Pirate: Crew of Desire and Bonds

The mysterious watcher vanished from the rooftop and moved swiftly through the night.

And a short while later, he arrived at a luxurious mansion in the upscale district of the town.

The guards at the gate recognized him immediately and let him through without any question.

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Inside a grand, lavishly decorated room on the second floor, a handsome young man in his late twenties with striking crimson red hair sat comfortably on a luxurious wooden chair.

He wore an imposing dark crimson coat embroidered with golden threads in the pattern of rising flames and a majestic sun, reminiscent of the style worn by powerful northern dukes.

The coat was tailored from the finest materials, exuding both elegance and an aura of overwhelming authority.

On his chest was a prominent golden Sun emblem, the symbol of the prestigious Solaris Family, a powerful noble house known for their blazing solar-flame bloodline and growing influence.

And he was currently speaking brightly into a glowing communication crystal.

”Yes, Mother. Everything is going well here... Of course, I’m being careful.”

The young man’s voice was respectful as he even bowed slightly while talking through the communication crystal.

Then, a woman’s voice, supposedly his mother’s came through clearly,

[Make sure you stay close to that Lightborn girl okay? I have worked so hard to arrange that engagement for you. The Lightborn family’s connections are exactly what our Solaris Family needs right now. And have you made any progress with her yet, Julian?]

At the question, Julian’s crimson eyes glinted, but he replied smoothly.

”We’re... taking things slowly, Mother. She’s a bit difficult, but I’m handling it.”

His mother’s voice softened, sounding pleased.

[I see. I’m glad you’re willing to accept her. Grace is a good girl, Julian. Even though she has a Trash class, she has excellent talent and a pure bloodline. If you manage to convince her to be loyal to our family, we might even use the [Fate Stone] on her.]

Hearing those words, Julian’s smile remained perfectly in place, but a dangerous glint flashed deep in his crimson eyes.

”Of course, Mother. I’ll take good care of her. You can leave everything to me.”

After chatting with his mother for a while longer, the communication crystal finally dimmed.

And yet, the young master, Julian Vance Solaris, Third Young Master of the Solaris Household still wore the same charming smile even after the call ended.

...Only his eyes betrayed his true emotions as it was... cold, possessive, and filled with twisted thought.

He slowly rose from the chair, his imposing dark crimson coat shifting elegantly around his tall frame.

The golden sun emblem on his chest caught the light, almost seeming to burn with suppressed flames.

”Hmm... I didn’t expect so many of them would disappear.”

Julian murmured as he stared out the window into the night sky, thinking about the subordinates he had sent to recapture his escaped ”princess.”

”Oh... Grace. You should have stayed obedient and let me train you to become the perfect woman.”

For the first time since the call ended, Julian’s handsome face showed clear emotion... filled with a dark, twisted possessiveness that made his crimson eyes seem to burn with intensity.

Ever since he was young, the moment he first laid eyes on her, he had decided that Grace Lightborn belonged to him and only him.

But Julian could tell that she wasn’t someone who would easily give up and accept her fate.

Maybe it was because she was the daughter of a hero, but he could sense and believe that she would one day spread her wings and soar high despite all the obstacles.

And that was an extremely beautiful sight in his eyes at the time... which only made him want to clip her wings even more and lock her up inside a cage that belonged only to him.

So he had done everything in order to isolate her.

From a young age, Julian had meticulously manipulated events behind the scenes... spreading rumors within the Lightborn family, sabotaging her relationships with her family members, and ensuring that anyone who got too close to her mysteriously met with misfortune.

He had slowly chipped away at her support system, making her more dependent on the Solaris Family’s ”protection.”

Yet strangely, Grace... despite looking weak and fragile on the surface was surprisingly stubborn.

At least until he had the opportunity to have a ”nice talk” with her mother.

That was the final straw... or so he had thought.

But even after the engagement was announced, she remained stubbornly resistant.

No matter how much she cried like a helpless crybaby locked in her room, she still refused to fully submit.

”Haa~...”

For some reason, just remembering that beautiful tear-stained face made a strange, twisted pleasure bloom in Julian’s chest as he smile strangely.

He couldn’t help but wanted more of it.

He wanted to see her cry, break, and finally beg for him.

Julian had originally planned to bring her to this remote island for some thorough ”training” in a prepared cage.

And once she became ”perfect,” he would enjoy both her emotions and her body to the fullest...

...But due to his carelessness, she had actually managed to escape.

Just thinking about it made Julian’s expression darken with anger.

”If it weren’t for that damn Viscount being such a busybody... I wouldn’t have to waste time leaving the manor.”

The Solaris Family was not yet on the same level as the Lightborn Family, but they were a rising power with considerable influence.

It was strange for one of their heirs to suddenly appear here, so Viscount Victor had grown cautious and curious, probing into his activities.

This forced Julian to deal with him personally, giving Grace the chance to slip away.

He couldn’t reveal Grace’s true existence as it would ruin his carefully laid plans, so he simply told them he was here for a leisurely vacation.

But then Julian exhaled slowly, regaining his composure.

His charming smile returned, but his crimson eyes still burned with cold obsession.

”No matter how many times you run... you will never escape me, Grace.”

He slowly clenched his fist, as a faint solar flames flickering around it.

”I’ll break that stubborn spirit of yours... and mold you into my perfect wife.”

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Just then, Julian heard a knock at the door.

And he could tell it was one of his loyal dogs that he had sent out earlier.

”Come in.”

The door opened as the watcher stepped inside and bowed deeply, kneeling on one knee.

”Young Master Julian, I have urgent news.”

Julian turned away from the window, his charming smile still perfectly intact, though his crimson eyes sharpened with interest.

”Speak.”

The watcher kept his head lowered and reported in a low, respectful voice,

”I found her, Young Master... and there is something interesting you might like to hear about.”

”Oh?”

Then, Julian quietly listened to the full report, his expression remaining calm and composed throughout.

But by the end of it, a bright, genuinely delighted smile spread across his face.

”Hahaha... Oh, Grace,” Julian laughed softly, his voice filled with dark amusement.

”...I think I just found the perfect solution to break your will down completely.”

Then, Julian ordered the kneeling man,

”Go and tell Viscount Victor that I... have a proposition to propose.”