The atmosphere turned tense the moment the guards arrived.
Seeing the intimidating group of pirates, the Fish-Man guards instinctively raised their weapons, ready for combat. However, Jack's crew, unarmed but brimming with confidence, didn't flinch. Some of them even clenched their fists, itching to charge forward, but Jack's silence held them back.
"Stop! Lower your weapons!"
The booming voice of Neptune, towering and authoritative, brought the scene to a halt. The Fish-Man king's intervention prevented a skirmish from breaking out.
"Jack, is it? I am Neptune, the king of the Ryugu Kingdom," he said, addressing Jack directly.
"Forgive our caution. But you must understand how humans' attitudes toward Fish-Men have shaped our behavior," Neptune added, his voice carrying a mix of apology and guardedness.
"I understand, Your Majesty Neptune," Jack replied calmly.
Respect was met with respect. Jack, despite his rugged and imposing demeanor, found himself appreciating Neptune's lack of regal airs. The sight of Queen Otohime, her gentle aura, and the delicate, doll-like appearance of their mermaid daughter, Shirahoshi, stirred a rare softness in Jack's heart.
"This is my daughter, Shirahoshi," Otohime introduced with a warm smile. "She'll be two years old soon."
"Ah, Princess Shirahoshi," Jack said, offering a toothy grin. Unfortunately, his sharp teeth and mature, battle-hardened face frightened the young princess. Her eyes welled with tears.
"Waaaahhhh!" she wailed.
"Princess Shirahoshi!"
Jack's grin vanished, replaced with an expression of despair. So much for ever being considered kind and approachable, he thought, lamenting his perpetually fearsome appearance. Meanwhile, he couldn't help but notice how unusually large the two-year-old princess was. Otohime's genetics, perhaps?
As Shirahoshi's cries echoed, Neptune, with a resigned look, was herded away by Otohime, who insisted he take their three sons with him.
"Right Minister! You and the guards, leave as well!" Otohime ordered firmly.
"But Queen Otohime!" protested the Right Minister, a seahorse-like figure. "We cannot leave you in such a dangerous situation!"
"What danger? Do you think Jack would harm me?"
The Queen's resolute stance silenced the Minister, though the depth of loyalty between her and her subjects deeply impressed Jack. Despite the clear anxiety among the guards and the gathering Fish-Men citizens, they obeyed her command, albeit reluctantly.
As the tension eased and the guards retreated, Jack turned to his crew.
"You lot, back to the ship," he barked.
Though grumbling, the pirates complied, leaving Jack behind with only a few trusted companions. Even they hesitated until Jack nodded at them.
With the crowd now dispersed, Otohime stepped closer, her serene expression contrasting Jack's gruff demeanor.
"So, Queen Otohime, you must have something important to discuss," Jack said. "Let's hear it."
She smiled warmly. "I must say, Jack, you have a rather kind heart beneath your rugged exterior."
Jack blinked. Kind? Me? He couldn't decide if it was a compliment or mockery.
Otohime's expression turned serious. "Jack, do you support the idea of Fish-Men and humans living together in peace?"
Jack raised a brow. "What?"
"Peace," she repeated, her tone unwavering. "I believe we can coexist if we set aside hatred and prejudice. One day, I dream of Fish-Men and Merfolk living freely on the surface, under the same sky as humans."
Turning to the gathered Fish-Men, she continued passionately, "My people, I know this vision sounds impossible, but if we hold on to hope, we can achieve it! We will no longer hide in the shadows of the ocean! We will stand in the sunlight, proud and unafraid!"
The crowd murmured, their faces a mix of admiration and doubt. Jack, on the other hand, looked utterly baffled.
Is this some sort of speech for me or for them? he wondered, scratching his head.
As Otohime's speech reached its conclusion, she turned back to Jack. "So, Jack, do you understand? Will you support my vision?"
Jack crouched slightly, his intense gaze locking onto hers. The Right Minister instinctively reached for his weapon, but Otohime raised her hand to stop him.
Jack's voice was low but firm. "Understand? Sure. Support? No."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. The Right Minister froze, his hand still hovering over his sword.
Jack straightened, his presence dominating the space around him.
"Queen Otohime, peace is not something you achieve through dreams and goodwill alone. It's built on strength—strength to protect what you value."
His words cut through the air, heavy with conviction.
"Look around you," Jack continued. "Fish-Men are hunted, enslaved, and treated like commodities by humans. They don't see us as equals—we're nothing more than rare and exotic pets to them."
The crowd's murmurs grew louder, some nodding grimly in agreement, others staring at Otohime with conflicted expressions.
"Even among humans, peace is rare," Jack said. "They're constantly at war with each other. And you think they'll just accept us? Don't make me laugh."
He leaned forward, his tone sharpening. "Peace requires power. Without it, you're just prey."
To emphasize his point, Jack spat one of his sharp teeth toward a distant pirate who had been harassing a mermaid in the crowd. The man collapsed, lifeless, as the crowd gasped in shock.
"See? That's the difference," Jack said coldly. "Humans don't mess with me because they know the cost. You want peace, Queen Otohime? Then build the strength to demand it."
The Queen's gaze didn't falter. Though Jack's words were harsh, she stood firm, her belief unshaken.
"Strength without compassion is meaningless, Jack," she said softly.
Jack snorted but didn't reply. For now, they'd reached an impasse—two ideals clashing in a world that seemed to allow for neither.
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+100 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg