039. Sibling Rivalry 2
A single ship appeared before the elephant rock known as Etrta.
The vessel, encircled by crystals, stole the breath from everyone around. The serfs' eyes widened at the sudden arrival of such a massive ship.
"W-Where did a ship this huge come from...?"
"Is this what Young Master Bin prepared?!"
It was unbelievable. He was just a teenager in his mid-teens. How could he have secured something this enormous?
The serfs weren't the only ones stunned. The two competing candidates, Silva and Willie, also eyed the hulking hull with suspicion.
Silva clenched his fist, glaring at Bin. How did he get his hands on a monster like that...?
This time, Willie furrowed his brow, glancing back and forth between the ship and Bin. How the hell did he pull off a ship this big...? But what does he even plan to do with it?
Willie stared in a daze for only a moment before twisting his face into a sneer.
"No need to gawk at some flashy boat, everyone. It's just for show. Bin Bascon, what exactly do you plan to do with that thing?"
His tone dripped with mockery. Jealous of the serfs' reaction to the ship, Willie pressed Bin hard.
But Bin wasn't one to falter under such pressure. Instead, he met Willie's sneer with eyes full of certainty.
His gaze soon drifted to the scar on Willie's forehead.
"Looks like that head wound messed up your thinking."
"What did you say, you little shit...?"
Provoked, Willie took a few steps toward Bin but halted abruptly. Captain Herion had narrowed his eyes.
Though age had weakened his body long ago, his intimidating presence was undeniable. Willie's feet refused to budge. He couldn't bring himself to ignore Herion, the man who had once aided him under Family Head Moden.
The serfs began murmuring at the sight of Willie frozen by Bin's words.
"Why can't Young Master Willie stand up to Young Master Bin at all?"
"Is it because of that fight before?"
"Has the pecking order already been settled...?"
Their whispers didn't last long. They fell silent under a sharp glare.
It should have been too quiet and distant to hear, but Willie's keen instincts had picked up every word.
As the serfs shut their mouths, Willie turned his gaze back—with gritted teeth, now glaring daggers at Bin.
Bin Bascon...
Meanwhile, Herion addressed Bin in a tone laced with curiosity.
"Then, might I ask how that ship will help the serfs?"
His voice was soft and measured. The serfs around them leaned in, hanging on his every word.
In the hush that followed, Bin spoke boldly.
"Call it a second source of livelihood."
"A second livelihood?"
As Herion raised an eyebrow, Bin continued.
"There are far more serfs than the farmland owned by the lords can support. Every year, they scrape by on the edge of starvation—not to mention losing family members to it."
"..."
"To solve that, I came up with a plan to add another food production site. And the place I've chosen is the sea."
Bin's eyes turned toward the ocean. Herion followed his gaze.
The clear blue waters sparkled invitingly. Stroking his white beard, Herion focused on it intently.
Splash.
Small flying fish leaped from the waves into view. If Bin's idea worked, production would increase, and starvation would become a thing of the past.
As Herion watched the sea in silence, Bin added,
"It'll give them a chance to rise above scraping by day-to-day on the lords' land—to improve their quality of life."
But Herion doused his enthusiasm.
"That seems a bit premature."
Willie and Silva smirked, catching his meaning.
Willie narrowed his eyes, looking down at Bin.
"Bin Bascon, you don't seriously think the Bascon Duke's family hasn't considered something that basic, do you? It's a plan that's already failed."
Silva chimed in with agreement.
"You must not know about Gold Tooth in the eastern sea yet."
The Bascon family had considered fishing before. But there was one major obstacle: the outlaws of the eastern sea, the Gold Tooth Pirates.
Captain Gold Tooth was a greedy man who adorned his entire body in gold. Not content with that, he'd yanked out all his teeth and replaced them with gold ones—an act of pure madness.
Infamous for raiding ships, plundering valuables, and assaulting countless women, he had husbands burning with rage across the region. They'd tried everything to catch him, but it was futile.
Gold Tooth knew the eastern sea like the back of his hand and fled in his expensive pirate ship at top speed. Without a comparable vessel, pursuit was impossible. And no one even knew their hideout.
The Gold Tooth Pirates were a perennial thorn in the Bascon family's side—one they couldn't chase year-round, so they'd let it slide.
