Kujonin - Chapter 53
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Chapter 53

“It’s a beastman in his teens … Oi! What’s happened?!”

The guard told me the characteristics of the intruder on the way to the s.h.i.+pyard, and he called out to the s.h.i.+pyard when it was in sight.

When I looked, there were people gathered around the s.h.i.+pyard making a fuss.

From the guards, there were yells of “He went that way-!””The other side!” and the like, and there were also yells similar to screams from the spectators.

The guard who had guided us immediately ran to the s.h.i.+pyard.

When I peeked inside of the s.h.i.+pyard with Search Skill, I saw a blue dot running up and down.

I guess the captured intruder escaped.

The guards aren’t idiots, so they’ve sealed off the exit with a human wall, and it seems like the intruder can’t set one foot outside the s.h.i.+pyard.

Having heard about the situation from his comrades, the guard turned towards us with a bitter smile and said,

“Please wait a moment.”

When I looked inside the s.h.i.+pyard, I could see a black cat-eared young many freely running about with guards chasing after him.

His clothes are dirty, and the knees of his trousers are ripped so that you can see his knees.

As for his shoes, the sole of his left shoe is breaking off.

“That young man is having a tough time, naa.”

When I said that,

“You can tell?”

The guard asked.

“Can’t you? The clothes are in complete tatters. Did he come here after a journey from far away?”

At my words, the guard’s eyes opened wide.

“I’m lending a hand.”

Ayl pushed through the people and entered the s.h.i.+pyard, and greeted the cat-eared boy’s face with a roundhouse kick.

I had taken that previously, but even though it was something that didn’t give much damage, I feel like his face caved in.

The boy was blown away all the way to the wall and collapsed.

“Ah-,

he’s going to suffer some mental damage, naa.”

One of the guards rushed over to the young man and said to the guard next to me,

“Captain! He’s dying!”

He yelled.

“Eh?”

Velsa and I also pushed our way through the crowd and entered the s.h.i.+pyard.

“Oi, Ayl, you went way overboard-“

I complained.

Even if he’s an intruder, if he dies, I feel like it would be my responsibility as her supervisor.

“No, I don’t go all out against anyone but Naoki. I meant to kick him lightly.”

Ayl scratched the back of her head while sweating, smiling bitterly.

So when you kicked me, you were going all out!? That anger can be left for later so I calm down; for now I run to the young man.

“Achyaa, it’s completely smashed in.”

Velsa said, looking at the boy’s face.

Ayl’s heel had broken the cheekbones on the face of the cat-eared boy.

I stuck my hand in the boy’s mouth, fixed the position of his bone, and applied recovery potion to his face.

The boy’s face healed nicely, and his breath and pulse are proper.

For now, I’m relieved he’s not going to die.

“Uwa, the drool… Velsa, lend me your handkerchief.”

“No way.”

Seeing us conversing like that, the nearby guards pulled back.

“What is it?”

“A, nothing. I am going to hear about situation; will you accompany me?”

The captain of the guards asked.

“Aa, that’s right. I’m technically the victim, ne. By the way, are there any damages?”

“For damages, it seems that the cabin has been heavily damaged…”

“No, the inside of the s.h.i.+p was already ruined, so there’s nothing to say about it. And, as for things that would be a problem if they’re stolen… we didn’t leave any on the s.h.i.+p, ne.”

I said as I checked my item bag.

The wood for repairing the s.h.i.+p hasn’t arrived either, so for now the s.h.i.+p is just in

in a state of being worked on.

When one of the s.h.i.+pyard workers dropped in nearby, early in the morning, there were some sounds so, thinking, ‘Is something there?’ he checked it, and there was the cat-eared boy, they said.

“It was originally a broken boat, so if there’s no further damage, it was only an intrusion?”

“That’s correct. Wake him up for now.”

The guard captain shook the young man’s body and woke him.

The young man opened his eyes, looked around him, then hung his head in dismay.

Borrowing a room in the s.h.i.+pyard’s office, we went over the situation.

The onlookers have already left, and the guards, leaving behind the captain and one more person, returned to town.

Seems like the s.h.i.+pyard has also returned to normal operations.

“Name?”

“Seth.”

“Age?”

“19.”

“Place of origin and race?”

“Lake Adel’s cat tribe’s village, Cat Pirate. My race is black cat tribe beastman.”

The guard captain asked about the young man’s ident.i.ty.

“Why did you break into the s.h.i.+p?”

