128. A Crazy Plan
128.
The flames that seem to have been created by swallowing up the light of the twilight proved that the reasoning was correct. Suddenly, the light in their world was the only spark. The saintess leaned on the Death Knight from a distance and watched the scene blankly.
I have already become accustomed to the ridiculous fact that ships are driven by the firepower of incendiary bombs. The reason why the saintess stared blankly was because the figure was absurdly dreamy.
In the darkness, only the flames were galloping. The wild, untamed beast flicked its red tongue, wandering in search of something to devour.
But all around is just darkness embracing emptiness. The beast roared fiercely, but the hunger did not go away.
The only light in the sea is not the light of a sunken star in the deep sea, but a blazing flame, and it is now galloping over the water.
That only light had just passed away.
Erben carefully set the burnt igniter down on the inside of the lower deck door. As if waiting for the space where the light disappeared, darkness filled it. Like a seasoned sailor, Erben was not taken aback by the sudden darkness.
He deftly rummaged through his arms, pulled out a pipe, placed it in his mouth, and lit it. Moving the fire from the match to the pipe, he carefully transferred the remaining fire from the match to the candlestick. The burnt-out match was extinguished with a gentle sweep, and the candlestick was brought slowly onto the deck.
It was a fairly small boat, so it was filled with light from a single candle. As she listened to the sound of waves lapping in the middle of the sea and basked in the warmth of a small light, a strange feeling of comfort began to fill the saintess’ heart.
But the words that came out of Erben’s mouth were not comfortable at all.
“You said the lady was a saint?”
Esilia almost fell forward in an instant. However, Erben’s words were completely natural. All kinds of paladins on board her saw her and referred to her as her saint, but he couldn’t hear it. Ecilia glanced at the Zerpied she was reclining on. However, the Death Knight did not even move. She just stared at the old elf sharply.
“Whoa… ….”
After taking a sip from his pipe, Erben didn’t hear back, so he opened his eyes and looked at the two men. As a result, he was able to see men and women with opposite appearances. A woman who opened her big eyes even wider, and a man who looked at him with sharp momentum. Seeing that, Erben had to shout in an urgent voice.
“Huh? No, no, no! What am i going to do with you On this vast sea? Besides, if I was going to do something, I would have said nothing, then passed it quietly when I got to the West Continent! What am I doing to speak up in this place where no one is around?
I’m dead, even when I wake up, I can’t overcome that size! So please don’t look at me with those eyes? I am already approaching ninety, but I want to live a little longer.”
Seeing Erben talking in fright and using all her gestures, the saintess relaxed and raised the corner of her mouth. The Death Knight was still looking at Erben without saying anything, but her gaze slightly softened as well. As the reaction of the two faded, the old elf took a sip from his pipe as if he had finally calmed down and sighed.
“I want…… Why are young people more wary than old people? The reason I just brought it up is to see if it’s true.”
“…… To find out if it’s true?”
At Erben’s words, Zer Pied tilted his head slightly. Erben took a deep breath from his pipe and continued.
“Yes. If you know that fact, you will be able to plan what to do from now on. I know what kind of people they are. I’m well over 80. How can I not know that? Aren’t they members of the General Church of Purity? I refused to speak to those who were not anyone else and even fired an incendiary bomb. Will you leave me alone?”
Although Erben’s tone was calm, the saintess could not lightly dismiss the old elven’s words. Concerned words flowed from her mouth.
“Old man… ….”
Then Erben shouted in horror.
“Gee, shit. I told you not to look at me with the same eyes as before, so now I’m looking at you with more eyes. Listen up, lady. Even though she’s a lady, she’s a saint, and she’s being chased by the total cult, so she must’ve lived a not-so-easy life. Yes?
But me too, I’m eighty-five now. Whatever the young lady thinks, she hasn’t really come along as a coward. That’s why I hope you stop sending me those eyes that cripple your pride.”
After she finished speaking, Erben tutted and clicked his tongue. But Ecelia couldn’t stop worrying about her.
“But the elders… …. What about the family…. Her family is not something to worry about. Sorry…. It happened so quickly that I didn’t expect it. I don’t think we’ll be able to meet each other so quickly…….”
The saintess, who kept her mouth shut for a while, nodded her head. There was determination in her eyes.
“Old man, after you take us to the West Continent, hide yourself immediately. I can’t tell you exactly what situation I’m in, but…… , Sorry for getting you involved. Perhaps those people will put more emphasis on finding me, and there will be many eyes on me because it is the General Church, so they won’t harm my family members recklessly. If nothing else, they are serious about their religion.”
But Erben only made her laugh at Esilia’s words.
“My lady. You sound really funny.”
