Chapter 49: – The First Job to Kill Boredom Is To Beat Up A Gang of Romantically Trained Pirates.
“Haaaaaaaaaaaa …”
It had been a while since we joined the pirate crew. Tia sighed heavily next to me as I continued to peel the vegetables with my practiced hand.
“What’s the matter, Tia? Your hands are still.”
“Hey, Ed. Why are we doing this?”
“Why, because we’re the lowest-ranking rookie, right? At least it’s more like a job than fanning the captain with a big leaf.”
“Yes, but not that! We’ve been doing nothing but chores like cleaning boats and peeling vegetables ever since! Can’t we do something more … like you did before in the first round?”
“Even if you say that…”
I didn’t understand why Tia looked so grumpy, but then again. We were in the middle of a wide ocean. Even if we were to push the job to someone else and try to get out of here, there was no place to escape to.
Rather, because I was assigned to do chores, I didn’t have free time. If we had been treated as guests and not required to do anything, I might have started counting the grains of ship’s wood.
“To be honest, this is how it’s going to be for most of the time this time. We’re supposed to make a port call1 once every month or two, but the rest of the time we’d be on the ship.”
“Ugh, it’s different from what I imagined … pirates are supposed to be more like, you know, awesome adventures and stuff, right?” She asked,
“There may be some who do, but even then they mostly stay on the ship. If we were attacked by magic beasts as often as when we walk on the ground, a wooden ship would sink in no time, wouldn’t it?”
“I know! I know, but …… ugh ………………… …”
Tia peeled vegetables at high speed, trying to contain her uncontrollable anger. T-that’s a lot. However, if she was looking for a change of pace then we could do it on the ship …
“I see a ship!”
Suddenly, from far above deck, a loud voice echoed through the galley, which could be heard even in this secluded area. At the same time, the sound of thunderous footsteps were heard throughout the ship, and Tia’s long ears began to twitch.
“What!? A ship!?” Tia exclaimed,
“Huh? Isn’t that too early?” I said.
“Hey Ed, what’s this? Or rather, don’t we have to go too!?”
“That’s right. Let’s go, Tia!”
I tossed the vegetables in my hand into a nearby basket and started running with Tia’s hand in tow. The deck was already swarming with the sailors, and the captain, Rebecca, was standing on the higher deck.
“Report!” Rebecca said.
“Ah, Nee-san! There is a ship ahead! Five hundred meters to the east-southeast, two ships total …, it looks like one of them is under attack.”
“I told you to call me Captain! The flag?”
“Err, … it’s the Makisu Company that’s being attacked. And the one that’s attacking … Wow, that’s Baroque!”
“The Baroque Theatre Company? That’s good. Full speed ahead! We’re going to make some money!”
“””OH!!!”””
Rebecca’s command caused all the sailors to move in unison. Naturally, it was me and Tia who stayed where we were without moving. The reason was that we, as newcomers, had neither the skill nor the right to operate the ship, and since we couldn’t abandon the ship, we always wore the armor that we received back on the first day.
“Hey Ed, by earning money, do you mean they’re going to start working as a pirate now?” Tia asked.
“Ah, yes. Rejoice, Tia, you can move your body…. Huh?” I said,
“……………………”
“Tia?”
For some reason, Tia’s complexion was not good, even though she was finally free from the cramped work. When I called out to her, Tia replied in a low voice, her jade green eyes conflicted.
“A Pirate’s job is to attack innocent people, take their money and goods, and kill them, isn’t it? I know I have to do it considering my position, but still …”
“…..? Ah, right. Tia doesn’t know.”
“Don’t know what?”
“Fufufu, you’ll find out soon enough.” I said.
I grinned at Tia, who asked anxiously. In the meantime, the ship kept on going and soon reached the flank of the two ships. A ship bearing a black flag with a crest that looked like a skull stuck in a fish hook was constantly throwing hooked rope in an attempt to board, while a ship bearing a flag with a dragon crest with a gold coin added was desperately resisting.
“It looks like we made it just in time. Makisu Company! How much for the cargo and your life?” Rebecca shouted and asked,
“No way, A pirate eater!? Four hundred and forty …. no, five hundred!”
A well-dressed man on a merchant ship answered Rebecca’s call from the deck by gesturing with his hands. The expression on his face was a mixture of bitterness and relief, but it seemed that the price he came up with was to Rebecca’s liking.
“Good price! We have a deal! The enemy is Baroque! Turn around and get on him!” Rebecca commanded.
“HAI!”
Accompanying her command, A reasonably big ship glided on the sea like a living creature and turned around to the opposite side of the merchant vessel, and threw a grappling rope to the enemy ship. The enemy, then, could not afford to be bothered with a merchant ship of inferior strength, and pirates in matching red and white stripes gathered on the port side of the ship.
“Wow, look at them Ed! They’re all wearing the same clothes!” Tia said.
“Yes, But don’t be surprised just yet, okay?” I told her,
“Eee, What more is there?” Tia asked,
“Yes, that’s right. Look, here he comes!”
As I shifted my gaze from Tia to the enemy ship, whose eyes were sparkling with excitement, I saw a middle-aged man with a beard like an anchor, dressed in a fancy pirate outfit as if he were an actor or something, appearing in the most noticeable place on the deck. That alone was quite impressive, but the most striking thing about him was his left hand.
“You, Rebecca! You’re in my way again!” The middle aged man said arrogantly,
“Yo, Pierre. Isn’t it very admirable of you to bring me another profitable scheme?”
“Shut up! Today’s the day I’m going to shove mine up your big ass and make you squeal!”
“Ha! You should at least pull your dagger out of its sheath before you say something like that!”
“Hey, Ed! Look! Look at that!” Tia said.
The cursing with such vulgar content was very pirate-like and made me feel excited, but then Tia got excited and pulled my sleeve, pointing at the captain of the other side and shouting.
“Hands! That man’s hand, it’s a hook!” Tia said.
The other captain’s … Pierre’s left hand had a metal hook that was visible through the long sleeves of his black coat. The other captain’s left hand has a metal hook on the part of the long sleeve of his black coat that can be seen.
“Amazing! I thought people with hooked hands only existed in stories!” Tia exclaimed,
“Well, it would be terribly inconvenient to use your hands as hooks under normal circumstances.” I told her,
In some parts of the world, there existed prosthetic hands that were superior to flesh hands, but of course, metal hooks were not one of them. If such a thing were attached, it would be so cumbersome that it was obvious that even daily life would be difficult for the individual.
“I know. But then why is he using it?” Tia asked.
“That’s what I call romance.” I replied.
“Romance … is deep.”
Tia placed her hand on her chin and began to think about what I had said. Meanwhile, the two ships were closing the distance between them, and soon, with a bang, their hulls collided with each other.
“Now, let the battle begin! Let’s go get ’em!” Rebecca commanded.
“You guys, today’s the day, beat them to death!” Pierre commanded.
“””Ooooooooooooooooooo!!!!””””
At each captain’s words, wild cries echoed through the ships. Pirates in matching clothes and captains with idiotic obsessions. The first battle with the enemy, which could truly be called a theatrical troupe, was thus initiated.
Footnotes
an intermediate port where ships customarily stop for supplies, repairs, or transshipment of cargo