"Baron Jitbelt, I leave the fleet in your hands."
"Look forward to the good news, Viscount Emlin. Everyone who jumped off will be grinding their teeth when they see how much profit we generate."
I made that promise to Viscount Emlin, the overseer of this fleet, back at the send-off party in Oyugok. It feels like it was an eternity ago.
"Baron-sama, the mana barrier isn't working!"
"The emergency thrusters too!"
"Incoming report from the engine room! The mana furnace is having incomplete combustion issues!"
We-, no, I was too arrogant. I became complacent due to the calm seas on the way to the Ishlalie Kingdom.
"Fourth and sixth ships have been hit by sea dragon attacks and are sinking!"
"Intercept them with the mana cannons!"
"I told you there's nothing coming in from the furnace!"
"Use your own mana if you have to!"
On the way back, we were beset by several days of unending storms. We lost sight of land and drifted out to unknown waters.
Despite such a huge storm, we managed to keep all ships intact. This was due to the skill of our veteran sailors and the effort of our mages. Not to mention that these are cutting-edge ships equipped with high-output mana furnaces.
If Viscount Emlin didn't lend me the [Guide to Glory], we would have been truly lost at sea and a mutiny may have occurred.
This divine artifact can be used to point out the direction of Oyugok City.
"It's no use! The mana keeps dispersing no matter how much you charge it!"
"Use anything you have! Fire staffs, lightning staffs, I don't care if you have to use bows or harpoons!"
We used the artifact to head straight back to Oyugok. On the way there, we saw this 'city rock', an island with strange ruins on it.
"Third ship, down!"
I was sick of the water 'purified' by the mages, it was barely any different from salt water. Looking for fresh water, I decided to approach the unknown island without thinking to send a scouting vessel.
--That was how we came to this cursed island.
"Seventh ship has been swallowed by a giant sea dragon!"
The mages were the first to notice.
They told me that there was something strange. If I had heeded their warning and investigated the issue, we may have been able to avoid this hellhole.
"Incoming light signals from the second ship: We, Will, Be, The, Shield"
"Return the signal: We, Will, Remember, This."
The second ship explodes, detonating all of the gunpowder on board. It's all thanks to them that our ship avoided getting attacked by the sea dragons.
I had once mocked the second ship's captain as a old fool, but now I just want to punch my past self.
I use my greatsword to cut down the Plesiosaur that had jumped on deck.
"Is our ship the only one that made it out?"
"The fifth ship headed off in a different direction, chased by several sea dragons. They might have escaped, but..."
I bitterly slam my hand on the railing.
But, now is not the time to mourn our heavy losses.
We are not out of danger just yet.
"The mana furnace has been successfully restarted! Mana is back!"
That is good news, but we can't relax.
A sea dragon peeks out of the black smoke of the second ship's explosion.
"I don't care if you need to use all the cores! Wind mage! Propel our sails until they are on the verge of breaking!"
"Understood! ■■■..."
As I listen impatiently to their chant, I use a thunder staff to keep the sea dragons at bay.
Thunder-type spells and magic items are very effective against sea monsters, but we do not have that many due to the rarity of thunder stones.
--How long are they going to take?
I retrain myself from the urge to lash out at them as I continue attacking with the thunder staff.
"...[Full Sail Wind]."
The wind mage finishes his chant and our boat suddenly speeds up.
This wind is fueled by the mana generated in the mana furnace, so it won't stop until we run out of the cores we use as fuel.
And so, we managed to narrowly avoid death thanks to the sacrifice of our comrades.
However, this was still just the start of struggles.
Even after escaping from the magic-sealing island of sea dragons, we were chased by herds of Plesiosaurs and Cannon Skipjacks. We had to continue running even after leaving the Sea Dragon Archipelago.
Eventually, the mana furnace ran out of cores, and the wind mage collapsed from exhaustion.
Luckily, a storm had caused the persistent monsters to finally give up chase. By that time our ship was barely afloat.
The sail was torn up by the Cannon Skipjacks, then shredded by the storm. We ended up running aground on a reef close to an island.
Looking for materials to repair the ship and monster cores to fuel the furnace, we head to the island using the lifeboats.
◆
"Thankfully, the monsters here are fairly weak."
"Indeed. We should be able to maintain this encampment even without support from the mana furnace."
However, nearly half of the sailors lost their lives to monsters and poison in the creation of this encampment.
We had no idea how dangerous the beach could be at night.
