Between the Devil and the Deep Sea

The hierarchy among pirates is determined by two things: the bounty on their heads, dictated by their notoriety, and their strength.

Daphne, a pirate recognized as the strongest in both aspects, one day spends a night with a navy officer.

As dawn breaks, the night comes to an end.

Even as she leaves behind the sleeping officer, she never once considers the possibility of meeting him again in the future.

If they were ever to cross paths again, it would be best not to face him head-on.

You’re in no position to be making accusations. If I had known you’d act like this, I should have just killed you.

But she never expected to reunite like this.

The man standing before her now bore almost no resemblance to the composed yet gentlemanly figure from that night.

So.

You should have just killed me instead.

It was only upon hearing those words that Daphne finally admitted it to herself.

She had become entangled—completely, inescapably—with the very royal hound she so despised.