*Saffron*
“Woah!” Milo said.
He stared at the crates as we flew into the deck of the ship.
Koyuki had covered the ship with a cool mist to keep others from noticing us while we worked on setting up the trap.
Although, if you asked me, that only made us stick out even more.
I doubted fog like this was common on desert lakes, at least during the daytime.
Milo sniffed the air.
“Ah!
It sure smells nice!”
Indeed.
It smelled of various flowers, such as jasmine, roses, and ones I couldn’t name.
It reminded me of a certain princess I’d met at a festival a couple of years ago.
She smelled just as good.
“I thought we weren’t using real luxury products,” Koyuki said, tilting her head at the Major.
Major Kisara chuckled.
“Well, we had to make it believable, Lieutenant.
If a ship filled with high-end perfumes doesn’t smell of perfume, it would raise questions.”
“You got a point there,” Milo said, snickering.
Kisara waved at us to follow.
“I got several positions planned out for us.”
“You’re helping us?” Lt.
Uneri asked, eyes widening.
She nodded.
“You are short in numbers.
Even with one of the Seven Hill Knights helping you.”
Gael grinned.
If I hadn’t known him for years, I would’ve been hard pressed to believe this clown wielded one of the strongest angel tools in all of Kuroriku.
Gael was far from the strongest knight, though.
Even I could defeat him with my Bahar.
Milo rubbed his head.
“Say, Major, do you have any food on this ship?”
Kisara crossed her arms.
“Your manners still need some work, Private.”
Milo blushed.
Uneri snickered.
Seemed he agreed.
Kisara sighed.
“But yes, there’s food onboard.
Help yourself.”
My cousin pumped his fists.
“Yes!”
Major Kisara led us into the interior of the ship.
The halls looked like those of a hospital, but narrower.
“I’m getting claustrophobic,” Milo mumbled.
“Don’t complain,” I said.
Milo lowered his head.
“Okay, Captain.”
Kisara showed us to a room with a small room with a table and a small fridge.
“Help yourselves.
It’s stocked with sandwiches,” Kisara said.
Milo beamed and opened the fridge.
Taking out several sandwiches.
I sighed.
That guy could easily eat a dozen.
Milo munched on them quickly.
Lt.
Uneri took one sandwich.
Koyuki grabbed a turkey one.
I grabbed one with sliced chicken and tomatoes.
Wasn’t really hungry.
Although, I did need to eat something.
Milo stuffed one into his mouth and grinned.
Koyuki gasped.
“Private, chew!”
My cousin swallowed.
“Sorry, I was starving.”
“We can all see that,” I said, sighing.
Milo rubbed his head, blushing.
Koyuki snickered and handed him a bottle of water.
“Here, drink this.”
Milo chugged it.
Major Kisara crossed her arms.
“Once you are all done, come up to the deck.
I want to discuss the positions we’ll be taking.”
Milo saluted.
“Aye, aye, Major!”
She giggled.
“At least, you have enthusiasm.”
“You’re not going to eat, Major?” Uneri asked.
Kisara waved her hand.
“Already ate.
Although, I will get some coffee.”
Milo gasped.
“Coffee!”
“No coffee for you,” I said.
Milo pouted.
Koyuki snickered.
“I agree with the captain.
Coffee will only make you more hyper.”
Milo sighed.
“Fine!”
Major Kisara giggled as she left.
My cousin ate another sandwich while the others were barely halfway done with theirs.
I had yet to even touch mine.
I lifted the sandwich to my mouth and took a small bite.
The chicken was nice and crisp and the tomatoes were juicy.
Milo grabbed another water bottle and chugged it.
And to think he snapped at me for eating fast back at the hotel room.
Uneri finished his sandwich and stood up.
“Let’s not keep her waiting.”
Milo sealed his bottle and followed the lieutenant.
I finished mine and threw the wrapper in the trash.
Koyuki stayed back and picked up Milo’s wrappers.
“You don’t have to clean up after Milo, Koyuki,” I said.
She shrugged.
“It’s fine.
