• 368
• Port Official
  Player, I have a message for you from Duke Braganza.
  He requests your presence at the palace immediately.

• 369
• Port Official
  Player, I have a message for you from Duke Braganza in Lisbon.
  He requests your presence at the palace immediately.

• 370
• Guard
  Player, please go inside.
  Duke Braganza is waiting for you.

• 371
• Duke Braganza
  Player, based upon your recent work in the North Sea I now wish to have you perform a secret mission for me.
  A few months ago someone with connections to the royal family was attacked by the Barbary pirates and taken hostage.
  We wish to pay the ransom to retrieve the individual, but if we are seen to openly deal with pirates then it will negatively affect trust in our nation in the future.
  I therefore require a civilian like yourself to perform the transaction under top-secret conditions.
  Well? Will you undertake this for the sake of your nation?

• 372
• How will you respond?

• 373
• Leave it to me.

• 374
• I'm sorry, I'm not ready for such responsibility...

• 375
• Duke Braganza
  Very well.
  If you have a change of heart please come and see me again.

• 376
• Duke Braganza
  Excellent.
  Please take this.

• 377
• Duke Braganza
  The location for the exchange has been set as the plaza in Syracuse on the island of Sicily.
  Hayreddin, leader of the pirates, has promised to send only one of his men, so you shouldn't need to worry about being attacked.

• 378
• Duke Braganza
  I'm entrusting you with this, Player.

• 379
• Duke Braganza
  I shall allow you to enter ports along the east Mediterranean for the sake of this mission.

• 380
• Juan
  Ah! Player!

• 381
• Alvero
  Good to see you again! But whatever is the matter...? You look perplexed, my friend.
  A messenger from the palace has been searching for you, actually.
  I'm thinking the court has charged you with a big job, haven't they?

• 382
• What do you want to do?

• 383
• Tell all about your secret orders to recover the hostage.

• 384
• Keep the secret mission a secret.

• 385
• Alvero
  ...Your silence suggests some relation to the recent kidnapping.

• 386
• How will you respond?

• 387
• How did you know that?

• 388
• You guessed it.

• 389
• No.

• 390
• Alvero
  There's no need to hide it.
  I'm not going to tell anyone else.

• 391
• Alvero
  I'm in sync with the rumours in town, although you might not think it to look at me.

• 392
• Alvero
  A man of the royal family was captured by pirates, right? It might not be common knowledge, but its definitely a prominent rumour among those in the know.
  And now you're the one who has to make the exchange, eh? That's quite some responsibility!

• 393
• Alvero
  I knew it! That's a lot of responsibility.
  Congratulations!

• 394
• Alvero
  I've got to go and help with carrying cargo for the company...
  huh.
  I wish I could go with you!

• 395
• Juan
  But you can't, Alvero! You have work to do!

• 396
• Alvero
  I know, I know...
  They've even got you under their thumb, Juan! Traitor!

• 397
• Juan
  Heh heh!

• 398
• Alvero
  Take care out there, Player.
  You are dealing with pirates here.

• 399
• Voice
  Hey, Player! Hold up!

• 400
• Alvero
  Phew, finally caught you.

• 401
• Juan
  Alvero thought we'd have more fun if we stick with you, Player!

• 402
• Alvero
  That's not it at all! I'm here for backup.
  We are dealing with pirates here, after all.
  There's nothing to say they will just let the hostage go! But with us waiting in the shadows you'll be protected against any potential trap! It won't be like that robber in Lisbon again.

• 403
• Juan
  Oh, please...
  can't we forget about that now?!

• 404
• Alvero
  Hah hah! Sorry, sorry.
  Anyway, we'll be keeping an eye on the pirates.
  Player, you just concentrate on making the trade happen.

• 405
• Pirate
  Glad to see you came alone! Now hand over the cash.

• 406
• Aristocrat
  Quickly...
  please...
  pay them...!

• 407
• What do you want to do?

• 408
• Hand over the money.

• 409
• Free the hostage first.

• 410
• Take him back by force!

• 411
• Pirate
  Get any closer and his head is gonna fly! Stay back!

• 412
• Aristocrat
  Hyaaah! Don't do anything stupid! Just hand over the money.

• 413
• Pirate
  Who do you think you are? Money, now!

• 414
• The money was taken!

• 415
• Alvero
  I knew it, he's planning on just taking the money and running! Leave this to us!

• 416
• Alvero
  Toward the harbour.
  I'll cut around in front, you chase from behind!

• 417
• Handed over the money!

• 418
• Pirate
  You poor, honest fool!

• 419
• Alvero
  What the hell are you playing at?! Money for the hostage, that's a fundamental of these things! I'm glad I decided to come along!

• 420
• Alvero
  Toward the harbour.
  I'll cut around in front, you chase from behind!

• 421
• Alvero
  Sorry, he got away.
  We had him surrounded but he started swinging his sword in the middle of the town...!

