Voyage to Jeju
“Shall I leave this here?”
“Yes. Thank you so much. Thanks to you, brother, we finished quickly.”
The priest wiped the sweat from his forehead with a pristine white handkerchief and extended his hand. I grasped it firmly, returning a warm smile in kind.
“It was only natural. Don't mention it.”
“Haha! To think your heart is as beautiful as your actions. This must be the guidance of the Calione family and the Lord.”
The priest offering his hand was named Johan, one of the priests at Hallasan Cathedral on Jeju Island and the head of relief supplies distribution.
“Now that the busy work is done, why not rest inside? It takes quite a while to reach Jeju, so please get some good sleep.”
“My thanks for your consideration, Father.”
The Francisco was a wide barge-like vessel, perfect for loading cargo. Its downside, however, was the cramped quarters for passengers, forcing everyone to spread blankets or mattresses in the common areas.
We could modify it to add rooms, of course... but this was a ship used by religious folk. Expecting luxury would be absurd.
“Ah, you're the brother we just saw. Welcome.”
“““Welcome!!”””
As I entered the rest area, the other priests and sisters greeted me with bright smiles.
“I sincerely thank you all for your warm welcome.”
I returned their greetings with a smile and sat in an empty spot, surveying the room. Everyone was chatting happily, praying, or sharing peaceful moments.
But I knew the truth. These weren't ordinary priests and nuns.
They were the Catholic Church's blades, tempering themselves in the hell that was Jeju Island.
Not all of them, of course.
“Mister! Are you a priest too?”
“Are you going to Jeju, mister? Do you have a house there?”
“Does water squirm from your hands too, mister?”
Suddenly, tiny children in nun and priest outfits swarmed me with questions, their footsteps pattering like little chicks.
These must be the orphans from Jeju who'd lost their parents and now lived at Hallasan Cathedral.
“Mister? Me?”
“Yes! Mister!”
“Mister! Hehe!”
Thanks to my Clown Makeup skill, my face had transformed into that of a middle-aged man, so they saw me as just some uncle. It was a disguise to avoid threats if word spread that Calione's heir was heading to Jeju alone, but to these kids, I was plain old mister.
Still, I'd put effort into customizing it...
I scratched my cheek, unsure how to explain, when—
“Children, we can't bother our guest like this.”
“““Okaay~”””
Thankfully, a sharp-eyed sister came to my rescue.
“Sorry about the kids. They're so curious.”
“No, no. They're children; it's to be expected.”
The sister smiled brightly.
“Thank you for understanding. They've lived on Jeju since they were little, so they're full of curiosity about the outside world. They stay in Busan for school on weekdays now, though.”
“Ah...”
“You've heard the stories about Jeju orphans, right?”
“Yes, I've heard a bit.”
It was common knowledge in Busan and the southern regions—a superstitious rumor that Jeju natives brought bad luck.
It wasn't just talk; it contributed to the high villain birth rate on Jeju...
In this world, Jeju folk were practically synonymous with ill fortune.
“Because of that, the kids barely get any sleep in the Busan diocese. They have to come back on weekends. It's such a harsh trial for them.”
I glanced at the children ahead, laughing and chatting.
“...But they're growing up smiling brightly. That's thanks to the efforts of the Jeju diocese.”
“Ah... I didn't expect you'd say that. Thank you. Oh dear, I've disturbed your rest when I meant to help.”
“Not at all. It was a pleasant conversation.”
The sister smiled and stood.
“It'll take about 13 hours to reach Jeju once we depart. Rest well.”
She bowed deeply and vanished. Accepting her kindness, I lay down to shake off the fatigue from the flight from Incheon to Busan and drifted into sleep.
* * *
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
The persistent prodding continued. But I kept my eyes shut for one reason.
“Mister? Are you asleep?”
It was the little sister from earlier poking my leg.
I tried pretending to sleep until she'd leave, but her patience was saintly. The tapping never stopped.
