The Book Eating Magician Chapter 142:
Chapter 142 – Pirate Archipelago (2)
Two days later…
Without knowing about Theodore’s anxiety, the five pirate ships proceeded smoothly through the waves . It was at a truly terrifying speed . The pirate ships with the unknown ‘blessing’ always had their sails inflated with wind from behind, and the hard waves never stopped them .
Theodore clicked his tongue as he watched .
‘Even the famously quick ships of the Soldun Kingdom wouldn’t be able to catch up with these pirate ships . ’
It was obvious for a sailor, but the speed of the ship was determined by environmental factors rather than the performance of the ship itself . This meant it was difficult to advance in a headwind or against strong waves, even if it was a good ship . On the other hand, a cheap ship might be able to move faster if it was carried by the wind and waves .
However, these pirate ships moved while maintaining the optimal conditions . It was different on land, but he could see that these ships had the absolute advantage on the sea . This wasn’t a speed that human ships could catch up with .
Randolph also realized this despite not knowing much about sailing, as he approached Theodore and muttered, “Hah, it is ridiculously fast . ”
“You can tell?”
Unlike land which had many indicators, it was hard to determine speed on the sea . There were no trees, hills, or slopes . The only thing which could be seen from the deck was the horizon stretching out in every direction .
However, Randolph didn’t hesitate to nod and reply, “The wind pressure, position of the clouds, the sun and angle of the light… Any number of factors can be used as a guideline . ”
“Indeed . ”
A veteran sailor could do it, but Randolph was a monster who was half a step away from human standards . His senses were overwhelming despite the lack of experience .
In fact, he was right . It was now five days after departing Ramos and two days after encountering the pirate ships . Nevertheless, the distance they passed in these two days was much further than during the first five days of travel . Using simple calculations, it meant they had sped up by more than two and a half times .
If his calculations were correct, they should shortly arrive at the destination .
“…Eh?”
At this moment when Theodore’s expectations had risen, a strange sight was visible on the horizon . It was the sea fog which was notorious for being a reaper in the reef areas . This wasn’t a phenomenon which would normally occur in the middle of the ocean, but the crew’s response was swift .
“Bring down the sails! Hurry!”
“Stop the oars and wait!”
“Reduce the speed! Leave the anchors alone!”
As the crew members ran around the busy deck, the fog approached at a rapid pace . It felt like the fog was a person approaching them . While Theodore was shaken by the eerie illusion, the six ships entered the fog at roughly the same time .
Chill .
At that moment, Theodore’s intuition shook violently .
‘T-This isn’t a fog…!’
It just had the shape of fog, but not a single drop of moisture touched his skin . This was a fog which couldn’t be removed by wind and wouldn’t change even when heat was applied .
The fog was a type of boundary line, a ward which wouldn’t allow uninvited guests in . Theodore realized it was why the pirate ships were dragging the passenger ship with the chains . Speed aside, it was a necessary way to pass through the enchantment .
Otherwise, the passenger ship would’ve drifted aimlessly through this fog, never to be seen again . Theodore thought that this fog might be the ultimate barrier protecting the Pirate Archipelago .
“…Young Master, have you come to another dangerous place?” Randolph also realized this, and the always present smile was missing from his face .
Even the master level aura was useless in this fog . He might be able to break through with aura, but it would be a huge challenge . Additionally, they might be able to overcome this fog, but could they overcome the creator of this fog? Theodore dropped the odds to below 2% .
While the two people were tense, the fog lifted .
“Ohh, that place… . ?”
“It has been a long time…!”
The passengers on the deck burst out with delight . Some passengers admired the view of the Pirate Archipelago they had only heard about, while others were glad to be back . The Pirate Archipelago, an entertainment on the sea which some people would never know about…
The island of sin and pleasure .
* * *
The procedure to enter the Pirate Archipelago was surprisingly orderly .
“Line up in the order of boarding . ”
A muscular man wearing a tightly fitted suit greeted the tourists politely . The cutlass hanging at his waist was threatening, and tattoos covered his body . Of course, he was nothing more than a clown compared to Theodore’s and Randolph’s strength .
“Still, this is pretty good . ”
“Yes, he is at the level of a first class mercenary . ”
The individual skill of the pirate was quite good despite his appearance . In a one-on-one duel, an ordinary knight would be quite pressured . If this man was used to greet tourists, the elites must be composed of very talented people . Nobody dared make a fuss for fear that their necks would be slit .
Soon, it was time for the duo to get off .
“It is a 10 gold admission fee for each person . ”
The 10 gold Belf mentioned would be used here . Theodore pulled out 20 gold, including Randolph’s share, and placed it on the man’s rough palm . Then the man grinned and bowed down politely . His palms were rubbing together like he had ulterior motives .
