Chapter 206.
Chapter 206 – Returning Home
In the waters outside of Fu Lan Harbor, the “Hope” was on patrol duty.
After Quake became the captain of the USS South, the captain of the USS Hope was replaced by Yarman, who was very excited to be in command of this highly decorated warship.
“Hope” service time is not long, and in the previous battles with the pirates did not have any damage, almost a new ship.
Now Captain Yarman is on the deck to carefully inspect the deck after the sailors wiped.
He wore no shoes, just a pair of white cloth socks as he walked from one end of the deck to the other.
After walking back and forth several times, the captain took off his socks and nodded in satisfaction when he realized that the soles of his socks were still as white as before.
In a loud voice, Yalman announced, “Deck cleaning is over for the day.”
The sailors around them breathed a sigh of relief and each gathered up their buckets, brushes, mops, and other cleaning tools.
“Captain, we have a situation!”
The lookout on the mast suddenly shouted.
The entire ship was immediately put on alert, and the gunners ran to their running positions to deal with the unexpected situation.
Aardman yelled to the lookout, “What do you see?”
“A ship, a suspicious ship is coming toward us, not a civilian ship, a full windjammer.”
Someone on deck asked, “We should be the only ones on patrol at this hour, could …… it be the Southern?”
So far the only full windsail ships they knew of were those of the Arda Navy.
The binoculars held by the lookout hadn’t been lowered, keeping their eyes on the suspicious ship in the distance.
“I wonder if it’s the Southern, it’s too early to tell.”
A sailor on the deck was unimpressed by the lookout’s words.
“Really, who else could it be but the Southern, overly cautious.”
“Shut up!”
Aalman barked harshly at the sailor, scaring him so much that he immediately stood at attention and waited for the captain’s next reprimand.
“The price of carelessness can be the life of the entire ship, I don’t want to hear such sloppy and careless words in the future, do you hear me?”
The captain’s roar was like thunder.
The sailor joined his right foot to his left and replied loudly, “Aye, Captain!”
Yalman immediately gave the order, “Gun crews to your stations, steersman, grab the upper heading!”
……
As the two ships got closer, both sides finally got a good look at each other.
“It’s the Southern ship, it’s really the Southern ship!”
The lookout’s voice was filled with surprise as he saw the flag flying on the mast of the ship in the distance – the Flying Dragon flag of the Graiman family.
A cheer immediately erupted from the deck on the Hope.
“Steersman, close in on the Southern! I kinda miss that asshole Quirk.”
Captain Yalman cheerfully gave the new order.
“We’re home!”
Excited yelling filled the decks aboard the Southern.
Today was December 25th, and in a few days it would be a new year, and the Southern had set sail from November 11th, and after nearly a month and a half of sailing, it had finally returned to the Northwest Gulf.
It was a pity they didn’t end up arriving in Northwest Bay before Advent, though, and in order to hurry up and not miss another New Year’s Day, the whole crew had to spend a very monumental day at sea.
They also spotted the Hope in the distance on patrol duty.
Since most of the men on board the Southern had served on the Hope, seeing her was like seeing one of their own brothers, and the communicators on both sides exchanged semaphores endlessly through binoculars, while the other sailors asked the communicators to pass on their greetings. “It’s exciting for everyone to see things back home.”
Xela looked at the deck full of cheering sailors and couldn’t help but sigh.
“Yes, after all, no matter how good the field is, it’s not as important as the place where you were born and raised.”
Her daughter, the female counselor, Lardy, responded to her mother with a bit of sadness.
“Mom, would you blame me for making you follow me away from home?”
Xyla smiled and shook her head as she reached out and stroked her daughter’s long hair.
“Don’t say something that doesn’t make sense, haven’t I said it all before? You and I are both at the place that is our home.”
“Thank you, mom.”
The female counselor choked up a little, and Shera scrambled to pull out a handkerchief to help her wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes.
“People will laugh if they see that.”
……
The Southern and the Hope finally met, and both sides could hear each other shouting through their speakers.
“Quake! You’re still alive, you asshole?”
“Yarman! I’m fine na, but you, I’m surprised you’re not in the shark’s stomach yet.”
The captains of both sides personally hugged the loud speakers and greeted each other.
People from both ships laughed out loud, and the sea was filled with pleasant sounds.
Then the Hope and the Southern sailed one after the other towards Port Fullan.
……
“Congratulations, Captain Quirk! At last you have accomplished the task given to you by the Lords.”
Xela came to Quirk’s side and congratulated the captain.
After so many days on the ship, she had also inquired about the affairs of Count Alda’s territory.
The ship named “South” was tasked with opening up new routes in preparation for the future large-scale maritime trade between the Northwest Bay and Horn Bay, and it looked like the Earl named Paul Greiman was the one who was motivated to rule.
“Haha, I rejoice in the same, Mrs. Sertia, from now on you can also live with Miss Ladi, avoiding the pain of separating flesh and blood.”
“Yes, this child used to be an adventurer and often did not return home, now she has finally settled down, although she has arrived in a strange place, it is better than not seeing anyone for a long time.”
Quirk became a little hesitant, as if considering something.
Mrs. Sertia saw his expression and asked, “Did the Captain think to ask me something?”
“Uh …… do have a question bottled up in my mind. But I don’t know what to say about it.”
“Haha, Captain-sama just say what you have to say.”
Quake made up his mind and said in a small voice, “Mrs. Sertia, truth be told, I used to be a pirate. Then I was captured by Earl Gleiman, and blessed with his grace, he allowed me to take the blame for my crimes, and that’s how I joined the navy all the way to captain.”
“So, I am still more familiar with that aspect of pirates, so …… so ……”
“Haha, you want to ask about this tattoo on my arm, right?”
Xela rolled the sleeve on her arm halfway up, revealing a symbol on her arm – a bizarre skull.
“Uh …… yes, it’s a bit oddly shaped, but skulls are a common symbol for pirates, and seeing as how you went looking for Miss Lardy in the forest north of Nisborough on the night of the southern sky, you don’t seem like your average housewife.”
“How observant, Captain-sama.”
Xela smiled and said graciously, “Indeed, I did used to be a pirate.”
(End of chapter)