章節 30: Goldfish and the Pirate
#The following wasn't part of the manuscript but written on a loose sheet stuck between pages. It may or may not belong here. #
****(POV)
Men of the sea are very talkative.
Especially once on land.
They tend to congregate where there is booze and women.
They will recount all their exploits and tell crazy tales.
Some are true, some are clearly completely fabricated.
After all, sailing a ship can be very boring at times.
It is hard work and there isn't much distraction.
From time to time there are the occasional sea creatures.
Sometimes a ship too.
That is when our work starts, for we are pirates.
There is one secret to succeeding in this profession.
To be fast and decisive.
Stay clear of any dangerous opponent.
Then quickly board and loot any weaker vessel.
Of course, the stronger the opponent the better the payout.
In any case, I have been a pirate for a long time.
I am at an age I should have already kicked the bucket and died.
No teeth but still here and standing.
Some jokingly call me older than the sea itself.
I wish.
Sailing forever sounds like a dream.
Most of my colleagues started this life out of necessity.
Hating every second of it but eventually getting used to it.
Bandits, broke villagers, other criminals.
All in order to make a living in this harsh world.
At first, I was exactly like them.
All until I met him.
A crazy guy.
Totally and utterly insane.
He embraced piracy because he loved the sea.
Plain and simple.
He wasn't even a good sailor.
He sucked way too much at it for someone that was so passionate.
How always remained a mystery to me.
I met him when I was already becoming older.
He was but a kid at the time.
I only worked with him for a short while.
Yet he somehow managed to change me.
Showed me his vision of the world.
Made me understand the beauty of such a world.
A dark and ruthless world.
Yet a beautiful one.
He changed my life.
Changed my despair into hope.
He is now sailing happily somewhere with a renowned crew.
One that goes everywhere dauntlessly.
He is one of the lowliest ones on the ship too.
He doesn't mind.
Whenever I come ashore, I can't help but listen attentively.
Hoping to hear anything about that young friend of mine.
Today was such a day.
Today I actually heard about him.
Except it wasn't the fantastical stories of his crew I was expecting.
No, I learned of his death.
Instantly the world took a greyer ting.
I would have crumbled for a little bit, but something took priority.
I started questioning the guy that talked about it.
Then I was told a crazy story.
One that would definitely sound made up.
But I know him.
He wouldn't have done that.
He was too honest for his own good.
Here is what I gathered.
I happened to my friend and his crew.
They were just coming back from a treasure hunt on an island.
A raid on some rich man that was just trying to create his own paradise.
One that turned quickly into hell, well that isn't relevant.
They were almost done filling the ship with loot.
They went back to grab the rest.
Except when they did come back, the ship was nowhere to be seen.
The captain instantly understood that the men left to guard it had turned traitorous.
They had left with the ship.
Leaving only my young friend floating.
They rescued him, asking about who started the mutiny.
Asking about where they went.
Asking for any clue to track them.
That is when he told them an insane lie.
He told them a goldfish had come out of nowhere.
A monstrous one.
With shiny scales as beautiful as the sea itself.
Coming from him that was amazing praise.
The colossal goldfish, according to him, ate the ship.
The whole ship in one gulp.
The captain kept asking him for more details.
But no matter what he would keep repeating that goldfish story.
Only and always.
Consumed by rage the captain executed him.
After all the young man had done for them.
He did not care.
He just got rid of him like that.
This…
I know my friend.
That either really happened or someone used magic to confuse him.
Either way, he was innocent.
How ironic is it for the only innocent pirate to die because of treason?
Very.
Too much.
The storyteller started bragging about how he had pissed on the head of the corpse.
To get revenge for losing their ship.
Is this man really a member of my friend's old crew?
I doubt it.
He is most likely just bullshiting.
I can't help but remark.
"You shouldn't slander the dead."
He tells me he doesn't care.
That the kid deserved to die.
I thank him for the story with some coin.
I thank him for the slander with a dagger.
Lodged comfily in his throat.
Everyone starts screaming.
All drawing their weapons.
This place is pretty shady after all.
There are already people screaming at me to drop my weapon.
Hehe.
I simply lazily glance at everyone present.
Then I simply go:
"How many will trade their lives away for one of an old man?"
Apparently, no one wants to die.
I walk outside without a care in the world.
I have an objective.
The crew that wronged my friend will all die.
Slowly and painful deaths.
Especially that captain of theirs.
But first, there is something I want to do.
I will find this goldfish.
I will bring it back.
No matter what.
Then the world will know.
That my friend was innocent.
That my friend died for nothing.
That for that they had to pay.
I will hunt all of them one after the other.
They will fear.
They will despair.
They will regret.
But all that matters not to me.
I shall toast one last time to you, my friend.
A toast of blood.
Just you wait.
創作者的想法 
Zombie
Zombie Just a dumb goldfish...
Oh god!
How big is a pirate ship?!
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