novelraw Chapter 80: Pirate Creed
Chapter 80: Pirate Creed
On the northern reef flats of Kerona Island, Aseros opened its mouth and extended its tongue. Everyone inside stepped out one by one.
Inside Aseros’s mouth was a membranous chamber. When people entered, that membrane would seal shut, isolating them from the surrounding seawater. With each breath cycle, it would open briefly to let fresh air flow in. The space inside was dry, but there were no furnishings. With nothing to sit on, everyone had been forced to make do by sitting on their luggage.
In Pu’er’s memory, this same spot inside Aseros’s father’s mouth had once held tables, chairs, sea charts, and sand tables. Back then, the Allen family had treated Aseros as the flagship of their pirate fleet.
Now, in the exact same position inside the son’s mouth, there was not even a single bench.
After landing, Ms. Jenny turned to face Aseros. “Thank you for your help. The Allen family will always cherish its friendship with you.”
Aseros gave no response. It submerged directly into the sea and vanished from sight.
Once a pet, then a companion, and now a debt repaid. The change in their relationship was about the clearest illustration of the Allen family’s decline.
Several figures appeared on a distant hillside, and moments later, a group of people wearing leather jackets walked over, guns at their waists. Leading them was a middle-aged man with a thick beard.
“Jenny, you’re back. Oh, my dear Eunice, you’ve grown even more beautiful.” The bearded man greeted Jenny and Eunice warmly, but his gaze never left Karon.
“Big Brother, thank you for coming personally to meet us,” Ms. Jenny said.
“Uncle,” Eunice greeted.
“This must be Young Master Karon,” the bearded man said, extending his hand. “Hello, Young Master of the Immers family. You can call me Rudd .”
“Hello.” Karon reached out and shook his hand. The next moment, a burning pain surged through his palm.
Alfred immediately stepped forward, his eyes turning red.
At the same time, Rudd released his grip, and Karon shook his hand with some difficulty.
“So you really are a young master,” Rudd said with a faint smile.
Karon stopped Alfred and kept his expression gentle. “Sorry to disappoint you.”
Pu’er, sitting on Karon’s shoulder, stared at Rudd as if looking at an idiot. Here it comes. Here it comes. Here it comes.
As long as stupidity was possible, the Allen family would inevitably commit it. That law was about to take effect.
She had been holding in her frustration the entire journey on the passenger ship. Jenny and Eunice had not let her down, yet the moment they had set foot on Kerona Island, an idiot had appeared. Moron. Imbecile. Fool. What is this, setting the stage? Laying the groundwork for a perfectly reasonable excuse for Karon to leave the Allen family?
Beside them, the playful grin the golden retriever had shown since landing dropped. The dog closed its mouth and stared at Rudd.
The man turned his gaze to Alfred and smiled, and he then looked down at the golden retriever and reached out to tease it, only for the dog to ignore him entirely and bare its teeth instead. “This dog has quite a temper.”
He then pointed at Pu’er on Karon’s shoulder. “There’s something you may not know, Young Master Karon, but our Allen family does not allow cats.”
Karon nodded with a smile. “But this cat is different for us.”
He deliberately used “us.” After all, this cat was the Allen family’s ancestor, and if nothing unexpected had happened, the family’s rule against cats probably had something to do with Pu’er herself.
“Even a whale must tuck in its belly when entering shallow waters,” Rudd said with a smile. “I trust that you will respect the Allen family’s traditions, Young Master Karon.”
“Uncle, I think that such matters should be decided by my father and grandfather,” Eunice commented. She walked over and simply hooked her arm through Karon’s, adopting the standard posture of a female companion in a social setting.
Pu’er glanced sideways at Eunice. The family’s old ancestor suddenly felt deeply comforted. Good girl, great-great-great-niece. As long as you aren’t foolish, this Immers fellow has no reason to fly solo.
Rudd shrugged, not offended by his niece’s words. He waved for the people behind him to step forward and help move the luggage before turning to Ms. Jenny, “Jenny, we still need to walk a bit more. I’ll arrange accommodations once we reach the town.”
