Chapter 54: Harlot of many Talents
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Vlad returns after one hour inside the Skyfruit Temple, and by the time it was midnight he made his way back to the Caravel which from Titania's perspective looked undamaged, signs that the bandits didn't have time to vandalize the ship.
She wanted to take a warm bath and to cleanse herself from all the bad emotions she received that night, and something similar could be said for Vlad whose white shirt turned crimson-red, while his boots were covered by dried blood and dirt.
Stepping inside the main deck, nothing looked to be damaged, and walking up the stairs to the Officer's Quarters compartment where his room was located, he and Titania stumbled on the fact his cabin was unlocked.
'Someone of those bandits managed to find the hidden location of the key? Solving that puzzle actually takes a lot of attention to small details from the manner in which you have to remove various planks of wood to reveal the hidden compartment.'
Quickly unlocking the mechanism to reveal his hidden pocket in the walls of the Captain's Cabin, he noticed the key missing when extending his hand, making him look with some interest, before stepping inside the room.
There, as he clicked his tongue and also used his enhanced sense of smell, he could feel that it was a woman, specifically the same woman he didn't knock unconscious, which made him wonder what she wanted from him.
Yet, in the beginning, he chose to ignore Eleine completely, moving toward his clothes cabinet to change his dirty clothes.
'I could feel that this woman wasn't normal in the head. She knows to lie in such a way that you can't even tell from her voice she is lying. Her body signs are also that of someone speaking the truth, but she lacked something in her act, which would be the emotions of someone experiencing those circumstances.'
'Nevertheless, those can be trained, and polished with more years.'
He sensed her opening her eyes at short intervals, to peek at him, but he wasn't in the mood for plays and asked the woman directly.
"How long are you planning on pretending you are sleeping? You might be able to fool those idiots, but you have no chance against me."
Eleine smiled while her eyes were closed, and as Vlad continued to prepare everything for a bath, she asked him with a calm tone.
"You took care of all of them?"
"Mhm, my offer is still on. Go rush to their shack and plunder them or others will take away this chance. You'll live comfortably for a while."
"Ahh, I heard this in the brothel. Sorry, but I will pass on that offer, I found it far better staying in this bed, that I don't want to get off anymore."
"I see, too bad. A wasted opportunity. Besides, I'll go take a bath. You continue doing whatever."
Eleine trembled a bit, but not from fear. It was because she was watching Vlad whose shirt was stained by blood, and the whole murderous aura he was giving off which could crush the spirits of common folks.
"Aren't you afraid I will steal from your possession?"
"Steal what young lady? Everything precious is with me. Anyway, we'll talk after I am done cleaning myself since it looks like you want something."
"In fact I really do."
Vlad waved his hand to dismiss Eleine and walked toward the kitchen to heat up his water for the shower device.
With a large bucket of fresh water that turned into hot water for his own comfort, he completed all the steps to open the shower device, and slowly his tall body was touched by the hot water.
"What do you think of what the old mister said in the Temple about that Organization?" asked Titania who watched Vlad's back from a wooden support for a window.
"Enticing story, but it's clear it's only half of the story where the guy only mentioned the benefits I can receive. But, as you know my phrase …"
"Nothing is free in this world." completed Titania in the short frame Vlad paused, making the black-haired man nod, as he was washing his long hair with shampoo.
"And that's why, I am not considering the offer regardless of all the benefits. Even the chance of getting my eyes healed. It's clear that I will be under their fingers afterwards."
"I know that I can count that you'll make the best decisions when it comes to your interests." added Titania from the side, moving her eyes to other spots on Vlad's body.
"Don't take me wrong, if I have no other choice and all my methods in recovering my eyesight fail. I will grab the devil's hand and slowly work around to get out from Hell like Orpheus and Dante did."
While he was discussing the events happening after ending Fanul, regarding an extended invitation to get recruited inside a powerful organization called Cipher Pol that delivers a Dark Type of Justice around the World, where he could kill bandits and pirates as he wished.
All the benefits he would gain sounded enticing initially but as he was contemplating them each minute, he got skeptical rather quickly and just entertained a conversation to gather extra information.
"I've filled the bathtub with water. I'll go upstairs to see what that woman wants, and settle her down before I prepare the ship for departure."
"Mhm. I understand."
Making his way back inside the Captain's Cabin, he saw Eleine remain the same inside his bed, but this time she was staring at the wooden ceiling lying on her back, and with his return, the young woman quickly returned to a side position where she watched Vlad's chiseled body full of scar marks, from small to large ones.
