"Should I put it here?" Roderick asked as he was carrying one barrel over his shoulder.

 

A man wearing a checkered bandana over his forehead nodded, "Yep, just put it there!" The man answered as he was stirring a wooden ladle in a large cauldron. The fragrance of spices spread throughout the kitchen, making anyone who was to smell it starving.

 

Though it didn't bother the stowaway who had decided to make himself useful and helped Curtis, the head cook of the Cackling Storm. It was the least he could do after 'joining' the crew after a month. It was also to avoid prying eyes of grudges.

 

He grunted a little as he put the barrel down on the spot which had been agreed by the head cook himself, "All done."

 

"Thanks for the help, Rody! Make sure to catch lunch before it's past noon. The captain would surely be out of his room and nag you for it." Curtis replied as he added a few pinches of spice into the stew.

 

"...Uh-huh, and don't call me by that name. It's irritating, like that captain of yours," Roderick replied as he felt that someone was watching him. He turned his head over his shoulder. Although, there was nothing but the kitchen counter that was supposed to be used to pass food to the cafeteria. He scratched his head and shrugged it off, "Probably something messing with my head... I hope it's not that... Or that irritating idiot of a captain..."

 

"Woah, easy on the captain, lad! He's a good person, it's just that he acts like his head's empty at times." Curtis chuckled as he looked at Roderick with a wry smile.

 

"And idiot in short, right?"

 

"Hah... I suppose you can say that. But really, he's a person you found admirable once you get to know how he works."

 

"Uh-huh... You can say that again." Roderick replied as he recalled what Errat has been doing for the past month. He only saw him chasing after him, trying to get close to him from time to time. He hadn't seen him handle the tradings, no invasions - or perhaps he was too lazy to even care.

 

"I'll be off then," Roderick said before he walked out of the kitchen. Curtis waved his hand at him and continued to cook the stew his fellow crew going to chow down on.

 

After a while, Roderick finds himself laying down on the bowsprit of the ship. He couldn't count on how many times he had spend empty hours on this certain part of the ship. It just felt relaxing for him to daydream, "Mnhh..." He hummed as he took in a deep breath, trying to find the right sensation to take a nap.

 

"...Uhmm... Excuse me..." A voice called out to him, a younger tone of voice to be exact.

 

Roderick grunted as he was vexed by someone ruining his naptime. Though he was less irritated since it wasn't Errat who's bothering him. He made the effort to sit from his spot and hang his legs on the edge of the wooden plank. The man then turned towards the source of the voice.

 

Turns out, it was a small boy wearing a loose shirt and vest like the other crew members. The difference was that he was wearing a scarf that conceals his mouth and neck. Standing in front of him, where the bowsprit expands.

 

"Hmm? What do you want, kid?" Roderick asked as there was an unfriendly look on his face.

 

"Are you Rody?" He asked with an innocent voice.

 

Roderick was slightly irked when he heard that nickname. But who could blame a child to say that? Moreover, he had an idea where he had learned about that nickname, "...Roderick, not Rody...

 

"Oh okay..." He said before his hand was reaching his pocket. What Roderick saw next was that the boy was holding an apple and extended his arms towards him, "Here, take it." The boy said with a muffled voice from the scarf covering his mouth.

 

"??" Roderick was puzzled as he took the apple from the boy's hand, "What am I supposed to do with this?"

 

"I saw you with Curtis in the kitchen earlier, I noticed that you were eyeing the stew that he's cooking. So I thought that you might be hungry."

 

Roderick stared at the boy for a moment before gazing down at the fresh apple in his hand, "...I'm not hungry..." He then looked back at the boy with curiosity.

 

"...You're still a kid... Why on a pirate ship? Aren't you supposed to be playing with other kids in towns? You're way too young to be a pirate." Roderick commented.

 

The small boy hummed as he crossed his arms in thought, "...But I'm not a pirate, maybe not yet. But Captain Errat said that I could be whatever I want when I grow up. So I don't have to be a pirate if I don't want to." He explained.

 

"...So I take it that he picked you up?"

 

The boy bobbed his head, "Mhmm, that's correct."

 

"...Any family on board?"

 

"No, it's just me"

 

"Where did that captain of yours pick you up?"

 

"I don't know for sure, but the village I lived in was attacked by those daemons a few years ago. I lost my mom, dad, and brothers."

 

The answer made Roderick hold his breath in place, "..."

 

"That was when Captain Errat came across my village and saw what happened. He took me in as part of the crew, but when I'm older he said that I can go anywhere I want!" The small boy answered with an enthusiastic voice.

 

"...Aren't you sad your family's gone?" Roderick said with a hint of grief in his voice.

 

"I am... But with Captain Errat and the others around, I'm not anymore!" The small boy answered as he extended his arms wide.

 

"...Your name?"

 

"Jack"

 

"...Here, catch" Roderick tossed the apple towards the boy, which he barely managed to catch, "You eat it, you're still growing. You need it more than I do."

Jack's eyes sparkled and nodded, "I will! Be sure to join us for lunch, Mister Roderick! I'm going to Curtis now, bye!" He waved his hand at the man before running off through the deck with light steps.

 

Roderick watched as a sense of nostalgia hit him in the back of his mind, "...He's lucky..." He muttered before he lay down on the bowsprit and took a nap.

 

Though not long from where he was sleeping, a familiar figure smiled in satisfaction as he watched the exchange.

 

"Heh... Guess he got a weakness for kiddos. I was right by bringing him on the ship. Yer one good man, Rody~"