“Thank you for the trouble,” Ms. Jenny replied, noticeably cooler than before.
Led by Rudd, the group walked along a mountain path and entered Corona Town. The town was built around the harbor. Several medium-sized cargo ships were still docked there, and even more small boats densely clustered around the outer harbor.
Rudd’s group clearly held status in the town. As he strode through in plain view, people of all kinds greeted him respectfully.
Their lodging for the night was an inn that belonged to the Allen family. Across the street was another Allen family property. It was four stories tall, the first being a tavern, the second a casino, while the third and fourth floors were a brothel.
After entering the inn, Karon went to his room. He tested the shower and, to his surprise, hot water flowed out. He immediately undressed and took a bath.
Afterward, feeling refreshed and comfortable, he sat on the bed. Shifting the pillow, he found a pamphlet tucked beneath it. Opening it, he saw a list of prostitutes, as well as prices and services. The most expensive ones included photographs, but the rest were text-only descriptions. There were of all ethnicities, and included among the final pages were even some providers labeled “male.”
Karon tossed the booklet to the bedside table and leaned back against the headboard.
The golden retriever lay on the sofa, facing him. Pu’er jumped onto the bedside table and began flipping through the final pages.
“Is this a smuggling island?” Karon asked.
Pu’er turned a page with her paw. “It is now.”
“What about before?”
“Before, this was the Allen family’s fiefdom. Hundreds of years ago, when Veyn was not yet a great power, it relied on civilian-organized pirate groups for expansion and harassment. Back then, pirate fleet leaders could even receive noble titles from the crown.”
“So the Allen family rose from that?”
“Strictly speaking, not exactly. But that period was indeed the Allen family’s peak. When I left Veyn, Kerona Island was still Allen territory. Everyone on the island were their subjects. At the time, the family used this place as a base. Pirate ships docked here, and the pirates and their ships rivaled the royal navy in real combat power.
“And now,” Pu’er stated flatly. “You can see the result: gone. This place is just a smuggling transit point now.”
“Are we far from the Veyn mainland?”
“Not far. We should leave on a cargo ship tomorrow. York City is coastal. We’ll land there, and then take a carriage out of the city to the Allen manor. At that point, it counts as being home. At least, that’s how I used to think.”
“I understand.”
“Also, don’t take Rudd too seriously,” Pu’er added. “This is only my first time meeting him, but anyone sent to run a smuggling post on an island like this has no real standing in the family. He was probably exiled here by Eunice’s father and grandfather. People like that tend to be irritable and sarcastic. It’s normal.”
Karon looked at the back of his hand. It was still slightly red. “I don’t dislike him.”
Pu’er snorted. “You even like his manner, don’t you?”
“That’s because I’ve always treated the Allen family with goodwill.”
“Karon, why didn’t you seem this hypocritical back in Roja?”
“Because at home, sincerity was enough,” Karon leaned back, finding a more comfortable position. “When sincerity works, who would bother picking up hypocrisy?”
“You sound like a poet now.”
“That’s because most poets only write beautiful verses after leaving home.”
Knock, knock. Someone knocked at the door. Karon got up, but before he reached it, the door was pushed open.
Rudd leaned against the frame, a cigar in his mouth, looking at Karon. The golden retriever slid off the sofa, staring at the man.
Pu’er lowered her head. Another assisted delivery.
Outside, Alfred had already stepped out of his room, which was adjacent room to Karon’s.
“Mr. Rudd , is something the matter?” Karon asked.
Rudd removed the cigar and blew out a smoke ring. “I’m here to invite you to dinner.”
“Thank you.” Karon said nothing more. When in someone else’s territory, it was best to follow their arrangements. He simply picked up his coat and put it on. “Have Ms. Jenny and Miss Eunice already gone?”
“No, it’s just you and me. Do you mind?”
“Not at all. It’s my honor.” Karon followed Rudd out. Pu’er climbed onto his shoulder, while the golden retriever followed behind. Alfred brought up the rear.