"So? If you have arrived on my ship and even entered the room, it means you want something. Go on, speak, as I am in a good mood after a decent hunt."
"W-Well … I don't know anything about you, not even your name, still, taking into consideration all of those aspects … I want to join you."
"I see … Impossible."
"Why not? Aren't you a pirate? Don't you need people to assist you on your journey? I noticed that tiny girl using your hair to cover herself, and I can tell you, I can be far more useful than her."
"Mhm. Interesting, so you were able to notice her. However, it is not as if she tried to hide or anything. Besides, how useful can you be to me?" asked Vlad while his tone got colder which made the young woman tremble, but Vlad could tell it wasn't from fear.
The smell of a woman's scent started increasing as he was "staring" at her coldly, which confused him initially until he got intrigued in his mind by an observation.
'This woman, could it be? She is that type of woman … the Crazy type? Clearly, she is getting wet since I can smell her scent getting profound.'
"M-Master, I know many things, from arts to calligraphy. I can easily gather information from people in different locations, and I am confident in my abilities in that part of the work."
"And? For now, it sounds only so-so. You know how easily I can get my hands on someone capable enough to investigate a location?"
"..."
"No?"
"I don't even have to search because I am that person."
In a characteristic dark sarcasm, Vlad continued on with his interview, not minding having a small chat with this woman who picked his interest on multiple occasions.
"Go on, what you can further do?" asked Vlad, indifference in his tone, but interested inside his mind.
"M-Master… While I am not capable of fighting for you and defeating your enemies, I am willing to sacrifice a lot and learn it only for you."
"Meaning you are for the most part useless? That you'll require my protection for the entire journey and be just body weight for me? However, I don't need extra weight on my shoulder."
Eleine, who watched Vlad with her beautiful black eyes without showing signs of fear, said in a sexy tone, while her cheeks turned rosy.
"... Have I failed to mention? But Master, I can satisfy any of your sexual cravings. Any play, any fantasy, I can satisfy you."
"So quick to become an easy woman when things don't go your way? Maybe is a defensive mechanism? Have you been abused when young?"
Ereine, could feel that she wasn't successful at all in convincing Vlad to take her along, not her as she was showing all her body to this cold man who ignored most of her gestures.
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'I don't believe someone so cold and strong-minded wouldn't react to my body. Is he limp down there by chance that he can't feel anything after seeing my body?'
"Hmph, no need to go into rabbit holes with your imagination. You were flaunting around your body because you wanted to show me something? Hahaha, a blind man like myself has to touch his future goods, to judge if it was worth it."
Eleine was surprised to hear that Vlad was blind, but as she was observing his abyssal eyes that were showing no signs of life, she also concluded for herself the truth of his words. Whatsmore, she was quick to receive his message and getting up from the royal bed, she walked slowly to him, and grabbed his right arm.
She, later on, moved closer to him, and in doing so brought his arm to submerge deep inside her bosom, and remaining silent she watched Vlad stare into her black eyes as if he could see her.
Then instantly she felt her body being pushed back inside the bed, and later on her body getting touched all over different erogenous zones.
"Not lacking. Quite voluminous and curvaceous, right to my taste. However, this is still not enough to let you inside my ship and journey along."
"What do you want from me to be allowed? It doesn't sound like the initial … impossible."
"Tell me your life story, so I know with whom I am dealing, and don't try to lie to me because I know when someone lies to me." said Vlad bluffing with full confidence in regard to his ability to know if someone was lying or not.
He was just using his life experiences to analyze the speech of someone talking, and in doing so conclude if the one talking is lying or not. It wasn't a magic ability like a lie detector, but it was still doing its job for Vlad, rarely failing him.
Eleine felt how serious was Vlad about wanting to know about her, and before she started thinking from where to start, she received another comment.
"I also want to know why you would approach me. The last time I remember I was about to kill you."
And so the story of the young lady began. Initially, she wanted to lie to Vlad, making up a fake story, but she was warned by the young man who could feel she was trying to lie to him, and not risking herself from losing an opportunity of a lifetime, she started telling Vlad her life story.
"I haven't lied about being a citizen of Athkatla for the record." commented Eleine while glancing at the man sitting next to her, who said with an indifferent tone.
"Don't go about with the "sister" version. You don't sound like someone who knows the emotion of having a brother or sister that you have to feed, that you have to protect from monsters for years and years." remarked Vlad, pointing out a mistake from the girl's initial story where she mentioned being a girl who lost her parents while young, having to take care of her younger sister.
