You are a heartless woman

The killing intent surged closer—but Black didn’t dodge.
He knew Princess Alice despised him, but she wouldn’t kill him.
Not yet.

Sure enough, the blade veered at the last moment.

“Boom!”

The sword’s energy blast blew the braised fish—and the entire table—into smithereens.

Black barely suppressed a smirk.
This Alice was exactly as she was in the game.

Arrogant, stubborn, violent—relentless in defending imperial and noble dignity.
But she had principles.
She wouldn’t let anger override reason.

Yes, he was a pirate.
Yes, he’d repeatedly insulted noble dignity.
But Empress Elizabeth had personally spared him and the entire crew.

So Alice couldn’t kill him.
Not without defying a direct imperial order.

“If I catch you like this again, I’ll cut you down—even if Mother disapproves!”

Her expression remained icy, like someone owed her eight hundred gold coins.

“Yes, yes, yes—this humble servant will remember, Your Highness!”

Black bowed with a smile.

Seeing him smile, Alice’s lip twitched in irritation.

“Death may be spared, but punishment remains.
You’re to clean the entire deck tomorrow.
No food until it’s done.”

With that, she turned and left—leaving Black with a face full of despair.

This princess isn’t human!

She destroyed my fish and banned me from eating?!
Is there no justice in this world?!

Since when did she become a clone of that old hen, Housekeeper Mary?!

What Black didn’t know?
Alice’s nursemaid—was Mary.

****

The next day, the sun blazed high.
Not a breath of sea wind. The air was oppressive.

The royal fleet sailed across the endless ocean—no land in sight.

“…Water… I need water…”

Black lay on the deck like a dying fish, gasping for breath.

This wasn’t how life was supposed to go.
He should be in an air-conditioned room, eating watermelon, drinking cola, gaming in comfort…

But fate had other plans.
Black was destined to be a deck cleaner—dying of thirst.

He tried to slack off—only for that old hag Mary to glare at him, making sure he didn’t dare loaf around.

Groaning, Black flipped over and stared at the endless sea.

Sigh.
“At least a few more days until we reach the Caribbean… Am I just going to be a deck cleaner until then?”

He wished Jörmungandr would just appear now—so he could sneak onto the White Pearl and run away.

Closing his eyes for a nap—suddenly, he heard footsteps.
Multiple people approaching.

He snapped his eyes open—just as a high-heeled shoe came crashing toward his face.

He rolled aside—missed—and the person tripped, crashing to the deck.

“Ow! You lowly servant—daring to dodge me?!”

A plump, pudgy noblewoman landed hard, shrieking curses.

Black stood, confused.
He’d been scrubbing the deck—what now?

A group surrounded him—some nobles, some servants.

Why was he the problem?

“Is this him?”
The fat noblewoman glared at Black, turning to a servant.

“Yes! Last night, I personally saw him meeting Elaina in the kitchen—she even cooked for him!”

The servant declared loudly, as if announcing a crime.

The noblewomen gasped, whispering, pointing at Black.

A thinner, sharp-faced girl stepped forward.

“Last night—did you meet in secret with that Elaina girl?”

Black was baffled.
Secret meeting? We just ate!

They’d only known each other for hours—barely friends.
How was that a secret rendezvous?

“Hmph! We are noble duchess daughters! Our father is Duke Gordon Zoke of the Empire!”

“Speaking to us is an honor!”

The fat girl sneered, full of arrogance.

Ah.
Black got it now.

These were Elaina’s legitimate sisters.

They must’ve seen her cooking for him—and now they were trying to expose her for “fraternizing with a servant,” so they could banish her from the duchy.

The fat one—Lily.
The thin one—Marsha.

Both were dumb, not clever enough to bully Elaina alone.
There had to be a smarter, more scheming sister—but she wasn’t here.

Fine.
Black didn’t mind repaying them—on Elaina’s behalf.

“Lily… what are you talking about, Lily?
Didn’t I meet with you last night?”

“We even promised—after we disembark, we’ll run away together, have a few fat, healthy babies, and grow old hand-in-hand!”

“How could you forget? You heartless woman! I can’t live anymore!”

Black ranted with perfect seriousness, his face full of betrayed sorrow—then climbed onto the ship’s railing, pretending to jump.

He looked so convincing—about to jump—that everyone froze in shock.

Whispers spread:

“He looks so real—he’s really going to jump!”

“Unbelievable! A duchess—with a pirate?!”

“Exactly! And Lily acted so innocent—she’s clearly trying to wash her hands of him!”

“She even stepped on her lover! How cruel!”

Noblewomen loved gossip.
Black only needed a few words—and they built the whole story themselves.

Now, Lily and Marsha were stunned.

What?
They came to expose Elaina—to get her banished!

And now—they were the ones being exposed?!

“No! I didn’t! Don’t believe him—he’s lying! Slandering me!”

Lily turned bright red, screaming like a slaughtered pig—so loud, it silenced the crowd.

Just as she opened her mouth to explain—Black dropped the bomb.

“Lily, I’m so hurt! Last night, we passionately kissed!”

“You’ve got hickey marks all over your neck! If you don’t believe me—take off your coat and show everyone!”

The nobles nodded—it made perfect sense.
They started cheering:

“Exactly! If he says so, show us your neck! If there are no hickeys, he’s lying!”

“We’ll help you punish him!”

“Lily… why do you look so scared? Could it be… you really slept with him?!”