novelraw Chapter 61 : Runeberg Bound
Chapter 61 : Runeberg Bound
Chapter 61: Runeberg Bound
A week passed quickly.
Thanks to Robin’s quick thinking, all meals were taken care of in the room, and going out during the day was avoided as much as possible.
Sword training was done late at night in places without people, and all other time was spent in the inn room.
Because of that, there was plenty of time to talk with Imelda.
They tried not to bring up the story of the family’s annihilation, but when they talked, it inevitably came up at times.
“I’ll become strong too.”
“Do you want revenge?”
“If possible.”
Whenever the atmosphere seemed like it would grow heavy, Imelda brought up another topic.
Most of the time, it was about what they would do once they went north.
Occasionally, when the old man’s sanity returned, they could receive advice.
The north was barren land, so the Empire did not pay much attention to it. In other words, it was good for living in hiding.
On the other hand, that also meant criminals gathered there, so they had to steel themselves.
Robin and Imelda took the old man’s advice to heart.
When they casually asked whether he wanted to go with them, the old man neither denied nor affirmed it.
The old man’s name was still unknown, and he did not refuse to be with Robin and Imelda.
“Have a good stay.”
“It was an honor to serve you.”
They came out earlier than the departure time and looked around Bellaruka.
They bought robes that covered them from head to toe.
They also put a robe on the old man, and it surprisingly suited him well.
With his white hair and beard sticking out, he looked like a sage from a fairy tale.
‘Though his behavior is no different from a kid.’
It was Robin’s first time boarding a ship as well, so he prepared thoroughly.
The expected travel time was three days.
Even after buying dried provisions and finishing their last meal in the city, there was still time left.
“So the sea was this beautiful. Let’s look around a bit before we go.”
“Sure. If we walk one lap along the docks, the timing will be just right.”
The three people, wrapped in robes, walked along the coastline.
The shadows of ships docked at the pier swayed in time with the sound of the waves.
From a brewery with a blue roof, the sound of bubbling boils spread.
Bottles glittering in the sunlight were lined up along the street, then carried away by countless people.
Watching the flags fluttering in the sea breeze made a sense of adventure well up.
“A pirate ship?”
“That ship without a flag?”
“Ships like that often have something shady going on.”
Among the fishing boats and merchant ships mixed together, the old man pointed at a medium-sized vessel.
“A ship focused on mobility. If it’s not fishing, nine times out of ten it’s a pirate ship.”
An old brown mast stood tall, and a hull made of black wood rolled with the waves.
There was no flag.
Raising a flag was at the captain’s discretion, so it was not a major issue, but the old man was convinced it was a pirate ship.
“Even if it’s a pirate ship, it’s just circumstantial. There’s nothing we can do.”
“Robin, isn’t that Serena over there?”
They had been about to pass by regardless of whether it was a pirate ship or not, but at Imelda’s whisper, their gaze turned.
Amid the rough-looking men, an out-of-place girl caught their eye.
‘Why is Serena here?’
Just as Imelda said, it was clearly Serena.
With a mix of happiness and concern, Robin approached Serena.
Serena also seemed to notice them and looked at Robin.
With about five meters left between them, a large man blocked the way.
“You look suspicious. What’s going on?”
“I know the person over there. I just wanted to say hello.”
With bulging muscles, tattoos, and scars all over, he was quite intimidating.
When the man crossed his arms, the muscles in his arms twitched.
Only after Serena walked over herself did he step aside.
“If you try anything funny, you won’t find it amusing.”
Toward the man’s meaningful warning, Serena lightly waved her hand.
When the man retreated, Robin and Imelda shared the same thought.
They did not know what it was, but it felt ominous.
They did not know why Serena was with such people, but they were sure they were not good sorts.
“It’s been a while. Roy, Melida.”
“Nice to see you, Serena. What brings you to Bellaruka?”
