Chapter 518: Seeking refuge
Sheyan unfolded his hands in reaction to Joshamee’s doubt, as he sincerely announced.
"I’m the third mate of the Flying Dutch man, you know that aye?"
Joshamee nodded.
"Aye."
"I don’t have to explain the curse suffered by the Flying Dutchman crew, but I managed to suppress this curse with a mystical method from the east. However, this suppression would gradually lose effectiveness over time. According to a renowned necromancer, this curse can be suppressed by inflicting a stronger curse on myself. Pondering about this, only that Aztec curse plaguing Barbossa and his crew is my only shot at survival."
"Therefore, I will bring the origin of this curse, the Aztec Gold, back to the east to research; in hopes that one day, the necromancers there can dispel it and free me from this nightmare. This is my ultimate goal....my apologies, Mr Gibbs. Now that you know too much, if you don’t cooperate with me, you know, dead men tell no tales. Do you reckon I possess such capabilities?"
Joshamee annoyingly rebuked.
"Blimey! I never wanted ye to divulge all these."
Sheyan fixated his gaze onto him and whispered.
"That isn’t important, the crux is that you have heard and remembered. Thus, you can either choose to follow me and live, or perish."
Joshamee scratched his scalp as he laughed awkwardly.
"Mayhaps I be treated like a First Mate along the journey, then I’ll leave with you? Aye, I’m guessin’ you should have a good s.h.i.+p. Otherwise, how be ye gunna rescue the man at Port Royal? Let me be clear, me feet would never contend to step on d.a.m.ned single-masted boats. A veteran pirate’s dignity be stoppin’ him from ascending up such a degrading s.h.i.+p."
Sheyan laughed in response.
"I commandeered a third rate s.h.i.+p from the British Royal Navy. Perhaps, you may find old comrades on board. Most crucially, she is currently being improved at the dock. Mister Lohan says he will be done remodelling it tomorrow. It should be as swift as the Black Pearl."
"That be impossible!" Joshamee hastily fumed out. "The Black Pearl is the swiftest s.h.i.+p of the caribbean sea, be second to none! Alright, to expose yer braggin’, I shall board your s.h.i.+p to examine."
Yet right at this instance, a contestant came rus.h.i.+ng into the tavern. One could see her panting heavily but immediately exposed a delighted revelation when she saw Joshamee. With a pretty look like hers, her chame was probably oustanding. Moreover, the gown she wore was glittering with silver brilliance, evidently a silver storyline grade equipment.
"My dear Mister Gibbs. As per your request, we’ve acquired a third rate s.h.i.+p. Please set off with us."
Joshamee shrugged his shoulders and rejected.
"Hey beauty. I must apologize, for there be only a single miserable Joshamee. Since I’ve agreed to board his s.h.i.+p, I have to let down your request."
That female immediately swung towards Sheyan, as eyes casted out hateful beams.
"You guys again! Is a Reserve-duty Growth-Hunter that big of a deal? Every single contestant in this world will become your rivals now that you’ve stolen Joshamee!"
Sheyan couldn’t be bothered with her, as he waved a ‘whatever’ gesture towards here. Very soon, another 7-8 contestants came streaming in from outside. Glaring icily at the trio, they appeared to be sketching the trio’s faces to memory before they left. Sheyan suddenly blurted out.
"Can you guys guess where they acquired their third rate s.h.i.+p?"
Mogensha hesitated slightly before answering.
"Could it be one of the two s.h.i.+ps we sold off earlier?"
Sheyan scoffed insipidly.
"That’s correct."
Brother Black then pondered, before exclaiming with enlightened revelation.
"I understand now. The reason you wanted Jinkuang to hagger with the old a.s.sistant, was obviously to raise the procurement price of our third rate s.h.i.+p. In turn, when the old a.s.sistant sells it off, its price would inevitably inflate skyhigh..... In this manner, you can shave off most of the gold guineas in those contestant’s possessions; weakening the potential of their capabilities!"
Sheyan laughed.
"Back in my former visit to this pirate of the caribbean world, I had mixed around considerably but only returned with a measly few hundred guineas of fortune. Even though that large scale party possess incredible prowess, and can a.s.semble the different factions of forces…...but at least, we have tentatively limited their mobilizable gold guineas to beneath 10,000 guineas!"
"Everyone knows that a.n.a.logy – utilizing 10 guineas to earn 100 guineas would possibly take ten days of time, but 10,000 guineas to 100,000 guineas would merely require five days. Hence, to eliminate any unnecessary mishaps, I can only employ this common business tactic. Apart from that...hais, I even gave them a choice. If they don’t act tactfully, then they shouldn’t blame me."
