Chapter 183: The Merchant and the Flying Ship
“No, you really saved us.”
On top of the battered ship, an exhausted-looking man expresses his gratitude to me.
“If you hadn’t passed by, we would have sunk our ship with the port right before our eyes.”
Yes, we had come to just a short distance from the port of the Eastern Country, but we coincidentally discovered a ship right on the verge of sinking.
Moreover, dozens of monsters were swimming around the ship, making it impossible to even escape from it.
Naturally, seeing such a situation, I couldn’t not help.
Leaving the steering of the ship to the captain, I wiped out the monsters with magic. After that, I hurriedly floated the ship in the air with magic.
Fortunately, since the flight device was completed, the pirate ship could be moved even without me.
“No, please don’t worry about it. It’s only natural to help people in trouble.”
“No, no, floating a sinking ship with magic is something an ordinary mage couldn’t do! Meeting you must surely be God’s guidance!”
“A-Ahaha, you’re exaggerating.”
At the word ‘God’, I recall that the pirates had mistaken me for the Sea God and let out a wry smile.
“I am called Seibei, running a business in the nearby port town of Hatoba.”
“My name is Rex. I came to this country for work.”
“Ah, you were a foreigner after all. To have my life saved by such a person, I truly am lucky.”
Mr. Seibei, who seemed to have guessed I wasn’t from this country by my appearance, nods in realization.
“The port is right under our noses, so I’ll just carry it there like this.”
Well then, we can’t keep talking on the sea forever, so shall we head to the port?
Fortunately, at this distance where the port is visible, I can carry the ship as it is.
“Ooh! You have my gratitude, Mr. Rex!”
“STREAM CONTROL!”
Using FLOAT FIELD to reduce gravity and float the ship, I move it with airflow manipulation magic.
FLOAT CONTROL isn’t a magic for movement, but by using wind magic in conjunction, it can be moved short distances.
For more precise movement, manipulation-type magic that controls matter would be better, but if you want to improve magic power consumption efficiency in an open area, this magic is easier.
As I move the ship with magic, the pirate ship steered by the captain follows behind.
And within less than a few minutes, we arrived at the port town.
“!? ~~~~!?”
As the port draws near, I can confirm a large number of people gathering in droves and making a commotion.
It’s probably causing an uproar because a shipwreck has been brought in.
Relevant people gathering for questioning and rescue operations is a sight I often saw in my previous life too.
“But with that, we can’t set the ship down.”
At times like this, it’s common sense to clear the land at the port to let the ship land, though.
“Excuse meee! We want to set the ship down, so please everyone step asiiiide!”
When I called out to the people on the ground using wind magic, the murmuring on the ground grew even louder.
And when the ship arrived above the port, the gathered people all moved to the edges at once.
“Alright, we’re landing!”
As the ship approached skimming the ground, I activated ice magic to secure the ship.
“FROZEN PILLAR!!”
Two thick, large pillars of ice grew to support each side of the ship.
And when the ship landed at the port, it leaned slightly and rested against the ice pillars.
“We have arrived. Please unload the cargo before the ice pillars melt.”
“Ooh! To receive such consideration! Thank you very much! Hey, you lot! Hurry and unload the cargo!”
” ” “Yes sir!!” ” “
The sailors immediately began the work to unload the cargo.
And looking at the pirate ship, the ship had landed on the sea surface and docked at the port.
I’m glad they managed to land properly too.
I taught them how to move it and made them steer it with no practice, so I’m glad they could land properly.
“Hey! Who is the person in charge of this ship!?”
While I was confirming that the pirate ship landed safely, unknown men suddenly boarded the ship saying such things.
Judging from their demeanor, are they officials of this town?
“The owner of this ship is me.”
Mr. Seibei steps forward.
“A-Are you!? …Wh-What is the meaning of this!? Why did the ship fly in the sky… no, rather, why did you place the ship on top of the port!?”
The official who had initially questioned him domineeringly changed his attitude the moment he saw Mr. Seibei’s face.
Judging from this reaction, is Mr. Seibei the master of quite a large store?
“Unfortunately, we were caught in that storm.”
At the words ‘that storm’, the official’s expression changes.
“!? That storm! But why? You must have known you would get caught in that storm if you went out to the open sea, right?”
“We had bad luck. We shifted our course to avoid a pack of monsters we coincidentally encountered, but it seems we caught a tide while concentrating on dealing with the monsters, and by the time we noticed, we couldn’t escape.”
“I see, so monsters were the cause.”
“Thanks to that, the ship was right on the verge of sinking, but fortunately, we were saved by an excellent mage, and they were able to carry the ship to the port.”
“Carried the ship with magic!? Is such a thing possible!?”
“U-Unbelievable… I’ve never even heard of such magic!?”
“Wh-Who on earth did it!?”
Hearing those words, the gazes of Mr. Seibei and the sailors all turned towards me at once.
