Chapter 84

When encountering such a high-risk mission, you might think the sailors would shrink back, right?

Well, you’d be wrong. The sign-up process was unprecedentedly enthusiastic, as if the Mediterranean was holding an audition for some “Super Pirate.” The line of people signing up stretched from the upper meeting room all the way to the deck, so long that the captain began to impatiently consider reducing the number of officers on his ship—what was most surprising was that even Leoza joined the line, even getting into a fight with Rick over a spot near the front.

“Take it outside if you’re going to fight, you trash,” the captain said, propping his chin on one hand with a look of disdain. “Shorty, didn’t you claim to have a steadfast, unshakable admiration for my navigator? What are you doing in line?”

Leoza punched Rick hard, sending him flying to the other end of the cabin where he struggled to get up. The red-haired boy spat out a mouthful of blood, his face showing a rare hint of embarrassment as he quickly glanced at a certain paralyzed individual next to the Black Sea Wolf before awkwardly looking away.

“None of your business, you gossip,” the red-haired boy snapped.

Miguel: “?”

“Just looking out for family,” the captain said with a mischievous grin.

“I never considered you my brother!” the kid exploded.

“Good, having a brother like you would probably take ten years off my life.”

The man snapped his fingers, his amber eyes narrowing slightly. His gaze swept over Leoza’s waist, and when he noticed the boy’s unnatural movement to touch his magical compass, a glimmer of understanding flashed in his eyes, followed by a teasing curl of his lips.

Caesar: “Oh, is that so?”

Leoza: “…”

Then Leoza flipped the table and stormed out of the cabin with the gait of an enraged gorilla, his face as red as a freshly picked tomato.

Caesar burst into laughter.

At the captain’s request, a few officers who were near the front reset the table, and the sign-up continued—almost all the officers were unwilling to miss the chance to get up close and personal with a beautiful, non-human creature. These pirates, no matter how high their rank, were still a bunch of thrill-seekers at heart.

…

That night, Miguel sat on the captain’s freshly changed bedsheets, while Caesar lay on his favorite soft pillow, holding a long list of nearly a hundred signatures, silently pondering.

Miguel: “Who do you want to send?”

Caesar: “Rick.”

Miguel: “Reason?”

Caesar glanced at the curious navigator: “Not many people can stay clear-headed in the Mermaid Harbor. Mermaids have a captivating allure, and even juvenile mermaids possess this ability. Just because we can’t hear their voices doesn’t mean they’re actually mute—I need someone who can stay sharp at all times to complete this task. It’s for their own good.”

Miguel: “Then I’ll sign up too. I was completely clear-headed back then; my eyes were only on you when that mermaid tried to drag you away.”

Caesar’s expression remained impassive: “I wasn’t about to be dragged away. Even if you hadn’t shown up, I could’ve killed that mermaid on my own.”

Miguel grinned. Keep lying to yourself.

He gestured toward the sign-up sheet with his chin: “Hurry up and add my name.”

Caesar: “Denied. A cripple should act like a cripple. Someone who needs me to take care of their every need, including eating and shitting, still wants to chase girls?”

Miguel: “…”

Caesar: “Go to sleep. I’m counting to three. One, two—”

The captain’s threats were the ultimate authority. Miguel pouted, flipped over, and angrily pulled the blanket over his head, declaring the conversation over.

Pillow talk, huh? What a load of crap.

…

The next morning, during breakfast with the officers, Caesar announced that the winner of this year’s Super Pirate election was First Mate Rick. For this selection, Caesar had his own set of scoring criteria, and he even shamelessly claimed to be fair and impartial by revealing the scoring process. For example: Rick, position: First Mate. During the last mermaid capture, he remained clear-headed throughout, earning an eight for resistance to mermaid allure; plus one point for having a big package; and another point for the captain’s private favoritism.

Full score: ten. Thus, Rick won.

The pirates: “…”

They couldn’t muster any other expression besides silence. Curious, Miguel pulled the scoring sheet from Caesar’s hand and found his own name at the very bottom of the list, with the captain’s flamboyant handwriting next to it: Miguel, position: Navigator. Cripple. Zero points.

Miguel: “…”

At that moment, the navigator couldn’t help but wonder how a captain with such twisted logic managed to keep these masochistic crew members so devoted to him. To be honest, it was truly a miracle that Big Dog had become captain.

Amidst the resentful gazes of the crew, the honor of the juvenile mermaid’s coming-of-age ceremony fell to First Mate Rick. The red-haired first mate was extremely proud of this honor and spent the entire day’s training in a state of high excitement. During the deck combat drills, he nearly threw his opponent into the sea.

