"For some reason, I feel very unlucky right now."

"Why?"

"I can't put my finger on it exactly. It seems like something I shouldn't notice."

"Well, I'd just ignore it, Captain, it's probably nothing."

"Yeah, you're right."

~ ~

"I'm not sure why you want it but, here," Franz says holding a glass bottle out to me. It wasn't exactly like a champagne bottle but it would work fine for what it was needed for. It's not like this is an actual tradition for opening a pier, I just kind of felt like doing it since I didn't get the chance with Excalibur.

"Thank you," I say gripping the bottle before turning to my crew and the employees of the ETC. I invited the captains, Golin and Pina but they claimed they wanted to practice a bit more so they don't crash into my new pier. I thanked them for the thought internally.

Before I realized it the practice had devolved into a race though so I glance up in the distance from time to time to check the results.

"Now then, with this, the Excalibur Trade Pier will be officially open for business." I crack the bottle against a metal wrapped pole and its contents spray across my face. I had thought something like this might happen.

"Here Captain. After you mentioned your luck this morning I wondered if something might…"

"Yes, thank you. I appreciate your thoughts." I say wiping my face with the towel and setting it on my shoulder. "Well, then I wonder when our first ship will get here?"

"Oh have they already finished construction?" Franz asks, still probably assuming we got them from the Island of Crows.

"No, we've had our crews training on them for the past week and a half. They have become quite skilled. Oh, El is that…"

"Yeah, it seems Pina will be victorious."

"Ah, that's to be expected I suppose. It's the power of adoration versus fear."

"But I wonder which would win in combat against a powerful foe."

"True. Though I wouldn't be so sure. Golin's crew is definitely fierce but I think Pina's crew's desire to protect her is also strong."

"It is the same with Captain's crew."

"Ah, you all really get along well. If Ellie saw this she'd cry her eyes out."

"Captain who is Ellie?!"

"Oh is she a new friend?"

"Aqua don't just willing accept this!"

"Mah, whats the problem?"

"I also think a new friend would be fine. Plenty of room, Captain's bed is huge."

"El! Don't talk about that in public! Captain, please do something about this situation!"

"Mirna likes new friends, like 'new friend' Alice. Though Mirna wonders why Alice doesn't sleep with Captain. Strange. Part of the crew but apart. Sad."

Do you really think I can control a situation like this Rou? Franz' envious gaze is creeping me out. I'd like to avoid situations like this if possible. I knew this was an unlucky day.

"So that's where they all go…" Alice lightly whispers with blood red cheeks while looking at the girls in envy.

~ ~

"Good work on the race Pina as I said anything you want that's within my power will be yours so what would you like?"

"Hmm, well I thought a lot about it. And once I decided for sure, I worked twice as hard to be sure we won. I know this is a selfish request so I hope you won't hate me for asking it…"

"Go ahead."

"Please let me join your crew…" Pina says with a pleading voice. "Ah, after… after a year. Once I train a replacement. I found a love for the sea in this training. And now, the thought of being locked into following ships or moving goods just doesn't seem enough for me. I want to adventure. I want to tell stories like the ones you tell. I will make a name for myself here first. I will become the best fleet commander in the three seas and then in a year if you will accept me, Please let me join your crew!"

"Alright. I don't mind. I think it would be good to have you. I respect your determination. You are a skilled sailor now and in a year I think you will probably be an exceptional sailor. I would be a fool not to have you on my ship."

"Thank you! I will work hard here, I promise!"

"Good."

I suppose God gives the bad with the good. I give a quick thumbs up to the sky and begin to walk towards my next destination. I had a final payment on the pier due. I felt poor but I knew that was just because of my unreasonable concept of money.

Having any platinum signets puts me above that bracket but still, having less than ten in the bank makes my stomach churn.

~ ~

"Captain, story."

"Oh right, where were we exactly?"

"He had just cut off his hand."

"And he said he was his father but that not possible, he killed Luke's father right?"

"Oh, he fell down a pit right and was hanging onto, what'd you call it an unteena?"

"Antenna, yeah sorry for the crappy cliffhanger but it wasn't in my control."

"By the way, it seemed weird that… was it Lando? Or whoever, was wearing Han's clothes when they flew away, what was that about exactly?"

