The shouts of battle came quickly and went just as fast, disappearing into silence. After a while, a light knock sounded on the door of the captain's cabin.
The pirate lackey leaning against the door looked at William with a pale face. William's smile grew wider as he glanced first at the uncertain Sherlock, then waved the lackey aside.
"Come in!" William called loudly toward the door.
The door to the captain's cabin was pushed open from outside. A bald head, still stained with fresh blood, peeked cautiously inside. After surveying the room, the person entered confidently.
It was, of course, Valon. His head bore many bloodstains, though his body showed no injuries, making it clear the blood wasn't his.
"All the enemies outside have been dealt with?" William asked.
Valon casually wiped the blood from his head and replied, "Should be all taken care of. Sherlock, Aramis, and Edmond are searching the ship to ensure no one slipped through."
William nodded and turned his gaze to the tight-lipped Sherlock. "The most dangerous part is selling locally? How dangerous? Local officials extorting you? You and I both know that after our partnership, my people will guard the ship and the goods, facing murderous outlaws. The most dangerous phase is something I and my crew take on."
"Mr. Sherlock, while my companions and I may not come from noble backgrounds, our lives are not worthless," William leaned over the desk, staring down at the seated Sherlock, and said each word deliberately. "You invest money, and we risk our lives! So naturally, I get to call the shots in this business!"
Straightening up, William continued, "Besides, we don't just risk our lives—we'll be investing money too. And unless you can get your father's help, you won't find another partner as qualified as me in the short term. If you're dissatisfied, you don't have to work with me, though I'll warn you…"
His tone grew darker. "Having ships and goods on this sea only makes you a transport crew safeguarding goods for those in power."
When William finished, the room fell into silence. Valon glanced nervously between William and the pensive Sherlock, worried the latter might get angry at William's veiled threats.
Unexpectedly, after a brief thought, Sherlock merely blinked and said, "Outlaws? I like that."
Sherlock stood up. "The higher the risk, the greater the reward. I like bold people willing to make deals others wouldn't dare. That's how you earn unimaginable profits. You want to lead? Fine! But I'm a businessman—I want returns. Can you deliver?"
Two hands clasped firmly—one rough and calloused, the other slender and smooth.
"No problem."
Sherlock's group had been hidden in the small boat William used. His earlier light kicks against the side of the boat had been a signal to the concealed group inside. When the other pirates were distracted by the commotion in the captain's cabin, they had emerged and launched a surprise attack on the merchant ship.
Since Sherlock lacked the ability to protect himself, it wasn't until the pirates were cleared out and Valon reported the ship was secure that William escorted Sherlock to the deck.
Once everyone had left the cabin, Aramis, staying behind, flashed a grin at a surviving pirate lackey. Shortly after, the group ahead heard a scream from the cabin.
Sherlock turned his head to Aramis, who rejoined the group nonchalantly. Aramis shrugged. "Just broke both his hands."
Meanwhile, William was chatting with Sherlock. "So this kidnapping was premeditated? I guess I should've kept that leader alive. Need me to help investigate?"
"No need," Sherlock shook his head. "I can pretty much guess who's behind it."
"A family feud?" William raised an eyebrow. "I don't really get the scheming among noble families."
"My family isn't exactly noble. We've only been wealthy for two generations. My great-grandfather was just an apprentice in a general store. My grandfather opened a small shop. Hardly noble," Sherlock chuckled. "But every family has a few useless relatives. Narrow-minded, short-sighted, and incapable of carving out their own business. All they can do is covet family assets, fearing they'll starve otherwise."
"When you make it big, you'll probably have relatives like that too," Sherlock teased. "But with your temperament, you'd crush them without hesitation. I'm just a merchant, not as straightforward as you."
Despite the recent harrowing events, Sherlock appeared unbothered, his face showing no trace of fear.
Just as Sherlock had gained a newfound respect for William after witnessing his daring rescue, William too appreciated Sherlock's composure and resilience.
The group sailed back to Redleaf Village. After calming the merchant ship's crew and sending them off, Sherlock and Tony attended a welcoming banquet in his honor.
The "banquet" was a small affair held on the second floor of a tavern, attended only by Tony, his uncle, the village chief Omar, Sherlock, William, Aramis, Valon, and Edmond. They ate, drank, and discussed future plans for smuggling liquor.
Edmond, still doubtful about the venture's success, asked, "Liquor worth only a few hundred berries, selling for thousands or even tens of thousands—will anyone really buy it?"
Before William could respond, Omar grinned slyly, raising his glass. "Why wouldn't they? After working for days, men would pay anything to enjoy a drink during their rest."
Edmond, unimpressed by Omar's demeanor, turned to chat quietly with Valon.
Since learning to read, Valon has developed a love for adventure novels. Beneath his simple appearance lay a heart yearning for grand adventures, which resonated with Edmond.
The camaraderie between the two irked Aramis, who used to enjoy teasing Valon but now felt jealous of their bond.
Ignoring their antics, William suggested to Sherlock, "If possible, I recommend registering some pharmacies at the local sales points. We'll produce alcohol in Redleaf Village and transport it there. If caught by officials, we can claim it's medicinal alcohol."
This method, borrowed from William's previous life, mirrored how the protagonist in The Great Gatsby smuggled alcohol.
"Won't that compromise the taste?" Tony asked.
"The low-end market is the largest," Sherlock replied, wiping his mouth. "And this saves transportation costs. High-end liquor can still be sold directly or used to bribe officials. Prohibition laws are great—they even save us money on bribes."
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