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Lil was very curious about what kind of life Ed had.

In terms of power play, the empire is the epitome of discrimination. It wasn’t unreasonable for the Southern people, who are suffering from this discrimination, to think they were no different from the invaders. Lil shared the beliefs that those southerners had, but she noticed that the mainlanders didn’t. However, the word ‘equality’ was regularly mentioned in the empire, which was seeing significant changes in status due to the infusion of gold and capital. But, the equality demanded by the middle class was solely for the purpose of eliminating the nobles and capitalists, other classes were thoroughly excluded from this discussion. 

Lil didn’t know Ed’s exact hometown, but he told her was from the North. She also heard him using a flawless Sesbron accent, so she knew he frequented the capital on the mainland.

‘Does he think that human lives are all the same because he’s a doctor? But…’

The doctors that Lil had met so far did not. Then she remembered the time when she saw traces of torture on his back. 

‘Is it because you’ve also been treated harshly?’ 

Even so, it appeared to be a hasty conclusion. After exhausting all potential explanations, Lil determined there was nothing else she could ascribe Ed’s beliefs to as she simply didn’t know much about him.

Filled with disappointment, she thought to herself.

‘Should I ask him?’ 

“…No way!”

Surprised by Lil’s sudden shout, Jericho woke up in an instant. At the same time, Lil quickly brushed off her stubborn feelings of regret. Jericho with his half-open eyes shook his head and looked up at Lil. He then raised his body, leaned forward and put his head on her thigh. This action was met with a kick in his side from Lil.

“Gosh!”

“What are you doing?!”

“Cap…Captain?!”

Still only half awake, Jericho looked at her with a bewildered expression.

“I told you to keep your seat. Who permitted you to lie down?”

Jericho looked around frantically as if he had finally come to his senses. His eyes were met with sunset everywhere.

“Has it already been half a day?”

“Yes.”

“…What?”

“…”

Jericho lamented while repeatedly hitting his forehead on the desk. He decided to punish himself before Lil could kick him again. 

“…Oh, no, no…” 

Lil spoke inwardly.

“…After all, there were no applicants. You or I, we didn’t meet anyone new…” 

“…”

she stopped his odd self-harm by grabbing his neck.

“Jericho, stop hitting your head and listen to me.”

“Yes?”

“What’s your hometown? Palconae?”

“Aye, Captain.”

“Right.”

Lil got up, grabbed her hat and looked at her surroundings. She had something to say to Anunchio and was planning to go straight to his house. When Jericho saw her finishing her work earlier than expected, he got up behind her and opened his mouth.

“We’re done for today?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, that’s great! …Well, not a single person showed up…”

“Aye. The Bell Rock’s doomed.”

“That’s right, Captain.”

“Seeing you eagerly agreeing like this, shouldn’t you be heading back to Palconae, too?”

Jericho pushed the chair under the desk with one hand and rubbed his mouth with the other.

“The Captain once told me that if I work until my retirement, I would make enough money to buy a house with a decent piece of land. Then I can get married, raise my children, and eat and live with dignity until I’m old.”

“I did say that.”

“My wife’s a seamstress with her own shop, so we’re both working hard to make that dream come true. Also, we’re both in good health, a baby might be born sooner than later… Those other sailors may have left for now, but all they can do is receive their savings and spend it on unnecessary things. When they do that, they’ll be broke in a month and need to get back on a ship. I don’t want to live like that.”

“You’re right.”

“And if you’re on the Bell Rock, you don’t get beaten, right? On a previous ship, I was once almost whipped to death. I don’t want to experience something like that again.”

“Yeah. Good motive.”

“…”

When Lil moved, Jericho followed her even without knowing where she was going. She then bought three bottles of qanyon from a nearby stall. Jericho smacked his lips and stared at the liquor in her hand. Seeing the drooling sailor, Lil frowned displeased.

“Didn’t you already have your share yesterday? Looking at how you slept through your work today, I can only imagine how bad it was.”

“What does that have to do with anything? When you land on an island, you’ve to drink and rest a lot so that you can restore your energy to work on the ship again… Are you heading to Captain Anunchio’s?”

“Aye.”

“Good.”

“…”

Jericho walked alongside Lil as she quickly turned and resumed walking. Lil didn’t allow him to come with her, but she also didn’t make any effort to get rid of him. So in the end the smiling Jericho followed suit.

