Chapter 558

At the brazen words he had never even imagined, Sanford's eyes widened as if they would tear.

"B-But I will do my best if you entrust it to me! I can do it!" Hashim, his eyes also wide, blurted out.

Sanford's head, eyes wide with fury, instinctively snapped to the side. "What? Hashim, how could you do this to me? Who do you think dragged a deck-scrubbing brat like you this far?"

"And ever since then, I’ve done nothing but serve ‌you!" Hashim shot back without flinching, his already harsh features tightening further. "You cause trouble everywhere you go. You always have some kind of plan, but not a single one of them ever works out properly!"

"

Huh

, I saved you from being fish food in the Black Sea, and this is what I get?"

"And I’ve risked death ten times over since, thanks to you! Look at us now. We're about to lose our heads, and we can't even live in Rune Catis anymore!"

The heat in Hashim’s voice grew sharper with each word.

"We’ve no place left but the frontier! What’s next, the Archipelago? You plan to throw us to them?"

"

Urgh...

" Finally, at a loss for words, Sanford let out a groan.

As smiles spread across the faces of the fairy and the red-haired girl, the black-haired paladin slapped his thigh with his palm. "Looks like we have a conclusion. Farewell, Sanford."

"W-Wait a moment, sir. Sir!"

Sanford, whipping his head around, desperately shook his body and pleaded, putting on the most pitiful expression he could muster.

"The only reason I had other thoughts was because you told me not to take on any other passengers! If you would just retract that decision, I will do my best to help you!"

"I didn't know you were stupid enough to try to bargain in a situation like this."

"I-I’m not bargaining! This isn’t just about my purse, it’s about more than that!"

Fortunately, it seemed his sincerity got through this time. The paladin, who had started to get up, paused and sat back down on the chair, looking at Sanford.

Sanford added, his shoulders heaving, "I have a large crew. They are my men, not my slaves. They live off the wages I give them!"

"

Hmm...

" The paladin's eyes narrowed slightly. He continued to stare intently at Sanford, as if still trying to gauge his sincerity.

Without avoiding his gaze, Sanford continued, "This is especially true for the rowers. My ship may be a galleass that isn't that large, but rowing is no ordinary labor."

"Don't you usually sail with the sails unfurled?" asked the red-haired girl.

Sanford readily nodded. "That is true. However, the winds in the inner sea shift without warning. There are always moments when rowers are needed. And right now, demand is higher than ever."

Sanford let out a sigh that came from deep within his gut without even realizing it. He desperately craved a sip of the wine held in the gray orc's hand.

"If I give up all the passengers I was supposed to take, no one will follow me. Unless there’s a fortune promised, it’s not a job for any sane man. Even if a few loyal ones stick with me, it won’t be nearly enough to cross the inner sea."

"Hmm..." The paladin let out a low hum and turned his gaze.

Hashim immediately lowered his eyes and answered, "It's true, sir. Captain has never once stiffed the crew on their pay. Even when he himself was deeply in gambling debt."

"You kid..." Sanford, looking back at Hashim, muttered unconsciously. No matter what, the man didn't lie.

"Weren't you planning to run away on your own?" the paladin asked.

Sanford readily nodded. "Yes. I was planning to hide well, then mix in with other smuggling ships and set sail with passengers. Of course, if things didn't work out..."

He licked his lips and looked back at the paladin before continuing, "I would have left with only the closest men. Even if the wind didn't help, if I had enough time, there's a way to manage without rowers."

"What a damn irresponsible plan..." The paladin let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.

"How expensive is the fare for a smuggling ship right now?" asked the red-haired girl.

"Right now, well, it's pretty much a name-your-price kind of thing. There aren't as many smuggling ships as you'd think, and almost all the ships are already full. The price will only get higher." Sanford answered weakly.

Unable to hide the sigh mixed in his voice, Sanford added, "Those trying to return to the mainland in this state have their reasons, and they'll have a lot of money. Besides, if you go further west from here, you'll have to worry not only about your wallet but also your life."

"So, how much money do you need to give the crew?" the paladin asked, taking the wine bottle from the orc.

Sanford's eyes narrowed instinctively. "In gold coins... I'll need at least three hundred."

"What did you say?" The red-haired girl's brows furrowed.

"This isn't the time to be ripping us off," said the paladin, frowning.

"I don’t have a choice. I have to stick to the market rate. Normally, I’d be paid in installments by the passengers. And with so many crewmen, what each man takes home is a lot less. There are well over forty of them."

"If it’s just us, it won’t take that many," Elder interjected coldly.

Sanford's mind raced faster than ever before. "Even so... I’ll need at least twenty. I can cut the number of skilled rowers to the bone and make up the rest with green hands, but not less than that."

"Then you'll need half the money."

"Yes. Of course, that amount doesn't include me and Hashim! It's true!" Sanford quickly added.

Hashim shot him a look, but Sanford kept his gaze locked straight ahead.

"One hundred and fifty..." the paladin muttered, narrowing his eyes.

He took a sip of wine and then added, "I'm still far short of that."

"Can't we get it on credit in my family's name?" asked the Elder.

Receiving Sanford's gaze, she added nonchalantly, "I'm the head of the House of Erenos. I'll write you a promissory note, so you can just take it to Tahena and get paid after everything is over."

"That would be difficult, Elder," Sanford muttered, looking troubled.

Barely swallowing the words,

How can I trust a pointy-ear’s promise

, he added, "If I tell them they’ll be paid more than a month after we return, none of them will accept it."

