Final preparations

Today was the day they would bring the Wanderer back, an occasion that meant a great deal to both Lind and the Seventh Division.

So Lind had scheduled no training that day. He planned to take the Seventh Division to collect the Wanderer and give everyone a proper day off.

At the training grounds, many of the early arrivals had already started training on their own.

Once everyone arrived, instead of letting them do as they pleased as usual, Lind called loudly for his men to assemble before him.

Looking over the orderly ranks, Lind paused, then said:

"I've seen how hard everyone has worked lately, and I'm very pleased with the progress you've made."

"Today also happens to be the day our warship, the Wanderer, leaves the shipyard, so I'm giving everyone a day off to get some proper rest!"

"Anyone who wants to welcome the Wanderer with me can come along to the shipyard in a bit!"

"If you don't want to go, you're free to do whatever you like. Rest, keep training, or go drinking at a tavern. Today, your time is entirely your own!"

Seeing their excited expressions, Lind knew just how uncomfortable the relatively strict discipline of the past few weeks had been for these freedom-loving pirates.

Their strength had improved rapidly, but restrictions were still restrictions. In the end, they simply weren't as free!

"You're the best, Boss!"

"Long live the Boss!"

"Boss, I want to come see the Wanderer with you!"

"Me too!"

As those cries rang out, the pirates, who had still looked somewhat disciplined a moment earlier, instantly reverted to their true nature and erupted into a noisy clamor!

Lind wasn't displeased. That was simply how pirates were. He hadn't founded a nation, and for now, he didn't need troops who obeyed every order to the letter.

At the moment, his only requirement for his men was that they could fight!

Lind waited a while before the crowd gradually quieted down, though the excitement on their faces hadn't faded.

"Good. Then everyone who wants to see the Wanderer, come with me to the shipyard!"

With that, Lind led the way toward the shipyard.

Every member of the Seventh Division followed him. Not one chose to go off on their own.

Aside from their respect for their boss, most of them were clearly interested in the Wanderer. In a world with so little entertainment, going to see the ship was the more appealing choice.

Especially since Lind hadn't asked Rex and the others to keep it a secret. Not long after they returned from their last visit, the entire division had heard about the Wanderer.

Everyone was curious about the pirate ship their captain had so painstakingly designed, particularly since it would become their division's flagship.

When they saw the Wanderer again, it looked completely different from their last visit.

The entire ship had been painted blue and white, looking exceptionally beautiful in the sunlight. Combined with its streamlined hull, it almost let them picture it cleaving through the waves.

The cannons had also been installed across the decks. Although Lind felt that cannons were more symbolic than practical against this world's powerful fighters, their menacing appearance certainly made the whole ship look more imposing.

Once aboard, they found that every cabin had been completed, painted in the appropriate colors, and simply furnished.

The shipwrights had even thoughtfully made plenty of matching furniture, including wooden beds, cabinets, tables, and chairs.

The ship was essentially ready to live aboard. With a few finishing touches to the decor and improvements to the facilities, it would be ready for service.

Of course, those were things for Allison to worry about. As the boss, all he had to do was state his requirements.

Lind had to admit that Allison did an excellent job as his secretary. Whenever miscellaneous tasks came up, he could simply hand them over to her and focus on improving his own strength and that of his men.

"Master Yor, thank you so much. This is absolutely the finest ship in the world!"

Lind was extremely satisfied with the Wanderer's refit and freely showered it with praise.

"Here's the final payment for the Wanderer's refit, along with a small token of my appreciation."

Two chests then flew out from behind Lind. One held stacks of Beli, while the other contained six bottles of wine.

"These six bottles are fruit wine I brewed from a miraculous fruit. Not only does it taste wonderful, it also strengthens the body!"

As an agriculture student, Lind might not have been much of a cook, but brewing wine was certainly no problem for him.

He had brewed all this wine during his time surviving on the deserted island. Thanks to his efforts, the island had produced a fairly abundant harvest, and there had been far more fruit than he could eat.

So he had turned it into wine and stored it away. Even now, the basement of his home held dozens of barrels of wine with various effects.

If the habits of his previous life hadn't prompted him to give Master Yor a gift, Lind might have completely forgotten that he still had such a fortune.

"Hahaha! Captain Lind, you're far too kind. I was only doing my job!" Master Yor spoke modestly, but his hands were much more honest. He accepted Lind's gifts without the slightest hesitation.

"Hahaha! Stop looking so envious. There's some for you too! We're having a feast tonight, and everyone can drink their fill!" Noticing the gleam in his men's eyes, Lind laughed.

"All right, we've gotten fairly familiar with the Wanderer. Today, we're taking it out for a spin!"

"Woohoo!"

"Whatever you say, Boss!"

"Set sail!" At Lind's command, the Wanderer slowly left the harbor and headed out to sea.

Soon, the final day of the period Lind had agreed on with Rocks arrived.

Thanks to Lind's generosity, everyone had drunk plenty of Dragon's Blood, the fruit wine he had brewed from Dragon Bananas.

Over those ten days, the Seventh Division's strength had taken another enormous leap, completely exceeding Lind's expectations.

The Wanderer had also undergone its final furnishing and all its tests during those ten days, and the sailors responsible for handling it were now thoroughly familiar with the ship.

Lind could now say that everything was ready. All that remained was to set sail.

A few days earlier, Rocks had also spoken with Lind about his plans for him and assigned the Seventh Division a sizable island as its base.

Lind's first mission after setting sail tomorrow would be to garrison the Seventh Division's base, deter the pirates in that region, and strengthen the Rocks Pirates' control over the New World.

Today was their last chance to prepare before sailing for their base!

"Allison, how are the supplies for our voyage coming along?"

At Lind's villa, he and several officers discussed tomorrow's departure over breakfast.

"Don't worry, Boss. We've stocked plenty of food, water, ammunition, and everyday supplies. There's enough to keep the entire division at sea for at least a month!"

Allison, who had specifically changed into a suit that day, answered from beside him, reminding Lind of the powerful career women he had seen in television dramas in his previous life.

"Hahaha! Excellent. Allison, I know I can count on you!" Lind was thoroughly satisfied with her work as his secretary and didn't hold back his praise.

"Axel, what about the men? Are they all ready to sail?" After praising Allison, Lind turned to Axel to ask about their preparations.

"Don't worry, Boss. The men are all eager to set sail. They've packed their belongings and already put them aboard!"

"After two months of training, everyone's gotten much stronger. Every last one of them wants to head out right now, fight a big battle, and make a name for our Seventh Division!"

As Axel spoke, he began to grow excited himself.

Seeing their excitement, Lind laughed heartily, very pleased with his subordinates' attitude.

"Hahaha! Today's our last day before we sail, and there's nothing else scheduled, so get some proper rest!"

"And check whether there's anything else you need to prepare. I noticed that all your rooms aboard the Wanderer are still pretty empty. There's hardly anything in them!"