Well, I see.... so you're back in business as usual.

　As she says this, the woman pours a mug of ale in her hand.
Exposed to the salt wind, dull blonde hair. She is not so much ugly as ugly, but her facial structure is extremely ordinary. She's petite and her breasts are small, and her attractiveness as a woman is not flattering.
　However, there was no man in this town who would insult her for that reason.
　The confidence to say that she has survived in a male society. It becomes a sharp blade from the eyes and intimidates the surroundings.
　Her name is Ruida.
　It's not just a matter of time before you find yourself in a situation where you can't get your hands on a new one.

''It looks like the sharks have gotten their kicks, too. To bring such a story out here...

　The bald-headed man sitting across from Henry muttered as if he agreed with Rueda's words.
　The man's name is Andre.
　This man, who is known as [Tsunami], is a huge man who boasts of two thick arms that rival the waist circumference of a woman.
　He turned his probing gaze to Henry while tapping his neatly shaved head.
　The three men around this round table were the rulers of this town, and the captains of the pirate band they each led.
　They had a galleon as their flagship and several medium and small ships, called caravels and carracks, that ravaged the Worthenian Peninsula and its surrounding waters.
　Today is the regular meeting held once a month. It is an important meeting that determines the future of this town.
　The biggest concern at the meeting was the move of Mikoshiba Ryoma, who was now in possession of the peninsula.
　It is precisely because this land was abandoned by the state that they have used it as a base of operations.
　The official powers intervene in that peninsula. I couldn't overlook it.

"Do you really believe that?

　It's a low, calm voice.
(Well, it's no wonder these guys are suspicious. If our positions were reversed, I'd be suspicious of all this talk, too.)
　Such thoughts calmed Henry's mind.
　At Henry's words, Ruida shrugged her shoulders and Andre remained silent.
　The two of them are fully aware of Henry's abilities.
　It's a good thing that you've got a good idea of what you're doing.
　There is no need to doubt his abilities. It's not protected by the privilege of being born a nobleman.
　If Henry's power was less than others, he would be discarded into the sea as a corpse.
　He is alive here. That fact is a clear indication of Henry's abilities.　

"I've done all I can for you," he said. I'm sure I thought about coming ashore to check it out, but I couldn't dismiss the possibility of a trap.

　Henry glared at the two men sitting in their chairs, as if to ask if they had a problem with my decision.
　The three men's gazes crossed on the tabletop.

'A trap ... sure.'

The fact that you're prepared is a sign that Mikoshiba's bastard is taking precautions.

That's right.

　After Henry's final words, the three of them remained silent.
　A long silence dominated this room.
　The question is, what will they do after this? Depending on that, their fate could be decided.

''We're going to take the plunge..... We're talking about 300 or so people. If we're all together, it's more than 500. Even if we have to push hard, we have a chance of winning, don't we?

　Andre, the most belligerent and bloodthirsty of these men, suggested a forceful push.
　The [Tsunami] nickname comes from the way he attacks.
　He would sneak up on his prey as if the waves were quietly receding, and crush them with an overwhelming amount of physical strength.
　This is not a simple forceful push. After careful research and preparation, they attack at once with surprise. This is not something that can be done so easily.
　It's a good thing that he has the power to do this, or else he would be able to reign in this town.
　But Henry shook his head at Andre's proposal.

They're few in number, but I hear there are some experienced mercenaries too.

　Normally I wouldn't hesitate to take Andre's suggestion, but not this time.

"There are too many uncertainties... but what would you do then?

　Maybe Andre himself had his own thoughts, but he didn't seem to be too bothered by Henry's denial.
　It's true that Henry and his team have a larger number of people, and they have more experience in actual battles.
　However, their actual battle experience is basically at sea.
　You will be able to find a lot of people who will be able to help you in your quest for the best possible outcome.
　They are only interested in robbing you, not fighting you.
　Besides, their greatest weapon is surprise.
　I'm not sure I've ever seen such a thing before.

