“Cheers to our friend!”
Following Captain Suin’s lead, the crewmen struck their wooden mugs together. They then immediately drained them and started pouring more. It was a rather uncivilized kind of banquet, but that was fine.
The alcohol was rather sweet to the taste. Was it made from sugarcane? You might think of something like rum, distilled from the juices of the sugarcane plant once the sugar had been extracted from it, but this was different. This seemed to be made from sugarcane itself being fermented. It was quite the interesting drink. The flavor wasn’t bad either.
Satisfied with my taste test, I took a bigger gulp. The alcohol content wasn’t all that high, so I’d be able to drink a good amount. I then reached for some food, grabbing a rib and taking a bite.
On a ship like this, meat had to be preserved by salting it, so having an actual fatty meat to feast on was quite a luxury. I had provided the drinks for this feast from my haul in Badomode, while Captain Suin had provided the food. Apparently he had predicted a party like this happening and had gone out of his way to procure some fresh meat. As expected of a first-rate merchant like him, he certainly knew what he was doing.
Eating fresh meat like this for the first time in a while made me long to go out hunting again. While part of it was wanting to eat a nice steak still dripping blood, the joy of hunting something yourself and eating every last part of it was something I missed. Though it wouldn’t be for a while, once I made it back to the center of the continent, I’d have to find a good forest to go hunting in.
As I looked around the room, I met eyes with one of the crewmen who was on watch, and so was unable to participate in the festivities. I could empathize with his feelings, as he looked away awkwardly. Anyone would be jealous watching other people feasting and drinking. But I was sure Suin would provide ample compensation for those who were unable to join in, so I could only ask those on guard to bear with their suffering.
I took another drink. One after another, the crewmen came by to thank me for providing the drinks, but I didn’t think it was worth all the fuss. There was no way I’d be able to drink that much on my own, so it was more fun for me to use it all like this anyway.
Once we docked in Mintar, I’d be saying goodbye to this ship and its crew. Getting the chance to make some memories eating and drinking with them before then wasn’t bad.
“Hey, Mr. Forestfolk...er, Acer. How’d you like to stay on as a member of the crew?” In the middle of the feast, Captain Suin ambushed me with that question. Unable to grasp what he was getting at, I just tilted my head. “Of course, not as just any ordinary crewman,” he explained. “I’ll come up with some official post for you. No matter what special treatment there’d be, the crew won’t mind if it’s for you,” he hurriedly added. Apparently he was being quite serious.
It didn’t sound like a bad deal, actually. Working on a ship that sailed across the world actually sounded like it would suit me fairly well. I liked the straightforward way sailors thought, and living on the sea constantly surrounded by the wind made me feel closer to the spirits as well.
I might give it a shot someday. Though rather than working on a ship, I think I’d enjoy having one of my own. With the wind and water spirits to help me, I could sail anywhere in the world. Even the thought of it had my heart racing.
But unfortunately, that was all the more reason I had to shake my head.
“I’m happy for the offer, but I can’t accept it right now. There are still places I have to go, and people waiting for me.”
The allure of that kind of a journey meant I couldn’t go now. If I boarded a ship and got lost in traveling the world, the people I knew from on land would be gone before I knew it. Of course, my people back in Pulha, the spirits, the golden dragon, and the mystics were all immortal, so they were a different matter. But even Airena and the other elves would die before me. Even the graves of the people I had known would rot away before my time came.
“Oh, really? That’s too bad. But you know, Acer, I’m never going to forget this experience of having a forestfolk on board...though I guess we still have quite a ways to go before reaching Mintar. Glad to have your company.” In the face of my refusal, Suin offered his hand, which I gladly shook.
At that exact moment, the alcohol might have finally started getting to people’s heads, as a commotion broke out among the crew. The event I’d been waiting for had finally begun.
Letting go of Suin’s hand, I pulled out my gloves and slipped them on, balling my hands up tight. Suin had already said he’d always remember me, but I’d make a legend here that not a single one of the crewmen would forget. I would knock out every last one of them.
I flashed a smile to the surprised Suin, and leaped into the fray.