Unmoor — Chapter 4 (Part 1)

4. Low-Speed Sailing

Astric returned to the room almost as if he were fleeing, as though Valerius might come chasing after him from behind. After catching his breath, he perched on the edge of the bed. A moment later, Sheniba opened the door and stepped inside.

“Ente, if you run around like that right after eating, won’t your stomach hurt?”

“……I’m fine.”

Astric answered Sheniba’s worried question in a tone that suggested it was nothing serious. Sheniba stepped closer and let out an exclamation.

“I didn’t expect the Captain to call for Ente directly like that when Resh was right there. Maybe he really acknowledges you as an errand runner now. You didn’t see the look on that fox Resh’s face, did you?”

Sheniba burst out laughing as he spoke.

“You really should have seen it. He looked like he’d just seen some kind of sea monster. I think he’s jealous of you.”

The words that spilled from Sheniba’s mouth after laughing for a while were more than enough to put Astric in an awkward position. Resh was jealous. What did that even mean?

Astric widened his eyes and stared at Sheniba. Catching his gaze, Sheniba lowered his voice as if sharing a secret.

“To be honest, that guy Resh is selfish. He wants to be the only one acknowledged by the Captain, and he believes he deserves to be the only one. And then he sees a rookie pirate working as the Captain’s errand runner right in front of him. Of course he’d be jealous. He’s definitely going to find it strange and keep his eye on you.”

For a brief moment, Sheniba’s expression turned serious.

“And Ente joining our ship was also because of Resh’s influence, wasn’t it? That’s how it looks to someone who knows him well.”

Sheniba suddenly lowered his voice even further.

“I can’t help but think he brought you aboard because he has some kind of scheme. That’s why you should be careful around Resh, Ente. It never hurts to be cautious. He may act carefree and harmless, but it’s a completely different story beneath the surface.”

Sheniba grimaced and shook his head vigorously.

“Try to stay as far away from him as possible. He laughs easily and acts lighthearted, but you never know when he’ll suddenly turn on you and stab you in the back. He’s terrifyingly good at petty tricks. That guy doesn’t fight with his fists. He fights with his head and his mouth.”

This time, Sheniba’s brow furrowed deeply.

“Honestly, I don’t understand why the Captain keeps someone like that so close…… but I’m sure he has his reasons. Anyway, Ente, if Resh ever gives you a hard time, make sure you tell me. That’s the only way I can help you.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Astric offered a small smile to Sheniba, who was worrying over him as if it were his own problem, and let out a quiet sigh inwardly. He never expected this kind of power struggle to exist even aboard a pirate ship, which he had imagined would either be ruled by strict discipline or be completely free of such things.

He had assumed that, at worst, conflicts would be settled with fists. The idea that there were pirates who fought with their heads instead was newly unsettling. Worse still was the thought that he himself could easily become the target of such a pirate, which sent an inexplicable chill down his spine.

“Ente, should we chat a bit more before going to sleep?”

“I’d like to, but I’m tired, so I’m going to turn in early.”

“Ah.”

When Astric declined with an apologetic expression, Sheniba nodded as though he fully understood.

“After being told to wake up early by the Captain, that’s only natural. And on top of that, you were wandering around all afternoon because of him. Ente, you’re really impressive. A rookie running errands for the Captain…… I should work harder too so I don’t lose to you.”

After steeling his resolve on his own, Sheniba lay down on the bed beside him and pulled the blanket over himself with a determined air. As Astric adjusted his pillow and lay down, he smiled faintly.

He couldn’t quite understand why something like this would make Sheniba feel the need to push himself. Before long, Sheniba began breathing softly in even rhythms and fell asleep quickly.

Astric stared at him in disbelief for a moment, then closed his eyes. Perhaps because he had spent the entire day hurriedly moving through unfamiliar places, he fell asleep almost immediately despite the unfamiliar bed. He welcomed the sleep that washed over him and drifted into a deep slumber.

The next morning, in the predawn hours just before the sun rose, Astric’s eyes flew open. Seeing the unfamiliar ceiling, he blinked in a daze and retraced what had happened the day before.

The pirate ship had docked at Ront Port, and they were staying at an inn…… remembering why the ceiling looked unfamiliar, Astric yawned and turned his head.

Through the window, he could see the sun rising slowly. It felt like he could sleep a little longer, but even if he wanted to, he couldn’t. Perhaps it was because of Valerius’s order to be ready early.

Letting out a sigh, Astric got out of bed. He glanced at Sheniba, still sleeping soundly in the bed beside him, gathered his clothes, and left the room.

