Unmoor — Chapter 1 (Part 3)

“He is pretty, though. Way more refined than those brats who came in claiming to be apprentices.”

“Don’t you think Croc’s going to make a move again this time?”

“Hahaha! If it’s that guy, he definitely will. Want to bet how long this rookie lasts?”

“A bet? Sure. I say a week.”

“I give him four days. He looks like he’s got some grit, but even so, there’s no way he lasts more than four days against Croc.”

“Yeah, I heard Croc’s already got his eye on him.”

Croc. The name Astric had seen in the papers summarizing information he’d gathered in the back alleys. A vicious pirate known for harassment, violence, and brutal hazing. If someone like that had marked him, it meant trouble would come sooner rather than later. Astric tightened his grip on the mop.

If he drew Croc’s attention and things went wrong, surviving on the pirate ship would become even harder. He wanted to keep his head down and live like a mouse, but given how much attention he was already getting, that seemed impossible.

All he could do was carry himself carefully until Croc made his move.

‘But this isn’t something I can solve just by being careful.’

Astric scrubbed under the pirates’ table as they clinked glasses and snickered, letting out a sigh that felt like it could sink the deck.

“Hey! What the hell?”

“Ugh! Get away from me!”

“You’re ruining my drink. Rookie, clean from farther away. That rag stinks and it’s killing the taste.”

Astric ignored the complaints. Or rather, he was too busy thinking about how to avoid Croc’s notice to care about the pirates right in front of him.

“Seriously, what’s wrong with this guy?”

“Desmond! Do something about the rookie! He’s ruining the mood!”

“What about him? He’s doing his job just fine. What’s the fuss. You lot should drink in moderation and head in. Keep guzzling like that and it won’t be the captain kicking you out, it’ll be me.”

At the cook Desmond’s threat, the pirates who’d been harassing Astric pouted. Even then, Astric continued to mop the floor mechanically, his expression blank.

After standing watch on deck two nights in a row, Astric’s eyelids kept drooping. Every time he realized he was nodding off, he shook his head, but it barely helped. In the end, he resorted to slapping his own cheeks several times before letting out a sigh.

‘I just can’t get used to this.’

Getting used to things was one thing, but even just taking care of himself on the ship was exhausting. He’d thought he was fairly accustomed to physical hardship, but life aboard a vessel was a completely different story. Before he could even get used to being on a ship for the first time, he’d already pulled night watch for two days straight, on top of handling every kind of odd job imaginable. The fatigue was overwhelming.

And as if that weren’t enough, he’d barely had time to think through how to avoid Croc before running straight into that pack of vicious pirates on his way up to the deck, leaving his thoughts in a tangled mess.

“‘So this runt’s the new rookie?’”

“‘That’s what Kev said.’”

“‘He’s got such a pretty face, so why a pirate ship of all things? If he went to the nobles and fluttered his lashes a bit, shook his hips just right, they’d shower him with gold and jewels. There’s nothing to gain here.’”

“‘Rish said he’s that, you know.’”

“‘That? Oh, that? Sure looks like the kind of face noble bastards with cocks would go crazy over, but since when did Rish care about us that much?’”

“‘Hey, Croc and Ivan play pretty important roles in the crew. Of course he’d look out for them.’”

“‘Well, I wouldn’t mind getting a new plaything.’”

Astric couldn’t say a word as Croc sent him lewd looks along with his mocking remarks. It wasn’t so much fear as it was the nauseating sense of déjà vu. Croc’s behavior reminded him too much of Kenny, and Astric was too busy holding back the bile rising in his throat to react.

All he could do was steady his churning stomach and hope that Croc would quickly lose interest in him. But once again, it seemed the gods were determined to put him through a cruel test.

“‘Let’s talk alone later, rookie. I’ve got a lot I want to say to you.’”

Just recalling Croc’s face as he’d spoken with feigned anticipation, patting Astric’s shoulder, made his stomach flip over. Now he understood why so many new recruits couldn’t last long before fleeing the ship.

Trying to adapt to this place, drowning in menial labor, and now being targeted by Croc’s filthy advances. It was no wonder endurance felt impossible. He knew he’d have to persist stubbornly through things like this, yet his confidence kept slipping away.

