Chapter 153: Tailwind day
Translator: Tseirp
Two days later.
On the pier at Zoltan’s harbor district.
Zoltan was blocked to the north and east by huge mountain ranges but when you looked toward the sea, it was a wide expense of blue skies and unending sea.
Today was an uncharacteristically warm and windy day despite being winter.
"Yup, that’s a good wind."
Ririnrara commented.
"The wind direction is tailwind as well."
"Queen Leonor and the two Asura Demons have disappeared so we have sufficient chance of winning ... but the nobles who followed Leonor would not obediently obey us. They would cry that the Veronia royal family had diluted the blood by marrying another country and push for the restoration of the former royalty."
"So the fight starts now."
"There’s a tailwind on the day of departure. To sailors, there is no better omen."
Ririnrara seemed happy.
Today was the day Ririnrara and Prince Sarius would depart from Zoltan.
They had already finished resupplying and the last remaining sailors moved toward the floating galley while accompanied by the cheers of the Zoltan people who were reluctant to say goodbye.
Perhaps they were not used to being cheered upon by people from other countries, the rough pirate-like soldiers of Ririnrara’s troops were shy and tearful and were holding onto the handkerchiefs they received tightly.
Ririnrara smiled wryly while looking at her subordinates but her left eye without the eyepatch had a gentle light in it.
"I understand why Misufia decided to remain in Zoltan. This is a good town."
"I’m surprised none of the sailors fled."
"The guys I brought were those who have been with me on the boat for many years. Unlike other navies that consider sailors as consumable items, pirates consider the others who ride on the same boat as family members."
Pirates have no country to rely on. They are outlaws that travel the vast seas without anyone’s backing.
As such, while companions who sail on the same ship build strict superior and subordinate relationships, all of them foster a relationship of having the right to give their opinion to the captain ... the same applies to pirates.
Of course, not all pirates were like that.
"I will never forget that we were in your care and the care of this town ... stay healthy."
After seeing Prince Sarius board the ship after speaking with the mayor and others, Ririnrara bade farewell to us and left.
We would probably not see Ririnrara and the other until the war with the Demon Lord Army was over.
Or perhaps we might never see them again.
Zoltan was located in a remote region after all.
"Are you sure this is the right choice?"
"Yes, it’s fine like this."
When I looked behind, Mistome-shi replied with a gentle expression while leaning on a cane.
"You will likely not see Geyserik again if you don’t follow them to Veronia."
"I know but it’s fine. We met and then we parted ... it’s a story that has ended a long time ago. This incident was not to settle the past between me and Leonor but to fight for Prince Sarius’ future."
"Prince Sarius’ battle huh ... that might be true."
"Yeah, I plan to spend my remaining years as Zoltan’s Mistome. Well, it might be fun to occasionally travel with young adventurers too."
"Garadin will be angry again if you push yourself too hard."
"I’ll have to think of an excuse to use every time."
Mistome-shi smiled wryly.
But that bitter smile quickly turned into a bright smile.
"I somehow felt that my story ended here."
There was both happiness and loneliness in Mistome-shi’s voice.
"After this, I will live in Zoltan as a grandmother who gently pushes the back of adventurers who are taking their first steps. My party will officially disband too. I’ll return the B-rank title and maybe get them to make me D-rank."
"The hero who saved the country will be a D-rank adventurer?"
"After all, it would leave a bad taste for a B-rank adventurer to mix with newcomers."
"That’s true."
Mistome-shi shrugged her shoulders.
After that, she lowered her head for a moment before she raised it once more and looked directly into my eyes.
"Thank you, Red. You people saved Zoltan."
"It was all for our own purposes. We only did not wish to lose the town we live in and the friends within reach."
"That’s right, Zoltan is a small country so that is sufficient ..."
Mistome-shi’s smiling expression seemed a little more elderly compared to when I first met her.
"I’ll leave future matters in your care."
Mistome-shi said to me.
The day Prince Sarius and Ririnrara left Zoltan, Mistome-shi officially disbanded her party.
D-rank adventurer, ’retired’ Mistome.
She no longer involved herself with major incidents but she could be seen stopping novices who were about to underestimate goblins or helping them in their first adventure.
Her quiet last few years seemed peaceful and I thought to myself that it might not be that bad.
There were changes but we returned to the original everyday life that we defended.
With Lit and Ruti.