Since all the sleep had left him anyway, he decided to prepare early. As he headed toward the large bath, he noticed someone standing guard in front of it.

Was there a diligent pirate who had come out to wash this early in the morning? Astric looked toward the bathhouse with mild surprise. Before long, however, he realized just how wrong his assumption was.

The one standing guard was not some diligent pirate, but Ivan. Astric froze in place, forgetting to move as he stared at him.

Since arriving at the inn, it felt like he had been encountering Ivan far too often, and at far too close a distance. Back aboard the Scepter, he had hardly ever faced Ivan directly.

He seriously considered turning back to his room, but Ivan noticed him first and turned his head, their eyes meeting. That made it impossible. He worried that running away might only provoke Ivan instead.

Ivan leaned against the door to the bathhouse, standing there with a blank expression. When he spotted Astric, a faint smile appeared on his face.

“Morning, Ente. You’re up early. You’re quite diligent. Or maybe, like me, you haven’t slept yet?”

Astric shook his head with an uneasy expression, and Ivan let out a low hum.

“Sleeping well is important. You’re surprisingly disciplined for a pirate. How is it sleeping with Sheniba? Is it uncomfortable? Does he bother you or give you trouble? If you ever need help, just say the word.”

Ivan spoke as if he were addressing a child, and Astric felt something strange at the sight. It was unlikely, but for some reason he felt as though Ivan was deliberately smiling and softening his tone to lower his guard. Avoiding Ivan’s steady gaze, Astric lowered his eyes.

“Ente, was your sleeping arrangement uncomfortable? I couldn’t sleep because I was uncomfortable. In times like this, you’re supposed to do something strenuous enough to make yourself tired, but I just didn’t feel like it. So I stayed up all night.”

Astric merely nodded. Ivan continued chatting as if he were talking to a close friend. In that sense, he was talkative in a way completely different from Sheniba.

“So I asked some close companions to exercise in my place. Well, ‘close companions’ is probably an outdated term. It seems the two of them think they’re close companions only with each other, not with me…….”

At that, Astric lifted his gaze to look at Ivan. His blue eyes shone with a clear light, as though he had been waiting for that very moment.

“Crewmates are supposed to respect each other. I don’t like comrades who don’t respect me. Why is it that all the people I give my heart to never respect me, Ente.”

Ivan’s face as he said that looked as though he were begging to be pitied, and Astric found himself at a loss for words. To be honest, he couldn’t understand what Ivan was even talking about right now.

All he could think was that Ivan must have been hurt or disappointed by something involving Krok and Kinta. After all, those two were the only pirates Ivan could reasonably be called close to.

If he kept listening to Ivan any longer, Astric was certain he would be exhausted before he even had the chance to follow Valerius. He reached out, intending to pass by Ivan and enter the large bath.

But at that moment.

“Mmm. Not yet, Ente.”

Ivan gently caught Astric’s wrist and shook his head. Just as Astric tried to pull his hand free, a strange sound came from inside the bathhouse.

“Ugh…… hhk……! Ah, ngh……!”

Agonized moans and wet, slapping sounds echoed from within. When Astric’s pupils trembled from side to side after clearly hearing it, Ivan smiled softly. Then, extending the finger that held Astric’s wrist, he lightly tickled beneath it and asked,

“Ente, you can hear that, right?”

For an instant, Ivan’s voice sounded sickeningly gentle.

Only then did Astric realize what Ivan had meant by “exercise,” and why he had stayed up all night guarding the entrance to the bathhouse. His face drained completely of color.

Astric instinctively stepped backward, but Ivan held his wrist tightly and did not let go. Leaning closer to Astric’s ear, Ivan asked in a clearer voice than before,

“I asked if you can hear it, Ente.”

Astric swallowed dryly and nodded. The thought that he must not provoke Ivan any further took complete control of his mind.

Ivan was not sane.

Calling that kind of act “exercise,” and saying he had asked his comrades to do it, was proof enough that something was wrong with his head.

Seemingly satisfied that Astric had answered, even if only by nodding, Ivan released his wrist. Then, as if he had been waiting for it, he grabbed Astric’s shoulder as Astric tried to flee.

“Aren’t you curious? About what’s happening inside.”

Without waiting for Astric’s response, Ivan flung the door to the bathhouse wide open.

Krok, sprawled face down on the floor and groaning, and Kinta, moving intensely behind him, both turned their heads.