“…Ah, yes. I did it with wind magic.”
“Eh?”
When the official directed a gaze at Mr. Seibei as if to say ‘Is that true?’, Mr. Seibei nodded with a serious expression.
“You… ah, no, you moved this ship?”
“Yes. I floated this ship, which was about to sink, with levitation magic.”
“Th-Then was the other ship also floated with magic?”
Ah, he means the pirate ship.
“No, that wasn’t me.”
“I-I see. Of course it is. As expected, moving two ships with magic is truly…!”
It’s no wonder the officials nod in agreement.
Accurately docking a ship at a port with wind magic, which isn’t suited for precise control, is a bit dangerous due to the size issue as well. Moreover, it’s even more so if it’s two ships.
It’d be a disaster if they accidentally misaligned and crashed into the wharf, breaking it.
“Yes, that ship over there is equipped with magic items granting flight capabilities.”
“I see, that one uses magic items… huh?”
” ” “Wait, magic itemsssssss!?” ” “
For some reason, not only the officials but even Mr. Seibei raises a surprised voice.
“M-Magic items were attached to that ship!?”
“Ah, yes. Getting caught in the storm opened several large holes in the ship, so to evacuate to a safe place, I quickly made a flight device and attached it.”
” ” “Quickly made magic items!?” ” “
“Well, it’s an item made for emergency evacuation, so it’s a makeshift device that can only just manage to float and move.”
” ” “No, no, no, it’s not ‘just manage to’ at all…” ” “
“Ah, but that ship over there is also quite battered from the storm, so unless it undergoes full-scale repairs, I think it’ll flood again and voyages will be impossible…”
“Uwaaaah! Water is coming in-!”
“Hurry up and float the ship-!”
Just as if proving my words, the pirate ship, assaulted by flooding again, hurriedly ascends.
“And, well, it’s like that.”
” ” “……Haa.” ” “
Hmm, it might be better to just scrap that ship.
Coastal waters might be one thing, but heading out to the open ocean towards the continent is probably too dangerous.
“I-I thought I was going to die…”
Once the loading and unloading of the cargo was finished and we disembarked, the captains of the pirate ship also set the ship down on the port’s land and escaped from the tipped-over ship, crawling on their hands and knees.
“Good work, Captain.”
“Ah, this is Sea… Boss Rex.”
Seeing my face, the captains straighten their backs with a snap and line up in front of me.
“It’s a shame about the ship.”
“Yes! That being said, life comes first! If it weren’t for you, Boss Rex, we’d all be seaweed at the bottom of the ocean!”
” ” “That’s exactly right!” ” “
“I’m glad to hear you say that. Then it’s fine even if you can’t board a ship anymore, right.”
“Yes, but well, we’ll get a new ship soon and set out to sea!”
The captains showed no signs of being discouraged even after losing their ship, and instead answered forcefully that they would absolutely return to the sea.
“Do your best. But there’s something you have to do before that, right.”
“Something to do… is it?”
At my words, the captains tilt their heads.
“Mr. Official, these people are pirates. They tried to kidnap me and my comrades.”
” ” ” “Eh?” ” ” “
“I-Is that so?”
I tell the officials that the captains are pirates who tried to kidnap us.
“Yes. Therefore, please arrest them.”
“U-Understood. H-Hey, you lot, apprehend these guys!”
” ” “Yes sir!!” ” “
Immediately, the guards at the port tie up the blank-faced pirates.
” ” “Wait… ehhhhhhhhh!?” ” ” “
“S-Sea God-sama!? What on earth is the meaning of this!?”
The captain, having come to his senses, raises his voice wondering why this is happening.
“No, I mean, everyone is a pirate, after all. Before returning to the sea, you have to properly atone for your crimes, right.”
“N-No way…”
The captain turns pale and slumps down weakly.
“Ah, you mustn’t run away. If you run away and get caught, you’ll receive a much heavier punishment, you know.”
” ” ” “Hii!?” ” ” “
Imagining that scenario, the captains tremble with pale faces.
Because if a criminal who has been caught once escapes, the crime becomes significantly heavier.
Besides, when criminals are caught, they are fitted with a magic item enchanted with tracking magic, so the possibility of a successful escape becomes extremely low.
If you are caught in this state, a cursed seal is applied so you cannot resist, and you end up being forced to work against your will until you atone for your crimes.
Rather than meeting such a fate, it’s much better to obediently atone for your crimes.
“Do you understand, everyone.”
” ” ” “Y-Yes sir!! Even if it costs our lives, we will atone earnestly!!” ” ” ” “
The pirates straighten their backs and, with serious faces, are led away by the guards.
“Yeah, if they admit their crimes and sincerely atone, they can surely rehabilitate someday.”
Do your best, pirates!
“Huh, it doesn’t look like such a touching scene to me…”
“Shh, there are some things in the world better left alone.”
“Haa…”
