Dockside Confrontation and an Unexpected Rescue

Vero City, West District Docks.

The salty sea breeze, carrying the scent of fish, blew over Saranya, rousing her from her stupor.

A row of three-masted schooners lay docked, more than half of them flying deep grey banners emblazoned with blood-red handprints—the unmistakable insignia of the Bloodsail Alliance.

Haru, breathless and wiping sweat from his brow, rushed over from a distance:

“The Bloodsail crew have surrounded the unloading zone. They refuse to unload anything unless we agree to pay more, claiming…”

Kaelan’s voice cut through the air, sharp and cold:

“Claiming what?”

“They’re demanding the two new women from the tavern come beg their captain, completely naked…”

“Insolent curs…”

Saranya clenched her fists, a faint bloom of blood seeping through the bandages wrapped around her palms.

Led by Haru, the two women made their way to the ship where the trouble had erupted. A large crowd of laborers had gathered there, unable to work due to the Bloodsail Alliance’s blockade, most of them simply loitering nearby, seething with unspoken resentment.

“Send out your foreman! We’re from the West Docks Guild, and you’re hindering our brothers’ work!”

A young porter shouted, his voice echoing loudly as he confronted the sailors on deck.

“You goddamn beggars, get lost! This is none of your business! We’re not unloading a thing!”

“If you’re not unloading, then move! Don’t block the way; other ships are waiting!”

“Exactly! Blocking the path and stopping people—how utterly disgusting!”

The laborers’ grievances reached a fever pitch, but a strange cry from a sailor at the bow of the ship was instantly followed by nearly a hundred crossbows from the vessel swiveling to aim at the shore.

The crowd fell silent in an instant, leaving only the fluttering Bloodsail banners adrift on the sea.

The vessel was a quintessential Bloodsail Alliance privateer, its prow adorned with a statue of a red-skinned demon snarling with bared fangs. Its hull, a deep brown, was scarred with coral abrasions, while rust bloomed between the planks and rivets, making the entire ship appear to be bleeding from a distance.

“Haru, try to calm everyone…”

Saranya gave her instructions, then turned, only to see Kaelan already pushing through the crowd, heading straight for the ship.

“Mistress!”

Saranya’s heart lurched. She hurried after Kaelan, just as the sailors on deck, spotting the two women, immediately began whistling and catcalling.

A man, appearing to be the first mate, strode to the edge of the deck, beckoned to them with a sweep of his arm, and pointed to the ship’s hold below.

“Ladies, why don’t you come inside for a little fun?”

“Enough of your drivel. You’re not nearly important enough to speak with us. Send out your captain!”

Saranya was no fool; she knew that if she and Kaelan meekly entered the ship’s hold, they would undoubtedly be thrust into a scenario akin to a hentai plot (TL Note: ‘Hentai plot’ refers to a sexually explicit and often violent scenario found in adult Japanese animation or manga).

“Captain? He’s long been fish food, damn it! Do you have any idea how many Kraken sea monsters we encountered on this run to Dragonspine Isle? Or how many brothers we lost to those sea elf raiding parties?!”

“What do your losses have to do with us? Why should we bear the burden of your risks?!”

“I don’t give a damn about your reasons! All I know is, this cargo will cost triple the freight fee! Understand that before you touch it!”

The first mate held up three fingers, grinning to reveal a flash of gleaming gold teeth.

Saranya gritted her teeth in frustration.

Most merchants, faced with these opportunistic thugs, would simply swallow the bitter pill in silence. But Saranya was different; she understood the nature of these scoundrels. Any sign of weakness from her side, and they would immediately seize the advantage, pushing for more and more.

“Pay up now! Or what? Do you want a fight? Do you not want your tavern to stay open?!”

At the first mate’s signal, the sailors dropped from the deck, advancing toward Saranya and Kaelan, their waists adorned with gleaming scimitars.

Witnessing this, Haru hastily led a dozen Redwater Gang brothers forward, but they were outnumbered and outmatched in equipment by the sailors. They were swiftly surrounded, and the situation devolved into a tense, momentary standoff.

Saranya’s brow furrowed as her hand instinctively rested on her sword hilt.

The situation was truly spiraling out of control. If there was no other recourse, she would have no choice but to teach these ruffians a harsh lesson…

“Wait!”

“The Weinshield family is here!”

The laborers erupted anew in shouts, pointing fingers at the Bloodsail Alliance ship.