"Nobody knows exactly, it's something of a mystery of the universe you might say. So then next is a story I think you will all enjoy. And it will also be the final segment."

""WHAT?""

"It's ending?" Mirna asks with a tear coming to her eye.

"Unfortunately, it is sweetheart, but don't worry I have other stories and, if you are super good I will give you a prequel in twenty years!"

"YAY!"

"Now then let's return to the story…"

*Knock Knock*

"Alice or Jun come on in," I shout towards to door aware that standing up out of bed is not an option currently.

"Um, yes…" Alice says looking at the bed and the floor in turn.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, I just…" She stammers seemingly not sure of what to say.

She wore a thin pajama/dress-like thing that the Marrow clothing store sold. It's not exactly stylish but it hangs on curves properly so a well-proportioned body can make it extremely alluring. Such was the case in this situation.

"Right it's that," She says with a fist on her palm. "I am cold."

She states it matter-factly but I can understand her intentions.

"I can understand that, wearing so little…" I say teasing her and eliciting a blush. "I can give you another blanket if you want."

Now I'm just being mean but if she wants something she should be honest at least.

"No… um…"

"Mirna is warm you can sleep with her," El suggests either understanding or not understand the situation at all. It was tough to gauge which.

Mirna begins to slither and is suddenly out past my feet before I could react. She leaps towards Alice hugging and happily claiming she would sleep with her.

"Wha… Naked?! Are all of you… under there… Uwa. So it's like that…" Alice pulls her hands to the hem of the dress and begins to pull upwards so I promptly put an end to the misunderstanding.

"They are all fully clothed, please don't misunderstand just because Mirna is a free spirit." I flip the blanket up revealing El, Rou, and Aqua in similar pajamas as hers.

Aqua was fiddling with her dress but I held it firmly down with my hand. My heart can't handle this life I worry.

~ ~

"It's a trap."

"It's surely a trap."

"A ploy, right?"

"Why do you all say that?"

"Hmm, Captain you are too trusting. Think about it a bit."

"Aqua's right, there is no reason an Abyssal would be in the Capital bay, it's too shallow. It wouldn't even fit."

"Unfortunately I believe they are right," Muscleman says looking over the request that had arrived at the guild late last night. It was indeed a strange request. A subjugation of one of the most fearsome creatures in the sea and the request comes here of all places. Either I'm being goaded into going or they think I am the only one capable of killing it.

The girls are probably right. But I feel like they are going out of their way to invite me. It seems rude to just ignore it. Or, if it's true and there really is an ancient creature attacking ships near the capital well I would feel terrible if I didn't help.

"Well, let's go. What do you all think?"

"Captain?"

"What, even if it is a trap what's the worse they can do?"

"Imprison you?" Muscleman hazards a guess.

"As if. No cage could hold captain. He needs only speak the name of the wind and it will help him escape."

"I suppose that is right," Muscleman says rubbing his chin. "Yeah, I guess I can't find an issue with it either. But please be careful."

"Of course."

"Oh before I forget here are these too." He hands me a stack of forms as well as a few small cards. They look similar to my adventurer guild card but they each have the Excalibur's name written in a nice font at the top. I hand them out to each of the crew members. They look at the card in awe.

"C Rank!?" Rou asks as she looks at the rank of her card.

"Yep, it's typical for the Captain's crew to get a ranked down guild card. That's partially why it took us so long to get these finished. A lot of hoops to jump through to issue a C ranked card from the start."

"Wait that means Captain…" Aqua sticks a hand deep into my pocket before finding her target and yanking on it before widening her eyes at the silver 'B' printed largely on the Card. "B rank…"

"Amazing…" Rou says looking at the card in awe.

Was this really so amazing? I thought there were a bunch of B ranks. He mentioned there being four B ranked parties at least.

"And also this." Muscle man says handing me a bag of coins.

"Ah, I am so sick of carrying money!" I say gripping the bag and analyzing its weight.

"Only Captain." Someone says from behind but I ignore it.

~ ~

"Deposit Mr. Moedy?" The bank attendant says as I step up to the counter.

"Yes, Carol. Heres the card."

