"Paradise, with your seven paths,
you have ruled the land with sword and blood,
and in the name of the White God who watches us from the sky,
and by the rights of the Mother, the Elder Father, the Younger Father, and the Lost Son—
I forbid you from ruling the three seas.
I am Estrella, the Sleepless,
Queen of the Seas,
Queen of Pirates,
Queen of the Waves.
You shall not pass.
I curse you,
I expel you.
Let all who claim the throne know their place…
before me…
and before my fleet."
These were the words of the pirate Estrella after her decisive victory over the amphibians and the sea beasts, most notably King Eshraks.
The war had not begun on that day, but it was undoubtedly the deadliest and most brutal battle the Three Great Seas had ever witnessed.
By the fortune of humanity, victory fell to humans, bringing the era of the amphibians to an end forever.
In the midst of this monumental triumph, the people crowned Estrella as Queen of the Seas, their savior, and the undefeated ruler of the waves.
Berto stood among a crowd at the port on the coast of Gron, and everyone without exception was staring at the massive ship anchored there.
Its polished red wood gleamed under the light of Helios, the vast sails billowing high, and the black flag, emblazoned with a skeletal hand holding a red flame, fluttered proudly after the recent victory.
All—young and old—waited for her appearance. Minutes passed before the heavy footsteps echoed across the wooden deck.
Finally, she appeared, standing at the top of the stairs, clad in embroidered blue garments and golden bracelets, her black hair tied neatly, cascading behind her. Her beauty was striking, leaving onlookers either gasping in awe or frozen in place.
She was Estrella, Queen of the Seas, as the crowd had long referred to her.
Berto admired her, but he remembered that she was his enemy. His eyes flicked to his left hand, holding a sealed glass vial containing a strange yellow liquid.
Estrella descended the stairs, her guards clearing the path toward the black carriage drawn by horses, heading to the hotel. Each of her steps seemed to echo through the crowd, as if even the sea itself whispered her name.
After her departure, the crowd gradually dispersed, leaving Berto standing alone, his frail body and weary features exposed.
He wore decent clothes, yet the weight of the situation pressed heavily upon him.
'I can't believe I spent all my savings just to spend a single night in the same hotel that Estrella went to…'
he muttered to himself,
frustrated, as he trudged toward the hotel.
Upon arrival, he found the hotel packed with people, most of them waiting for Estrella to emerge, who had just entered moments ago.
'Humans… truly ridiculous,'
Berto muttered under his breath, observing the crowd.
He tried to enter the hotel, but a guard blocked his path firmly:
"You cannot enter, boy."
Berto frowned in disbelief.
"Why? I have a reservation,"
he said, producing his booking card.
The guard looked at him with disdain, but eventually allowed him to pass.
Berto entered, recalling in his mind all the struggles he had endured just to reach this hotel.
'This guard has no idea how much I spent on renting a decent suit, paying bribes, finding connections, and covering the cost of a single night, and he thinks he can stop me.'
The hotel's interior was vast and luxurious, filled with people of high status.
Berto stepped into the hotel's restaurant, spacious and beautifully decorated, and laughed to himself:
'I suppose this is worth every coin I spent.'
He moved to fill his plate and began eating, but suddenly paused:
'What is this dish?' He picked up something, and when he tasted it, he felt a wave of nausea.
Yet he quickly composed himself, as if nothing had happened.
'I need to be careful about what I put in my mouth,'
he thought to himself, then spotted her.
'It's Estrella.'
He tried to approach her, and she was standing with a man who clearly appeared extremely wealthy.
"Miss Estrella, reaching this position is an honor for us; you are not just a ruler, but a queen as well." His tone was elegant and refined.
"Thank you, Mr. Alver. Your company has given us strength and energy," Estrella replied politely.
"Wonderful to hear that. That's why my team and I have decided to form a partnership with your grace. We are considering placing promotional stickers on your ships and sails, and you will definitely gain a significant return from this." Alver's words sounded strange.
'Is he insane? They're pirates, not actors in a
stage play,' Berto thought in surprise, then he heard Estrella reply:
"What are you saying? You know we are pirates."
'She thinks logically,'
Alver answered, laughing with respect.
"I know that, but not everyone sees you as a pirate in the naval territories. Seeing everyone and you using our drink will make people around the world build good trust with our product."
Before she could respond, one of Estrella's acquaintances intervened.
He was handsome, with blond hair. Berto put a piece of meat in his mouth and thought, 'As if I know this person from before.'
"It seems I've found someone I know!" said the handsome young man to Estrella, who was surprised, a beautiful smile spreading across her face.
"Jabton! What are you doing here?" she said, then turned to Alver and added, "We can talk later, Alver, thank you."
"No problem, just think about my proposal," he said with a smile, then left the place.
And a silent exchange of loving glances began between the two characters in front of Berto, who thought to himself in wonder:
'Is he her lover? Ah, I remember… I heard she had a daughter two seasons ago. Could he be the father of that child?'
They held each other's hands, and Estrella said with concern:
"How did you manage to enter the Kingdom of Gron? If you're caught, you'll be in danger."
Japton replied with a smile on his face:
"Don't worry. No one here knows who I am without my suit. I'll be safe."
Beautiful music echoed throughout the hall, filling the atmosphere with romance. People around them tried to figure out the identity of the man standing so boldly beside the Queen of the Seas, some even describing him as a magician because of his striking beauty.
At that moment, Berto was struggling to bite into a piece of meat that nearly knocked his teeth out.
'Damn piece of meat… is this the man who wants to become the Pirate King? What a joke.'
"I'm sorry I wasn't there during your hardship," Japton said apologetically.
Estrella replied with a smile,
"I don't want help from a superhero wearing a stupid suit."
Japton said, feigning surprise,
"What? Do I really look stupid in that suit?"
He laughed, then added,
"Honestly… it is a bit stupid."
'A superhero? A suit? Don't tell me…' Berto thought in shock.
"And congratulations on reaching this stage. How long have we known each other—four seasons?" Japton asked.
"Only three and a half seasons," Estrella replied.
"Oh, right. What about Rev? How is she? The last time I saw her, she was only nine months old."
"She's doing well," Estrella answered calmly.
"She's almost two seasons old now, and she's on Mo Island under the care of Aunt Marim."
"I love hearing that," Japton sighed, then continued,
"I want to talk to you in the room about something i—"
Before he could finish, a man interrupted them, saying,
"It's time, Your Majesty."
Estrella turned toward Japton and said,
"Can we talk later?"
He replied with a calm smile,
"Take your time. It's fine."
Estrella then headed toward the stage where the musicians stood, and silence quickly fell over the hall as everyone waited to hear her words.
'I can't believe there's an intimate relationship between a pirate and a superhero… interesting. I look forward to seeing them both cry in front of me one day.' Berto laughed to himself.
He then looked toward Estrella and thought with a sly smile,
'The title of Pirate King will be mine, Your Majesty.'