• 422
• Juan
  Uwah...
  I was so scared...!

• 423
• Alvero
  So we'll just have to settle this out at sea.
  His ship is a battered old galley.
  Surround him with our ships and he'll be finished, no problem!

• 424
• Juan
  Me too! Let's get the money back!

• 425
• Alvero
  I don't see him.
  Which way did he run?

• 426
• Juan
  His ship is stopped in the south.

• 427
• Merchant
  A small galley? Yeah, I saw it.
  It sailed to the southern tip of Sicily and then headed west.

• 428
• Merchant
  A small galley sailed to the southern tip of Sicily and then headed west.

• 429
• Alvero
  Look! The ship is stopped in Tunis harbour.
  Now we can get him!

• 430
• Pirate
  You again?!

• 431
• Alvero
  We're here for the money and the hostage!

• 432
• Alvero
  The hostage isn't aboard? What have you done with him? Spill it!

• 433
• Pirate
  ...He's in Tunis.
  I'll take you to him.

• 434
• Alvero
  Is he really here...?

• 435
• Pirate
  ...Follow me.

• 436
• Juan
  ..A-Alvero, Player.
  Look around!

• 437
• Juan
  We're surrounded by pirates...? It's a trap!

• 438
• Alvero
  ...Luring us here was the plan all along?!

• 439
• Pirate
  Tunis is the backyard of the Barbary pirates! You just strolled on in here, what were you expecting?

• 440
• Pirate
  Boss! I've brought the Portuguese messenger, just as you asked!

• 441
• Red-bearded Pirate
  I can't believe they sent such children to do a man's job! Those Portuguese royals don't think much of us, eh, lads?

• 442
• Pirate
  Keeping these whelps isn't gonna get us anything.
  Take their cargo and sink 'em!

• 443
• Hayreddin
  See if I care.

• 444
• Alvero
  ...No! I'll never allow that!

• 445
• Pirate
  Heh! I wouldn't waste your time with pointless talk.
  You're wasting what little life you have left!

• 446
• Pirate
  Boss, this is an unexpected bonus! It's loaded with high quality steel! Look at these barrels!

• 447
• Hayreddin
  ...Hold on! That crest...?! Back off, boys.
  Leave well alone.

• 448
• Pirate
  Boss...?! Look at all this treasure.
  We can't just...

• 449
• Hayreddin
  ...Shut your mouth, dog!

• 450
• Pirate
  ..Guwha...
  B-Boss...?!

• 451
• Hayreddin
  We're leaving.

• 452
• Alvero
  ...Phew.
  Looks like their little argument saved us.

• 453
• Juan
  Yeah...
  but what about the hostage and the money...?

• 454
• Alvero
  I know...
  I want to get them back, too, but we don't have a hope against pirates like that.
  We should go back to Lisbon and report.

• 455
• Alvero
  We don't have a hope against pirates like that.
  We should go back to Lisbon and report.

• 456
• Juan
  Uhhh...
  what should we do?

• 457
• Guard
  Here to report? Duke Braganza is inside.
  Proceed.

• 458
• Duke Braganza
  You don't have the hostage with you, I see...
  I hope this doesn't mean you failed to make the exchange?

• 459
• What do you want to do?

• 460
• Report the failure

• 461
• Don't report anything.

• 462
• Duke Braganza
  Very well.
  I shall be awaiting your report!

• 463
• Duke Braganza
  What...?! Curse that Hayreddin! The coward! I'll have to call a council meeting to decide out next move.
  Very well, you may leave.

• 464
• Baltazar
  Portuguese ship! Stop!

• 465
• Alvero
  Uwah! First pirates, and now Spanish privateers?!

• 466
• Baltazar
  There's something we need to discuss.
  Come to the Palma harbour offing.

• 467
• Alvero
  Eh...? What do the Spanish want with us?

• 468
• Alvero
  What do you think that Spaniard wants? Shall we go to Palma and find out?

• 469
• Mercenary
  What's with calling out civilians like this?

• 470
• Baltazar
  There you are.
  You're the Portuguese messenger who undertook a hostage trade in Syracuse, correct?

• 471
• How will you respond?

• 472
• That is correct.

• 473
• No I'm not.

• 474
• Baltazar
  I see.
  You look just like the description from the captive, but I must be mistaken.

• 475
• Alvero
  (Hey, Player.
  Do you think the captive he is talking about could be...?)

• 476
• Baltazar
  It looks like I was right.

• 477
• Baltazar
  I knew it.

• 478
• Baltazar
  We recently captured a ship after a battle with the Barbary pirates and found a man claiming to be Portuguese royalty in the hold.
  He keeps asking to be handed back over, and so we have been keeping an eye out for you while on patrol.

• 479
• Alvero
  That's very kind of you! So where is the noble in question...?