"And it will be difficult to return to Rune Catis for a while after setting sail this time. Not after Captain’s latest disaster." Hashim added, receiving Sanford’s gaze.

The Erenos Elder scoffed. "So they all live as if there’s no tomorrow? Can’t they wait a month or two?"

"It is difficult for us to live thinking about the future. Luck will not follow us forever. Everyone will inevitably end up as food for fish or sea monsters someday," Sanford said calmly.

As the Elder clicked her tongue, a smile spread across the red-haired girl's lips.

"You must serve Lu Logis."

"Well, there are many times I need to seek him out." Sanford nodded.

The paladin, who had been lost in thought, took another sip of wine and then said, "Looks like we’ll have no choice but to take everyone aboard."

"Truly, sir?"

"You said the crew wouldn't follow. There's no other way. I can't threaten that many people."

His tone was far from pleased, but Sanford’s face lit up with relief. "You are merciful, sir. As expected of the Radiant Goddess's—"

"Wait a minute." This time, it was the silver-haired Elder who cut him off.

Looking at the paladin, she moved her lips with a gaze.

"There's someone else who can pay a large sum of money, isn't there? We've already met, they're in a hurry, and they don't know the ways of the world."

"You mean the ones who traveled with us," the paladin muttered, seeming to understand immediately.

The Elder nodded with a sly smile. "They're probably getting ripped off left and right anyway. In that case, why don't we do it?"

"

Hmm

."

"They might not have even found a ship yet. It could be a good deal for both of us. So, let's at least make an offer." The Elder tapped her toe.

Sanford's expression twisted slightly. He didn't know exactly who they were talking about, but it was clear it wasn't a welcome suggestion for him.

"We have nothing to lose anyway. If it doesn't work out, we can just do what we were planning to do. I don't want to travel crammed in with other humans."

"True. No harm in making the offer." The paladin finally nodded.

Even as he frowned a little more, a new question flashed through Sanford's mind. That proud, arrogant elder fairy seemed almost to be seeking the paladin’s approval.

If he's not even that Elder's knight, then who in the hell is he? A purifier of the Order?

The paladin took ‌a money pouch from his coat and looked at the red-haired girl.

"Go out onto the street, Lucy. That beggar should be somewhere nearby. Give him this and ask him to find Sir Brennen."

As he held out two silver coins, the red-haired girl, called Lucy, quickly stood up. "Okay. Should I follow him and deliver the offer myself?"

"Better he come here. Makes the bargain stronger."

"Yes, I'll do that."

The Elder rose as well. "I’ll go with her."

"No," the paladin said without a moment's hesitation.

The Elder's eyes sharpened. "Why? Am I too pretty again?"

"Yesterday's trouble was enough. Mukapa, could I ask you to accompany her?"

The gray orc, Mukapa, immediately nodded. "Of course."

"How cheap. It was my idea too."

Sanford was once again certain. As expected, all of them were following this paladin's orders. Even the Elder of Erenos was pouting her lips and sitting back down.

"I’ll be quick. In the meantime, will you show him this yourself?" Lucy held out a folded parchment, its wax seal stamped with Duke Jihandar’s crest.

The paladin took it with a nod. "Go on then. Be careful."

"Don't worry. The rumors about yesterday's incident are probably already circulating. Besides, Mukapa is with me."

"True. Mukapa. Take care of her. Whatever happens, don't let it get big."

"I will keep that in mind."

Lucy and Mukapa walked past Sanford. As the door opened and closed, the paladin's gaze finally returned to Sanford.

"Now then, shall we read this?"

"Yes, sir." Sanford, who had been staring intently into his eyes, finally nodded.

His voice carried the weight of resignation—and for good reason. No matter what tricks he tried, he had a near-certain sense that there was no escaping the grasp of this mysterious paladin.

"So you’ve finally decided to take it seriously." The paladin said with a smile.

Sanford had no way of knowing that a quest completion window, visible only to the paladin, had popped up. He stood up and finally untied the knots of the rope binding Sanford's body.

"Yeah, being here might not be so boring after all." The Elder of Erenos, who had been sitting with a pout, turned her head with a smile on her lips again.

In the meantime, the untied rope fell to the floor with a thud.

"

Ugh...

" Finally able to move his stiff body, Sanford grimaced.

Not only did his left arm throb, but his face, which he touched with his hand, was a mess as expected.

"I tried to hold back, but it looks like your left arm’s broken. Don’t worry. I handled the first aid myself," said the paladin.

You asshole,

thought Sanford.

"You can still do your job with just your right arm, right?" the man asked coldly.

"O-Of course! I live just fine with one eye, so what's one arm? It's not like it's been cut off." Sanford answered quickly, even forcing a smile on his lips.

Denying it would only give the paladin an excuse to replace the captain on the spot.

"You've tied it up very securely. I’m sure I’ll recover just fine!"

"Good. I knew you were competent." The paladin, smiling brightly, sat back down on the chair.

Picking up the wine bottle he had set down beside him, he held out the neatly folded parchment to Sanford. "Now, check it."

"Yes!" Sanford quickly took the parchment.

After glancing down at the seal for a moment, he tore it open with his mouth. The letters on the unfolded parchment came into view. He quickly scanned the letters for a moment.

"Ian... Hope, sir?"

Sanford's head tilted as he finally found the name. It was a name he had heard somewhere before. It only took a few seconds to remember where he had heard it.

"Ian Hope?"

Of course, it was also enough to make Sanford's swollen single eye widen as if it would tear. Sanford, his mouth agape, blankly raised his head.

"Yes. That's my name." The Superman of the North, Ian Hope, whose eyes met his, smiled brightly.