Chapter 93

No matter where I look—forward, backward, or sideways—the vast ocean, resembling ashes mixed with blue paint, is hell.

Whenever the wind blows even slightly stronger, the ship we are on shakes violently from side to side, and those who are not tied down with ropes become fish food.

However, if there is no wind on the vast ocean, we cannot move forward and will die of hunger on the water.

Moreover, there are evil pirates around us, waiting for an opportunity to strike, and after months at sea, scurvy and various diseases claim the souls of the crew.

But the real horror isn’t this. It’s…

While I was on lookout duty at the mast, lost in thought, the guy next to me opened his mouth, perhaps out of boredom.

“Those were truly hellish days. Those crazy bastards; they never allowed anyone except the officers to disembark once they brought newcomers aboard. A lifetime without leaving the ship.”

“Don’t even mention it. Back in my day, when ten new recruits came on board, by the end of the year, only one would be left alive. One guy died from scurvy, bleeding profusely from his mouth, two got beaten to death by the deck boss, and three tried to jump off the ship and died hanging from the mast. As for the three who died during a storm because they weren’t tied down… I’ve lost count of how many perished.”

I lightly tapped the back of his head and replied.

“Were you the only one who went through that? Didn’t everyone here come from the same place? Whether it’s a merchant ship or a warship, they’re all the same.”

“Hah, I spent almost a whole year eating moldy bread torn from the moldy parts and mixing rotten water with beer. I think I had salted fish maybe twice a year? Oh right, we never even got paid.”

“Payment? That’s a load of crap. On paydays, the captain would sometimes return from the city after having a good time with a nice courtesan, and we’d get a bit of wine and meat, and that was it.”

“Those bastards really deserve to die.”

Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine.

They put us on this endless sea, not knowing when we could die a dog’s death, while we slept on a net hammock in a cabin smelling of mold or on the deck.

Though we both knew this, we didn’t say it, but if the officers were as crazy as that, there were times when they’d summon a delicate and cute-looking young sailor to the back of the ship, rape him, and then kill him.

A moment later, he said with a laugh.

“But since we’ve been on board here, our fortunes have changed. As long as the food doesn’t run out, we get plenty of bread and beer, and we can have salted fish about twice a week. Plus, as long as the captain and the officers don’t do anything stupid, they don’t hit us.”

“Right, and we’re getting paid too. And this mission is pretty profitable. How much do we get to keep, even as low-ranking members?”

“When we’re this far out, we get one gold coin a month, and when patrolling the coast, we get four silver coins.”

“Double what we usually get. It was a good idea to become pirates.”

“Yeah, if I can just hold out for about four more years, I’ll have enough saved to buy some land and a house, and maybe get married… Hey…”

As he said that, the guy next to me slapped my shoulder.

“Come here, look over there! Isn’t that a ship heading to Maxburg?”

Hurrying over to his side to look across the sea, I could see a ship, small as a human palm, but definitely there.

If we spot a merchant ship or military ship while on lookout duty, there’s a bounty of two gold coins, so today is truly our lucky day.

“Ring the bell! You idiot!”

“If it’s a merchant ship or a military ship, it’s a jackpot! Let’s go!!”

And we shouted at the top of our lungs as we rang the bell with all our might.

“Enemy merchant ship or military ship spotted at nine o’clock! All hands to battle stations!!”

“Let’s go pillage! We’ll seize these guys and make our fortune!! There’s no better time to make money than now!”

With our shouts, all the sailors on the deck and even those sleeping in the cab came out to prepare for battle.

Those handling the sails strained with all their might to unfurl them as fast as possible, while those operating the ballistaes loaded the large arrows with all their strength.

And the captain, who had been in the captain’s cabin, was now standing at the stern, looking towards the enemies.

Moments later, as the sails were fully unfurled, our ship began moving at maximum speed towards the enemy.

“Ahoy!! Let’s devour every one of those arrogant pigs!!”

“Lower your voice! The admiral told us to act like we’re under Croilet Count’s command during the plunder.”

“Then you should stop drinking beer while on duty.”

“Hey, let’s just shout Ahoy! Ahoy! The Dark Flag Pirates are coming for all the treasures in your ship!”

After a while of pursuing, the merchant ship, which had first appeared as a palm-sized figure, started coming into clearer view.

To exaggerate a bit, the ship was as large as a mansion with a garden where nobles lived, flying the flag of Maxburg.

And perhaps because it was a merchant ship with fewer people onboard, their attempts to unfurl the sails seemed very slow.

At this rate, we could probably plunder one ship in no time… Heh heh… After we take one, we’ll need to unload the goods, and I’ll use the money we get here to enjoy a good time with a pretty lady.

As we got about 600 meters closer to the enemy’s ship, the captain commanded us.

“Get down and move to your battle positions!”

By the time we rushed down from the mast and reached our battle positions, the captain went near the bow, drew his thin rapier, and said.