Mogensha asked doubtfully.
"What choice?"
Sheyan chuckled.
"You’ll know it soon enough."
After escorting Joshamee to his s.h.i.+p, Sheyan settled several minor taskings atop his s.h.i.+p. Then, he proceeded to deliberate and prepare a list of deliverables – information about the Isla de Muerta which houses those Aztec Gold, to investigate the whereabouts of the Black Pearl, and even inquired of news pertaining to Port Royal.
A long while elapsed. Suddenly, Blacksail knocked his door requesting for an audience – having matters to report to the captain. Sheyan pondered as he allowed Blacksail in, immediately noticing splendid mood the originally wounded Blacksail was in.
After this period of inactivity, his pale face was now flushed with red. Sheyan wasn’t concerned with this, after all, that was the effect of alcoholic rum. Soon after, he began listening to Blacksail.
"Cap’n. A priest be wis.h.i.+n’ to join the crew. He be a shoddy priest, an awful pirate but a distinguished physician. I’d personally experienced the wondrous treatments of his art of healin’. Apart from that, his moldy bread crumbs (the penicillium on moldy bread crumbs) had miraculously soothed the fever of me comrades. That be why I be recommedin’ him."
Sheyan was aware that physicians were frequently held as a secondary occupation in this current era. Furthermore, in this pirates of the caribbean world, they boasted of supernatural methods; such as holy water being truly effective etc. Nevertheless, the healing periods of pirates would almost exceed a week.
Putting it bluntly, if his former Bell and Mug crew had a reliable physician, the probability of Sheyan’s attempt to cut down Scarface Harry would’ve been limited. Thinking in that perspective, Sheyan nodded.
"Bring him in for an audience."
Quickly following, a brat named Kayto arrived before Sheyan in full reverence. His present style of dressing didn’t differ greatly from other physicians, but obviously the disparity between the present world doctors were vast.
Clasped beneath Kayto’s left armpit was a black Sombrero hat, while he was dressed in a black robe and cortex trousers. Both clothings were coated with camphor and wax as an insulant against infectious disease, hence it emitted a rather a.s.sailing odour. Of course, the most striking feature was a pointed beak raven mask; a plague doctor mask that symbolized a physician.
The distinctive trait for selecting a raven was in reverence to the G.o.d of death, as ravens were symbols of the G.o.d of death in the west. The essence of signification of this mask was to filter one’s respiratory tract from the contaminating bacterias, with its hollow beak interior; designed with special scented materials, with the efficacy identical to a gas mask. Red eye gla.s.s pieces were designed to protect their eyes. This mask was known to prevent the physician from the miasma of wickedness.
Nevertheless, the observant to details Sheyan still noticed a patch on the physician’s long gown, and the wear and tear of his shoes. This indicated the suboptimal economic conditions of Kayto.
"Mister Kayto?" Sheyan employed an amiable tone. "Welcome aboard the Hill Maiden, do you prefer coffee or tea?"
Kato very respectfully raised himself and returned the cordiality.
"Anything is fine, sir."
Sheyan didn’t directly raise the topic of medicine, but poured a mug of coffee as he spoke while smiling gently.
"My mate says you are a shoddy priest, an awful pirate but a distinguished physician when he recommended you. I would love to hear your view on that."
Kayto’s complexion swelled with red as he answer.
"In truth sir, this is a fairly simple story. A young priest fell in love with a nun, but the critical issue is...the nun returned his love. Betraying the laws of their faith, to unite will either meet the fate of persecution on the cross, or flee to the open seas."
"A man must earn his livelihood. Regrettably, I have no talents with swords or gun. Hence, they call me an awful pirate. Fortunately, during my term as a priest, I had attempted to cure several patients. From then on, this practice became my livelihood."
Sheyan’s eyes sparkled as he inquired further.
"That nun is your wife now? The mother of your child?"
Kayto nodded.
"You are correct sir, indeed my wife and mother to four children; a fifth probably in three months time. Therefore, my situation is situation is dest.i.tute, I only wish to find a generous master."
"Very well, Mister Kayto. Your interview stops here, you can wait outside; 2 minutes at most. Oh right, call Ol’Seadog in on the way." Sheyan ordered.
Filled with restless emotions, Kayto exited. Soon after, Ol’Seadog appeared before Sheyan.
"Any orders for me, cap’n?"
Sheyan answered.
"Escort Kayto his home. If the features of his kids appear closely to his or his wife’s, then allow him to join our crew. Normally, a parent wouldn’t be risking their kids if they were to act as a rat."