CH 33

“Drag them up!”

They were dragging us up on top of the ship. I was like a wet stuffed bunny toy getting dragged up. 

“I never thought that I would catch a rabbit while fishing on the sea.”

I could hear the pirates laughing as I got pulled up. They were all unfamiliar voices. When I saw the people awaiting me as I got to the deck, I realized that they were all elves.

“Elves?”

Andrew, who still had his eyes closed, flinched at my murmuring.

“Oh, not elves…”

Andrew shook his body, but because he was still tied, it was no use.

“Yes. We welcome you to the ‘Elf Ark.’ I am the captain of this ship, Bonnie Briehard.”

I was wondering where Bonnie had gone while we were making a ruckus back there, but he must have waited for us to catch us.

“And the rest?”

I asked about the rest while I tilted my head and tried to get the water out of my ears. Did all of them get caught?

“Hmm, I don’t know. Why don’t you tell us where they went?”

Fortunately, Arje and Mary seemed to be free. Still, I couldn’t see Mary’s ship and because the current ship was going far from Profin, the chances of Arje and Mary’s crew coming to our rescue was bleak.

“I guess you couldn’t catch them?”

Still, I didn’t want to show them my despair, so I provoked them instead.

“Couldn’t catch them? Use the right words. I chose not to catch them.”

Bonnie’s reply was a little off. From the way he spoke, he seemed to not be interested or even thinking about catching Arje and Mary’s crew.

“Not catch them?”

“Yeah. I don’t know why you keep associating yourself with that mortal, but I have no interest. Our goal is you and that guy over there.”

To be their target. I was certain that they had no good intentions when they rescued us.

“Is that so? Why?”

When I asked, pretending to be clueless, Bonnie pointed to Andrew while smiling. 

“Well first, I will feed that guy as a sashimi piece by piece to the fish.”

He seemed to hold a grudge towards Andrew. It was understandable since he lost many of his crew from Andrew’s magic.

“Woah, so scary.”

Andrew was trying to act chill, but I could see his face dripping with water, more like sweat. 

“And you would be sold at a premium to the guys who like rare things.”

I guess all he wanted from me was money after all those creepy glances he gave me.

“Can I really be that profitable?”

I just asked from curiosity, but the pirates all made a surprised face then laughed.

“You are a funny one. Do you not have any idea what your current situation is?”

“Well, it’s because I am an extraordinary swordsman.”

I glanced at the rapier at my waist. Although I couldn’t pull it out since I was hanging, it also meant a warning to not provoke me.

“Really? Then your price will be even higher. But from your rare looks alone being the species that you are, your price is enough to buy a mansion for the royals.”

From Bonnie’s words, all I could think of was ‘wow, I am so expensive!’ Still, I wasn’t worried. I just didn’t feel threatened.

“Dream on. Shouldn’t you treat me well if that is the case? Instead of letting your money bag hang like this?”

I was just so relaxed. Maybe because I knew deep inside that such things wouldn’t happen.

“Look at this fearless bunny! You really aren’t scared of anything, huh?”

The bunnies just laughed, and

“You’re just so fine with all this.”

Andrew murmured as if he couldn’t believe my reaction.

“Yes, so let’s not make a scene that would make both of us angry.”

Bonnie and his crew pulled us down onto the boat while laughing.

“First of all, throw him into the storage. Grab the torture equipment for later as well.”

The pirates grabbed Andrew violently and dragged him away. 

Pow!

Andrew got punched after saying bitter things then was dragged after fainting. From the looks of his face, he wouldn’t get time to recover by the time they start torturing him.

“And as for the bunny lady here, treat her as royalty, as she said. Like a guest, more than a slave.”

My condition was better than that of Andrew’s, but that didn’t mean that they would untie me. I would probably be dragged into the slave market once she get off the ship, but I wouldn’t just stand and follow along. I started to think of ways to get me out of this situation.

“But aren’t you guys pirates? Why do you act as slave traders?”

I repeated the same question I asked to the pirates I met on the snowy mountains, and the pirates stopped walking as if they were interested in the topic.

“We are both. We do the pirate stuff and the slave selling stuff.”

Bonnie talked well, as if he was in a good mood. Slave trade….shouldn’t there be a topic for a conversation about this?

“So you do this alone? I’m impressed.”

When I kissed his ass a little bit, Bonnie smiled.

“Yes. I am working on my own, for now.”

For now? That meant that he doesn’t do this alone regularly.

“There must be someone else who is involved then?”

Then, Bonnie let out a slow laugh.

“You might not know this because you are not human, bunny, but this line of work involves countless numbers of people and managers.”

Bonnie waved at his crew to take me away while smiling, and the pirates tried to take me to some place. All right. Since I had gotten this far, it was time to roll the dice.