Seeing the miserable state of the two of them, Astric couldn’t bring himself to close his mouth. It was no wonder. Krok’s face, usually so smug and domineering, looked much like Kinta’s had before.

Both corners of his lips were torn badly enough to bleed, his eyes were swollen like a carp’s, and bruises covered his face. On top of that, his nose was bleeding, leaving his body smeared with blood.

Kinta’s condition was just as horrific. Blood streamed from his nose, his eyes were badly swollen, and his face and body were covered in dark bruises.

But even more striking was how excessively gaunt his face had become in just one night. Kinta stared blankly at Ivan and Astric.

Ivan fixed his gaze on Astric’s horrified face and asked casually,

“Krok, how many times did you help him, Kinta?”

“S, se, seven times…….”

“Hm. That means there are still three left. At this rate, will you even finish today? If this keeps up, other comrades might see the state you’re in…… that would be troublesome, wouldn’t it, Krok.”

At Ivan’s words, Kinta and Krok both trembled violently. Krok let out a sound like a wounded animal crying.

“I, I, it’s just…… it’s not coming out well. S, sorry, Ivan.”

Even as Kinta whimpered in a trembling voice, Ivan pressed his cheek against Astric’s head and rubbed against him. Then, letting out a deep sigh, he asked for Astric’s understanding in a gentle tone.

“Just a moment, Ente.”

Before Astric could even react, Ivan strode over to the two of them. Without hesitation, he grabbed Krok by the hair and slapped his cheek hard.

A loud, wet smack echoed as Krok’s head snapped to the side.

The blow was so strong that Astric’s ears rang. Faced with the unbelievable scene unfolding before him, Astric clenched his fists and swallowed dryly.

Moments later, Krok’s head dropped limply onto the hard bathhouse floor. Ivan stepped on Krok’s head, grinding it under his foot, and spoke in an irritated tone.

“You should help your comrades properly, Krok. Even if it’s a hole that’s so worn it could fit a bottle, you still need to tighten it properly. Are you planning to do this all day? Aren’t you going to lift your hips?”

With that, Krok let out ragged breaths and slowly began to move. He soon planted his trembling knees on the floor and raised his hips.

When Kinta hesitated, glancing toward Astric, Ivan’s gaze shifted to him instead.

“Kinta, do you need my help too? I made it so you could do it properly, so why aren’t you moving.”

Only then did Kinta shake his head and start moving. He roughly stroked his withered length with his hand. When it half hardened, Kinta did not hesitate and thrust it into Krok.

As Kinta began moving his hips even more violently and roughly than before, Krok screamed in agony.

“K, ngh……! Ah, hhk……!”

He slammed his head against the floor and clutched it with both hands. Astric couldn’t even blink at the sight of how unbearable his suffering looked.

Behind Krok’s straining thighs, dark red blood flowed. The moment Astric saw that, he could endure no more and turned to leave the bathhouse.

At some point, Ivan had come close and draped an arm over Astric’s shoulder, greeting him in a friendly tone as if speaking to a friend.

“You said you were curious. Did you enjoy the show? It must have been disgusting, so good job enduring it. Let’s see each other again next time, Ente.”

He even waved at Astric in farewell. Soon, the door to the bathhouse Astric had fled from closed shut. Even through the firmly closed door, Krok’s moans could still be faintly heard. Ivan said something more after that, but Astric no longer wanted to listen.

Astric gave up on washing, returned to the room, and changed his clothes roughly. Then he headed downstairs as if fleeing. Since he didn’t know when Valerius would appear, he planned to wait aimlessly.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the moment Astric stepped onto the ground floor, he ran into Valerius.

Valerius had already finished preparing and was moving around the first floor. When he noticed Astric’s face, which was several times paler than usual, he clicked his tongue.

“What in the world…… why do you look like that?”

“I didn’t sleep very well.”

Astric replied while avoiding his gaze. Valerius looked down at him silently, his eyes saying that he understood well enough, then turned and said,

“Follow me.”

Were they leaving immediately? Astric followed him hesitantly.

However, the place Valerius took him was not outside the inn, but to his own room.

Astric widened his eyes as he looked at Valerius’s room. The comfortably sized room even had a private bath.

“Wash up there and come out. It annoys me to drag around an errand runner who looks like this.”

After saying that, Valerius left the room.

Astric stood there blankly, staring at the spot where Valerius had been, before staggering into the bath and quietly washing himself.

---

Thanks to Valerius’s consideration, Astric was able to wash properly. Looking far more presentable than before, he was able to follow behind him again.