Alfred glanced at the cat on the shoulder and the dog on the ground below, frowned slightly. In the past, being painted into a mural had been enough, but he now needed to consider position and angle. He did not know whether this signaled greater ambition, or an expanding sense of self. Still, the sight of the dog he had personally helped to seal helped his frown to ease.
Rudd led Karon into what appeared to be his office. It was a spacious room. A table stood by the window, holding a bottle of brandy and large slabs of roasted meat drenched in dark sauce.
Karon had been hungry, but the sheer roughness of the food made him feel oddly full.
Rudd cut off a chunk of meat and tossed it to the golden retriever. “What’s its name?”
“Kevin.”
The dog did not even look at the meat.
“Let him eat the meat.”
“Eat, Kevin.” Kevin picked up the meat and sat to eat it.
Rudd then looked at the black cat that had followed Karon into the room. She had perched herself on the windowsill, her eyes heavy with sorrow. It was hard to imagine a cat’s eyes could express such layered emotion.
Rudd decided he was overthinking it and poured Karon a drink. “Do you drink?”
“No.”
“The first glass, you finish.”
“Alright.”
Rudd drained his, and Karon did the same.
“So you can
drink.” Rudd laughed, reaching to refill Karon’s glass, but Karon gently covered it.
“Do you have orange juice?”
Rudd froze, bottle still in hand. Karon kept his hand where it was, smiling politely.
The two stood locked.
Pu’er sighed. Unable to bear watching, she turned to look at the lively street outside.
Rudd laughed, set down the bottle, and called out, “Get some orange juice. Other juice is fine, or even soda. Hurry.
“Drinking less is good,” Rudd said, refilling his own glass and draining it again. “Especially when you’re young. There’s a lot to do when you’re young. When you’re old, then you can be casual.”
“Drinking is bad for your health at any age,” Karon gently commented.
“You’re right,” Rudd agreed. He pointed out at the dock, where workers were still unloading cargo. “But living isn’t about comfort. Heavy labor also damages the body. I treat this as compensation.”
“That makes sense.”
A voluptuous purple-haired woman approached with three juices. “What would you like? Orange, apple, or grape?”
“Orange, please.”
“Would you like ice?”
“That would be great.” She added ice and poured the juice.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Rudd gestured to her. “Elena, my wife.”
Karon stood and bowed slightly. “Madam.”
“Please sit. There’s no need to be so formal,” she chided her husband. “I’m simmering soup. I’ll bring it later.”
“Thank you for your trouble.”
“My dear, this handsome young man is so polite,” she teased.
Rudd laughed.
“Father, why did you call me? Oh, mother is here too.” A girl with a bold outfit and a nose ring entered, twin knives strapped at her hips.
“Let me introduce my daughter, Camilla.”
When Camilla saw Karon and he turned to greet her, the normally fierce girl grew shy and flustered. Corona Town was full of coarse sailors and drunkards. Someone with such a clean presence was like a painting brought to life.
Rudd coughed. “Camilla.”
Her mother put an arm around her. “Please excuse her. She’s never seen a young man as handsome as you.”
“Mom!” Camilla finally snapped out of her trance, her face turning red.
Fortunately, her subordinates were not present. If they saw their boss, who enjoyed personally severing smugglers’ tendons, acting like this, they would go mad.
“Hello, Camilla. I’m Karon, from Swillen.”
“H-hello. I’m Camilla, from Kerona Island.” What am I even saying?
“Alright, let your father and his guest eat. Let’s go,” Elena said, leading her daughter out.
Karon sat back down.
“Sorry about that,” Rudd said.
“Not at all. Camilla is quite cute.”
“I haven’t heard that word used in regards to her in nearly ten years. Probably not since she was in swaddling clothes.”
“Every girl is made of water. They all have a gentle side.”
Pu’er turned to stare at Karon. He really was becoming more and more like a poet.
“That’s a philosophical image,” Rudd said, raising his glass again. Karon raised his juice. “I’m sure many girls like you.”
“No.” Karon shook his head. “In the past, I had some mental health issues. Have you heard of autism? For years, I isolated myself and avoided social interaction.”