Astric rubbed his sore eyes and looked up at the sky. Standing on the deck of the Scepter, adrift in the middle of the sea, the night sky was romantic enough to briefly ease the worries crowding his mind.

The deep navy sky, dark as the ocean itself, was embroidered with glittering stars. There was something enchanting about them, and Astric found himself staring, completely absorbed.

“So today makes it two days of night watch.”

The sudden voice made Astric flinch. He’d forgotten his duty entirely, lost in the sky. He hurriedly turned to see who had spoken.

‘…Valerius.’

The leader of Desheptator stood there, watching him with an impassive expression.

“Ah…”

“No matter how new you are, two days of night watch in a row is unfair.”

This was a place where, aside from prohibiting insubordination, there were supposedly no real rules. Astric stared at Valerius in surprise, taken aback by the word “unfair,” then belatedly bowed his head.

“H-hello.”

Even after bowing, no words came from Valerius for a long moment. As Astric hesitated, unsure when to lift his head, Valerius finally spoke.

“I told you before. The sea is a place where strange encounters are easily made.”

“…Pardon?”

Astric echoed in surprise, and Valerius’s gaze shifted, oddly distant. He looked at Astric for a moment before continuing.

“I thought you’d run away.”

“…What?”

Astric tilted his head, trying to grasp the meaning of that remark, but no answer came to him.

“Go back inside.”

“…What?”

Valerius’s brow twitched as he snapped at Astric, who kept asking dumb questions.

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

“Ah, s-sorry. I’ll go.”

Astric bowed again and hurried off the deck. Valerius watched his retreating back for a moment before turning away.

Back in his quarters, Astric finally let out the breath he’d been holding. Valerius felt even larger and more intimidating up close. And yet, he hadn’t shown open hostility or tried to frighten him. Still, those golden eyes gleaming in the darkness were burned into his mind.

“…Damn it.”

No matter how he looked at it, Valerius wasn’t someone easy to deal with. Could Astric really accomplish his goals on a ship ruled by someone like that? From what he’d gathered, Valerius was sharp and highly cautious. Someone like Astric, a foreign element, might be filtered out in no time.

The more often they crossed paths, the sooner Valerius would notice the suspicious air around him.

‘Should I avoid him as much as possible…?’

But avoiding him wasn’t the answer. Trying too hard to stay out of sight would only look more suspicious. Besides, this was a ship with limited space. There were clear limits to how much avoidance was even possible.

“Right. I’ll just keep going like this. No more, no less. Just like now. Existing without really existing.”

Lie low like the dead, gather only the information he needed, then leave without hesitation. Murmuring his resolve into his pillow, Astric closed his eyes. No matter how much stamina he’d built through sword training, even he couldn’t handle nonstop work and two sleepless nights without rest.

The next day, Astric woke before the other pirates, washed his face, and headed for the galley. He hadn’t fully made up for his lack of sleep, but even a little rest made him feel much better.

“Oh, Ente. You’re up early again.”

Desmond, the Scepter’s cook, greeted him with a hearty laugh. He was the only pirate aboard who openly welcomed Ente’s presence. Despite his large build and rough looks, he was kind and attentive, often comforting Astric after he’d been pushed around by the others.

“Good morning, Chef.”

“We’ll be seeing a lot of each other. Just call me Desmond. So, how’s the work? Bearable?”

“Yes, well…”

As Astric nodded, Desmond let out a short chuckle. He pointed at the corner of Astric’s eye with a thick finger and teased him.

“You’ve got sleep caked all over your eyes, and you’re telling me it’s bearable?”

“…As long as I’m not doing night watch back-to-back, it’s fine. Really.”

Astric replied with an awkward smile, as if making excuses.

“Is that so? Then that’s a relief. Sorry I couldn’t help more when you saw the others slacking off. Rish told me to let the rookie fend for himself during the adjustment period. It’s not exactly an official rule, but… And even if I tried to help in secret, if the others found out, they’d just make things worse for you…”

According to the documents, the Scepter wasn’t supposed to have any real rules. Was it possible there were unspoken ones he hadn’t uncovered?

“…There are rules on the Scepter?”

“Well, I wouldn’t call them rules exactly. They’re not that grand. It’s more like… unspoken understandings everyone follows to minimize friction. When I put it like that, it does sound like rules, huh. Anyway, they’re not official. The only real rule here is that if you challenge the captain’s authority, you’d better be ready to bet your life. Just keep that in mind.”

