Like Sister, Like Sister

Barbarossa immediately pointed toward the blonde officer standing on the neighboring ship.

“See what I mean!” he said, turning toward Seidon.

Seidon, however, was already slowly backing away, trying to sneak off while no one was looking.

Skayla casually reached out and grabbed the back of his uniform, stopping him in his tracks.

“Permission granted!” Barbarossa shouted.

The crew immediately began preparing for the officers’ arrival, clearing the gangway and making room for them to board.

A gangplank was secured between the two ships, allowing the tall blonde officer to cross onto the Flying Crimson. Once aboard, she approached Barbarossa and gave him a formal salute.

“My apologies for the delay, Captain. My name is Sera, Second Commander of the Royal Navy,” she introduced herself.

“At ease, Second Commander,” Barbarossa replied. “Barbarossa, Captain of the Flying Crimson.”

Without warning, Sera grabbed Seidon by the back of the neck and forced him into a deep bow.

“And I sincerely apologize for my Commanding Officer’s complete lack of manners!” she said, bowing alongside him.

“No apology necessary,” Barbarossa replied with a chuckle. “No harm was done.”

Lina slowly approached Sera with a confused look on her face.

“Queen Seraphine?” Lina asked, noticing how closely the woman resembled the Queen.

Sera blinked.

“I’m sorry for that rude comment,” Lina apologized, bowing. “For a moment, I thought you were Queen Seraphine.”

Sera laughed.

“That’s because she’s my older sister,” she revealed.

Everyone stared at her in shock... including Seidon.

Sera slowly turned toward him.

“WHY ARE YOU SHOCKED?!” she shouted, smacking Seidon across the head. “YOU MET YOUR SISTER-IN-LAW A FEW YEARS AGO!”

Everyone stared at her in shock once again—including Seidon, who immediately received another smack across the head.

“WHY ARE YOU SHOCKED ABOUT THAT TOO?!” Sera shouted. “WE’VE BEEN MARRIED FOR SEVERAL YEARS!”

She removed one glove and held up her hand, revealing the wedding ring on her finger.

“Sorry, sorry,” Seidon said, making a goofy face. “I just went with the flow.”

Sera stared at him.

“...You’re an idiot,” she said, sticking her tongue out at him.

“I’m honestly more shocked that the Queen has a younger sister,” Lina admitted. “I’ve known Her Majesty for years, and I’ve never once heard her mention you.”

“My older sister rarely mentions me because she doesn’t want to draw unwanted attention my way,” Sera explained with a gentle smile. “It’s her way of protecting her only remaining sister.”

“Not like that really matters,” Seidon chimed in. “She’s every bit as terrifying as Her Majesty.”

Sera slowly glanced toward him.

With a casual bump of her left elbow, Sera sent Seidon straight over the railing of the Flying Crimson.

A loud SPLASH! came from the foul-smelling sea below.

Lina and Skayla watched him disappear overboard before silently nodding together.

The resemblance was undeniable.

After all, they had once witnessed Queen Seraphine send King Ernest flying across an entire courtyard simply because he’d unexpectedly hugged her.

“Now then...” Sera calmly slipped her glove back on as if nothing had happened and glanced toward the rising sun. “Shall we continue this conversation back at the Port of Piraeus?”

“What about the Kraken?” Skayla asked.

“The Royal Navy will take full responsibility for dragging it back to port for dismantling,” Sera replied. “After all, the Mana Stone inside that thing alone could be priceless.”

She briefly stepped away to order the naval officers to begin securing the Kraken before returning to the group.

“By the way...” Sera glanced toward the enormous corpse. “Is Kraken the official name of this sea monster? None of our officers seem to recognize its species.”

“It’s what Captain Barbarossa has been calling it for nearly three decades,” Lina answered.

Suddenly, an amusing idea popped into her head.

“Ahem!” Lina cleared her throat.

“Apparently, he’s spent all those years hunting it to avenge his late pirate wife. Chasing the Kraken was what eventually led to his rise as the legendary Pirate Lord.”

Barbarossa slowly turned toward her.

“...Did you really have to tell her that?” Barbarossa asked, wondering why Lina had suddenly decided to reveal his entire origin story.

Lina slowly turned toward him with a perfectly composed smile.

“That’s what happens when you call me lassie while I’m falling off the Kraken,” she said.

Barbarossa’s eyes widened.

“You heard me?!” he exclaimed. “Not only do you have absurd strength, but you also have insane hearing!”

Sera suddenly approached Barbarossa with her eyes sparkling as she clasped her hands together.

“Captain Barbarossa!” she exclaimed. “You absolutely must tell me the entire story on our way back to port!”

Barbarossa stared at Sera’s rapidly growing excitement before slowly turning toward Lina.

Lina simply stuck her tongue out at him before walking over to Skayla, who was leaning against the railing and staring down at the sea.

“How’s he doing?” Lina asked.

“Still swimming,” Skayla replied.

Lina leaned over the railing.

Sure enough, Seidon was still paddling around beside the Flying Crimson, trying to find some way back aboard.

“Surprisingly, no one’s dropped him a ladder or even a life preserver,” Skayla said as she pointed toward the Royal Navy officers and sailors, all of whom were busy securing the Kraken’s massive corpse.

“Well, he kind of deserves it, don’t you think?” Lina said.

“In that case, what did he do to deserve that?” Skayla asked, pointing toward Barbarossa.

Sera had already cornered the old pirate with a notepad and pen in hand, aggressively questioning him about every detail of his story with Anne.

Lina turned back around and smiled.

“He’s been getting a little too cocky lately for an old man,” she said.

Skayla stared at her for a moment before the two burst into laughter.

The first rays of sunlight began appearing over the horizon, bringing an end to the long, exhausting night.

With the Kraken finally secured, the Royal Navy ships and the Flying Crimson began their journey toward the Port of Piraeus, leaving Seidon behind in the water.

“HEY! WAIT FOR ME!” he shouted, desperately trying to swim after them.

As the ships disappeared into the distance, the morning sea monsters slowly emerged from their hiding places and surrounded him.

Seidon stopped swimming and looked around to see dozens of hungry eyes staring back at him.

“...Officer down?” he whispered calmly.

A moment later, his screams echoed across the morning sea.