Kofi thanks to: Flowersky
He always informed the captains of smuggling ships on the location of the flower shop and requested for them to bring back ‘dried flowers,’ but Cheongyeon found that not many kept their promises. Most brought back any flower, insisting it was the dried flower he asked for. The captain of the smuggling ship, who was now deceased, had been reliable and completed tasks as paid, even though he was expensive. but unfortunately, due to an unexpected accident, only the stem reached Cheongyeon’s hands, not even a petal.
Just before he left, he checked the roots under Cheonghwa Mountain, ensuring Cheonghwa Town would be fine during his absence. Cheongyeon quietly counted the days. Since it was said they would depart from the continent four days after docking, it meant they wouldn’t return to Cheonghwa Town for about a month.
Relying on dried squid for meals couldn’t last forever. He needed to find the dining hall…
Folding the map, Cheongyeon buried his face back into his knees, unable to withstand the overwhelming emotions that felt like being nestled in a cozy cradle. His eyelids slowly fluttered closed as the sun dipped below the sea horizon.
***
…Thump, thump!
Thump, thump, thump!
Startled by the heavy knocking, Cheongyeon woke up. How long had he slept? Whirling his head around, he found the round window. The sky was turning blue, indicating dawn was breaking.
Someone knocked on the cabin door again. Cheongyeon hurriedly got up, heading towards the door, only to fall over due to cramps from crouching too long. Feeling like a literal rat trapped on the ship with now cramped legs, he limped to open the door.
“Good morning!”
Wearing a red bandana, Bang Cheon greeted with a wide smile. Cheongyeon managed to return the greeting, though his throat was still sore from sleep.
“I forgot to guide you to the dining hall yesterday.”
It was a relief to hear. Following Bang Cheon’s lead, Cheongyeon put the room key in his pocket and walked through the corridor.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The dining hall was on the opposite side of the corridor from the cabins. A clock hanging midway through the corridor showed it was just turning 5 am. The dining hall was already bustling early in the morning, and the smell of food filled the air. At the entrance, trays were stacked high, with pots and containers of food lined up inside.
“Mlii sbeg agjs jr sbe ilxf jcv fja. Po sbe qgfofg, sbe mjc ajxf la yjmx ab sbeg mjylc.”
“Fw, yea kts vbc’a P tjnf jcs ajrxr?”
Djcu Jtfbc rffwfv wbgf qfgqifzfv ys Jtfbcusfbc’r defralbc, rmgjamtlcu tlr cfmx ktfgf j ajaabb kjr nlrlyif.
“Gb sbe kjca wf ab vlf?”
“Qtja?”
“Haha, just rest comfortably. And you can’t get the down jacket wet. Ah, don’t misunderstand. I received more than the price of the jacket from Muwon hyung. It’s just a word of caution in case you fall into the water again.”
Bang Cheon’s mind seemed a bit… strange? Cheongyeon couldn’t fully grasp what he meant by the down jacket price and other remarks. Bang Cheon briefly explained the Peira ship, including the dining hall, stating there wasn’t enough time to show everything in detail.
His only task was to clean the 107 cabin he was using, and he was free to roam anywhere he wished, with a warning to stay away from the cannon tower and the dome. Cheongyeon nodded diligently amidst the flood of information.
Feeling awkward to enjoy a lavish meal among the busy workers so early in the morning, Cheongyeon took only bread and milk back to his room. Fortunately, neither the workers nor the cleaners showed much interest in him. It seemed everyone was too busy with their own tasks.
Thus, one day passed on the ship, then two, then three. Initially confined to his cabin, Cheongyeon gradually expanded his range of activities. He also got used to the feeling of floating on the sea faster than he thought.
On the third night, Cheongyeon gathered courage and ascended the staircase leading to the deck. Because the waves were calm, he had the courage this time. Yesterday morning, he quietly snooped around here and there, and it seemed like the least crowded time was around 3 am. Matching this timing, Cheongyeon ventured out for the first time since boarding the Peira to breathe in the fresh outdoor air.
The air was so crisply cold that it hurt his nose, and it felt invigorating. With the ship moving significantly slower than during the day, the sound of the waves crashing against the ship settled reassuringly in Cheongyeon’s ears. He didn’t approach the railings too closely, standing in the center and gazing out at the sea.
Despite the darkness making it impossible to see even a hand’s length ahead, the sea was not as scary as the waterway was, even though the Peira was the only place to stand in this vast ocean. Occasionally, angry waves hit the ship, but regardless, the massive warship simply crushed the waves under its weight and continued forward.
It was really… like Muwon, Cheongyeon muttered inwardly. Its enormity, the destructive power to obliterate the waves, all reminded Cheongyeon of him. He’d heard that pets resemble their owners, but who knew that could apply to ships too.
