Why do I keep attracting Villainesses?

Chapter 104: THIRD POV.

"Need I remind you we have no information on them whatsoever," Jacob said, shaking his head at her simple way of thinking. "Moreover, we still don’t know what drove those wicked barbarians to such lengths in the first place."

" Normal pirates don’t just sink a ship and drop a tiny girl into a heavy metal cage to drown for no reason...."

" It’s obvious there’s a deeper story to this, captain."

" Perhaps they were looking for something, or someone. If we don’t know who these people are, we might be sailing straight into a massive trap or incriminating ourselves in the process."

" So you’re suggesting we throw them over board?"

" Heavens no. I’m just saying, it wouldn’t hurt to ask."

He added these details because it was his job to act as her first mate, and that was exactly what he was doing. He had to be the brains of this operation, looking ahead to see the problems before they crashed right into them.

"Can’t you do that all by yourself? I see no reason why you’d need me in the first place," Priscilla harrumphed, tossing the wet towel onto a nearby wooden chair.

She crossed her arms over her chest, looking at him with a slight smirk. "Don’t tell me you simply came all the way here just to see your wet captain." She said, her tone turning teasing at the end, her long white tail giving a playful flick against the floor.

"Don’t flatter yourself... I’m only doing as you asked, per our agreement," Jacob replied instantly, not letting her teasing words throw him off balance at all. His face remained completely neutral. "It’s a first mate’s job to make sure his captain is aware of all the ins and outs of their ship. That includes knowing exactly who is sleeping in our lower cabins."

He looked her straight in the eyes, his voice steady. "Besides, you should be the one asking them yourself. You are the captain, are you not?"

’Is he always this stuck up?’ Priscilla smiled inwardly, finding his serious, completely professional attitude highly amusing.

Most men were terrified to look her in the eyes, let alone argue with her in her own room, but Jacob didn’t seem to care about her size or her strength at all.

"That I am," Priscilla merely chuckled at his words, her chest swelling with a bit of pride at the reminder of her high rank.

She loved the sound of the word "Captain," and she wasn’t about to let her first mate think she was slacking off on her duties.

She then made her way to a wooden table in her quarters, where her uniform items were neatly laid out. She picked up her large, dark captain’s hat, shook off a few imaginary pieces of dust, and placed it firmly on her head, adjusting it over her white ears.

"Alright, lead the way," she said with a confident smirk, stepping toward the door as if she were ready to march down into the cabins and demand answers right this second.

Jacob smiled, shaking his head disappointedly at her sudden movement. He stayed exactly where he was, blocking the exit with his body.

"No, no, no," Jacob said, his voice dripping with patient correction. "As the captain of the ship, you’re supposed to be the one ordering them to meet you."

"What?" She blinked, completely confused. She stopped in her tracks, her mouth slightly open.

’Then why come all the way here to tell me that? Couldn’t you just call them here yourself?’ she said in her head, staring at Jacob with a deeply annoyed look. She was genuinely wondering whether he simply came all the way up to her quarters just to mess with her head and play weird mind games with her.

Jacob let out a long, heavy sigh, similar to one a teacher would give to a student who just couldn’t seem to understand a simple lesson.

Instead of arguing, he took a step forward, approaching her until he was standing just a foot away from her massive frame. He showed absolutely no change in his calm expression as he reached out his hands toward her uniform. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Priscilla was completely stunned by his sudden closeness, her body freezing up for a moment. And yet, she did absolutely nothing to stop him throughout the entire process.

She stood perfectly still, her golden eyes watching his hands move with a strange mix of curiosity and surprise.

Jacob helped her properly button her long leather coat, lining up the metal fasteners perfectly so the fabric sat straight across her chest.

He then reached up, his fingers brushing against the soft fur of her neck as he eased out her crumpled collar, flipping the edges down so they looked neat and sharp.

Finally, he reached up even higher, placing both hands on the brim of her large captain’s hat, and straightened it until it sat perfectly level across her forehead, framing her golden eyes in a way that looked truly commanding.

Once he was completely done fixing her appearance, Jacob took a large step back, giving her a quick, critical look over before nodding in satisfaction.

"Like I said, I’m your first mate for the time being. As my captain, it wouldn’t hurt you to play your part perfectly, you know," he said, his voice cool and collected.

"A captain’s actions always reflect on their crew. I, for one, would like to keep my image as spotless as possible. A real legendary captain doesn’t go running down to the lower decks to beg for answers from regular passengers."

" Your job is to stay in your room, look powerful, and have your first mate bring them to you. That is how you command respect."

He then walked towards the door, gripped the metal handle, and opened it wide, stepping out into the hallway to go and fetch their new guests.

’I can’t let you ruin my image before I can finally settle down in peace,’ he said to himself as he walked out.

AN: Consider this Chapter an advancement. Felt the others wouldn’t be complete without it.