It was a very serious statement. That’s why the old elf’s attitude was quite embarrassing. Even if you think about it common sense, it didn’t make sense that his family would be worried in this situation. Because of this, the saintess of innocence only blinked those big eyes, and in a daze she had to ask.
“…… Yes?”
The old elf only smiled. A gust of wind blew past the candle lightly. Through the flickering light, the old man’s deep wrinkles deepened even more.
“What do you think is the reason you are working at sea at this age?”
It was a calm statement, but Zer Pi Ed, who had been quietly listening to the old man’s words, flinched at the moment. The saintess who was her party only fumbled with her mouth wide open. Because the old man’s words meant only one thing.
“Sorry… sorry… sorry…… !! I mean, I…… !”
But Erben burst out laughing again, not befitting the seriousness of the conversation.
“It’s okay, it’s been well over ten years since I left first anyway. You really are a teasing girl.”
Closing his eyes and inhaling all the remaining smoke from his pipe, he opened his mouth again.
“But know this. People who work as sailors to this age have some circumstances. Most of them want to retire and spend the rest of their lives with their families even when they are sixty or seventy.
Anyway, once I get a job, it’s three or three days at the shortest, and most of them have to go out to sea for a few days or a few months at the longest. I have a family, but there is no reason to do this when I am older and not see my loved ones for a long time.”
“…… I’ll keep that in mind.”
Until this point, the Death Knight, who had been quiet, nodded her head quietly and answered. The saintess did not answer. Because she kept her mouth shut. Instead she was nodding her head intently. Erben, who received the affirmation of the two, felt satisfied. He carefully set the finished pipe aside. When the old elf opened his eyes again, the glow in his eyes was the distinctive clarity of a seasoned sailor.
At that moment, a radiance as brilliant as the eyes of an experienced sailor burst out at the three of them. The saintess closed her eyes tightly at the sudden radiance, the Death Knight turned her head toward it, and the old elf raised the corner of her mouth as if waiting.
The sunrise was beginning.
“Now then, let’s come up with the plan we talked about earlier.”
“That old man… That’s really good…… ?”
Hearing Celia’s words, Erben snorted at her as if it were ridiculous.
“It’s a start again in case someone isn’t a saint. Hey Sir Hooch! Come over here and get your lady!”
“But this… ….”
“Then what are you going to do? The incendiary bomb’s fuel has already been used up. My boat is small, so there are no harpoons on board. Even if there was, it wouldn’t do much effective damage to a sailboat that big.”
As he said that, he pulled as hard as he could on the rope around the sail. A little away from him, Death Knight was checking another rope.
“This side is ready now. Erben Ong.”
After hearing the words of the Death Knight, Erben bloomed a big smile on her face.
“Good!! Then let’s start!!”
In her head, the saintess once again thought about the ‘plan’ Erben said. Her reason, of course, was shouting that her method was the most reasonable. But her sensibility was calling out a little differently.
Her emotions were screaming.
The reason was so obvious. Erben’s plan was to leave the area where the huge current swirled, where the reefs protruded, to move in an instant. Of course, there was a reason why he presented such a risky plan.
It is highly probable that the General Church is aware that they are heading for the West Continent, and since most cities have one, orders have been given to the cathedrals in each port city to be ready to catch them in case they arrive. It is very likely that it fell Therefore, by choosing these places deliberately and anchoring in an off-the-beaten-path in one of the port cities, you can get in from prying eyes.
It was a reasonable plan that was hard to argue against. As the saintess too eagerly shouted to herself, she saw the movement of the swirling waters approaching.
-Kooooo…… !
It was as if the sea had become a living creature and roared wildly. The saintess whispered to herself once more.
‘It’s okay, it’s okay. Because you are an experienced sailor. A place like this will pass in the blink of an eye. Huh! I’m sure it will…… !”
-Kurrureung – !
The saintess raised her head at the sudden sound. Her lightning cut through her dark clouds and she was revealing herself. A drop of rain fell on the face of the saintess who was staring blankly at her. That one drop became two, three, and dozens or hundreds of drops. The saintess asked Erben a question, barely suppressing her screams in her throat.
“I… uh, old man… !! Hey, have you ever been through a place like this in this situation?! Right?!”
Erben smiled broadly and answered cheerfully.
“Huh?! No way!! What kind of sailor would deliberately enter a place like this because he’s crazy?! Besides, what crazy sailor is going to get into a lightning situation like this?!”
She really knows that her plan is a crazy plan.
It was a historic moment. It was a monumental day when her saintly sensibility won complete victory over her reason.
“Aaaaa!!! I’m a knight!!!!!”
The saintess let out a scream through her nose and rushed into the arms of her knight.