Valerius took Astric to a large warehouse. It was massive enough to rival the Scepter itself. When the man standing in front of it spotted the two of them, he hurried over in a fluster.

“Oh my, you’ve arrived!”

It was the man who had spoken familiarly with Valerius in the dining hall the day before.

“Hyron, the goods.”

Astric looked at the man addressed by the name Hyron. Just like the day before, he was laughing heartily with accessories dangling all over his body.

“I’ve prepared everything perfectly. Now then, please follow me this way.”

The place Hyron led them to was deep inside a massive warehouse. Inside, various ships were lined up in rows. They looked smaller than the Scepter, but compared to ordinary vessels, none of them could be called small. Moreover, every ship appeared solid and sturdily built.

With the Scepter already in their possession, did they really need another ship? The thought crossed Astric’s mind. Keeping a careful eye on the interior of the warehouse, he followed behind Hyron. The excited Hyron eventually stopped in front of a cannon.

“Now, this right here is the item. Its power is at least twice that of the previous one. I’ve named this beauty ‘Leviathan’s Tear.’ What do you think?”

“Useless.”

“Ahem……. In any case, I can guarantee its power. Well, the Captain knows the quality of our goods better than anyone.”

Astric stared blankly at the cannon with the tacky name ‘Leviathan’s Tear.’ Painted black, the cannon’s body was larger than Astric himself. So Hyron was an arms dealer, and Valerius had been trading weapons with him on a regular basis.

“If you purchase it this time, I can give you a special price. You’ll keep this confidential from others, of course…… you know how it is. I owe you a debt, Captain, so consider this my way of repaying it. Please, keep it between us.”

“Enough.”

Valerius brushed Hyron aside as he fawned in front of him and carefully inspected every part of the cannon.

Astric alternated his gaze between Valerius, the cannon, and Hyron, who was smiling leisurely beside them, before lowering his eyes. The navy, no, the Empire strictly prohibited selling weapons to pirates.

If discovered, it was treated as a grave crime punishable by execution. And yet such an illegal transaction was being carried out openly in a bustling port.

What was more, Ront Port was unquestionably Imperial territory. Was Willian turning a blind eye even to this? Or was he simply unaware that there were merchants selling weapons to pirates?

Either way, it was a serious problem.

‘To let the eastern seas fall into such a state…… even if it’s for his own gain, how can he just stand by until pirates run rampant like this.’

Astric felt sickened by Willian’s laziness and foolishness. Yet all he could do now was trail behind Valerius and ponder who among them was secretly colluding with Willian. Faced with this bleak reality, Astric clenched his fists and swallowed a sigh.

“It looks fairly usable. Let’s make the deal.”

“Ohhh, a truly wise decision. We’ll load it on the day you set sail. I’ll ask for payment then as well. You know we usually take half in advance, right? This too must remain a secret. If others found out, it would be disastrous.”

Valerius waved Hyron off dismissively and left the warehouse. Astric, who had been lost in thought, hurried after him a moment later.

“Please take care on your way, Captain. And don’t forget to use our trading company again next time.”

Leaving behind Hyron bowing deeply in polite farewell, Valerius and Astric moved on. Their next destination was a restaurant. It was different from the one they had visited the day before. When they entered the reserved private room, Resh was already there, waiting for Valerius.

Resh, who had been sitting back leisurely while sipping tea, narrowed his eyes slightly when he spotted Valerius and Astric.

“Captain, I’ll be with you here, so can’t you send the rookie away?”

Valerius glanced at Astric standing behind him, then took his seat and replied,

“I have something separate for him to do. Leave him.”

“I’ll listen since it’s your word, Captain, but…….”

Resh shot Astric a displeased look, then changed his expression when he noticed someone entering through the door.

“You’re here already, Tywell.”

“Oh, Resh is here too.”

A man wearing an eyepatch over one eye exchanged brief greetings with Resh, then shrugged lightly at Valerius as well.

“It’s been a while, Valerius.”

Instead of replying, Valerius nodded and gestured toward the seat across from him. Once Tywell sat down, the real conversation began.

Listening from behind, Astric learned several things. One was that this man was the captain of the pirate crew Ivan had originally belonged to. Another was that the name of that crew was the Frostfang Pirates.

They were not particularly vital details, but Astric quietly listened on, searching for anything else worth learning.

“So, how’s that guy Ivan doing? What’s he been like lately? I was worried even after sending him off.”

Tywell directed the question at Valerius, but it was Resh who answered.

“Well, he’s still doing whatever he wants and living just fine. If anything, he’s relatively tame.”