“Hearing what you said, going north didn’t sound like a bad idea. Going straight to Runeberg is dangerous, so I came to head to Lutri first.”
“Then who are those people?”
“What else? They’re the crew of the ship going to Lutri.”
Robin glanced over the ship Serena was planning to board.
‘Every single one of them is armed with spears and blades?’
The tattoos carved into their arms and shoulders were unusual, and the man whose eyes had just met his even licked a dagger with his tongue.
Imelda also sensed something ominous and spoke quietly.
“If you’re going to Lutri, how about taking the same ship as us? It’s bigger and better than that one.”
“Thanks for the offer, but it’s already settled. More than anything, I’m getting a free ride.”
“What? Why on earth…?”
“I was lucky. I was walking around looking for a decent ship and met that captain over there. When I said I was going to Lutri, he told me to get on.”
“So what’s the reason?”
“They say their destination is Lutri anyway, so they’re just giving me a ride.”
Robin felt dizzy.
She had been sharp and reliable like a veteran adventurer with him and Imelda, so why was she such a pushover in situations like this?
Serena, instead, asked Imelda, who looked flustered.
“Are you guys okay?”
She omitted the rest, but Robin and Imelda understood without her having to say it.
She was talking about the wanted notice spread throughout the city.
“Thanks to Roy, I feel a bit relieved. Runeberg has weak imperial influence, so once we get there, we’ll be able to breathe easier.”
“We might meet again later.”
“Serena, don’t do this. Even now, say you’ve changed your mind. Those people… just looking at them, they’re not right.”
Serena’s languid eyes sharpened.
She was slightly startled.
She struck the wooden staff she held with both hands against the ground and spoke in a stern voice.
“I didn’t think you two were like this. You shouldn’t judge people by appearances alone.”
“That’s true, but not just their appearance—can’t you get a feel for it by looking at how those men act? I grew up among thugs, so I can tell at a glance.”
“Of course those men are rough, ill-mannered, and ugly, but my instincts as a spirit mage are telling me they’re decent people.”
“Do spirit mages have better instincts than ordinary people?”
“Of course. Otherwise, how would we commune with spirits?”
Serena’s confident voice shut Robin and Imelda’s mouths.
Robin looked at the old man with the intention of asking him to persuade her, but he merely blinked his eyes and did not speak.
“Then how about this. You get on the same ship as me. I can trust you guys. That old man over there is fine too.”
“Thank you for saying that, but our destination is Runeberg.”
“If you talk nicely to that captain over there, wouldn’t he take you all the way? You could save on guard fees too.”
“…….”
Robin gave up on persuading her.
No matter how one looked at it, Serena had more travel experience than Robin and Imelda.
Robin was not in a position to nitpick and give advice.
‘She’s a spirit mage, so if something happens, she can probably subdue those men too.’
He had heard that with the help of a water spirit, one could breathe even if they fell into the sea.
Besides, Robin and Imelda were currently on the run.
Perhaps it might be safer for Serena to be with those men than to be with someone like himself, who had a wanted order issued.
Imelda tried to persuade her a few more times, but it did not work.
As the departure time drew near, Robin said goodbye to Serena.
“To run into each other even here, it seems we really have something going on.”
“That’s why I’m saying, come with us.”
“If we really are fated, we’ll meet again.”
Serena waved her hand, as if she had no intention of holding on any longer.
Robin, Imelda, and the old man turned their steps away.
Unable to shake her worry, Imelda looked back several times.
When Robin looked back once as well, Serena was there, lightly waving her hand.
Surrounded by rough-looking men.
Boarding the passenger ship was easy.
The ship Robin chose was a merchant vessel carrying military supplies to be used in war.
To make up even a little for war-related expenditures, anyone with money was allowed aboard without an identity check.
The Bellaruka knights looked around to see if there were any suspicious people, but there was no occasion for suspicion.
The cabin assigned to the three was narrow but not bad.
With bunk beds placed on both sides, it was a room where four people could sleep.
