The Romance Fantasy Novel MC is Only Into Me

“Step aside! Here come the island’s master and the new leader of the Blue Veil Pirates, Lord Ransell Dante and Lady Merry!”

How did it come to this?
Ransell and Marigold were riding a palanquin made of bamboo, heading deep into the island.
At first, when they defeated the pirates who first charged at them one by one, Ransell thought they were just some stray criminals who had drifted in.

But when their numbers exceeded fifty and approached a hundred, Ransell began to sense something unusual.
—We’ve lost! We’ve lost!
Those who finally surrendered with white flags in their eyes looked almost reverent.

They were probably not used to seeing a ‘knight’ single-handedly defeat hundreds of pirates, so their trembling in helplessness was understandable.
What made the situation strange came next.
—Blackbeard! Please lead us, the Blue Veil Pirates! We are but miserable drifters of the sea! Blackbeard!

—Black…beard?
Only then did Ransell realize how long it had been since he had shaved his beard. A rough beard was growing from his mouth area down to his neck.
Ransell glanced at Marigold, who had been grooming his hair until now.
—It must have looked awful; you should’ve told me to shave it.

—Ransell with a beard is cool, too.
You’re way too blinded, Marigold.
“Our base is just ahead. We built something nice; you’ll be satisfied.”

A man whose face was covered on one side with bruises smiled as he spoke—marks from fighting Ransell.
Though the fight with swords had just happened moments ago, there was hardly any trace of resentment or desire for revenge.
In this sea where power and strength were law, Ransell’s might was enough to captivate them.

After all, most of their fighters had been wiped out by Ransell. They had no choice but to obey.
“This way.”
As they soon reached deep into the jungle, the scenery began to change.

“When did this get built…?”
“We had no idea; it’s on the opposite side of the island.”
There were newly built watchtowers and spires scattered around.

Further in, bamboo houses ranging from three to five stories tall appeared one after another—enough to house hundreds of people.
“We’ve been steadily building it up over the past six months.”
Ransell and Marigold had spent three years here, meaning they had secretly crept in and settled during the time they were filming their castaway survival.

“You are the new leaders of the pirate gang! Remember these faces, everyone!”
The deserted island had by now become a haven for lawless sea wanderers.
“The old boss got fish food because of some woman, so it was bleak, but apparently, death isn’t guaranteed. He was a good boss but a damn stupid one.”
“A woman?”

“Ah… Hey! Show the women the boss had with him!”
At these words, a hunchback hurried over.
“Come this way. I thought about returning them if the drowned boss came back alive, but since that’s not happening, consider this a gift. As the boss was obsessed with women, he gathered all the beauties in this sea.”

“No. Lord Ransell doesn’t need women.”
“Shall we take a look?”
“Lord Ransell?!”

Marigold was flustered, but Ransell felt a strange premonition.
Pirates. Boss. Women. It was a combination of information he’d heard somewhere.
‘Could it be…’

Feeling Marigold’s poking gaze on the back of his neck, Ransell entered deeper into the pirate base.
“This is it.”
When the door opened, a sweet incense scent flooded the air.

The space was carpeted, incongruous for a pirate fortress. Silk curtains hung lavishly everywhere.
In front of them stood nearly twenty women. Yes, like women of Nanman, they wore revealing and provocative outfits.
“They didn’t even touch a hair on them because the boss would freak out just meeting eyes with them. Since they were going to die anyway, play with them freely until auction day.”

Marigold pinched Ransell’s arm lightly, showing a somewhat pouty profile.
Naturally, Ransell’s interest wasn’t in the women. He looked around for any familiar faces.
‘As expected. They wouldn’t appear this nicely.’

He gave up hope and turned away.
“Already seen everything?”
“Yeah. No interest. You guys deal with the women yourselves.”

“...!”
Marigold’s expression brightened.
“…Just in case, would you like to see this side too?”

At that moment, a pirate drew back the curtain hiding a space.
“Just looking.”
Marigold’s eyes immediately narrowed fiercely—quite ferocious.

Ransell followed the pirate into the hidden room.
“This woman. The one who threw our boss overboard. When she was auctioned, her ransom went up to as much as fifteen gold coins. Her looks are stunning enough to make people whisper she might be a mermaid from legend.”
The room was like a cage, with a teardrop-shaped iron lattice installed.

—Beeeeeep!
The bird Pia perched on Marigold’s shoulder suddenly started shrieking and flapping wildly.
“...Really?”

Ransell let out a hollow laugh.
“She can’t speak. Before, she was too scared to even approach… By the way, be careful if someone unknown enters; she’ll slash immediately.”
Blue hair, sapphire-colored eyes, a cold expression, and snow-white skin.

—Nine points out of a hundred.
“Claria.”
The Third Princess Claria was there.

============
—Encounter event! Met the Third Princess Claria Arild Friezaa (original body). Rescue immediately!
※ If the bird (Pia, the Red Coral Parrot) is brought close to the original body, their souls will be restored to normal.

============
“...”
Ransell’s thoughts froze.

—Beeeeeep! Beeeeeeeep!
Bird.
Pia.

Red Coral Parrot.
And the soul’s flower.
—Beeeeeep!

