Chapter 8: Dinner on the Little Sparrow

The inside of the captain's cloak is embroidered with the holy emblem of Sulun. The lich said, he is a merchant, and also a spy, he will verify every word you say. The lich said wearily, and what you did before will make them want to kiss you

The mage reflected for a moment, feeling that there was nothing to hide about the previous events, except for some key parts: "A brief relationship that began with a despicable ambush, was centered around conspiracy, and ended in violence, initially just a small accident, a misfired portal." He said, "I intended to go to Cape Bight, but instead, I was thrown into the waters of Sharp Jaw Harbor. Uh, that place doesn't seem very suitable for me. A friend of mine recommended Dullhead, telling me that there are people there who can help me find a ship to Cape Bight."

What Drake enjoys and excels at the most is the slave trade. The captain once again furrowed his chin into a walnut shape: Although he has always claimed to be in the silk and velvet business, that is merely his disguise. He is keen on abducting those innocent yet well-born and beautiful young ones. This does not happen very frequently, as he shamelessly claims to only deal in rare items, with ordinary goods not falling within his hunting range, or rather, not favored by his customers. Ordinary humans, goblins, and gnomes find it difficult to satisfy their greedy and malicious appetites. And Drake, you have seen Drake; his appearance is as splendid as his ship, and when he speaks, it is so considerate and pleasant that many have been deceived by him. Moreover, he has a group of sailors who are eager to assist in his nefarious deeds and a morally corrupt wizard. He provides those non-human entities with the goods they desire in exchange for scrolls and potions that are considered priceless.

A suitable yet not entirely falsehood, the Lich thought, although it had been a long time since he was required by his mentor to transcribe anything, he indeed needed to prepare a spellbook for himself

The souls from another realm found the captain before they had to exchange their identities.

This time, it is the turn of the otherworldly soul to remain silent, but there is nothing to be particularly pleased about, as the lich himself feels somewhat disheartened

"Because the Golden Lady cannot approach the Cape of the Green Dike at all," the mage continued, "I have no choice but to go and talk to the leader of the thieves again, fortunately."

Fortunately, he is also a rational and open-minded person the chef replied, as he stood beside the freshly made sugar-coated apple dumplings for quite a while

Resolve this matter immediately, said the Lich.

"You need to stay in the cabin for a few days," the captain asked in confusion, "Is there something wrong with you?"

"Hey," the captain warned

"That cunning old sea dog," the captain said, "he is not a trustworthy fellow. How do you get along with him and your friends? I mean, you haven't stabbed him in the back, have you?"

They also held a small concert after dinner, where each sailor was an outstanding bard. Huang, with his yellow eyes, hurried over after finishing his portion, specifically to sing a long ballad for the mage, which was about a large ship that had been bitten by a whale. The mage felt that he was being mocked for the Golden Lady, which had a large hole chewed out by an octopus.

But this is really funny, the soul from another world thinks, this is probably the happiest day he has had so far

The mage raised his head, slightly surprised, as most people only saw the orca darting across the deck or witnessed his agile escape from that peril.

The mage smiled, while everyone else, except for the cook, began to laugh heartily, slapping the table in delight

What

He is under the protection of the Grand Duchess of Krassu in Azores," said the first mate. "It is rumored that he is either the lover or the illegitimate son of the Grand Duchess, and no one has been able to obtain conclusive evidence to prove that he has indeed engaged in those nefarious dealings.

The captain looked at him for a moment: "Alright." His tone carried a hint of pity and a smile, "If you need paper and ink, just let me know, I have some here."

"It is merely a small portion taken from my cargo," the captain said, pouring a full glass of wine for the guest: "I believe I must thank you, for my sailors and for my foremast"

Joyful as a dog that has caught the scent of its own kind

How to say

This is truly a feast, their guests praised

They may be a bit more enthusiastic tomorrow, and I hope you won't be too taken aback.

The mage raised his hand to indicate that he did not care: "It is not an exaggeration to say that he is the same person as me." He honestly stated: "He just has a slight conceptual error regarding that old sea dog. Perhaps he did intend to find me a ship, but that night I was attacked by three men, one of whom was the nephew of the leader of the Sharp Jaw Harbor Thieves' Guild. He died, and I believe the tavern owner recognized him. To ensure his own safety, he reported it, and then, at the behest of that leader, sent me aboard Captain Drake's Golden Lady.

"Reading and doing homework should not be disturbed." This truth indeed holds universally, murmured the soul from another realm

According to tradition, the captain is the first to take food, as he is the master of the entire ship, the governor, and the king. Today, he has transferred this right to their guest. The golden lamb sizzles, its meat rich and thick, sprinkled with a fine layer of black pepper and mixed with a small amount of red chili.

The captain took out a bottle of precious botrytized wine, which is made from grapes infected with noble rot, and it tastes like drinking hazelnuts and fresh cream

As night fell, the chef of the Little Sparrow showcased his culinary skills. He slaughtered a fat sheep and two chickens, preparing roasted lamb chops, stewed chicken, lamb offal, fried fish balls, cabbage soup, baked flatbreads, and steamed buns. The appetizers consisted of pickled cabbage and sweet ginger, while the desserts included sugar-wrapped apples and sheep's milk cheese. The sweet ginger and sugar-wrapped apples were in limited quantities, likely sufficient only for the first group of diners, which included the captain, the first mate, the bosun, the doctor, and their guests, while others would have to rely on their luck.

If I could become one of them, the soul from another realm gently said, I would be very honored

He is one of the people in the entire Sharp Jaw Harbor who deserves to be hanged the most said the ship's doctor

If someone comes to inquire about the whereabouts of friends or relatives, Drake would tell them that he has sent them to their destination, that they have left, departed from his ship, and that he does not know where they have gone. Were it not for the summoning of a limb demon, and the summoner, horrified, seeing the still uncorrupted face of his brother on the chest of the limb demon, and managing to summon his soul, the number of those who perished at the hands of that scoundrel would be greater. Even so, there would still be some who had never heard of him or were intentionally concealed, becoming unfortunate victims.

Can you stop? the Lich said, unable to bear it any longer

I managed to have a private conversation with Captain Drake. Their guest remarked, "In a certain light, he is a rational and open-minded person." This statement elicited a tacit chuckle from everyone at the table

Then you must constantly pray that the true identity of this body is not revealed, the Lich said, if that day ever comes, fool, your kind will be more malicious and cruel than my kind

If there is only tomorrow, the soul from another world said cheerfully, I don't mind at all, after all, it is you who will control this body tomorrow

"I suddenly remembered that I still have some homework to do," said the mage. "You know, just memorize something and copy down a few notes. As for food, please have the cook bring me some bread, salt, and a jar of clean water; after all, I will be dining with you all the next day."

The captain knows everything, the first mate complimented jokingly

The atmosphere from this point onward is significantly better than at the beginning, with everyone having a hearty appetite and the chef being busily occupied.

Thus, the captain spoke in a gentle tone: "I know this is quite presumptuous and rude, but a question has been lingering in my mind, tormenting me for quite some time. If I do not receive an answer, it will continue to do so. You must be a person of noble character, worthy of respect," he said, putting down his wine glass and gazing at his guest between the stewed chicken and the lamb offal: "But what exactly is your relationship with the Thieves' Guild of Sharp Jaw Harbor?"

In summary, it is truly comforting to see you sitting here with us for dinner, " the first mate said to their guests.