Chapter 84 A Beauty's Shadow Amidst the Clash of Swords She wore long boots, her brows relaxed, surrounded by…

The sea was sometimes calm and sometimes turbulent, and another wave crashed against the hull after several days of sailing.

"Left flank—Enemy attack!!"

The lookout on the high platform screamed.

The sailors on deck looked into the distance and saw a small black dot appear on the sea, followed by a mast and a sail.

Whoosh, whoosh—

Black flags, identical to theirs, billowed in the wind and howled towards them, while the ship opposite them had a sharp bow and a ram that looked like fangs.

It was a pirate ship slightly smaller than the Black Lotus.

Their boat was quite fast, clearly showing their confidence in their deadly fighting prowess.

"Captain, that's the Lightning! They're quite different from us."

The first mate broke out in a cold sweat. The Black Lotus was occasionally used as a merchant ship, and when it came to plundering, it mainly collected money to buy lives. It would only kill or capture the weak who resisted.

She recognized the flags on the other side; they were quite different from these professionally murderous pirate ships.

The Lightning was built specifically to chase other larger ships from the moment it was launched, and its crew consisted entirely of outlaws whom other ships didn't want.

They left no survivors; they killed all the enemies they encountered.

This is why the Lightning charged at the Black Lotus without hesitation: what business could be more profitable and less reckless than double-crossing?!

"Should we..." The first mate stammered, wanting to say, "Should we just run away?"

No, the Black Lotus is definitely outmatched.

What about direct combat?

Ha, who can expect half-dead sailors and lowly slaves to fight side by side and be more powerful than usual?

She gritted her teeth in despair: if the people on the Lightning weren't so ruthless, they might as well surrender. After all, the captain was a monster!

With a sharp clang, the gleaming blade pierced the silence, and the young captain gave a cold smile.

Andra ignored the sudden sparkle in her eyes and grinned, revealing her gleaming white teeth. "Great, something new to play with."

Whoosh—as she stood up, the feeling of fear vanished.

"Andra, I really envy you."

The golden-red monster heard the voice of another monster, sometimes near, sometimes far.

"Just one battle... and they'll become close to you."

One step, two steps.

She walked to the edge of the deck, coldly watching the bow of the ship piercing the waves. She tried to mask her true anger with a new kind of "hatred," and also with the foolishness in her mind at that moment—herself.

"Haha, is Your Highness the Princess one too?"

The past Andra blinked. ["Are you a little... closer to me now?"]

【"Hate!"】

In her memory, the girl's shy face turned bluish-black.

Eleanor - no - you.

Are you being coquettish, pretending... or taking this opportunity to tell the literal truth?

The wind tousled her long, flowing hair, and her cloak fluttered in the breeze.

Her distorted face was smoothed out by her smile as the wind rose, stirring up a chillingly cool feeling.

"Follow me, or fight or die."

Unconcerned that at least half the people behind her wanted to stab her in the ribs, she stepped onto the cable and swiftly vaulted over.

Splash splash splash splash...

The Lightning's hull brushed past, and the crew, seeing that there weren't many people on the Black Lotus, let out a strange, joyful cry.

"Kill them all, leave no one alive!" Their captain, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, brandished a longsword in the crowd.

Clang, clang, clang!

Long, hooked claws gnawed at the fence, ropes, and figurehead, while planks slammed down one after another, creating a precarious bridge.

"Awooooo—"

"Kill them!"

Excited shouts suddenly erupted as a crowd surged across the way. A group of pirates screamed and laughed wildly as they swayed onto the wooden planks, one after another.

The first mate's eyes suddenly blurred. Where was the captain? Where was her captain, such a high-ranking figure?!

She kept turning her head to look for Andra's figure; her long, golden-red hair was very eye-catching, but she couldn't find her no matter what she did—until she heard the lookout scream "Ahhh!"

Whoosh.

The first mate looked in the direction of the sound and the first thing he saw was bright red blood.

A stream of blood spurted from someone's throat, spraying outwards like a fountain.

Thump!

With a loud crash, a wooden plank was lifted off the ground, and the pirates on it fell into the water with a splash.

Andra had already disappeared into the dense crowd without anyone noticing.

With one hand gripping the cable, she repeatedly swung the knife in the other, taking away one life after another in the rushing water.

Crack, crack, crack.

The scimitar made a dull thud like cutting wheat, and three heads rolled off with a thud.

Blood formed her cloak, obscuring the enemy's vision.

Compared to the captain, the crew members, who had no morale whatsoever, were far too slow, but this ironically made it easier for the captain to take center stage.

Ta, tap, tread.

Wearing long boots, with relaxed eyes, she danced a death dance around several wooden planks.

The sky was azure blue.

But the moment Andra swung his sword, a dark storm seemed to cross countless spaces and times to pursue him, biting down hard on the enemy's throat.

Thump, thump thump.

Rolling heads provided her accompaniment, as corpses slammed onto the deck, trampled by their companions.

The crew of the Black Lotus finally moved.