Pu’er frowned. Do you really need to be so honest with every Allen?
“I see. Coming out of that must have been hard,” Rudd said.
“The truth is, no one can be sure they’ve truly come out. There’s always a chance of falling back.”
Pu’er stiffened.
Rudd sighed. “I owe you an apology for this afternoon.”
He stood and bowed.
Karon moved to stand as well, but Rudd pressed him back down by the shoulder.
Pu’er lifted her head, a spark of hope rising.
Rudd sat and gestured for Karon to sit. “I only learned about your grandfather and the Immers family from Jenny. Communication on this island is limited.
“When we first met, I wanted to test you. In my mind, you were a young master from a great church family, and I feared you would look down on the Allen family.”
“I never intended to do that.”
“I know that now. I was narrow-minded,” Rudd said. “You know, there’s another island to the south, controlled by the Raphael family. They recently fell into chaos. Two days ago, I led people there and took the town back, returning both islands to the Allen family, at least in practice.”
“Congratulations.”
“It wasn’t difficult. They were already split. We even had insiders. Before, we feared retaliation, but now, they’re too busy to retaliate. My brother wrote to me recently, warning me that the Raphaels might fall within a month. When Jenny returned and brought Eunice and an Immers boy, I made a guess. Was I right?”
Karon did not answer.
“Then I guessed correctly. It was a transaction.”
“Yes. Just a transaction.” Tiz had given Ms. Jenny a purple bookmark. It had likely had the name Raphael written on it.
Rudd nodded. “Still, I want to thank your family. The Raphaels have been squeezing us for years. Many of my men died fighting them.
“I once had a chance to inherit the patriarch’s position.”
“Oh?”
“During a voyage, I was ambushed by Raphael-backed bandits. My ship was destroyed. I escaped, injured, but was saved by Elena’s parents.”
“A terrifying ordeal, but also a romantic beginning.”
Rudd smiled bitterly. “The Raphaels hunted me across nearby islands. Elena’s parents hid me and were killed for it.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. She was much younger then, and was like a little sister to me. When I was rescued, I insisted on bringing her home and marrying her. My father was grooming me to be his heir, but Elena was an immigrant, not even of Marcan descent.” He pointed at his hair. “You saw her purple hair.”
Karon nodded.
“My insistence angered my father. I was stripped of succession and sent here.”
Rudd smiled. “But Elena and I have lived happily.”
“You are a responsible man,” Karon said, raising his juice.
Rudd raised his glass. “I only know one thing. Debts must be repaid.”
Pu’er slowly stood on the windowsill, hope swelling within her.
“So when I learned of your circumstances, I had to apologize.”
“You really don’t need to.”
“No, I do!” Rudd slammed the table. “I’ve spent too long away from my father and brother. My father is rigid, and my brother became the patriarch. They will always prioritize the family.”
“I understand,” Karon said.
“Understand my ass!” Rudd smashed the brandy bottle on the floor. “I don’t understand and I don’t want to!”
Pu’er raised her paw. Excellent. Keep going.
Rudd stood, pulling Karon close. His breath was heavy with alcohol. “Promise me this. If they treat you poorly at the manor, come back here. I’ll give you my position, my wealth, my ships, everything. I’ll even give you Camilla as your wife.”
Karon blinked.
Pu’er nearly stood upright in triumph.
“Mr. Rudd , that really isn’t necessary,” Karon said carefully.
“I know Camilla isn’t as beautiful as Eunice,” Rudd said awkwardly.
“She’s very cute.”
“When a man says cute, he means she’s not his type.” Rudd laughed. “I was young once.
“Or maybe you prefer someone quiet. I’ll make her remove the nose ring, change her ways.”
“Really, there’s no need.”
“It must be done!” Rudd roared. “Your family helped us, while you lost everything. You came to Veyn. You came to the Allen family. I will not allow ingratitude, because many of my people, maybe even my father and brother, have forgotten. They’ve forgotten the creed of the Allen family.”
He pounded his chest.
Pu’er mirrored him with her paw.
“The Allen family repays its debts!”