Chapter 34: Navigating New Waters

Claire widened her eyes.

“You’re going to be a hired captain?”

Meiyuji wanted to work at sea, and the only option was to find a position on a ship rated level five or above as crew.

What surprised her was that Sules was actually willing to become a hired captain.

In fact, on Mercury, any captain who owned their own ship would never stoop to becoming a hired captain.

It was like a business owner working as an employee for someone else—unthinkable.

Sules nodded.

“Yes, I plan to head to the docks later and see if there are any openings.”

She had no qualms about becoming a hired captain.

After all, she wasn’t originally from Mercury and had no pride to defend as a captain.

For Sules, everything boiled down to profit.

Taking a hired captain position on a level five ship meant she could go on sea expeditions and gain experience.

On top of that, someone else would handle her safety, food, accommodation, and she’d even get paid. It really couldn’t get better than that.

She had asked the system before about her captain level.

According to the system, since the actual sailing was assisted by the system and its technology was flawless, her sailing skills alone qualified her as a max-level captain.

However, a competent captain required more than just sailing skills—qualities like insight, strategy, and courage were essential.

Taking all factors into account, Sules’s own shortcomings pulled her down to level four.

Of course, despite the system’s disdain for level four captains, reaching that rank on Mercury was already impressive.

Captains at level five or higher were called “Great Captains,” but they were aloof, roaming the seas for years and inaccessible to commoners.

The highest level most people could ever encounter was level four.

Level four captains had nearly maxed out their sailing skills; beyond that, it was more about experience and ability.

To get certified at level five or above, captains had to pass tests at the Sea God Sanctuary.

“What am I supposed to do then?”

Claire frowned.

As Sules’s bonded crew member, she couldn’t sign a contract with another captain.

Sules had considered this too—Claire couldn’t go to sea with her.

But if Claire was just left at home worrying, that wouldn’t suit her restless nature.

So she had already planned Claire’s next move.

“I saw there’s a martial arts school nearby. You can apply there as an instructor, so you can train yourself while earning money.”

Claire’s father was a martial artist, so she was naturally good at that.

Martial arts schools generally only required instructors of level two or three; having someone better than that would be overkill.

Martial arts schools were training grounds where parents paid significant fees to have their children trained as martial artists.

After all, the old adage “poor in literature, rich in martial arts” applied everywhere.

But on Mercury, it was more like “poor fisherman, rich martial artist.”

Professions on Mercury had their social ranks.

Common roles on ships included sailors and cooks at the bottom, followed by fishermen and martial artists.

These four were typical civilian occupations.

Above them were mechanics and doctors.

Warships would also have gunners and marksmen.

At the very top, and most mysterious, were professions unheard of by ordinary people—treasure seekers, formation mages… S

ules had learned about them through previous gaming experience with such crew members.

Changing the subject, upon hearing Sules’s arrangement, Claire’s first reaction was disapproval.

“So we’ll be separated?”

She and Sules had grown up together and had never been apart.

Naturally, she couldn’t accept it.

Sules looked at her earnestly.

“Claire, our friendship won’t fade just because we’re apart for two months. But if we hold each other back, that’s what will damage our bond.”

Sules spoke honestly.

No one could wait forever for another.

If their connection became a stumbling block, even Claire’s perfect loyalty wouldn’t stop Sules from leaving without hesitation.

Claire fell silent, meeting Sules’s sincere gaze.

The past had always been hazy in Claire’s mind, but over the past two months, since they began sailing, she felt she was truly starting to see Sules clearly.

Previously, Claire had thought of Sules as a delicate girl who needed protection.

That was why she had worked so hard with her father to learn martial arts, hoping to help her someday.

But in just these two months, she had come to know Sules anew.

The quiet, intelligent girl she remembered now seemed to carry a hardened, cold streak she hadn’t noticed before.

Sules had developed her own views and decisiveness and could act with ruthless resolve.

Claire was surprised, yet it didn’t feel out of place.

It was as if Sules had always been this way—or rather, she was destined to become this way eventually.

Whether dealing with crises at sea, managing conflicts on the ship, or handling the recent events involving the Bruce family and their series of conspiracies, Sules managed everything skillfully.

She handled each problem like an experienced captain, composed and in control.

Even killing someone wouldn’t faze her.

Thanks to her efforts, they had turned the situation to their advantage.

Meanwhile, Claire remained stuck, fumbling like a rookie sailor.

She could only rely on Sules to solve problems and often struggled just to avoid being a burden.

