CH 31

Ain: “We came here to help you…...well, actually, that’s not quite accurate, but we’re here to help you anyway.”

As I was babbling incoherently, we released the people inside the ship’s cargo hold.

Although they watched us cautiously with weary eyes, I explained to them briefly what happened, they seemed to grasp the situation quickly.

“I see. That’s right. I remember now. The Noble’s son they were talking about was you.”

“Thank you so much, Sir.”

“Thank you very much.”

Ain: “Please don’t call me sir. I no longer want to think of myself as a part of that family.”

As we spoke, I realized that the Pirates must have spoken about me. Everyone kept their eyes low and stopped calling me sir. But they inquired of my name instead.

Ain: “My name is Lou Quain. It is the name my mother gave me, and you can call me by that name.”

“We understand, Sir Lou Quain. And…..well…..besides the Beast Race girl behind you…...what is that?” And he pointed at Boss.

“It looks like a Horned Sheepoo but…..isn’t it incredibly large for one?”

Ain: “Ohhh, yeah. I guess he was actually huge. I thought he might have been big for a Sheepoo. Ummm, his name is Boss, and he’s part of my family.”

“Family? But isn’t it a Monster? I mean, sure, Sheepoos have a gentle nature, and it’s said that they can be domesticated but….”

Ain: “We cooperate and help each other live on this island. That’s why he’s my family.”

The sailors were all tilting their heads in confusion, but apparently, Sheepoos are known to be gentle in nature, and though they were surprised, they were not afraid.

Ain: “Could you tell me about your situation? Oh, well, let’s go outside first. It’s so cold in here, I’m freezing.”

“Yes, let’s.”

And we all get off the ship and look at all the pirates laying about.

“......let’s dump them into the ocean.”

“Don’t forget to tie’em down with rocks.”

They probably had a lot of pent up resentment. The sailors brought ropes from the ship, and with professional efficiency, they were tied and dropped into the waters.

“That should help settle the bill a little. We needed to get back’em for killing our crew.”

Ain: “I see…..well, they would have been an eyesore if left there, so thank you.”

“I go by Agura. I was acting as First Mate.”

I went inside the cave with Agura and a few others, and next to a warm fireplace, they brought over chairs to sit next to it.

I see. So they dug a hole right above the fireplace to make it into a chimney.

Ain: “So how long have you been captured by the Pirates?” Agura: “Yes, it’s been around close to 2 months.”

Since I arrived at this island, has it been around 2 months? Or maybe even a little longer?

Considering that it took about 3 days to arrive here, the pirates must have also been stranded out at sea for about the same length of time.

There were about 30 people on the lifeboat. They rescued them, shared their food supplies with them andーー

Agura: “They finally showed their true colors after 3 days, and they killed the Captain and half our crew…..”

“After they took over the ship, we went to an Andestan Port to pick up their shipmates.”

Agura: “There, they picked up 30 of their friends.”

They left port and headed south. Everyone though they were heading to the southern continent butーー

The ship suddenly turned northeast and landed on this island.

They probably changed their route so they can avoid the Monster that attacked their ship at night and make a wide circle around it.

There were 25 sailors left. When I asked if they can manage the ship with that numberーー

Agura: “There’s no issues there. But it’ll be difficult overcoming the sea with this number and during this season.”

Ain: “Then you’ll have to wait for the waters to get calmer before heading back to the main continent.”

Agura: “It’ll be safer that way.”

With some discussion, we decided that tonight, they’ll sleep in the cave, and tomorrow, we’ll all move to the town.

The only problem is that there’s not many usable buildings. There’s a lot of repairs that needs to be done too.

Agura: “Then we’ll just sleep here. There’s a lot of supplies on the ship, and if we cast a few lines, we’ll be able to catch some fish too.”

Ain: “Then I can bring some vegetables and fruits. We don’t have many vegetables, but we have plenty of fruits.”

We have plenty of oranges, apples, and lemons. The grapes are all gone, but we made dozens of boxes of raisins.

The sailors began preparing for dinner. Well, the ones who made tonight’s meal was the pirates.

They finished their meal, and we began exploring the cave to look for a place to sleep.

The cave was deeper than we thought.

The sailors are exploring the cave with us. Once they finished unloading the cargo inside, they weren’t allowed to go any further.

Agura: “They probably didn’t want us to see where they hid their treasures.”

Ain: “I guess they weren’t that dumb.”

But with Boss and Sia sniffing around, we easily found it.

There was a decent amount of treasure stored there.

Ain: “I thought they would have more than this.”

Agura: “They probably sold it across the southern and western continent. Even so, this is still a considerable amount.”

I heard one of the sailors swallow hard.

Ain: “It’s probably best to not take anything that the owner can identify as theirs. Since there’s no names written on the coins, they probably won’t mind us taking them.”

I add an emphasis to “probably,” as I decide to overlook the sailors taking the goods.

I was actually on the hunt for something else.

Ain: “Sia, there’s something I want to find here. Well, it might already be at the bottom of the ocean on the previously sunk ship.”

Sia: “Whaーt?”

Ain: “A piece of paper. The man who sold meーーwell, he’s my father, but I was hoping to find some evidence of him, the Pirate’s Captain, or even my step-mother’s communicating with one another.”

He was a pirate, but he was also a merchant. I’m sure that he made sure to put some sort of secret contract in writing.

It might be sealed in an envelope or just be a plain piece of paper, but I might be able to find my step-mother’s family, the Duke of Appunto’s family seal.

I can only vaguely recall the family seal, and draw a rough picture to show Sia.

Ain: “You might find a seal that looks something like this.”

Sia: “I’ll lookーー”

Ain: “Thanks, I’m counting on you.”

[Unbeh]

Boss was also looking at the picture I drew.

There was a room past the treasure room, and it looked highly suspect.

[Beh-behー]

Ain: “What?! Boss found it?!”

And there was evidence indeed.

Boss found a large glass bottle. It was probably to protect it from the humidity.

Inside was a piece of paper, and it had a wax seal that was very similar to the one I drew.

I open the lid to take a look inside.

Indeed, on the sheet of paper, I saw the Duke of Appunto and the Marquis of Lonneberg’s name there. There was also a name Gerinom which I didn’t recognize. I’m guessing that it’s the Pirate Merchant’s name.

The contents saidーー

Ain: “[All looting shall be limited to the winter season. We will investigate incidents but will not arrest any suspects. Information concerning large merchant trade ships and their routes will be leaked. A certain percentage of the stolen goods will be delivered to…]…...they’re the worst.”

Sia: “Worstー?”

Ain: “Yeah, even the ocean is protected by each country to a certain distance from the mainland. The Duke who should be directing half the fleet of the navy is giving permission to pirates to attack their own vessels ーー isn’t that horrible?”

Sia: “Yeaー very badーー”

[Behーー]

Man, they really are the worst.

But….

Hehehe. What would happen if I show this to the King after I return to the Andestan Kingdom?