Chapter 25: The Great Storm and Azurewater Port

“Tell me, why are you so good to me?”

The air seemed to solidify in that moment. The warmth of concern that had filled Aisha’s face gradually faded, her gaze shifting as if she desperately wished to avoid the question.

“Please, tell me.”

I pressed on, gripping her hand even tighter. My instincts screamed that this was the opportune moment, and it was a question I desperately needed answered.

I watched Aisha open her mouth, as if intending to speak, yet a hidden, ineffable burden seemed to weigh upon her. Seeing her struggle, a pang of tenderness struck my heart.

I ceased my urging, gently releasing her hand, though my gaze remained steadfast and firm.

From the walls, the faint murmur of waves reached us, like a distant drum, thrumming a frantic rhythm in my chest.

As if my gaze had melted her defenses, or perhaps Aisha had finally mustered her courage, a wistful expression slowly bloomed on her face.

Just as my patience began to wear thin, she finally spoke:

“If you’re asking why…”

“Knock, knock, knock—”

An abrupt knocking on the door shattered her thoughts. The urgent sound forced Aisha’s emotions to swiftly recede from her face.

“I’ll get the door first. We can talk about this later.”

With that, she turned and headed towards the entrance. In that instant, a profound sense of regret washed over me, as if my final burst of strength had found no outlet.

I understood that this opportunity to seek answers had slipped away.

‘Never mind,’ I thought. ‘There will always be another chance.’

With a creak, the door opened, revealing a tall, upright man standing in the doorway.

His clothes were thoroughly drenched by the rain, his dark blue coat clinging heavily to him like stone, glistening with water that dripped steadily to the floor. He looked as if he had just been pulled from the depths of the sea.

“Captain Thor?” Aisha and I recognized the man at once.

Captain Thor smiled, nodding in response:

“I was just outside coordinating the crew. The rain is too heavy, and I’m quite dirty, so I won’t come in.”

He glanced into the cabin, his gaze seemingly lingering on me for a moment.

“I happened to run into the ship’s doctor while passing by earlier. After a brief chat, I learned he had just finished your examination, so I thought I’d come by to see… how are you feeling now?”

I knew the question was directed at me. After a moment’s thought, I met his kind gaze.

“I’m a bit fatigued now, but a day’s rest should be enough. I’ll return to my post as soon as possible, *cough, cough*…”

“Don’t rush.”

Aisha gently patted my back, helping to ease the discomfort of my cough.

‘This isn’t good…’

My feverish brain and current cough meant that even with modern medicine, recovery wouldn’t be so swift. Yet, I only had one day of rest before I needed to return to my duties.

“A young person’s loyalty to their post is a virtue, but some work isn’t worth such devotion.”

Captain Thor sighed, speaking to me with a hint of helplessness.

“Child, rest easy these next few days. We’ll discuss work after the great storm passes.”

“A great storm?”

“Yes, I came here specifically to tell you about it.”

In that moment, Captain Thor’s expression turned utterly solemn.

“The weather at sea is notoriously fickle; that’s a well-known fact. Although we predicted the weather before departing, we never expected to encounter such a terrifying storm right after setting sail.”

“For safety, I’ve already ordered the crew to furl all sails and for most personnel to take shelter below deck. Only a small number will remain to control the rudder.”

“Even so, we humans can do little in the face of the sea’s furious might. Perhaps maintaining a basic heading is the only thing we can achieve. As for our estimated arrival date… it’s likely impossible to determine now.”

“Impossible to determine?”

I revealed a look of profound surprise. After all, based on what I knew before departure, the Long Wind Fleet was the most experienced in these waters. If even they were in such a predicament…

“Yes, impossible to determine. We humans must acknowledge our insignificance before the father-like power of nature.”

Shaking his head, Captain Thor’s face showed a lingering fear.

“If you were to go up on deck, you’d understand. The rain outside is like a volley of arrows, and if we encounter a few more massive waves…”

As if to confirm his words, the entire ship suddenly lurched violently. Various items on the table clattered and crashed to the floor. Captain Thor, Aisha, and even I, lying in bed, had to grab onto nearby handles to steady ourselves.

This earth-shattering sensation persisted for a full five times before finally subsiding.

“Whew… do you understand now?”

Captain Thor panted, his voice grave.

“This is the situation we face. If we continue sailing as before, the Long Wind will be torn apart. And if we do nothing, we will certainly be engulfed by colossal waves before long, crashing into hidden reefs or running aground on some unknown coastline.”

“I believe no rational being, save for those suicidal pirates, would attempt to navigate in such weather. For everyone’s safety, until the storm ends, all personnel, apart from the crew I’ve assigned, must remain in their rooms below deck.”

Having said this, Captain Thor straightened his clothes, seemingly preparing to leave.

“So that’s how it is…”

After hearing his explanation, I nodded slightly. There was no sense of disappointment in my heart; rather, I felt a strange relief.

After all, I was ill and wouldn’t recover anytime soon. While this storm brought significant trouble to our voyage, it also meant I wouldn’t have to return to my post quite so early. It was a blessing in disguise, perhaps.

“Then, Captain, how long will this storm last?”

Watching Captain Thor’s retreating back, I asked out of curiosity.

“How long?”

Captain Thor, who had been walking away, slowly turned back to face me, a helpless smile gracing his lips, as if looking at an ignorant child.

“Hours? Days? Haha, only the sea truly knows that. But I can tell you, half a year ago, there was a storm that swept across the entire sea, a once-in-a-century event, and that storm lasted for over a month.”

Perhaps it was just my imagination, but a hint of loss flickered in the corner of Captain Thor’s eye.

“If only that storm hadn’t happened…”

Since Captain Thor’s visit that day, the ship’s doctor’s attitude towards me seemed to have improved, and I received a little more medicine each day.

Although the medicine in this world was quite crude, merely concoctions refined from certain herbs, it was better than nothing and certainly aided my recovery.

After several days of rest, my body gradually recovered. Though still a little weak, I felt capable enough to handle my upcoming duties.

During these days, I would sometimes ask Aisha to check the deck to see if the storm outside had weakened. While I wished my rest period could be longer, deep down, I still hoped to reach our destination quickly.

In my eyes, the sooner I arrived at that place, the sooner I could meet the man on Moon Island. And the sooner I met him, the sooner I could complete my mission, and the sooner…

I could see that child.

“The storm’s power seems to have lessened…”

One day, Aisha brought me this news. So, she and I secretly went up to the deck, and when the rain wasn’t too heavy, we gazed towards the distant horizon.

After a long wait, we finally saw a coastline, faintly emerging in the distance. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a rugged coast, bristling with reefs. Only in one direction was the current stable, revealing a translucent blue.

Based on my limited knowledge of the ocean, the deeper the water, the bluer it appears, becoming almost black in some deep-sea regions.

Under the first mate’s supervision, the Long Wind sailed along the blue water. The further we went, the lighter and gentler the rain became.

I couldn’t help but look back, discovering that the storm that had plagued us for nearly half a month was gradually receding, leaving only a dark cloud hanging high behind us.

The wind gradually subsided, and the waves grew quiet.

After an unknown duration of sailing, I suddenly spotted a few small boats drifting on the distant sea. As we drew closer, I saw a beautiful port, where the nearshore water remained translucent and blue, contrasting beautifully with the surrounding green trees and white sandy beaches.

At the port, a lighthouse of stacked stone bricks stood tall, a vibrant flag fluttering from its peak.

“It’s Azurewater Port!”

A sailor suddenly shouted excitedly.

“We’ve reached Moon Island!”