"Here we are, the Great Empire of Iskandar! Time for a rematch of that old debate! I won't lose to the booze this time! Brace yourself, because I'm about to give you a full dose of my royal way!"
"Knight King... You're the Knight King? Quite the bizarre getup you've got there... Oh well! Care for a drink?"
"My royal way? I'd cut down a god if I met one! Mainly, I'd just keep adding Sabers—"
The Pioneer of the Stars—The Woman Who Felled the Sun
The Gilgame sails across the sea, eventually reaching a small island.
Nothing remarkable about it, just a modest island.
"Is this the pirate island?" Mash asks, a bit surprised. She half-expected a pirate flag fluttering somewhere.
"Yep, no mistake. This is the pirates' den," comes the reply.
"As expected, one shouldn't hope for much from a rat's hideout. I had a fleeting thought they might have a lavish mansion, but..."
"Sorry, Boss Gilgame!"
"No matter. Well done, all of you! I'll keep your efforts in the back of my mind. Here's your reward—take it!"
From a ripple of gold, a cascade of gold bars tumbles out.
"Whoa! Can we really take all this?!"
"Indeed. Take the Gilgame too. It's yours as a reward."
"Thank you, Boss Gilgame!! Boys, with this much, we'll never go hungry again!!"
""""WOOOOOOHHHH!!!""""
"Off you go. Indulge to your heart's content."
"Thanks, Boss!! Stay well, everyone!!"
The pirates clamber aboard the Gilgame, singing as they sail away.
"The Gilgame... Are you sure, Gil?"
"It's fine. It's just a trinket. Now, more importantly..."
"Yes. We need to quickly find someone who knows this island inside out..."
As they speak, they're suddenly surrounded.
"Heh heh heh, you're quite the big spender, aren't you? Care to share a little with us?" A pirate with a red bandana and an eyepatch sneers.
"Hmph. Wealth attracts flies, doesn't it? My Golden Rule is quite the burden."
Perhaps the golden armor is too conspicuous. Should I consider expanding my wardrobe?
"No matter. Mash, let's warm up by scattering this lot. Don't tell me you can't handle it."
"I've got this. Give me three minutes, and I'll clear them out with a Spartan Shield Bash!"
"Go, Mash! You've got this!"
"I'm counting on you."
"What? A mere girl thinks she can take us on?!"
Mash swings her shield, knocking the pirates flat.
"Flat of the shield, flat of the shield!"
"Oof! Wait—!"
"Out at sea, and now on land, we're met by more pirates... Poetic, isn't it, Da Vinci?"
"Too predictable to be moving, honestly."
While Mash subdues the group, casual banter fills the air.
Three minutes later, all but the red-bandana pirate are unconscious, and the area is secured.
"Flat of the shield, done!"
"Good work. Here, have some candy!"
Chomp "Thank you!"
The Master approaches the pirate for questioning.
"Bring out your boss! There's a boss here, right?"
"The boss? Oh, you mean Big Sis? You've got business with her?"
"Indeed. We need the aid of someone who lives by the sea, not some mongrel. Someone ostentatious enough to suit our needs."
"I'll take you! Just, please, no more shield bashing!"
"You've got them spooked, Mash. Haha, quite the fearsome one!"
"R-Really...? I tried to be gentle and precise..."
Is a Servant's idea of "gentle" even reliable? Mash, you're such an airhead...
"Follow me. I'll take you to Big Sis... to Francis Drake's stronghold!"
Through the dim jungle, they follow the pirate's lead.
"Heh heh, just you wait... Big Sis Drake'll make short work of you..."
"Talk about a sudden demotion to lackey."
"He's trying so hard to play the part. Typical pirate."
"Such pitiful effort. Character is built naturally. Cheap catchphrases and shallow traits only lead to being a side character or mob."
"Am I... standing out enough? Everyone around me is so intense..."
"You're plenty distinct as the tragic, pitiable heroine."
"If I'm distinct, that's... fine, I guess."
Francis Drake. As usual, I know little about who she is.
"So, who's this Francis Drake?"
The question slips out naturally. Surely, the others know.
"Francis Drake was the first person to circumnavigate the globe and live to tell the tale—a great pirate of the 1573 Age of Exploration, a historical figure."
Circumnavigated the globe... alive!? That's incredible...!
"Truly a pirate worthy of the title 'Pioneer of the Stars.'"
"Yes. Her voyages transformed England, then a second-rate nation, into a world-renowned empire. Later, as a vice-admiral, she played a key role in defeating the Spanish Armada, the 'Invincible Fleet.' A legendary pirate who brought down Spain, the 'Empire Where the Sun Never Sets,' earning the moniker 'Demon El Draco'—a true hero shining in history."
Incredible. Absolutely incredible, Francis Drake. A hero who undeniably changed history.
It's hard to believe such heroes were ever just ordinary people like us...
"A demon, huh? I'm curious to see how fierce she looks."
"Given the pirates we've seen, probably a real piece of work."
"Bet she's three meters tall, chugging from a barrel-sized mug!"
"Haha, with a mouth full of gold teeth?"
She might even shoot beams.
"You guys fans of Big Sis or something? You're hyping her up big time."
"Fou... (Another muscle carnival in the making...?)"
"Oh, how cute. Looks tasty."
"Fou!? (Stop! Only Servants can eat me!)"
"Eat Fou, and I'll crush your jewels!"
"Eek! She's just like Big Sis! ...Here we are! Big Sis!"
At the jungle's edge, the pirate calls out.
"Got guests! They wanna talk to you, Big Sis!"
"Huh? Interrupting my rum-drinking mood... Pirates?"
"Nah, fancier than us!"
"Fancier?"
"Officials? Or did you nab some nobles?"
"Nope, different. One of 'em's all sparkly, like a walking treasure chest!"
Something feels off.
Strange. That voice is awfully husky...
"Sounds intriguing, especially that last one. Let 'em through!"
Passing through the hideout, the group is struck speechless.
"You the guests? What do a bunch of no-goods like you want? Here to peddle exotic wares?"
There stood no three-meter giant or grimy male pirate.
"...You're Francis Drake?"
"Fou!? (Seriously!?)"
"Who else would I be? You've got a real catch here."
"She's got rum in her head, Big Sis!"
"Haha! Later, I'll stuff you in a barrel and fire you from a cannon!"
Laughing boldly, with long hair, a pirate coat open at the chest, a captain's hat, and a scarred face—a stunning woman.
"In every sense, a pirate who turned the tides of history."
She is none other than—
"You the treasure guy? ...Call it a hunch, but I don't think we'll get along."
The Pioneer of the Stars, Francis Drake herself.
"Getting pumped!!! (FOOOOOU!!!)"
Aa—(Adding this to the designated timeline, got it~)
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