“...What.”
I gave up and spoke first.
“Aha! I knew you weren't asleep!”
“...With you poking like that, who could sleep?”
“Hehe, sorry. But you've slept a long time! Sister Maria says sleeping too much isn't good for you.”
“Slept long?”
I checked the time. 5 p.m. Exactly nine hours since I'd dozed off.
First time resting so deeply in this face. Considering my usual sleep, yeah, it was long.
But.
“You woke me for that?”
“N-No! It's just... I was wondering about Seoul.”
“What?”
“We've never been anywhere but Busan and Jeju. No TV on Jeju, and the church in Busan doesn't have one. Kids at school say there are heroes protecting us, but we don't know much.”
She looked up with sparkling eyes.
“Can you tell us about the outside?”
“Ha...”
How could anyone refuse such a pure request? I felt refreshed from the solid sleep, and dinner prep was underway, so I sat up.
“Alright, where are the other kids?”
“Outside! They're all waiting for you, mister!”
“Outside?”
She led me by the hand to the outer deck, stacked with crates.
“There! Right there!”
The kids were huddled by food boxes, whispering and giggling.
“Whoa, Jeanne really brought mister!”
“Jeanne's amazing!”
“Jeanne's brave!”
The little sister—Jeanne—scratched her head bashfully amid the praise for fetching me.
“Hehe, you're embarrassing me. Okay, now that guest mister's here, let's quiet down?”
Jeanne sat among them and stared at me blankly.
“Ah.”
Right, outside stories.
All the kids gazed at me expectantly.
“Nothing too amazing, but...”
Can't disappoint them. Fine, story time!
Not academy tales, though. Something no one knew: stories from my Saber Cloud days in this face, woven together.
“This was back when I was playing a── er, traveling.”
Stick to believable parts, at least.
* * *
“No way, killing a dragon with chopsticks?”
“Mister's a liar!”
“Liar!”
“You don't believe me? Dragons have a reverse scale on their chest. Stab the heart through there...”
Of course, only with maxed stab skills and stats, but it's no lie.
“Even dragons die that way. I'd show you, but no dragons around... pity.”
Can't demonstrate chopstick stats right now.
As I pondered alternatives—
“Everyone, gather up! We're almost there!”
“““Okaay~!”””
The kids jumped up with “Up we go!” at the sister's call.
“That was fun, mister!”
“Wanna see the dragon!”
“Tell more at the cathedral!”
They dashed off, promising more next time.
“Ah, with the children again?”
Sister Maria approached with an awkward, apologetic smile.
“No, they were playing with me. Almost there?”
“Yes, the sea fog will roll in soon. You should prepare, sir.”
“Prepare... how?”
Once the kids were inside, she nodded and drew something from under her habit's skirt: a small pistol with a cross etched on it.
“Docking at port is always the busiest—and most dangerous.”
“Ah, I've heard.”
That's why I joined them: to handle the villains, mines, and monsters targeting the cargo and kids on Jeju.
“They swarm like a wave the moment we dock?”
“Yes. It's the only chance for decent supplies to Jeju once a week. Lately, it's gotten worse... No casualties so far is a miracle; it's always touch-and-go.”
She crossed herself, puzzled. I nodded slightly.
Given recent events, it made sense.
“I'll do my utmost.”
“With Calione's hitman helping, I feel relieved. We'll prepare to unload.”
She bowed and left. Other sisters and priests were readying cargo or standing guard.
“Jeju must be close.”
The fog thickened, visibility narrowing. My phone lost signal.
────BWOOOOOONG
A heavy, majestic horn pierced the mist, vibrating the ship. A signal announcing our approach.
“Other ships use this port too?”
Probably nothing. Time to help with cargo.
CRASH!!
The ship lurched violently amid a massive boom.
And ahead—
“Ah... ahh...”
Sister Maria's face was ashen.
“Sister Maria?”
“Pirates... pirates!”
Pirates?