Duwei had taken over the captain's cabin… Meanwhile, the two female mages committed an act so extravagant it left the entire crew of pirates cursing under their breath—
They took a bath!
On a ship at sea, freshwater was scarce, rationed only for drinking. No one, not even the captain, dared to waste it. Going ten days or even two weeks without bathing was common. Yet, these two women, undeterred by the murmurs of the crew, used up four entire barrels of freshwater!
Duwei did not object. His reasoning was straightforward: "The water supply was meant for the original crew size. With over twenty fewer people aboard now, even with some indulgence, there's still more than enough."
He also understood that the girls' craving for a bath had reached an unbearable level.
Even Duwei himself, unwashed for so many days, felt itchy and uncomfortable all over. Soaking in seawater wasn't a solution—the salty brine left the skin dry and abrasive.
While the mages indulged in their bathing, Duwei had his own entertainment.
Standing before him was Captain Jack Sparrow—a pitiable man who not only had his name changed by Duwei but was also subjected to an absurd makeover.
A red scarf tied around his head, his beard braided, and his eyes darkened with charcoal smudges. His attire—shirt, vest, and boots—added a flair of eccentricity, though without firearms in this world, the look was incomplete.
Duwei made the unfortunate captain pose in flamboyant styles, mimicking the whimsical charm of a legendary film character from his previous life. After all, one defining trait of Captain Jack Sparrow was his eccentricity, a peculiar blend of flamboyance and charisma.
While Duwei reveled in his live-action cosplay experiment, the two mages luxuriated in their baths, and the pirates found themselves in a tense predicament.
The nobleman-turned-captor had issued a command: steer the ship to the nearest port immediately!
The original captain, along with the first mate, second mate, and boatswain, had all been unceremoniously thrown into the sea by that fearsome woman. Now, the highest-ranking survivor among the pirates was the ship's cook—a man who, incidentally, was Captain Jack Sparrow's father.
As the pirates whispered among themselves, fretting over their uncertain fate, someone nervously suggested rebellion.
"What if we ambush them? They're just three people! We could trap them in a room and set it on fire…"
But the others stared at him as though he'd lost his mind.
"That woman is a monster! She can snap bones with a single kick and send a grown man flying ten meters! You think fire could stop her? She'd probably kick through the walls and come for us!"
The ship's cabins were nothing more than thin partitions of wood—useless against such a foe.
As the crew argued, the door swung open.
In strode Captain Jack Sparrow, transformed and utterly unrecognizable. His awkward expression drew whistles and jeers from the crew.
"Oh, look at our new captain!""Captain Jack, you're dressed fancier than a peacock in heat!""Even the harlots of Walker Port don't look this garish!"
Jack's face reddened with embarrassment, but he quickly straightened his posture and bellowed: "Enough! If anyone makes another joke, I'll stuff my hat down their throat. I swear I'll do it!"
"Oh no, the captain's angry!""Hahahaha!"
Clearly, Jack had yet to establish his authority.
"Quiet!" barked the cook, his raspy voice cutting through the din.
As the highest-ranking pirate left aboard, the cook was protective of his son. "Stop mocking him! What good does it do you? He's our captain now, whether you like it or not. Come here, son. I know this isn't easy for you, but our lives now depend on you. You're the captain!"
Jack glanced at his father, nodded resolutely, and produced a thick scroll of parchment from his belt.
"This…" he said, unfurling it, "was drawn by him."
"Him? The little noble brat?" a pirate sneered.
Jack's gaze darkened. "Listen, Old Bill. If you value your life, you'll watch your tongue. When he throws you overboard, I won't say a word to stop him!"
Jack's tone grew fervent as he addressed the crew:
"We're pirates. Always have been, always will be. But do you truly want to die as pirates? We all know what our fate will be—death on this cursed sea. Either we drown in a storm, get sunk by the Imperial Navy, or are captured and hanged on some dock. Our bodies pecked by crows, baked by the sun, left to rot for months. That's the destiny of pirates, my brothers!"
"I love the sea. I love the adventure. But a lifetime of piracy? Is that really the best we can hope for? What if… there's another way? This nobleman—we all know he's no ordinary man. This is our chance! We can leave behind the life of piracy and sail under his banner as part of a private fleet. No more Imperial Navy chasing us, no more gallows awaiting us. We'd wear fine clothes, clean clothes, and even share drinks with those cursed navy men. Imagine that—our enemies becoming our allies, offering us protection instead of hunting us down!"
A murmur spread among the pirates.
"But… if we stop being pirates, how do we make a living?" someone asked hesitantly.
Jack didn't answer directly. Instead, he revealed a sly grin. "Did you notice those two girls? Do you know what I saw?"
"Bathing?" one pirate quipped, grinning lecherously.
Bang!
Before the man could finish, Jack had punched him square in the face, breaking his nose.
"You idiot! If she hears you, we'll all pay the price! You'd better pray you're thrown overboard tonight rather than face her wrath!" Jack hissed, his voice icy.
The crew fell silent, the weight of his warning sinking in.
Jack straightened, his voice low and serious. "What I saw was magic. Those two girls—they're mages. And that terrifying woman? She's both a mage and a warrior. We are not dealing with ordinary people. They could kill us all with a snap of their fingers. Think carefully, my brothers—this is not a fight we can win. But it could be an opportunity, a way to rewrite our fates."
The pirates exchanged uneasy glances, the allure of survival outweighing their lingering doubts.
"The same question remains, Captain—what's in it for us if we pledge loyalty to this young nobleman? How will we eat and drink? Will he provide for us? I simply don't see what else we can do besides being pirates."
Though the question was still sharp, it was clear the tone had softened considerably. They even began addressing him as "Captain" with a hint of respect.
"I don't know," Captain Jack replied honestly. "But here's what I do know. First, don't forget—it was us who saved his life, pulling him from the sea. That's a debt of gratitude, and as long as we behave and follow his lead, he won't trouble us. In fact, he's likely to reward us. Second—and perhaps most importantly—think of the two mages! My brothers, have you ever heard of a mage who lacked wealth?"
That struck a chord.
Especially the second point.
Mages, short on money? Unthinkable!
For as long as anyone could remember, mages had been synonymous with affluence. Wherever they went, they were lavished with the finest treatment. Nobles and rulers alike vied to offer them riches and curry their favor.
A penniless mage? Preposterous!
With that, Captain Jack dispelled the last lingering doubts in the hearts of the pirates. Then, with a flourish, he unfurled the roll of cloth in his hands.
"This," he said, "is our new banner, freshly drawn by the young nobleman himself."