Chapter 97 - Setting Sail, and the Day We Flew (Wishful Thinking)
A convoy of five ships departed from the city of Flucht. We were aboard one of them, a vessel carrying cargo for the Mateo Trading Company. The other ships carried goods for different merchants.
From here, our fleet would travel downriver to the city of Heilong.
The ship we were on resembled a carrack, similar in shape and size to the beached vessel that had become a dungeon. But this ship wasn't solely dependent on the wind in its sails; it could also be propelled by the manpower of oars, like a galley. In practice, the oars were rarely used, especially when traveling downstream, where the wind alone was sufficient for most of the journey. In the event of a battle, the rowers would serve as mercenaries.
I stood on the deck, watching the city of Flucht recede into the distance. The rooftops of the houses seemed to shimmer white as they reflected the sunlight.
The sun was strong, and the wind felt warm on my skin.
Claire joined the members of Levante, gazing at the city view just as we were.
"We will be on the water for some time now," Claire said.
"What do we do at night?"
"Generally, we do not travel at night. We will make port in small towns and anchor there."
"So we'll be sleeping on the ship?" Mizuki asked Claire.
"I will arrange for rooms at an inn. If I am unable to, then I must apologize…"
Claire wore an apologetic expression, but we were just hired hands on a quest to guard the company's caravan. We weren't guests, so it couldn't be helped. Each ship seemed to have a crew of over fifty people. While some would likely remain on board to work, it was hard to imagine that everyone could find lodging in a town smaller than Flucht.
"There are tent villages, but I believe a cabin on the ship would be more comfortable."
As I thought, the inns in the smaller settlements couldn't possibly accommodate everyone.
"I'd be fine camping on the ground," Cecily said. Her face looked a little pale. Come to think of it, she had suffered from carriage sickness. This ship was also rocking, though not as much as the carriage.
"Seasick? You doing okay?"
"I think I'll be fine with this much…"
It wasn't her usual, confident reply. A sense of unease lingered in her voice.
"If you start feeling really sick, let me know."
"Yeah. But if you have a good remedy, I'd like to hear it now."
"You were fine on a horse, right? I'll let you ride on top of me."
Incidentally, the horses and the carriage were not on this ship. They would be loaded with cargo gathered in Flucht and sent back to Richelle. We were to procure a new freight wagon in Heilong.
"…I was a fool for asking."
It seemed my joke did little to lift her spirits.
"Still, this is quite a sight," I said, looking at our ship and the other vessels sailing alongside us. Traveling in a convoy like this was a defensive measure against pirate attacks.
"We can handle aquatic monsters with a single ship, and the pirates we've faced before were small, disorganized groups. However, since the fall of the Old Empire, the area around this river's mouth has become part of the Demon Lord's territory. Demonkin have started assembling fleets and sailing upstream. That said, their pirate ships are typically only seen as far as Heilong; they are not common around Flucht."
Perhaps sensing the direction of my thoughts, Claire began talking about the pirates.
"Do all demonkin ships engage in piracy?"
"Of course not. Most are merchant vessels. Imperial ships also travel to the demonkin's royal capital for trade. But distinguishing them is difficult, as they often use disguises. It is said that ships with a high waterline are more likely to be pirate vessels."
Claire said this jokingly. A high waterline meant the ship had no cargo. Being lighter, it was more maneuverable, and if targeted, escape would be difficult, making a fight unavoidable. The spoils from attacking a merchant ship would then become its cargo.
"On the flip side, do Imperial pirates ever attack demonkin merchant ships?"
"I am sure it happens, but to return to Imperial territory after an attack, they would have to travel upstream."
So they'd be vulnerable to counterattacks while fleeing with their stolen goods.
"How are demonkin different from humans?"
At my question, Maira approached as if she'd been waiting for this moment.
"The most distinct difference between demonkin and humans is the presence of horns. Also, demonkin are generally considered superior in terms of physical ability and mana. Their lifespan is also twice that of humans."
"Doesn't leave much for humans to brag about."
"It is said that humans have a higher reproductive rate. In fact, humanity's reproductive rate is the highest when compared to any other race, not just demonkin."
Well, they did manage to create every race and incur the wrath of a god, I mused, only to realize that everyone's eyes were fixed on me.
"That's because we have guys like Mash…" Aira muttered under her breath.
"Additionally, demonkin do not possess Divine Blessings… special skills, that is," Maira added, trying to smooth over the atmosphere in the room.
"Is that because demonkin are the result of humans and monsters interbreeding?"
I recalled Maira mentioning that monsters couldn't use special skills. The demonkin must have inherited that trait.
"According to legend, yes. …However, we have now seen monsters that can use special skills and even speak."
I took the crescent sword I received from the Crocodile King out of my storage. Despite clashing blades with it countless times in battle, it was completely unchipped. Like my own blade, it seemed to have been forged with a magic seed. It must have been the work of a master smith like Aidan.
"Master, that looks amazing!"
Fam's eyes seemed to sparkle as she spoke. She had an interest in all sorts of things. A strong sense of curiosity, I suppose. Come to think of it, I had noticed that her attacks were becoming less effective against tougher enemies lately.
"Want to try it out?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. It belonged to a friend of mine. It might be best if you used it, Fam."
I offered her the crescent sword. Fam took it.
"…You have friends, Master?"
Was this payback for yesterday? I remembered telling them about the beached ship, but Maira had sworn me to secrecy, so I hadn't mentioned the boss.
"Of course I have friends!"
"I bet it's some kind of pervert."
Aira jumped in with a sharp retort. Was she still mad that I'd given everyone stollen? I felt she'd been a bit cold toward me, and when I looked her way, she hid behind Maira.
