[Tears of the Mermaid]. Opinions on the gemstone were divided.
“Would such a relic even have any value?”
“Exactly. It’s nothing more than a dull gem.”
Some people said this, while others remarked,
“Is there any other artifact that has been preserved this well despite its age? It must have some value in its own way.”
Regardless of their perspectives, everyone agreed on one thing—no eccentric would place a high price on [Tears of the Mermaid].
That was why no one expected it.
That a pirate—one who obsessed over beautiful things like a crow—would desire the gem.
At first, people found it bizarre that such a pirate even existed, but when they heard the pirate’s name, they understood.
Because the rumors surrounding this pirate were countless and varied.
They said the pirate had been given a title bestowed only upon children loved by the gods.
They said the reason the pirate desperately concealed their face was because their very features bewitched both men and women alike.
They said the pirate would go to any lengths to obtain something beautiful.
No one knew the pirate’s real name or face. But because the title was well-known, they called the pirate [The Arbiter of Salvation].
At the center of all these rumors, [The Arbiter of Salvation] remained elusive. People frequently asked the same question:
“So, what is [The Arbiter of Salvation] doing now?”
No one could have imagined.
Despite being an eccentric, [The Arbiter of Salvation] was often whispered about as a kind of hidden hero of the dark. But now, as the saying goes, “Old habits die hard”—they had caused yet another massive incident.
The notorious pirate, Daphne, clutched her head.
This was her first real act of recklessness. A one-night stand, as people commonly called it, and it should have remained nothing more than a fleeting dream of the night.
“Who would have guessed? That my one-night stand would be a naval officer.”
She usually brushed things off with ease, but this time, she had gone too far. It wasn’t just that he was in the navy—that alone wasn’t the real issue.
The real problem was that the officer in question had a reputation. He was called a mad dog—one who never let go once he had sunk his teeth into something.
“To think that my obsession with beauty would be my downfall.”
Even Daphne had to admit that she had a tendency to fixate on beautiful things. But up until now, that obsession had never extended to people, so she had been complacent.
“But that man… he was really beautiful.”
People didn’t change so easily. Even now, she found herself absentmindedly recalling him. Never in her life had she seen such a stunning man.
If she were to analyze it, his frame was broad, his build was sturdy—yet he was breathtakingly beautiful. His silver hair, shimmering as though it held stardust. His pale skin, uncharacteristic of a naval officer. His blue eyes, as deep and mesmerizing as the ocean itself.
His colors were captivating, but even more striking were the sharp almond-shaped eyes and the defined features that set him apart.
The most ridiculous thing, however, was his lips—full and vividly red, as if he had applied rouge.
A man having such lips was outright unfair.
Daphne, lost in thought, soon faced reality once more.
She had eaten a beautiful, yet deadly mushroom.
A resigned laugh escaped her lips.
“I’ll figure something out.”
After all, to that navy officer, she was probably just a one-night partner. A naval officer, a noble—such fleeting encounters must have been common for him.
She convinced herself of this, until a certain memory resurfaced—his deep, low voice whispering beside her ear:
“When this night is over, tell me about yourself.”
A chill ran down her spine, but she dismissed it.
There was no way he had meant it.
She neatly folded the documents detailing information about the man she had spent the night with and put them away.
[Hymen Norayden].
His name disappeared, concealed by the folds of the paper.
At the time, Daphne didn’t realize—just as she had carefully folded away that piece of paper, relationships were not so easily set aside.
At that same moment, Hymen was staring at a document that yielded no useful information.
The investigation he had commissioned on her had come back with nothing.
As if she had been nothing more than a dream, she had vanished like seafoam. There wasn’t a single person who knew anything about her.
His hand clenched around the near-blank document, crumpling it.
The woman who had fled irritated him.
He needed to track her down, to see her before his eyes again—that was the only way he would feel satisfied.
But for now, he had no choice but to leave this island.
It was an order from the admiral.
He recalled the command he had received not long ago. The admiral had only one request:
“Eliminate [The Arbiter of Salvation].”
In exchange, the admiral had promised him a swift and steep promotion.
If he could capture [The Arbiter of Salvation] and ascend to a higher position, surely, he would be able to find her.
And when that time came, he would learn her name.
On this small island, many connections ended as nothing more than a fleeting night’s pleasure.
But Hymen had no intention of letting this become just another passing affair.
His gaze landed on a wanted poster—one that lacked even a proper depiction of its subject.
There was pathetically little information on [The Arbiter of Salvation].
And yet, he was certain—he would succeed.
Hymen Norayden was a born hunter.
He would kill [The Arbiter of Salvation] and find that audacious woman.
When she saw him again, what expression would she make?
Would that confident, laughing face twist in fear?
Would her sharp, unwavering eyes widen in shock?
Either way, the thought pleased him immensely.
A man whose sole ambition had been rapid promotions now found a new purpose etched into his life.
“This is going to be a long game of tag.”
With a lazy smirk, Hymen carefully unfolded the wanted poster and placed it on display.
The blazing sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the paper.
Beneath the veil of mystery, [The Arbiter of Salvation] was smiling.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ✧: *. ꕥ .* :✧ﾟ. ───
