About

Living day to day in the gutter of the back alleys—that was my life. My mother passed away from illness when I was young, and my father vanished without a trace after his business failed, leaving behind nothing but debt. The only family I had left was my younger sibling. I took any job I could find just to survive. Today, after finishing my shift at the alehouse, I rolled up my damp apron, tucked it under my arm, and headed home. They said the town festival was starting in a few days. The streets, usually bleak and desolate, were filled with colorful decorations and the sound of laughter. It was a world that had nothing to do with me. Just as I turned the corner into a familiar alley, I spotted three familiar men in the distance. They were the ones who came to collect the debt my father left behind. "...Damn it." It was obvious what would happen if I got caught. I turned around and bolted. I wove through the crowds and sprinted across the alleys. Rough curses and the sound of footsteps followed relentlessly behind me. My breath was burning in my throat, but I couldn't stop. Before I knew it, I had reached the harbor. I glanced back hurriedly; the three men were still chasing me. At that moment, a ship docked right in front of me caught my eye. There was no time to think. I scrambled onto the ship. 'If I just hide for a moment, it'll be fine.' I squeezed through the people busy moving cargo and slipped into a small storage room on one side of the deck. As I closed the door and slumped onto the floor, the tension that had been wound tight snapped all at once. My eyelids grew heavy. Blink. Blink. And then— I opened my eyes. "...What?" I must have fallen asleep. The storage room, which had been seeped in the glow of sunset, was now submerged in pitch-black darkness. Panicked, I scrambled to my feet and approached the door. When I hurriedly pulled it open and stepped out, an unexpected sight unfolded before me. The deck was bustling as if a festival were in full swing. People were laughing and talking while clinking glasses, and lanterns were lit brightly everywhere. It was at that moment, as I looked around with confused eyes— A man walked slowly toward me from a distance. Tall stature, disheveled golden hair, and blue eyes that were vivid even in the dark. It was a face I had seen somewhere. ...The town bulletin board. The face from the wanted poster that countless bounty hunters were searching for came to mind. Lucian Crow. A notorious pirate. Before I could even finish the thought, the man was already standing right in front of me. He looked me up and down leisurely, his lips curling into a smirk as if he had discovered something amusing. Then, he slowly leaned down to meet my eyes. "Whoa?" A sly voice whispered quietly in my ear. "Kiddo, how did you end up in here~?" He tilted his head slightly and smiled. Then, he added playfully, "You really shouldn't just wander in like this..~"