The Pirates' Way
Pirates.
Honestly speaking... hmm, yeah.
They're scum.
Raiding merchant ships?
Of course we do.
No, we must.
After all, the goods on merchant ships are one thing, but aren't there 'people' on board?
—Huh? What? A southern noble? Their family must have some money, huh?
Kidnapping nobles, wealthy merchants, or high-ranking officers on board and demanding ransom is truly valuable.
It should become 'ours'.
On top of that, we get the captured ship as well, a nice lump sum in one go.
At the same time, for tax evasion, we also did smuggling or ledger laundering in the occupied waters.
Well, but that was the early days.
After growing in size, controlling specific waters and collecting tolls and protection fees was the most profitable.
'Truthfully, I wanted to get a privateer license somewhere...'
There was no way anyone would grant a license to us who just robbed everything in sight.
The Southern Admiral was indeed a peculiar fellow.
However, no matter how these guys are.
"Everyone's here. Take a seat."
""Yes, Captain.""
They are... 'pirates'.
Pirates are fundamentally scum.
That's why the rules must be even stricter.
And the reason they must be strict is clear.
We were people who couldn't receive the protection of the law.
For dozens of rough men to endure in the narrow space of a ship without drawing swords.
We needed a more sophisticated, 'democratic' order that seemed to put everyone on equal footing, more so than the laws on land.
And surprisingly, the pirates' rules were fairer and more systematic than any regular navy.
Electing the captain by vote, distributing spoils strictly according to rank.
Compensating the injured from a common fund.
It was because of this trust and rules that our fleet has survived and operated until now.
And now.
Before me sat the six figures who upheld that order.
There was no particular reason for six.
It was simply the result of subjugating and integrating them out of necessity and by the logic of power.
Two schooners as scout ships.
One brigantine specialized in close combat.
And one carrack, one galleon, and one sloop.
Excluding my flagship, there were captains of a total of six ships present.
The atmosphere in the meeting room was peculiar.
The smell of the sea and gunpowder.
Mixed with the scent of expensive tobacco that Rubik had been smoking.
But the pirates here were no strangers to tobacco either.
So I sat at the head and continued speaking without concern.
"How does it feel to set foot on land, everyone?"
"Can't be bad, Captain Haydam. No... should I call you Baron Haydam now?"
The first to speak was Kael.
A former naval officer who turned pirate... captain of the schooner 'Big Crow'.
He wore his usual sly smile and continued.
"So what do we do now? I've already ordered the crew to thoroughly search through that pig Rubik's treasure."
"First, I'd like to hear your opinions."
"Just give the order and we'll do anything, Captain."
And then, the burly man Basmand spoke up as if picking a fight with Kael.
"What is there to do? Let's rest first. Haydam, this is the time to stretch out our legs and rest.
There's a ton of booze in the warehouse!"
"Oh my, there he goes again.... Stop talking nonsense, Basmand."
"What nonsense? Don't you know how important booze is to pirates?"
"Information gathering comes first."
"Then the women, of course, what information—"
"—Are you really an idiot?
The news that the Admiral's daughter married our Captain Haydam will spread soon enough, won't it?"
"So what if it does."
"Then obviously there'll be a bunch of pirate bastards trying to stick their faces in here....
Gathering their intel should come first, right?"
Livia answered Basmand with a wry smile as if dumbfounded.
But I'd seen swords drawn when I left these two alone, so.
"Both of you, calm down. I want to hear your opinions."
I prodded them appropriately.
""...Understood.""
"So, what about Pablo, 'Old Snake'... and Yona's opinions?"
I asked the remaining three for their thoughts.
"...Information, rest. All good. But Captain. When I looked around this domain, it didn't seem so good."
Pablo frowned deeply, shaking the ledger he'd taken from Rubik's office.
"They didn't spend money on the walls, the domain, anywhere.
It looks fine for now, but... Captain, none of us are planning to end things here, are we?"
"...Right."
"Legalizing smuggling. Reestablishing tolls and protection fees.
We need to create ways to bring in more money, Captain."
