Unmoor — Chapter 2 (Part 3)

After a moment of consideration, he flipped a few pages ahead and jotted down everything he had seen and heard so far, even the smallest details. The rough workings of the Scepter, what the pirates here usually did to pass the time, who he needed to watch out for, who was responsible for what on this ship, who was close to whom.

He did not know how much this would help him uncover the traitor, but for now, it was the best he could do. He had yet to see anyone aboard the Scepter whose words or actions clearly marked them as suspicious. After placing a small round dot at the end of the sentence, Astric set the quill down and tore out the sheet with a few written lines from the notebook.

He folded it in half and slipped it between the pages of a dull book titled Life and Death, and the Sea. Lying back down on the bed, Astric closed his eyes, hoping that when he woke up, the storm would have passed and the sun would be shining brightly.

The next day’s sun rose. Though the world was still dark beneath thick clouds, the ferocity of the storm that had raged the day before seemed to have eased. It felt like it would be safe to hope for clear skies by tomorrow.

Astric left his cabin once again to head to the kitchen for chores. As he walked slowly down the corridor, someone grabbed his shoulder. The hand was large and thick, too big to belong to Sheniba, and the hairs on his neck stood on end. Astric slowly turned around.

“…Um.”

Standing behind him was Kinta. Astric stared at his face in shock. It was no wonder. Kinta’s face was completely wrecked. Both cheeks and eyes were badly swollen, with bruises scattered across his skin. The corners of his mouth were split, crusted with dried blood.

Just looking at him stirred a painful sense of pity. Astric could not even begin to imagine what Ivan had done to him. And yet, why was Kinta grabbing him like this? Astric waited tensely for Kinta to speak.

“Th, well… j, just a moment. Let’s t, talk for a bit.”

“…What?”

“I, I mean it. Just a moment. So, um… w, will you talk with me for a bit?”

Kinta asked haltingly, his eyes darting about and his voice trembling as if he were anxious about something. Normally, Astric would have tried to refuse no matter what, given that Kinta belonged to Ivan’s group. But after what he had heard from Sheniba yesterday, and seeing Kinta’s pitiful state up close, he could not bring himself to do so.

Was Kinta trying to ask him for help? Unlike the other pirates who were tightly controlled by Ivan and Krok, perhaps Kinta thought there was still a chance since Astric had not been here long.

He hesitated, but feeling guilty about turning his back on Kinta yesterday just to protect himself, Astric nodded.

“Yes. All right.”

Kinta lifted the corners of his mouth into an awkward smile. It had to hurt, given how torn his lips were, yet he tried to smile anyway. That only made it feel more forced.

Still looking uneasy, Kinta kept glancing around as if something bothered him.

“Th, this way. Follow me.”

Astric looked in the direction Kinta indicated, then followed him. Whatever it was, if he listened to Kinta’s story, he would get an answer.

As Astric followed Kinta, he did not encounter a single other pirate. How was that possible? Pirates who usually sprawled everywhere drinking and gambling were nowhere to be seen. It was as if they were all asleep. Worse, Kinta seemed to be heading toward an increasingly secluded area, and Astric’s unease grew.

If they were going to have a secret conversation, it made sense to go somewhere deserted. Still, the strange feeling would not leave him. Astric forced himself to calm down and kept walking. Kinta finally stopped in front of a red door.

“This is…?”

“A, a storage room. H, hardly anyone uses it, so n, no one will come. L, let’s talk here. It’s s, safe. I, Ivan doesn’t come here either.”

Seeing Kinta tremble as he spoke, Astric’s resolve softened again, and he nodded awkwardly. Kinta opened the storage room door. At that moment, a question surfaced in Astric’s mind.

Ivan does not come here?

Then what about Krok?

The door creaked open, and a musty smell wafted out. Then a voice he had been dreading reached his ears.

“Well, well. So we finally meet. It’s really hard to get a chance to see a pretty new recruit.”