“Wait, Pia, why do you keep trying to escape?”
For some reason, the creature struggled desperately to flee as soon as it saw the Third Princess’s original body.
“Mary, I’m borrowing you for a moment.”

“Yes?”
Ransell grabbed Pia with both hands and strode toward Claria’s original body.
—Beeeeeep!

Without hesitation, for some reason, he pushed the terrified creature inside the spindle-shaped iron cage.
The next moment.
“Nooooooo!”

The Third Princess Claria’s mouth opened.
The hunchback pirate who was guiding them widened his eyes in shock.
“That woman is talking! She’s speaking human language!”

“Put her back! Put her back!”
Ignoring the shocked reactions, the Third Princess Claria lay down and screamed loudly.
Only the Red Coral Parrot called Pia tilted its head and flapped its wings in confusion.

“Noooooooo!”
What kind of reaction was this?
 
“Didn’t I say we’re near here?”

“Yes, Lord Rox Ruin. We should see the island soon if we go a little further.”
Rox Ruin anxiously fidgeted at the helm of the sailing ship.
‘I must be the first to find her. I can’t show myself incompetent to my father any further. If I hear I’m worse than my younger siblings, my future is over.’

As soon as news of the Third Princess reached him, he set sail faster than anyone else. He spared no time for preparation and brought barely any supplies.
“I find the Third Princess. I earn the title of Imperial Hero. I become the heir of the Count family. I enter the Capital. I enter the Imperial Palace. I become the fiancée of the princess. I become the imperial consort?”
A broad smile spread across Rox Ruin’s lips as he imagined it all.

He didn’t think of it as a delusion. If he actually rescued the Third Princess, it could become reality. At least Rox Ruin believed so.
“Better to focus on the Third Princess than that cursed Lady Iceford.”
Until recently, his target was Lady Iceford, whom the navy had been pestering for the past three years.

Despite her awful personality, she was still the daughter ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) of the Court Count family and the beloved of the Imperial Chamberlain.
Even dukes couldn’t speak disrespectfully in front of them, so her lineage was impressive.
Except for her brutal personality, she was a perfect marriage candidate.

That’s why the Ruin family had pampered and indulged her for three years.
But what if the Third Princess becomes the new target?
“Lady Iceford, I will surely place you under my heel and toy with you!”

Rox Ruin ground his teeth. He held a deep grudge against Lady Iceford, who had refused to yield despite many attempts.
“Lord Rox Ruin! Look! We see it!”
“What? Where?!”

“Southwest! We see the island! It’s a fairly large island!”
“Bring me that pirate!”
“Yes!”

Soon the captured pirate was dragged in.
“Is this the island you said about?”
“Yes, yes, it is.”

“You said there was a woman there?”
“Yes, yes! The boss’s favorite woman—I remember clearly!”
“Is that so? If you lie…”

He raised a knife to the captive’s throat.
“Eek! It’s true! How could I lie in this mess? Please spare my life…”
“Of course I’ll spare you. If you lie, I’ll throw you to the octopus.”

Rox Ruin smiled.
He had a good feeling.
“Bring the ship close! Everyone, disembark and search the island!”

 
“Pia… Your Highness…?”
Marigold had been unable to recover from shock for hours.
She couldn’t accept that the bird she had raised for the past three years was actually a princess.

For reference, the bird’s original body, the Red Coral Parrot, was now comfortably nodding inside a small cage.
“Mary, you won’t hate me, right? You’re all I have! Please live with me! I have no friends or family left, only you, Mary! Please!”
“Pia, or rather, Your Highness…?”

“You can call me Pia. I grant you this permission alone! Call me Pia! Like before, stroke my head, kiss me, and sleep with me, Mary!”
“H-How could I possibly?!”
“It’s okay. I gave permission! Especially to you, Mary!”

For some reason, the Third Princess Claria was clinging desperately to Marigold, pleading.
‘What on earth is going on here?’
Ransell looked around worriedly, afraid someone outside might overhear.

As soon as the Third Princess regained her mind, he had chased all the pirates outside.
It wasn’t a sight anyone should see.
The ignorant pirates had retreated with nonsense like “Looks like we’re about to have some fun already.”

“First, explain what happened, Your Highness.”
Unable to stand it any longer, Ransell intervened.
The Third Princess shot a sharp glance at him.

“I hate Ransell. He’s trying to take Merry away from me.”
“......”
“No, Pia! Don’t be rude to Lord Ransell!”

“...! That’s unfair, Mary… I like me more than a man like Ransell!”
“If you have to choose, I choose Lord Ransell.”
“Even though I’m begging like this...?”

“No means no. More importantly, answer Ransell’s question, Pia.”
Was this really a conversation between a princess and a naval soldier? Ransell felt dizzy at encountering such a role reversal in his centuries of life.
The Third Princess lowered her head, looking thoroughly intimidated. Then she muttered.

“...If I go back to the palace now... I’ll be killed by my sisters or brothers.”
Her face turned pale.
“I just wanted to live, so I ran away. Becoming a bird was unexpected, but after meeting Mary, I thought maybe it was for the best—that I could live like this.”

The villainous princess who once mocked everyone was long gone.
“There’s no place for me in this crumbling empire. I’m just a poor lonely soul.”