Tywell gave an awkward laugh, unsure how to interpret Resh’s words.

“Then what was Ivan like back with the Frostfang Pirates? You can tell me now. Every time I ask, you brush it off and say you’ll explain later. I’m really curious. No matter what, he must’ve been calmer than he is now.”

At Resh’s request, Tywell glanced at Valerius, then let out a sigh. Seeing that Valerius didn’t seem inclined to stop him, he spoke cautiously.

“He was similar there, but he did even more outrageous things.”

“Like what?”

“He was always unpredictable, but not to the point of getting expelled. Then, about a week before he was kicked out, it was like something snapped.”

Tywell paused mid sentence and exhaled heavily.

“He beat up the guys he used to get along with as if mincing meat…… then forced them to have sex with each other. They say it went on for a whole week. Their condition afterward was beyond horrific.”

As if recalling the scene, Tywell shuddered, and Resh frowned and shook his head.

Hearing Tywell’s words from behind Valerius, Astric unknowingly clenched his fists. The shocking scene from that morning resurfaced in his mind. To think he had done the same thing in the Frostfang Pirates as well.

Astric remembered Ivan’s softly smiling face and felt his body tremble.

“That wasn’t all. There was another guy besides Ivan who caused trouble. I don’t know what kind of beef he had with him, but he beat the man to a pulp and then did that behind him too. Is that even human? Even animals wouldn’t go around rutting like that.”

“Ugh…… that’s enough, Tywell. I asked, but if I hear any more, I won’t be able to eat.”

“Hmph. Still, he seems to be behaving himself there. That’s why you say he’s doing well, right? What, do you have him on a leash or something?”

As Tywell probed casually, Valerius replied in a dry tone.

“That’s none of your concern. What about Kuner Bort.”

“Ah, that bastard. As for him…….”

Tywell fell silent as if deep in thought, then opened his mouth. At the unfamiliar name ‘Kuner Bort,’ Astric’s ears perked up. Just as he focused to listen more closely, Resh gestured toward Astric.

“Go outside and call a staff member.”

Though he felt regret at being dismissed before he could hear a proper explanation, Astric did not show it and left the room.

He went down to the lobby, brought a staff member back with him, and returned to the room. However, by the time Astric came back inside, the conversation about the new figure named Kuner Bort had already ended.

Astric turned his gaze away from Resh, who smiled faintly at him. Sheniba’s words suddenly came back to him.

‘Isn’t the reason Ente even got on our ship because of Resh’s influence? From the perspective of someone who knows Resh well, I can’t help thinking he brought you aboard because he had some kind of ulterior motive.’

Now that he thought about it, Perig had been about to reject his application until he heard Resh’s words and changed his mind. At the time, Resh had clearly said that he had already spoken with the Captain.

That meant Valerius had also known that Resh was planning to bring someone into the crew. As the captain, that was only natural, but for some reason, Astric felt uneasy.

Could it be, just as Sheniba had said, that Resh brought him onto the ship with some hidden agenda? Astric glanced at Resh with a suspicious look.

---

After parting ways with Tywell, Valerius and Astric left the restaurant. Resh hurried after them and spoke as if protesting.

“I want to stay with you longer too, Captain, but you don’t want that, do you? I mean, that’s why you keep dumping work on me. Am I wrong?”

“I gave work to Sheniba and the old man too. Stop talking back.”

“I’m not talking back. I’m just saying it’s a shame. Don’t you get that, Captain? You’ve really changed. If you won’t tell me, I’ll go bother old man Lewin instead.”

“Stop being a nuisance and get lost. Ask the old man or don’t, that’s up to you.”

Valerius replied in an annoyed tone, then turned his back and headed off somewhere. As Astric started to follow him, Resh muttered quietly behind them.

“This is strange. The Captain wasn’t like this before. Should I really ask old man Lewin?”

Sensing a certain persistence in that mutter, Astric pretended not to hear and continued following Valerius. It seemed that his meetings with people were finished, as Valerius headed toward the shopping district like he had the day before. He went around various shops, placing orders for goods.

Most of the items he ordered were related to sea monsters. There were poisons said to inflict heavy damage on them, incense they supposedly avoided, and many other weapons and potent toxins said to be lethal to sea monsters.

Of course, from Astric’s perspective, lacking any real knowledge of the sea, the merchants selling these goods all looked like swindlers.

Still, Valerius knew the sea far better than he did, so they were probably trustworthy items.

