Han Jisung.

Han Jisung always prided himself on his agility. At the port, he was jokingly called "the squirrel"—not only for his habit of hiding stolen goods in deep pockets, but also for his ability to silently climb ropes and slip through any crack.

The plan for this pre-evening hour was perfect: while the sun slowly sank toward the horizon, painting the harbor crimson, and the sailors lazily finished their day shift, he would sneak aboard the pirate frigate "Red Cat." His goal was the captain's legendary golden compass. He would steal it and disappear into the bustle of the twilight port before the first lanterns lit in the city.

The compass already felt pleasantly cool in the pocket of his worn vest. Jisung closed his eyes contentedly as he made his way through the hold back to the deck. All that remained was to wait for the next sentry to turn away, then vault over the side and blend into the crowd on the pier.

Suddenly the deck beneath our feet shook heavily.

Jisung lost his balance, nearly hitting a barrel of fresh water with his shoulder. There was a deafening creak of ropes tightening, the heavy thud of an anchor rising, and a roar of command directly overhead: — Raise the sails! We're catching the evening breeze, get moving, lazy dogs!

Khan's heart sank. He rushed to the cargo hatch, opened it a few centimeters, and froze. Instead of the usual bustle of the dock, a seething deck unfolded before his eyes, bathed in the last gold of the setting sun. Pirates darted past, securing their rigging, and the shoreline rapidly receded, melting into the evening haze.

They cast off. There was no turning back—jumping into the darkening, cool waters of the bay in front of the entire crew meant certain death.

Jisung quietly slid back into the semi-darkness of the hold. Long, crimson-orange rays of the setting sun pierced the cracks in the deck, cutting slanting lines through the dusty air.

Suddenly the footsteps above faded. Heavy leather boots creaked down the wooden stairs leading to the hold. In the golden light falling from the open hatch, the silhouette of a young man in an unbuttoned waistcoat appeared.