Chapter 58: Everyone’s Justice

I felt the storm had lasted almost a lifetime. When I truly thought I was about to die, everything finally came to a stop. The rain began to weaken, the dark clouds scattered piece by piece, and the wind and waves calmed their temper, no longer continuing their amusing game of destroying ships.

We were saved.

The pirate ship towed the Mary Baby to a nearby port. After giving the young captain a scolding, Kelsey extorted a small sum from the ship’s owner, and then left. Although the losses of those unlucky merchants were heavy, Kelsey had saved their most valuable cargo, so they wouldn’t lose everything—they even made a small profit. The rescued passengers vied to express their gratitude and admiration to the beautiful female pirate. A refined young nobleman even took out his handkerchief and asked her to sign it as a souvenir.

“Is she a pirate?” Poirot looked at the scene in surprise.

“Probably… an idol-style pirate,” I answered vaguely.

After Kelsey had dealt with all these matters, she invited us aboard her pirate ship and sailed toward the secret island where she lived.

Not long after the ship set out, Red Flame called out to the busy female pirate.

“Kelsey, there’s something I need to ask you. It’s about this child.” Red Flame’s expression was serious.

Little Phil had not expected that his respected teacher would have such a close acquaintance with this female pirate, and he looked very agitated. But he never stopped regarding Kelsey with hostility; the look in his eyes when he saw her was like that of an angry wolf cub.

“This child says his father died unjustly at your hands. I want to know what happened.” Red Flame pointed at Little Phil and asked.

The atmosphere immediately became tense. Some pirates who didn’t know us quietly gathered around, in case we did anything harmful to Kelsey.

“This child? I don’t know him at all.” Kelsey was a little puzzled. “Although we’re pirates, we rarely kill people. Even when robbing, we don’t often start a big fight.”

She turned to Little Phil and said, “Child, what is your father’s name?”

“My father was the Captain of the Guard for Count Montela. You robbed the Count’s ship and killed my father. I will avenge him.” Though he was on a pirate ship, Little Phil answered proudly. When he spoke of his father, a strange light shone in his eyes.

“Count Montela?” A look of disgust flashed across Kelsey’s face. “Yes, that did happen. I ransacked his ship and killed him.”

“Sir, you heard her—she admitted her crime. She killed the Count, and she killed my father.” Little Phil’s eyes looked at Red Flame with desperate hope.

“Kelsey, why…” Red Flame looked at the female pirate in pain, not knowing what to say.

“This child used his father’s keepsakes as payment to ask us to avenge him. I don’t know why you killed his father. He is a good child, and I believe his father was a good man too. I never wanted to believe that it was really you who killed his father…” In an instant, Red Flame’s emotions reached their peak, and he shouted at Kelsey:

“Tell me it wasn’t you—it was someone else!”

Kelsey was completely unmoved and answered firmly, “It was me. In my year as a pirate, the most correct thing I did was robbing that ship. Young man…” She turned to Little Phil and asked, “What is your father’s name?”

“My father was Ilian Tai Fasseli!” Little Phil straightened his back, unwilling to let his father’s name be insulted. His arms were trembling slightly, and I knew it was not fear.

“Fasseli…” This name made many sailors fall into memories. Suddenly, Kelsey said in a low voice, “Wait a moment.” She turned and walked into the cabin.

Before long, she came out holding a knight’s longsword, walked up to Phil, and asked:

“Is this sword your father’s?”

The sword looked very ordinary, with no excessive ornamentation. Only those who often handled weapons could notice its difference from the details: in the middle of both sides of the blade were two recessed blood grooves, and when sunlight reflected off them, one could see delicate patterns carved there. Apart from that, the whole sword had no more decoration. It was very simple and elegant, yet gave people a feeling of harmony, refinement, and plainness.

Little Phil snatched the sword, struggled to hold the heavy weapon in his hands, cried softly “Father,” and knelt on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Let me tell you why this sword came into my hands.” Kelsey sat beside him and gestured for us to come over as well.

“I’m a pirate, child. I like this life. Sometimes I extort passing merchant ships, sometimes I just scare them. When I see merchant ships in trouble, I help them, just like this time, and then take some payment. What I like is just this way of life; I don’t care much about treasure. The sea has already given us enough to live well. Sometimes we even run transport and deliver goods for others. Most pirates in the Comet Sea are like this.” As she spoke, Kelsey secretly glanced at Red Flame from the corner of her eye. We knew these words were actually meant for Red Flame.

“But once I got some information. A merchant ship would pass through a nearby route, and what it carried was not cargo, but slaves.”

“Yes, these slaves were not humans, but they were living beings with thoughts and wisdom. Among them were Minotaurs, Gnomes, Dwarves, and Elves.” Hearing this, Red Flame’s brows furrowed. The slave trade was forbidden in most countries; only some countries in the northwestern desert still allowed such things. But in fact, such illegal activities happened in many regions. To avoid trouble, slave traders often chose non-human races to target. Among the non-humans ‘captured’ under various circumstances, beautiful female Elves were especially popular, and their purpose went without saying. Red Flame, who had wandered the continent for many years, couldn’t possibly be unaware of these things, and this was something he abhorred deeply.

“That’s right. This was the ship your father was on—Count Montela’s ship.”

“You’re lying! My father would never do such a thing.” Little Phil jumped up and pointed the sword at Kelsey’s face.

“It’s all true…” A voice came from among the sailors, and then a Dwarf stepped out. “I was one of those slaves. Miss Kelsey saved us. I still have the brand Montela, that son of a bitch, burned onto me.”

Seeing that Little Phil had fallen silent, Kelsey waved for that sailor to leave, then said to the child, “Your father was on that ship, and he knew everything. He didn’t want to do it, but he was a Knight, an officer. He had to obey orders.”

“Your father was very brave. After we boarded the ship, he led the soldiers in a desperate resistance. None of us could match him. If not for help, I might have died under this sword.” Kelsey rolled up her left sleeve, revealing a long scar from her upper arm to the back of her hand. “This is the souvenir your father left me. I almost became a one-armed female pirate.”

“We had the advantage in numbers, so we quickly gained the upper hand. If not for your father, all of this would have ended long ago. He fought one against many, and kept fighting until the very last moment. Only after we captured the Count did he surrender. We rescued the slaves on the ship—nearly two hundred people were crammed into narrow compartments, with no light and no air. Some were already dead, and the living were barely breathing.”

“Everything should have been over by then. We had saved the rest, and Count Montela received the punishment he deserved, but your father was full of guilt. He had gone against his conscience to help the Count do things he hated, but he had no other choice. He was a true soldier and had to obey orders; but his conscience made him loathe his own choice. He truly was the most foolish and the most upright person I have ever met…” Kelsey stroked Little Phil’s soft hair and said in a gentle voice.

“He told me that when he saw the miserable state of the surviving slaves, he was full of shame. He felt that all of this was a sin he had committed. He couldn’t forgive himself, so he took his own life. Before he died, he asked me to give this sword to his son. He wanted me to tell you: don’t be troubled by foolish obsessions. He hoped you would use it for true justice.”

“Impossible!” Little Phil shouted in despair. “This can’t be! You must have conspired to kill my father, and then made up such lies to deceive me.”

“I want to avenge my father!” The child brandished the weapon, which was too big for him, and charged at Kelsey. At the moment he approached, Red Flame flashed over, snatched the longsword from his hand, and pushed him to the ground. He fell aside and cried loudly. The hatred accumulated over months filled his young heart, so that when he discovered he had no reason to take revenge on anyone, he felt an immense emptiness.

“Perhaps you’re right…” Red Flame returned the sword to his hands. “In a sense, Kelsey forced your father to his death. But she had to do it.”

Little Phil took the sword from him in a sulk and glared at him angrily.

“My teacher once told me that everyone has their own justice. Rescuing slaves and protecting the weak—that is Kelsey’s justice. Taking responsibility for one’s own mistakes and committing suicide out of guilt—that is your father’s justice. I’m sorry, I cannot help you fulfill your wish for revenge. Moreover, I hope you will keep your father’s medal safe until you find your own justice.” Red Flame said to Little Phil.

“My justice is to defeat this female pirate and avenge my father. If you won’t help me, if no one is willing to help me, I’ll do it myself. Sooner or later, I will avenge my father.”

Red Flame and Kelsey exchanged a glance and helplessly shook their heads. After all, it was truly Kelsey who had caused Little Phil to lose both his parents. This heavy family grudge was deeply branded into the child’s heart, and not everything could be explained by reason.

“Alright, if you are sure this is your justice…” Red Flame said. “I can help you. If you promise not to disgrace your father’s honor and wish to defeat Kelsey in a fair duel, I can continue to teach you what you need. Your father was a brave warrior; he would surely want his son to be just as remarkable.”