The moment he heard Krok’s voice, Astric whipped his head around to look at Kinta. Kinta avoided his gaze, turning away as if Astric were not even there.

So this was how it ended after all, despite all his efforts to avoid them.

Was this really just bad luck?

Astric stood there in a daze as Kinta pushed him from behind into the storage room, stepped in after him, and shut the door tightly. Then Kinta peered outside through the small window in the door, as if keeping watch.

Seeing how Kinta seemed to have already coordinated with Krok, Astric let out a hollow laugh. Was this the price he would pay for brushing off Sheniba’s warning that Valerius was the only trustworthy person on the Scepter?

“Pretty new recruit, what was your name again? Ante? Enta?”

“…Do I have to tell you?”

“Of course you do. Or what, you do not want to?”

As he asked, Krok stepped closer. He stopped right in front of Astric and snorted softly.

“Looks like you want to test me. Well… that’s fine. I already know your name anyway. Ente, was it? It’s cute, so I remembered it.”

“Why did you call me here?”

“Oh, touchy. Why would I call you? You already know.”

Krok spoke in a mock gentle tone and grinned.

“My mood’s been really bad lately. Know why?”

Astric was not particularly curious, but to buy even a little time, he gave the answer Krok wanted.

“Why is it bad?”

“That bastard Ivan keeps telling me not to do this and not to do that, and now there’s a storm on top of it all, so I can’t do what I want.”

“…What do you want to do?”

“What do you think? Obviously, I want to have a nice little talk with our pretty Ente.”

At the sinister words, a chill ran down Astric’s spine. He swallowed dryly and looked at Krok. His dark brown eyes gleamed slickly.

“…We are talking right now.”

As Astric said that and tried to step back, Kinta grabbed both his shoulders tightly and begged into his ear.

“Pl, please don’t run. I, I’m begging you. If y, you just endure it, I’ll be okay. S, so please.”

“…What? What are you talking about? Stop saying weird things and move. Move out of the way. I said move.”

“N, no. I can’t.”

“Let go of me…!”

“You insolent bastard, who do you think you’re messing with!”

As Astric struggled to break free from Kinta’s grip, Krok widened his eyes and slapped Astric across the face. The pot lid–like hand struck his cheek with a tearing sound. Astric’s cheek swelled up instantly.

It was only his left cheek that had been hit, yet his entire face throbbed and burned. It had been a long time since he had been subjected to violence, and the sheer unpleasantness made his body tremble. When Astric clenched his fist, Krok sneered.

“What, you think you can take me on right now? I was going to go easy on you since you’ve got a pretty face, but if you act this cocky and clueless, you’re just asking to get hit. Right? I’m trying to do us both a favor, so why are you so desperate to run away? You think I’m a joke too? You’re scared of that bastard Ivan, but what am I, fish food?”

As Krok grew more worked up while talking, Astric asked in a slightly hoarse voice.

“Didn’t you hear what the captain said? Or did you forget? He said anyone caught doing something else would be thrown to the sea monsters.”

At Astric’s words, Krok suddenly burst out laughing. He laughed so hard it looked exaggerated, as if he might roll on the floor if given the chance. After laughing for a long while, Krok wiped the tears hanging from the corners of his eyes and asked,

“You really believe that? Are you naive, or just plain stupid? Hey, I’ve been around this ship for years. I know the captain better than you do. The captain turns a blind eye to properly disciplining and training a new recruit. He’s not someone who’s got the time to worry about the likes of you.”

“……”

“Ha, you’re really something. What exactly were you expecting from a pirate ship? Do you really think that kind of common sense applies here? Even if one guy like you disappears, this pirate ship will run just fine. No one will care. That’s how it’s always been, and that’s how it’ll stay. So if you don’t want to get hurt, just behave. I’ll make you feel good in no time.”

With that, Krok grabbed Astric by the collar and dragged him deeper into the storage room. Astric shouted at him to get off and struggled, but he could not break free from Krok’s grip. Kinta, who was watching Krok while no longer holding Astric, had an anxious, wavering look in his eyes.

