In reality, Captain Julie had exceptional swimming skills, being able to hold her breath for an extraordinary amount of time and even catch big fishes underwater. On the other hand, Anelize had been traumatized by her mother's drowning when she was young, resulting in a deep fear of water.

This was the perfect opportunity for Maximillian to prove that Anelize was, in fact, Julie.

Leaning against the sideboard, he observed how long the "drowning show" would persist.

Little did he know, exactly 5 years ago, Julie had witnessed her crew members' lifeless bodies being tossed aside as she succumbed to a severe injury underwater, leading to her inability to enter the seas ever since. Maximillian had seized the sea from a pirate and, behind the act, Julie was merely an empty shell driven by vengeance.

For Julie, the sensation of water replacing air and her body growing heavier brought her back to that fateful day, leaving her paralyzed and unable to react. As she saw her final breath escape, she gazed up at Commander Maximillian on the bridge, meeting his eyes and dwelling on a final thought: "So it was true, Aiden really betrayed me," before succumbing to a deep slumber.

Observing her motionlessness, Maximilian felt a sense of foreboding. What if he had gone mad and made a grave mistake? However, before he could make a move, someone else jumped into the water. Old Sergey sprang into action, snatched the unconscious girl, and resurfaced.

***

That night, while recuperating in the palace, Julie experienced a dream, more reminiscent of a haunting memory.

It was a flashback to five years prior, when Julie and her crew ventured into the city to capture Redbeard. However, they unwittingly fell into a trap, as their ship came under attack by the awaiting marines.

Caught in the trap, Julie valiantly fought, even though her physical condition was not at its best. She managed to take down numerous marines before surveying the devastating scene: her comrades were losing the battle, dying one by one.

In a sudden turn of events, a hulking figure with blade-like hands leaped in front of her, catching her off guard. As she attempted to assist Mountessour, this man ruthlessly stabbed her in the abdomen.

"How was he so fast? How did he predict my every move?" she wondered, only to feel an unsettling sensation. Glancing down, she noticed blood streaming down her legs, punctuated by the captain's chilling words.

"Just as Commander Maximiliano predicted, you die today, Rogers," he sneered, his laughter echoing. "

Eventually, she awoke in the lavishly decorated bedroom within the palace chamber where she and Sergey were staying. Her eyes grew darker, and her cheeks became damp with tears. Only one emotion consumed her upon waking.

"Aiden, or rather, Maximiliano, must die."

*****

Meanwhile, in the other side of the palace, the marine commander Maximilian found himself visibly agitated in his office, just as marine captain Liliam entered.

"Ah, the party was splendid, Max. Why did you summon me here?" she questioned, stretching her arms lazily.

"Commander Maximilian," he corrected sternly.

"Whatever, I'm off duty," slurred Captain Liliam, visibly drunk..

"I require your assistance in investigating the girl. I want to know everything about Anelize - her past actions and acquaintances," asserted Maximilian as he perused a stack of documents.

"This is so unlike you…" Liliam replied, her tone assuming seriousness.

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"She is not who you believe, Liliam! That girl is no different from a savage, a ruthless murderer, and I will prove it," declared Max, hastily signing some papers. Unusually excited, there was even a faint smile on his face.

"I don't know... I... I just really...hic...like her," confessed Captain Liliam.

Maximilian clenched his jaw.

At that moment, Captain Liliam comprehended the gravity of the situation and regained some sobriety, saluting.

" deliver this letter to the navy command," declared Commander Maximilian, handing her a sealed envelope.

"Understood, Commander Maximilian," responded the Captain, bowing before exiting.

***

In the opulent guest chamber within the palace, the red-haired girl lay motionless on the bed. Her face appeared pallid, and her eyes seemed lost in thoughts. A nagging pain throbbed through her skull, as if the taste of water had mingled with her thoughts.

Meanwhile, Sergey sat a short distance away, observing her curiously.

"A pirate who fears water," he remarked, breaking the silence.

Julie remained immobile, offering no reaction, which only served to heighten Sergey's intrigue.

"Are you truly...Julie? Julie Rogers, the Blood Emerald captain pirate?" he pressed further.

"Well, did ya hav' doubts?!" she retorted, turning her head toward him, her emerald eyes wide open.

Julie remained completely motionless, not showing any reaction, which seemed quite unusual of her..

"I thought it might be some other imposter pretending to be her, you know, you," he sighed and sat on the bed, continuing.

"Everyone knows that Julie died five years ago, thanks to Maximiliano. Wait..."

Seated on the bed, the Old Man pondered for a moment, pressing his lips with his fingers. A laugh resembling a "hohoho" escaped his mouth, causing Julie's eyes to widen even further.

"Hohoho, so Júlia Rogers went to the ball to celebrate Júlia Rogers' death day and, on top of that, to reject Maximilian's dance," he laughed heartily.

"That's yer kind of humor, old man," Julie ended up laughing at the irony too. But soon the laughter stopped. Feeling the taste of the water that will swallow the lake back

Upon recovering their air, the old Serguey looked to her eyes, one question was finally ready to be asked.

“ So tell me, why are you here Julie Rogers?”

There was a second of silence, before she opened her lips again, letting the words smoothly run out.

“Maximillian, he must die.”

***

For Sergey, everything fell into place. The reason why Julie had infiltrated the palace became clear. Meeting Maximilian was an impossible task unless you were connected to the royal family.

"So, how did he manage to capture you, little carpa?" Sergey asked

"Isn' that what the legends say? ah had to meet Redbeard to get his treasures, when the marine heroes arrived. Or so they say," Julie replied in irony.

"Well, is that the case? What does your legend say?"

"A legend? ah don't have one, you see," she paused for a moment. "But...mah sister, ah'll tell ya the story of man sister."

Julie proceeded to share the story of Mei, occasionally glancing towards the windows to keep her intense emotions in check.

When she finally finished, the sun began to rise. Light flooded the room, bringing a sense of hope and the promise of change. Sergey held her hands and looked into her eyes.

"Listen, oh god, forgive me for what I'm about to say...the red beard, he's still alive! No one must ever know what I'm telling you," he whispered urgently.

Before he could even finish the sentence, Julie sat up on the bed, gripping Sergey's arms tightly. Her eyes stared at him, impatiently awaiting an answer.

.

"Where is he?" Julie's surprise was evident as she opened her eyes and inquired.

"There exists an underground prison where the ones who are not meant to be alive are held. It is a place where criminals are tortured for their hidden treasures or valuable information. There is no punishment more severe than that place, where even the sun dares not touch, and once inside, there's no way out" he explained, adding that he had heard this directly from the king.

Julie's eyes shimmered with bright green, and tears suddenly streamed down her face.

With a smile on her face, she tightly embraced Sergey.