Chapter 76

To be honest, ever since entering this so-called “Mermaid Harbor,” Miguel’s heart had never settled.

He wandered aimlessly among the bustling sailors on the deck like an old man, seemingly trying to dispel something with the lively atmosphere… He felt uneasy, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. It was as if his back was tingling, his heart pounding erratically, and he couldn’t calm down. He looked around in confusion—everyone around him was busily working away, and everything on the deck seemed as normal as ever. Yet, something felt off.

Miguel never considered himself to have thalassophobia, but today was different. When he leaned over the railing of the Wind Fury and looked down into the dark, unfathomable depths, he felt as though something was following their ship. The water trails left by the ship as it cut through the waves seemed different from usual—and those things were hiding beneath those trails, silently swimming, as if waiting with open arms, ready to drag anyone who got too close into the abyss with their cold, slippery limbs.

The air around them was also unusually cold. Even though it was already the tail end of summer in the Mediterranean, the dropping temperatures made it feel as though they had entered early winter. After pulling a long-sleeved shirt from Caesar’s wardrobe and putting it on, Miguel once again had the illusion that they might have left their original world.

The Wind Fury eventually passed through the mist surrounding the island and caught sight of the legendary Mermaid Harbor in its entirety.

It was a massive island, jagged with rocks, devoid of beaches or trees, only a labyrinth of black reefs. The waves crashed against the black rocks, churning up foam, and withered seaweed clung to the rocks, showing no signs of life. Looking up, the sky was perpetually overcast, as if a storm was brewing, yet the sea breeze carried no hint of rain. At the center of the island stood a very tall watchtower, built by who knows whom, but it was clear that it hadn’t been used for at least a hundred years. It stood alone in the middle of this lifeless island, like the cold corpse of a giant.

“Absolutely stunning, blood all over the face—the legendary Mermaid Harbor!” Miguel sneered, shivering as he pulled out another piece of clothing to put on. “I wasn’t expecting it to be sparkling with clear waters and lush greenery, but could it at least resemble something out of a fairy tale? If it weren’t for that damn fish happily swimming around me like I’m its heart’s blood, I’d swear we’ve just stepped into the King of Hell’s palace…”

…

No wonder the navigator was in a bad mood.

The abnormal weather phenomena left him utterly baffled, and for someone like Miguel who relied on this for his livelihood, it was like losing an eye—leaving the young man deeply uneasy.

Leoza shared the same sentiment.

With a loud snap, the red-haired youth cursed as he closed his compass box, declaring that his all-powerful compass, which was supposed to point to “the thing one desires most,” had completely lost its function.

The calmest person on the Wind Fury was undoubtedly Caesar.

Amidst the chaos of his crew, the captain merely smirked and coolly remarked—

“Sleep less, read more.”

With those words, both Miguel and Leoza felt their knees shatter into pieces.

The fleet soon found a relatively less rocky area to drop anchor and dock. The pirates lowered small wooden boats—different from the assault boats used in naval battles, these were simpler in construction, with a deeper draft to carry more cargo. Each boat had a vertical wooden pole with two small hooks, where the first pirate to board could hang their kerosene lamp.

Thus, countless moving kerosene lamps dotted the sea.

As the captain, Caesar’s boat was slightly more luxurious—but only slightly. It was more spacious and cleaner. Naturally, Rick and Miguel boarded this “Mercedes” among the many decrepit boats, while Leoza, with his usual loudness, clamored to join them. The boat rocked as the excited red-haired youth jumped aboard, laughing heartily.

Rick rolled his eyes in exasperation but didn’t say anything to stop him—ever since he’d heard the rumors about himself and Leoza, the red-haired first mate had adopted a “stay as far away as possible” policy and stuck to it firmly. Surprisingly, it was Miguel who stopped Leoza this time. Like a proper lunatic, the black-haired young man tugged at Leoza’s sleeve and told him to “keep it down, don’t shout.”

Caesar, who was sitting at the bow rowing the boat himself, turned back and glanced at his little slave, teasing, “Keep it down? Who are you afraid of disturbing?”

The sound of oars slicing through the water and the splashing of waves became the only melody around them. Miguel was left speechless and eventually closed his mouth, moving closer to the center of the boat for a sense of security.

Seeing that Miguel didn’t retort, which was unusual, Caesar—ever vigilant against anything out of the ordinary—decided to let go of the oars, turned around, and pinched the navigator’s chin. His amber eyes bore into Miguel’s, forcing him to meet his gaze as he slowly said, “What’s wrong with you? Did you turn from a tiger into a cat just by passing through some fog?”