"Getting water will be burdensome, but at least we're alive."
"Right, there's no way people could live next to that water source. It's constantly surrounded by monsters."
It's only a matter of time before we run out of our food supplies. Before then, we need to gather enough wood to repair the ship. We also need to figure out how to repair a hole in the bottom of the ship without support from golems. This won't be easy.
Even so, we have a duty to make it out of this alive.
We must deliver these goods to Viscount Emlin. If we fail, it won't just be him in trouble. The families of me and all the other sailors will be doomed.
Also, we must return the favor to the families of those who sacrificed themselves in the second ship. We must make it back to Oyugok.
Then, after several long months--.
◆
"Baron Jitbelt-sama! A ship!"
As I hear the report from the lookout, I nearly jump for joy. However, it is too soon for that.
"What country's ship?"
"No affiliation flag spotted."
Pirates--
"How many?"
"Only a single small vessel."
I look over everyone's faces.
There aren't many of them left, but they are all veteran warriors.
--We'll attack them and take their ship.
That was our plan, until we heard the next report.
"Follow up report! Large vessel spotted behind the small vessel. Shiga Kingdom's flag and Viscount Emlin's flag confirmed!"
"The viscount's rescue squad!"
"We can go back!"
"Praise the gods!"
I was about to smile with the rest of the men, but I noticed something strange.
"Wait, you said the small ship had no flag?"
"Yes, we double-checked and that seems to be the case."
The navigator received another report from the scout via wind magic transmission, and he suddenly went pale.
"The name of the large vessel has been confirmed-- 'SS Glory Singer'. Our ship that ran aground."
There's no more doubt about it.
They are pirates.
How they managed to repair our ship is a mystery, but that's of no concern to us. We'll be taking back what's ours.
"All crew, prepare for combat! We'll raise a smoke signal to lure in the pirates. We're taking back our ship and returning home!"
"""Aye!"""
We hurriedly finish up the final preparations and head over to the beach to watch the approaching pirates.
◆
"So they paused the small ship in the middle of the bay."
"They seem pretty cautious for pirates."
On the other hand, if they're splitting their forces like that, it will be easier to defeat them.
"Strange."
"Indeed. They appear to be transferring crew from the larger ship to the smaller ship."
We continue watching their strange movements using a telescope.
"They appear to be coming ashore now. There are three of them in the rowboat. A black-haired young man, a blonde lady, and a red-haired woman--. The last one is a scale-kin."
"Putting women on a boat... These are pirates, no doubt about it."
A real sailor would never bring women on a boat.
Order needs to be maintained in the harsh environment of a cramped boat. Trying to put men and women in that space would just be suicidal.
I act as the bait, walking out to the open beach and stabbing my greatsword into the sand.
My escort consists of three shield-bearers and the wind mage.
The pirate boy is the first to disembark from the small rowboat.
He has guts, I'll give him that at least.
His clothes are reminiscent of nobility.
Perhaps he is from some ruined noble family.
In that case, I'll greet him as a noble rather than a pirate.
"I am Baron Jitbelt, a noble from the Shiga Kingdom, Oyugok Duchy. For my fierce battles against monsters, I have received the Red Fire Medal."
The black haired boy pauses his step.
"The baron has named himself, next is your turn!"
"I am Honorary Chevalier Satou Pendragon, a noble from Shiga Kingdom, Muno Barony. For defeating a lesser demon at Glurian City, I have received the Azure Flame Medal.
At the words of the wind mage, the young man, Chevalier Pendragon, introduces himself.
"--Azure Flame Medal, you say."
That's the most honorable medal in all of Oyugok.
This boy who is barely even an adult has it?
"Muno Barony is that cursed territory."
"That little boy defeated a lesser demon?"
As I listen to my crew spout rude remarks, I remember my duty.
I don't have time to be surprised.
If they truly are Shiga nobility rather than pirates, then there is room for negotiation. We can ask them to help us get back to Oyugok.
"Sir Pendragon, can you transport us to the trade city Suutandel in the Oyogok Duchy? We are the survivors of Viscount Emlin's trade fleet. Of course, we will grant whatever reward you desire."
"Yes, of course. It must be fate that I found that ship adrift."
The black haired young man immediately accepts my request, as if that was his goal in the first place.
No, wait--
What did he just say?
"Adrift, you say?"
"Yes, the ship had Viscount Emlin's flag on it, so I thought there might be survivors in the surrounding area. I searched for quite a while, and I was relieved to find you on the last island."