And someone was watching the scene inside the storage room from outside, through the small window in the door.

“Kinta, don’t just stand there. Keep watch. If we get caught, it’s on you. Got it?”

“Uh, y, yeah…!”

As Kinta hurriedly turned around, the gaze watching the storage room disappeared.

---

Valerius was in the helm room with Lewin, looking over a map and talking.

“So we’ve already filled in this much. From here on, it’s completely uncharted territory. Old man Lewin, do you think there’s a chance of discovering new islands or treasure in these waters?”

At Valerius’s question, Lewin chuckled and nodded.

“Of course there is. Shouldn’t we be looking beyond the eastern seas by now, not just staying there?”

“For now, revenge on the eastern captains and the navy comes first. Expanding our territory is a problem for later.”

Valerius answered firmly, his eyes fixed on the map. Lewin watched him for a moment, then spoke cautiously.

“That side of you is what drew me to you in the first place, but still… I wonder if that isn’t too short-sighted. Once your revenge is complete, what do you plan to do then?”

Lewin’s gaze swept over Valerius’s face. Valerius continued to stare at the map, expressionless.

“They say the end of those who succeed in revenge is usually the same. Once the goal of their entire lives disappears in an instant, they lose their direction, wander, and eventually sink into the deep sea.”

When Valerius gave no response, Lewin continued.

“Our pirates’ long-cherished wish is to defeat the captains and the navy and claim our rights, but now that I’m older, I sometimes wonder what that really means. It’s nothing more than ruining ourselves and justifying indiscriminate murder and plunder.”

Lewin paused to catch his breath and looked at Valerius.

“Captain, we should be conquering the sea, not them. If we conquer the sea, revenge will follow naturally. Revenge is only a byproduct.”

Even after hearing Lewin’s long speech, Valerius kept his eyes on the map. After a moment, he let out a short breath and met Lewin’s gaze. Despite the many years that had passed, Lewin’s pale blue eyes had not lost their sharp brilliance. They had shone like that even when they first met.

“Valerius, was it? I like the look in your eyes. Will you let me walk the same path as you?”

Recalling Lewin’s younger voice from back then, Valerius let out a short laugh and shook his head.

“Old man, conquering the sea comes later. I promised the crew. I promised I would see their revenge fulfilled. That has to come first. We have to cut out every cause that made all of us miserable if we want a new beginning. And wasn’t that what you wanted too? Why are you trying to stop me now?”

Valerius’s voice had turned cold. Lewin’s attempts to restrain and persuade him felt unfamiliar, even betraying.

“How long do you think we can keep living like this, so fiercely, balanced on the edge amid countless dangers and pressures? Do you really think there isn’t a single crew member who dreams of a stable life? They boarded this pirate ship dreaming of revenge, but in reality, many of them have changed. Is there really no one who wants to survive, build a family, settle on land, and live out the rest of their days in peace?”

As Lewin continued to press him, Valerius’s expression hardened. He looked at Lewin with a cold gaze.

“It seems our intentions have drifted far apart, old man. Since when? If my will and yours are this different… then working together from here on out will be difficult.”

“Hah… I figured you’d say that. Captain, you don’t just cut off human relationships like that. You’re twenty-six years old. Should you really be acting like such a child?”

“So what are you trying to say, old man? Stop talking in circles and get to the point.”

“I’ve lived a long life, and in the end, the only things that remain are the people around me. Past glory? That’s exactly what it sounds like. The past. We don’t know how it will remain in the future, or how it will be remembered.”

Lewin looked at Valerius reproachfully, as if exasperated by how he focused only on what was right in front of him while neglecting what truly mattered.

“So from now on, at least pay attention to what’s around you. Just look at the Scepter. It’s a mess. And whose fault do you think that is? Isn’t it yours, Captain?”

“What?”

Was he talking about the new recruits who had passed through his ship so far? That had been because those bastards were weak-minded. An unfair feeling welled up inside him.

