First Mate

Ian gave the supplies one last check: fresh water, rum, hardtack, jerky, cheese, hammocks, a ring sundial, a compass, a sextant, and everything else they needed.

Milta had already hoisted the ship's flag atop the mainmast. It snapped and fluttered in the wind.

"Captain, I've locked up the tower. Apart from some furniture, there's nothing left behind."

Milta jumped from the shore onto the gunwale and called to Ian, who stood on the quarterdeck.

Ian looked up into the distance. Sunlight bathed the vast blue sea.

He swept a hand through the air. "Hoist the sails! We're setting off!"

At his command, the Leviathan weighed anchor, and its Activated Rope raised the mainsail. With the help of the anchor chain, Milta hoisted the foremast sail.

Amid the hum of the propeller, the warship surged across the sea, driven by its dual power sources.

After the Leviathan had sailed several miles northwest, away from shore, it turned slightly and headed north along the coastline.

Ian gazed blankly northward, his mind drifting back to all the memories he had made at Storm Cape.

At the Leviathan's speed, it would take no more than five or six days to cross over a thousand miles and reach Storm Cape.

He wondered how Rebecca was doing. Rubbing his beard, he wondered if she would even recognize him now.

"Captain! Captain, look!"

Standing on the bow deck's gun platform, Milta held a spyglass and pointed toward the distant shore.

Ian's body and eyesight were far superior to Milta's. He turned to look where Milta was pointing.

Several miles away, not far from the tower, a figure with a pack on his back was running along the shore, waving at them from afar.

Ian's face lit up with delight. "Wawa! Turn around and head back!"

The Leviathan drew an elegant circle across the water and turned back toward the tower.

Grabbing the mast, Ian scrambled up it in a few quick steps. He waved toward the shore, then pointed toward the tower.

The water was shallow along most of the coast, making it unsuitable for a ship to come ashore. The waters beneath the tower's cliff were deep, making them a better place to dock.

The Leviathan made a nimble turn around the peninsula and entered the waters beneath the tower.

A familiar, beautiful figure stood on the shore. She wore leather clothes, with two flintlock pistols at her waist. Backlit by the sun and facing the sea breeze, she smiled brightly, her face free of scars.

Feeling her gaze, Ian grinned. He'd brought along another helper.

Seeing the familiar, sunny smile, Lia felt some of her unease ease.

She couldn't help inspecting the strange ship before her. It had only two sails raised, yet it moved incredibly fast. The strange cannons on its deck weren't mounted along the sides, but in the middle of the ship. Most important of all, the entire ship was deserted. She could see only two people aboard.

The Leviathan eased up to shore. Ian stood by the gunwale and lightly leapt onto land, then held out his hand to Lia, who was still a little stunned. "Welcome aboard, First Mate Lia."

Lia smiled and lightly took Ian's hand. "I look forward to working with you, Captain."

Ian looked at Lia and saw that she had only a small backpack. "Is that all the luggage you brought?"

Lia lifted her chin toward the cliff.

Ian was about to go get it when Milta's voice came from beside them. "I'll get it, Captain."

Milta recognized the woman who had once brought him to meet the captain. Even knowing she'd only done it for Ian's sake, he was still grateful to her.

As he spoke, Milta jumped ashore and quickly ran toward the tower.

Lia was taken aback. "Who is he?"

Milta had changed so much over the past few days—not just in height, build, bearing, and expression, but most of all in the spiritual fluctuations radiating from him.

Ian couldn't resist a teasing smile. "That's Milta. You're the one who brought him here."

Lia's expression stiffened, then turned incredulous. In just a few days, a frail little sailor who'd been kicked off his ship had become an Extraordinary.

Lia looked at Ian in confusion, feeling as though he was teasing her. Ian smiled and nodded to confirm it.

Soon, Milta returned carrying a wooden chest and a large pack. Lia studied him closely and could indeed make out traces of the boy she remembered.

Watching Milta set the chest and pack down by the quarterdeck entrance on the main deck, Lia asked softly, "Did he awaken on his own?"

Ian shook his head slightly.

Lia couldn't help feeling that the whole thing was absurd. The Whaling Group had existed for twenty years and had fewer than twenty Extraordinaries. Most had been recruited, and only a handful had been trained from within.

Even if you were lucky enough to get an expensive Awakening Potion, the chances of awakening your spirituality weren't high. Since when had becoming an Extraordinary gotten so easy?!

Lia took several deep breaths and soon calmed down. The look she gave Ian grew strange.

Was a frail little sailor of uncertain potential worth wasting an Awakening Potion and an Extraordinary Sequence mark on?

She realized she knew far too little about Ian. How was she supposed to describe him? He's actually pretty nice, isn't he?

Ian knew it wasn't just the dramatic change in Milta that had surprised her. The values of their two worlds were different, and it was hard to explain. He didn't intend to try.

Ian smiled to himself with a mischievous glint. There'll be plenty more to surprise you with.

The two of them climbed aboard. Ian pointed toward the distant sea and shouted, "We're off!"

Just as when they'd set off before, Lia stood beside the mainmast, staring blankly at everything. At last, she was sure: this was a ship that didn't need anyone to operate it.

Ian picked up the chest and pack on the quarterdeck and called out to Lia, snapping her out of her daze.

"Come on. I'll show you your room first. I'll explain everything else little by little."

Ian led Lia down the stairs into the first level beneath the main deck. She followed him mechanically.

The quarterdeck was spacious and served as the captain's quarters. The bow deck was small, and Milta was staying there for now.

The rooms beneath the quarterdeck were all fairly spacious single rooms. There were comparatively few shared dormitories with rows of bunks.

Ian chose the room directly beneath the quarterdeck for Lia. Because of the shape of the stern, it was relatively large.

Ian set all of Lia's belongings on the floor and explained the room to her.

"The table, chairs, cabinets, and bed are all fixed in place. The bed is fairly low. If you can't get used to it, or the waves get too rough, you can sleep in the hammock."

"There are fresh bedding and some everyday necessities in the cabinet. If you need anything, ask Milta."

"This little room in the corner is the bathroom."

Ian turned the faucet, and fresh water gushed out. Then he turned it off again.

"This is the freshwater valve. It works like the one for the Breath of the Ocean. You can drink this water directly. It's clean—I've treated it myself."

"This is the flush toilet. You sit down to use it. Well...when the waves are rough, squatting can make a mess of the room. Step on this pedal to flush it."

By now, Lia could barely keep her expression under control. The room was clean and spacious, the air was fresh, and there was a magic lamp powered by Magic Stones, as well as fresh water and a toilet.

She'd grown up aboard ships and knew all too well what conditions were like on board. Stale air, filthy floors, cramped rest areas with room for only a single hammock, and precious freshwater teeming with germs—that was the reality of sailing ships.

Ian knew she had a lot of questions, but continued with the tour for now. "This is the shower. It works the same way, but for now it only has cold water."

Lia couldn't hold back any longer. Frowning, she said, "This is far too wasteful, Trist. We have to keep enough fresh water on board. You never know where the ship might end up after a storm!"

Ian waited for her to finish with a smile. "Lia, we have a hundred tons of fresh water, and there are only two people aboard. Oh, three now that you're here."

"Huh?!"