Milo is messy enough as is.
I don’t want him to get yelled at again by the Major.”
I sighed.
My cousin sure was hopeless.
Although, I wasn’t the cleanest either.
Mom had to drill it into me.
After she finished, we caught up to the other three and headed up to the deck.
Milo gasped as he saw a blond man dressed like a pirate looking out at the sea.
Gael grew tense and stepped back slowly.
Major Kisara walked up to him.
“Enjoying the view?
How may we be of assistance to you?”
The man smiled as he turned to look at us.
His feathered collared shirt exposed his chest.
Fine jewelry adorned his neck, wrists, and fingers.
“My, aren’t you a beauty,” the man said, grinning as he looked her up and down.
He glanced at Koyuki and at us guys.
“Well, all of you are pretty good looking.”
Milo shivered.
“I-is he hitting on us?”
Koyuki snorted.
I sighed.
“Sorry, I’m married.
Plus, I am not into guys.
Especially garishly dressed ones.”
He crossed his arms and sighed.
“Too bad.” He smiled as he looked at Kisara.
“You’re single at least, right, dear?”
Lt.
Uneri glared at him.
“Don’t look at Kisara with those filthy eyes of yours!”
Major Kisara giggled.
“Easy, Lt.
Uneri.” She turned toward the pirate.
“Sir, is there something you’re looking for?”
The blond man snickered as he raised his hand.
One of his bracelets, the one with black feathers and ruby beads, let out a golden sheen and transformed into a scimitar.
“Oh, just your ship!”
Major Kisara smirked.
“We’re not simple prey like some of your other victims, sir.”
The blond man smiled back at her.
He spread out his arms.
“So ya say, love.
But ya already surrounded!
It’s better to surrender now while you’re at it!”
Milo gritted his teeth as he gathered wind around him.
“I’m sorry, guys.
I should’ve let the Major tell us her plan first.”
Uneri narrowed his eyes.
“No worries, Private.
We knew this could’ve happened at any time.”
I looked around and narrowed my eyes as raider ships surrounded us beyond the fog.
“Koyuki!” I yelled.
“On it, boss!
Misty Explosion!” Lt.
Koyuki yelled, raising a hand.
Mist exploded from her hand, covering the deck.
Milo grinned as he channeled his wind.
“Wind Spear!” He shot several spears of wind at the raider.
The man laughed.
“How foolish!
Ya can’t harm me!”
Milo gasped as he struck an afterimage.
A scimitar flew at him from behind.
He would’ve had his back sliced if not for Uneri pulling him away.
“Captain, ya alright?” Uneri asked.
Milo nodded.
“T-thanks!”
I smirked.
Lt.
Uneri was good.
Almost as good as Kine.
The man charged at Milo again, but Kisara blocked the sword with her gold citrine-encrusted bracelet.
“Nice block, Major!” Milo said.
Kisara grinned.
“Leave him to me!
The rest of you, apprehend the other raiders boarding the ship!”
We gasped as the ship began to shake as if the hull had been struck by an anchor.
Milo pumped his fists.
“Wind Bullet!” He shot several bullets from his mouth at the raiders boarding the ship with ropes.
Koyuki created mist bombs and tossed them at the raiders, freezing their hands.
“Seems you bunch aren’t simple merchants,” the gaudy pirate said as he continued to fight Kisara.
She smirked.
Milo and Lt.
Uneri rushed at raiders who managed to board the ship.
I touched the pin on my suit jacket.
It radiated a violet light before transforming into a black handheld cannon.
“Dark Sphere!” I aimed it at a raider about to strike Milo from behind and fired.
The man screamed as he was struck by a blast of darkness and thrown overboard.
Milo grinned.
“Ya the best, cuz!”
I smiled slightly.
“Don’t mention it.
Keep your guard up, though.”
Koyuki raised her hand, striking the raiders still trying to board with tidal waves.
I smiled.
No one could beat her when she was surrounded by water.
Major Kisara parried the pirate’s scimitar.
“Say, you’re not a simple raider, are you?