On top of that, the rat who had joined this time was someone he had personally kept an eye on to the point of losing sleep. Yet this old man who spent most of his days shut away in the helm room dared to act like he knew anything. Never before had Valerius paid this much attention to a new recruit. That rat was the first.

He looked insignificant and frail, yet demanded an absurd amount of attention, making him irritating and troublesome beyond measure.

Just as Valerius furrowed his brow and was about to snap back, someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Valerius let out a sigh and permitted entry, and Resh opened the door and stepped inside. He spoke with his usual sly expression.

“Looks like Ivan’s group has started breaking in the new recruit. I came to let you know. Ah, well, technically it’s Krok stepping up, so it’s probably not a big problem, right?”

Resh spoke lightly and shrugged. Lewin responded by tapping Valerius on the back a couple of times. It looked like he was urging him on. Valerius clenched his teeth and looked at Lewin.

Even in the face of Valerius’s anger, Lewin only smiled quietly.

“Where is it?”

“The red door storage room. It hasn’t been used in a long time, so it’ll probably stink. Still, they picked it well. Then again, Ivan’s been riding them hard lately, so they must’ve been pretty desperate. I mean, how desperate do you have to be to…”

“Get out of the way.”

Valerius shoved past Resh mid-sentence and left the helm room. Resh stared after him with a puzzled expression, then looked at Lewin. Lewin only returned a calm smile.

“…What was that?”

Resh frowned as he stared in the direction Valerius had gone.

---

“M, move!”

“Stay still!”

Astric struggled to push Krok off him and tried to strike a vital point the way he had been taught, but his opponent was an experienced pirate. Krok easily brushed aside Astric’s straightforward attack.

No matter how skilled the knight who had taught him might have been, Astric had no real combat experience. In a moment this urgent, it was hard for him to execute those techniques properly.

Krok lifted Astric’s cheap, stiff tunic and smacked his lips. The thought of tasting the new recruit before Ivan sent a thrill through him. Dealing with the aftermath could wait. That was a problem for later. And once he tasted this, there was no way he would regret it, no matter what consequences followed.

Just as Krok was about to bury his lips against Astric’s abdomen…

“K, Krok!”

At Kinta’s shout, Krok clicked his tongue and lifted his head.

“Damn it, you really know how to ruin the mood. What is it now?”

“S, someone’s coming this way. W, what if it’s Ivan?”

“What? Why would that bastard come already? No, how would he even know we’re here?”

“I, I don’t know…”

“Damn it, that Milo bastard must’ve ratted us out. Useless piece of shit. I should toss him to the sea monsters!”

An hour earlier, Krok had slipped Milo some money to keep Ivan busy with a card game so he wouldn’t come looking for them. And now he couldn’t even last that long before losing Ivan.

Krok left Astric where he was, stood up, and straightened his clothes. He shoved Kinta aside roughly and grabbed the storage room door handle, but the person outside opened the door first.

“Ugh, shit…”

The door flew open and hit Krok square in the forehead. He staggered, clutching his head.

“What exactly is going on here.”

Above the throbbing in his head came the voice of Captain Valerius. Footsteps followed close behind.

“Krok? And Kinta? So you really were here.”

It was Ivan. The moment he heard Ivan’s voice, Kinta’s body began to tremble violently. Valerius looked in turn at the reeling Krok, the terrified, shaking Kinta, and Astric, crouched in the corner of the storage room, gasping for breath.

“I believe I warned you not to do anything reckless until the storm passed. So there was a bastard on my ship who dared to ignore my words completely.”

At Valerius’s thunderous rebuke, Krok flinched. His mind went blank. If Valerius was in this state, there was no way he would be spared. He would be thrown straight to the sea monsters.

Since when had the captain cared about breaking in new recruits? Hadn’t it been tacitly allowed? Biting down on his lower lip, Krok swallowed his pride and looked to Ivan with a pleading gaze.

As always, Ivan stood behind Valerius with a blank expression. He glanced once at Krok and Kinta, then once at Astric, before stepping forward.

