Chapter 73 - Returning to the beginnings

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The new day came to found Vlad, wearing a casual black suit and black hat, while his long hair was left flowing down towards the ground. He strolled on a wooden platform while behind him was a young boy wearing some simple clothes to easily move who had a black cat-like creature on his shoulders.

They were staring impressed at the newly expanded harbor and the number of ships going in and out.

"Unexpectedly, this place is quite crowded, but Kavos did well with the harbor."

"Vlad, is Kavos, that person from those criminal groups who a great architect?"

"Great, my ass, you should have seen his first projects. It would waste all my money on something not useful for the citizens for now."

"Boss, the water looks so clear I think I can even see perfectly my reflection if I go close."

"Stop making a scene Aerius, it will be more annoying to deal with the people here. Just stay quiet and act like a cat or something while I do the talking."

Hearing that, Aerius put a sulking expression but complied with Vlad.

Soon they arrived at where the ships were anchored, where there were men discharge some packages with tradable goods.

Seeing Vlad and Robert walk around the wooden platform looking for something, one of the younger working guys at the harbor, who had tanned skin, asked Vlad from the ship he was unloading.

"Sir, are you looking for something or any services such as renting ships or transportation?"

"That's right, I'm looking for the ship called Red F. Do you know which one of this ship is that one?"

Looking at Vlad's young face but still clean and seeming expensive clothes and the young boy next to him, the worker nodded his head after thinking for a bit.

"Right, that new baby mayor Aldenis brought. I'll show it to you, sir. Follow me."

As he said that, he jumped from the ship he was unloading and began walking along with the wooden platform and passing the anchored ships.

Vlad followed after the tanned young man and suddenly stopped to look at a 10 meters caravel that had its sails colored with red and white stripes while the body was of treated wood.

"That's the ship, sir. I've heard my boss say that someone would come to ask for this beauty, so I assume that's you. Do you need a rundown on how things work, or you'll be fine on your own?"

Robert looked around the caravel to check the wood's quality before turning towards Vlad and the working guy.

"No need. I know what to do here."

"Well, if you don't require my help, good luck on your journey. The sea seems calm at this hour, so you'll probably be alright." said the young stevedores before going towards the ship he had to unload.

"Thank you for the help, young man."

As Vlad said that to the young stevedores, he looked at Robert and asked him with a slight confusion on his face.

"Do you really know how to steer such a ship?"

"Well, I've never done it myself, but I've seen my teacher do it. I know how the process works, the position of stars, or how to use the sun to guide me on the ship. To not forget, I also have the map with me."

Nodding his head, Vlad grabbed Robert by the waist before doing a large jump arriving at the caravel deck.

Landing on the hardwood that began shaking a little bit made Vlad feel weird, but that didn't affect his footing.

Staring around the main deck of the ship, he could see the mainmast, and when looking towards the seas, the bowspine of the ship became visible.

"Do you know the structure of the ship? Mind sharing it with me?" asked Vlad while patting on Robert's shoulder.

"Right. Come follow me. Let's see if the people here follow the common standard."

As Robert said that, he swiftly stepped on the deck like he was home. He first took Vlad toward the bowspine where the forecastle deck and anchor capstan was located.

"Ohh, so they use this type of anchor mechanism where you need to rotate horizontally. Hmm, it's also good, I think. There's not much inside this room aside from this cannon and some cannonballs."

Then, as Robert talked around, he heard Vlad ask with a confused tone while holding some inflated thing.

"Hey, little Robert, what are those weird things?"

"Hmm, that one. It's called lifesaver, that would be your first saver as a devil user because it keeps you afloat on the sea."

"Interesting, let's get going, little Robert. I don't care much about this canon stuff. If a fight starts, I'll just jump towards the opposite ship and slaughter the enemy."

"That's just like you. Okay, let's move on."

As he said that, Robert followed to walk towards the lower deck where there seemed to be a smaller room below the forecastle.

"This is the crew's quarter. It's easy to get the idea for what this part of the ship is, let's get going."

Ending saying that, Robert exited and got back to the main deck before walking back to the mainmast and taking to go to the lower deck where there seemed to be quite the supply of water and food and the cannon deck.

"Phew, I thought the old man forgot to supply us, but it seems we're good to go for some weeks on the seas."

Exiting back to the main deck, Vlad followed quietly behind Robert as the young boy moved towards the other side of the ship.

Pointing toward the mast close to them, Robert said.

"That's called mizzenmast. The part raised on the ship is the captain's cabin and officer's quarters. Good, it has a steering wheel, not some crappy steer." said Robert when he walked up the stairs to reach the officer's quarters and captain cabin.