Saranya turned her head, observing a group pushing their way through the crowd. At their forefront was a woman in a lavish gown, someone Saranya considered a semi-acquaintance.

“Aivy…?”

Why would she come to her rescue now?

“Borok! Stop this nonsense at once! Are you not aware that this ship carries Weinshield family cargo?!”

The Bloodsail Alliance first mate, Borok, blinked, then motioned for his crew to halt.

“Miss Aivy! I—I know, of course. This matter is strictly between us and the Redwater Gang. How could we dare to seize your family’s cargo?”

“Weren’t you just demanding they come into your ship’s hold to ‘talk’? Unload the cargo first, then we can all go talk!”

“This…”

Borok’s face betrayed his hesitation.

“Borok, I strongly advise you to heed this young lady’s words! A single ship’s worth of cargo is secondary; our primary goal is to borrow your space so we can all sit down and discuss things further. No one will suffer a loss!”

Beside Aivy, in addition to several attendants, stood a grey-robed figure. He pulled back his hood halfway, revealing a smooth, metallic prosthetic eye. His face, disfigured by strong acid, was so hideous that his age was impossible to discern, yet he exuded considerable menace.

Saranya recognized the man: Nazareth, the second-in-command of the Shadowscale Gang, an information broker. Though the Shadowscale Gang was small in scale, its members scurried through Vero like rats, constantly seeking out sensitive materials and engaging in espionage. Anyone with a shred of power both hated and feared them.

After all, who among those who clawed their way to prominence in Vero didn’t harbor a few secrets?

Saranya’s attention sharpened on Nazareth, and she bit her lower lip thoughtfully.

Nazareth’s assertion that an entire ship’s worth of cargo was unimportant intrigued her. She wondered what schemes this shrewd individual was concocting.

Borok’s eyes darted around, then he nodded, his face breaking into a wide, fawning smile:

“Alright, alright then! Lads, quickly, prepare some food and drink!”

With the crisis averted, the laborers swarmed forward, beginning to unload the cargo alongside the ship’s sailors.

Saranya observed the entire scene from the sidelines, a flicker of irritation stirring within her.

‘Damn it,’ she thought. ‘These Bloodsail thugs are just preying on my weakness.’

‘The strong devour the weak—that’s the reality of Vero, isn’t it?’

This time, fortunately, the Redwater Tavern’s cargo had been on the same ship as the Weinshield family’s, and Aivy had arrived just in time. Otherwise, she truly would have been forced into a desperate struggle against these desperadoes right there on the docks.

So, in a way, she was still fortunate.

Saranya secretly let out a breath of relief, preparing to board the ship with the others, when Kaelan, who had been silent all this while, suddenly gripped her hand.

Only then did Saranya realize that Kaelan had been unusually tense since the commotion began.

“Haru, you and the others should go aboard first.”

Saranya dismissed Haru and the others, then turned to Kaelan, waiting for her to speak.

“That grey-robed man…”

Kaelan’s voice trembled, her words trailing off unfinished.

“Are you referring to Nazareth of the Shadowscale Gang?”

Kaelan remained silent, only tightening her grip on Saranya’s knuckles, cold sweat beading in her palm.

“Hm?”

It was the first time the usually calm and aloof half-elf witch had ever shown her such a fearful side.

After her initial surprise, Saranya chose not to question the reason for her mistress’s fear. Instead, she turned her body, shielding Kaelan from Nazareth’s direction, ensuring that when Kaelan looked up, she would see only Saranya.

Saranya winced.

Her palm throbbed; Kaelan’s tight grip had reopened the wound beneath her bandages.

“I…”

Kaelan looked up at her, her voice raw and hoarse.

“It’s alright.”

Saranya offered a reassuring smile, gently stroking the back of Kaelan’s cold hand with her thumb.

A gust of sea breeze lifted Saranya’s hair, allowing it to gently brush against Kaelan’s cheek.

Kaelan’s eyelashes fluttered. Suddenly, her gaze fixed on Saranya’s neck, where she noticed the faint, pale marks left by a collar.

“I’m sorry…”

“I always hurt you…”

“I can’t help myself…”

Driven by what seemed to be a surge of guilt, Kaelan’s eyes narrowed slightly, her cheeks flushed, as she whispered the words repeatedly.

And so, Saranya leaned down, pressing her lips to Kaelan’s pale ear, and whispered, intoxicatingly low:

“It’s quite alright…”

“I rather enjoy it~”