“Captain, they’re still my comrades. Let me talk to them this once. Just this once. After that, I’ll leave their punishment entirely to you. So hand them over to me today. You can mark it as a debt.”

Valerius seemed to consider it briefly, then nodded.

“Just this once, as you say. I’ll leave it to you. From next time on, you’ll be punished along with them. If you’re fine with that, do it.”

“With such a solemn command from the captain, how could I object? What are you waiting for. Krok. Kinta. Move.”

With that, Ivan dragged Krok and Kinta out of the storage room. Astric, who had been curled up on the floor in the corner, only managed to straighten his disheveled tunic and stand after some time had passed. Valerius was still there, standing in place and watching Astric.

“…Thank you.”

As Astric gave a brief bow and tried to leave the storage room, Valerius stepped in front of him, blocking the way. Astric lifted his head to look at him.

“Things like what almost happened to you just now are commonplace here. If you want to keep that pretty face, that precious pride, and that precious body of yours looking brand new, you’ll have to crush the others beneath you. Or endure it. If both sound too hard, then get off at the next island we dock at.”

Valerius’s words left Astric confused. What was he thinking, saying something like that? He had heard from several people that the captain did not concern himself with matters like these at all. So why now?

When Astric only stood there, staring blankly without answering, Valerius added,

“Go to the infirmary first. For the time being, stay with Sheniba. If you don’t like that, then lock yourself in your room. Just don’t be a nuisance to others.”

With those words, Valerius left the storage room. Astric watched Valerius’s retreating back until it gradually disappeared, then muttered sulkily.

“When was I ever a nuisance. …Anyway, where even is the infirmary. You should at least tell me that.”

He had never once seen a place marked as the infirmary, whether he had been wandering around the Scepter alone or touring different areas with Sheniba.

Fortunately, not long after, Sheniba came looking for him at the storage room. Seeing that Astric was otherwise fine except for his swollen left cheek, Sheniba let out a breath of relief and said it was fortunate.

“I’m really glad the captain stepped in, Ente.”

Sheniba led Astric to the infirmary. Despite having walked all around the Scepter and been introduced to various places on board, Astric had had no idea the infirmary even existed. He widened his eyes at the sight of it for the first time.

“Well, honestly, I didn’t think Ente would ever have a reason to come here, so I didn’t introduce it. Most things can be handled through Desmond or me, after all.”

Inside the infirmary was Henry, whom Astric had been introduced to once before and only knew by name.

“Henry’s a pirate who knows a bit about medicine, so he’s sort of acting as the ship’s doctor on the Scepter. Still, he’s a quack, so don’t trust him completely.”

“What? Sheniba, that’s a bit harsh, isn’t it? When have I ever acted like a quack?”

“Anyway, please take good care of our Ente.”

“Like a quack would do such a great job!”

Despite his angry tone, Henry examined Astric’s cheek with surprisingly careful hands. He pressed at different spots on Astric’s cheek as if checking something, then spoke.

“Well, it doesn’t look like anything’s broken. Seems like he just hit you once with his palm.”

“…Yeah.”

“You should count yourself damn lucky it was only this much. Even if he’s not as bad as Ivan, that Krok bastard has just as nasty a temper. About ten days ago, some guy came in after getting beaten to hell by Krok, with his nasal bone completely shattered.”

“Yes…”

“Put something cold on it and slap on some ointment, and it should heal.”

“Henry, what do you mean slap it on? Be thorough!”

“Sheniba, you little punk!”

Astric watched Sheniba and Henry glare at each other and shake their heads, then gently touched his left cheek. It stung and burned, but that was all. Just as Henry said, it didn’t feel like anything was broken or seriously wrong.

“Anyway… come over here and lie down for now.”

Astric followed Henry and lay down on a bed set against one side of the infirmary. Henry placed a cloth soaked in cold water on Astric’s cheek, then gently spread ointment over the corner of his mouth where blood had dried.

“Rest here today, and we’ll check how it looks again tomorrow.”