Our ship should have a gaping hole in the bottom.
Even if a storm pushed it back out to sea, it should have sunk instantly.
However, he doesn't seem to be lying.
I have good eyes for these things.
"Sir Pendragon, we will begin preparation for departure immediately. I would like you to wait until we are finished."
I ask my crew how long it will take to prepare the water supply.
"Five, no, three days if everyone with the [Item Box] skill helps out."
My reliable subordinates promise that it will only take three days for them to gather enough water for a voyage. Even though the only water source is the spring deep in the forest.
They seem eager to depart immediately, but Sir Pendragon interrupts before I was able to give the order.
"Baron, I believe the ship already contains enough water for the trip to Suutandel."
"I-is that true?"
Sir Pendragon takes out a sea map and starts discussing with the navigator.
--What? What's with this incredibly detailed map?
"S-such a elaborate map."
"It even has the locations of watering holes and monster distributions on each island."
I can understand why the navigator is so impressed.
I've been sailing since I was a mere child, and I've never seen a map this elaborate.
"He's been searching these islands for so long that he was able to create such a map..."
I can't even imagine how much time or men it would take for me to make such a thing.
"Baron, I believe it would take less than ten days to reach Suutandel from here."
As I affirm the navigator's decision, the sailors start cheering.
We depart the next morning. But for now, I take the food and spirits supplied by Sir Pendragon and live like a human for the first time in a long while.
◆
"Raise the anchor!"
"Anchor, raise!
"""Anchor, raise!"""
Sir Pendragon is accompanying us on the SS Glory Singer, but he's acting strange. He watches the work of the sailors as if it was his first time on a ship. I don't know what he finds so interesting about it. He doesn't seem to be interfering or anything, so I just leave him be.
--What, is that?
His ship shows such polished and masterful maneuvers. Those movements are fitting of the word miraculous.
The ship's operation reminds me of the one time, very long ago, that I saw a ship belonging to the fairy-kin.
"Sir Pendragon, your sailors are truly incredible. That amazing steering, that smooth and silent takeoff, I rarely see such impressive feats."
"I'm humbled."
At my praise, Sir Pendragon's facial expression does not change at all.
He appears to be nothing more than a young man, but I sometimes get the feeling that he is as old as me, or possibly even older. They do say that the long lived fairy-kin can change their appearance using magic.
During our voyage, he would continue to surprise us.
For example--.
"This fruit is delicious. What is it?"
"That's dried fruit made from the gold cherries of the Mountain Tree."
--The nobles of Oyugok would pay at least three silvers for a single slice of this mythical fruit, but he hands them out to the sailors as if it was nothing.
Another time--.
"S-something detected at the fore, appears to be Rockhead Bass!"
Rockhead Bass are known for shattering entire ships, but he just watches calmly as they approach us. The leader of the pack tries to attack a sailor, and he impales it with a stone spear. He doesn't even appear to take pride in such a feat, it's as if he was merely squishing an ant.
After we extracted the core and were about to toss the Rockhead Bass back into the sea, he stopped us. He happily takes it back to his own ship and starts a feast on deck with his companions.
At first, I was furious that he was not respecting the dangers of sea travel. But, I soon realized that I was wrong.
There is nothing here that is dangerous to him.
Whenever Sir Pendragon and his companions are attacked, I hear the voices of little children going "Meat~?" and "Grilled fish-san nanodesu". They even look happy as they engage the monsters.
To him and his companions, the dangerous monsters of the sea are nothing more than free food. They made me fully aware of that fact.
And so, protected by these overly reliable escorts, we arrived at the beautiful port of Suutandel.
--Ah, I can finally see my wife and children again.
I'll make sure to share this happiness with my descendants for ages to come.
Of course, I will first spread it to the bards of Oyogok City. Next, I'll get in touch with the writer friend of my uncle, and have him compile the tales of Sir Pendragon's exploits.
The title will be-- "Chevalier Pendragon's Sea Dragon Archipelago Logbook".
Ah yes, the book should be sent throughout Oyugok and Muno when it is complete.
I feel myself getting excited at this young champion making his entry into history.
At that time, I didn't know.
I didn't know about the miracle he had already performed at Oyugok City.
To think I would see the day when Marquis Lloyd and Earl Hoen would be singing his praises in harmony!
As they say, sometimes reality truly is stranger than fiction.
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