"KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!"
The crisp sound of knocking ca from the wooden door of the house. Outside, Siegert’s voice rang out, "Alka, are you ready? We’re setting sail today."
"Just a mont, I’ll be right there."
Inside the room, Alka had just finished getting ready. He grabbed a piece of bread from the table, shoved it haphazardly into his mouth, chewed twice, and dashed out of the house.
Seeing the bread Alka was munching on, Siegert, who had initially wanted to ask if he had eaten breakfast, swallowed his words. He simply pulled Alka along, saying, "Then let’s hurry. The ship should be setting sail soon."
With that, he led Alka down the path through the small town.
They arrived at the island’s port, t by the salty morning sea breeze and the slightly scorching sunlight. One by one, small fishing boats that could only accommodate two or three people slowly sailed away from the port. The island’s fishing boats usually set out in the morning and might only return in the afternoon or even at night.
Only the two large sailing ships they had seen earlier still remained at the port.
One of them had its cargo hold open. Unfamiliar sailors were carrying bag after bag of wheat into it. A man who looked like a supervisor was watching from the side. "Hold them carefully," he instructed. "Don’t spill any or let them get wet. These are all Golden Wheat."
At this mont, only a few bags of wheat remained stacked on a nearby wooden pallet. It wouldn’t be long before they were all loaded into the ship’s hold.
"This is Uncle Hawls’s rchant ship. You know Uncle Hawls, right?" Siegert said, looking at the sailboat. He patted Alka’s shoulder and jerked his chin, signaling for them to go aboard.
Alka nodded; he rembered the man. He was also an island resident, one Alka often saw at the tavern or around the port. Who would have thought he worked on a rchant ship?
Siegert continued, "Uncle Hawls often ferries goods between the surrounding islands with this ship. Sotis I go along for a trip or two, working as a sailor."
They chatted as they crossed the gangplank and boarded the ship, stepping onto the deck.
"Hurry up, you lazybones! Check if the ropes and locks are secure! And you..." a burly, sowhat rough-looking middle-aged man was yelling at the sailors around him.
Alka didn’t rember seeing him before; he probably wasn’t an island resident. The man wore very ordinary linen short sleeves and shorts, with a sheathed Long Saber at his waist.
When he suddenly saw two people blocking his way and not working, he prepared to scold them too. But then he recognized one. "Ah, it’s Siegert! You’ve co." He smiled, walked over, and embraced Siegert.
Then he noticed Alka beside Siegert. "And this is..."
"This is my brother, Alka," Siegert introduced.
Alka quickly extended his hand. "Alka Ragu, nice to et you."
"Nice to et you too! Siegert’s brother is my brother. Just call Tofor," he said, extending his large palm and shaking Alka’s hand firmly twice. He seed very enthusiastic.
Siegert, standing by, said, "He just ca of age. I’m bringing him onto the ship to broaden his horizons."
Tofor nodded knowingly and chuckled twice. "A man of the sea should be forged in storms and gales, hahaha!"
After a few brief pleasantries, a DING-DONG sound, like a bell ringing, ca from the bow of the ship.
Hearing this sound, Tofor quickly said, "I have work to do, so I must be going." With that, he left.
Alka didn’t even have ti to turn his head when he heard a rough voice shout, "Hoist the sails!"
Siegert pulled Alka forward. "The ship’s about to set off," he said. "It’s going to be bumpy, so grab onto sothing and steady yourself."
Before Alka could grasp the nearby railing, with a WHOOSH, the sails were unfurled. The wind caught the sails, making them billow out and push the sailboat away from the port.
Siegert saw that Alka hadn’t grabbed onto anything to steady himself and imdiately wanted to reach out to him. After all, this was Alka’s first ti on a ship; if he didn’t stand firm, he could easily fall. The rocking and lurching of a sailing ship could easily make soone unaccustod to it tumble over.
Yet before he could reach out, he saw Alka standing as if his legs were nailed to the deck boards. He didn’t sway at all with the ship’s movent.
"Have you been on a ship before?" Siegert asked in surprise.
Alka shook his head. He simply felt that this amount of rocking wasn’t enough to make him lose his balance. Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but touch the Ring on his left thumb.
It seed that at sea, the Ring’s ability to provide balance and coordination was indeed very useful.He hadn’t expected this particular attribute to be the first to let him experience its peculiar power.
At this thought, he couldn’t resist walking around on the deck of the ship, which had not yet fully steadied from its departure. The sensation of moving so steadily on a swaying surface was truly extraordinary.
"Siegert, look at his stance! A natural-born sailor, like an old hand!"
Alka looked toward the source of the voice. A middle-aged man with sowhat ssy hair and a neatly trimd beard peppered with white was striding over. His attire was noticeably different from the other sailors: a brownish-gray leather coat and a hat resembling a captain’s. He had a robust physique, and an ancient-looking Long Saber hung at his waist.
Without waiting for Siegert to respond, he ca up beside Alka, patted his shoulder, and squeezed his shoulder muscle. "Alka, why don’t you co work on my ship? Treasure hunting might not be for you, hahaha!"
This was Hawls, the ship’s captain and also an island resident.
Siegert hurried over, a smug look on his face. "Uncle Hawls," he said in a boastful tone, "you don’t know, do you? Alka is a real Treasure Hunter now!" As he spoke, he proudly patted Alka’s chest. He looked as if he had found the treasure himself. He then recounted how Alka had found the Magician’s treasure a few days ago, even though soone else had gotten to it first.
"Good lad, not bad at all! I didn’t expect you’d actually find it. I really underestimated you before," Hawls said, looking at Alka in a new light.
Who would have thought the kid who loved playing treasure hunting gas had actually beco a real Treasure Hunter?
Alka imdiately burst into laughter. "Not at all, not at all! You’re too kind. It was just a small treasure," he said, his tone boastful.
Seeing Alka was still the sa as ever, Hawls couldn’t help but chuckle and shake his head. He laughed heartily, patted Alka’s shoulder again, and then left.
Siegert pulled Alka toward the stern, heading for the aftcastle. After nodding to a few sailors they passed, they entered a small storeroom. The room was filled with various iron items, like a tool shed. Several wooden racks securely held long Sailor’s Long Sabers.
Siegert went over and selected two rather nice-looking short sabers with sheaths. He took them down and handed one to Alka.
"This is..." Alka began.
Seeing Alka’s confusion, Siegert explained, "This is the sea, and it’s full of dangers. Without a weapon, you can’t protect yourself properly."
Alka took it and examined the Sailor’s Saber in his hand. This Sailor’s Saber was more like a short sword, about a head shorter than an adult’s entire arm. It had a wide, curved blade and a D-shaped guard that extended to the hilt. It was a weapon well-suited for slashing, and its relatively short blade allowed it to be used effectively even in tight spaces. He drew it from its sheath. The edge glinted with a cold, tallic light.
"But I don’t know how to use a weapon," Alka said.
"It’s okay," Siegert said, looking up with a smile as he adjusted the short saber in his own hand. "It’s mainly to boost your courage. If you really face danger, at least you’ll have so confidence, right?"
"Besides," Siegert continued, "with this kind of saber, as long as you know how to swing it, you can cause damage. You don’t need much experience; even wild slashes can hurt an enemy."
Alka nodded. Despite his words, he secretly liked it. After all, it was a real, bladed weapon! He held it, striking a few poses.
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