"Oh, I see it was finally updated. Congratulations."

"You don't seem very surprised…"

"No well after the first visit I figured the card couldn't possibly be correct."

"Come to think of it, are there more people working here than the first time?"

"Yes. Due to your deposit, we exceeded a certain amount stored at the bank. As such the Bank organization requires us to increase staff. It's for safety mostly."

"I see."

"Yes, rather we should thank you for your deposit. It feels good having more than just me and Ponzo working. Will that be everything?"

"Yes for now just that bag. And would you mind asking Ponzo for my current balance."

"Certainly. Just one moment."

The woman escapes to the back with the cart and the Dwarf, Ponzo, begins entering the combination. I had seen him do this many times but it seems like each time the process starts differently.

~ ~

"We have it under control Captain. In fact, we just received our first shipment request. ETS #2 was planning on leaving for Chipowa in the morning"

"So Golin's taking it? Alright sounds good. Well, we shouldn't be too long. Three weeks maybe a month. You guys have access to my vault so if anything comes up don't hesitate to…"

"It will be no problem Captain. Please, rest assured. We can handle this."

"Mhm. I trust you. Good luck, tell Golin to go flat out from the gate and bring plenty of spear gun ammo. We can't have our first voyage end in disaster."

"Yes, Captain. And if I may make a request?"

"Shoot."

"Please keep Alice safe."

"Understood. Leave it to me."

"I hear she was already able to take steps. You move quick Captain."

"That was completely of her doing. I had nothing to do with that."

"Yes, yes… But really for Captain to sleep in the nude, how scandalous. I can't imagine what the fan club would say if they heard that."

"There was no scandal of that sort! And what club?!"

~ ~

"Do you have to go Mirna?"

"Yes, mom. Mirna is is a big strong C rank now. And Captain's wife. Must go where Captain goes."

"I suppose that's true."

Oy, don't just willingly accept that.

"But worry not, mother. Mirna will continue to return."

"Ah thank you Mirna! I love you, dear."

"Until mother relinquishes that Cream stew recipe I shall return."

"Over my dead body!"

~ ~

"So this is our course. We will bounce along the coast as we go north. It loops in here and the capital is on this peninsula over here. This whole area here is considered the capital bay."

The area Rou points to was large. If the scale on this map is accurate it's nearly the distance to 282 across. Around a day's sail by a day and a half's sail. A large body of water to search, but if an Abyssal is as large as they say, it apparently won't be hard to spot at all. That's why they are all adamant about this being false information.

I can't put my finger on why but I think the information is correct. Maybe it has something to do with my general luck this week, maybe it has to do with something else. In any case, I'm excited. I've been in Marrow the last month now. And other than some R&R it has been mostly just busy work.

Sanding the new deck, training the crew, opening the restaurant, advertising services of the trading company, it been endless really. But a voyage will be great. And now I have a sense of security, the girls can protect themselves now. Each is not exactly at a 'master level' yet but they are extremely capable with weapons.

What surprised me most was Aqua's transformation. She broke the wall that El hit with ease she now sat at level 22 and was the highest level amongst my crew members. She was terrifying with a spear. We spar from time to time, it is really difficult to counter a spear with bare hands.

Her agility score has eclipsed my own. It's actually really exciting. I finally have a real opponent, I wonder what she will be like in the future.

"Only problem is the ocean gate, but we have Pirate ID's, or if it comes to it we also still have the royal invite."

Aqua pulls me from my day dreaming with some wise advice. I had nearly forgotten the invitation at this point. Do I still have it?

"If we show the request they will surely accept us though. Or if we have to pay the merchant fee even that I'm sure won't be an issue for Captain."

"True. Well, then I think that looks good, Captain?"

"Yeah, no, that looks good. I don't know much about the area so I'll leave it all to you."

"Captain Rou won't say it so I will, I would like to stop here."

"Aqua! No way…"

Aqua is pointing to a small dot on the map. I can't see the words under her finger but I see no problem as long as it's not dangerous it should be fine.

It looks about halfway between here and the capital so it will make a good Pitstop. This will likely be our longest voyage yet. It will depend on the wind but it's likely more than a week to the capital so a break would be nice.