Pirate Buster

~~~💡~~~

The streets of Luminas were unrecognizable. Where once there had been smoke, barricades, and ashes, now there was music, burning torches, Kounaria’s banners fluttering on every corner, and an entire town poured out in celebration. The bells of the worn-out Harbor District rang, this time not in alarm but in joy. Children ran with white, green, and orange ribbons, the elderly drank as if they had regained their youth, and families raised their toasts to the skies.

In the taverns, the bards had already taken control. The largest one, located just in front of the harbor square, had become the epicenter of the festivity. A place that had not known joy for a long time, and that only nights ago had witnessed the fierce battle between Kounaria and the Pirate Kingdom, now hosted the victory celebration. Kounaria had taken time to honor its dead—thankfully few, and far fewer than the enemy’s—but when the moment came, the joy of breaking free from oppression was inevitable.

There, in the tavern by the harbor square, Rei and the three Enlightened entered, greeted with cheers that nearly shook the wooden ceiling. The place was adorned with improvised garlands, fabrics embroidered with the kingdom’s colors, and countless Kounaria flags.

"The Hero! The Enlightened!" many shouted, raising their cups.

Rei tried to hide behind Ettor’s shoulder, his face flushed with embarrassment, but it was useless. His name was already being chanted across the hall. Not his real name, but the nickname born in those last hours, spreading like fire across the Scarlet Colossus.

"Pirate Buster! Pirate Buster! Pirate Buster!"

That was what the people clamored, waving their hands in the air. The pirate hunter. The savior of Luminas. The Hero who, alongside the three Enlightened heirs, had challenged the almighty Pirate Kingdom and left it a painful mark.

"Pirate... Buster?" Rei muttered quietly, rubbing the back of his neck from behind Ettor’s shoulder.

"It suits you perfectly," Nessus laughed, giving him an elbow before striking a vain pose. "Although I admit it sounds a bit like the title of a cheap minstrel song. Not as good as being called ‘The Wind Tracker.’"

"That’s exactly it," Leonoris laughed softly, amused. "You busted pirates. You should be proud, Rei."

"Mmm..." Rei shrank even further behind the eldest brother. "I think we should just go back to the castle."

Immediately, Ettor stepped aside, exposing him completely.

"Hey, you caused this," he said, half-serious, half-teasing. "Now take responsibility."

Rei sighed, but inwardly he was grateful. He couldn’t deny that hearing the people so happy for the first time eased the weight in his chest. Still, he couldn’t yet see himself as the hero they spoke of. He felt he still had a long way to go.

"Here! For the Hero!" A young woman acting as a waitress handed him a jug of sea-fruit liquor, a typical Kounaria drink prepared with coastal sour berries and sweet perfumed spices.

"Oh!" Nessus chuckled. "A Coral Flame. This is going to be interesting."

"Wait a minute..." Rei examined it. "I can’t drink this stuff, I’m only seventeen."

The three Enlightened looked at him strangely, exchanging the same kind of glances they had when, on his first day, he talked about strange places called “Japan” and “Europe.”

"And what’s the problem?" Nessus asked. "Look at that guy over there, he seems even younger than you."

"But..."

Rei stared at the drink for a second, watching the reddish foam fizzing lively, smelling a strong, salty-sweet aroma he had never known before. The crowd cheered from the tables, shouting his nickname in unison, and suddenly the jug felt lighter in his hand.

"Well... how bad could one little sip be..."

~~~🍻~~~

"Once moreeeeeee!"

The bards on the stage began with traditional songs, solemn at first, remembering those fallen to the pirates. But before Rei’s loosened expression, the atmosphere quickly turned festive, and one song in particular caught his attention.

🎶 Oh, he fights the pirate misery

He’ll lead us to victory

And when he’s standing on the frontlines

He’ll raise his hand and fight for Kounary'

He’s a lad from Kiokio

Better than Ettor, don’t you know?

Ohhh, it’s Rei the Inventor! 🎶

The villagers sang along, pounding their mugs against the tables, making as much noise as possible.

