Raven Harbor.
Chief's Mansion.
Grayza sat in her top-floor office while a servant beside her reported the movements of the two recently arrived groups.
"The navy accompanying Gawain hasn't done anything unusual. They stocked up on large quantities of food and fresh water. It's reasonable they went to the black market for weapons—much cheaper than official channels."
Grayza nodded but paused, repeating the name she'd just heard.
"Gawain... That name sounds familiar. Maybe I'm just imagining things."
"And what about the other group?" she asked.
"That's where it gets strange."
The servant frowned, pulling out a stack of organized reports. She pointed to several marked locations on a map.
"These are our ammunition storage sites."
"After docking, they didn't seek out supplies at all. Instead, it seemed like they were—"
A calm voice suddenly drifted in from the open window.
"—scouting your deployment map."
Before either woman could react, Gawain pushed the window open, crouched on the sill, and looked at them with detached curiosity.
"You're... Major Gawain?!"
The servant immediately stepped in front of Grayza, eyes sharp with caution. She was about to call for the guards when she felt a soft hand on her shoulder.
"Jasmine, don't be rash. He means no harm."
Grayza held back her servant and turned to study Gawain more closely. Recognition flickered in her eyes.
"Major Gawain... No, it should be Knight Gawain."
"One of the central figures in that East Sea scandal three years ago."
"As the Kingdom of Goa's knight commander, you committed adultery with the princess. When discovered, you renounced your title and turned pirate."
"Eight million bounty—Knight Gawain."
She shook her head, half-smiling.
"I must have been out of my mind to forget you."
Grayza didn't notice the flicker in Jasmine's eyes, nor the slight shiver in her breath.
With a faint smirk, Grayza added, "Did you know? Your story was adapted into a film. It's screening in the Kingdom of Goa right now."
Gawain nearly lost his balance. Cursing his past self silently, he recovered and changed the subject without missing a beat.
"I came to warn you: that other 'navy' is also a disguise. The man calling himself Nig is actually Gin, a subordinate of Admiral Krieg. Twelve million bounty. A cold blooded killer."
"I suspect they're up to their old tricks—pretend to be navy, infiltrate the port, coordinate from the inside, and seize Raven Harbor with minimal resistance."
Grayza frowned. The analysis matched her servant's earlier observations. Gawain was telling the truth—but she was still puzzled.
"Why help me?"
"Maybe because you once said I was handsome."
Grayza laughed softly.
"That's a ridiculous reason."
"But that's the freedom of a pirate."
The setting sun bathed the room in red light. Gawain leaned against the window, a subtle smile playing on his lips. To Grayza, looking up at him, he seemed almost radiant. For a moment, she was dazed.
"Bye~"
Gawain raised a hand in farewell and turned to leave—
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
The whistling shriek of something hurtling through the air cut through the moment. A red streak shot across the sky, striking the port with an earth-shaking explosion. Chaos erupted.
Another cannonball flew straight toward Gawain.
"Well, looks like I'm not getting away clean," he muttered.
Though his voice was casual, his sword was swift. He slashed upward—shattering the projectile mid-air. But the force was enough to crack his blade along its spine.
BOOM!
A fireball erupted outside the window.
Even from dozens of meters away, with walls buffering the heat and shock, Grayza turned pale. Raised in luxury and protection, she had never witnessed such violence.
But as she looked past Gawain to the burning harbor, she gritted her teeth and stood up.
Panic followed.
They were facing Admiral Krieg—a terror of the East Sea—commanding a massive fleet. The harbor guards wouldn't stand a chance.
"Lord," Jasmine whispered, now composed, "only he can save us."
"But his bounty's just eight million. How could he possibly—"
Grayza trailed off, staring at Jasmine, who repeated in a low, firm voice:
"Forty-eight million."
Grayza blinked.
"…How much?"
"Forty-eight million," Jasmine said again.
At that moment, Grayza turned to Gawain with something close to desperation.
"Lord Gawain, wait!"
Gawain paused on the sill, just as he was about to leave and regroup with Kuro to plan a breakout.
Jasmine approached the safe, pulling out a long, cloth-wrapped item.
"This is...?"
"I was going to gift it to my father for his fiftieth birthday," she said, unwrapping the cloth to reveal a sheathed longsword. Even from across the room, Gawain could feel its aura.
It wasn't ordinary.
"Seikō Masamune(*Sacred Radiance Masamune in english)," Jasmine said reverently.
"One of the great swords forged in Wano Country during its golden age a hundred years ago. Ranked fourth among the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords. A treasure that swordsmen dream of."
"Lord Gawain, if you help us repel Krieg's pirates, it's yours."
Gawain licked his lips.
"…And if I kill you both right now, does it become mine anyway?"
Grayza was briefly stunned, but answered calmly.
"A man willing to warn us in advance... A man who sees the big picture, who values gratitude—would never stoop to robbery."
"Heh."
Gawain smiled faintly, shaking his head.
"That alone won't cut it."
Grayza hesitated, then made a firm decision.
"My Raven Harbor will offer long-term, stable logistical support. But in return, I need you to help secure these waters."
"Drive out—or destroy—every last pirate that threatens us."
Gawain raised an eyebrow.
"Isn't that usually the navy's job?"
"The navy?" Grayza sneered. "You saw what they really are today."
"Raven Harbor is strategically vital—but in a dangerous sea. We can't trust the navy, and we certainly can't trust pirates. We're too weak to defend ourselves... so I'd rather make a deal with you."
"…What boldness."
Gawain didn't hide his admiration.
Like it or not, the pirate era had always been ruled by men. Dozens of men had risen to emperor-like power. Only one woman had joined their ranks—even someone like Hancock paled beside.
For a woman to show this kind of decisiveness... was exceedingly rare.
If she ever gained the strength to match, she might yet become a force to be reckoned with.
"Deal."