“You’re the cat,” Miguel shot back, understanding that Caesar was mocking his fear of water. He swatted the man’s hand away and grumbled, “Just row the boat.”

Caesar hesitated, staring at him for a moment, until Miguel impatiently kicked him. Only then did he slowly pick up the oars again. By this point, some of the boats had already reached the rocky area. They tied their boats securely to protruding rocks, then made their way through the rocks to the flat ground of the island, where they began setting up camp.

By the time Miguel and the others emerged from the rocky area, some of the crew had already started campfires. Standing close to the crackling, warm fire, Miguel had never felt more grateful for solid ground.

Fires were lit everywhere, as the temperature was so low that spending the night became a challenge. Caesar personally cleared out a spot that could block the wind and serve as a sleeping area, then immediately went off to survey the terrain. Miguel, reluctant to leave the warmth of the fire, had no choice but to follow the captain.

“Mermaids only appear during the full moon,” Caesar said as they walked along the rocky shore. “During the full moon, they surface to breathe, absorb the essence of the moonlight, and seek prey to help them reproduce.”

“Aside from the last part, I’ve heard this exact story about clams,” Miguel scoffed. “On the night of the full moon, the thousand-year-old clams in the Coral Tree Sea open their shells to breathe and absorb the essence of the sun and moon—”

Caesar stopped, turned around, and said coolly, “No backtalk.”

And with that, the battle was over.

Miguel obediently shut his mouth.

The truth no longer mattered. Whatever the captain said was right, even if it was wrong.

Long live the captain.

“Tomorrow night is the full moon. We need to hurry,” Caesar said, looking at Miguel. His voice was low and to the point, cutting off what seemed like an impending objection from Miguel. “I don’t want to wait another month.”

The tone of finality made Miguel frown.

“What’s the rush? We’re not prepared at all. Do you know how to lure those mermaids? Have you figured out how to catch them? Are you sure your plan will work? What can they do? How strong are they? When will they appear? How? Damn it, boss, at least observe them once before making a plan!”

“The singing will attract them,” Caesar said. “When the time comes, I’ll take a group of people to the surface—”

Hmm, why did this plan sound so familiar?

“Big Dog, I’ve seen a mov—uh, read a book where the protagonist did the same thing,” Miguel said flatly. “In the end, every single unlucky bastard on that ship got dragged into the sea to become their husbands…”

After listening in silence, Caesar’s amber eyes seemed to glow even brighter in the darkness. He smiled, reached out, and generously ruffled the black-haired young man’s head. “Then I’ll just go be their husband.”

“Bullshit. You already lost yourself to me. You don’t own yourself anymore.” Miguel smacked the man’s paw away, practically gritting his teeth as he spoke. “I! Don’t! Agree!”

“Don’t worry,” Caesar said, his smile fading. He turned and continued walking, and Miguel had no choice but to follow. He looked up at the man’s tall figure ahead, half-listening to his unrealistic, baseless promises. “There’s no way I’d let a bunch of beasts drag me into the sea…”

“What if they do?!”

“There’s no ‘what if.'”

The man stopped and turned around. The sea breeze in the night ruffled his flaxen hair, and his eyes deepened into a darker amber, filled with something akin to determination or another emotion… It was a complex look, one that was hard to decipher, and Miguel was almost mesmerized—

Until Caesar placed a large, warm hand on his shoulder. Before Miguel could react, the man’s other hand wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer. The hand on his shoulder pressed down firmly, and with a slight shift in footing on the uneven rocks, Miguel stumbled and naturally leaned into him—

The masculine energy between them had never been so close before.

The hand on Miguel’s shoulder finally moved, this time to grip his chin. As the familiar scent closed in, Miguel felt Caesar’s cool lips, chilled by the sea breeze, press against his. In contrast, the man’s hand firmly tilted his chin down, and his hot tongue easily breached Miguel’s defenses, invading his mouth with an undeniable dominance—

The cold sea breeze only made the warmth of their bodies pressed together feel even more vivid and real.

Caesar’s hand never left Miguel’s chin. When they broke the kiss, the man didn’t pull away immediately. As he spoke, his lips still brushed against Miguel’s, his voice low and muffled, as if the kiss had never ended. He said a few things that sent Miguel’s blood boiling—

He said, “Stop complaining that my memory only lasts seven seconds.”

He said, “I always keep my word.”

And he said, “Consider this a deposit. The rest, we’ll settle when I get back.”