"Can I get you two anything?" Lucy asked.

The pig soldiers sat down on both sides of the wolf, smiling at him.

“No need a drink, lass,” one of them said. “We got what we want here.”

The wolf glared at them. “You know it’s rude not to buy a drink at a tavern.”

Lucy crossed her arms. “He is right you know-”

“Shut it, lass!” The soldier turned toward the wolf. “We know who you are, Charles Locksmith. And we are here to put you away for good.”

Charles? Lucy wasn't sure if she heard that name before. Maybe it came from the visitors' gossips, but Lucy wasn't good at remembering rumors. However, it was quite clear the wolf was a wanted fugitive by the empire.

"Charles who?" The wolf asked.

"Don't play games with us!" The pig pulled the wolf's hood down.

To Lucy's surprise, he was a handsome gray wolf with a black ponytail and a white patch stretching from chin to neck. 

Charles Locksmith  Level: 15 Race: Wolf HP: 150 Non-player Character 

"You're Charles Locksmith! Traitor to the empire!" The soldier shouted.

Lucy's eyes widened. Now I remember him!

She saw his face on a wanted poster inside the tavern before a player took it. Charles Locksmith was a spy for the Imperial Empire. He had stolen information, hunted pirates, and performed assassinations. He was good at his job until he mysteriously turned rogue. Some people thought he joined the pirate side for more money. Others assumed someone framed him based on jealousy. But whatever the rumors were, he still betrayed his home and robbed ships for himself. Thus he was called Charles the Traitor.

The wolf frowned, glaring in space. "How did you find me?"

The soldier chuckled. "We caught your face after you stepped out from the clothing shop."

"Hiding in that coat isn't good enough for you," said the other soldier.

Charles finished his mug. "I thought there aren’t any pigs on this island."

"Watch your mouth, pirate scum!" The pig shouted. "You betrayed the empire, and you deserved to be punished!"

Charles sighed. "Everybody keeps saying that."

The second soldier placed his hand on the wolf's shoulder. "If you don't want trouble, come with us quietly."

"Or we will break your legs here," the other added.

Lucy gulped. "I prefer if you don't-"

"Shut it, lass! This is our business! Not your business!"

Lucy puffed her cheeks. Rude!

Charles rose. "Alright! Alright! No need for violence here. I'll come with you peacefully."

The soldiers smiled. "Good….."

Charles turned around, but he back flipped, leaping over the counter, and landed next to Lucy. He grabbed her and held a knife close to her throat as he stood behind her.

"It looks like the tides have turned!" Charles exclaimed with a grin. 

"Hey!" Lucy struggled, but Charles clinched her. He felt stronger than he looked, considering his level was higher.

The soldiers rose and pulled out their swords.

"Let the lass go, coward!" one of them shouted.

Charles laughed like a demon. "You think I will let you take me away? You pigs are dumb."

Lucy struggled. "Let go, or I'll call my father!"

"Here is how this will work. I'm taking the lass with me off this island."

"What?"

"If you try to stop me, I will leave her body in front of you."

Lucy shook harder. "You bastard!"

Charles shook her back until she stopped. "So what will it be, mates? A dead lass here, or my path to freedom?"

The pig guard snorted. "You don't have the guts."

"Do I? I'm pretty sure if the people find two Imperial soldiers with a dead civilian female, that will stir up quite a commotion. Maybe a riot will start, and you two would be the first casualty here."

The second guard shook in his metal boots, but he kept his face straight. "This…… This…… This island is loyal to the empire!"

Charles laughed. "Really? I saw no Imperial ship at the port."

"We have a jailhouse here," the first guard explained. "That is where you'll be going."

"No, I'll be taking a ship to leave with some company."

"Go to hell!" Lucy shouted 

Charles placed his snort against Lucy’s right floppy ear. "I'll let you go after my escape. Capeesh?"

Lucy preferred to knock him to the floor and let the soldiers take him away. But listening to him would be the only way to get her out of this ridiculous situation. She definitely doesn't want to lose her head. 

After she nodded, Charles moved toward the back door while keeping Lucy close to him. 

"Well, we gotta go now," he said. "This must be my lucky day!”

He swung Lucy off her feet and placed her on his shoulder. While holding her, he dashed past the soldiers toward the front door.

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He kicked it open and sprinted through the street. 