Then what are you going to do? Do you want to just sit back and not interfere?

　It's not just a matter of time before you find yourself in the middle of a storm.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this, as this town itself was built in a cove surrounded by steep cliffs and hidden from people's eyes, so it's not easy to find.
　Although Louida's proposal is reluctant, it is not wrong.
　She is known as the [Sea Serpent], she is vindictive and above all, she is a person who can wait.

''So we'll wait for the opportunity........''

　At Henry's words, Ruida nodded with a grin.
　There are many people who can choose to move, but there are few who can choose not to move while zealously waiting for an opportunity.
　The reason why she was able to reign as an expert is because she was able to quietly wait for her predecessor's power to fade.
　It's not just a matter of waiting, either. In order to give it a chance as soon as possible, I have been engaged in accumulating my own power and at the same time cutting down the power of my predecessor.
　It's as if the poison is slowly eating away at your body....
　That's why she is called [Sea Serpent].
　But once again, Henry shook his head and spoke his own thoughts.

''That's one way to go, but I think it's better to have negotiations with Baron Mikoshiba at this time.''

　I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on.
　The reason is that his words were too unexpected for the two of them.

''Negotiation....hey. Are you trying to catch Mikoshiba off guard and attack him?

It's not a bad idea, but you have to assume that Mikoshiba is wary of us. Besides, he wouldn't be the kind of man to let his guard down at such an invitation if the rumors about him are true.

　There's a saying that big men can't get their wits about them, but Andre has more wisdom than most people.
　It's no wonder, considering his predecessor as a trading merchant who traveled between continents.
　If it weren't for the misfortune of an unseasonable storm that sank his trading ship and left him in debt, he would never have fallen victim to pirates.
　He's no longer willing to use rough methods, but he was once a man of great wealth with a single word of advice.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's best for you.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you can do to make sure that you're doing the right thing.
　It is not so easy to win the trust of such a person.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most out of the situation.
　However, Henry shakes his head again.

Negotiations are just the beginning. They'll be under Mikoshiba's control in the end. Really.

Are you insane?

　Henry nodded silently in response to Andre's question.

'You guys know that....'

　I'm not going to say what. It's a very important issue for those who live in this town to feel that, and for the three of us here, it's a more serious matter than Mikoshiba Ryoma.



I'm not so sure about that either. It's doubtful that Mikoshiba would even have any interest in negotiating with Atai and the others.

　But Henry looked squarely at the two sceptical eyes.

'But if you continue in the pirate family business, you know what's ahead. Right?

　At those words, the two men were silent. The attitude of the two men proves that Henry was right.

　The truth is, there aren't too many people who are looking to gain from looting.
　It's true that looting a village can be a great way to make money in the short term.
　Even though they are exploited by the nobility, commoners save in their own way.
　Deprivation is exactly what it means to uproot them. In agricultural terms, it is the same as eating everything you harvest without having any left over to sow next year.
　As a result, we will not be able to generate any sustainable income.
　So what should we do?
　They would uproot one or two villages and towns, and the surrounding towns would be regularly picked off in the form of taxes.
　A pirate without blood and tears. If attacked, they kill, rape, and sell women and children into slavery without mercy.
　Such an image binds the minds of ordinary people, who have no fangs, and they pay money to pirates to escape from the fear.
　For safety........
　And the same is true when attacking a merchant ship.
　They can only attack if there is a ship in their path.
　If pirates appear and attack, they can uproot your cargo and even your life. Who would navigate such a route?
　In many cases, the pirates are paid a toll by the merchants.
　A percentage of the cargo or price of the shipment.
　And if they don't, they will lose the next one.
　Of course, regular sacrifices are required to maintain their image, but taking away the roots is not what pirates are supposed to do.
　But now, the pirate group led by Henry and the three of them are left with nothing but scorched earth behind them.
　When they literally raid a village, they take it and kill it.
　The same is true when they raid a merchant ship.
　The surviving sailors are sold into slavery and all their cargo is taken away.
　The frequency of these attacks has accelerated over the past ten years.

