I - the "wizard" Magnus - was confronting Pauli, aka "Cuzio" of the Zeal Chamber of Commerce.
　We stood at the bow of each other's ships, not glaring at each other, but with an air of certainty, we were exchanging words with an air of hopelessness.

'You knew very well that I was a 'Cuzio, didn't you?'
"...It just so happens. It's nothing to be proud of.

　There was nothing really dignified about it at all, and I replied in an unflattering manner.


　This was before I came to Kajiu.
I knew that the best way to defeat the Demon Sea Warlord lurking in the land was to get the Sword of the Rumblings, so I looked up the best way to get it and was almost puzzled.

The Mamba's sword is one of the treasures left by the Southern Pirate King.
　But most of the people on the list of important people in Kajuu have a note on their profiles saying that the pirate king's treasure should not fall into the hands of anyone.
"No one, really, including the party leaders of the League, anymore. So much so that even the mild and benevolent section of Pitre stated so.

　I honestly couldn't help but be puzzled at that point, as if this didn't leave me with an ally.
　It was also one of the reasons I couldn't identify "Cuzio" until the end. There were too many possible candidates to narrow it down.
　Conversely, I first turned to Felix of the Azzurri Trading Company because he was the only head of the League of Nations who wasn't interested in the Pirate King's treasure.

　And after I'd been to Caesiou and met and talked to so many people, I could understand why no one else wanted to give the pirate king's treasure away.
　It was just as Pauli had said at the party leadership meeting.
　Everyone has given up on being the Pirate King's successor. If that was the case, we couldn't have anyone else succeeding him. That was the only reasoning.

　At the same meeting of the party leaders, you could see why Pitre had approached the other party leaders with the idea of joining forces.
"By sharing the costs, we will meet the nearly unfeasible condition of succession.
I will use the Maid of the Sea to take down the Demon Sealord.
Returning the pirate king's token to his grave will forever obscure the headache of whoever might one day succeed him.
　It was a proposal that could kill three birds with one stone.
　As you would expect of a first-class merchant, Pitre was able to skillfully balance good intentions and business interests.

　However, Pauli had another reason for not wanting someone else to be his successor, and he was not the only one who could not go along with Pitre's proposal. He scratched the agenda with his flamboyant arguments.
　This caused the other party leaders to be passively opposed to Peatle's proposal before they could fully understand its merits -- a nice sounding cautious way of putting it.


　--And while these stories are all nodding in retrospect, there was so little information available to me at the time that I was not convinced.
　In the meantime, Pauli was plotting to trap me, and thanks to that, the "strategy book" considered him important (or dangerous), and included detailed information about him in the book.
　It's not something to be proud of, is it?

　However, as long as I have a good set of information, I can use it to boldly move the situation.
　And the result is what we have now.

　From the eastern seas, the fleet of marine police (Cagliostro) led by Lawrence has come into view.
　It's enough force to capture and bring in everyone here.
　In order to create this situation, I dared to provoke Lawrence to lead the fleet, and I dared to lure him with information to Cuzio.

　As long as the real culprit (Cuzio), who has been framing me, is caught, I'm not afraid to present myself for trial.
　If my innocence is proven, I will be able to defend myself against Lawrence.


'Hey, Mr Magnus,'

　Pauli also cut in, staring at Lawrence's fleet with a somewhat divine expression on his face.

'I know you're going to laugh at me for this phase, but please, can we make a deal?
It depends on what you're talking about.
Thank you.

　Pauli broke down and thanked me for listening to her.

'I'm going to lose this one. I don't want to get in the way. I don't want to do anything awkward," he said, "so let's just get caught quietly and tell the whole world what we did wrong in the past. What say we prove Mr. Magnus' innocence? The sooner you're exonerated, the better off you'll be.　You'll be back in action soon to slay the demon king, right?
You're a patronizing-- no, you're a fierce thief.

　I was stunned and sarcastic, but Pauli didn't take offense in the least.
　She really is quite a testament.

'So?　What are you going to make me do instead?
What's the point? All the bad things I've done in my life have been done by me alone. My men here were forced to do what they were told to do. So I'll be the only one to bear the blame. Can you add that to the list of things that Mr. Magnus has to say?
...are you sure about this?

　That's all well and good if you're serious, but it's hard to understand.

"Pauli. "Pauli, aren't you the ultimate bad guy?　You're not afraid to step on other people's toes, are you?　What are you going to do now when you're worried about your boys?
'That's just what my grandfather used to say. 'I have no mercy on enemies or prey. That's what a pirate is. That's what being a pirate is all about.
...There's an evil beauty in evil, isn't there?

　I was convinced.
　And I figured if that was the case, I was willing to take the deal.

　On the other hand, there was one person who wasn't convinced.
　Nevis, who had been silent until then, behind Paulie.

'No, Master Cuzio!　I can't believe you're sacrificing one of your own, Master Cuzio--
'No, no, no, no, no, this is simple logic, Nevis?　We're not going to get away with it anyway. And even if we all here get caught, that doesn't make me any less guilty. So why don't we go easy on Mr. Magnus?
'But that doesn't mean I'm going to give up Master Cuzio to save myself!　I can't be the only one who thinks so!　Everyone here must have the same thoughts!
Oh, jeez.

　While the two men are talking back and forth, the Marine Police (Cagliostro) fleet is closing in on them.
　Pauli will take it easy on Nevis, waiting for time to run out, and then he'll be captured in a vague attempt to be captured alone.

　I watched their exchange in silence.
　There is a great possibility that this could be the farewell of this life. It wasn't too wild to interfere.

　I just--
　The situation I planned to induce was not only this perfect opportunity to hand over this "Cuzio" to Lawrence.
　It was just a less probable and, for me, "maybe it could happen," but I still had another plan.

　Suddenly, the ship began to shake violently.
　Pauli and I, who were standing at the bow of the ship, almost lost our position.

''It's here....''

　I confess to myself.

　It's a moment of reluctance for Pauli and Nevis to say goodbye, but there's no point in asking a demon's (or a thing's) hand about it.

　Everything was shaking violently, as the ships crowded into the surrounding area.
　To be more precise, the waves were suddenly roiling.

''What...?''
What's going on...?

　Shouts of bewilderment leak out from Pauli's minions in the boats around them.
　And here and there, simultaneously, some of them shout.

'Oh, look at that...!

　Everyone in the place noticed the delay.
　The sea to the north had suddenly begun to cloud over. The wind was beginning to blow.
　And then, about a kilometer away from here, a huge body appeared.

　A long, huge sickle-neck was slithering out of the water.

A sea serpent!
'Idiot!　Don't take a guess!　That's even bigger!
So, what the f*ck do you want?
It's a... it's a... it's a... it's a... it's a...
It's a water dragon!

　There were screams and exclamations everywhere.
　And every minute, they were getting louder and louder without limit.
　Because of--
　Because the number of demons appearing from the sea and leaning on their sickle necks wasn't just one or two.

'Water dragons...eight...?

　Somewhere, someone muttered despair.