Chapter 21: Hostage

Chapter 21: Hostage

Upon discovering that a pirate worth three thousand pounds had boarded in disguise, Klein immediately became somewhat vigilant. With a smile, he said to Donna and Denton beside him, “A friend.”

Outwardly calm, he stepped forward and walked toward the fourth boatswain of Vice Admiral Iceberg, his gaze locked firmly on the other man.

Blazing Danitz, whose smile had already stiffened, watched the young adventurer with mad blood flowing beneath his skin slowly approach. A thought suddenly exploded in his mind:

Run! Run now! Flee with everything you have! Even if it means using Beyonder powers and exposing your true identity, run at once!

In his eyes, that restrained, cold adventurer was a genuine monster wearing human skin.

Just as Danitz was about to act, he suddenly calmed down, because he remembered what had happened the night before.

The other party had not attacked him. He had let him leave!

In other words, he does not possess an enemy’s determination to hunt me down. The present crisis can be resolved through communication… Running directly would only intensify the conflict… Thoughts raced through Blazing Danitz’s mind. Relying on his abundant experience, he forcefully controlled his legs and waited in place as though nothing were wrong.

Klein walked step by step until he was before him, then revealed a smile.

“Good morning. We meet again.”

That mild, courteous smile made Danitz shiver for no reason. Tugging at the corners of his mouth, he said, “Good morning.”

Maintaining his persona, Klein’s expression slowly turned cold.

“What are you doing on this ship?”

“To the Rorsted Archipelago,” Blazing Danitz, who could be considered a well-known pirate, answered honestly.

“What are you going there for?” Klein asked in an even voice.

Danitz forced out a smile.

“To await our captain’s orders. There may be a mission for me.”

He should be driving me off the ship, right? No matter what, a pirate boarding a passenger ship creates potential danger… After answering, Danitz guessed at the possible development of events.

For him, that would actually be a rather good result. At most, he would have wasted a ticket.

Klein fell silent. The silence made Danitz’s hair stand on end.

Only after five or six seconds did Klein speak again.

“Which cabin are you in?”

“First class. Room 312.” Danitz raised the ticket in his hand to eye level.

He did not dare lower his head to look, afraid the other party might seize the opportunity to launch a surprise attack.

Klein nodded almost imperceptibly.

“Does it have servants’ rooms?”

“Yes.” Blazing Danitz answered instinctively. But his heart was full of confusion, completely unable to understand the meaning behind the question.

Then he heard the other man give an instruction as calmly as if commanding a subordinate.

“You will sleep there.”

Ah? Where? I sleep in the servants’ room? Isn’t he going to drive me off the ship? Danitz was stunned and blurted out, “Why?”

Klein glanced at him and indifferently spat out one word.

“Hostage.”

Hostage? He is worried that I boarded the ship as an inside agent, to help a pirate crew hijack the White Agate later, so he intends to use me as a hostage? That makes sense. If that really is the situation, even driving me off the ship now would not avoid the pirate crew’s later attack. It would be better to take a hostage and gain leverage for negotiations… Shit! I hate arrogant, cold people who refuse to speak like normal humans the most. They always say one or two words, or half a sentence, and leave the rest for others to guess! If—if I could actually beat him, I would never have any exchange with such a person! How did I ever think his temperament suited my tastes? I must have gone mad… Danitz thought, his teeth itching with frustration.

“Fine,” he said helplessly, breathing out.

“Go to your cabin.” Klein maintained the improved persona of Gehrman Sparrow.

Whew… Blazing Danitz carried his suitcase, unwillingly leading the…