I felt the wind tousling my hair as I stared at the black-haired girl standing in front of .
My eyelids twitched as I repeated her words.
"Immortality?"
I acted as if I didn't know the term. There were more than 20 pirates surrounding us, and 'immortality' was a term they must have been unfamiliar with.
Leaving that aside, how did she co to know about immortality?
I an, it's obvious. She just admitted that she was the daughter of the 1st Queen Alice Frostvile, who ruled the Frostvile kingdom thousands of years ago, and as her daughter, her age must be over 1000.
Staring at her spotless face, she looked almost the sa age as I. There's no way she was 1000 years old. Right?
And not to forget, my ca from a skill granted to by the God of Death, Agroth. Therefore, accepting her immortality was sowhat challenging for .
But if she were a deity, then it's sohow possible.
Staring back at , and with a smile, she inford .
"Yes, immortality." She said, looking around at her crew, "And don't worry, my people knew about them, and there is soone from my crew who even fought one."
Them?
She must be talking about the Authority Holders and Gods.
So, she told her crewmates about them?
Exactly how trustworthy were they?
To her words, I once again looked at the faces of all the pirates surrounding us, both n and won. They were carrying all kinds of weapons, their builds were broad, and so even had scars on their bodies.
Honestly, they're all emitting a red-flag aura.
"So, what do you say?" Maria extends her hand toward .
I looked at it, confused, as I tilted my head.
"Say what exactly?"
Maria, with her cold expression, asked politely. "Don't get wrong, Paradox, I know exactly the reason why you ca here for."
Well, I'm at a loss for words.
I tried to act cool. I hadn't told her our exact reason for visiting the Red Skull's territory, and I doubt she would ever suspect that we're here to hijack their ships and explore the underwater gate.
"It's because of the gate, am I right?" She guessed without putting much effort into it.
How the hell?!
'Don't take her lightly, idiot!' Sera scolded in my head.
Was she a psychic?
Now she'll take us hostage.
Maria, seeing quiet, continued.
"If you're here to ask for our help to visit the underwater gate, then I'll be grateful to lend you a hand."
"..."
I blinked. "Sorry?"
"I'll lend you a hand." She repeated, her eyes fixed on mine.
"Yeah, I heard. But why?"
That's my question. Why would a Ti Authority holder who controls more than 5 warships and possibly has over 1000 years of battle experience lend her help? That is, unless she expects sothing in return.
Asking Maria, I turned my attention to Ruby beside . She seed to understand the gravity of her question; hence, she was giving her concerned look from behind her mask.
"Don't read it too much now," said Maria. "There was a condition to open the gate. And for that, I need you."
I thought so. In the end, she also wants to enter that underwater gate.
And it piques my curiosity to discover exactly what lies behind that gate.
"So," she asked, once again extending her hand in my direction. "Are you in?"
If I wanted to enter the area and not cause any trouble for and Ruby by fighting with the other pirates inspecting it, I needed Red Skull's warship.
After thinking for a few minutes and with Ruby's agreent to it, I took Maria's hand.
"Alright, but I have a condition." I gently placed my hand over hers before demanding my terms.
"First of all, I want you to tell all information regarding that Gate, and what lies behind it…"
"Secondly, I don't want any of your crewmates to lay a finger on my partner. Breaking the above conditions will be the sa as breaking my trust. If you agree to it, then I don't mind helping."
Nodding her head, Maria turned around and instructed her crewmates.
"Lift the cruise ship on, pull down the sails. We're heading to the Twilight Triangle."
"Aye aye, captain~!"
"As you command!"
"Get it moving, everyone!"
"Pull the chains!"
By her one command, everyone on the ships picked up their paces. So n moved to the engine room, others released the sails, and still others pulled up the anchors. Within a second, the atmosphere on the ship shifted to rapid activity.
Witnessing all of their actions gave the idea of how respectable Maria was as their captain.
"Now then, co to my cabin, you two." Maria politely gestured to one of her offices at the corner of the ship.
I looked at Ruby before we both followed behind Maria.
Click—
As I closed the tal door behind , Maria welcod into a cozy room she called her cabin.
Crushed, folded papers were scattered on the ground, as a few wine bottles were left half empty on the table. The sll of alcohol was still strong, burning my nose. Several maps of the continents and many of the ocean routes were pinned on the wall with a cross mark on a few areas.
Seated on her chair behind the wooden desk, she gestured for us to do the sa.
Ruby and I sat before my gaze fixated on Maria as she elegantly crossed her feet on top of one another, and with a slight grin on her face, she looked at us.
"Jasmine," Maria addressed Ruby calmly before dropping a bomb on her head. "You can take her out; she must be suffocating inside that cloak."
"Huh…?!" I flinched alongside Ruby's.
How did she?!
There was no way she could just see through an anti-elental cloak with a single glance.
Now, what should I do?
Glancing at Ruby, I saw her giving Maria a cold, deadly look while she was clutching her cloak.
She was this close to unleashing her katana before I placed my hand on her back to calm her down.
"It's fine, take Lily out," I said calmly.
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