Pirates Meet

The morning sun spilled across the deck, and the salty sea breeze carried the smell of sawdust.

The sailors crawled across the deck on all fours, scrubbing it with rags. Kaia stood by the helm and yelled:

"You landlubbers don't know the first thing about anything! Scrub the deck until it's spotless—you should be able to see the blue sky and white clouds in it!"

"I must have been blind to pick you lazy slugs out of Blue Bay Island!"

Arthur drank a cup of rum and forced down the dry, rock-hard bread. The coarse flour scraped his throat, stinging slightly, like swallowing a tree branch whole.

The Age of Navigation was supposedly an "Age of Discovery," with "ships laden with mountains of gold and silver," but the food was nothing to write home about.

The Old Continent was short on grain, and only the nobility could enjoy fresh food, because freshness came at a steep price.

But when sailing the seas, you couldn't catch the fish swimming in them!!!

There was a curse on the open sea: fishing with live bait would bring a shark attack.

Arthur was skeptical, but he respected the customs of the sea.

You couldn't eat another kind of fresh fish, either. They'd even come up with a "fish ban"—eating fresh fish brought bad luck.

Arthur seriously doubted that. Diluting rum with fresh water could quench your thirst, but it couldn't settle your churning stomach.

Hard biscuits crawling with weevils, rotten salt beef glowing green, pea soup congealed into lumps of stone...

He promptly took down the large yellow croaker that had hung by the captain's cabin all night. It had been dead for a whole night, so it wasn't fresh anymore.

"Mickey!"

"Captain!"

Mickey hurried over and took the large yellow croaker from Arthur. Without wasting a word, he took out a knife and cleaned it at the edge of the deck.

Before long, a bonfire was burning on deck, and the large yellow croaker was bubbling in a scalding pot. Buckets of seawater were arranged in a circle around the fire to prevent it from getting out of control.

Mickey called out, "A bowl of fish soup for everyone! The boatswain, the gunner, and the helmsman each get an extra piece of fish."

"Long live the captain!"

The sailors stared at the fish soup, swallowing greedily. Arthur's rations were hardtack; theirs were hardtack crawling with weevils.

They got a little more protein than Arthur, but it was still spoiled food.

Their drinking cups became bowls for fish soup, and each sailor received a cup of steaming broth—the finest seasoning for their otherwise stiff, spoiled dark cuisine.

Half a large yellow croaker lay on a silver platter. Arthur elegantly cut into the fish with his knife and fork, enjoying the steaming meat, though its fishy smell was overpowering.

Perhaps, more than books and the occult, he ought to consider finding a chef.

After a warm breakfast and putting out the wicked fire, the sailor sent to deliver the message returned in a small boat.

The ships flying black pirate flags furled their sails nearby. Their sailors rowed hard, meeting on the open sea.

"Mickey, let's go."

Arthur wiped the grease from his mouth and took Mickey in a small boat to meet the pirate captains.

Captain Rosen of the Giant Catfish Pirate Crew, Captain Harlin of the Tuna Pirate Crew, Captain Tom of the Yellow Croaker Pirate Crew, Captain John of the Jellyfish Pirate Crew, and Captain Poison Needle of the Sea Urchin Pirate Crew.

Captain Poison Needle of the Sea Urchin Pirate Crew had a rather unusual name. His whole body was wrapped in white bandages.

In a word: weird!

"Lord Arthur, why aren't you on Rhine Island enjoying the enchanting dancers? What did you call us here for?"

Captain Rosen hugged a barrel of rum and teased Arthur drunkenly. "I heard that in the north of the Tanmot Continent, healthy slaves are selected and sent to the Old Continent."

"Captain Rosen's drunk," Arthur said, unbothered. "I have a big deal I want to pursue."

"A big deal?"

"Right. We'll attack Rhine Island, plunder the harbor warehouses, and spread the fame of us pirates across the seas!"

Arthur's voice was solemn, his words laced with a hint of temptation. Bolstered by the Moth's power, they stirred the captains' passion and greed.

"I need a reason. Give me one."

Captain Poison Needle of the Sea Urchin Pirate Crew spoke hoarsely, staring straight at Arthur.

Arthur leaned back, resting both hands on the side of the boat, and said calmly:

"The reason is that the Sky Thief robbed the Rhine treasury, and Governor Drew is busy sending people to catch him.

"The Rhine fleet has twelve warships. Its main force has been sent out to search for the thief.

"He can't, won't, and doesn't dare attack the merchant ships docked at Rhine Island. We pirates have no such qualms."

Captain Tom challenged him. "You're a lord ennobled by the Royal Navy. Are you willing to abandon your title for a little wealth?"

"For a little wealth?!!"

Arthur's voice rose a hundredfold. He looked at Captain Tom as if he were an idiot with a donkey's hoof to the head.

"Just think of the spices, cane sugar, jewels, and gold aboard a single cargo ship. Even if we take only one box, how many merchant ships pass through there?"

"If we replace all our ballast with cargo and raise our sails for a port in the Xiya Empire before the damned navy can send reinforcements, we'll live in luxury for decades!"

Arthur casually dangled an enticing offer. "I've been watching their coastal guns and fleet these past few days on Rhine Island."

"If we can catch them by surprise and take control of the coastal guns, then even when the fleet returns, all they'll be able to do is watch us plunder."

His advantage was plain to see. Rhine Island was like an unlocked treasure chest, waiting for some daring pirates to open it.

Captain Rosen was tempted, though still hesitant. He had already offended the Xiya Empire; now he would be making an enemy of the Sun Never Sets Empire, too.

He could only flee to the Portugal Empire and hope its merchant ships weren't too tempting.

"How do we split the spoils afterward?"

Captain John asked an idiotic question.

Arthur said, "How much you can take depends on your ability. We don't have enough men or ships to take everything."

"Getting it out and finding someone to sell it to—that depends on your own ability."

"After we plunder Rhine Island, you still want us to meet up and split the loot? Are you hoping the Royal Navy of Tudor will catch up faster?"

Captain Poison Needle asked again, "Where are you going, Lord Arthur?"

Arthur answered offhandedly, "The new route, of course. There's no Royal Navy out there, and this haul will be enough to buy a secluded island."

"I'll buy some slaves to serve me. An island lord has a lot more freedom and fun than a lord in name only!"

"Fine!"

"We're in!"

"When do we strike?"

"The sooner, the better. The Rhine fleet returns to resupply every two days. They'll be back on the island to resupply today, so we'll attack at dusk in three days."

Arthur added, "You can contact other pirates, but don't let the news leak. Otherwise, don't blame me for chopping them up and feeding them to the sharks!"

"Captain Arthur, you can count on us. We've got plenty of experience plundering. Who'd dare leak the news?"

"We'll send them straight to the bottom of the sea!"

Five pirate ships with plenty of firepower and experienced crews reached an agreement, then set about gathering a few smaller pirate bands.

Arthur's eyes glinted with blazing excitement. That night would be absolutely—

Absolutely thrilling!