichirou.

Now, they officially start the meeting by laying down the main subject. The one who presents the said main subject is none other than Gants himself. He stood up in the middle and clears his throat before uttering any words.

“The debate and hailing the new Emperor of the Sea is now in session. Candidates were already chosen far ahead of time with some minor changes due to a new additional candidate.”

Wow, they just sounded really civil here!

With all this proceeding and such, they are truly adapting a modern pirate feels to this generation. I am quite compelled to listen to this session!

“Due to some picking and elimination, however, the candidates are reduced to a number of only two. That was also decided before hand and some of those who filed their candidacy already backed out. The new addition to the candidacy was due to popular demand because of the recent incident. Although personally, I already knew who would win, I am still sticking to the rules. The two remaining candidates are Hois of Bismarck and Asagao of Iowa.”

“WAIT JUST A DAMN MINUTE!”

I shouted while I bang my hand on the table…