“I see.”

Astric nodded as he replied. After that, he and Desmond continued preparing food while chatting intermittently.

“Ente, peel those potatoes and onions for me.”

With clumsy hands, Astric began working through the basket piled high with potatoes and onions. Peeling potatoes thinly with a small knife was far harder than swinging a sword with full force. Still, his skills had improved compared to when he’d first started helping in the galley.

Back then, he’d peeled the skins so thick that Desmond had laughed at him.

“You’ve only done this a few times, but you’re already getting better, Ente. Once you’re done, do the carrots too.”

Carrots were easier to handle than potatoes, at least. Astric grunted softly as he finished prepping the potatoes, onions, and carrots. Desmond chopped the vegetables Astric had prepared into suitable sizes and tossed them into a massive pot. As it bubbled away, the rich scent of butter and cream rose into the air.

“This is Desmond’s special fish cream stew. I haven’t added the fish yet, though. Oh, and the bread’s already baked too. What do you think? Makes you curious about the taste, doesn’t it?”

“Yes. It smells incredible.”

“Hahaha, of course it does. Since I became the cook on the Scepter, I’ve never failed a single dish.”

Desmond planted his hands on his hips and laughed heartily before stirring the stew with a long, oversized ladle.

“A stew made with freshly caught fish is a delicacy you can only have aboard a ship. You’d think it’d be fishy, but it’s not at all. It’s rich and savory. Hope it suits your taste, Ente.”

Once the vegetables were partly cooked, he added neatly prepared fish to the pot. After letting it simmer for a few more minutes, Desmond beckoned Astric over.

“Alright, Ente. Eat first, before the others come.”

“Shouldn’t the captain eat first?”

“What? The captain first? Ente, there’s no rule like that on the Scepter. Even the captain eats whenever he feels like it here.”

Desmond spoke firmly, then added,

“And besides, Ente, you worked harder than anyone today. Of course you should eat first. Got it?”

Grinning, he filled a large bowl with stew and handed it to Astric.

“Go on and eat, Ente. By now, those ugly bastards who caught the smell are probably starting to wake up. I’ll get ready to serve the rest.”

“…Thank you.”

Bowl in hand, Astric hesitated for a moment before heading to the small table set up in the corner of the galley. The warm stew was so delicious it seemed to wash away the fatigue of the past two days, and Astric shoveled the food into his mouth without stopping. Desmond watched him with satisfaction, until the galley door swung open.

“Oh, Captain. You’re early.”

Valerius entered the galley, thick droplets of water dripping from his hair as if he’d just washed up. Astric, who had been focused entirely on his meal, looked up at the sudden appearance with wide eyes.

Valerius, too, swept his gaze over Astric with a strange expression and muttered,

“You look like I can’t tell whether you’re a man or a rat.”

Staring intently at Astric’s puffed-out cheeks stuffed with food, he spoke to Desmond.

“Give me a bowl too.”

“Sure. Where you eating?”

“Here.”

At Valerius’s words, Astric choked slightly, still chewing.

“Yeah, eating in the galley really is the best. Didn’t think the captain would realize that so soon.”

Beaming, Desmond ladled a generous portion of stew and handed it to Valerius. Taking the bowl, Valerius sat down across from Astric and quietly began eating. He glanced at Astric, who was about to stand up with his half-finished bowl, and said,

“Finish your meal.”

“What’s wrong, Ente? Why’d you stop eating? Did it get cold? Give it here, I’ll heat it up.”

“N-no, it’s fine. It’s still warm.”

Astric shook his head at Desmond’s gesture and hurriedly resumed eating. Whether it was guilt or something else, sitting unexpectedly across from Valerius was far more uncomfortable than he’d anticipated. He couldn’t even tell whether the food was going down his throat or up his nose.

‘I’ll be lucky if I don’t get indigestion.’

All he could think about was finishing quickly and escaping back to his room. Eating as if he were being chased, Astric finished in record time and sprang to his feet with his empty bowl, cheeks still puffed out.

“You’re done already? Ente, you eat ridiculously fast. Hand me the bowl and go rest. You must’ve had it rough covering night watch after Mont ditched it. At least get some sleep this morning.”

“Ah… yes. I will. Thank you.”

