The captain's cabin of the Indus ship was filled with the aroma of beef curry and smiles.
The men surrendered themselves to post-meal satisfaction and lounged lazily.
Lamia and Jessica continued with the dishes in the kitchen, and Darmaine was fast asleep at the table.
Endi had regained his energy and picked up a pot.
"I'll help too!"
That voice was as if the morning sun were imbued with new strength.
Lamia whispered in a small voice.
"Hey, Endi?"
"Mm? What is it?"
"Do you remember when the admiral's subordinates almost shot you before? At that time… how did you deflect the bullets?"
"Eh, did that happen? I don't really remember…"
At Endi's innocent answer, Lamia murmured in her heart: So it was unconscious, after all.
Meanwhile, Jessica, washing plates, recalled the tower's flames and wore a severe expression.
Then, a sudden roar shook the ship.
The sound of gunfire tore the sky, and the Indus ship trembled violently.
"Uwooooah! The pursuers are here! I-I'm gonna be killed!"
Darmaine sprang up and began to shiver under the table.
He looked like a puppy frightened by a storm.
Endi gently and gentlemanly supported the staggering Lamia.
Cain and Jessica rushed out onto the deck.
"Lamia, stay here!"
Shouting that, Endi chased after the two.
Jessica's subordinates followed after them.
When they stood on the deck, a gigantic warship overwhelmed their view.
"Huh? Isn't that the Badaryuda?"
Jessica shouted.
The Badaryuda pulled alongside the Indus ship, and Saizo and Kumashis took the lead in boarding.
"You lot are the Old Doal army, aren't you!? Surrender quietly!"
Following the two, twenty allied combatants rushed in with machine guns in hand.
A big hole had opened in the Indus ship due to the shelling, and seawater was entering.
The countdown to sinking had begun.
Tension ruled the air.
But when Lamia appeared on the deck, the situation changed completely.
"Huh? Saizo and Kumashis!?"
"Eh!? Lamia!? Why are you here!?"
Saizo was astonished, unable to read the situation, and for a moment his mind went blank.
Lamia explained desperately.
"Wait, everyone, you're wrong! These people helped me! We're all heading to Baleralc right now!"
The allied soldiers, who had been bloodthirsty, were bewildered by the unexpected turn, and a wave of confusion spread.
Meanwhile, the Indus ship gradually sank into the sea.
"A-Anyway, Lamia! Come over here!"
"Huh? Captain, if we've captured Lamia, then… does that mean we don't have to go all the way to Mildonia!?"
Kumashis's face lit up all at once.
His gloomy look from a moment ago seemed like a lie.
"That's what it means… All forces, pull back! We're returning to Baleralc now!"
At Saizo's command, the soldiers, though anticlimactic, withdrew without fuss.
Saizo too felt relieved inside.
It was because the need to fight had disappeared.
"Sorry for the shelling. I never imagined you were on board. Anyway, transfer to the Badaryuda!"
"Understood. Um… could you take these people along with us too?"
"Yeah, that's the plan. There are a lot of things I want to ask them."
Saizo's gaze pierced sharply through Endi and the others.
Crossing the emergency ladder in single file, everyone transferred to the Badaryuda.
"Sniff… my Indus ship…"
Seeing Darmaine crossing the ladder amid the confusion, Saizo couldn't help but shout.
"You—Darmaine!!"
The soldiers all pounced at once and restrained Darmaine with cable ties.
Darmaine begged for his life frantically.
"Wait a second, you guys! It's true I kidnapped Lamia, but I've already reformed! As proof, I was trying to deliver her safely to Baleralc! Hey, you guys, speak up for me!"
"I think it's better we keep this guy restrained…"
Endi said with a wry smile.
Lamia continued.
"Admiral, you need to reflect properly."
"Damn it—my life is over…"
Darmaine's despair was like a ship sinking to the seabed.
"Captain… I've seen this woman before. I'm pretty sure she's Jessica, a top executive of the Nova Family."
Kumashis muttered under his breath.
"What? Is that true?"
Saizo stared fixedly at Jessica.
"It's true. So what?"
Jessica said in a defiant and combative tone.
"Jessica, don't provoke! Saizo, Jessica isn't a bad person, okay?"
Lamia's voice was like a light calming the waves.
While heightening his caution, Saizo approached Jessica.
"Hey, Jessica or whatever, what were you guys doing in Mildonia? What's with rescuing Lamia—what wind is blowing? Answer me."
"I have nothing to tell the likes of you."
Finishing her words, Jessica turned away with a huff. There was no sign she intended to drop her strong attitude.
"What did you say? What kind of tone is a mere mafia using to speak to me?"
Saizo fell right into Jessica's provocation and grew increasingly irritated.
Jessica's four subordinates were frightened and flustered.
"Hey now, everyone, calm down a little."
"That's right, let's talk this out for now, okay?"
Endi and Lamia rushed about to pacify the scene.
Meanwhile, Cain only cast a fed-up glance.
"Hey, hey, heeey… what's all the commotion?"
Then, from the back, a young man who looked exceedingly frivolous appeared and strode forward as if to mediate the quarrel.
"Ah…"
Lamia let out a cry of surprise.
Apparently, she was acquainted with this man.
"How rough. We've come all this way only to turn back to Baleralc? I was all set to go on a rampage in Mildonia, y'know. Hey, what's going on… Jessica?"
At the man's words, for some reason Jessica knelt at once.
Saizo and Kumashis were struck dumb.
"A-awawawawa… Pink hair… two tear moles under the right eye… a huge spear on his back… That man is… Prince of the Nakatam Kingdom, Willart Rose…!"
Darmaine's voice trembled, and he was terrified.
"Eeeeh—! A prince—!??"
Endi's astonishment was like a scream struck by lightning.
The subordinates were thrown into a flurry.
"Huh? What? What is this situation? I don't understand any of it!?"
Kumashis was having a mild panic.
Saizo asked fearfully,
"Um… Prince Rose. Why is this woman, a top executive of the mafia, bowing her head to you…?"
"Hm? She's a spy I planted in the Nova Family. She's one of my three most trusted confidants."
In a light tone, Rose nonchalantly revealed a shocking fact.
All at once, everyone shouted,
"Eeeeeeh——!??"
Even the ever-cool Cain was slightly shaken.