“O, that was because I wanted to be a fisherman.”

“And so, you broke into the s.h.i.+p?”

“I had asked the fishermen at the port to hire me, but they said, ‘Right now is the season for water dragons to appear; we ain’t going to be fis.h.i.+ng, so go back to the countryside!’ So I thought, a big s.h.i.+p might be willing to hire me and searched for a s.h.i.+p, and I found that s.h.i.+p at this s.h.i.+pyard. I thought the owner would come if I waited, and so I waited inside.”

The young man told the tale hesitantly.

“Why do you want to be a fisherman?”

I asked from the sidelines.

“My old man is a famous fisherman at Lake Adel. But 5 years ago he got sick, and just like that he died. I was supposed to succeed him, but since I couldn’t take over immediately, I lent my dad’s boat out. I trained at

trained at my uncle’s place, and in one year I became independent, and although the s.h.i.+p was supposed to be returned, it wasn’t; the guy who borrowed it disappeared somewhere with the s.h.i.+p. I think he probably went out fis.h.i.+ng one stormy day and sank.”

The young man bitterly told us, blinking back tears repeatedly.

“Why did you come to Floura?”

“Because I didn’t have a s.h.i.+p, and the fish at Lake Adel have been decreasing. I thought that if I came to a port town, I could make some money.”

“I see. However, it’s illegal to board someone’s s.h.i.+p as you like. And running away from the guards is also not good.”

The guard captained scolded.

“I’m sorry. I thought that if I was caught by the guards, I’d get turned into a crime slave.”

“How is it? There aren’t any damages, so is there any issues?”

The guard asked me.

“You said your name was Seth?”

“Un.”

“Do you have the Helmsman Skill? Cooking would also be fine.”

“I got the … I have the Helmsman Skill. My level isn’t all that high, but I trained it at my uncle’s place. Cooking is, if it’s cooking fish, then…”

“Right, then we’ll hire you.”

“E!? I can be a fisherman?”

“Nope, captain. None of my employees can make a s.h.i.+p move. When the s.h.i.+p’s repaired, we’ll gather sailors and you’ll be the captain.”

“C, captain!!?? Me….!!!?”

“You came to this town to make money, right?”

“Y,yes! I… I will be in your care!”

Seth stood up and bowed his head.

The two guards watched, speechless.

The guards returned, looking as if they weren’t entirely satisfied.

“For the time, we’ll raise Seth’s level and max out his Helmsman Skill. It will also take time for the boat to be repaired, ne. Ayl! Take Seth along and go to the Adventurers Guild.”

So saying, I handed Ayl 2 gold coins.

“At the Adventurers Guild, make him an adventurer;

him an adventurer; and it should be fine if I raise his level in the forest around this area, right?”

“That’s right. If it’s just that, then you’ll also have to get him equipment, right? If he gets hungry, let him eat something.”

“Got it. Right, let’s go!”

“Y,yes!”

Ayl and Seth went off running.

“Will that be okay?”

“I’m sure it’s okay. Even though she doesn’t look it, Ayl’s an Adventurers Guild instructor, after all. She should have trained beginners.”

“H-m. So, what should we do?”

“Advertis.e.m.e.nt and pesticide production, I guess. Let’s also have Seth make it. His level will rise fast, after all. And also sailor recruitment.”

For the present, let’s go to the Merchants Guild for recruiting sailors.

It probably won’t matter if the sailors are contracted with a start and end time rather than full-time employees.

The concern is that the captain is too young, huh? Maa, if his helmsman abilities increase, people will most likely follow him.

“But, as expected, we’ll need a navigator, I guess.”

We went into the Merchants Guild while I talked to myself, and the staff’s Onee-san called out to us.

“One who wishes to be employed has come. Please interview her.”

“E!? Really?”

When one person joins, it’s like they all start joining at once.

The Merchants Guild Onee-san guided us to the cafe within the guild.

The one waiting in the cafe was a beastman girl with curly horns.

Her simple face and wool clothes truly gave the impression of having come from the countryside.

She seems extremely hot. She keeps sweating.

Well, yeah. You’re wearing wool clothes in a town this far south, after all.

“A,  I’m Merumocchi Jefferson. P, pleased to meet you.”

“I got it, I got it. I’ll hire you, so for now, go buy some new clothes!”

“Thank you so much….”

She lightly fainted.

“A cat and a sheep, huh? I wonder how this will go.”

Velsa muttered.