Chapter 17: An Interlude (A Certain Merchant Guild Leader)

"Chairman! There's a ship coming in like none we've ever seen before!"

"...What did you say?"

He held back a reprimand for the subordinate who had barged in without decorum, barely containing it. A ship they had never seen before? In these turbulent times, who would be sending in a trading ship? Or was it an enemy vessel?

"How many?"

"Just one, sir! But it’s got a huge cannon mounted on it!"

A cannon? Some trading ships do carry cannons for self-defense. But this man had worked at the port for several years now; he wouldn't be getting worked up over just any cannon. It had to be quite the unusual ship.

"Understood. I'll go see for myself."

"Much appreciated, sir! It's more than us low-level guys can handle!"

As he made his way to the port, he quickly spotted the ship. Painted entirely in white, it was a sight so beautiful it seemed almost unreal. Indeed, it had a large cannon mounted at the bow and another at the stern, each astonishingly long, unlike any he'd seen before. But even more striking was the circular structure protruding from both sides near the stern.

“I’ve never seen anything like this. Could it be one of those legendary magic ships?”

“Ah, likely a magic-powered paddle ship. I only saw one once myself, back in the port of Uryabak…”

It was a massive ship, powered by waterwheels instead of sails. Uryabak’s largest ship of the line, armed with over a hundred cannons. This one was smaller by comparison, but the presence it commanded was far beyond that of any ordinary sailing ship.

“This one’s the real deal…”

He swallowed hard. The white ship had anchored some distance away and was now lowering a cutter, with a small group rowing towards the pier.

"Hey, clear the way! The chairman’s coming through!"

"Back off, all of you! How’re they gonna land with you all crowded here? Shoo, shoo!"

His subordinates dispersed the gathered crowd at the pier. They were rough-mouthed, but they were capable.

“Chairman, can you see them?”

“Yeah… a woman, is it?”

As the cutter approached, he could make out the crew. Something seemed off. Her hair was long, in a style that seemed almost strange, as if animal ears were attached to her head.

"Chairman, I always thought those were just tall tales…”

“It’s coming back to me now. I’ve heard rumors of savage folk with animal ears…”

“…Doesn’t look like a savage though, does she?”

“No. Underestimating them could be costly. Hey, make sure the men know not to lay a hand on them.”

He barked orders to his men. These people were definitely not ones to provoke. And if they did look as pretty as they seemed, that was even more reason to be cautious.

Typically, women weren't aboard trading vessels. Superstitions about women bringing bad luck to ships didn’t hold much weight, but where women were, trouble often followed. If there were no men on board, it was almost unheard of. He’d have to treat them as fellow sailors rather than make assumptions.

“Chairman, I told the men, but honestly, I’m not sure it’ll be enough…”

“Having warned them is enough for now. If they act out, it’ll give us a reason to retaliate.”

“Understood.”

He had no desire to stir up unnecessary trouble. Whatever their purpose, he hoped they’d make good trading partners.

"They’re here."

An usher waved them toward the pier, and one of the strangers waved back. At the very least, they seemed capable of basic communication.

"Think we’ll be able to talk with them?"

“Hard to say. Used to be, we’d get all sorts of people from different lands, none of whom spoke our language.”

The white cutter drew closer to the pier, with three aboard, all of whom looked like women. He could clearly see triangular ears atop their heads. One of them was standing, and he caught glimpses of something moving behind her — a tail, perhaps?

"This way! Alright, here we go! Throw the rope! You got it? The rope!"

The usher held up the mooring rope as they neared the pier ladder.

"Okay! Rope, take!"

One of the women on the cutter shouted back, her pronunciation a bit rough but comprehensible. Relieved, he let out a small sigh; it seemed they would at least be able to exchange information.

“Looks like we can communicate.”

“Yes. Alright, I’ll go. Don’t mess this up.”

“Understood!”

The three women climbed up the ladder, gracefully stepping onto the pier, moving more nimbly than the average sailor.

“...Welcome to Telek Harbor. We’re glad to have you.”

“Glad… to be here.”

They could understand him. As he extended his hand, the woman accepted it with a handshake. Her hand was much softer than he expected — not the hand of someone who’d crossed the sea. A delicate hand, almost like a fish’s fin, but with a surprisingly firm grip.

“I’m the head of this port’s merchant guild. My name is Kuuravia Telek.”

“I am Zwei Ringo. Sorry… understand not… port? guild? position?”

“Ah… apologies. Can you understand the word ‘leader’?”

“Leader. Understand. Thank you. I am… the leader of the ship.”

She was the ship’s captain, then. Quite the bold move for a captain to personally disembark in a foreign port.

“Standing around talking here isn’t ideal. Would you prefer to sit and discuss things inside? I can arrange a room.”

“Room. Understood. That is… good.”

The captain nodded, and he motioned her forward, leading her courteously. He was glad she followed willingly, though formal decorum wasn’t necessary here.

“Chairman, Room Three is ready!”

“Good.”

Room Three was designed to host dignitaries. It had a structure that allowed for discreet guards, ideal for such discussions. He glanced at the two women following the captain. Perhaps they were her guards?

He examined her attire as they walked. She wore a head wrap, likely for sun protection, a well-stitched long-sleeved shirt, and trousers, with sturdy boots. A curved sword, likely a cutlass, hung at her waist, suggesting she was left-handed. On her right side was an unusual object, metal and grip-like, possibly a weapon. It reminded him of a firearm he’d seen once.

They made their way to the meeting room in silence; small talk seemed challenging due to the language barrier.

“Well then… once again, welcome to Telek Harbor.”

“Thank you for welcoming me.”

They sat across from each other on the sofas, with only the captain sitting, while her two companions stood behind her, like guards. He had also positioned his own guards nearby, a customary precaution.

"Things have been quite dangerous lately. It’s impressive you made it here."

“Dangerous… what?”

“Ah, it means… uh, ‘risky.’”

The captain nodded; she understood that term.

“Dangerous, yes. We came, stayed offshore.”

Offshore, then. If their paddle ship could keep its distance from pirate towns, it made sense. And if those cannons weren’t just for show, they’d have little trouble fending off attackers. Around here, most still relied on ballistae as their primary weapon.

“Understood. So, what brings you to this port?”

“…We seek trade.”