Chapter 188: Precious Commodity

Movement was slow. The sail was doing its job and some of the crew were rowing. I wanted to use my wind magic and help to some extent but I didn't want to dry the gems. I had a lot of gems, all courtesy of Goribo and while I probably could have used them and created a vortex powerful enough to deliver us straight to the main route in like half a week- the ship was probably going to get fucked hard and we'd drown. There was another reason I wasn't using the gems though. I needed a lot of money once I got back home. I also needed a lot of leverage and fire power.

"You will regret this," a voice came from behind me. I was at the helm, looking out. Meanwhile, the woman was behind, all roped up. She kind of looked hot.

"You say that even after witnessing Alustur's might?"

"He's one man," she said. "We have many."

There was a bump on her head. She kind of had thin hair so it was apparent. A mild bruise on her cheek and some odd marks on her chest and thighs.

Noticing my glance, the woman scowled. "I suppose you're a man too…" she hissed, spitting on the floor.

"Did they, touch you?"

She didn't say anything but that glare stated 'yes'.

"Alustur?" I yelled.

He was on the other side. "What?"

"I don't mean to be a hypocrite but we ought to treat our prisoners better."

"Hmm…" He came over and checked the girl's clothes, under them, and even down there…

The girl closed her eyes in shame and some tears hung about in the corner of her eyes. However, she didn't cry and she only glared and gritted.

"We should-" I started.

"Absolutely punish the offender," Alustur said.

The girl stared, kind of bewildered at that. But then scoffed. "Spare me your pity. I'm used to this."

"That has little do with us," Alustur said. "This is not pity. It is courtesy."

The girl glanced at me once but didn't say much else.

Meanwhile, some of the sailors were looking a tad pale and were working in awkward ways. I suppose we'd found the culprits.

"Everyone line up!" I yelled. "Every single one, even the lookout, line up!"

"We can switch the lookout," Alustur said.

The lookout guy didn't come down for now.

Meanwhile, the guys lined up. Some of them were murmuring something. I heard a guy say something in the lines of- 'But she's a pirate, a savage.'

'What's wrong with having a bit of fun? It's a dry journey-''

'Man, grow up kid.'

Interesting. Where they actively trying to- or-

No, they don't know I can hear them. Did bring me the question though, how the hell was I hearing them? Oh… Rexy. Rexy was on my shoulder and she was… amplifying the sound? I didn't know you could do that!

Anyway, the men along with the captain lined up.

"Just point them out with your eyes," I said.

"And what will you do to them?" The girl said.

"We'll throw them overboard," I said. "They can be fishfood for all I care."

The girl snickered meekly. "What if I say they all did it? Would you go home alone?"

"If that's what I have to do," I said. "My mother… my mother taught me to respect women. And if these gentlemen cannot do that, then they don't deserve to be on this ship."

"Your mother raised you well. But that's not how the world works," the girl said. "None of them. They merely fondled my breasts, that's all. Your concern should be evading my captain."

Some of the sailors let out a sigh of relief. One of them even yelled- "Don't joke like that Sol. It was just some teasing!"

Right. I made a mental note of that guy.

The men went back to work.

"How many of them do we need to actually make it back?" I whispered.

"Sadly, most of them. I don't know what you're thinking but we cannot do anything to them. Especially you."

"I know."

Alustur sighed. "Alright, I'll take care of it. But you're sure about this? They only… no, I do not have any words to defend their actions. They have indeed violated this woman."

"Well for now, we'll just have to deal with it, I guess."

The woman in question, didn't refute nor agree. She just… sat there.

 The ship kept going.

In the afternoon, I sat with the girl and watched the sunset.

"Cheer up kid, it's not that big of a deal," she was sitting cross legged with her eyes closed, like she was meditating or something.

"You said you're used to this, does that mean-" I couldn't find the words.

"For a kid… are you an adult in a boy's body by any chance?"

I kept staring at her. "I've been called a failed hero candidate before."

"Makes sense," she said. "I'm a woman at sea. In a ship full of pirates: Mostly men. What do you think could happen?"

"I see…"

"I'm telling you, cheer up. I'm not weak enough to be broken from shit like this. Besides, I need to wait till the captain shows up, be free, and slice all your bowels in pieces and watch you rot alive."

I laughed. "Please don't do that."

She laughed too. "I like you kid, I'll keep you as a pet."

My eye twitched a fair bit. "Maybe a bit more of a proper relationship… how about it, would you like becoming my sister?"

She gave the most 'what expired shit are you smoking look' I'd ever seen. "Sister… I'm a pirate kid."

"Yeah, and a beautiful one no less."

she smiled. "I like you more and more. I'll definitely make you my pet!"

sigh…

***

Later I went down to get some hard tack. And the captain walked past me.

'Nice going. Some of the mates had actually bought it.' He said.

He was half right. Yes, most of my emotional outburst was planned.

However… I might have been sort of serious about throwing some of the bastards in the sea, even if it was only for a short while. I didn't have any plans on killing them (cause we darn well needed them) but I really wanted to educate them a fair bit.

"Ship ahead! SHiP AHEAD!"

My attention jumped and I ran to the starboard. The pirate ship was approaching us from the opposite side. How the hell did they get so far ahead of us?

"I've come back!" A shout. The captain. "For me Precious Commodity!"

Thump!

Landed a person on board.

Blonde hair. No shirt. Long sword.

Red eyes.

Lots of muscles.

Red. Some heads went flying.

Death.