Soon after, a traveler assigned to the same cabin came in.
“Two young friends and one elder, nice to meet you. I’m Admiral.”
A young man in his late twenties greeted them.
After briefly exchanging names, they chatted.
Admiral was on his way to the Wilcock Count’s territory, which was currently at war.
They could not hear the detailed circumstances, but it seemed he was involved in war-related work.
“Please take care of me for the next three days.”
He did not look down on Robin and Imelda for being young, and he spoke politely to the old man.
Pleased with his courteous manner, all three took a liking to Admiral.
Life aboard the ship that departed at noon was regular.
Meals were served at fixed times, and waking and sleeping hours were set.
When a day had passed since departure, trouble broke out.
A pirate attack.
A medium-sized vessel flying a black flag chased them from behind.
The captain urgently issued orders and increased speed, but the pirate ship was faster.
That was because, by nature, the merchant ship was specialized for cargo loading rather than speed.
“At such a critical time…….”
Admiral bit his lip with a troubled expression.
He approached the captain and exchanged some words, but his expression did not ease.
Robin, who had come out onto the deck and was watching the approaching pirate ship, was no different.
Rather than surrender, the captain chose to fight back.
Though classified as a large merchant ship, there were not many combatants.
About fifty people gathered under the captain were all there was.
Compared to the pirates on the pirate ship, who were clearly more than a hundred at a glance, they were outnumbered.
‘Still, they had something to rely on.’
On this side, there were knights.
And not just one, but two.
That was why the captain chose to fight despite the numerical disadvantage.
‘If there are two knights, there’s a chance.’
With Aura that could cut through anything, there was nothing to fear.
That fraudulent technique was something Robin knew firsthand.
If they clashed head-on, there would be casualties on this side as well, but at the very least, it would not be a crushing defeat.
The pirate ship drew close enough for its deck to be visible with the naked eye, and the passengers returned to their cabins.
“Aren’t you going in too, Mr. Admiral?”
“You go in first. There’s a need to watch a bit longer.”
“Don’t be too late. You never know what might happen if you get dragged into it.”
Admiral showed a bitter smile toward Robin.
The three who returned to the cabin had nothing in particular to say.
Hoping the pirates would pass by or retreat, they listened intently to the sounds outside.
Dadadadadak.
The sound of hurried footsteps running across the deck echoed into the cabin.
Faint shouts and the metallic sound of weapons being drawn pricked at their skin.
“…….”
The sounds that could be heard from inside the cabin were limited.
That only heightened the tension all the more.
Kwaang!
Like the calm before a storm, the silence was shattered as the cabin shook along with a crashing sound.
“Robin……!”
“Grab onto anything tight! You too, sir!”
“The ship is shaking too much……!”
It was not the rolling of waves, but an external impact that made the ship lurch.
Luggage left on the floor failed to stay in place and rolled around here and there.
“Secure valuables first! I’ll keep the cash!”
“The sword! Should I grab the sword first?”
“Put the dagger in your clothes first! Leave the sword!”
Amid the scattered luggage in chaos, one letter caught his eye.
Robin hooked it with his foot, then focused on the seal stamped on the letter.
The old man beside him opened his mouth.
“That emblem is Wilcock…….”
Kkigigigigik.
Like a shark gnawing at a ship, the sound of wood grinding issued a warning.
It did not stop at merely an unpleasant noise; the ship turned.
Because of the external pressure, it moved as if a child were playing with a toy boat.
Several rounds of footsteps and shouts spread noisily, but soon died down.
Thud. Thud.
Someone entered the cabin corridor and flung open doors one by one.
It did not take long before the footsteps stopped in front of the room where Robin was staying.
The door opened, and a large man stepped forward with a sword at the fore.
“So it’s those suspicious ones from before.”
“…What happened?”
The man bared his yellowed teeth and grinned.
“This ship is ours now.”
In the end, the pirates had seized the merchant ship.