Entering the room of the officer's quarters, Vlad was surprised to see that it looked decent. However, he would be left surprised when going into the captain's cabin.

The cabin had a decent-sized bed, a smaller size office, and some comfortable chairs placed around a table. It also had an empty library left to collect dust.

"Wow, old Aldenis really hit a great deal with this ship."

"Look, big brother, that's a den den mushi. You can talk with other people using them. But how did old Aldenis got them? I thought this place doesn't have them being a more backward place."

Vlad smacked Robert softly over his head before saying to him.

"Don't badmouth my kingdom, we're making progress here. Anyway, what exactly is this snail capable of doing exactly? I didn't get your first explanation."

"You can literally call other people using this snail. Look, you even got the wavelength for old Aldenis snail. Let me show you how they work."

Then Robert pressed the combination on the snail shell before not long starting to ring with an annoying tone.

*Puru-puru * Puru-puru * *Gotcha*

"Hello, this is Aldenis. Who's calling?" asked an old voice coming from the snail while the face of the snail began morphing into something similar to Aldenis's face.

"This is Robert, old man, I'm showing right now to Vlad how to use the snail. Sorry if we disturbed you. Thanks for the ship."

"Haha, my pleasure, little guy. Just don't crash it. While I bought it at cheap, it doesn't mean it's a small price." laughed Aldenis heartily when hearing Robert's comment.

"Lets me see how this snail works." said Vlad while taking the talking transmitter before not long saying to Aldenis.

"Old man, if you had these snails, why didn't you gave me one to keep it easier while talking."

"Ahem, Vlad. I purchased those snails when I went to buy that ship. The old ones I had died so I thought that I would refill the ones dead with new ones. However, it's better to keep meeting, is safer than talking with those snails since they can be intercepted. That means someone else can hear on our conversation while using a special snail."

"Tsk, it's fine. Thanks for the work Aldenis, you better make some space for new ships coming. Take care."

*Gotcha*

"You understand now how that snail works. They are also not picky with their food, only consuming vegetables and fruits." said Robert while placing the talking receiver back on the snail shell holder.

Staring at the snail's face, Vlad touched it's face a bit making the snail go back in his shell.

"Ohh, just like snails back home."

"Little Robert, I think we're good to go. Do you need something else?"

"Yes, can you unfurl the sails and pull out the anchor for me? It would take too much if I do it myself."

"Hah. It's been a while since I got this feeling of an apprentice. Right away, captain."

"Can you not tease me? You're clearly the captain of this ship, while I'm just a navigating boy."

Yet not even ending saying his part, he could see Vlad jump high towards the mainmast and climb the ratlines to unfurl the sails.

"Damn, he's swift." commented Robert while watching Vlad unfurl the mainmast sail.

"He's crazy buddy, don't mess with him. You should have seen his happy expression." replied Aerius back while watching Vlad move fastly around the lines from Robert's shoulder.

Then Vlad went towards the foremast sails, also unfurling them before not long dropping down on the main desk and going to the anchor room. He started rotating the mechanics until he felt the ship start moving. Placing the break to the mechanism, he later arrived casually before Robert, who was behind the steering wheel.

"That was everything I was supposed to do, right little Robert?"

"Yes, that's good. Now I only have to steer the ship out of the harbor before entering the sea."

"Have fun little Robert I'll go watch the sea from the bowspine, just in case there's a pirate ship approaching. Keep the binoculars since I don't need them."

"Okay, if a storm hits us came back, or you'll really get drowned on the sea." replied Robert back while steering the caravel.

Vlad smiled a bit before leaving the mizzenmast zone and walking towards the forecastle of the caravel. Arriving there, he climbed on the spine and settled down to sit on the wooden log.

He could see when turning his head the Common District in the distance together with the imposing Royal Castle, but soon the ship began to distance more and more, only leaving Vlad to watch the clear blue water, birds, and clear skies.

"Hmm, this feeling is not bad at all." said Vlad as the breeze of the sea assaulted his senses and blowing his long hair slightly.

Time passed since they departed on this journey. Robert also took a break after placing the ship on the correct coordinates taking a chair from the Captain Cabin close to the steering wheel.

"This chair is really comfortable to look around. Hey, Aerius, can you wake me up if by chance, I get sleepy?

There might be some incidents, but I doubt. The clouds are clear, so there shouldn't be any storm deeper on the sea."

*Snore* *Snore* Aerius was already asleep before he could even finish his sentences.