Are you a Taahid official posing as one?”
He laughed as he jumped back and threw several electrical needles at her.
Kisara formed a wall of stone in front of her, blocking them.
“So, you refuse to answer.
Seems I’ll have to get the truth out of you after I capture you.”
“Ya funny, sweet cakes.” The blond pirate charged at her again.
Milo and Lt.
Uneri apprehended raiders trying to charge Koyuki from behind.
I aimed my Bahar at the raider leader, but before I could shoot him, a raider in blue rushed at me.
I dodged the raider’s saber and kicked him back.
Milo knocked a raider into the water using wind bullets.
Lt.
Uneri slammed one against the railing with his arm before electrocuting him to sleep.
Koyuki smiled.
“Seems we’re doing well.”
“Don’t let your guard down, Lieutenant,” I said.
She nodded.
Milo grinned as he dodged a raider’s bullets and punched him in the back.
Major Kisara parried the blond pirate’s scimitar again.
She jumped into some crates and formed several spikes of earth.
The pirate dodged them and snapped his fingers, causing the ship to shake.
Milo grabbed onto a crate as the ship began to rock.
“W-what’s that?”
That thing which struck the ship earlier…could it be a secret weapon of theirs?
Major Kisara smirked as rocks sprouted out of her bracelet and struck the pirate.
He gasped as he was knocked into some crates.
“Finally!” Milo yelled.
“Oh, it’s not over, my adorable hunk,” the guy said he got up.
Just in time too as Kisara lurched at the guy, but he dodged rolled.
Milo shivered.
Major Kisara sent a wall of stone plowing toward him, but the blond pirate shot into the air.
He cupped his hands together.
“Electro Ball!” Several balls of lightning rained down on us.
Milo and Lt.
Uneri jumped out of the way.
Koyuki created a wave in front of her and froze it, using it as a shield.
I jumped into the air and spread my wings.
The guy smirked.
“Wanna try me?”
I aimed Bahar at him and fired.
He dodged and created several swords out of electricity.
“Voltic Sword Storm!” Several electric mana replicas of his sword formed around him.
This guy was skilled.
Could I dodge them all?
Major Kisara transformed her angel tool into a whip and grabbed two replicas, shattering them.
The pirate captain smirked as the swords spun faster and faster, creating an electrical field around him.
“Be gone!”
I gasped as he aimed the swords at the Major instead of me.
Kisara dodged the swords, but screamed as the lightning mana spread from the swords into the rest of the deck, shocking her and the others, including the man’s own allies.
The Major collapsed on one knee while Milo groaned as he struggled to get up.
Koyuki tried to keep her eyes from closing.
The only one still standing on the dock was Uneri who had absorbed the attack.
It was possible that if not for him, all of them would’ve been fried.
Where had Gael snuck off to now?
I aimed Bahar at the pirate and fired.
The blond man snickered as he vanished.
I spun around and shot a dark sphere at him.
He reappeared and parried it with his scimitar.
“My, ya determined, huh?”
I glared at him.
“If you don’t want your friends to die, surrender now,” the captain said, giving me a pearly smile.
Milo groaned as Lt.
Uneri helped Kisara up.
“Never!” I yelled, aiming Bahar at him again.
“Ya foolish,” the blond man said, disappearing.
“Captain Saffron, be careful!” Major Kisara said, gripping her whip.
“Right!” I dove into the sea to dodge the pirate’s electric swords.
He snickered as he summoned a tornado of electricity.
“Volton Tornado!”
I gasped as I resurfaced.
This guy was stronger than any drug smuggler I’d battled before.
Was he a Taahid official after all?
Major Kisara formed spikes of earth to shield me from the electrical tornado.
I aimed Bahar at the pirate again, only for him to disappear again.
He moved quicker than my eyes could keep up.
My eyes widened as I felt the specter of death sneak up behind me.
He was coming from behind, but my body couldn’t react as quickly as my mind could.
So, this was how I would die.
‘I’m sorry, Rose.
I couldn’t make it back.’