"Just in case, what are the chances this information is wrong?"
"It seems there are none, sir."
Listening to Evan's words, Alon fell into thought.
'…Why did Ladan suddenly become a pirate?'
The reason he had sent Ladan to the port city of Laxas was partly because his talent was 'Search,' but also because he belonged to the Sea God Tribe.
According to the game's lore, there were only a handful of the Sea God Tribe left on the continent. Of course, they looked similar to humans on the outside, so they were usually impossible to distinguish.
However, Alon, who had repeated the game several times and delved deep into the settings, knew Ladan's heritage. That was why he had recommended the Treasure Hunter profession.
As a member of the Sea God Tribe, Ladan could breathe underwater. Alon figured that with his talent for searching, Ladan could easily make a fortune by dredging up artifacts sleeping beneath the waves.
Furthermore, given the nature of a Treasure Hunter, one good haul could guarantee a comfortable life. To help him along, the gift Alon had given Ladan was an artifact specialized for searching.
And yet, he had become a pirate.
Not just any pirate, but a Great Pirate of the 7 Archipelagos.
"He's become a bigger figure than the previous Count Palatio family ever was…"
"…Indeed."
It was exactly as Evan said.
The pirates of the 7 Archipelagos were called a pirate fleet in name, but in reality, they were more like lords with territories on each of the seven islands.
Moreover, their combat power at sea was formidable enough to hold its own against the Empire, which never backed down in any war. The captains who ruled the archipelagos were all superhumans who transcended mortal limits, such as Sword Masters or high-ranking barbarians.
According to the lore, the current generation of captains ruling the islands was far stronger than the previous one.
As his thoughts reached that point, Alon felt a sudden surge of doubt.
'…How on earth did Ladan kill such a superhuman?'
It was a natural question, considering Ladan's talent didn't lie in martial prowess. However, it didn't take long for Alon to come up with his own answer.
'It makes sense if Ladan dredged up only the best of the best among the ancient artifacts.'
Countless ancient artifacts lay dormant in the waters off Laxas, and many of them were incredibly broken in terms of power. Alon himself had once spent three days straight on the Treasure Hunter mini-game just to get his hands on an artifact from those waters.
…Of course, he had grown so sick of the mini-game afterward that he never looked at it again, but the artifact he obtained through such suffering was definitely worth the grind.
In other words, if Ladan had used the power of his items to face a captain and take his place, it was somewhat understandable.
"…"
Alon pressed his fingers against his eyes for a moment before quickly regaining his composure.
In truth, when he sent all the Sins out into the world, he had assumed that something like this might happen. He knew all too well that the world wasn't easy enough for everything to go exactly as planned.
Still, it was true that he felt a strangely bitter taste in his mouth, and he let out a low sigh.
…It was summer.
*
Beyond the seas of Laxas—a massive maritime city and the de facto heart of the Principality of Corkia—lay seven archipelagos.
These seven islands, known to people as the 7 Archipelagos, were originally ruled by the very first pirate, a man now called the Pirate King, 'Caldean T. Braven.'
However, after Caldean died a hollow death from heart disease, the 7 Archipelagos were split into seven territories corresponding to the number of islands. They had been ruled that way for generations.
That was the 7 Archipelagos of today, known as a paradise for pirates.
Among them was the 1st Archipelago, the largest of the islands. Its previous captain was Alcraid Markni, a pirate known as the 'Red Slayer' who had received the protection of the Heavenly King through 'Sacrifice.'
Ladan, who had killed Alcraid and become the new captain of the 1st Archipelago, was now…
"…"
…looking down at the island with a low sigh.
The 1st Archipelago he surveyed was far too well-structured to be called a mere pirate village. Numerous houses stood on the ground, and cliffs rose in a circle around the center of the massive island. The houses built atop those cliffs made the place look like a giant fortress.
However, what occupied Ladan's mind wasn't the island's scenery, but thoughts of the 'Great Moon.'
'The Great Moon… what exactly is he?'
In truth, Ladan had never thought deeply about the Great Moon until now. It wasn't because he lacked deep-rooted loyalty, but simply because he hadn't been particularly interested.
Of course, that didn't mean he wasn't grateful.
He understood his situation well. Ladan could easily guess that if it hadn't been for the Great Moon, he would have been dragged away by the slave traders to be used in biological experiments and eventually killed.
Furthermore, he knew that if the Great Moon hadn't allowed him to meet Yutia, he wouldn't have been able to bloom his abilities and gain his current power.
Even so, what Ladan felt for the Great Moon was ultimately just gratitude. If anything, he felt more like he was following Yutia's orders rather than the Great Moon's. Even the phrase 'Everything for the Great Moon' was merely a matter of following Yutia's instructions.