"... How could you tell? Just by emotion? Does it make a difference?"
"For someone who experienced what you mentioned, word by word, it does. It's just bad luck that you are trying to sell such a story to me."
"Okay, I will not lie this time. It's just a strong habit of mine to lie to people."
"I can tell that you have a strong inclination to place a mask on your face. I guess it helped you a lot being able to place a mask, and disguise your true intentions. How do I know? I am someone just like you."
"Mhm. Okay, I'll restart the story. My name is Eleine Brinstill, born in the slums of Athkatla. Never learned who my parents truly were, but from the words of the people of the slum, they were pirates who continued on with their journey after delivering me."
"I was picked from place to place as I was growing, before being thrown away on the streets later on for various reasons."
"Such as?"
"... I'll rather not talk about it. But, it's something that would make you want to punish someone."
"Heh, it depends on each person. A child's prank usually only deserves a scolding to make it understand its mistakes."
"If only … However, I grew up like this on the streets, from person to person, until I became 14 years old, and decided to take my life in my own hands, and to no longer rely on others to survive.
I did a variety of odd-jobs in the city, from selling fake goods to stealing from rich people. After fooling them, I would go to bed with them. I even worked to gather information on various people by getting in various circles of people.
Then, when I turned 16 years old, I took on the new job of becoming a High-Class Prostitute working for Fanul, and doing the rich people of the Island."
As Vlad was listening to this girl's story, with everything she had to struggle in life from a little age, where she took life in her own hands, it reminded him of himself, who was responsible for himself and his brother by the frail age of 12 years old, living in a hostile country.
Nevertheless, along with her story, he noticed a specific set of circumstances this woman would get herself into, all of which would place her life in danger once discovered. From how she started stealing goods without getting caught, to selling the story of high-class goods to various rich people, to gathering information on various dangerous people of the city.
'The thrill of getting in close encounters with death … This woman, she isn't right in the head. Placing herself in such danger even though it wasn't required after making a decent amount of money to sustain herself.'
"So, you are after … what do you call it again?"
"The thrill of existence. I live only because I pursue that thrill, and want to join you because of this reason."
"An interesting way of looking at things. The thrill of existing … I wonder how many times I felt that sensation of expecting the next day. It happened mostly when I was on my Campaigns."
"Master, I was honest with you about myself. Will you satisfy this poor girl's desire to feel she is alive?" asked Eleine, as she grabbed Vlad by his back, wrapping her slender arms around his back, and playing with his chest.
"..."
After a moment of pondering where he felt, Eleine touch him in various places of his body, later on dropping to touch his manhood in a gentle way, starting with a slow handjob, a curiosity of hers to see if Vlad wasn't limp and if his size was satisfying.
"Enough playing little girl." said Vlad coldly making Eleine stop from giving him the handjob, watching him carefully with a wide smile as if she was satisfied with what she felt and saw.
"I was thinking about your story, and what you can bring on the table. While for the most part you are useless, not being of any help in a fight scenario, I bet you'll be passing out in ecstasy when you'll experience a pirate raid."
"A pirate raid? Does it happen as I heard in the stories in the tavern? Clashing of boats, then using ropes to jump on the enemy's ship in a chaotic manner."
"It can happen."
"I don't know since I never experienced it. It might be a turn-off for me." commented Eleine, giving her opinion about what she might feel on a Pirate Raid.
"Regardless, I like you girl. I feel I can turn out quite the lady from you with some training. Apart from this, I discovered something that I overlooked before since my ship was empty for the most part. I need someone to watch over things while I am away."
"Then, do you agree, master?"
"Mhm, go back inside the city and gather anything of importance to you. Clothes, books, accessories."
"You'll not leave without me, right? Making me run my mouth just to mess with me later on?"
"Why not? It might please you a lot, being played like a foolish little girl who couldn't do anything about it."
"... Fine, if you say you'll stay to wait for me. I will go get myself some clothes. By the way, Master, you never told me your name."
"Ohh, I guess you should know who the boss is around. Vlad Dracul." responded the black-haired man, who got up from the bed, to walk toward his office, leaving Eleine to still stay on the bed, thinking about something.
Seeing him take a notebook to write, she was conflicted on how someone who couldn't see was able to write like someone normal, and hearing him humm a beautiful tune as if he was in good mood, she also got up, walking off from the ship, just by the time Titania finished washing herself.