“Anyone who isn’t donning the cuirass given by Lord Croilet should hurry and put one on. Also, we will approach the enemy ship, offer the usual terms of surrender, and then engage in battle. But first, let’s sing a song like true pirates.”

“Wahaha, Captain, you really love that song! Sounds good!”

“On three, everyone together: one, two, three, start!”

Then we began singing in unison.

“Free souls unshackled from the oppression of the captain, we sail the treacherous sea alongside our friends. Cutting through the dark waters, we will rescue those who suffer the same oppression! Let’s go! For beer and gold coins! Also, let’s go! For new friends! And let’s return safely to share beer and meat with those in need!!”

“Ahoy!! All hands to battle readiness!”

Hearing those words, everyone moved to their designated battle positions, and after some time, we had gotten close enough to see each other’s faces.

The enemy was trying their best to flee from us, but there was no way a fully packed merchant ship could escape from us.

As we got even closer, the captain laughed loudly.

“Wahaha, foolish ones shackled to a captain, even now if you surrender, we will accept you as comrades! But if you do not surrender, you officers who have oppressed our friends will not die peacefully!”

At that moment, a fat man dressed in a flamboyant outfit embroidered with golden threads on blue silk emerged and said.

“Pirate monkeys sure have a lot to say! We are the honorable merchants of the Maxburg ducal family; how dare you lowly scum… If you turn back now, I will spare your lives!”

“Oh really? Then try to stop us! All hands battle stations! Fire the ballista, then get ready with the crossbows!”

As those words were said, both our ship and theirs fired ballista bolts at each other.

Naturally, with our superior numbers and equipment, we were able to sink more ballista bolts into their ship, and after that, the soldiers who were not operating the ballistaes shot crossbow bolts at the enemy sailors.

“Argh!”

“My arm! My leg!! No!!!”

“I can’t see my eyes!!! It hurts!!!!”

We didn’t hear any screams from the other side, even though we couldn’t see what was happening after we fired, so it seemed we had won the initial assault.

I quickly stood up to reload my crossbow and prepare for the charge.

With a thin rapier, a shield big enough to cover my body, my crossbow, and a cuirass…

I would surely survive and return safely.

Moments later, the boarding platform hanging off our ship latched onto the enemy ship.

Then the charge leader drew his sword and shouted as he leaped onto the enemy vessel, and we followed suit.

As we boarded the enemy ship, we encountered far fewer scrawny sailors than us, wielding thin swords and shields, ready to face us.

That fat captain was merely hiding in the back, waving his sword around and giving orders.

“Kill those bastards! Fight for the Maxburg family, for the Duke!”

Seeing that guy reminded me of our old captain, who was only concerned with authority.

So, I raised my middle finger at him and said.

“Ahoy! Have you gotten so fat that it’s clouding your head? For sailors like us, it’s better for you, a fool like you, to disappear than for the Duke of Maxburg or Deus to matter!! Just wait there; once we take this ship, I’ll hang you from the mast and let you die slowly!”

Hearing my words, the charge leader smirked and said.

“Those oppressed by the captain, lower your swords, and those enslaved by that wicked oppressor, raise your weapons. Our swords will spill your blood, freeing you. All charge!!!”

At that, some of them lowered their swords and quietly retreated behind us, while the rest charged at us with swords and shields.

I struck down the scrawny one in front of me with my shield, knocking him down, and then I slit the throat of the one behind him.

As I bent down to pull my sword free, a lanky individual nearby shot an arrow at me.

I tried to dodge, but there was no time to avoid it or block it with my arms or legs.

Damn, am I really going to die like this? Well, at least I lived a decent life as a pirate…

But instead of the pain of the arrow digging into my flesh, I merely felt a shock as if someone had punched my chest.

Looking down, luckily, it appeared that the arrow had struck my cuirass, as the tip was dulled.

Then I shot the preloaded crossbow at him, hitting him in the gut, and as the guy behind tried to swing his sword, I struck his chin from below with my shield and killed him.

The guys next to me, who had no battle experience and weren’t even wearing proper armor, began slaughtering the enemy sailors as if they were chopping up vegetables.

After a short period of butchery, we had finally succeeded in capturing the captain and the sailors who had surrendered.

Naturally, upon questioning the captured sailors, the evil captain was proven to be just that…

But our captain stopped us from killing him recklessly, stating that we would not receive bounties if we did, and the junior crew accepted him as one of us.

The captured merchant ship was filled with expensive Romanian ham, top-grade wine from Reinfield, and plenty of lavender and herbs.

As a reward for my significant contributions to capturing the merchant ship, I received five gold coins, with the promise of another four coins if we hand over the captain.

On a regular day, even for substantial contributions, we would be lucky to receive a single gold coin, but under the Count, we managed to earn nine coins in one battle; it really is true—wealth makes a difference.

Over the course of a month, we captured a total of three Romanian merchant ships and I managed to haul back fifteen gold coins.

Now that I’m going back, it’s a month of coastal patrol and rest, so… I should spend a lot of money during my time off.