“Just coat your blade with this poison and pierce a sea monster’s skin. Those huge beasts will drop dead on the spot. This poison is used by famous pirate crews too, so you can buy with confidence. The source of the poison? Ah, that’s a trade secret, so I can’t tell you.”

“And what about this incense?”

“If you burn this incense, all the sea monsters nearby will vanish. Its effect is excellent, but it won’t reach monsters that are too far away, so be careful. The source of the incense is also a trade secret, so please keep that in mind.”

The merchant enthusiastically pitched his goods to the crowd that had gathered like clouds. Just then, Valerius finished his purchase and stepped out of the shop.

Astric hurried to follow him, but a carriage speeding past brushed close to him, startling him and making him stagger.

“Ah……!”

Valerius caught Astric firmly by the shoulder just before he could trip and fall. Frowning, he said,

“What a hassle you are. I can’t tell if I’m dragging around an errand runner or carrying a burden on my back.”

He then took out a handkerchief from his pocket and meticulously wiped the hand that had grabbed Astric. Standing upright again, Astric belatedly bowed his head.

“……Thank you.”

Valerius gave a casual nod and put the handkerchief away. Astric looked aside. Just as Sheniba and Desmond had once mentioned, Valerius seemed extremely sensitive about cleanliness. That was probably why he avoided shaking hands with others.

Astric decided to be deeply grateful that someone so strict about cleanliness had grabbed him. Still, he resolved to be more careful so that nothing like that happened again. If he kept troubling Valerius like this, there was no doubt his role as an errand runner would be taken away.

For the sake of gathering information as well, he planned to be cautious and stay in Valerius’s good graces. The next place Valerius led him to was a bookstore.

Valerius entered a building far larger and cleaner than any bookstore in Crimson Harbor and selected books with practiced familiarity.

‘Does he like books?’

It was not that Astric held strong prejudices against pirates, but he still thought pirates and books did not usually go together. Watching Valerius carefully choose books felt strangely unfamiliar. Come to think of it, their second meeting had also been in a bookstore. Did Valerius remember that?

Hiding his curiosity, Astric stood by the nearby shelves and absentmindedly ran his fingers along the spines of books.

“Why don’t you show off how much of a drifter pirate you are again.”

Valerius, who had come up beside him at some point, teased him. It seemed he remembered meeting Astric in a bookstore as well.

Astric had thought he did not look like a drifter at all, but perhaps a real pirate’s eyes saw things differently. Embarrassed, Astric lowered his gaze, his ears turning red.

“Hopeless.”

Valerius shrugged at Astric, who only looked down without replying, gathered the books, and headed to the counter. After paying for six books, he immediately headed somewhere else.

Astric followed in a fluster, then slowed his steps when he realized Valerius was heading back toward the inn.

Just as Valerius was striding toward the entrance, he suddenly stopped. Astric halted as well and looked up at him. Valerius reached into his pocket and handed something to Astric.

Inside a small glass bottle was a sticky-looking brown liquid. When Astric stared at it in confusion, Valerius spoke.

“It’s poison for sea monsters. Think of it as payment for working as my errand runner.”

“Ah…….”

Astric was flustered. He had never expected Valerius to give him payment. Still, of all things, poison. He accepted the bottle with a conflicted expression.

“Thank you.”

“No need.”

Valerius replied flatly and opened the inn door first. Left alone at the entrance, Astric blinked for a moment before following him inside.

Passing through the noisy dining hall filled with pirates eating dinner, Astric went up the stairs. As he turned the corner of the staircase, he ran straight into Krok coming down from above.

Krok looked utterly miserable. It seemed something similar had happened even after Astric left. His face was split in several places, and there was not a single uninjured spot to be seen.

Moreover, perhaps lacking even the energy to vent his temper, Krok merely glared at Astric menacingly, without trying to pick a fight or grab him by the collar.

As Astric was about to pass by quietly, Krok spoke in a whisper near his ear.

“Who do you think will be next?”

The strangely loaded words made Astric stop in his tracks and look at Krok. However, Krok did not spare Astric even a glance. He simply limped away, continuing on his path. Astric watched Krok’s retreating figure for a moment before turning his head away.

What had he meant by that? Who did he think would be next? Was he cursing Astric, implying that the next turn would be his? Krok’s chilling words left an unpleasant feeling behind, but Astric forced himself to ignore it.

After climbing the stairs and returning to the room, Astric looked around. It seemed Sheniba had not returned yet.

It was already close to dinner time. Was he still carrying out an errand Valerius had assigned? Astric debated whether to eat first or wait and go together, then decided to wash up for now.

