Chapter 42

Episode 42. Let’s Try Self-Realization. (1)

Meanwhile, as Icarus was brooding over Mary Ann’s escape, Mary Ann herself had been increasingly troubled lately. Of course, it wasn’t some melodramatic teenage angst of a clumsy adolescent girl.

“…Can I really survive out there in the harsh world with such grand ambitions?”

As Icarus and Jessica had noticed, she was reflecting on her grand plans and the situation right before she arrived at this base.

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After her parents were killed by those damn pirates and she was kidnapped, she was forced to witness all sorts of horrors. To survive those bastards, she endured countless wounds while scavenging scraps in the pirates’ den. She even fought a guy who pretended to be her new comrade but tried to kill her in her sleep and steal her sword. Sometimes, she narrowly escaped being used as an outlet for those scumbags’ lust on the pirate ship.

In short, her pirate life was a continuous series of dangerous and tumultuous events, leaving Mary Ann utterly disgusted. Yet, despite it all, she had no intention of quitting the pirate life.

The reason? She felt a destined sense that she could crush all those bugs, including the current Pirate King, and rise to the top. Sure, she was just a second mate in a small pirate crew now, but considering her small, frail body due to hard labor and poor diet during her growth years, it was pretty impressive by pirate standards.

So, our Mary Ann dreamed of one day dealing with the muscle-brained captain and the creepy first mate who kept leering at her, taking over the pirate ship, and gradually building her way up to becoming the future Pirate King.

But Mary Ann’s world came crashing down in an instant. While the pirate crew was out to plunder a remote base, they were met with an overwhelmingly powerful fleet. In the blink of an eye, all their ships except the flagship were sunk. The captain, realizing there was no way to win, tried to face the enemy infiltrating the flagship but ended up sliced into three pieces and died.

The first mate, who was usually cunning but also a creep, lost his mind when most of the ship’s areas were taken over. He threatened to self-destruct, leaving Mary Ann horrified.

“You idiot, who’s gonna listen to a pirate threatening to self-destruct?” she thought.

If it had been a fake self-destruct button, she might’ve understood the bluff to save the ship. But no, this lunatic was holding the real thing. Seeing the enemy retreat and the bridge crew foolishly celebrating, Mary Ann was dumbfounded.

“You morons, if you keep this up, that cruiser’s main gun will blow this bridge to smithereens!”

Of course, no one would listen to the small, frail second mate they always ignored. But Mary Ann, with her sharp eyesight, saw the cruiser’s cannon aiming at the bridge.

“No time to hesitate!”

She stabbed the first mate’s back three times with her knife, twisted it, and killed him. Grabbing the self-destruct button, she quickly tried to negotiate through the comms with a young-sounding man on the other side.

“Hey there, mister, wanna negotiate with me?”

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And so, Mary Ann—no, the Pirate Empress—finished her short yet long reflection.

Lian couldn’t help but shake his head as he looked at the current situation.

Unlike the captain, who only had a brain in his head and looked bizarre.

Of course, the current commander, who showers him with affectionate glances and warmth.

Belial, who is an upgrade in every aspect except for the sexual harassment from the first mate who kept touching his butt.

The deck officer, who would sniff around instead of teaching the combat skills he wanted to learn.

Ignis, who shows combat power and efficient training methods that are incomparable to those.

Unlike the work he used to do by self-study based on hearsay or eavesdropping on the pirate ship.

Jessica, who teaches him everything step by step and even gives advice on interstellar navigation.

And Pashtira, who trains him, saying he’ll need it someday.

The thoroughly divided training methods were making him learn all sorts of valuable things he could never have learned on a pirate ship.

On top of that, things he could never experience in pirate life.

For example, a warm, cozy, and ‘safe’ bedroom, and the guarantee and support of a healthy leisure life.

Living in clean facilities.

‘…This is only because I haven’t built up enough strength yet.’

His original plan to stay here for about a month, take what he could, and then escape.

The plan to rally the pirates… was completely scrapped.

Since it’s come to this, he decided to properly learn from these great teachers (!) here.

And then go out stronger, crushing the pirates and standing tall as planned.

Of course, after a month had passed.

Even by his own standards, he had reached a level where he could easily kill the captain of any ordinary pirate ship.

But Marian herself didn’t know, but compared to her, the superhumans next to her were three levels higher.

No matter how much he improved, he felt endlessly lacking.

So he kept postponing his escape date, thinking he needed to get just a little stronger.

-Omnomnom

“Oppa, what training should I do today?”

“…”

‘Ah.’

When ‘Mary Ann’ finally came to her senses, she realized she had been at this base for over two months.

Unfortunately, she noticed this when she naturally spoke to ‘Oppa’ while munching on the sandwich Jessica made, as usual.

Seeing Oppa making a very complicated expression towards her, ‘Mary Ann’ wondered what she was doing.

‘What am I doing now, what about my grand goal?!’

But while thinking that, a corner of her mind also thought.

‘But I still feel lacking, no… if I drag this out any longer, the guys I prepared to support me in the pirate den will be gone…’

Along with anxiety about the current situation.

She was deeply troubled by the thought that if she dragged this out too long, her plans in the pirate den would fall apart.

‘Mary Ann’ couldn’t consult anyone in the base about this, so she was just groaning and sinking deeper into worry.

But…

“Marian? The commander is calling you.”

“Oppa is?”

For some reason, following Oppa’s command, who called her in the morning unlike usual.

‘Mary Ann’ wondered why he kept calling her name so strangely, nodded her head, and headed straight to the commander’s office.

As soon as she sat down.

“Marian, the time has come.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t you think it’s time to start moving towards your goal of becoming the pirate supreme?”

“…!!!”

‘Mary Ann’ faced the commander’s gaze, which seemed to see through everything about her.

She felt the frustration she had been holding back while worrying alone burst out.

And while Mary Ann, no, Marian, was sobbing.

Icarus, who was in front of her.

‘Why do I have to be the one to progress the event?’

Was thinking something like that.