The serfs' hopeful faces fell into disappointment. Their high expectations only amplified the letdown.
Those at the tables began whispering where Bin couldn't hear.
"Aigoo, so close."
"I'm the fool for believing a kid."
"Guess the loser of today's banquet is decided."
Bin's expression darkened. The serfs took it as confirmation of their doubts.
Codic, hanging from Bin's belt, surveyed the crowd and grumbled inwardly. These pathetic creatures are ruining the mood... Master brought something you idiots can't even dream of.
Bin's head had been bowed, hiding his face—but now his lips curved upward.
The serfs gulped at his confident smile.
Gulp.
"W-What's that? He's smiling?"
"Why?!"
All eyes locked on Bin's bewildering grin. He calmly stepped toward the cliff's edge.
Step. Step.
Everyone watched in confusion.
....
At the edge of Etrta, Bin pointed at the ship and looked at Herion.
"Do you know who the original owner of that ship is?"
Most tilted their heads in puzzlement. Then Herion's eyes widened as he examined it closely.
"No way... it's Gold Tooth's pirate ship!"
The banquet fell silent once more as Herion trailed off.
....
The stunned serfs peeked down at the ship and gasped.
"G-Gold Tooth's pirate ship?!"
"How did he get the fastest ship in the eastern sea...?"
"Young Master Bin did that...? How?!"
The shift was night and day. In an instant, their view of Bin transformed.
If it was true, it would change everything for the Bascon family—not just land, but sea expansion too. The serfs' lives would improve dramatically.
They couldn't contain their rising excitement.
"Change is finally coming to our lives..."
"Can we really escape this hand-to-mouth existence?"
As they murmured, Willie scowled at the shifting mood.
The atmosphere's tilting his way...
Against his expectations, he grew suspicious.
"That's Gold Tooth's ship? No way."
His face screamed disbelief. Long hair whipping, he strode to the cliff and inspected the hull. His shoulders slumped in defeat.
"H-How...?"
Without the crystals, it matched perfectly. The Gold Tooth Pirates' ship, Gold Force—proven the fastest in the eastern sea. Gold Tooth treasured it like his life.
Of course he was rattled to see it here. Shaking his head in denial, Willie snapped,
"The runt... how? No, it's a trick."
He couldn't fathom it—especially from someone Bin's age. Eyes narrowing suspiciously, he pressed,
"You say it's Gold Tooth's? Then show us solid proof."
But Bin's expression didn't waver, even under Willie's aggression. If anything, Willie's fluster nearly drew a laugh from him.
"Proof? Would that do?"
Bin pointed at the Gold Force. There stood blacksmith Itos with a treasure chest.
At Bin's gesture, Itos pried it open.
"Heave-ho."
As the lid slowly rose, the serfs atop the cliff buzzed with curiosity. What was inside? Jewels? Treasures? Priceless gear?
But when it opened, their eager faces froze.
Inside were countless charred heads, like lumps of coal.
One stood out among them: a head with silver teeth.
Willie recognized it instantly—Gold Tooth's first mate, Silver Tooth.
"Silver Tooth...?!"
The blue sea and stretching sandy beach felt worlds away from the grim sight. The serfs fell eerily quiet.
"..."
A chill ran through them, like peeking into Pandora's box.
Bin could face the Gold Tooth Pirates thanks to his regression. He knew their hideout—a submerged cave that would become infamous a decade later.
Few knew of it, so it had no name. Like an island in the eastern sea, it had a quirk: visible above water at night, vanishing completely by day.
Searches happened in broad daylight—that's why they'd never found it.
Bin borrowed a small boat from Itos, rowed out at night, entered the cave, and set it ablaze with oil.
The result: a chest full of scorched skulls.
A short while later, all three candidates' preparations were revealed. Only the vote of the selected hundred serfs remained.
One retainer scanned the crowd and began.
"Now, we announce the voting results. The outcome is..."
As everyone awaited his words, an unexpected sound cut through.
Hic!
A hiccup—and an ominous aura.
A man in a red uniform approached the three candidates, massive wineskin in hand.
The serfs gaped as if seeing a ghost.
Even alone, his hulking frame commanded all eyes. Bin frowned too.
Grander family's deputy lord, Emma...