I know that........now I have to travel quite far to find my prey.

　Luida nodded at Andre's words, which were muttered as if he was going to spit them out.
　Merchant ships from the northern region have stopped the northbound route of the western continent along the way.
　Currently, the only one that runs regularly is to the port town on the eastern edge of Elnesgoura.
　From there, they cross the central part of the continent using land routes, and it can be said that all of them transport to the trading city of Frazad.
　I'm sure the merchants are right in their judgment that it's better than being uprooted by pirates, although it takes more time and extra labor compared to mass transportation by ship.
　It's all because of Henry and his team's wild ways.

It's just that we can barely survive on the current revenues and we don't have the luxury of doing things the way we used to.

　Once upon a time, there were not this many inhabitants in this town. Even if there were more, it was only a few families a year. There was never an increase of more than ten people in this town. However, about ten years ago, people started pouring into the town.
　The reason for this is clear. It was a time when the invasion of the Oltmere Empire became more active.
　While the Oltmere Empire was expanding its territory, the countries that existed in the central part of the western continent were being destroyed one by one.
　In the process, many people fled their homes to escape from the disaster.
　Of course, there are many people who chose to live as citizens of the Oltmere Empire.
　But there are also not a few people who refused to become citizens of the Empire and sought a new land.
　No, most of the people who belonged to the privileged class were chosen to be either exiled or executed.
　Many of those people will return to the soil under a strange sky, but a lucky few will make it to a new heaven and new earth.
　And some of them have found their way to this nameless town on the Woltenia peninsula.

It was the wrong decision at the time. That was a mistake, considering the current situation.

You can't tell me that now, can you?

　Louida offers comforting words to Henry, who spits in frustration.
　Thinking back on the situation at the time, there was only one conclusion. Now that I can see the conclusion, I can only say that it was a mistake.
　It was only natural, considering the fervor at the time.
　Numbers are power.
　The more residents in the town, even if it was just one or two, the less they would have to fear the attacks of the Monster 《Monster》.
　Little by little, the town was growing.
　There's no one who wouldn't be happy to see their town expanding.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most of it.
　In the beginning, it was only the lucky few who made it through the forest area that were accepted, but that was gradually escalating.
　They sent ships to the various port cities, which lured prospective recruits into the pirate family business.
　At first everything was going well. As the number of pirates increased, the number of ships and towns they could attack increased rapidly.
　There was no longer any need to be frightened by the sporadic submarine force dispatched by the neighboring countries. The waters around the Woltenia peninsula have literally become Henry and his team's territory.
　Yes, there is no way that Henry and his friends at the time could have predicted that this would open the doors of hell.
　The town's population would increase. Because of this, the number of attacks from the monsters that inhabit the peninsula decreased visibly.　
　The number of inhabitants will increase. And because of this, the size of the towns they could attack would grow.
　It was no wonder they were so elated.
　So they forgot about it. They have forgotten that they themselves produce nothing.
　There is a limit to the toll tax and to the amount of money they receive from the villages.
　They too have to live.
　But by increasing the number of residents in the town without a plan, they can no longer sustain the town on those revenues alone.
　And once the balance is broken, it will never be restored.
　They need more people to make more money, and as a result of adding more people, they need more revenue.
　It's the beginning of a never-ending cycle.
　And they will gradually increase the frequency of deprivation.
　With the peninsula as their base of operations, a location that makes it difficult for them to feed themselves, they had no other choice.

'We've gone too far. No one wants to pass through these waters right now. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this when you're done with all the towns and villages on the coastline.

　Both Andre and Rueda remained silent at Henry's words.
　But their eyes were shining with a strong light as they accurately read the intentions behind Henry's words.

'But that's why we have room to negotiate with Mikoshiba. Room to sell our power.