• 480
• Baltazar
  He is on one of our ships, safe and sound.
  But let me ask you one thing before handing him over.
  You there, boy.

• 481
• Alvero
  M-Me?!

• 482
• Baltazar
  That crest on the flag of your ship...

• 483
• Baltazar
  You belong to the Sarmiento company, do you?

• 484
• Alvero
  Yes...
  although I'm not really officially working for them...
  still, there's no need to tell you about all that.

• 485
• Mercenary
  Who'd you think are you, eh? We've really helped you out here! The least you can do is explain who you are!

• 486
• Alvero
  ...Okay.
  My name is Alvero Sarmiento.

• 487
• Baltazar
  ...!

• 488
• Alvero
  The head of the company, Diego Sarmiento, is my father.
  I'm onboard the ship to help the company out.

• 489
• Baltazar
  Ha ha ha! I never expected to meet his son like this!

• 490
• Alvero
  ?

• 491
• Baltazar
  Very well, Eduardo, bring the prisoner.

• 492
• Eduardo
  What an annoying little brat.

• 493
• Eduardo
  Here are the "goods" you're looking for, son of the mighty Sarmiento!

• 494
• Aristocrat
  Ow!

• 495
• Alvero
  I knew you would make fun of me so that's why I didn't want to say...

• 496
• Messenger
  We have a report from a ship out on patrol.
  A sighting of a Hayreddin ship! They are asking for support!

• 497
• Baltazar
  What...?! Curse that Hayreddin, he's back on his feet already?! We'll finish him this time! Eduardo, prepare to set sail!

• 498
• Eduardo
  Aye aye, sir!

• 499
• Baltazar
  We'll see you again later, Diego!

• 500
• Alvero
  I think he knows my father...
  A rough mercenary like that, though, I wonder how they met? I don't know whether to be frightened or amazed by just how many people my father knows...

• 501
• Alvero
  We got the hostage back safely, though, so all's well for now.
  Now you just need to report to the palace and your mission will be complete!

• 502
• Juan
  You need to finish your job too, Alvero!

• 503
• Alvero
  Yeah, you're right.
  We got away without having our cargo stolen so we'd better make sure it gets delivered! See you around, Player!

• 504
• Guard
  Player, please go inside.
  Duke Braganza is waiting for you.

• 505
• Duke Braganza
  Player! Excellent work in returning the hostage safely, while also protecting our country.
  I shall be sure to see that the king gets a full report of your success.
  Here is a reward from me, please, take it.

• 22019
• Several days later, Player was once again summoned to the Royal Palace.

• 22020
• Its orders were to negotiate the safe release of an aristocrat that the Barbary pirates had taken hostage.
  The exchange was to take place at a plaza in Syracuse.

• 22021
• On his way to help his father, Alvero heard of this request and immediately grew jealous.

• 22022
• Half worried about Player's safety and half interested to see the pirates, Alvero joined the endeavour at Syracuse.
  With Alvero on the lookout, the two of them headed to make the exchange.

• 22023
• However, the pirates took the ransom and fled with the hostage, managing to elude pursuit.
  Player and Alvero immediately set out after them in their ship.

• 22024
• They finally captured a pirate along the Tunis coast and demanded that he lead them to the hostage.
  However, waiting for them there was none other than a cowardly ambush by the Barbary pirates.

• 22025
• Just as the pirates began to pillage their ship, the gaze of their leader Hayreddin stopped on the crest that adorned Alvero's cargo and immediately ordered his men to stop.
  Taken aback, one of the pirate protested, to which Hayreddin ruthlessly killed him.
  He then got up and left, leaving the frightened Alvero and the others behind.

• 22026
• In order to make a request to the King to rescue the aristocrat, Alvero suggested that they return to Lisbon.
  However, on their way back, they met with Baltazar, the captain of the Spanish mercenary fleet and were told to come to Palma.

• 22027
• Baltazar had found an aristocrat that was taken hostage amongst the cargo he had seized from the Barbary pirates.
  Eager to hand him over, he had been looking for the Portuguese messenger Player.

• 22028
• Suddenly, Baltazar noticed the crest on the flag of Alvero's ship.
  "You belong to the Sarmiento company, do you?" Reluctant to talk about his lineage, Alvero was ridiculed by Baltazar's man Eduardo, who said, "Who'd you think are you, eh?"

• 22029
• Once Alvero finally revealed the name of his father, Baltazar began to laugh.
  "I never expected to meet his son like this!" Baltazar released the aristocrat who had been taken prisoner and left to continue the fight against the Barbary pirates.

• 22030
• Alvero was surprised at how well-known his father was and then left in order to carry out more company business.
  It was up to Player to return the hostage, so together they set out for the Lisbon Royal Palace.

• 22031
• Having returned the hostage safely, Duke Braganza praised Player and showed gratitude for having "protected our country." He then promised to speak of these deeds to the King.