Their faces were covered in snot and tears, and at that moment their fear of the captain far surpassed that of everyone else on the Lightning.

Splash—

They swarmed towards the two outermost planks, not caring about falling into the water. Some even picked up their own planks and wobbled as they hurled them at the other side.

As long as they could get away from the captain, anything was fine, and the people on the other side clearly thought the same thing.

The person on the plank wanted to retreat; being fearless of death is not the same as courting death.

When they plundered merchant ships, they dared to rush forward with a sinister grin, even when facing fully armed bodyguards, biting off pieces of the enemy's flesh.

But things are different now—this monster is different!

More and more thick blood splattered onto Andra's body, turning her long hair a deep crimson.

Only those eyes, and that half-fleshed face, remained as white as snow!

She skillfully avoided the blood from her eyes during the relentless spinning.

If these people had heard the story of the Big Bad Wolf, they would surely hear the eerie laughter in their ears: "If my face is stained with blood, I won't be able to see you!"

"monster--"

"devil!!"

Unable to tell which side was shouting insults, Andra had already pushed off the wooden plank with one foot and leaped high into the air like a bird spreading its wings.

"Don't come any closer!" A commotion erupted from the opposite ship, with people jumping into the sea in fright every now and then.

"Hahaha, you all come here!"

Andra laughed loudly. As she said this, she had already stepped onto the deck of the Lightning, but her eyes glanced behind her for a moment.

This obvious action sent a chill down the spines of the sailors who were watching the spectacle from the Black Lotus, making them realize her unspoken meaning: anyone who dared not follow her would be killed when she returned.

Glug.

They followed, baring their teeth, and stepped onto the deck one by one with screams of "Ahhh!" It was less a battle cry and more like the pained cries of someone who had stepped on their tail.

The ensuing battles were unremarkable.

Andra's smile grew colder with each kill, her gaze losing its focus. After she had killed the captain of the Lightning with two slashes and kicked open the cabin door, her smile completely vanished.

Boredom... An overwhelming sense of boredom has once again enveloped my heart.

"Come in," she called back.

A group of people, trembling, pushed aside the corpse and went into the cabin, clutching their heads.

There were people from the Black Lotus and people from the Lightning. The two groups stood on opposite sides, obediently watching the sole captain like sheep.

Andra was the last to enter, and she used her knees to push the door shut, standing in the doorway.

The stench of blood grew stronger, filling the air with a pungent odor. It seemed that if someone were to raise even the slightest spark, the smell would explode like powder.

They waited for her to announce the end of the game.

This person is so powerful, he was born to make a living at sea.

The pirates genuinely thought: This place is full of good sailors, the capital for her "business," surely no one would go to such lengths?

Andra shook his head, and when he opened his eyes again, those eyes, which had been shrouded in confusion or bloodshed, seemed much clearer.

The crew breathed a sigh of relief: the monster finally seemed to be able to communicate normally.

"Ha, thank you for your hard work these past few days."

Andra's smile was beautiful, even though her entire left cheek was distorted by the festering wounds, she was still stunningly beautiful.

"It's not hard at all!"

"You've worked the hardest, Captain is amazing!"

They smiled along and mustered their courage to cheer.

Andra took a step forward, and as she leaned forward, she seemed to nod, or perhaps she did nothing at all.

A strange, dangerous aura, like a sea breeze, drew ever closer with each step she took. Some felt their hair stand on end, but none were particularly alarmed.

Because anyone who wants to kill a large number of people will always say "drop your weapons" first, even though they're still holding their weapons in their hands.

Pfft!

A large pool of blood shot into the sky, splashing onto the ceiling and dripping down.

Andra raised her head, a hint of languor in her eyes.

"Oh, I forgot to mention. There's one last thing I need to trouble you with."

She winked her right eye playfully and smiled weakly.

"Go to hell, thank you."

......

Clink, creak~

The door slowly slid open, and a golden-red...blood-red figure emerged from the cabin.

The remaining crew of the Black Lotus trembled near the mast.

They were hardly good sailors; they were all slaves captured by pirates, and their usual tasks were simply rowing when there was no wind or serving as emergency cargo for ballast.

Whoosh.

The sea breeze ruffled the captain's long, blood-red hair, which conveniently concealed the horrific scar on his left eye.

The handsome young man raised his right hand and waved to them in a friendly manner. She seemed... to be smiling?

Thump, then a crash.

The slaves were so frightened that they knelt on the ground, and some even sobbed with emotion.

Andra didn't say much; she turned and walked toward the lower deck of the Lightning.

She had a large bunch of keys in her hand, tried a few, and finally opened it with a click.

"Don't say that. They are human beings too, with human ways of thinking and human instincts."

The whispered words echoed in her ears, but Andra didn't think about the girl behind those words or her swaying body on the long couch.

She looked down and glanced around; there were more people in the lower deck than she had expected.

Ha, that pirate captain is really useless, wasting so much manpower... The word "manpower" made her heart ache, and she subconsciously ignored it.