Since Krok had gone downstairs, Ivan and Kinta were probably down there as well. Aside from them, there were no pirates likely to cause trouble in the bathhouse.

Gathering a change of clothes, Astric headed to the large bath with a lighter heart. Fortunately, the bath was empty. Still, the scene from that morning suddenly came to mind, making him uneasy. He quickly finished bathing and returned to the room.

As he was drying his hair with a towel, Sheniba opened the door and came in.

“You’re back?”

“Yeeees…….”

Sheniba answered with his voice drawn out, his face clearly exhausted. He swayed unsteadily as he approached Astric, as if he barely had the strength to walk.

What on earth had he been doing to look so worn out? Curious as he was, Astric did not ask and instead spoke gently to him.

“You look really tired. Are you okay?”

“Is it that obvious even to you, Ente?”

“Yes, well…….”

“Haaa…… yeah, I’m tired. It’s a job that requires running around a lot, and after moving nonstop, I’m completely drained. There are quite a few people I have to meet for work, so it’s even more exhausting. Still, it’s something the Captain ordered, so I have to do it properly. I want to do it without any shortcomings, so I keep pushing myself too hard.”

Seeing Sheniba take his responsibilities so seriously despite being younger made Astric feel strangely concerned. He awkwardly patted Sheniba’s shoulder, his eyes already half unfocused, and said,

“I don’t know what kind of work it is, but…… don’t push yourself too hard, Sheniba. Following the Captain’s orders is important, but you need to be healthy to do that.”

At his words, Sheniba blinked slowly, then suddenly threw himself into Astric’s arms. In a deeply moved voice, he said,

“Only you really care about me, Ente……! The Captain just piles work on me and doesn’t seem to care how hard it is for me, but you’re different. Uncle Desmond ignores me all the time too, but you’re really different……!”

It felt as though he had suddenly gained a spoiled youngest sibling. Astric smiled faintly and carefully patted Sheniba’s back. Only after some time did Sheniba pull away, rubbing his eyes.

“I’ll go wash up first. I think eating after that will feel better. You can eat first if you want, Ente.”

“Then I’ll just save us a seat. Take your time washing.”

Astric put the towel he had been using into the laundry basket and went downstairs. The dining hall was packed with pirates loudly eating and drinking. He chose a suitable spot to sit and looked around.

That was when he saw Krok, Kinta, and Ivan sitting at one table, eating together.

The atmosphere around Ivan’s group felt strange. Unlike the pirates laughing and chatting loudly elsewhere, those sitting near Ivan’s group could barely eat, too busy watching their expressions.

Krok and Kinta seemed to have no appetite, barely touching their food as they watched Ivan closely. The only one eating normally was Ivan himself.

It was a grotesque scene, one that made the internal dynamics of the pirate crew immediately clear. The other pirates at the same table looked uncomfortable, unable to even change seats for fear of drawing Ivan’s attention.

Not wanting to risk making eye contact with Ivan, Astric turned his gaze away. That was when he spotted Valerius sitting with an unfamiliar old man rather than Resh.

‘……Who is that?’

The other pirates did not seem to pay them any attention. Was it a familiar face? As Astric tilted his head in confusion, someone approached him. Assuming it was Sheniba, Astric lifted his head.

“Sheni……”

His words died on his lips. The person who had come to his table was not Sheniba, but Ivan. Ivan looked down at him with a faint smile.

“Hello, Ente. We meet again.”

Greeting him in a gentle voice, Ivan sat in the seat Sheniba had left empty, propped his chin on his hand, and asked,

“You must be hungry. Why aren’t you eating?”

His tone was overly familiar. He glanced briefly toward where Kinta and Krok were sitting, as if checking whether they were eating properly, which sent an involuntary chill down Astric’s spine. Avoiding Ivan’s gaze, Astric answered,

“……I’m waiting for Sheniba.”

“Ah, Sheniba.”

Ivan murmured Sheniba’s name as if in admiration, then fell silent. He closed his mouth, looking thoughtful, and only after a long moment did he mutter,

“Sheniba is lucky. Having a good comrade like you who waits to eat together. My comrades don’t care whether I’m around or not. They’re always busy eating among themselves. Sheniba really is lucky.”

With an air that seemed almost pitiful, Ivan went on. Astric pressed his lips together. Ivan did not appear to expect an answer and continued speaking regardless.

“Just look at my comrades, Ente. They’re eating without a care even though I’m not there. Even small things should be met with respect and consideration between comrades. It seems they lack even the basics.”

As if his mood were souring, Ivan’s tone gradually grew colder.