Astric replied with an awkward smile and immediately left the galley. Once the door closed behind him, Desmond took a seat across from Valerius and asked,

“What got into you, eating all the way in the galley today, Captain?”

“Nothing.”

“Since when does ‘just because’ exist on the Scepter? You came to check out what kind of guy this new recruit is, didn’t you?”

Instead of answering Desmond’s question, Valerius scooped up another spoonful of stew.

“He feels different from the other new recruits we’ve had. I can’t quite put my finger on it… but he’s different. I just hope he doesn’t get into trouble with Ivan’s group.”

Valerius watched Desmond mutter and shake his head, then resumed eating. Every time he brought the stew to his mouth, the image of Astric resurfaced, cheeks puffed out like a squirrel or a rat, staring back at him with open wariness.

With his mouth full, Astric had looked so ridiculous it was hard to tell whether he was human or some kind of rodent. Maybe the reason he hadn’t run away, even after being intimidated, was because he wasn’t human at all but a rat. And rats were supposed to be clever, quick to sense danger. Or was this one simply dull by comparison?

“…No. Rather than hoping there won’t be problems, it’d be better to deal with Ivan’s group altogether. Right, speaking of which, Captain, can’t you do something about them? Do you have any idea how many recruits have run away because they couldn’t take their bullying?”

Valerius looked up at Desmond, whose voice had risen with agitation.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Thinking isn’t enough. You should step in and handle it yourself. Even pirates have their standards. What those bastards do isn’t piracy, it’s more like corrupt captains or filthy navy dogs. Are you really going to just let it slide?”

At the words “captain” and “navy,” Valerius frowned. Was Ivan’s group really regarded that poorly? In a place where men who’d seen every kind of hell gathered, he’d assumed trouble was inevitable.

That was why he’d thought the problem lay with the weak will and soft minds of recruits who couldn’t endure.

Yet to Desmond, those men didn’t look like pirates at all, they looked like captains or naval officers.

“You’re saying we’re the same as those disgusting things?”

Valerius’s voice turned cold. Desmond replied more gently.

“Now you see how serious the problem is, right?”

“…Yeah.”

“Then I’m counting on you, Captain. Leaving pirates who bully their own like cruel sailors or tyrant captains only drags the Dëshptator’s name through the mud. I know you won’t just stand by and watch that happen. And if even a diligent recruit like Ente ends up being carried off the ship…”

Desmond paused, driving his point home.

“That’s when I’ll really be angry.”

He glanced through the small window in the galley toward the dining area. Pirates who had just dragged themselves out of bed were yawning as they filtered in. Ivan’s group was among them, blending into the crowd.

While Desmond watched them and thought of Astric, Valerius was replaying the image of Astric shoveling soup into his mouth, cheeks puffed out as he ate. If he cried on top of that pitiful, ratlike face…

Valerius stirred his soup with a strange expression.

---

It was well past noon. Astric was scrubbing the deck alongside two other pirates. The men working with him were among the quieter, more mild-mannered members of the Dëshptator. Like Desmond, they called Astric by name.

“Ente, has Krok been leaving you alone? Doesn’t seem like the type to let things go.”

“I haven’t seen him since yesterday.”

“Really? That’s a relief. Still, be careful. If he snaps, he’s the kind who’d toss you into the sea without a second thought.”

“Yes. I will.”

Astric answered and kept cleaning. Scrubbing the deck of such a massive ship with only three people was grueling work.

It wasn’t just sweeping, it meant scraping off dried vomit and old food stuck all over the place. The stench was awful, and Astric and the others had to pinch their noses as they worked.

The pirates pushing their mops nearby complained under their breath.

“They drink and then come up here to puke every damn time. No wonder it’s filthy no matter how often we clean. Bunch of bastards, worse than enemies.”

“Think we could get the captain to enforce a drinking ban for even a week?”

“Tell me about it. They’re not pirates, they’re alcoholics. If they weren’t, people wouldn’t be saying the Scepter carries more booze than food. Not that it’s wrong.”

Their grumbling cut off the moment a long shadow fell across Astric.

“Hello there, pretty new recruit.”

At the sickening voice, Astric slowly lifted his head. Krok stood there with a black eyepatch over his right eye, wearing a greasy smile. Astric glanced between Krok and Kinta at his side, then greeted them.

“…Hello.”

