The waters outside Far-Sail Port
"Be careful. These are all the captain's treasures. If you break even one, watch out—you'll be thrown overboard!"
A large cargo ship was sailing across the sea, with more than a dozen other vessels following before and behind it. None of them, however, was as large as this one.
This cargo ship was clearly the flagship of the caravan. It was slightly larger than the other vessels, and the banner fluttering from its mast was especially conspicuous, embroidered with the emblem of their caravan.
The main cargo ship had three decks. Aside from the first deck, which held the helm and the crew's quarters, the other two were used to store goods.
Yet in one of the cargo holds on the third deck lived a boy. He looked no more than eleven or twelve, thin and frail, as though he had been poorly fed for years. Still, his eyes shone brightly.
He was a very clever boy, but because of his poverty, he could only temporarily shelter in the cargo hold. Even that was already the captain's mercy.
According to Continental Law, a stowaway like him could be thrown into the sea if discovered by the captain.
But considering that he was still only a boy, the captain of this ship had clearly not done so, allowing him to remain in the cargo hold instead.
"Uncle Dum, I know. I'll be careful," the boy answered cautiously.
"Tell me, why are you copying us? Is being a sailor really that wonderful? You don't understand—people like us all hope that one day we can settle down. Who truly wants to live adrift forever?"
The one speaking to the boy was a sailor in his thirties. With his thick beard, he looked rather fierce, but in truth, he