"They’ve really grown fond of him," Leonoris remarked, sipping her Coral Flame with far more moderation than the inventor.

"You think?" Nessus laughed, in much the same state. "They’re even teasing our little brother! Only legends get songs like this!"

The tavern erupted in cheers and laughter as Nessus raised his cup dramatically.

"A toast to legends!" he roared. He took a long swig, and as soon as he lowered it, his face lit up with a strange glow. "Did you know—" he proclaimed grandly, swaying slightly, "they say pirates have bad breath because they don’t use fresh herbs on their teeth? That’s a lie, because I, Nessus, eat those herbs every day!"

Leonoris burst into such loud laughter she had to cover her mouth, and Rei nearly spat out his drink.

Meanwhile, Ettor was surrounded by guards and fishermen congratulating him. He smiled, serene but sincere, quietly thanking them and shaking hands.

"A smile from Ettor?" Rei noticed and pointed teasingly. "Am I seeing this right?"

"I swear it!" Nessus laughed, leaning on the table. "It’s the first time in his life he’s smiled!"

Leonoris laughed too, with that sweet, restrained mirth that seemed to light up the hall. Ettor, realizing, looked at them with feigned dignity.

"Shut up! I can allow myself one, on a special occasion," he said calmly, though the faint red on his face betrayed him.

"Alright, let’s play a dance tune!" announced one of the bards, who wore an even sillier hat than the Seagull’s cap.

The music swelled, shifting into cheerful melodies that made the floor tremble as people began to show off their festive steps. Leonoris seemed to enjoy it, nodding her head to the rhythm, though she didn’t dance herself. Not yet, because in a sudden impulse, Rei took her hand.

"What are you doing?" she gasped.

"Come here."

Rei pulled her gently toward the center of the tavern. Those nearby erupted in shouts of amazement and celebration at seeing the Hero and the heir Princess dance hand in hand.

"What are you doing, Rei?!" Leonoris was already as red as a tomato.

"Relax, just follow my rhythm. Slide your foot in a line, shift the weight to your hips..." Rei reminded her of that training session where they had ‘danced’ together, smiling mischievously with cheeks burning scarlet. "Wasn’t that how you taught me? Though this time slower, I don’t want to knock off your hood."

Leonoris tried to protest, but soon found herself following his steps. Clumsy at first, but Rei—clumsy too—laughed so much that the tension melted away in seconds.

"Damn," she exclaimed, amused as well. "You’ve grown so much bolder since your arrival."

"I know. And that’s thanks to you, Princess. Truly, you gave me the confidence to sail through this strange world when no one believed I could lead Kounaria. Thank you."

They turned, stepped forward and back as if in combat, but this time, the battle was of smiles and locked gazes.

"You know," she replied after a moment, with a shy smile that radiated immense happiness, "I never had the chance to properly apologize. For bringing you here, for pulling you from your home and sending you far from your siblings. I don’t know how you didn’t hate me from that moment."

"Mmm... maybe a little, on the first day. But don’t worry, it wasn’t your fault. I don’t know if I wouldn’t have died anyway, so we could see it as you and Solaria saving me."

Leonoris chuckled softly, while Rei tried to lift his arm so she could twirl underneath. Thanks to Solaria, the hood stayed in place.

"I see. But what I meant is... despite it all, nothing would’ve been possible without you. And the battles, jumping between ships, casting spells, plus you-know-what... I feel like I’m discovering a part of myself I never saw before. And I love it. So thank you, Kashiwa Rei of Kyoto. I’m so glad you’re here."

Rei’s chest began to burn once more. Again, she was the one stirring that unique feeling inside him. He held her closer than he had planned, and as their eyes met, a sting pierced his heart.

"How can I go back home... if it means parting from her?" he thought, confused, unsure where that fear had come from.

But he decided to keep it inside. This wasn’t the moment for such thoughts, but for celebration. He smiled and kept dancing under the warm lights of the tavern, while the people rejoiced in their victory and the name of “Pirate Buster” resounded in every corner.