“Looks like you’re busy. Deck cleaning’s the hardest job, right? Want some help?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“We could finish faster if we helped. You want to rest sooner too, don’t you?”

“I’ll handle my own work.”

Krok snorted and laughed. He crooked a finger at the pirates who’d been watching nervously.

“Hey. Hand over the mops.”

“…Why?”

“Because you idiots clean slower than cabin boys. Stop whining, drop the mops, and get lost.”

“Krok, this is our job. If Resh finds out….”

“Resh, Resh, always Resh. Ha. That’s your problem. Why should I care? And since when were you hardworking anyway? Go do something else. If you’ve got nothing to do, go beat each other up or something.”

The pirates’ faces flushed at Krok’s mockery. Shooting glares at Krok and Kinta as they snickered, they slammed the mops down and left the deck.

“Those idiots lost their minds or what,” Kinta muttered, picking up a mop and handing it to Krok with a scowl.

Unlike him, Krok seemed to be in a great mood. He took the mop and stepped closer to Astric, then whispered sweetly,

“So now I finally get to play with our pretty new recruit. You have no idea how disappointed I was yesterday. You felt it too, didn’t you?”

Astric froze, still gripping his mop.

“Did you think about me?”

“……”

“You didn’t not think about me, right? I bet you even lost some sleep over it.”

As he spoke, Krok dragged his gaze over Astric’s body with snake-like eyes. It felt as though something cold and thick was slithering over his skin. Astric swallowed hard and breathed shallowly.

He wanted nothing more than to punch Krok in the face, but if he wanted to survive quietly on this ship, he had to endure it.

“No answer? Don’t tell me I was wrong.”

Krok tapped Astric’s cheek lightly with his index finger as he kept silent.

That was when…

“…Wait, Krok. Someone’s coming. Is that Ivan?”

Kinta whispered urgently, spotting someone climbing onto the deck. Krok frowned and stepped away from Astric.

“Hey, new… what the hell. Krok, you were here?”

The pirate who’d come looking for Astric stared in surprise at Krok and Kinta. It didn’t last long. He quickly went back to his usual bored expression and tossed out,

“Perfect timing. Looks like Ivan’s looking for you. Says he’s got something to talk about.”

“…Ivan?”

“Yeah. I only overheard it, but you should probably go check.”

At the mention of Ivan, Krok frowned deeply.

“Just when things were getting interesting. How did that bastard figure it out… Let’s go, Kinta.”

“You think it’s something important?”

“How would I know what that lunatic Ivan’s thinking?”

Krok started to walk off with Kinta, then stopped. He placed a hand on Astric’s shoulder and flashed a grin.

“Pretty new recruit, I’ll be back for you soon. Until then, don’t go wearing yourself out. You know what I mean, right? Next time, we’ll play, just the two of us.”

Once Krok and Kinta disappeared from the deck, the pirate who’d been waiting spoke up.

“Hey, newbie. Desmond’s looking for you. Head to the galley.”

“Ah… yes.”

“And if you can help it, don’t walk around alone. That bastard Krok won’t pass up someone small and pretty like you, he’ll find some way to mess with you. If you really don’t have anyone to stick with, just glue yourself to the galley.”

After delivering both his message and his warning, the pirate whistled and walked off. Left alone on the deck, Astric stood there blankly for a moment before hurriedly finishing up the cleaning. He gathered the tools and headed for the galley.

“Desmond, I heard you were looking for me…”

“Oh, right. You came quick. Here, take this to the captain.”

Desmond handed Astric a tray with a teacup on it. The item looked far too refined for a pirate ship, so Astric asked in confusion,

“So the captain enjoys tea time too?”

“Huh? Tea time? …Oh, that thing nobles do? Don’t know about that. He just needs this. Take it before it cools. It won’t work if it’s cold.”

“…Ah. Okay.”

Was there some kind of medicinal effect to it? Astric tilted his head but still left the galley and headed for the captain’s quarters. As he walked down the corridor, tension crept in, cold sweat breaking out across his back.

Having something to hide made the idea of facing Valerius alone deeply uncomfortable. His overwhelming presence alone was unsettling enough that Astric wanted to avoid him as much as possible.

But avoiding him outright or showing obvious reluctance would only invite suspicion. After a long walk, Astric stopped in front of the captain’s door and let out a shallow breath before knocking. The massive door felt like the entrance to a monster’s lair, goosebumps prickling across his skin.

