Chapter 183: The Weak Have No Choices
The reason behind borrowing a pirate flag was obvious: seeking protection.
But this was the Beginning Island, a place regularly visited by pirates.
For this reason alone, Bach's hopes were nothing more than wishful thinking.
Under these circumstances, if Maude were to lend his flag to the young man in front of him, it would not only fail to offer any real protection but might even endanger the residents of Spring Island.
Still, this was the first time Maude had been asked to plant his flag for protection, and he found the request intriguing.
Unfortunately, his newly formed pirate crew lacked the ability to protect the residents of Spring Island. If they could, he wouldn't have minded planting his flag there and establishing a mutually beneficial relationship with the locals.
Facing Bach's hopeful gaze, Maud shook his head.
He said nothing, but his refusal was clear.
Bach's face fell with visible disappointment.
In his limited understanding, simply having the flag of a powerful pirate crew fluttering in the wind would be enough to intimidate other vicious pirates and restore peace to Spring Island.
Even if it couldn't keep all pirates away, it would at least save them from fleeing to Winter Island to eke out a living.
It was precisely because of his ignorance that Bach had made such an unrealistic request.
Seeing Maude's refusal, Bach not only felt disappointed but suddenly realized how presumptuous he had been.
After all, if the bodies strewn across the ground and the burning town were the work of the two people before him, then these two must be fearsome pirates. Otherwise, how could they have done such things?
And here he was, boldly approaching to make a request. If he displeased them, wouldn't his fate be sealed?
Caught in a whirlwind of such thoughts, Bach's face turned pale. In a weak voice, he asked, "Will you… kill me?"
His sudden question caught Maude by surprise.
After a moment, Maude burst into laughter.
Bach stared in confusion at Maude, who was laughing uncontrollably.
In that instant, the fear gripping his heart began to dissipate, though he had no concrete reason for this change.
He simply felt that the man before him wouldn't harm him.
Maude's laughter drew the attention of Gaya and Jim, who were stationed on the mast ship.
"Maude, are you alright?" Gaya asked, her expression tinged with concern as she noticed the blood covering him.
"I'm fine. This blood isn't mine," Maude replied with a smile.
Relieved, Gaya turned her gaze to Bach, who was dressed in a hooded coat.
"And who is this?" she asked.
"I'm Bach, a resident of this island," Bach answered before Maude could respond.
Gaya studied Bach thoughtfully.
Grrrr…
At that moment, Bach's stomach growled audibly.
"Uh…" Bach instinctively covered his stomach, embarrassed.
Gaya chuckled softly and glanced at Maude for confirmation.
Understanding her intent, Maude nodded.
With that, Gaya began preparing food.
An hour later, the flames in the town burned ever fiercer, sending thick black smoke billowing into the sky, blending with the gathering storm clouds.
A few minutes later, thunder rumbled, and rain poured from the sky.
Under the sudden downpour, the flames gradually subsided.
Ten minutes later, the rain extinguished the fire completely.
On the central avenue of the town, a group of people dressed in coats and animal hides trudged through the rain. At the front of the group was Bach, leading the way.
After learning about the situation on Spring Island, Bach had immediately returned to Winter Island to rally all the residents back to their long-lost home.
Their destination was a restaurant in the town, miraculously spared from the flames.
There, Gaya had prepared steaming bowls of nourishing seafood porridge for them.
The group, numbering five to six hundred, moved noisily through the rain, their chatter drowning out the sound of the downpour.
The commotion drew silhouettes to the windows of the houses lining the street.
These figures were not pirates and had thus been spared by Maud and Lafitte.
Now, they stood silently by their windows, watching the rain-drenched procession.
Under the gaze of these silent witnesses, the group reached the restaurant.
Inside, they found round tables laden with bowls of steaming seafood porridge, the air thick with its enticing aroma.
Under Bach's guidance, the residents, returning to Spring Island after years, cautiously took their seats.
Their faces were alight with a mixture of excitement and disbelief.
When they finally took a bite of the warm porridge, the heat flowing through their bodies brought tears to their eyes.
The restaurant was silent except for the clinking of spoons and the sound of swallowing.
Gaya stood at the entrance to the kitchen, silently watching the residents eat their porridge, tears streaming down their faces.
Maude joined her side and said calmly, "In a few days, the Log Pose will finish recording, and when we leave, nothing on Spring Island will change."
"I know," Gaya replied with a gentle nod.
Even if Maude and Lafitte had wiped out the pirates in town and provided these people with warm meals, that was the extent of what they could do.
Once they left, pirates would inevitably return to Spring Island before long.
At that point, even if the residents chose to resist, they wouldn't stand a chance against the continuous wave of pirates.
This was the harsh reality dictated by Spring Island's location.
Maude said no more, instead observing the residents quietly.
The porridge Gaya had made was not only nourishing but also immediately effective, bringing a healthy flush to their faces.
In the days that followed, Gaya worked tirelessly to prepare more nourishing meals, hoping to help the residents recover as much as possible in the limited time they had.
By the fifth day, the Log Pose's record was complete, signaling that it was time for Maude and his crew to depart.
Before they set sail, Dada and the residents of Spring Island gathered at the shore to see them off.
Tears streamed down Dada's face as he looked at Maude standing on the ship's deck. Over the past few days, Dada had entertained thoughts of shamelessly begging Maude to let him join the crew.
However, after a heartfelt invitation from Dale, Dada ultimately decided to become a rookie journalist, determined to one day write about Maude himself.
As Dale had said, to quickly build fame, behind-the-scenes support was indispensable.
Dada vowed to become one of Maude's supporters!
As the mast ship sailed away, disappearing into the horizon, the residents of Spring Island remained by the shore, unwilling to leave.
They gazed in the direction of the departing ship, silently expressing their gratitude for all the help Maude's crew had provided.
"I will become stronger…!"
Young Bach clenched his fists, making a silent vow.
"The weak can't even choose how they die. Only by becoming stronger can you break free from this tragic fate."
Those were Maude's parting words to Bach.
And those words were etched deeply into Bach's heart.
The weak… have no choices.
For that reason, he would become stronger!
On the deck of the mast ship, Gaya was flipping through an old, yellowed book.
The book was a gift from an elderly resident of Spring Island, offered as a token of gratitude.
Maude glanced at the book in Gaya's hands and asked curiously, "What's written in it?"
Gaya gently turned a page and replied, "It's the history of Twin Island. It's quite fascinating."
"History, huh…" Maude muttered, clearly uninterested.
Gaya smiled and pointed to a passage on the page, "Look at this."
"Hmm?" Maude leaned closer, his eyes widening slightly in surprise as he read.
"Twin Island was split in two by a single swing of a giant's axe?"
"Isn't it intriguing?" Gaya said with a smile.
Maude scratched his head. "It's interesting, but it feels more like a story than history."
"As long as it's interesting, that's what matters," Gaya replied, her eyes crinkling into crescents.
-------
Want to read waaaay ahead of schedule?
Join here: patreon.com / emperorgarus
There are more than 150 advance chapters available for you!