Volume 3 Chapter 28 (1/2)
Chapter 3 Episode 28
*unedited*
Editor:
”I see... So you come back nonchalantly just like that?”
Saying that, the woman gulped the alcohol from the beer mug.
She had blonde hair that had been exposed to the salt breeze. She was not ugly but her face can be considered as mediocre. She had a small breast on her chest, making her charm as a woman quite lacking.
However, despite being like that, no man would go against her in this town.
She had survived in the world dominated by men. She possessed sharp eyes and intimidating aura around her.
And her name is Luida
Just like Henry, she had nickname circulated among the people of the town, and that nickname was 'Sea Snake'.
”Does the shark came back just to be barbequed? I never thought that you would bring such story in this place...”
The man with bald head sitting across Henry muttered such words as if in sync with Luida's words.
His name is Andre.
He was a man boasting thick arms and nicknamed as the 'Tsunami'.
His sharp eyes looked at Henry while he tapped his bald head with his hand.
The three people surrounded the roundtable were the ruler of this town, also a captain of their own pirates' group.
They used Galleon s.h.i.+ps type as their flags.h.i.+p, also they commanded several medium s.h.i.+ps such as Caravel s.h.i.+p and Carrack's s.h.i.+p, and several others small s.h.i.+ps... Those s.h.i.+ps were operated around the Wortenia peninsula.
Today was the regular meeting held once a month.
It was an important meeting where they would be decided the future policy of the town.
And right now, the biggest problem on the table was regarding Mikos.h.i.+ba Ryouma who had become the owner of the peninsula.
They had made a base in the peninsula because it was abandoned by the country.
And now official authority had come to the peninsula. Which they could not ignore.
”Do you really think like that?”
It was a calm voice.
(Well, it was natural for them to feel suspicious like this... If I were in their position I would also felt suspicious about this kind of story...)
Such thought calmed down Henry's heart.
Ludia shrugged her shoulders and Andre just kept silence after they heard Henry's respond.
They both understood Henry's ability.
Henry was one of the bosses who handled this barren city.
Thus his ability was something no one can refute. Since there's no such a thing as a n.o.ble privilege in this town.
If Henry's power decline and he became weaker compared to others, he would already be dead and his dead body would have been thrown into the sea.
For him to stay alive in this town. was a testament to Henry's ability. -
”I've done everything I can do right now. Certainly, I also thought of landing but, I was unable to throw away the possibility of it being a trap as well.”
Henry glanced at the two people as if asking them whether there were complaints in his judgment.
The three people gaze clashed.
”A trap huh... Indeed that might be possible.”
”That possibility itself means that b.a.s.t.a.r.d called Mikos.h.i.+ba was a cautious person...”
”Right...”
Finally, the three people fell into silence.
Such long silence ruled the room.
The problem now was what they should do. Depending on their decision, their destiny can be changed.
”Should we attack them decisively? The enemy numbers are around 300 right...? If we go and fight them together, we could bring more than five hundred. The prospect of victory is high even if we use brute force, don't you think so?”
Andre was the most hot-blooded person among them, and he proposed a frontal attack.
His nickname of 'Tsunami' came from the way he attacked his enemy.
He would draw near his prey quietly like a falling tide, and then struck his prey with overwhelming force. <tln: when=”” tsunami=”” happen,=”” usually=”” the=”” tide=”” would=”” be=”” pulled=”” several=”” hundred=”” meters=”” away=”” from=”” the=”” beach,=”” before=”” the=”” wave=”” struck=”” back...=””>
It was not a simple brute force either. He would prepare the surprise attack meticulously. Which it was not easy to do.
Andre became one of the rulers of this town because he had the power to perform such tactic.
However, Henry shook his head toward Andre's suggestion.
”No, making a move unskillfully would be unwise... Performing surprise attack on unprepared enemy aside, this time they might have prepared something, which in turn will make the surprise attack disadvantageous for us instead. Their numbers might be small, but they seemed to have mercenaries among their ranks...”
If it were the normal situation the three of them would take Andre's proposal without any hesitation.
”There's too much uncertainty huh? If that the case then, what should we do?”
Although Andre proposal was being declined, because the one who did it was Henry, he seemed didn't mind it.
Certainly, the number of people serving under Henry was larger, and their combat experience was also abundant.
However, their actual battle experience was mainly at the sea.
When they fight on the sea, they were merciless people who would crawl under the enemy's skin. However, their land battle experience was mostly only when they plundered villages and port town.
And because their aim was to rob, rarely they fought on land.
In addition, their biggest weapon was a surprise attack.
No matter how much they had attacked towns with relaxed security, it would have been impossible for them to attack a well-prepared town head-on.
”Then, what should we do? Keep silent and persist in non-interference?”
Although they were on the same peninsula, their town and the place where Ryouma had built his base were split by a forested area where monsters wander around.
Their town itself was also hidden from people eyes and hard to find due to the town being surrounded by cliffs.
Luida's suggestion was pa.s.sive move, but it was also not wrong.
Her nickname 'sea snake' came from her being able to wait as long as necessary.
”You meant waiting for an opportunity huh?”
Hearing Henry's words, Luida grinned and nodded her head.
There were many people who would choose to move, but only a few people were able to choose to not to move and waited for an opportunity.
The reason why she was able to reign was that she was able to wait quietly until the power of the previous generation wane.
And not only just waiting. She also had been engaged in sc.r.a.pping the power of her predecessors as well as acc.u.mulated her own power and made sure that the opportunity came sooner.
It was like a poison that corrodes the body...
That was the reason why she was called the 'sea snake'.
But then again, Henry shook his head toward her suggestion.
”That move in itself is not wrong but, this time around, I think we should have a negotiation with Baron Mikos.h.i.+ba...”
Hearing his words, Andre and Luida starred at Henry while full of doubt.
That was because, his words was too unexpected for them.
”Negotiation huh... Is it to make Mikos.h.i.+ba drop his guard before we attack him?”
”That sound not bad, but you guys should remember that Mikos.h.i.+ba is wary of us. Besides, if the rumor about him is true then, he is someone that would not drop his guard from just a mere negotiation...”
There was the saying 'big body have little wisdom' but, Andre had more wisdom than average people.
It was a matter of course, since previously he was a trade merchant who had crossed between the continents.
He ended up becoming a pirate due to the huge debt he got after his trade s.h.i.+p was struck by a storm.
Right now he had become a man who had no problem when using rough means but, he was once a man who had built a large wealth.
Due to the many experiences when he was a businessman, among the three people, he was the most capable when it came to ascertaining someone.
From Andre's point of view, Mikos.h.i.+ba Ryouma was a man that was good at the scheme, and he also does not believe in others.
It was not easy to gain trust from such human being.
That was why Andre and the others need to plot something, but Ryouma might end up scheming against them in turn.
However, once again, Henry shook his head.