No matter how long he waited, there was no response, no sound from inside at all.

‘Entering an empty room doesn’t feel right… It could look suspicious. Should I just leave it outside the door?’

As Astric stood there debating what to do…

“Oh, Ente? That you, Ente?”

Resh happened to pass by and greeted him in a cheerful voice.

“What brings you to the captain’s quarters, Ente? You’re not quitting already, are you? That’d be a problem, we won’t reach the next port for quite a while.”

“No, it’s not that. Desmond told me to bring the captain some tea.”

“Oh, that’s a relief. But you know, the captain hates formality. Just knock and go in. If you stand around waiting for permission, you’ll never enter that room in your lifetime.”

“…Is that really okay?”

“You don’t trust me? Have I not earned that much?”

“No, I just wanted to be sure it’s actually all right.”

“Of course it is. The captain said so himself. Only nobles fuss over that kind of etiquette. From now on, just go in, Ente.”

Resh winked and walked away. Watching his back, Astric grasped the door handle and pulled it down.

Click.

Despite its imposing appearance, the door opened far too easily.

‘It opens this easily…?’

He wasn’t mentally prepared at all. After staring at the door for a moment, Astric let out a deep sigh and stepped inside.

As befitted the leader of a pirate crew, the captain’s quarters were furnished well enough to pass for a noble’s study. A modest window overlooking the sea, an antique bookshelf lining the wall, a heavy desk and chair, it all felt strangely refined.

And seated behind the dark wooden desk, Valerius himself looked unsettlingly like a true noble.

“What is it?”

Valerius lifted his head from the stack of papers he’d been reading and looked at Astric.

“Ah, um… Desmond told me to give this to you.”

Valerius glanced at the tray in Astric’s hands.

“I see.”

“Then I’ll leave it here and take my leave.”

Astric set the tray on the desk and tried to leave quickly.

“Wait.”

At Valerius’s call, Astric stopped short. Swallowing dryly, he turned around. Valerius was pointing at the teacup, eyes fixed on him.

“Ah… wait, I didn’t do anything to the tea. You can drink it without worrying…”

“Drink it.”

“…What?”

Astric’s eyes widened at the unexpected order. What did that mean? Was Valerius testing whether Astric was telling the truth? That would mean he suspected him.

Had he done something suspicious? Or was this just distrust toward a new recruit? Or had Desmond prepared the tea to probe him together with Valerius?

Astric’s face grew paler as his thoughts raced.

“I told you not to make me repeat myself.”

There was no explanation, only a threat. Startled by the menacing tone, Astric stiffly walked up to the desk and picked up the teacup. He looked at Valerius again, as if confirming the absurd command, and Valerius flicked an eyebrow.

‘Why is he doing this to me…?’

Astric couldn’t read Valerius’s intentions. Was he sensing something off, or did he treat every new recruit like this? Either way, refusing would only deepen suspicion.

In the end, Astric stared at the clear green tea, squeezed his eyes shut, and gulped it down.

Valerius watched him from behind the desk with an inscrutable gaze.

Wheat-colored hair like rolling golden fields, long wheat-toned lashes casting shadows over closed lids, pale, flawless skin. Small lips holding tea, his chin tilted up as he drank, making his slender white throat look longer.

Valerius took in the sight quietly.

Astric looked no different from the so-called ‘companions’, the pretty playthings, who’d joined the crew under the guise of recruitment before. Frail enough to topple with a poke, blessed with a pretty face.

If there was any difference, it was that Astric looked even more delicate, oddly earnest, and strangely reminiscent of a rat.

No, more precisely, a pitiful, miserable rat. One flailing helplessly after falling into water.

That was why Astric grated on his nerves for no clear reason. The inexplicable sense of déjà vu only made it worse.

Astric finished the tea, gasped for breath, set the cup down, and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Even that didn’t escape Valerius’s scrutiny. Perhaps sensing the gaze, Astric flinched and met his eyes. Valerius’s eyebrow twitched at the frightened look on his face.

No matter how many times he looked, Astric was hopeless as a pirate. His soft, pretty appearance fit for noble salons, his habit of freezing whenever their eyes met.

To Valerius, Astric was nothing more than a worthless little rat that had never done a day of hard labor.

