Kneeling on the deck with eyes shut tight, he opened them to see a pirate captain stepping onto the ship via a plank. The man had a handsome, striking face, but wore a mischievous smile.
"Are you the captain of this ship?"
Johanneus, laying down the sword at his side as a symbol of surrender, shook his head.
"The captain perished during combat. I am Johanneus, the third officer."
Drake's expression darkened upon hearing that.
Third officer? With skills like that? And the rest of the crew followed his command…?
Suspicious, Drake examined him carefully. Then he noticed the brand of slavery burned into Johanneus's forehead.
"…A slave, huh? I suppose you've been sailing longer than anyone else on board?"
Resigned, Johanneus nodded.
"Yes. I've been on ships since I was four. I recently paid off my debt and became a third officer."
