Ch.42Let’s Try Self-Actualization (1)

Meanwhile, as Icarus was contemplating “Mary Ann’s” escape.

“Mary Ann” herself had been troubled by many concerns lately.

Of course, these weren’t the melancholic adolescent worries of some mediocre teenage girl.

‘…Can I really make this big decision and survive in the harsh outside world?’

Just as Icarus and Jessica had noticed, along with contemplating her grand plan.

She was also reminiscing about her situation right before arriving at this base.

After her parents were murdered by those damn pirates, she was kidnapped and forced to witness all sorts of horrible things.

To survive among those bastards, she collected scraps in the pirates’ den while sustaining injuries all over her body.

She fought with someone she thought was a new comrade who tried to kill her in her sleep to steal her knife.

She narrowly escaped becoming what was commonly seen on pirate ships—an outlet for those bastards’ sexual urges.

The dangerous and tumultuous pirate life thoroughly disgusted “Mary Ann” deep down.

But despite this, “Mary Ann” never thought about quitting the pirate life amid those harsh conditions.

The reason was that she felt her previously unknown talent as a pirate was gloriously blooming.

And separate from the fact that pirates were garbage.

She felt something fateful—that she could bring all those vermin to their knees, including the current ruler of the pirates, the “Pirate King.”

Of course, right now she was merely a second mate in a small pirate crew.

Given her small, frail body from hard labor and poor nutrition during her growth years, that position was… honestly quite impressive from other pirates’ perspective.

Therefore, our “Mary Ann” dreamed of someday dealing with that muscle-brained captain.

And the vice-captain who constantly looked at her with lecherous eyes.

She would take over the pirate ship after disposing of those two.

Then gradually merge with others, eventually becoming the future Pirate King… It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call her a budding pirate with dreams.

But “Mary Ann’s” world suddenly came crashing down one day.

Just like any other day, when the pirate crew set out to plunder an isolated “base”… perhaps as karma for their accumulated sins.

They were instantly defeated by an overwhelmingly powerful fleet, with all ships except the flagship being sunk.

The captain, who saw no way to win no matter what, tried to face the enemy who had infiltrated the flagship with his prized battle axe.

He ended up vertically split into three pieces and died.

The vice-captain, who despite constantly harassing her with lecherous looks and sexual comments.

Was relatively clever, but when all his strategies were immediately countered and most of the ship’s areas were captured.

He lost his mind and started threatening the enemy with self-destruction, which terrified “Mary Ann” internally.

‘This crazy bastard, who would listen to a pirate threatening to self-destruct?’

If he had been holding a “fake” self-destruct button, she could have understood the intention to save the ship through intimidation.

The problem was that the lunatic vice-captain had completely lost it and was holding a real self-destruct button, not a fake one.

Naturally, seeing this, the boarding forces that had stormed the ship retreated.

“Mary Ann” felt dumbfounded watching the idiots on the bridge stupidly saying they were saved.

‘You morons, they’ll just target this bridge with the cruiser’s main guns and wipe us out!’

Of course, saying this wouldn’t make any difference, as the insane vice-captain and.

The thick-headed crew who routinely ignored the small, frail second mate wouldn’t listen.

When “Mary Ann” saw through her famously excellent eyesight that the distant cruiser’s guns were aiming at the bridge.

‘There’s no time to hesitate!’

She stabbed her knife into the back of the vice-captain who was holding the self-destruct button three times in quick succession.

For the final stab, she twisted the knife in a full circle, killing him.

She quickly grabbed the self-destruct button that had fallen from the vice-captain’s hand as he collapsed, and through the communication screen where she couldn’t see the face.

She decided to quickly indicate to the young-sounding male voice that renegotiation was possible.

“Hey there, big brother, would you like to negotiate something with me?”

“Mary Ann,” or rather “Marian,” finished her short yet long reminiscence and found herself shaking her head at her current situation.

Unlike the captain who had only muscle for brains and looked strange.

The current Commander who gave her affectionate attention and warmth.

Berial, who was a complete upgrade from the vice-captain who constantly groped her behind, minus the sexual harassment.

Ignis, who showed incomparable combat skills and efficient training methods.

Unlike the deck officer who would sniff around her instead of teaching her the combat skills she needed.

Jessica, who patiently taught her everything step by step, unlike her previous self-taught methods based on hearsay and eavesdropping on the pirate ship.

Additionally providing advice necessary for interstellar navigation.

And Pashtra, who gave her “special training,” saying she would need it someday.

The thoroughly compartmentalized training method was helping her internalize all sorts of valuable skills that she could never have learned on a pirate ship.

In addition, things that were hard to experience in pirate life.

For example, a warm, comfortable, and “safe” bedroom, and the guarantee and support of healthy leisure activities.

Living in clean facilities.

‘…This is only because I haven’t built up enough skill yet.’

Her original resolution to stay here for about a month, take what she needed, and escape.

Then proceed with her plan to deal with pirates… was completely scrapped.

Since things had come to this, she decided to properly learn from those excellent teachers(!).

And leave when she was stronger to crush the pirates according to her plan.

Of course, after a month had passed.

Even by her own assessment, she had reached a level where she could instantly kill the captain of an average pirate ship.

But Marian didn’t realize that compared to the superhumans right next to her, who were three ranks higher than her.

No matter how much she improved, she felt woefully inadequate.

So thinking she should get just a little stronger before leaving, she kept postponing her escape date.

*Munch munch munch*

“Big brother, what training should I do today?”

“…”

‘Ah.’

When “Mary Ann” finally came to her senses, she realized that more than two months had passed since she arrived at this base.

Unfortunately, she noticed this when she was naturally speaking to “big brother” while munching on a sandwich Jessica had prepared.

Seeing the complicated expression on big brother’s face, “Mary Ann” wondered what she was doing.

‘Wait, what am I doing? What about my grand goal?!’

But even while thinking this, a part of her mind was also.

‘But I still seem lacking… no… if I drag this out any longer, the supporters I’ve prepared in the pirate den will disappear…’

With anxiety about the current situation.

And deep concern that if she delayed too long, all her plans prepared in the pirates’ den would unravel.

“Mary Ann” was in a state of deep worry, feeling she couldn’t consult anyone at the base about this.

But…

“Marian? The Commander is calling for you.”

“Big brother is?”

For some unknown reason, unlike usual, “big brother” was summoning her from the morning.

“Mary Ann,” wondering why they always called her name strangely, nodded and headed straight to the Commander’s office.

After entering and sitting down.

“Marian, the time has come.”

“Pardon?”

“Shouldn’t you start progressing toward your goal of becoming the supreme pirate?”

“…!!!”

“Mary Ann” met the gaze of “big brother,” no, the Commander, who seemed to see through everything about her.

She felt the frustration that had built up from worrying alone burst out.

And while Mary Ann, no, Marian, was sobbing.

Icarus, who was sitting across from her.

Was thinking, ‘Why do I have to progress this event?’