After saying this, Red Flame looked at Kelsey questioningly. Kelsey smiled and gave him an affirmative answer. This was the best thing they could do for the child—take care of him, educate him, help him grow. One day, their patience would wash away the child’s hatred and let him feel things beyond hatred like an ordinary person.

Little Phil did not answer, but from his expression, I thought he had agreed.

…

“Red Flame, what are you guys doing here?” Only after avoiding Little Phil and the other sailors did Kelsey ask this question. “You didn’t come to see me just because you missed me, bringing Jeff and two new friends, did you?”

“The war is still going on. Fred needs a naval force to help him fight,” Red Flame said.

“So you came to ask me to help?” There was a hint of disappointment in Kelsey’s voice.

“No!” Red Flame suddenly said loudly. “I came to persuade you not to go.”

“Red Flame…” I was startled. After all, completing Fred’s commission was still the most important purpose of this trip for me. I didn’t want Red Flame, in a moment of impulse, to make our journey in vain.

“You are living well now. I don’t want you to get involved in the war again; it’s too dangerous.” Red Flame paid no attention to me and continued, “If I hadn’t come, they would have come too. Only I would try to stop you, so I came.”

“I’ll go. How many people do you need?” Kelsey pondered for a moment, then suddenly turned to me and asked.

“Kelsey, don’t go. This is not a joke,” Red Flame said urgently.

“I’m not joking.” Kelsey’s attitude was resolute.

“This is war—people will die!” Red Flame suddenly lifted the eyepatch over his left eye, revealing the scar that had blinded it. His anxious expression pulled at the scars on his face, making him look ferocious and ugly.

“This is war!” Red Flame gripped Kelsey’s arms and stared at her face with his one remaining eye. I suddenly felt that I was shameless, as if I were forcing Kelsey to do something she shouldn’t do for my own purposes. Indeed, I was helping my friend, but even Fred had no right to drag Kelsey into the war.

At first, Kelsey was frightened by Red Flame’s terrifying face. She let out a small gasp, then her expression became affectionate and pitying. She reached out and gently touched the scar over the Elf’s left eye. She stroked it very carefully, very tenderly, as if she wished to smooth away the wound and rekindle the emerald-bright eye.

“When did this happen?” Her voice was as gentle as a soft sea breeze.

“About a month ago.” Red Flame felt a little embarrassed and let go of his hands. “Carlson died; he saved me.”

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“Afraid I’d worry? Or did you think you looked ugly?”

“…”

“Red Flame, why do you fight? Why are you joining this war that has nothing to do with you? This is a human war. You are an Elf.”

Red Flame lowered his head awkwardly, not knowing how to answer his lover’s question. “I… I don’t know either. At first it was being with Fred, being with you. Later… later I felt I had a responsibility to this war. I had already joined; I couldn’t withdraw. The only way was to end it. This isn’t one person’s war. It seems… it seems like a whirlpool—once you’re in it, you can only go deeper, unable to pull back.”

“You’re right, Red Flame. This is war. We can’t pull back. I’ve been there since the beginning. I’m a human, a Delanmayan. Even after coming to the sea, I still often think about the war. I have more reason than you to fight. Now, I can do something for it, help my friends, and let more children not become orphans. I must go back. You told Little Phil that everyone has their own justice. To fight, to end this war, to let fewer people be hurt—that is my justice.”

As she said this, Kelsey suddenly hugged Red Flame excitedly, completely ignoring the three of us standing nearby. She said softly, “Besides, since you’re there, how could I stay away?”

I gently pulled Poirot and Eliot, who had been watching with great interest, and quietly left that place. I knew my mission was accomplished, but deep in my heart there was an inescapable sense of guilt. Our arrival had broken the peaceful life here and dragged Kelsey into a cruel war. War turns every one of its victims into its accomplices, pulling more lives into that seemingly bottomless abyss of death. Yesterday it was us, today it is Kelsey—and tomorrow, who will it be? If our friends really die in the war, who should be blamed? The Winstons? Fred? Me? Red Flame? Or Kelsey herself?

This was a question that could not be answered.

So, before that, let’s leave this patch of calm blue sky for this pair of lovers from different races to enjoy alone—that is the freedom and happiness we owe them. If they are destined never to hold each other like this forever, listening to the crisp sound of waves slapping against the hull; if they are destined never to stand side by side on the deck forever, gazing at the tiny islands in the distance; if they are destined never to gaze at each other so deeply forever, dissolving each other’s longing and worry into this silent conversation; then at least let them have all this now, even if only for a brief moment.

This is the freedom and happiness this war owes to everyone…