"That strange woman finally decided to go home. I really got a weird feeling about her whenever I was watching her black eyes, as if … she was resembling something close to yours."
"That little girl still has to eat a lot more to become something close to my level. Ohh, also, there's nothing to worry about, she will return in a while, just when we are ready to go."
"Wait, what?? You allowed some stranger to join you, and not those from Picodras? Why?"
"No reason in particular, just the fact I could enjoy myself a little bit while I was getting bored. Also having someone else to read my books is another reason since I like her sweet voice. She might make for a good narrator since it might be as she mentioned, "A woman of many talents."."
Titania looked at Vlad still containing her questioning look, but as an hour went by, where the young man was about to finish all the preparations for the new journey, a woman wearing a black sexy dress revealing her white milky skin and highlighting her curvaceous body, made her appearance holding in her hands a large suitcase that she was dragging toward the ship.
"Master, I returned." called out Eleine staring at Vlad who was unfurling the sails with ease.
"Do you need help?" asked Vlad after doing a click of his tongue from 10 meters high.
"A little bit?" responded the young woman, who began taking breaths of air, feeling exhausted from dragging along all her clothes and accessories.
"You'll do me a favor for this."
"Sure. Anything, master Vlad."
Smirking from sky high, Eleine who was watching Vlad closely, saw him disappear from her sight and later on sensing his presence next to her she got shocked by this type of ability. Then he picked up her suitcase effortlessly, like a feather, and placed it inside the Officer's Quarters, where some rooms were reserved in case he would house guests inside.
Or better said, it was Nelson's trying to pull strings and have Vlad at least have some comrades on this journey of his.
He expected that Vlad would ignore all of those rooms, not considering taking anyone with him on his journey, but on this night, this strange, nonchalant, and unpredictable man allowed someone who he didn't even know for more than some hours to join him.
"Dust off the room, and arrange it however you like. We'll take off in 15 minutes, so be present in the hallway. I will have to teach you some basics of navigation and sailing. Why do you need to learn that? When I want to take a break, I can do it whenever I want."
"Understood, master. As for the favor, call me to your room whenever you want me."
"Haha, little girl, stop imagining that I will fuck you anytime soon. I will use my favors for something else more important."
.
.
Minutes passed, and inside the harbor of Athkatla a medium-sized caravel started its new journey, and a man who watched from afar, inside his motel room couldn't help but talk to himself, saying casually.
"You better don't sink your ship, blind fuck. Sigh, and you also had to take that beauty I intended to fuck after I would recover my leg a little bit. Damn it. I've been sidelined, and I will miss on the Black Market Auction for the Devil Fruit brought by Dethel Blokted."
"Hah, what if I was scammed by that bastard and had to spend a high price only to gain some trash powers? Who knows, maybe being sidelined because of Dracul will work for my future."
Meanwhile, inside the caravel departing, Vlad who was at the steering wheel, with two beautiful girls at his side, one seated on his shoulder watching the night sky full of stars, and another one standing behind him watching with a confused look at the sky.
"As I said, you only have some stars that will help you sail, that act like lighthouses when you aren't sure of your coordinates and the compass. Repeat who the stars are."
"... Really, master? Do you think I forgot what you've told me? Polaris is one of the main stars that I can find after picking where the Plough of the Big Dipper is located. That's how it will point me toward Polaris.
For the South, I guide myself by looking for Orion."
"I see, so you weren't absent-minded when I was talking. Then point them in the sky. Titania, watch her and tell me if she points the correct targets."
Eleine turned her eyes on the small woman who reverted her gaze from the sky to look at her, showing some signs of superiority as she stood on Vlad's shoulder. Slightly annoyed by this childish act, she looked at the sky and pointed toward some stars she found similar to what Vlad taught her.
"Those and those are the stars."
"Wrong." responded Titania with a small, evil smile.
"Ahh really? Then, if you may, madame, who are the correct stars?" inquired Eleine, who remained composed even though the way Titania responded to her sounded as if she tried to screw her, just so she looks stupid in front of Vlad's presence.
"If you think I have something against you… Not really. You just pointed at the wrong stars, for example, this is where Polaris is situated, and that's where Orion is located. Remember how they look, so when Vlad asks you, you give him the right answer."
With a small smile, Titania received a caress on her head from Vlad, who would once again begin a boring sea journey with nothing noteworthy in particular.
With his departure taking place on 19 May 1514, Vlad's journal was an important part of himself coping with the boring sea travel.