Clara considered herself a well-bred noble who had "seen the world"…
Yet ever since boarding this impossible three-masted ghost ship—
with companions who changed day by day—
she frequently wondered if she was trapped in a dream.
Or rather… a nightmare masquerading as a miracle.
"Daydreaming again? Hurry up, everyone's waiting."
The girl behind her nudged her forward.
Clara blinked, coming back to her senses. She apologized with a polite smile and stepped into the tiny room ahead.
The space was small—barely enough for one person.
Floating in the center was a fist-sized orb of green ghost-flame, flickering without heat.
Clara lifted her finger with practiced familiarity and lightly tapped the soul-flame.
The cold light slipped into her body, then drifted back out a moment later.
Her mind immediately cleared.
Her sweat-soaked clothes dried as if washed and ironed.
Even her skin felt smoother, almost glowing.
She knew it wasn't an illusion. Everyone aboard had undergone dramatic changes these days.
If even she—pampered since childhood—could improve this much, then for the others, the transformation was practically rebirth.
Once, they were malnourished, grimy, and haggard.
Now they looked… well, if pirates saw them now, they'd definitely go mad.
Clara muttered, checking the floor for new stains.
"With this ability alone, every noblewoman in the world would sell her jewels for a chance to use it…"
After cleaning up, she opened the door.
Outside, the other girls—sweaty, exhausted, but smiling—queued for their turn.
They still tired easily.
But compared to before, they now walked with certainty in their steps, with strength in their gazes.
Clara greeted them, then made her way back toward the deck—
only to see Davy and Penny still training.
Penny lunged forward, every strike harsh and aimed to kill.
Davy deflected casually with the back of his blade.
Clara's eyelid twitched.
They trained together daily, at the same time, using the same methods—
but the gap between her and Penny was widening at a terrifying speed.
She herself had grown much stronger.
With possession, she could probably overpower the captain of her family's guard back home.
And yet she couldn't last a full minute against Penny.
Penny's growth felt inhuman.
A monster born from despair, carving her way upward with ferocious will.
For the first time, Clara, a noble, felt inferior to a commoner girl.
She had always been the protector, the savior, the one others relied on.
Her wealth, her upbringing, her education—
they placed her on a pedestal even in captivity.
She could not cook, clean, or labor.
Yet people admired her, followed her, and even protected her.
Because she was a noble—
a shining star in the darkness of their prison.
They had lived in different worlds, and everyone understood that.
But now?
Now, the one everyone looked to was not her, but Penny—
while Clara, under Davy's rules, was forced to clean her own room and do chores like everyone else.
How quickly the world changes…
Clang!
Davy knocked Penny's sword aside and patiently corrected her form.
Clara watched with envy that she didn't bother hiding.
He really did treat Penny differently.
After offering a few more pointers, Davy sheathed his blade.
"That's enough for today. We should reach our destination tomorrow morning. Rest early tonight; no morning training."
Penny looked up at him, red eyes shimmering with reluctance—
but after a moment she nodded quietly and left.
Only when her small silhouette disappeared did Davy quietly exhale in relief.
That girl is too hardworking. She'd probably train in her sleep if she could.
Even he felt guilty slacking off around her.
When he looked up, he spotted Clara hiding nearby, eyes darting about suspiciously.
"You have a habit of spying on people?"
"Hah? I—I was just passing by!"
Clara puffed her cheeks, then brightly leaned closer without shame.
After days of observation, she understood him:
Davy was easy to get along with.
Straightforward, quiet, a little blunt—
but he would tolerate harmless teasing.
"Tomorrow morning, huh?" Clara murmured wistfully, gazing at the moonlit sea.
But before the emotion fully settled—
"Still pretending you weren't eavesdropping?"
Davy's deadpan tone popped her momentum like a soap bubble.
She rolled her eyes and ignored the jab, leaning on the railing beside him.
"It feels… fast."
Fast?
Davy almost choked.
It's been DAYS already. If not for your training giving me soul-energy, I would've dropped you off on the nearest island ages ago.
Clara caught his impatience and chuckled softly.
"You seem in a hurry. Going somewhere important? Is that why you won't wait for my family to come pay your reward?"
"Adults' business. Children shouldn't pry."
"You—!"
She puffed up like an angry kitten.
But after a moment, her shoulders slumped.
"…Hey. What if I become your disciple like Penny? I can help you hunt pirates. We could kill all the bad guys together."
"You?" Davy gave her an up-and-down look.
A noble girl wanting to become a bounty hunter?
Traveling the seas, facing death and cruelty every day?
He couldn't tell if she was joking or delusional.
"You're too weak. You'd die."
He didn't sugar-coat it.
Better to crush her fantasies before they got her killed.
"W-weak!?" Clara exploded. "I'm not weak! I'm a noble! If I train seriously, I'll catch up to Penny in a few days!"
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