So, the story is over, but I feel like there are still a few huge questions left hanging. Is Laffit really dead on the gallows? Blini was pregnant with Laffit's child while she was running—did she actually have the baby? For some reason, I still think Seira is Blini's biological child. What happened to Lyndon? Last we heard, he was sick and laid up in Sharka. Why did King Reder, Liene's dad, hide the portrait of King Pembrovin? Was Shellan right that he was w

Whoosh! The pirate ship burned like dry kindling. The brilliant sunshine, rather than offering relief, seemed to act as the oil that fueled the blaze. [Knight] "It won't be long before they start leaping into the water one by one. Ah, Your Majesty. On the off chance that any of them manage to swim this far, what should we do?" [Black] "There won't be many. Dispose of them discreetly." [Knight] "Understood." The knights and the guards waited for the moment the pirates would ab

Splash! Splash! The ropes had been severed. Randall and Ashker plunged into the water alongside several pirates, completely helpless. [Ashker] "…Puh!" By the time they managed to swim back and scramble onto the shore, the ship—which they had already sabotaged by punching holes in its hull—was already drifting far into the distance. [Ashker] "This is madness! What do we do now?" He made a move to swim after it. [Randall] "Stop. It's useless." Randall caught his arm, holding hi

Shellan and Dief were enduring the most difficult trial since their abduction. It had been grueling enough when they were stuffed into sacks without explanation, or when they were dragged into that pitch-black warehouse and bound hand and foot. Even when Atil had brandished a blade before their faces, threatening to slice off bits of them, it hadn't been this unbearable. [Dief] "I... I don't want to breathe anymore, Shellan." He whispered through a veil of tears. [Shellan] "M

[Shellan] "Still, I can’t help but think this was a poorly calculated decision. Don’t you agree, Dief?" [Dief] "What is, Shellan?" [Shellan] "This ransom business." [Dief] "Oh... I think it’s a terrible thing to do. Kidnapping innocent people, locking them up, and demanding money? It’s wicked." [Shellan] "Set the morality aside for a moment—we can’t expect pirates to possess a conscience. My point is that, from a strategic perspective, this is a highly unstable business with

Their operation was proceeding smoothly according to plan. Everything was going so well that Fermos and Randall should have realized the hardest part of their revenge plot was merely hiding their laughter. [Fermos] “That was quick, surprisingly.” [Randall] “In that case, we should use their services more often.” A meeting place had been arranged less than half a day after the broker began searching for the goods. Now, they had to meet the broker, confirm a portion of the go

[Fermos] "Ugh, Princess." An accident had occurred. Fermos had assumed the children, having been thoroughly defeated by the spicy food, would be exhausted and fast asleep. He never imagined he would find them guarding his door at this early hour of dawn. [Fermos] "Why are you not sleeping?" He briefly debated whether to hide the fact that he was heading out to execute their revenge plot. But it was futile. There was no way Princess Shellan wouldn't notice. [Shellan] "I realiz

The cuisine of Blue Warren was characterized by its salty, intense flavors. The children, tasting spicy food for the first time in their lives, were practically dazed. Curiously, even as they complained that their tongues were stinging, they persisted in eating with dogged determination. Both seemed to possess the spirit of true adventurers. Eventually, Fermos had to intervene, warning them that any more would surely lead to a stomachache. Once dinner was concluded, the night

[Liene] "It’s strange. Is there still no word from them?" Her voice was languid. It was already afternoon, but they had not yet left the bedchamber. An unusual thing happened whenever they came to Bellisa Castle; it was as if time itself slowed down. The nights were long, the mornings were slow, and even the sound of the waves and the breeze felt leisurely. The moonlight that filled the room seemed to linger before finally fading away. The two were sharing a late meal in bed—

[Fermos] "Agh! No! No!" He had been completely outmaneuvered. The fact that Dief was not present in the room meant he was somewhere else—and that "somewhere else" was his own office, which he had just left. To put it plainly, his office was currently empty, and the secret missive that had arrived today—the very one mentioning the "rabbit hunt"—was sitting right there on his desk, ripe for the taking. [Fermos] "Oh, Princess! This is too much!" He turned to Randall and shouted.

Investigating the secret firsthand would be too tiresome. Furthermore, if the opponents were Randall and Fermos, it would be nearly impossible. So, she sought a different tactic: using the right leverage. [Ashker] “Hmm... Where did you hear such a thing, Your Highness?” The effort wasn't easy, not because the knights were clever enough to understand her maneuver, but because their unwavering loyalty was fundamental to their principles. [Shellan] “Do you think that’s importan

[Dief] "Shellan! Where on earth have you been?" [Flambard] "Indeed, Princess! You have no idea how our hearts were in our throats. What could you possibly have been doing to forget tea time?" When Shellan returned to the lounge after returning the telescope to its rightful place, she was met with an uproar. She had been gone for roughly an hour. In that time, Dief had clearly exerted himself searching for her; his face was flushed and damp with sweat. Madam Flambard and sever

[Dief] "I’m done, Shellan." Back in the lounge adjacent to the study, Dief spoke in a voice so small it was barely a whisper. [Shellan] "What do you mean, you’re done?" [Dief] "I mean I don't need to go to Bellisa anymore." [Shellan] "What?" Her jaw dropped at this defeatist declaration. In truth, Dief played a significant role in Shellan’s ability to be so reckless. He was her constant companion; they shared every lesson except for a select few. No matter how nonsensical her

As expected, the children wouldn't stay still. [Randall] “Heavens, where are you off to, Your Highness?” It was Randall who caught the children trying to slip out of the Castle this time. Actually, it was more accurate to say he was on patrol. It was obvious that the children would find a way to get to Bellisa Castle. Princess Shellan was the spitting image of Black, from her looks to her personality, including her reckless and unrestrained nature when angry. People often s

For once, the morning was perfect. The distinct coastal air flowed quietly through the window which she had opened slightly because she felt hot overnight. The shadows created by the swaying summer curtains seemed to dance gently. The distant sound of crashing waves melded sweetly with it. It was absolute nonsense for him to say he’d never liked the sea in his life. The sea was the most perfect place. The previous night, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, breathing in