With that, Henry left the infirmary. Seeing the person meant to watch over the infirmary disappear without so much as a word left Astric dumbfounded.

“Oh, the ship’s doctor doesn’t stay in the infirmary all the time. And Henry loves fooling around, so you rarely see him sticking around here for more than a couple of hours. You’re really lucky today.”

With the cloth on his cheek and ointment on his mouth making it hard to move his lips, Astric answered with a small nod instead.

“I actually saw Kinta calling out to you earlier. It was obvious Krok put him up to it, and once Krok loses his temper, it’s hard to deal with him through words alone. So I was debating whether to tell the captain or Ivan, and I ended up telling Ivan. Krok’s more afraid of Ivan than the captain, after all.”

“……”

“But it looks like the captain stepped in and sorted things out himself. I don’t know how he found out, but anyway, it’s a relief. And don’t worry about what’ll happen to Krok and Kinta.”

“……”

“If anything, it’ll probably be so painful they’d rather be fed to a sea monster. Well, it’s all the karma they’ve piled up themselves.”

Sheniba shrugged as he spoke, then waved his hand.

“Then I’ll get going. I’ll come by every mealtime to check on you, so don’t worry too much. Get some good rest.”

Astric gave Sheniba a faint smile as he left the infirmary. Left alone to rest there, Astric shut his eyes tightly.

Valerius’s face as he had warned him was still vivid in his mind. That expression, as if what had almost happened to Astric wasn’t all that surprising. He couldn’t understand, and didn’t particularly want to understand, why someone who claimed not to care about things like this had helped him. Still, he was grateful.

And once again, he was angry at himself for having almost been overpowered so helplessly. If something like this happened again, he would stab them, even if it meant dying. Even if it meant causing a disturbance on the ship and earning Valerius’s displeasure, he would do it without hesitation. With that resolve, Astric fell into a deep sleep.

Maybe the medicine he had taken for seasickness had made him sleep so deeply, or maybe his mind was exhausted from the horrific events of the morning. Astric slept soundly for a long time. He thought he might have briefly opened his eyes at dawn.

Perhaps it was because of the faint moonlight filtering in through the infirmary window. He couldn’t tell whether it was a dream or reality, and even as he blinked, he couldn’t be sure.

But one thing was certain. He could feel someone’s gaze on him. Even in the darkness, the presence of someone watching was unmistakable.

That person watched Astric as he slept, then flinched slightly when Astric opened his eyes, before quietly leaving the infirmary. All that remained was a cool, pleasant scent lingering in the air, brushing against Astric’s nose.

Astric blinked his bleary eyes, then closed them again. Falling back asleep took only an instant. When he opened his eyes again, it was morning, with dazzling sunlight filling the world.

“…Ah.”

Astric gave a small yawn, then let out a short groan as he clutched his left cheek. The spot where Krok had hit him hurt more than it had the day before. Just how hard had he struck him?

It was pain on an entirely different level from when Kenny had hit him. Wondering if he should put a cloth soaked in cold water on it again, Astric tried to get up just as Sheniba’s voice reached him.

“Ente, are you awake? I’m coming in.”

After knocking, Sheniba entered the infirmary. He set down a basket nearly as big as his upper body beneath the bed and flashed a grin.

“Did you sleep well? Ente, you look… well, pretty rough.”

“Is it that bad?”

“Well, still, the swelling should start going down little by little from tomorrow, right?”

“…I hope so.”

“We’ll ask Henry when he comes by. That aside, aren’t you hungry?”

The moment he heard the question, Astric felt a sharp pang of hunger. When he nodded with a desperate look, Sheniba lifted the basket as if he had expected it and placed it on the bed.

“You were sleeping like a log yesterday. I tried waking you up in the evening, but it was no use. Desmond said that when you’re shocked like that, sleeping deeply is the best medicine, so I couldn’t really force it. Instead, I brought you a big breakfast. Well, technically it’s what Desmond packed for you.”