Someone who normally wouldn’t even have been allowed to submit an application. A pathetic wretch who’d slipped in thanks to catching Resh’s eye, only to be knocked around by the crew.

Valerius rattled off these harsh judgments in his mind.

The fact that Astric hadn’t run away despite being deliberately intimidated suggested some grit, but so what? That was the bare minimum for a pirate.

So why did this scrambling, desperate rat look so contemptible and pitiful? And stranger still, why did it irritate him so much?

Perhaps it was just the sight of a clueless little rat struggling to survive.

Valerius scanned Astric, who stood there anxiously watching his reaction, then fixed his gaze back on the papers in his hand.

“Get out.”

“Huh? Ah… yes.”

Still, Valerius couldn’t help but watch Astric hurry out of the captain’s quarters as if fleeing. The sight truly did resemble a small, scurrying rat. A rat. A rat. A rat. Valerius repeated the word in his head for no reason, then frowned as he realized his own foolishness.

Meanwhile, Astric rushed straight back to his room and sucked in a sharp breath. Drinking tea under Valerius’s unblinking gaze had felt no different from a new kind of torture.

Even with his eyes closed, he could still feel that relentless stare. Cold sweat had soaked the back of his neck so badly that, as he wiped it absently, Astric finally noticed the tray still in his hands.

“Ah… right.”

In his panicked escape, he’d completely forgotten to return the tray and teacup to the galley. After a moment of hesitation, Astric picked up the tray again, left his room, and headed back to the galley.

“Ente, you’re back already? Everything go okay?”

“Yes.”

Passing Desmond, who was busy peeling carrots, Astric placed the teacup in the sink and returned the tray to its spot.

“Well, that’s a first. The captain actually finished his tea and sent it back. Did the wind change direction or something?”

“…Ah. I’m sorry, Desmond. I drank the tea.”

“Huh? You drank it? Not the captain?”

“Yes. The captain told me to.”

At Astric’s answer, Desmond stopped peeling carrots and blinked.

“Ente, have you been having trouble sleeping?”

“…Sleeping?”

“Yeah. That tea works wonders for people who can’t sleep.”

“No. I sleep fine… He didn’t tell me what kind of tea it was, just told me to drink it.”

Desmond tilted his head.

“Hm. That makes it even stranger… Is he suspicious because you’re new? …No, never mind. You drank the tea, so you’ll probably get sleepy soon. Go rest. Just adjusting is exhausting enough, you should take breaks often.”

Muttering to himself, Desmond shrugged and motioned Astric away.

“I feel like I’ve been resting too much today.”

“Ente, you don’t know this yet, do you? If you pace yourself, you get time to look around the Scepter. That’s how you adapt faster, and keep working with me. Do you have any idea how precious a galley assistant is?”

Astric smiled softly at Desmond’s cheerful tone. Seeing that smile, Desmond looked satisfied and said,

“That’s it. Smile more. On the Scepter, there aren’t many chances to laugh. Right now, we’re in relatively safe waters, so things are calm. But once we head into seas where monsters live, the mood changes completely.”

At Desmond’s suddenly serious tone, Astric’s expression sobered as well.

“Are sea monsters really that frightening?”

“They are. Sea monsters are impossible to predict. More pirates have died to them than to the navy or even vicious captains.”

“I’ve never seen one before, so I didn’t realize it was that bad.”

“That’s understandable. Unless you pass through the waters they inhabit, you won’t see them.”

“…Are we passing through those waters this time?”

“Yeah. To reach our next port, we have no choice but to cross them. It’s such a vast area that going around isn’t really an option.”

Fighting sea monsters was something Astric had prepared himself for the moment he boarded the Scepter. But if even seasoned pirates struggled against them, they clearly weren’t easy opponents. Desmond’s words made his body tense.

“So be careful, Ente. Even experienced hands can be taken down in an instant out on the sea. If you want to survive in one piece, you have to be wary of both people and monsters.”

“Yes. I will.”

“That’s a good answer. …Ah, look at me. I told you to go rest, then held you up with heavy talk. Sorry, sorry. Go on, get some rest.”

Scratching his head awkwardly, Desmond waved until Astric fully left the galley.

“…A diligent kid like that finally shows up. I just hope nothing happens.”

He murmured softly, staring at the spot where Astric had stood.

