Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: To Heart Island
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80
7
"Wow! The sea~!"
The sea... The sea...... The sea............
My feeble shout shattered against the waves and scattered.
As I savored the lingering echo, Louis shot me a look like he'd witnessed something he shouldn't have.
"Why are you acting like it's your first time in Bayford...?"
"I'm just getting into the mood, senior. I didn't want to come out to work on a rare weekend. I need to switch things up like this or it's too tough."
"Does yelling make it less tough?"
"Nope, same as always."
Louis stared at me with eyes gone completely cold.
It lasted only a moment before he let out a sigh and ran a hand through his green hair.
"I didn't want to come either...."
"Tell me about it. Working on the weekend."
It was the golden weekend.
Louis, Choco, and I had come to the city of Bayford to obtain Apenbru.
The nearest farming spot was Bayford—no helping it.
Round trip to a port city that took half a day even by carriage was grueling.
This time would be better spent with the terrace window open, napping luxuriously in the dorm.
The weather was cooling just right—perfect for daytime naps.
As I lamented, Choco kept craning his neck this way and that from my shoulder.
Anyone would think he was a meerkat, not a raccoon.
Well, at least Choco looked happy.
I'd left him in the dorm before.
Didn't expect him to love it this much.
A rare Friday off with no classes.
I'd declared four-day school weeks, so including the weekend, I had to squeeze in some fun, however short.
Playing with Choco was a given, but I also wanted to see the secret realms in person.
"Wow! A cute raccoon!"
At the patter of a child's voice approaching, Choco launched off my shoulder.
He leaped high, flipping in midair to unleash a tiny palm strike.
But he got intercepted first and snatched from the sky.
"Such a fluffy raccoon!"
Choco thrashed in the bear hug, but it held firm.
Who'd bravely captured Choco? None other than Sophia.
"Ah! The noble who helped us back then!"
"Not quite 'sir' material, but yeah."
I bent my knees to meet her eye level, and Sophia toddled over.
Sophia had shot up so much I almost didn't recognize her.
She even looked like she was eating properly—nice and filled out.
Kids really grow fast if you don't see them for a bit.
Meanwhile, Choco switched tactics and went limp, playing dead.
"Can you let him go for now?"
"Yes!"
Sophia handed Choco over to me.
He hopped straight back onto my shoulder.
"Hi, green-haired mister!"
"Yeah, hi."
Louis sounded oddly curt.
Or was he embarrassed?
"How've you been since then?"
"The king squid's gone, the mayor's changed, and everyone's back to normal! Full catches every day, plenty of food...."
Good, that's a relief.
As I nodded, another familiar face appeared.
"Well, if it isn't the young folks!"
"Ah, Elder Ivan."
Ivan approached with a more relaxed face than before.
His skin had a healthy glow too—no more worries about making ends meet.
"Been a while, both of you."
"School kept us busy. How have you been?"
"Very well, of course. I heard... you young ones played a big role in the previous mayor's arrest. True?"
Carolina must've spilled.
Hard to deny, but not something to boast about.
I gave an awkward smile and nodded.
"It just kinda happened that way... but please keep it secret if you can."
"Hmm... if a young man asks for secrecy, there must be a reason. Still, wasn't it too quick a departure? Everyone regretted not repaying your kindness."
"It wasn't anything grand—just doing what needed doing."
"Nonsense! You saved all of Bayford. Even you two can't deny that."
Had the guest and host switched places?
"Good to hear. Why not hang a banner calling us Bayford's saviors?"
"If there's a banner, I'll plaster your name on it big time, so no worries, senior."
"You nuts...?"
"Why not? Could help with job hunting."
Louis, who'd been recoiling, suddenly turned serious, pondering.
Job hunting must be that rough....
"Oh, right—where's Captain Carolina?"
"Mayor Swift? Probably at city hall."
City hall, huh.
...City hall?
"Pardon? What did you say?"
"City hall. Need directions?"
"No, before that...."
"Mayor Swift?"
"Mayor? Who?"
Ivan's eyes went wide.
Only for a moment, then he burst out laughing and clapped my shoulder.
"Haven't heard yet? She was elected mayor recently. No other candidates, you see."
I was speechless from the shock.
No candidates? Could happen.
Can't leave a key post empty....
But a self-proclaimed pirate as mayor...?
8
"Hahaha! Can't believe I'm mayor, huh?"
"Of course not."
