Chapter 505: The Color of the Sea
The next morning, I received the food that Auro had arranged for me. Candied lemons, dried oranges, dried apples, dried tomatoes, and dried meat.
“Impressive that you gathered all this so quickly after yesterday.”
This was a supply for Captain Cat and his crew. Some of the lemons, dried meat, and apples were bought in Naruadeid, while the rest came from the island and its outlying areas.
I made sure there was enough for the other ships as well. Whether to share it with them would be up to Captain Cat, and I intended to let him take the credit for it.
Since the ship was heavily damaged, it was likely that their food supplies had been lost to the sea. Even if that weren’t the case, they would be stuck in the Land of Mail longer than expected for repairs. I figured they probably weren’t getting enough to eat.
It would be too much to send my own cooking to them, not just because of the quantity but also because I couldn’t predict how things would turn out with so many people involved. Maybe it would be fine after I bound them with a contract to keep my identity a secret, but I still felt a bit anxious about whether it would really stay under wraps.
If a large amount of food suddenly appeared from Captain Cat’s ship, it would raise suspicion. But leaving the starving crew to fend for themselves didn’t sit well with me either. I was worried that they might even consider attacking the Land of Mail for food.
I didn’t know anyone from the other ships. And even Captain Cat might have to make a tough decision if it came down to whether his crew would starve to death.
—Though I thought they would probably be wiped out in a counterattack.
When it came down to it, they might refuse the food, saying they had enough and no space for extra supplies. But considering the risk of scurvy, I figured they would accept at least some of it.
“There’s nothing we can’t get in Naruadeid. Well, it seems they’ve been struggling to acquire goods from this blue island lately,” Auro said with a bright smile.
The food gathered in Naruadeid had been loaded onto a ship meant for transporting construction materials to the island, prioritized for delivery.
“Thanks,” I said, thinking it must have been quite a task.
“Please don’t hesitate to ask for anything, my lord,” Auro replied, bowing gracefully with a charming smile.
“Alright, I’ll be off then.” I felt a bit uneasy with Auro’s overly polite demeanor, so I thanked him and made my exit.
—Next, I went to meet Kanum, Haulon, and Retze.
It seemed Haulon, who knew about the situation in the Land of Mail, had suggested it, as Retze was dressed quite lightly today. He wore loose-fitting trousers and a top that billowed in the air—was that something he bought from Es?
“Why do I have to—” I started.
“You put in a request to the Guild, right? Come along for my peace of mind!” Retze insisted.
Retze had gone to the Adventurer’s Guild early in the morning, and he received a request from Haulon.
“Kaina practically begged me to take it, and the name of the Great Sage carries weight, doesn’t it?”
“Haulon, you sly fox,” I added, standing next to Retze.
“Say what you want. I absolutely, absolutely need you today, Retze! And what’s with you being on that side of things?!”
“This is the safest place,” he replied, clearly enjoying the banter.
“What do you consider dangerous?!”
“More like, I’m trying to avoid getting caught up in something weird beforehand.”
Avoiding danger is fundamental, after all.
“You’re the one trying to lead me into something weird right now! Right this moment!” Haulon emphasized each word, sounding like her blood pressure was rising.
“Hey, if we’re going, let’s go. If we keep arguing, it’ll be noon before we know it,” Retze said, sounding exasperated.
“Alright, then. I’ll use [Teleportation] now.”
“The secret technique of my clan… If I evolve it further, it’ll be so convenient, so convenient!” Haulon seemed to have mixed feelings about using my [Teleportation] repeatedly.
Haulon’s version of [Teleportation] required him to place magical markers at the destination, which drained a significant amount of his magic power. Even though it was incredibly useful to be able to teleport only to those marked locations, my ability to teleport anywhere without prior preparation made him question the value of his own method.
He was feeling down about it, torn between wanting to reach my level of [Teleportation] and the frustration of not being able to do so. I was told it was best to leave him be until he could elevate his clan’s [Teleportation] to my level.
I did prepare beforehand, though, diligently expanding the places I could teleport to by naming Spirits. Just as I was about to mention this to Haulon, Retze pulled me away before I could say anything.
“Whoa, it’s bright!”
As soon as we arrived in the Land of Mail, Retze shielded his eyes with his hand.
I squinted a bit too. Today, the sky over Kanum was cloudy, and moving from a dim room to the bright outdoors was quite a shock. We emerged near the port, with a view of the sea just outside the city of Mail.
“Ah, the color of the northern sea is different.”
The water was a transparent blend of azure and blue. As Retze observed it closely, it was indeed a stark contrast to the dark northern sea.
“Seeing it is definitely different from just hearing about it. It might not be very useful in a land without a solid foundation, but I’m glad we came,” Retze smiled.
“That’s what matters most.”
“Indeed,” Haulon and I nodded in agreement without thinking.