“Then you should know Pucci.”

When I mentioned Pucci, all the pirates stopped moving. The dice rolled a 6.

“What the? You knew, then? This bunny was pretending to be clueless this whole time.”

Bonnie looked at me with an expression of absurdity.

“By any chance, although I doubt it, are you his business partner?”

There was no sign of expected affirmation coming from Bonnie’s end, as if he knew that it made no sense that I was.

“There was no reason for me to do such things as a slave trader, no?”

Now it was time to be a little more pushy.

“Especially not a pirate who doesn’t even do pirate work properly and has to suck up to a boss trading slaves.”

Then people around cursed.

“This thing has been crawling up thinking that it can just get away with a pretty face.”

Bonnie squeezed my ears with an angry face.

“Ahhhh?!”

Unlike when Arje or Peter touched, this one hurt a lot. It was at the same level of someone pulling your sideburn.

“Let go! Ouch! It really hurts!”

I was rolling around, but Bonnie still didn’t let go.

“Now do you understand what kind of position you are in? We know how to hit people without leaving a mark. If you mess up again, there will be greater pain awaiting you.”

Bonnie gave a warning. But if I were a man who were to give in so easily, I wouldn’t have reached the peak of my swordsmanship.

“You should be the one worried about regrets.”

I bluffed even while I couldn’t hold back a tear from the pain.

“Regrets? What regrets?”

Bonnie asked as if he was enjoying a show.

“Why do you think Mary came all this way? You don’t think that she came here just for you, do you?”

Then the other pirates stopped cursing, and I could feel the strength of Bonnie’s grip getting loose. Phew.

“A reason?”

“Yes, treasure. The heart of the Ice Queen in the island of lost souls.”

Then the pirates looked at each other.

“I have heard that such a thing exists.”

“Yes, that heart is sealed on the island. That anyone who possesses the heart will have the power of a great magician. That its value cannot be measured in monetary value.”

The elves recited what I read in the original novel.

“That scared bitch came all the way here to get that?”

Bonnie did not believe me.

“But it is true. That’s why we momentarily stopped in Profin to head to the island.”

Bonnie made a thinking face. I had to come on stronger when he was shaken like this.

“If you sell me, you will make tons of money. But you will have to share it with Pucci. Since he is higher in rank than you.”

Bonnie did not say anything, but that meant that it was true.

“But if you go with me to find that treasure, you will not only gain money, but the power to take control of the world.”

Bonnie released his grip on my ears and then

“Argh!”

He grabbed it again. What a crazy piece of…

“Nice try, bunny. You want us to all go and die, huh?”

If that was the reason, he didn’t have to grab my ears!

“That would normally be the case. But the Andrew guy that you guys are going to torture is the key to the island.”

Then the pirates murmured. Not that of gossip, but something a bit more rushed. I was almost done convincing them.

“That guy? I can tell that you are lying because you want to live.”

Bonnie still did not buy it.

“It is the truth. He is actually the only living heir of the Ice Queen.”

“What?”

I just told them everything, since I got this far. Bonnie was finally buying it.

“You are not lying to get away, are you?”

But as an elf who has tricked many people, Bonnie was doubtful until the very end. Still, he should have interest in my words because if things worked out, he would be able to defeat Pucci and take the crown. This was my last chance.

“What? I guess you are more of a coward than Mary. Mary agreed, but you are scared!”

As I teased him, Bonnie let go of my ears. Although he was refusing to admit it, I should have gotten into his thoughts.

“Me? Get scared? I’m no better than that Mary bitch?”

Unlike the confident face he had earlier, he glared at me then looked over at his crew. The pirates flinched as if they were scared of this reaction.

“What are you all doing? Bring him over!”

The elves rushed to the direction to where Andrew disappeared. I had saved Andrew’s life for now.

“Why are you sharing this information with me? What if I were to take your words and just sell you off?”

Bonnie had a point. No, Bonnie would actually do that. Elves would stab anyone in the back.

“I heard that elves keep their words and cannot lie.”

But I couldn’t tell him to his face, so I only said good things about elves.

“That is true. You must know a thing or two about us elves.”

Bonnie laughed out loud as if he were in a good mood. He will probably think of me as a dumb bunny. Just you wait. I will take my revenge.

“Oh, and before that.”

When I had just thought that it was all done,

“Ahhhh!”

Bonnie grabbed my ears violently, shook them and then let go.

Bam!

I rolled on the floor to deal with the pain.

“That’s for calling me that I’m less brave than that Mary bitch.”

Bonnie headed to the captain’s deck leaving me behind on the floor.

“…. I will pay back for this…”

I swore to myself that when all this is over, I will take revenge.