Carolina slammed the desk, roaring with laughter.
The room, now fully her office, was the one I'd sneaked into before.
Entering legally felt kinda novel.
"It's interim mayor—interim! No one applied, so I got roped in."
Roped in, yet she fit right in.
Her wild red hair was the same, but her outfit was more subdued.
Still pirate vibes with the red coat, but hanging the skull pirate hat on the wall was progress, right?
"The last guy got nabbed for corruption. Thanks to that, Bayford's under strict oversight. Can't even snag a snack from federal crumbs, let alone budget. No wonder nobody wants it."
"Yeah, fair. Even with the kingdom's biggest fisheries, nothing lines the mayor's pockets."
Unless starting a political career in Bayford.
Demoted from the capital? Nothing to do here.
Central politicians hate the downgrade; local nobles avoid unprofitable busywork.
Forcing them here by royal order just breeds trouble.
"Right? Bayford used to be a village run by a village head. Just bigger now—same job. So until a new mayor's appointed, I'm interim!"
"Doesn't add up."
"Where? Oh, didn't mention my family ran the village head gig for generations?"
"First time hearing it. Wait, a village head family dreamed of being a grand pirate...?"
"If I can't be village head, might as well aim for grand pirate."
.....
Okay! Don't think about it!
Guess if you can't be village head, you go pirate!
"Even so, maybe take down the pirate flag next to the hat?"
"No way. That's the pride and heart of the Swift Pirates."
"Even interim, pirate flag in the mayor's office...?"
"I'm mayor now, so it's fine!"
What audacity!
Don't think about it or you lose.
I stopped.
"So... you didn't come just to say hi, right?"
Carolina leaned forward, fingers laced on the desk.
Weird person, but the position suited her—proper aura.
Spot on, so I nodded.
"Can I borrow a ship?"
"Oho, an adventure?"
"To find treasure, yeah."
Carolina's eyes flashed like a beast's.
The look from the king squid hunt.
"...You're not coming along, right?"
An uneasy hunch hit me, and I asked.
Carolina just grinned instead of answering.
9
Caw, caw—seagulls soared high.
Waves crashed the bow as sails caught wind, taut and full.
"The sea's the best!"
Carolina boomed a laugh, chugging rum straight from the bottle.
Flushed from drink like her hair, she started humming.
Interim or not, she's mayor.
Can't just leave the post empty without reason.
But Carolina insisted on "inspecting" Bayford's vital seas and tagged along.
"Real pirates belong at sea! Sea's the best! Treasure's the best! Pirates rule!!"
Bayford, you good like this?
Nah, Carolina's good-hearted.
Fine to entrust Bayford's future to her.
Still, she lights up at sea—can't help it.
The Going Thunder sliced waves cleanly.
Cold sea breeze as we passed distant islands.
Seven islands near Bayford; one was our target.
"Captain! Target in sight!"
"Good! Drop anchor! Time to land!"
"Aye, ma'am!"
Another thirty minutes sailing.
The Going Thunder anchored off a modest beach.
"Heart Island, but no heart shape."
Louis, down on the beach, looked around.
"Expected that, senior?"
"Name suggests it."
Fair, Heart Island but no relation.
"Used to be inhabited by folks surnamed Hart—hence the name."
"Now?"
"Uninhabited, as you see."
Deserted isle, no souls.
Nothing special except hiding Apenbru.
"You know everything?"
Broken World spewed trivia.
I shrugged lightly.
"You lot guard the ship!"
"Aye, ma'am!"
Crew bellowed back.
Meanwhile, Carolina shimmied down a rope ahead of us.
"...You're coming too?"
"Obviously! Can't have treasure hunt without a pirate!"
"Wasn't this an inspection?"
"Adventure, duh?"
So brazen....
No point in common sense.
I shook my head, and Carolina drew her saber with gusto, pointing ahead.
"Treasure hunt starts now! Follow me!"
Splash, whoooosh......
Only waves replied.
Carolina stood stock-still, waiting.
Glancing back—yep, wanted a real answer.
"Uh... wrong way."
"Huh? Wrong...? Pirate senses point that way for treasure!!"
"Yeah, the opposite."
Carolina pointed dead wrong.
We headed along the coast; Louis shrugged and followed.
She sheathed her saber quick and chased.
"Don't leave the captain! Wait up!!"
Bayford's future worried me more, but....
The treasure hunt curtain rose.