“Come to think of it, those two have never waited for me even once. How can comrades treat each other like that? I’m always the one considering Krok and Kinta. That’s unfair, isn’t it, Ente?”

Ivan looked at Astric as if seeking agreement. Afraid that staying silent might invite trouble, Astric awkwardly opened his mouth.

“Well…… I suppose it could feel that way.”

“Mm.”

At Astric’s answer, Ivan let out a low hum. He stared at Astric for a moment, then smiled faintly and whispered,

“Ente, you’re too kind. You don’t have to be nice to Krok and Kinta.”

“……”

“If you just say the word to me, I’d be more than happy to help you. Try saying it, Ente. ‘Ivan, make sure Krok and Kinta never pull that kind of thing again.’ Just say it.”

Astric was trying to figure out how to escape from Ivan, who was pressing him to ask for help, when Sheniba came down to the dining hall at just the right moment and approached him. Seeing Ivan sitting in Astric’s seat, Sheniba tilted his head.

“Ente, I’m here. Sorry for making you wait. But is Ivan already done eating and resting? Ah, I’m starving. Ente, let’s order quickly. Do you want to try ordering today?”

It looked as though Sheniba was deliberately trying to pull Astric out of his seat. Ivan, who had been sitting quietly, turned his head and stared straight at Sheniba.

Clear displeasure surfaced in his blue eyes. He stared coldly at Sheniba without saying a word, then let out a low hum. As if he had no regrets, he stood up.

“I’ll get going first, Ente. Enjoy your meal. You too, Sheniba.”

The way he said Sheniba’s name sounded oddly chilly, but Sheniba did not seem to care and simply waved with a smile. After confirming that Ivan had gone upstairs, Sheniba let out a sigh of relief.

“Ah, thank goodness. But how did you end up sitting with Ivan? I was so surprised when I came down. Since when did you get close to Ivan? You know you shouldn’t get close to him. Nothing happened between you two, right? Really, nothing happened?”

As Sheniba fussed and pressed him with questions, Astric gave an awkward smile.

“You must be hungry. Let’s order food first.”

“Oh, right. Let’s order first and talk after. You have to tell me everything, okay?”

Astric nodded at Sheniba’s unusually firm tone. Sheniba called over a staff member, ordered several dishes, then turned his gaze back to Astric. Unable to withstand that persistence, Astric puckered his lips briefly and finally began to speak.

“Actually, this morning I went to the large bath and ran into Ivan. He was standing there like he was guarding the place. So……”

While keeping an eye on Krok and Kinta sitting farther away, Astric told Sheniba what had happened at the bathhouse. Though his voice was low, Sheniba heard every word clearly and stared at him with a horrified expression.

“H, how did you get out safely? Did Ivan really just let you go?”

“Yes…… well…….”

“That’s a relief, but…… I really don’t know why something like that keeps happening to you, Ente. So that’s why Krok looked like that. Even when we first docked at Ront Port, his walk was strange. That must have been why. Oh my goodness……”

Sheniba shook his head vigorously, saying it was the first time Ivan had ever punished Krok in that way.

“Ugh, this has to stay a secret from Uncle Desmond. If he found out, he’d be shocked out of his mind.”

“Okay. But Desmond isn’t here, is he?”

“Oh, Uncle Desmond’s mother lives in Ront Port. So whenever we dock here, he’s usually there.”

“I see.”

Astric nodded.

“But are you okay, Sheniba? Ivan’s tone earlier didn’t sound very good……”

When Astric asked worriedly, Sheniba smiled brightly and replied,

“You don’t need to worry. I’ll be fine. The Captain has my back, so no matter how scary Ivan is, he can’t touch me. ……Huh?”

Sheniba, who had been looking around as if searching for Valerius, suddenly widened his eyes as if he had spotted something. He jumped to his feet and looked at Astric.

“Ente, that person over there is Grandpa Lewin. This is perfect timing. I was so disappointed I couldn’t introduce you last time because of the storm. We’re lucky. Get up, Ente.”

Urged along by Sheniba, Astric rose unsteadily and followed him toward Valerius’s table. Sheniba tapped the table where Lewin was sitting with his index finger and introduced Astric.

“Grandpa, this is Ente, the new recruit. He’s so thoughtful and kind, you wouldn’t believe it.”

Lewin looked back and forth between Sheniba and Astric with slightly surprised eyes, then smiled warmly.

“Nice to meet you, Ente. I’m Lewin, the helmsman of the Scepter. You can just call me Grandpa.”