Whale and Waterspout was an inn that many sailors frequently visited, looking for a hearty meal and a place to sleep for the night.
Not all innkeepers welcomed pirates but, at this inn, old Mr. Garret turned a blind eye, as long as his guests could pay their bill in full.
When Kai entered the inn, the thick smell of booze and rum hacked at his nostrils.
Even though it was early morning, the bar was almost full of sailors and seamen who were trying hard to not look like pirates.
Kai felt many gazes on his back as he approached the bar.
Contestants? His eyes narrowed as he sensed hints of Mana and Breath in some of those gazes, backed by Perception.
It wasn't uncommon, however. Not here, in Port Royal.
This place could be taken as the most open-gathering of Contestants from both Order and Chaos.
And unless there were enormous benefits involved in it, none was ready to cause a commotion, attracting the attention of marines, especially when there were top-floor Contestants among the marine ranks here, just like One Piece Random World.
"Ale," Kai said, his voice hoarse as if he had just come from the sea. "Give me the spiciest."
An old man eyed him eerily from behind the counter.
In return, Kai lifted his head for the first time and narrowed his eyes.
Mr. Garret's old pupils trembled. "I want no trouble," he drawled, but loud enough for all to hear.
Kai took out 3 shillings and tossed them to the old man.
Thud!
The owner handed Kai a large barrel-like mug and then forgot about him.
Kai drank the ale slowly as if he had all the time in the world, savoring each mouthful of drink.
He was waiting for someone to take action against him early on. Otherwise, once he began with his plans, he wouldn't have time to swat random insects.
No one moved, though.
"One more," Kai shouted, his voice now thick.
Mr. Garret refilled his mug and then sat down on a bench behind the counter, lighting a cigar.
When Kai was half-done with the mug, a voice entered his ears.
"Oi! Help a brother with a drink, eh?" He was obviously a Contestant. And a fool at that.
Kai didn't reply.
"Oi! Bast…" the lone shark couldn't finish his sentence.
Kai's hand, carrying the mug, moved so fast that it left behind afterimages. With a bang, it smashed into the Contestant's mouth.
All were watching this scene now. With Contestants like them, who were from the 4th to 6th floor here, this type of smashing of the mug was nothing.
Yet something unexpected happened then.
Kai snapped his fingers as he slammed the mug, infusing it with Strengthening magic.
So, the moment it struck the other Contestant's mouth, his front teeth shattered, blood splattering everywhere.
It wasn't the end, though.
Kai slowly left the stool as the other guy staggered.
He then grabbed the hair and slammed his mouth on the edge of the table in front of them.
Queer, heart-wrenching, and squelching sounds reverberated with every next pounding. When Kai was done, the Contestant's face didn't even look like a face anymore but a broken melon.
Then Kai leisurely walked to the stool, sat down, and said, "Mr. Garret, next ale is on him."
The old man puffed out a cloud of smoke, gave the badly mangled face of the Contestant a look, and then nodded.
At this nod, all the other sailors, pirates, and Contestants in the inn turned their eyes away from Kai as well, completely shocked.
With the Abnormality Limiter hanging like a sword on their necks, what Kai had done was a feat in itself.
"Sir Red is always welcome at my inn," Mr. Garret whispered, passing a fresh mug of ale. "What can this old man do for you?"
It didn't surprise Kai that the old man had recognized him from the Wanted poster despite his eyes not being the same.
"I want a room for 3 days," he said, gulping down half-a-mug in one go. "And a woman."
"Rooms we have," Mr. Garret chuckled, a gold tooth shining among the whites. "A wench, though… You will have to arrange one by yourself."
Kai grunted a nod in reply.
Inwardly, he took a breath of relief.
It was these words he had been waiting for.
What he was about to do next needed all to think of him as a lecherous and murderous pirate.
Planting a wrong, first impression in the eyes of enemies was a basic, but often overlooked tactic.
…
The moment Kai entered the room, he sat down on the floor cross-legged, sensing his surroundings.
As expected, his earlier little stunt had made many feel uneasy, preventing others from prying into him unnecessarily.
Suddenly, a silver mist burst out of him.
-Selene,- Kai hissed out a command, his eyes gaining their original appearance. -Go to the Governor's mansion and keep an eye on the maid named Estrella. She is the personal maid of Elizabeth Swann. Where she goes and what she does, I want to know all of it.-
-Hehe,- Selene laughed, her hisses sadistic. -I know what's going on, master.-
When Selene had slithered away, Kai took out the Book and took a deep breath.
Even though there were tasks that needed his expertise, Kai truly wasn't the star of this Side Mission.
For his plans to work, he needed a spy in the Governor's mansion, where the young Elizabeth Swann lived.
Not only Kai wanted to kidnap her, but he also wanted to replace her.
And there was one person who could take on this task masterfully, especially when considering her beauty, mind, and cunning.
"Come out," Kai said, opening the book, "Cersei."
Phase 1— Replace Estrella, the maid, with Cersei — had just begun.
*
*
06:00 pm, 1st day
Port Royal
In the fashionable St. Paul's district, and far from the stench and squalor of Port Royal's docks and slums, towered the Grand Mansion of the Governor.
It was this mansion where Governor Weatherby Swann lived, along with his daughter Elizabeth Swann and many servants.
Among those servants, the noticeable staff members were the Butler, the head of staff, and Estrella, the personal maid to the young miss.
At this time, the Butler and the staff should have been busy preparing for the supper.
However, today an unexpected event happened that kept the Butler occupied, putting him in an inexplicable and troubling situation.
Estrella and Amy both were personal maids to the young miss of the Swann family, but it was Estrella who was closer to Elizabeth and had a higher rank than her colleague.
She was in her late twenties, married, and pretty, to say the least.
Her husband was a sailor in a renowned merchant vessel, and thus she lived in the servant quarters.
Like always, Estrella had gone to the port alone to collect the letters from her husband in the afternoon.
The afternoon had come and gone, but there was no sign of Estrella's return.
Just when Elizabeth was about to inform her father to search for Estrella out of concern, a young girl announced herself at the mansion.
This girl looked to be around 17-years-old, had soft green eyes, and silky gold hair.
Her beauty was such that if it wasn't for the presence of Elizabeth Swann, all would have just proclaimed her to be the most charming young lady.
Yet, the most striking thing about this girl was the one earring in her left ear.
It was short, and at its end was a black marble, giving the impression of a fake pearl. Still, something was enchanting about the earring that unnerved all who looked at it.
This girl handed a letter to the Butler, proclaiming herself to be Estrella's acquaintance.
This girl… was Cersei Lannister.
*************
To be noted:
1. Port Royal - Jamaican Island (setting of the movie)
2. Governor's mansion - Elizabeth Swann's house
3. Whale and Waterspout - Inn on the road leading to the governor's mansion
4. Estrella - one of the two Elizabeth Swann's personal maid
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