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The Great Pirate Maible.

Born into the lowly status of a slave, she harbored deep resentment towards the Empire’s system even before becoming a pirate following her mother.

Maible led numerous pirates, and her forces once rivaled the navy in size.

Many pirates have dominated the Empire’s seas, but none became as famous as Maible.

Because she was the only pirate who attempted to assassinate the Emperor to create a world without nobles or slaves.

Although the attempt failed, the unprecedented event of pirates attacking the Emperor caused a massive uproar.

Later, after the incident known as “The Night of the Pirates,” the Empire launched a large-scale pirate crackdown.

The pirates, who had been thriving at sea, were virtually annihilated by this operation.

Their leader, Maible, was believed to have died in battle with the navy, but in reality, she was still alive.

She reappeared later, in front of the protagonist Peter and his crew, who were crossing the sea to head to the Imperial Capital, Ludrow.

“I remember now…”

I recalled the original story.

Maible is one of the many allies the protagonist encounters.

She met Peter when he tried to save a ship’s captain to infiltrate the Empire.

Introducing herself as a former pirate heroine, Maible’s bold personality quickly integrated her into the protagonist’s group.

Even when Peter later discovered she was the infamous Great Pirate Maible, he accepted her as a comrade.

The voyage to the Empire continued. Many events occurred, but what I remembered most was the conversation between Maible and Peter in the middle of the sea.

“Why do you want to go back?”

In response to Peter’s question, Maible shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, you might not understand. Why a rebel like me would want to return there.”

“Are you perhaps so homesick that you’d risk danger to go back?”

“No, that can’t be. The Empire is just where I was born; my true home has always been the sea.”

“Then why do you want to return to the Empire?”

“Hmm…”

She gazed at the distant sea for a moment. The moon rose above the horizon.

“Actually… I have a daughter like you.”

“A daughter?”

“Yeah.”

As the moonlight reflected off the sea illuminated Maible’s face, Peter was surprised.

The unexpected sadness on her usually cheerful face was striking.

“I should have gone to meet her sooner, but I was delayed.”

“……”

“She might not recognize me or remember me… but I promised long ago that I would meet her. I have to keep that promise, even now.”

“Haha… Your daughter must be quite a handful.”

“Just a handful? She must be stunningly beautiful by now, enough to make men cry.”

“Hmm. It’s more convincing if you made them cry by hitting them.”

“Haha… Should I make you cry too? This auntie won’t go easy on you, even if you’re like a son.”

“Ugh…”

There was a moment of warmth like that.

But sadly, Maible’s connection ended there.

While trying to stow away, they were spotted by the Imperial Navy on patrol.

There was a tense moment, but Maible’s exceptional sailing skills as a former pirate helped them escape the crisis.

However… just as they thought they had escaped the encirclement, a bomb flew towards the group.

“!!”

It happened just as the tension had eased. No one could react quickly, but a shadow leaped towards the bomb.

“Maible! No!”

Maible swiftly threw herself at the bomb. As she tightly embraced it with her whole body to save the protagonist’s group…

Boom-!

With a sorrowful explosion, Maible’s wish to meet her daughter vanished into nothingness.

The reason this tragic scene, one of the most heartbreaking in the original story, shook me again was one thing.

‘Could that daughter… have been Helga?’

I thought it was just a sad story, but realizing that Maible was actually Helga’s mother made it even more heartbreaking.

Even I was momentarily speechless at this intricate backstory.

“That’s right… She is a pirate who committed treason. That’s why she had to hide all this time.”

Gale’s expression, after revealing the long-hidden truth, looked anything but relieved.

Perhaps it weighed on him, not just Helga, but also telling me this truth.

But I had no intention of revealing this secret.

It wasn’t out of pity for Gale.

I had no reason to sympathize with this man who caused Helga irreparable pain.

But if this truth came out, it would inevitably affect Helga, Maible’s daughter, so I had no choice but to keep it hidden.

“…….”

Helga lay on the bed, unable to speak.

She was probably the most shocked.

Not only was her mother, whom she thought was dead, alive, but she was also a pirate who tried to assassinate the Emperor.

No words could comfort her.

I just stood there, firmly keeping my mouth shut.

In the heavy silence, Helga finally spoke.

“Father… So, Mother didn’t die right after giving birth to me?”

“That’s right…”

“That’s such a relief…”

“What…?”

Helga tightly hugged the blanket.

“I thought… Mother died because of me… All this time… Sob…”

Helga kept wiping away her tears.