Mermaids are nocturnal creatures; during the day, they’re sluggish and definitely not in the right state for a coming-of-age ceremony. With the full moon just past and the moon not yet completely hidden in the clouds, Caesar decided to seize the opportunity and get this matter resolved quickly. Thus, Rick was scheduled to help the mermaid complete her ceremony that very night.

That afternoon, while everyone was either envious or worried for Rick, Miguel, at the age of twenty, began relearning how to walk. The captain stood behind him, roughly pulling on his arm and demanding he lift his feet. When the man grew impatient, he’d even kick Miguel’s calves with his own feet—absolutely not the temperament of a good teacher. Miguel couldn’t understand why the captain was so keen on teaching him to walk.

After once again being scolded to hell and back for not being able to use his knees properly, Miguel finally couldn’t help but ask why.

“Because I don’t want to carry you around every day,” the man said with a cigarette dangling from his lips, speaking like a complete thug. “You think you’re light?”

“…”

“Learn properly,” the captain barked fiercely. “Today, even if you have to crawl, you’re getting to the cabin door on your own.”

“…”

“Spoiled brat!”

“…”

Holy shit, where did the captain learn this mom-like tone?!

Just as the navigator felt like he was about to break, the man suddenly seemed to remember something and softened his expression. Switching from tough love to gentle persuasion, he lifted Miguel’s chin with his thumb, blowing tobacco-laced breath into the black-haired young man’s face—

“Learn well, and I’ll reward you tonight if you make progress.”

Given the suggestive smile Caesar wore when he said this, Miguel put all his effort into crawling to the door of the captain’s cabin by himself before dinner. When the man picked him up by the waist and carried him over his shoulder, declaring the training session over, the navigator was so moved he almost cried.

“Did I succeed?”

“Yes.”

“Where’s the reward?”

“We’ll talk tonight.”

Talk tonight?

Night was good. Generally speaking, there were many good things one could do at night.

With all sorts of fantasies in his head, Miguel enjoyed an extra-large portion of meat at dinner.

After dinner, the crew dispersed to rest on the deck. Miguel, still slung over Caesar’s shoulder, was about to ask when he could claim his reward when he realized their current path wasn’t quite right—

Going back to the captain’s cabin required heading upward, but now, the captain was carrying him downstairs.

They had arrived at the empty bilge.

And yesterday afternoon, that half-dead mermaid had already been moved by the crew to the bilge of the Wind Fury. At this moment, in a pool of freshly changed, clean seawater, the mermaid was slowly swimming underwater. Mermaids seemed to have a natural attraction to strong men, and when Caesar arrived in the bilge, the mermaid, who hadn’t surfaced all day, rose to the surface, holding a half-dead fish in her hand, stretching her arm to offer it to Caesar.

The nosy navigator hanging over the captain’s shoulder: “She’s showing affection.”

Caesar stopped, turned around helplessly, took the half-dead fish from the mermaid, and shoved it into Miguel’s hand.

Miguel, now holding a slippery, half-dead fish with his hands covered in fishy slime: “…”

Caesar carried Miguel up an iron ladder attached to the cabin wall. Like triggering a mechanism, when the man kicked a spot where the wood color was slightly different, a wooden door connected by chains swung open—

It was only then that Miguel discovered there was a resting compartment in the bilge, slightly higher than the pool, large enough to fit two adult men. Inside was a simple table and two beds, with a candlestick on the table that seemed to have just been extinguished.

“A place for the night watch to take turns resting,” Caesar explained with a straight face in response to Miguel’s shocked expression. “Get ready, we’re sleeping here tonight.”

“Huh?” Miguel looked momentarily stunned. “But isn’t Rick—”

“Yes,” Caesar said. “I’m not comfortable with it, so I’ll be keeping an eye on the whole thing.”

Once again, Miguel was shocked by the captain’s excessive concern and twisted logic.

The captain’s face remained expressionless: “You seem surprised.”

“…Of course I’m surprised. You’re actually spying on them—wait, wait, wait, will Rick agree to this?!”

“Probably not,” Caesar said matter-of-factly. “So I didn’t tell him. Keep quiet later and don’t disturb them.”

“…”

Miguel suddenly felt grateful for the zero points Big Dog had given him… Having someone else watching while doing that, especially when that someone was Big Dog—just thinking about it made his balls ache so much he felt like he’d never get hard again (…).

Lying on the narrow little bed, Miguel thought about it and realized something else wasn’t quite right—

His beloved was actually planning to hide with him in a cramped space like a pervert, spying on someone else doing that…

What kind of twisted scenario was this?

The navigator’s face fell. He suddenly felt like he’d not only never get hard again but might never love again.