Shadowed Gaze: The Highserk War Saga - Chapter 108

The seemingly endless sea voyage came to an end as land finally appeared after 19 days. The passengers sighed in relief, and even the sailors could not hide their joy.

“It felt like a mere pleasure cruise, but it turned out to be unexpectedly long,” Walm mused.

The upper deck, which had seemed so spacious before setting sail, now felt cramped due to familiarity. At the same time, Walm couldn’t shake off a sense of melancholy. And it was no wonder—14 sailors had lost their lives in an attack and had left the ship before reaching port. Many had returned to work thanks to the ship doctor’s healing magic, but some had not fully recovered. It was no surprise that the ship felt deserted.

Looking up, Walm saw the yardarm creaking from the mast. The sails had been repaired enough to make the ship self-propelled, but they had never been able to reach full speed. If the patched hull or the makeshift yardarm were subjected to normal stress, they would inevitably break, leading to drifting repairs. Consequently, they had spent much longer at sea than planned. Although they had stocked enough food and water with potential troubles in mind, the supplies of those who didn’t make it ensured that everyone, including Walm, didn’t starve.

It was a sight everyone had been waiting for. The ship, guided by small boats, docked at the pier. The crew faced the task of coordinating with the port authorities and unloading the increased cargo. The passengers bid farewell to the sailors and disembarked one by one. Many carried as much as they could, while those like Walm, who traveled lightly, were rare.

The number of passengers gradually decreased as they struggled with the gangway, and finally, it was Walm’s turn. The captain, who had been seeing off the passengers, extended his hand to Walm.

“We were fortunate to have you aboard. Let me thank you again. We appreciate it,” said the captain, grasping Walm’s hand firmly. Despite his age, the captain’s hand was rough, calloused, and scarred, evidence of a life filled with hardship and toil.

“Not at all. You didn’t just transport me; you also gave me a chance to earn some money,” Walm replied.

“If you ever get the chance again, come aboard. You’re always welcome,” the captain said.

After a brief farewell, Walm stepped onto the gangway. What had seemed wobbly when boarding now felt secure after becoming accustomed to the sea. As he set foot on the pier, an unusual sensation enveloped him. The ship constantly tilted and swayed, and now, with that motion gone, Walm felt a strange sense of disorientation.

“Ha, it feels weird not to be swaying,” he murmured.

Initially wary of the ship’s motion, he now found the sea more normal. Even though he knew his body well, Walm couldn’t help but be amazed at its adaptability.

“So, you’re leaving? I thought you might have fallen in love with this ship and decided to become a sailor,” said Sarshef, who had been helping passengers disembark, laughing heartily. He was a cheerful guy, through and through.

“I’m done with the sea for now. I’ll enjoy the land for a while,” Walm replied.

“That’s a pity. You’d make a good sailor. If you ever need work, come find me. Of course, you’re welcome as a passenger too. Just let me know when you board,” Sarshef said.

“If the opportunity arises, I will. Goodbye,” Walm said.

“Alright, I wish you luck in the labyrinth city,” Sarshef responded.

Walm walked across the pier, the sound of his boots echoing, and glanced back at the ship. The holes in the hull had been crudely patched, leaving it scarred but still grand. He bowed slightly to the statue and left the port.

The city was much larger than the intermediate port town of Selimus. Ships were tightly lined up along the docks, busy with unloading cargo. Trying to regain the sensation of solid ground, Walm kept walking. The labyrinth city was not far. It was a two-day march for a seasoned infantryman.

“You seem quite busy,” said a familiar voice—a voice Walm had heard so often he had grown tired of it.

“Oh, it’s you,” he replied.

There was a traveling merchant carrying a load taller than himself. Walm was impressed that such a slender person could carry such a heavy burden. Thinking about how the merchant continued to hammer away with a hatchet until it was chipped, Walm considered that he might be the type to insist that power was justice.

“You’ve just landed, so why not celebrate your survival and cut loose a little?”

“Everyone was drinking on the ship too, weren’t they?”

“That’s different. …Don’t tell me you plan on leaving here already.”

“That’s right. Life is short, after all.”

Walm didn’t have much time left. He had to get his hands on the Three Sacred Treasures of Healing, which everyone pursued, risking their lives and offering vast sums of money without success. No amount of time would be enough.

“But you’re still young, aren’t you?”

“Do I look that way?”

It was rare for someone to call Walm, whose age was unknown, young.

“If you spend day and night in a cramped space together, under those conditions, perhaps.”

“Is that so… We’ve talked about everything on the ship, haven’t we? Why did you stop me?”

While he didn’t dislike roundabout conversations, they weren’t strangers. Walm urged to bring up the topic.

“I realized I hadn’t asked your name.”

“Ah, come to think of it, you’re right.”

Among the passengers, they called each other by “you,” “hey,” or “you there.” Walm didn’t know the merchant’s name.

“My name is Hugh. As you can see, I’m just a humble traveling merchant.”

“I’m Walm… Hahah, what is this? After all that time spent together, now we’re introducing ourselves and greeting each other?”

Unable to hold back, Walm let out a laugh, and Hugh followed suit.

“Well, I thought it might be good to get acquainted with a skilled mercenary like yourself, so here, as a token of gratitude for our time on the ship.”

What Hugh handed over was a jar filled with pieces of Kraken meat. Walm, now serious, quietly opened his mouth.

“Come on, give me a break. It’s Kraken. They were handing it out in spades.”

Kraken pickles were handed out to the passengers as souvenirs. There were still salted Kraken meat and teeth sleeping in Walm’s magic bag. Walm sighed, thinking Hugh was trying to unload surplus stock on him.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t lump it in with the mass-produced salted stuff. The parts are high quality, and it’s a luxury item marinated in various medicinal herbs and drugs.”

Hugh protested indignantly. If he had been a girl, it might have been different, but there was no cuteness about him at all. Out of sheer refusal, Walm almost reflexively reached for his longsword.

“My bad. Well, I can’t tell the difference, but I’m happy to receive such a valuable item.”

Admitting his mistake honestly, Walm stashed the jar in his magic bag.

“If you want to return the favor, a magic bag would— Just kidding. Don’t glare at me like that. Anyway, if you ever hunt or find something rare again, please let me know.”

“There’s no way I’ll be dealing with something like that… frequently.”

Recalling the monsters he had fought to the death, Walm couldn’t be so certain and replied vaguely.

“Well then, I’m sorry for stopping you when you were in a hurry. I hope we meet again, Walm.”

“Yeah, I hope so too. See you, Hugh.”

And with that, Walm was truly alone. It had been a lively and dangerous sea voyage. He felt some regret for the sailors who had died, but the life and encounters on the ship weren’t all bad.

With new memories in his heart, Walm blended into the bustling crowd, disappearing into the sea of people.

Translator – Lyxxna