"Tsk, damned gryphon. Now what? I can't sleep without having anyone to look out for storms. I got nothing to do. Sigh, this is the part teacher said was excruciating, having nothing to do."

Slowly hours shifted, and the caravel was already out in the sea out from any sign of land.

Robert checked the map in his hand then looked towards the sun. Taking his binoculars, he looked left and right to check any sign of land.

"Don't tell me I've misread the map and went astray? No way, I went with the correct coordinates. Why there's no land in sight?"

As he was looking left and right with his binoculars, he heard Vlad's footsteps walking up the stairway.

"Little Robert, there's an island at 2 a clock. Check the ship direction, so you don't miss the island."

"Wait, what island? I see nothing." replied Robert with a confused expression while staring at Vlad's calm expression, where his eyes shined with red lights.

'That devil power of his is insane. He can see that far ahead!?'

Not long after some minutes, Robert could see at long last the signs of land right where Vlad was telling him.

Taking the steering wheel in his hand, he began setting the ship course towards the island.

"This Island should be Calmaria." said Robert to Vlad, who was walking toward the comfortable chair where Aerius was sleeping.

Grabbing him by his eagle head, and in doing so, waking him up when lifting him up.

"Who, where am I?" asked the gryphon, slightly confused.

"You're on the sea, you lazy gryphon. Go see the breeze of the sea, the winds of the air, maybe you'll get some inspiration and actually manage to fly." replied Vlad to Aerius, who was looking confused from the caravel deck.

Looking around himself and especially forward, Aerius cried out.

"There's land right ahead. Wow, we got here so quickly."

"Hmph, that's because you've slept almost 3 hours." commented Robert from the steering wheel while looking forward towards the approaching island.

As they were approaching more and more, they could see some small fishing ships where the inside of them was pair of adults and young children inside.

Meanwhile, from the finishing ships, some young guys starred, shocked at the caravel.

"Dad, look at that big ship. It looks to be empty and astray."

"It's not empty, son. The way the ship is moving towards our village doesn't seem to be random. Don't tell me those pirates came back after almost 5 years?"

"Let's get back to the village and alert the elder. Get going with the rowing. We have no time to waste if the ship is a pirate one."

The small finishing ships numbering in 3 began also rushing towards the island.

When they arrived, they sounded the alarm in the village, making all the capable men gather while armed with farming tools, knives, and whatnot. Whereas the women gathered their young inside the simple wooden houses.

The villagers began assembling around the beach of their island, staring vigilantly at the seemly large caravel approaching their island.

"Lorth what if the ship isn't a pirate one, won't we look as bad hosts." asked an old person, the fisherman.

"Elder better be safe this time. I don't want to lose any of my family against those rabid dogs."

"Sigh, I understand. I also know that pain, guys."

Ended saying the elder while also watching as the sails began to be closed on the ship.

Slowly the ship got close enough to the shore to let the villagers gathered to see the profile of a tall young man wearing a clean black suit and dark hat.

Some of the younger adults whispered while staring at this handsome young man staring with a calm face at them from above.

"Doesn't this young man face has a close resemblance to Zagreus, the orphan boy we used to play when young?"

Another young man looked at Vlad's face and said with a surprised tone.

"Indeed, his sharp eyebrows and dark green eyes, even the shape of his face, looks similar to Zagreus only that he now looks healthy."

"Ssh, you guys, what if he's not your playmate and some pirate wanting to extort us!?" responded an adult to the younger guys.

Vlad looked at the armed villagers, and when inspecting some of them, he stopped at the face of an old man who was also looking directly at Vlad.

"Right is that memory. Well, well. It seems that I found your home, little Zagreus. That old man what was his name, Elder Lark, there's also some small monkeys who seem to have grown up well." said Vlad in a low tone for himself.

Then Robert and Aerius came from the officer's quarters and stopped next to Vlad.

Staring at the villagers, he opened his mouth and said calmly to them.

"I come bringing no harm to your homes and probably will leave your village soon. However, who is the person in charge of this village."

"It's me, young man." replied the old man while stepping ahead.

"Good. I have a simple question for you, is Granny Marlene still alive?"

"Why are you asking for that old hag? Who are you to know about that hag? Wait, those eyes, those features of yours, are you little Zagreus?"

Hearing the old's man question, Vlad took Robert by his waist and jumped from the deck of the ship, landing on the island shore as if nothing happened. He stared calmly at the old man before smiling at him.

"Indeed, I'm Zagreus, that pesky brat who fought a lot with your grandson and who you would chase around to teach him a lesson."

