"Although I worked my way up to boatswain aboard the Death Announcer, my old habits kept me from plundering ships and slaughtering civilians as freely as those pirates did. I kept finding ways to avoid doing it, so they gave me a nickname aboard the ship."
"Chik the Coward."
The gray-haired pirate gave a self-deprecating smile, then said, "When I happened to overhear the secret of the Fountain of Youth, I thought a major turning point in my life had come. I wanted to use this opportunity to escape the Death Announcer and rid myself of this damned identity as a pirate."
"But in the end, it proved that I'd failed again. I really am a complete and utter failure."
As he spoke, Chik picked up a glass of beer and gulped it all down.
Sifa patted his shoulder and said, "Then what do you plan to do next? I mean, after you leave this dangerous sea?"
Chik lowered his head. "I don't know. My head's a mess right now."
Sifa coughed into his fist. "If you're willing, you could join us aboard the Explorer. Your extensive experience at sea would be a great help on our adventures."
Chik was a Briber, a mid-Sequence Beyonder. Considering that Levtor's period of service was almost over, bringing Chik aboard would allow the Explorer to maintain its former strength.
Moreover, this pirate, who called himself a failure and had been branded a coward, showed considerable restraint. He had not started robbing and murdering civilians simply because he had fallen into piracy. Maintaining that restraint aboard the Death Announcer was especially rare.
That was why Sifa had invited him to join. If Chik had committed countless atrocities, Sifa would not have minded exchanging the gray-haired pirate for a bounty once they left the Sea