I finally understood her feelings.

Human hearts are like that.

Clearly, she had done nothing wrong, but she had been subconsciously thinking that her mother died because of her, carrying that guilt all along.

“Sob… I’m so glad she’s alive…”

“Helga…”

Gale reached out to Helga but stopped.

He must have realized he had no right to comfort her, having hidden Maible’s identity all this time.

Instead, I placed a hand on Helga’s trembling shoulder.

It wasn’t something Tristan would usually do, but I felt she might shatter like glass otherwise.

“Sob… Waaah…”

It had been a while since I saw the strong Helga cry like a child. It showed how important her mother was to her.

Seeing her rejoice more over Maible being alive than being upset at Gale for hiding the truth made it even clearer.

I comforted Helga until her sobs subsided, careful not to let Gale see.

Fortunately, Gale didn’t seem to care. He hesitated, then unexpectedly spoke.

“…I’m sorry for hiding it.”

Gale, who valued pride above all, apologized to Helga first.

Though it was just a few words, it showed a change in Gale’s heart. It also hinted at the end of the long-standing discord between them.

“It’s okay. You told me now. I don’t know where Mother is, but she’s alive… That’s enough for me…”

“Don’t worry, Helga. She will return someday. She promised me and you. Besides, Maible is a strong woman. She’s the only woman I’ve ever acknowledged—”

“She might not be the only one.”

“Count…?”

I unexpectedly cut off Gale’s words.

Gale, immediately understanding my intent, muttered in dissatisfaction.

“Hmph… Fine. Maible isn’t the only one. Now there’s a second woman I acknowledge…”

Gale clicked his tongue and glanced at Helga.

“Father…”

“Tsk…”

Helga looked at Gale with emotion, but Gale quickly averted his gaze.

Seeing this, it was hard to believe they had been at each other’s throats just yesterday.

In this awkward atmosphere, I spoke up.

“Gale. Helga.”

“What?”

“Yes?”

They seemed to have reconciled somewhat, so it was time to bring up the topic.

“Do you want to know Maible’s whereabouts?”

“?!”

Their eyes widened in disbelief.

“Do you know where Maible is?!”

“I have an idea.”

More like a near certainty.

“Count, are you saying our mother is alive?”

“Yes. There’s a high chance she’s still alive.”

If the original story holds, Maible isn’t dead yet.

Moreover, I know where Maible is hiding at this point.

“If you know, tell me now, Count. Where is she?”

Unable to hold back, Gale sat up in bed.

Blood seeped from his wounds, staining the bandages, but he didn’t care and grabbed my shoulder.

“Calm down, Gale.”

“Do I look calm to you?!”

“Calm down anyway. You haven’t finished dealing with the Wolfbert Family’s affairs.”

“…!”

Gale flinched at my remark.

The Wolfbert Family hadn’t yet recovered from the shock of the Head of House Duel. Gale needed to step up and handle things.

“Don’t act recklessly before then. Rest until you recover. Finding Maible comes after that.”

“Count!”

“Enough. Let go.”

I easily shook off Gale’s hand. Perhaps due to his severe injuries, his grip was weak.

Before leaving the room, I spoke to them.

“I’ll return in a few days. Until then, rest and keep my words in mind.”

“Tch…”

Gale gritted his teeth in frustration. I looked at his face with satisfaction and closed the door.

Ignoring Helga’s voice calling, “Count! You should take me with you!”, I quickly left the hospital and boarded the carriage.

Then, gazing out the window, I muttered.

“That place… No wonder they couldn’t find her…”

Thanks to reading the original story, I knew.

The Imperial Family and even Gale must have been desperate to find Maible.

Yet, they found no trace of her because she was hiding where neither the Imperial Family nor Gale could see.

I leaned back on the plush carriage seat.

Thinking that once Helga recovered, we’d have to go to “that place” to find Maible.

….

……

Soon, the carriage stopped in front of the mansion.

Feeling slightly tired, I got off the carriage.

But then…

“Count!”

Greeting me wasn’t a servant but the short old man, Albert.

“What’s the matter?”

“We did it! We did it!”

“…?”

Albert, who had run over upon seeing my carriage, was extremely excited.

Had something happened in the workshop? And he said “we did it”… Wait… Could it be?

As if reading my thoughts, Albert nodded repeatedly.

“We succeeded! Finally succeeded, Count!”

That was enough.

No need to ask what they had succeeded in.

I hurried with Albert to the workshop.

The “ladies” who had been asleep had finally awakened.

 

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