The old man stepped forward to look closer at Vlad's face, not bothered by his out-of-place black suit that didn't match at all with the villager's simple clothing. As he was approaching more and more towards Vlad, the adults panicked a bit and said to the elder.

"Elder Lark, keep a safe distance. What if he's actually an enemy."

"Hmph, give me a break. I know this brat since he was a little shit." said the elder as he was getting closer to Vlad, suddenly stopping right in front of him.

Vlad also stared at this old man who was smaller than him, only walking with a height of 1,72 meters. He had a head full of white hair and a bushy beard, while his eyes were of a brown color.

Not long, the old man walked to embrace Vlad heartily while saying to him.

"I'm sorry little Zagreus. Because of my helplessness, you suffered a lot with those pirate bastards. I shouldn't have let them disembark on the island and keep them out of the village. I'm really sorry."

"Sigh, those are ancient things, elder. I have never blamed any of you for that incident that happened almost 5 years ago."

"It's that old hag Marlene fault for being a scared bitch not giving those pirates the gold she hoarded. She's still alive and kicking well, little Zagreus."

Patting the old man back as giving back the kind gesture, he got his arm around his shoulder before turning to look at the armed group of people.

"I remember most of you guys, but your name is still fussy after all these years spent away from this place."

Hearing Vlad says that, while looking at them with a calm smile on his face, some of the younger guys close to Vlad's age asked him.

"Hey, Zagreus, do you still remember me?"

"Hmm, let me think. Right, you're that brat who constantly jested around the girls of the village, but I don't remember your name."

"It's Zack. You better remember it." said the young guy while chuckling a bit, feeling a bit better that this old acquaintance of him looked this well and also commanded such a ship.

"Sshh, annoying brat, let me guide little Zagreus to my house. Guys, you can disperse and go back to your daily activities. Zagreus and his friend are our guests.

Come little Zagreus, let this old man treat you with something."

"There's really no need." but the old man pushed him forward toward the village interior, making Vlad give up, signaling Robert to follow.

"Fine, Elder Lark. However, I will not stay for long. Maybe I will visit you another time since I now know that this is my childhood home."

In some minutes, Vlad arrived at a slightly larger house compared to the rest of the village houses, where it looked to also have some cultivated land closer to the house.

When Vlad entered the village, he saw many young kids and women exiting their houses to see this guest walking alongside the Village Elder.

Some younger girls, slightly older than Vlad, felt that this guest was familiar and made their guesses until the younger boys told them that it was Zagreus who came back to their village on the sails of a big ship.

This made the girls who saw Vlad's handsome features gossip even more.

Meanwhile, inside the elder's house, Vlad, Robert, and Aerius were seated beside the old man, who placed some food on the table and put on the table a seemly old bottle.

"Go on, little Zagreus, little Robert, eat something. Your journey here probably was long. Here also drink some of my wine."

"Don't put wine for the little guy. He's not yet allowed to drink." replied Vlad shortly when seeing Elder Lark preparing a wine glass for Robert.

The elder smiled and still put a little bit of wine on Robert's glass which he later combined with some spring water.

"That should be fine now. It will not drop him on the ground. Now tell me, little Zagreus, what happened after those pirates took you and the rest of the orphans away?"

"It's a long story, elder, but I'll keep it short since it would take all day long to tell you. I was sold in slavery inside a mine."

The old man staring at Vlad with kind eyes instantly turned sad and angry when hearing this, shaking his head, he still asked.

"Same for the rest of the kids?"

"I don't know exactly what was the situation on other wealthy men, but some offered good conditions which wouldn't make you feel a slave apart from being restricted, while in my case, there were also crazy and ruthless guys using the slaves as simple tools to achieve their goal."

"That damned hag, she destroyed the bright lives of so many kids."

"Calm down elder, I remember everything that happened that day. While granny Marlene's choice was selfish, she also protected you guys from unnecessary killing and torture. Why I'm asking about her is because I want to find out who my mother who left me here is."

"Just your mother, that means you know who your father is?"

"You can say it like this, but I've never met him."

"Well, before I tell you about my origin, let me ask you, old man. Do you want to improve the livelihood of your village, to make it prosper in an unthinkable manner, to never have on your mind the thought that at one point in time pirates would assault you?"

"Boy, you're asking quite the daring thing from an old man. Who wouldn't want to have their people live better and see them prosper? But can you help this place out?"

"It's a matter of time, but I will offer you some assistance when my place is also running smoothly. You might be confused by what I'm telling you. However, my full name is Vermilion Zagreus Vlad, and you can think of me as the ruler of a bigger place. To be specific, right now, I'm ruling over a city."

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