Claire frequently watched from behind as Sules took charge and realized more than once that despite being the same age and having similar backgrounds, Sules was leagues ahead of her.

Sometimes, Claire wondered if she only held the position of boatswain because of her lifelong friendship with Sules.

With Sules’s current strength, she could recruit a far more capable boatswain.

She might barely keep up now, but when Sules became even stronger, would she be left behind?

Claire wanted to be friends with Sules for life.

She knew that friends from different realms could remain friends.

But when they no longer connected on topics, when difficulties or happy moments couldn’t be shared because of their differing experiences, even the closest friends would drift into a distant acquaintanceship.

That wasn’t what she wanted.

Claire’s gaze hardened.

“Alright. Since your goal is the stars and the sea, I won’t hold you back. Next time we meet, I’ll be keeping pace with you.”

After their discussion, as the rain lightened, Sules went downstairs to borrow some supplies from the innkeeper.

Sitting before a mirror, she prepared herself, then changed into an old-fashioned outfit.

Holding an umbrella, she headed out.

She arrived at the docks and saw many people hiring crew despite the drizzle.

Sitting on small stools beneath large parasols, some boredly smoked.

Sules had deliberately worn her captain’s hat to signal her status.

As expected, her appearance quickly drew attention.

A captain arriving from land was definitely there to apply as a hired captain.

Immediately, a crowd gathered, peppering her with questions.

Sules’s intention was exactly that—she answered every query without refusal.

“Captain, are you here to apply as a hired captain?”

“Yes.”

“What’s your captain rank?”

“Level three, excellent sailing skills. If you don’t believe me, I’m happy to demonstrate.”

She deliberately understated her rank, mainly because Sules was very young.

If she were too honest, she’d attract too much attention. That wasn’t her goal.

“Heavens! A level three captain at such a young age?”

Upon hearing Sules was level three and so confident in her skills, the crowd buzzed with excitement.

Sules had smudged dirt on her face and used eyebrow pencil to add wrinkles, making her look like a twenty-five-year-old woman.

But a level three captain at twenty-five was still remarkable—a sign of high talent.

They knew captain rankings weren’t just about sailing skills, but for hired captains, sailing was the top priority.

Command decisions were usually made by the ship’s owner, so hired captains rarely got to showcase their talents.

Sules’s statement made it clear she could be an excellent hired captain.

“Can you share your captain’s talent?” someone asked.

Sules smiled wryly.

“My talent isn’t much. If it were, how could I still be without my own ship and need to come here to be a hired captain?”

Indeed, talented captains would have been recruited by large guilds long ago and assigned their own ships.

They wouldn’t be out here searching for jobs.

Everyone understood and felt a twinge of regret.

Being a level three captain at twenty-five was already impressive.

If she also had a strong talent, her future would be limitless.

Sules’s weak captain talent did somewhat limit her growth.

After all, at higher levels, everyone’s skills and knowledge were comparable.

What really mattered then were crew and personal strength.

No one was perfect, after all.

With that, they dropped the topic and asked about her availability and family background.

When Sules revealed she had no family and was free throughout the entire Meiyu season, all the recruiters’ eyes gleamed with greed, as if they wanted to tie her down to their ships immediately.

A competent captain with time to spare and no family concerns was the ideal hired captain.

After proving she was a qualified hired captain, it was time for the recruiters to showcase their offers.

Recruiting was always a process of mutual selection.

“Our ship can offer you a level four vessel, one silver Be per week, including food and lodging. We run guild routes, which are safe and reliable.”

“Though our ship is level three, we pay one silver and twenty copper Be per week, also with meals and accommodation. We sail to the Western Sea, which is very safe.”

The Western Sea was part of the Ceres Sea territory, a region that valued rule of law and was indeed safe.

The noisy chatter gave Sules a headache, but she keenly caught the words she wanted to hear.

“Our ship’s owner commands a level six ship and plans to explore the outer edges of the Mysterious Sea.”

The Mysterious Sea was indeed dangerous, but not every part was perilous.

It was simply a term for uncharted waters.

Unknown meant danger.

However, one area was absolutely forbidden—the Fog.

Outside the Fog were unexplored zones, some safe, some not.

But inside the Fog, the difficulty was hellish.

That was the true heart of the Mysterious Sea in everyone’s minds.

At the mention of the Mysterious Sea, Sules blinked and immediately asked the speaker, “Are you just exploring, or do you have a destination?”