"That's right. The two of them tried to strip me naked!"
Maira nodded vigorously in front of Aira. I wished they'd stop showing such sisterly solidarity only at times like these.
""…""
The gazes from Fam and Mizuki turned sharp. Fam held the crescent sword between her fingertips as if touching something filthy and handed it back.
"W-wait, Fam! The owner of that sword was a really good guy! Maira, please, tell her something good about him!"
"…I wouldn't exactly say he was a good person… person? No, a good monster… He was a coward who targeted children, but he was a strong monster."
Maira offered a half-hearted, reluctant follow-up. It was obvious she couldn't care less.
"Master, you befriended a monster? Is this that monster's weapon?"
"That's right. He called himself the Crocodile King. That's why I want you to take good care of it."
"The Crocodile King…"
In contrast to Maira's negative assessment, Fam seemed impressed by the sound of the word 'King.'
Fam took a stance with the crescent sword. As expected of the Crocodile King's equipment, it was considerably heavier than the one-handed sword she had been using, but her level and strength had increased, so it didn't seem to be a problem. I had her equip a shield as well. This one she'd been using since the early days, and it was quite battered.
"I'll switch between them depending on the battle."
"Good idea. We should probably buy you a new shield, though."
I patted her on the head.
"…Mash, I want to do that thing."
Mizuki pointed to the ship's bow and started to pull me along. It was the same thing the Crocodile King had tried to make Maira do.
"Now, whatever could you be talking about?"
I played dumb.
"You can't not know! That scene from the luxury cruise ship movie. I want to do it!"
"The one where they keep playing music as the ship sinks?" I added another layer of feigned ignorance.
"Not that part!"
"Mizuki, you know how that movie ends, right? Isn't that a bad omen?"
"It's fine. The heroine survives!"
"…" So she's only planning on saving herself?
"I'm telling you, it's fine! There are no icebergs here, and they said we're docking at night."
Am I the only one who feels that the more strongly Mizuki denies it, the more likely that exact event is to happen?
"Alright, fine. I'll take you, so close your eyes."
Mizuki placed her hand in my outstretched one and obediently closed her eyes. I gazed at her face. A smile played on her lips. She really seemed to be looking forward to this. As always, her features were beautifully composed. I pulled her close and kissed her.
"Mmph!"
Mizuki's eyes shot open in surprise, and she pulled away from me.
"Wh-wh-what are you doing? Everyone's watching, this is so embarrassing!"
"Huh? Wasn't this the kissing scene?"
"Well, yes, but don't skip ahead! I want to do the part before that!"
"Tch, you're a demanding one…"
I took her hand again. This time, however, she watched me through narrowed eyes.
"I'll do it right this time."
"Okay. Mash… I've actually been looking forward to this ever since I heard we'd be on a ship."
Mizuki closed her eyes. For her, it must be an old movie that was released before she was even born. I wonder what about it captivated her so much. I led her by the hand toward the bow.
"By the way, Mizuki, what were you up to the day before yesterday?"
I asked casually.
"The day before yesterday? After going to the guild, I went into a dungeon with Fang and Doris."
"Don't tell me it was that dungeon that just appeared?"
She shook her head.
"I see. Well, try not to do anything too reckless."
"Don't talk like an old man."
Mizuki pouted.
"…Sorry for being an old fart. But if you're going to do something dangerous, it's better when the whole team is together."
"Okay. If you say so, Mash, I will."
We reached the very tip of the ship. Unfortunately, there wasn't a metal railing we could climb onto. She would have to make do. I had Mizuki stand as close to the edge as possible and spread her arms wide. I held her from behind to make sure she didn't fall into the river.
"Mizuki, you can open your eyes now."
At my words, she slowly opened her eyes. Of course, there was no sensation of flying. The wind was a tailwind, coming from behind us. For a while, the two of us simply watched the scenery drift by.
"Mash, the water's surface is sparkling. It's beautiful."
I wrapped my arms tightly around her from behind. She turned her head, and I leaned in to kiss her. She responded, pressing her lips against mine.
When I led Mizuki back, a line had formed for some reason, with Maira at the front.
"Mash, I'm next!"
"…"
My eyes met with Fam, Cecily, Aira, and finally Claire, who was standing at the very back of the line.
"I-I would also like a turn, please."
"Got it."
I had no choice but to nod. It seemed I would have to do the same thing with every one of them. Deckhands and even people from the other ships were staring, wondering what was going on. A wave of embarrassment washed over me, but I couldn't stop now; they would surely get angry if I only did it with Mizuki.
"…Alright. Maira, you're up."
"Yes!"
With a triumphant, beaming smile, she grasped my hand and closed her eyes. I started to lead her toward the bow, but she wouldn't budge.
"Maira?"
I prompted her.
"You kissed Mizuki right here. Mizuki was angry, but I won't be."
I suddenly remembered that no one besides Mizuki knew the movie this was based on. I had just committed to doing for everyone what I had done with Mizuki.
By the time I finished with Claire, Avea had arrived.
"You want a turn too, Avea?"
"As if!"
Avea's perfectly normal reaction was a relief.
"Still, even if it's the result of your own choices, you've got your hands full."
Had she come to offer sympathy? Noticing my puzzled expression, she smirked.
"This is what I want to do with you."
She tossed me a wooden stick.
"I've called for Beers and Fang, too. Starting today, I'm going to drill you all on how to fight on a ship."
Thank you for reading. To everyone who has liked, bookmarked, and rated this story, thank you very much. It encourages me to keep going. I'll do my best.