Lucy pounded on his back. "Let me go! Let me go!"

"Not until I find a ship at the docks!" Charles shouted through the crowd. 

The townsfolk focused on pushing carts, shopping, and selling goods to other folks. They were just minding their own business as if they have seen men carrying women off before. And they all kept their distances from Charlies. Why was everyone being rude to Lucy?

The wolf stopped when five Imperial soldiers charged toward him.

"Uh-oh!" Charles turned around, but more soldiers charged from the back. 

Somehow the entire town knew he was among them. 

"This would be easy if you let me go!" Lucy shouted.

"Not a chance!" Charles sprinted into an alleyway while the soldiers still chased him. 

He ran past a stack of baskets and pushed them down before continuing. The soldiers stopped to climb over the mess.

On the next street, Charles stopped and looked around. There were fewer people strolling about on the wooden planked narrow street. Half-timbered buildings stood along the path with white painted panels between the brown wooden frames. Grease and mud spread on the ground, left by sailors or workers who couldn't clean off their bare feet. 

Everywhere, the women wore shirts and long skirts, while the men wore leather coats and breeches that allowed their tails to hang out. No child stormed around with the adults. They were probably at home, playing with their toys.

"Stop!" The Imperial soldiers reached the street and charged toward Charles. More arrived behind him, not giving him the chance to escape anywhere. 

The wolf looked around and spotted a ladder up against a three-story tall building. He immediately rushed toward the ladder and climbed up, using one hand and his feet. 

"Help!" Lucy shouted to keep the soldiers on Charles's tail. 

While the wolf was halfway up, a badger soldier climbed up first. A squirrel and pelican soldiers followed the badger's lead next.

Charles reached the roof and kicked the ladder down. The soldiers screamed as they fell backward to the floor. First, the wood snapped, and then the water splashed below. The floating wood keeping the town above the water wasn’t too strong. That was why wood carpenters had to keep replacing the planks to prevent the people from falling down. 

Charles saluted the soldiers and sprinted across the rooftop. It was so high, Lucy could see the blue sky and the sun beginning to set toward the horizon. A beautiful sight, although she was being captured. 

Lucy pounded Charles's back. She could bite him, but that would be unladylike. "Let me go!"

"Be still! We are almost there!" The wolf leaped over the roof edge and landed on the next one.

Without obstacles and people in his way, Charles could reach the seaport faster. No guard stood on the roofs, except on the jailhouse. People rarely run across the roofs unless they have to perform some repairs.

On the next roof toward the seaport, Charles stopped when a trapdoor spring opened, and four pig soldiers climbed out. All of them aimed their rifles at him.

"Stay where you are!" One of them shouted.

Charles pulled out a pistol and pointed it at Lucy's butt. "You stay back, or this lass gets three holes on her ass!"

"What?" Lucy shouted.

Charles pushed his gun harder against the flesh of her rear end. "Do what I say!"

The soldiers growled and placed their rifles down. After they stepped away, Charles ran past them. 

He leaped off the roof and landed on a ship near the dock. He placed Lucy down and quickly untied the ropes that were keeping the ship to the dock.

Lucy got up and spotted a sword on a barrel. Quickly, she rushed toward the barrel and grabbed the sword. With a weapon, she could now make that traitor obey her demands.

After Charles untied the last rope, he paused when Lucy's blade touched his back.

"Let me go now!" Lucy shouted.

Charles smiled and held up his hands. "Not yet, lass. We are not-"

Lucy thurst the blade toward the wolf's throat, barely touching him. "Now!"

Charles gulped. "You truly think you can kill me?"

"You pointed your gun up to my ass! I believe that should give me the reason to kill you."

"Don't push your luck, lass. Threatening a pirate will only bring you death."

Lucy giggled. "And you believe you can kill me too?"

"If I must." Charles swung his sword out, knocking the sword from Lucy's hands before her eyes.

After the sword landed on the floor, Lucy ran for it, but the wolf kicked her off her feet. She landed on her back and Charles pointed his sword close to her neck. She laid still, breathing hard.

Charles stood over her. "Now please be a good lass and-"

Lucy swung her leg, knocking Charles off his feet. She dashed toward the fallen sword and picked it up. Then she jumped onto her feet and faced the wolf.

Charles rose and held up his sword with one hand. "Clever girl. I see you aren't just a bartending lass."