That was why he had felt a sense of reluctance when the first proper command came from the Great Moon. Like Seolrang before him, he felt that going to Laxas was a meaningless task.
Ladan had too many targets for revenge.
He had to take revenge on the 'Black Things' that had slaughtered his entire tribe, who had been living peacefully on a nameless island. He also had to take revenge on the damn hunter who had killed his parents and sold him into slavery when he reached the continent, exhausted from using all his strength to escape the Black Things.
To him, the profession of Treasure Hunter seemed meaningless, and he thought the gift from the Great Moon had nothing to do with the revenge he had promised himself.
Until he realized that the captains of the 7 Archipelagos were the ones who had killed his parents.
"…"
The reason Ladan discovered the truth was simple.
It was because all the current captains of the 7 Archipelagos used the power of the Sea God Tribe.
To the world, it was known that they received the protection of the Heavenly King through 'Sacrifice.' But in reality, they were using a power that could only be wielded by offering a part of one's own body for the sake of one's family and receiving strength from the sea god they worshipped, 'Claird,' through a sacred 'ritual.'
The moment he realized this, he ran like a madman to the center of Laxas Plaza. There, he saw the bounty posters for the 7 Archipelagos—posters so old and tattered they were barely legible, as the authorities had long since given up on catching them.
In that moment, Ladan became absolutely certain.
The current captains of the 7 Archipelagos were the very people who had killed his parents when he was a child. They had obtained their power by using his parents' bodies.
The moment he realized this, he felt a simultaneous surge of rage, joy, and wonder.
Even though Ladan had never shared his story while active in the Blue Moon after being rescued, it was as if the Great Moon had arranged everything from the beginning. As if keeping a promise, he had provided Ladan with the opportunity for revenge.
However, even with the opportunity before him, he couldn't act immediately. Objectively speaking, he couldn't defeat the captains who used the power of Claird. He was strong, but not strong enough to defeat those who had reached the realm of superhumans.
As he began to agonize over this, it didn't take long for Ladan to find the answer in the gift the Great Moon had given him.
The gift, known as Amrita's Goggles, had the effect of making the countless artifacts buried beneath the sea glow, allowing him to find them easily. After realizing that certain excavated artifacts were more than enough to supplement his lack of martial power compared to the pirate captains…
Only then did Ladan realize that all of this had been intentional. At the same time, he grasped the true intent of the Great Moon.
'To carry out my revenge and take control of the 7 Archipelagos.'
The moment he realized this, the Great Moon was no longer just an entity to feel a small amount of gratitude toward. He hadn't just dangled a promise before Ladan's eyes; he had provided everything, including the power to take revenge.
From beginning to end. Everything.
"Everything for the Great Moon."
Ladan muttered to himself unconsciously.
To others, it might have been just a sentence, and to his past self, it had been a meaningless phrase.
But.
"Everything… for the Great Moon."
Not anymore.
That phrase was no longer a hollow sentence to Ladan.
Now.
The words coming from Ladan's mouth…
"…For the Great Moon."
…had finally become a declaration of faith.
*
About three months had passed since the news of the fifth (?) member becoming a Somali pirate reached him.
Just as the long, tedious heat of summer was ending and the forest began to turn with autumn colors, Alon boarded a carriage. It was to attend the Grand Council Tournament, which was held every two years at the Duke Lotegr's estate.
'I'd honestly rather skip this.'
Unlike his body, which was currently moving in the carriage, Alon's mind was filled with such sentiments. His image as the mastermind of the Count Palatio family had mostly vanished because he hadn't been active for so long, but the problem was that mockery had taken its place.
Nevertheless, the reason he had committed himself to the carriage was because of a regulation stating that all nobles of Asteria must attend the Grand Council Tournament held every two years. It was a bizarre rule, and he had no idea why it existed, but it mandated participation at least once every two cycles unless there was a truly exceptional reason.
Anyway, thanks to that, Alon was in a carriage heading for the Grand Council Tournament, and he soon joined up with two other nobles.
This was planned from the start. Whenever the season for the Grand Council Tournament arrived, there were always insane mercenaries or bandits looking to target nobles, so they moved in a larger group for safety.
As nobles, they had plenty of escort troops, so there was little chance of trouble even if they were attacked. However, since being attacked in the first place was a waste of precious manpower, they increased their numbers from the beginning.
It was to ensure no one would even think of touching them.
Through this mutual interest, Alon naturally ended up traveling with two families departing from the East, and nothing much happened that day.
…The problem occurred that night.
"Count Palatio, isn't it a bit much to have only a single guard, no matter the circumstances…? If you're short on funds, I could perhaps offer a little assistance."
"Oh dear… I suppose inheriting the title so suddenly and unexpectedly has put quite a strain on your finances."
"…"
Alon wore an incredulous expression as he looked at the two nobles who had come all this way just to deliver such blatant mockery.
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