"On top of that, we need to solve the food problem first."
Then a low, sweet voice.
The fishman hybrid Yona briefly added to Pablo's words.
"There's almost no stockpiled food. So personally, I wanted to oppose the festival too, but...."
"We can't do that. The crew has the right to receive rewards, and we have the duty to bestow those rewards."
"...Yes, I agree with Captain Haydam's words, so I didn't mention it."
The festival... meaning rewards for the crew are an enormously important matter.
Of course, the crew's lives are quite grueling.
It's like doing manual labor on the ship every day.
Nearly a thousand people in total had marched to the south and back to Morg Bay.
To reassure them and let them relax appropriately.
The event of my wedding was a very important issue.
So I nodded at Yona's words and looked at the silent old woman.
Captain of the Black Mist, 'Old Snake' Bashir.
She exhaled a long puff from her pipe and continued.
"I... don't know about the rest. But as you said, the inside of Lady Ines's body is quite interesting."
"...Hah."
"So I'd like to examine her thoroughly here first. Is that alright?"
"If you're willing, it's certainly not bad for me, Old Snake."
I nodded with a smile at Old Snake.
"I think I get the gist."
I voiced the biggest obstacle to operating this Morg Bay.
"Ultimately, this Morg Bay cannot sustain itself."
"...Hmm, is that so? Seems like it."
"I agree."
"We should use the gold and treasures Rubik hoarded to appease the people as a basic step.
If we kill them all and make the crew work, would they do it?"
"...That, yeah."
"So let's repair and cultivate the domain... leave that to the existing residents and do what we're best at."
I stood from the head seat and tapped the sea chart on the wall with my finger.
Problems with finances and defense facilities, and the food issue too.
Ultimately, all causes stem from lack of money, the domain's geopolitical location, and the previous operator Rubik.
But don't we know well how to solve this?
"...Captain, why is your expression like that? Why the sudden uneasy smile—"
As Kael opened his mouth anxiously, I gave him a sly smile.
"—Uneasy, my ass. I'm just smiling because I thought of what we're best at."
""...""
"If there's no money, we earn it. If there's no food, we take it.
There are various problems scattered about, but... in the end, most things can be solved by taking and repaying."
At my words, the eyes of the captains gathered in the meeting room gleamed.
Did they think that just because we became lords, we'd farm and collect taxes and wait for decades?
Not a chance.
I looked at Livia, captain of the scout ship, and asked quietly.
"Livia, you know about the Draund family, don't you?"
Livia narrowed her eyes and answered.
"The Draund family? Of course I know."
"Then explain to them."
"They're old rivals of the Silva family. They hold some trading rights in the southern waters and clash with Admiral Leandro Silva at every turn, those arrogant bastards.
And—"
"—They're quite famous among pirates as money launderers."
"...Oh my, Captain. What do I do if you steal what I was going to say, really."
I strongly pointed to a spot on the map.
"It'll take more time for the rumor that the Southern Admiral granted me a privateer license, title, and domain to spread officially.
This gap while that old man processes the documents is an opportunity for us."
""...!""
"Before they become wary of us and cover their tracks, we raid the merchant ships sponsored by that family."
"...Ooh!"
"The pretext is maintaining security and recovering illegal funds.
We strike first before it's known that we're privateers."
Pablo slapped his knee.
"That's good! If the Pirate King raided his rival's vault, Leandro would be secretly pleased too!
On top of that, they must have accumulated quite a fortune!"
I adjusted the sword belt at my waist and scanned the captains one by one.
Then, as if making a solemn declaration, I spoke.
"Prepare to set sail as soon as the crew comes to their senses.
Everyone except Old Snake and Yona will prepare to depart."
""Yes, Captain!!!""
The captains roughly push back their chairs and stand.
Before the afterglow of the feast heard outside the meeting room fades.
—Prepare to set sail!!
—Let's go make some money, everyone!!!!
In Morg Bay, the shouts of those preparing to sail once again echoed.
There had been quite a few dull battles lately.
This time...
I hope it turns out to be an interesting journey.