Lucy kept her feet apart while holding up her sword. "Every girl needs to learn how to defend herself."

"Then let's see how well you can fight me." Charles charged, aiming his sword toward Lucy.

Of course, Lucy knew Charles has a higher level than her. He could instantly kill her by one attack with his weapon. But if she could remain cautious, she could force the wolf to let her go. Trying was better than doing nothing. 

She took one step aside, blocking Charles's blade. 

The wolf stopped and smiled. "Good. Now, what if I try this?"

He swung his body around, swinging his sword the opposite way. He swung fast, but Lucy deflected it.

Charles faced her. "Alright, let's see how long you will last."

Without swinging, the wolf thrust his blade while stepping close toward Lucy. She moved backward as she blocked each attack from the wolf.

She took a swung, and the wolf jumped back.

Both of them sprinted around the ship, slashing and dodging each other. Lucy jumped over a crate and kicked it toward the wolf. The wooden box slid toward Charles and he leaped over it. 

When he got close, Lucy parries his strike, pushing the tip of his blade up from her face. 

She grinned. "Not bad for a traitor."

Charles jumped back. “Years of training at the finest Imperial Academy can lead you anywhere. How about you?”

Lucy struck his sword. “I practiced all by myself, three hours a day between my shifts.”

“Then why are you a tavern girl?” Charles pushed Lucy’s blade back and stepped from her next strike. “You could be more than giving away drinks to thirsty men.”

Lucy brushed her blonde hair aside from her face. “It’s my purpose.”

Charles raised his arms up. “Everyone has a purpose, but we can still do whatever you want.”

He suddenly charged, pushing Lucy against the thick sailing post. His blade pushed against Lucy’s chest. 

“Maybe you know it, but the system doesn’t want you to believe it,” the wolf whispered. “So why practice when you can’t leave? Is your daddy pulling your tail too?”

Lucy felt her cheeks turned warm, breathing hard. The wolf’s muzzle was close to her snort now, smelling his musky cocoon fragrance scent. And his breath has the smell of tropical spring. No pirate has ever smelled so good like Charles, but she couldn’t let her inner instincts fool her head. “I practice because when I can leave my father’ tavern, I can kill anyone who stands in my way!”

Charles smiled, glancing into Lucy’s eyes. “I like a woman who wants to become dangerous.”

As Lucy opened her mouth, the wolf’s lips touched hers without warning. A shock rippled through Lucy’s body as her heart pounded like crazy inside her chest. Both her arms and legs turned weak, like rocks turning into seaweed. An electric sense tickled her mouth from Charles’s soft lips, invading all her senses. 

She never felt sought a kiss before from another NPC, and somehow she couldn’t resist it. The way Charles tasted her tongue, how his ocean smell polluted her snort, and the way he held her against his warm body. 

She closed her eyes, still thinking whether she should kill him or embrace him. It was too confusing!

Suddenly, Lucy heard a bottle shattered behind Charles’s head. The wolf dropped to the floor as his mouth released her lips. 

She looked down first and then saw her father approaching her with a broken bottle.

“Wha in the help arrr yo doooing her?” The fat cocker spaniel shouted. “Yo sure post too bee ark the tavern! Nor kissing boys on the job!”

Lucy quickly caught her breath. “He kidnapped me, dad! Why are you here?”

“Watching the ship.” He held up the bottle toward his lips until he paused, realizing he broke it.

No doubt he was drinking on his job again.

On the right side of the ship, two grappling hooks caught the edge, and the soldiers from the tavern climbed up. They raced toward Charles’s body and examined him before placing their swords back into their sheaths.

The soldiers placed their swords back into their sheath and saluted to Lucy's father.

"Thank you for your condolences for the empire," one of them stated. "That wolf is a wanted fugitive who  kidnapped your lass."

Her father burped. "She's mine daughter."

The soldier bowed to Lucy. "Forgive us, lass. Did he hurt you?"

Lucy crossed her arms, still remembering the taste from Charles’s lips. “No.”

"Then have a pleasant day!" The soldiers shouted. "May the empire shine upon your souls!"

Lucy shrugged. She never cared about the Imperial Empire as long as they don’t threaten her home. Trading goods to their greedy colonies.

After the soldiers dragged Charles off the ship, Lucy’s father rubbed his face. "Bloody pirates."