The Villainess’ Beloved Plan: The Struggles to Avoid a Doomed End

　Raqqa crossed his arms with a difficult expression.

Cyril, D’Artano, and Randall were in front of him. D’Artano was now the pirate D’Artano, having removed his disguise as the opera actor McKeel.

“… So you’re saying that this town of Caesars is in danger of sinking in a storm, that it is the work of the Dragon God, and that we must search for the stolen selkie sealskin to prevent it? Do you expect me to believe such a wild tale?”

It was no wonder that Raqqa could not believe what Cyril had called him up and abruptly explained to him. Moreover, in front of him was the pirate he had been chasing, and Cyril said he was his collaborator. This is unacceptable to Raqqa, who belonged to Saladora’s navy.

“I’m on a mission to capture the pirates here. Are you asking me to cooperate with the pirates?”

Cyril shrugged.

“D’Artano isn’t just a pirate anymore, and I’m not sure you guys can catch him.”

“What do you mean?” Raqqa raised an eyebrow.

D’Artano exhaled secretly, not knowing whether to be amused or mortified, and thought back to last night.

‘It’s going to take a while to issue the official one, but I’ve got a provisional one.’

Cyril then tossed him a sheet of parchment that had been rolled into a ball. Although parchment has fallen into disuse since the development of paper manufacturing technology, it is still used for important national documents and permits.

　When D’Artagno opened the parchment tied with twine, he found that it was a permit for a legal pirate, a righteous pirate of Verhund. If a pirate’s permit issued by the State of Verhund is approved, some restrictions can be placed on piracy, but as long as the restrictions are observed, the State will stand behind the pirates and they will not be caught by Verhund or by any other country. Instead, when requested by the Verhund, they have to work for the country in a position similar to that of a navy. In other words, It’s like a private navy rather than a national one.

　D’Artano originally wanted this permit. He even undertook the search for Cyril’s fake girlfriend for this reason.

D’Artano does not attack trading ships and steal their cargo like other pirates. He basically searches for hidden treasures or silences the occasional pirate who tries to bully him, but he is not a bloodthirsty person and does not want to fight needlessly. He cannot stand to be chased around by other pirates who like bloodshed, and he has always wanted to plunder legally.

“The official one will need the king’s signature, so it will come later, but if you have it, you won’t have to be chased by Saladora’s navy, right?”

“This is also a fatuous thing to do.”

D’Artagno had given up on the legal permit when he kidnapped Sophia. But now, in exchange for his help in finding Marana’s sealskin, and by extension, in protecting the town of Caesars, he was issued a Pirates permit.

‘But if I kidnap Sophia and run away again, I will be paid a visit.’

D’Artano had not given up on Sophia yet, even though she had been found because she came to the town of Caesar’s. When his business is finished, he is planning to snatch Sophia from them, so the permit he has obtained will probably be revoked.

The permit is a little regrettable, but he did rather have Sophia than that. So he had no choice.

Viscount D’Silva who stole and hid the sealskin from Marana. He owned several ships, some anchored in port, some out at sea. If they were to search through all of them, D’Artano, the pirate, would have to make a move.

“No problem. I will cooperate with you. “D’Artano said

Even without Cyril’s request, D’Artano had no objection, since Sophia had originally heard the story from Marana’s sister, Karana, and wanted to do something about it. He would have liked to get her jewelry or a dress anyway, but Sophia was more interested in helping people than asking for such things, so it was  troublesome.

D’Artagno rewrapped the parchment and shook hands with Cyril to seal the deal.

　Raqqa gritted his teeth when he was told  that D’Artano had been issued a permit to become a legal Pirate.

D’Artagno showed him a permit that, although temporary, was officially signed by Cyril, and there was no doubt that Cyril, the prince of Verhund, had spoken directly to him about it.

“The pirates there are attacking our commercial vessels one after another and taking cargoes. Such pirates don’t deserve a pirate’s permit “

“Hey, don’t talk nonsense!” D’Artano’s eyebrows furrowed at the sudden accusation.

Raqqa glared at D’Artano.

“You’re so fucking obvious!”

“I don’t even know what you are talking about!”

You can’t joke around with me. The testimony that you attacked a ship and took its cargo…”

“Raqqa, wait a minute.”

Randall, who had been listening silently until then, interjected with a dubious expression.

Raqqa said he was chasing a pirate who had recently been rampaging in the Alto Sea. He also said that it was D’Artano. As a navy officer, it was only natural for him to go after D’Artano, the culprit. But…

“I’ve been a little curious. Raqqa, you said it was D’Artano who was attacking Saladora’s ships, but how did you know it was D’Artano? There must be other pirates.” Randall said

“That’s what I heard from the crews of the commercial ships that were attacked. The pirate who attacked the ship called himself Pirate D’Artano.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” D’Artano stood up indignantly.

Randall looked up at D’Artano, then continued.

‘D’Artano was in the Capital until recently. Before that, he was on another ship that was not a pirate ship. You said that commercial ships were being attacked one after another, but D’Artano must have been away from the Alt Sea for some time now. So why would D’Artano show up in the sea?”

“That’s…”

“And then there are the commercial ships of Saladora, which were being targeted one after another, and there were many other commercial ships of Verhund in the Alto Sea. But apparently no Verhund vessels have been harmed. If D’Artano really did target commercial ships, why would he only attack Saladora’s vessels?”

Raqqa was silent.

D’Artano sat back down on the couch, and said, “So I didn’t do it.”

“Duke of Voltio, You think it’s s not D’Artano?”

‘Under the circumstances, it would be more natural to think so, wouldn’t it? It would be more plausible to think of it as someone else who is pretending to be D’Artano.”

“What is the virtue of a pirate pretending to be another pirate?”

“Unless it’s a pirate?” Randall said, and Raqq’s eyes widened.

　Cyril crossed his arms and nodded broadly.

“I see. Pretending to be another pirate and attacking ships, huh?”

“I’m going to find them and beat the hell out of them.”

D’Artagno clicked his tongue.

Randall glanced at Cyril and then at Raqqa.

“Believe it or not, that’s your business, but our priority must be to appease the dragon god’s wrath. We need D’Artano for that. If you still insist on capturing D’Artano even after seeing the Pirate’s permit here, then we will have no choice but to take strong measures.

…

Raqqa let out a deep breath and raised his hands in surrender.

“I understand. As for me, I don’t want to make enemies with either Verhund or Grastona countries. Whatever D’Artano does at sea, I’ll let the navy know not to mess with it.”

“Thank God.”

“And while you’re at it, I’d be happy to borrow one of Saladora’s naval vessels as well.”

Cyril smiled at him, and Raqqa instantly became reluctant.

“Carnelia, the princess of Saladora, drugged Sophia, the princess of Grastona, with a love potion. I wonder how far would this prince go to shake Raqqa about it?”

“Understood.”

Raqqa’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.