Cheongyeon raised his head to look up at the sky. The stars, densely packed when viewed from Cheonghwa Mountain at night, seemed infinitely more numerous from the middle of the sea.
Do stars also multiply over time? His nanny had said stars make baby stars through love, but then that would leave no room in the night sky. Thus, Cheongyeon believed stars, like people, had a lifespan. Just as people are born, age, and die, stars too must have their lifetimes.
While gazing up at the sky, a sudden surge of emotion overwhelmed him. Stepping away from Cheonghwa Town, he realized how tiny his existence was. The roots of Cheonghwa Town that could be felt here were nothing more than a small dot shining like a star in the night sky. Considering it took ten days to reach the continent, how vast then, was the sea?
‘What if I abandon Cheonghwa Town?’
A shiver went through Cheongyeon at his inner turmoil.
‘What if I forsake my mother and nanny’s requests and live hidden away on the 1st Continent?’
His wicked heart whispered relentlessly. In both socks, there were still the bills that Muwon had given him. Yet, Cheongyeon knew the future that awaited them. One day, misfortune would come to the 1st Continent.
Cheonghwa Town would sink, and everyone living there would perish. The herbal shop owner, the seafood shopkeeper, even the son of Mr. Ju, who sometimes came to learn arithmetic from Cheonghwa.
Cheongyeon didn’t possess the heart to live without guilt if they died. Once they docked at Nok, he heard that the workers would get leisure time, so he planned to go to the slower shop and quickly purchase as many Boksu Flowers as possible and brew them immediately. If lucky, he might get more than a single blossom. Then, he would return to Cheonghwa Town…
Clang!
At that moment, a sudden loud noise shattered Cheongyeon’s hopes. Startled in the middle of the deck, he jumped. Was the ship hitting a reef? But the sound seemed more like something hitting the railing. It couldn’t be a seagull crashing into the ship at this distance… He turned towards the source of the noise.
The railing at the back also had a border made of rods extending upwards at regular intervals. There was enough space between the poles for a person to stick their face out. Unlike other fishing boats, which were surrounded by wood, the Peira was shaped like a passenger ship and could be seen out to sea.
However, on the very top railing, he saw something that shouldn’t be there. It was an anchor, not the large kind used to moor the ship, but the kind pirates used to board other vessels when they invaded.
Cheongyeon’s eyes widened in disbelief.
‘Is it a pirate?’
Cheongyeon looked around. Perhaps it was shift change time, but the change of guards seemed to have left the deck and watchtower momentarily unattended.
‘Should I scream that pirates are invading? Or should I rip that anchor off and throw it into the sea?’ Though many thoughts raced through Cheongyeon’s mind, they remained frozen in place.
Creak, The rope attached to the firmly fixed anchor tightened as though someone was climbing it. What pirate would dare to attack the Peira? Moreover, the ship’s height was not something a person could easily climb. It was so steep and high that even her embarkation bridge required a long climb.
Cheongyeon, who had collapsed, got up and tried to run away to the cabin, Intending to flee to the cabin to alert others of the intruder. But he stumbled, and the waves hitting the stern of the ship caused his body to tilt and stumble again. Lying flat on the deck, he raised his head.
Clank!
A hand grasped the railing, and almost instantly, a large figure loomed. It was terrifying. If it was indeed a pirate, Cheongyeon might be the first to die.
He looked around to find something that could be used as a weapon, but all he found was a large screw stuck in the floor. Maybe he was being punished like this because he had the naughty idea of abandoning Cheonghwa Town.
The sound of the intruder climbing over the railing and onto the deck brought him to his senses. Even if he crawled like this, he was thinking of going down to the cabin, but at that moment,
“Wow, fuck.”
A low, pleasant voice mingled with the sound of the waves. He looked in the direction where the voice came from. Just as Cheongyeon was thinking ‘No way,’
Then, a bright yellow eye light pierced Cheongyeon like a harpoon.
“Am I seeing things again?”
It was Tae Muwon.
Pr: Sasa
Thank you soo much for you hard work. I love this novel very much❤️❤️ it’s been long time I have come across a novel that could make me check for updates every day😊❤️
Thank so much. I love this novel ❤️
Bro had me in the first half, ngl. Thank you Lord translator for the chapter.
“Am I seeing things again?”
Has Muwon been hallucinating seeing Cheongyeon?
Mi pregunta es… falta mucho para que se pierdan el respeto 🔥?
I knew it! 😁😂
I love this novel! 💜💜💜
Oh my… This is so funny. I wonder how CY gonna explain himself being shitscared by muwon in d next chapter. Hahahaha.
Thank you for the new chapter. Ngl i am waiting for new updates everyday. Thank u.
Hahahaha! Poor Cheongyeon! 😂
Thanks for the chapter 💕