The next day, acting on Desmond’s not-quite-an-order to “get to know the Scepter,” Astric was kicked out of the galley and wandered around the ship. Just then, a pirate who’d climbed down from the crow’s nest grabbed him.

“Oh, rookie. Perfect timing. Take this to Resh. It’s urgent, so go right now.”

“Ah… okay.”

Seeing how rushed the pirate looked, Astric pushed Desmond’s instruction aside and hurried off to Resh. Over the course of the morning, he’d learned that Resh, as the captain’s aide, had not only a private cabin but also a personal study.

“Resh, are you in there?”

Astric knocked on the study door. After the sound of hurried shuffling inside, Resh’s voice answered.

“Oh, Ente? You can come in.”

Even so, Astric waited until the sounds stopped completely before opening the door. Resh was already seated neatly at his desk, as though he’d finished tidying up in that short time.

“What’s going on? You came all this way to find me. Did something happen, do you need help?”

“No, it’s not that. Someone asked me to give this to you.”

“Hm?”

Resh took the paper Astric handed him, tilting his head as he read. After scanning it with a serious expression, he scratched the back of his head and muttered,

“This is bad.”

“Bad?”

“Yeah. Look at this. A storm’s coming… soon.”

Astric stared blankly at the paper Resh showed him. All he could see were a few lines of writing that looked like worms and some strange symbols. He couldn’t make sense of it at all. How could anyone look at this and conclude that a storm was imminent?

‘Is it some kind of code…?’

Resh stood up, looking annoyed.

“I don’t really get it, but the weather’s clear and the waves are calm.”

Astric said uncertainly, glancing out the small window of the study.

“For now, sure. To a rookie like you, it probably looks like nothing. But just wait. A storm will hit within two days. There’s a reason people say ‘the calm before the storm.’ If you doubt me, we can even make a bet.”

“…No need for a bet. I don’t doubt you. If that’s the case, we should prepare.”

“Exactly. Just like you said, we need to get ready to ride it out safely.”

With that, Resh lifted a conch shell inside the study and blew into it twice.

Bwooo… bwooo….

The loud call echoed through the ship, and voices rose outside.

“The conch sounded! Everyone on deck!”

“Damn it, where the hell did Hans disappear to? Milo, have you seen Hans?”

“All hands on deck! If you’re even a little late, you might end up as food for a sea monster!”

Blinking at the sudden commotion, Astric asked Resh,

“So if we hear the horn, we just go up to the deck?”

“Yeah. One blast means an emergency. Two blasts means everyone gathers on deck. Remember that. If you’re late, the captain punishes you, so never forget it.”

Nodding at Resh’s warning, Astric left the study and headed for the deck. Most of the Disheptator pirates had already gathered there. Astric quietly moved to Desmond, who was standing near the edge. Desmond lowered his voice and spoke.

“You figured out the signal and found your way here. I was worried you might not make it.”

“I happened to be with Resh.”

“You got lucky, Ente. If you don’t follow the signals, the captain will really tear into you. Plenty of guys only came to their senses after refusing to listen and getting tossed into the sea.”

Desmond was still talking to Astric when he abruptly shut his mouth as Valerius’s voice rang out from the front, where he stood staring at them.

“A storm is coming.”

At the word “storm,” the pirates stirred. Some muttered complaints, saying it felt like they ran into storms far too often, and wondered if there was some kind of sea monster that caused them.

“Silence.”

As the grumbling threatened to grow into a disturbance, Valerius snapped sharply. The deck immediately fell quiet again.

“We will not advance. We will hold our position here. So every single one of you will begin preparations without exception.”

“Yes, sir!”

At Valerius’s rigid command, the pirates answered loudly. Even those who had been complaining moments ago shouted as if nothing had happened.

“If anyone is caught doing something stupid.”

“……”

“You already know from experience. You will be thrown to the sea monsters as feed.”

Valerius spoke as if grinding the words out, meeting each pirate’s eyes one by one. His gaze lingered the longest where Ivan, Krok, and Kinta were standing.

“Is the captain trying to change his ways or something?”

“Huh?”

“No, never mind. Just thinking out loud.”

Desmond chuckled softly and patted Astric on the shoulder. Valerius also kept his eyes on the direction where Desmond and Astric were exchanging quiet words for quite some time.