"Don't be afraid, I'm here to help you."
Loga looked at the young girl's short silver-white hair and violet eyes, features that were exactly like his own, and asked tentatively, "You're from the Targaryen Family, right?"
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, the girl shook her head like a rattle, her grip on the dagger tightening until her knuckles turned white, her eyes staring at Loga warily as she even slowed her breathing.
Seeing her tense state, Loga shook his head indifferently; since the girl and the merchant ship had already fallen into his hands, he had plenty of time to slowly uncover her identity.
A moment later, Fermon and the others also arrived at the cabin. Loga stepped out and gave orders in a deep voice:
"Gather the people from Driftmark on the main ship's deck and do not mistreat them; as for the pirates who attacked the merchant ship, those willing to surrender will be integrated into our ranks, and those who aren't will be thrown directly into the sea to feed the fish!"
Fermon and the others immediately responded. Not only was this battle a complete victory, but they had also seized the Sea Snake's merchant ship and personnel. If Lord Corlys wanted to ransom these people, he would surely have to pay a steep price!
At this thought, the subordinates became even more proactive, ushering the merchant ship members toward the main ship.
As for the marauding pirates, they were either dead or had fled, and the remaining ones who surrendered were incorporated into Loga's crew.
Inside the cabin, Benella gradually calmed down, realizing that Loga's group did not seem to be with the pirates who had attacked the merchant ship.
Recalling Loga's swift and decisive manner when he killed the pirates just now, she summoned her courage, poked her head out from the cabin door, and asked in a small voice, "Who are you people? Could it be that my grandfather sent you to protect me?"
Loga ignored her, walked to the edge of the deck, pulled out a rough linen handkerchief from his waist, and wiped the bloodstains from his face.
When he was killing the enemies earlier, their blood had sprayed too fiercely, splashing into his eye sockets, and a faint tint of red still lingered in his vision. As the handkerchief wiped across his cheeks, it left behind dark red streaks that formed a jarring contrast with his silver-white hair.
Seeing that Loga was slow to respond, Benella frowned somewhat impatiently and was about to ask again when she saw his face clearly.
The young girl's breath hitched instantly. She hadn't expected that this man, who had just slaughtered several pirates, would look to be about her age and possess a handsome face that would make even a woman jealous, with a distinct brow bone and sharp lips, though his violet eyes held a hint of coldness.
For a moment, Benella stood frozen in place, and the resentment that had flared up from being ignored quietly dissipated.
In fact, Loga's pirates often privately teased him about his face being prettier than a woman's, but due to his ruthlessness, no one dared to mention it to his face.
Loga had long since grown accustomed to such reactions. He watched his subordinates herd the merchant ship members and categorize the supplies without looking back as he replied:
"Princess, I'm not a nanny sent by your grandfather. However, if your grandfather can afford the right price, I wouldn't mind playing that role."
"Hmph, who wants you to be a nanny!" Benella first snorted in indignation, then realized something and quickly gripped her dagger, asking warily, "Wait! How do you know I'm a princess?"
Loga was wiping his blood-stained longsword with the handkerchief. As the blood was wiped from the edge, it revealed a cold, sharp glint. He looked up at her and said flatly, "Don't I know now?"
Benella's cheeks flushed slightly at his gaze, realizing she had been tricked by this boy of the same age who shared her physical traits.
Her hand tightened around the dagger, and she felt a surge of secret annoyance, wishing she could step forward and poke him a few times.
Loga ignored her further. Learning that Benella's maid had died at the hands of the pirates, he called Fermon over and instructed:
"Pick two quick-witted women from the merchant ship members to serve the Princess. Assign two men specifically to watch her and don't let her run around; satisfy her reasonable requests as much as possible."
The surviving merchant ship members breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that Loga had no intention of harming them, and they obediently followed the arrangements.
Soon, two female servants in coarse cloth dresses emerged from the crowd and walked to Benella's side with lowered heads, carefully attending to her clothes and offering her fresh water.
On the deck, Loga's men had finished clearing the remaining pirates. The bodies were pushed into the sea with long poles, causing splashes that attracted several circling sea birds.
The materials on the merchant ship were mostly cloth, ceramic jars, and common spices, which weren't very valuable. Loga glanced at them and paid no further attention.
Benella, the Sea Snake's own granddaughter, was enough to make Corlys "eternally grateful" to him. The harvest this time far exceeded his expectations.
Subsequently, Loga ordered the fleet to turn and head toward Driftmark.
During the voyage, he gathered Fermon and other core subordinates for a short meeting in the main ship's cabin.
"Leader, we lost twenty-one men in this battle, but we've recruited over seventy surrendered pirates. Our total number has now risen to three hundred and fifty!"
Fermon was the first to report, his tone unable to hide his excitement. "As for the ships, except for a few pirate ships that slipped away early, the remaining four have all been seized by us."
"Adding them to the original five, we now have a total of nine ships!"
Loga raised an eyebrow. Indeed, in these troubled times, war was the fastest way to expand one's power.
He suppressed the joy in his heart and said, "Distribute all the newly recruited pirates among the various ships and have the veteran members lead and manage them."
"Set aside four hours every day for drills and strictly regulate their behavior. I want a team that can win battles, not useless trash that surrenders at the first sign of trouble!"
He had always been generous, willing to share most of the spoils from every battle with his subordinates, but he also demanded absolute loyalty and bravery in return.
His goals had never been limited to The Stepstones; the future Westeros continent, Essos, and even the Eastern Continent were all part of his journey. Without a disciplined army, he wouldn't get far.
Seeing Loga's serious attitude, Fermon put away his smile and responded solemnly, "I understand! I'll promote a few veteran brothers who performed well this time to keep an eye on the newcomers. If anyone dares to be lazy or shirk their duties, they'll be dealt with according to the rules!"
"Mm." Loga nodded and reminded him, "Don't let the men let their guard down. Next, we'll escort the merchant ship to Driftmark to talk 'business' with the Sea Snake."
"That old fellow hates pirates to the bone. Who knows if he'll buy it? Caution is what keeps a ship sailing for ten thousand years."
These words made the subordinates in the cabin turn serious. They also knew that Loga's self-directed 'rescue act' actually carried significant risk, but since things had come to this, they could only push forward.
Loga then made arrangements for the distribution of fresh water and food on the ship, as well as an inventory of weapons and equipment, before dismissing the meeting.
On the sea, the hazy mist gradually dispersed, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, spilling onto the deck.
Loga's nine warships surrounded the three Driftmark merchant ships, their hulls still stained with blood, as they slowly sailed toward Driftmark, leaving a long wake behind them.
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