Unsurprisingly, he started to speak instead of moving out of the way .
“Welcome! Is this your first visit to the island?”
“That’s right . ”
“Then what do you think about taking a guide? If you add 1 gold, I will introduce you to a nice guide!”
‘A guide…’ As a visitor to the island, Theodore thought about whether he needed one .
They didn’t come to this island for a special purpose, but it was true that they were unfamiliar with this place . It wouldn’t be too bad to bring along a guide who could explain everything . Additionally, the cost of 1 gold was too light for him .
Ting .
A gold coin was lightly flicked from Theodore .
“Oh, I received it well! Let me call someone over!”
The man grabbed the gold coins at a fast speed and took the two men somewhere else . It was an alley not far from the harbour where the ship was docked . There were shabbily dressed boys and girls sitting down and laughing . As soon as the man approached, the kids jumped up .
However, the man shouted without looking at them, “Jack! If you don’t pop up in 10 seconds, I will hand it over to someone else!”
A cheerful voice was heard in return, “I’m coming now!”
Simultaneously, a boy jumped out of the crowd . He used light movements to climb down a wall like a monkey and landed before Theodore’s group . He had dark skin covered with soot and bright eyes that shone with a wisdom beyond his age . Clearly, he wasn’t an ordinary boy .
“They are guests who have just arrived . Your share is 50% as always, and you will receive the payment as soon as the guidance is done . ”
“Yes, thank you!”
The man handed the boy named Jack over to the duo and headed back to the harbor . The rest of the children sat down, leaving only Jack standing as he looked between Theo and Randolph . Unlike his mischievous eyes, he bowed carefully and politely introduced himself, “Hello! Please comfortably call me Jack . I will guide you anywhere you want to go . ”
“…Yes, please do it well,” Theodore accepted the greeting lightly .
He hadn’t expected the guide to be a child .
Jack probably noticed Theo’s hesitance as he spoke up in a confident manner, “I was born and raised on this island . It will be difficult to find someone who knows it better than me . Is this your first visit?”
“That’s right . ”
“Then I will do the whole tour . If there is a place you want to stop at, just tell me!”
After saying that, Jack started walking in front of them with a nimble gait, a gait which seemed to belong to natives of this island .
At first, the two of them followed with strange expressions, but they soon realized the boy’s proficiency . This skill wasn’t possible for just being on the job for a day or two . He must’ve worked as a guide in the archipelago for at least a few years .
The first place Jack directed them to was a casino .
“This is the place where the greatest amount of money comes and goes from our Pirate Archipelago . There is a total of 17 casinos . ”
As they crossed several bridges, there was the sound of gold coins rubbing against one another, as well as the smell of alcohol, tobacco, and perfume .
Dealers were interacting with guests in half naked attire . Most of the cupboards in the bar were filled with alcohol, and there were drunk people on the ground, while others were caught trying to cheat .
It was like a depiction of the outskirts of a civilized world .
Jack glimpsed the expressions of the two men and started explaining, “Of course, this isn’t an ordinary casino . Unlike the casinos on land, there is no limit to the pot, and things that aren’t readily available outside can emerge as prizes . However, in the case of cheating, you will have to pay back 10 times the amount as a penalty . ”
“What if you can’t?”
“…It is like that . ” Jack pointed to a homeless man without any arms .
It was obvious that arms used to be there, so both arms must’ve been cut off in exchange for cheating . The rules of the world were bloody, but this place was completely ruthless as it was beyond the boundaries of the law .
However, the two of them didn’t show any signs of wanting to enter the casino, so Jack moved on with a sad expression . Although it was less than the casinos, there was one place which received a lot of tips .
“I guess both of you aren’t interested in this . ”
However, what about the next destination? Jack gave a wicked smile .
“Hehe, then let’s go see my sisters . Both of you are handsome and chiseled, so everybody will like you . ”
The Pirate Archipelago wasn’t called the island of pleasure for nothing . The prostitutes gathered from all over the continent were just as plentiful and high quality as those on land . There were beauties from the North, the Center and the South .
It was the instinct of rich men to pursue power and women . The Pirate Archipelago aimed at this, so it was natural to visit the beauties if they were men .
Randolph’s nose couldn’t help twitching when he heard it .
Bam .
At that moment, Theodore hit him lightly .
“W-What?”
“If you head in the wrong direction, I’ll tell Rebecca . ”
“Heok!” Randolph restrained himself, and his expression became as dignified as his master’s .
Theodore smiled before opening his mouth to say, “No, I don’t want to go to the brothels . ”
“Huh? Ah, no . Then where do you want to go?”
“I want to know about a special place . ”
‘Special place?’ Randolph and Jack both cocked their heads at the cryptic words, then Theodore opened his mouth .
“Where is the ruler of this island?”