These rowers were cowardly, strong but blind slaves. Even the most ignorant person wouldn't expect their brains to have been nourished by knowledge.

However, in Andra's eyes, they were no different from the pirates above... but there was a difference, at least these people could still breathe.

The slaves held their breath and secretly observed the nobleman bathed in blood.

She must be a benefactor!

It's not just his fit physique and handsome face.

Just by standing there so tall and straight, she captivated everyone's hearts and necks.

They never considered living alone, so when they saw such a beautiful person and her confident demeanor, they felt from the bottom of their hearts that this person could make them kneel down, and also make them stand up.

"You are free."

Andra raised his eyelids and said nonchalantly, "I want to go to Aita. Anyone willing to follow me will immediately become a crew member of the Black Lotus. Those who follow me soon will only need to pay the fare to disembark."

The blood-red figure blocked out the sunlight, yet was also bathed in it.

Her smile was devoid of warmth, yet these people, who had never felt warmth before, felt their bodies burning.

They stammered and knelt on the ground, pushing forward, eager to express their loyalty to this absolute strongman. A thirst for following their powerful leader overflowed from their eyes.

"I am your new captain, you can call me—"

"Andra, you're incredibly sharp."

The blurry girl cupped her cheeks and gently caressed them, then chuckled helplessly in her ear.

"Just pick any feature on your face or hair, and everyone will think of you."

Hahaha.

Only at this moment did Andra truly smile.

She moved her left cheek from the shadows into the light, boldly displaying her new feature to everyone.

You should call me "Scarface".

......

King Norlana's letter was very forceful, but Princess Eleanor's letter made up for it well.

The little princess apologized in the letter.

She expressed that she was so attached to Andra, whether it was to repay the life-saving grace, to feel a deep sense of guilt towards Hetuya, or to the longing she had felt when she and her lover talked about the beautiful scenery of the grasslands.

She made an important decision: she would marry Hetuya.

A legitimate princess whose descendants have the right to inherit the throne is of extraordinary value.

When Eleanor wrote in her letter with passionate words, "I am willing to give back to the land that nurtured Andra with all my talents," her hidden value was brought to its peak.

Who doesn't know that Princess Eleanor possesses the magical ability to turn stones into gold?

In just six years, she transformed Enlin from a dilapidated village into a dazzling gem.

She also founded the Marigold Merchants Association, conjuring up a hen that lays golden eggs out of thin air.

Hertuya's response came a little late, not because of a lack of patience, but because of a chaotic dispute taking place in the country.

These days, without cell phones and the internet, rumors are often half true and half false.

Some people solemnly claim that Aguno's queen threatened suicide to force him to abandon his plan to depose her.

After all, they couldn't very well have Princess Norlana marry into the family as a princess.

Even if she were willing, everyone would have to consider whether the current queen would die a violent death.

Perhaps Aguno still harbored some affection for his wife, so in the end, he chose Princess Nolana to marry the second princess, Alisa, since she was, on the surface, the princess closest to the throne.

Moreover, Attila posed a greater threat to Aguno.

Although she wanted to trust her eldest daughter, she couldn't help but wonder: if Attila married Eleanor, would she and her wife really not have to depend on others after a few years?

In fact, Aguno's greatest wish was for Princess Norlana to live in the royal court of Hetuya first, and then marry her and her wife's last child, the real little princess, decades later.

Unfortunately, this terrible idea couldn't even be mentioned; daring to write a single word about it might just make Princess Nolana storm off on the spot.

The two countries finalized an alliance through marriage.

They went through the process meticulously and stipulated in the marriage certificate that Princess Norlana would bring Enlin and her merchant guild as part of her dowry, along with many scholars and artisans.

Of course, the princess's knights and hunting parties would also select elites to bring to Hetuya.

Hetuya, on the other hand, could not be perfunctory either.

They designated a large plot of land near Enlin, which would nominally belong entirely to Princess Eleanor. However, they specifically stipulated that only Princess Eleanor and Princess Hetua's child could inherit this land.

Finally, for his most beloved little princess.

King Eva of Norlana also made a special promise to send food to Hetuya once a year for the next three years, so that Eleanor and her people would not suffer from hunger and cold.

That's an unpleasant way to put it, but the job was done exceptionally well.

The Hertuya royal family quickly reciprocated, promising that they would keep the chiefs in check for at least ten years and ensure that there would be no more fighting on the border.

The palace was filled with celebration, but Eleanor remained the most indifferent.

Apart from her closest confidants who truly know the inside story, everyone else "understands" her current emotions.

Alas, the little princess has lost the person she loved most. How can Alisa compare to Andra?

Kaisa Kaisa.

In the quiet palace, Coral was bowing her head and nervously doing the princess's makeup.

"Let's go, I almost forgot something very important. Hmm... we should probably do things all at once."

After finishing her hair and makeup, the little princess stood up, smiled at the air in front of her, and said, "Let's go see my dear sister."

Sister Ophelia.