“Actually, when I first saw the Captain, I thought you would be awful. I think it might be because of your pale and gloomy face. But that particular day in Amiaeng, that old man and I were chased by this loan shark and the Bell Rock was the only vessel sailing that day. So I had no choice but to get on board, even though I didn’t want to. Back then, I would never think I would end up staying here.”

“…”

“And when you declared you would rule without the whip, I looked down on the Captain a little. In the Empire, even 10-year-old boys raised to become officers are taught to cut the backs of elders old enough to be their grandpas. So, I thought it was ridiculous that a Captain said he wouldn’t do it. But now we know, it’s because the Captain cares about us, huh?”

“…”

“It’s embarrassing to admit, isn’t it? Hm?”

“It’s not that I care about you guys…”

In response to her frank remark, Jericho nudged Lil’s forearm with his elbow. When she turned around, he had a devious smirk on his face that she had never seen before, and Lil whacked his elbow with her hand. 

“You crazy guy!”

“Heh, you’re embarrassed.”

“Get your ugly face away from me.”

After Lil gave him a look of intense discomfort, Jericho hastily cleared his throat and murmured.

“…Why are you so eccentric?…” 

But Lil didn’t respond, so they walked quietly down the street in a silence that became more awkward with every passing second. Especially, when this silence was only between the two of them as the rest of the surroundings were noisy. Jericho, who had been looking around the bustling market for a bit, tapped Lil’s shoulder again.

“Cap…Captain.”

“What?”

“I think I’m just annoyed that the Bell Rock’s going out of business, don’t take my teasing personally.”

“Huh?”

“When the navigator went crazy and started talking about how he was planning to rescue the Captain, he also said that he would reward hefty sums as compensation for everyone who joined. Despite all that money, I wouldn’t have participated if the Captain wasn’t the Captain. Anyhow, what I’m trying to say is everyone knows this. So don’t worry too much because soon people will assemble like clouds, fighting to be on the Bell Rock.”

“…”

As Lil quietly turned to face the grinning Jericho, she debated whether or not she should tell him that she was resigning as captain. 

“Jericho.”

“Yes?”

“Didn’t you learn a lot from that old man and Cesar?”

“…”

Without Lil and Cesar, Alain will probably be chosen as the new captain. Marenzio would be her second guess as he has the ability to rise, but he’s more likely to be beaten in politics and would lose the vote as his head is only filled with sawdust. In the end, if Alain will be elected, the position of boatswain would become available, so Lil reasoned that Jericho could serve as both the navigator and the boatswain.

“Isn’t it your dream to become a boatswain or a navigator?”

“Yeah, well… I gave that up because I was planning on staying on the Bell Rock for a longer time. Anyway, as long as that old man doesn’t die, he’ll retire with me, and the navigator goes with the captain, right? I like how things are going. No big complaints.”

When Jericho scratched the back of his head awkwardly, Lil nodded weakly and walked around the last corner. The house that they were heading to was located in this alley. The majority of the southern structures were modest and made of wood and soil. The curved road they were walking on was packed with light grey-white buildings with two or three floors. Lil passed several similar-looking residents and knocked on the door of the largest one.

“Who is it?”

“Lil.”

“Oh!”

When she heard the raucous voice, she knew it wasn’t Anunchio who was opening the door. Lil looked up at the man with shoulder-length curly hair and a sharp moustache in the shape of an upside-down goose. As he curled the end of his moustache with his delicate fingertips, he held out his other hand as if he was pleased.

“Long time no see, Lil Schweiz.”

“Great to see you, Jarles*.”

Lil shook his hand and walked into the building. High-pitched voices could already be heard from the room where the drinking party was happening and in the living room they passed, a group of people were playing cards. It was normal for this house to be so crowded as the owner is in command of the island. Lil followed Jarles and went into the kitchen. Anunchio and some captains from the League were gathered and conversing around a brightly lit table. Anunchio, who was speaking to a captain with short hair, raised his head.

“Lil is here.”

Those who turned their heads following Anunchio also greeted Lil.

“…Lil Schweiz! Long time no see!..”

“…Oh, Black Whale. How are you!..”

Lil removed her hat and greeted them as Jarles pointed to the chair next to him.