Sheniba pulled out a low wooden table from beside the infirmary bed and set it over the mattress. Then he began taking food out of the basket one by one. Soft carrot soup, warm bread, an omelet, jam, and apples were placed neatly on the table.

“Here, eat comfortably. When Henry comes, he’ll apply some ointment, and then you can go back to your cabin and rest.”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

Astric said that as he picked up a spoon and started eating the soup. As the warm soup slid into his body, the hunger that had been clamoring inside him slowly settled down. While he was completely focused on eating, Sheniba, who had been quietly watching him, spoke up.

“Oh, right. I should tell you what you’re probably most curious about.”

“Yes?”

“Krok and Kinta.”

“…Ah.”

Just thinking of Krok and Kinta again made his stomach churn. Astric unconsciously tightened his grip on the spoon as he listened to Sheniba.

“For the time being, those two will stay quiet. Ivan aside, the chances of Krok and Kinta teaming up again to mess with you are slim, so you can relax. And honestly, even Ivan will probably lie low for a while.”

“…I see.”

What had happened to Krok and Kinta? The moment Ivan’s name came up, Astric found himself wondering what kind of punishment they had received. Just the morning before, Kinta had seemed so pitiful to him.

“See? There’s nothing our captain can’t handle once he steps in. He’s just been busy and couldn’t pay attention to things like this before, but when he does act, he really acts.”

Astric glanced sideways at Sheniba, who was puffing himself up with pride as if it were all his own achievement, and tore off a piece of bread to eat. He had nothing to say. In the end, the reason it had stopped at just a slap to the face was because Valerius had intervened.

“Oh, and we’ll be docking at a port soon. It’s called Ront Port, and it’s huge. There’s basically nothing you can’t find there.”

At that, Astric lifted his head to look at Sheniba. If there was nothing they didn’t have, would there be a post office too? If there was, maybe watching which pirates visited it could give him a clue. While Astric was lost in serious thought, Sheniba chattered on excitedly.

“Ente, when we get to Ront Port, I’ll take you to a really good restaurant. It’s not a place I take just anyone to, but since it’s you, I’ll make an exception. I haven’t even shown it to the captain yet. The food there is so good it keeps popping into your head once you’ve tried it, which is honestly a problem. So consider yourself lucky, Ente!”

Astric nodded vaguely at Sheniba’s words while chewing on his bread.

---

The night before, seeing how unexpectedly quiet Ivan was had put Krok and Kinta somewhat at ease. Even the next morning, Ivan hadn’t said anything, so they vaguely thought he might let it slide this time. Or rather, only Krok thought that.

Even while eating breakfast face to face with Ivan, Kinta couldn’t focus on his meal, too busy watching Ivan’s expression.

Knowing Ivan’s temperament better than anyone, he was so tense he couldn’t even tell whether the food was going into his mouth or his nose. Watching Ivan’s expressionless face as he tore into his bread, Kinta’s body trembled in small shakes.

“When you’re done eating, meet me in Krok’s room.”

With those words, Ivan stood up and left the dining hall first. Staring blankly at Ivan’s solid frame as it moved away, Krok slammed his spoon down and ground out a curse.

“What? Damn it! Wasn’t he going to let it go?”

“Th, there’s no way Ivan would do that…”

Kinta bit down on his lower lip, his shoulders shuddering. He shouldn’t have helped Krok. Even if his body and mind were exhausted, he should have just endured it. He should have held on somehow until Ivan was the one to make the first move on the new recruit.

Glancing at Krok as he pounded his fist against the dining table, Kinta stood up first.

He planned to go to the room before Krok and face Ivan alone. If he admitted his mistakes one by one and showed remorse, maybe Ivan would go a little easier on him. Even just a little. Kinta’s steps toward Krok’s cabin were slower and more cautious than ever before.

“…I, Ivan.”

Kinta knocked on the cabin door. There was no response from inside, but he knew. Ivan had already gone in and was waiting for him and Krok. Swallowing hard, Kinta carefully opened the door and stepped inside.