Shrouded Seascape

Chapter 157. Island's Personnel Appointment

Five days were neither too long nor too short. They passed by in the blink of an eye. Charles could now gingerly stroll on the pristine white sand and bask in the warmth of the sun's glow, albeit still wrapped in layers of gauze.

But every time he ventured out to the beach, Charles felt the strange, scrutinizing gaze of his First Mate.

"Captain, that's normal. If someone were to dress up in the same attire as me daily, I'd be pretty peeved too," Dipp whispered to Charles as he handed the latter a cup of fresh coconut drink.

"Never mind him. How are things progressing on your end?" Charles asked as he rested against a tree trunk and under its shade.

"Sigh, Captain, spare me, please. I'm really not cut out to be a police officer. When I was a beggar, they were like the bane of my existence."

"Just learn. Didn't I provide you with a couple of mentors? You're only seventeen; what's there to be afraid of? If you fail, then just try again. If you can't pick it up in a year, then do it in two years—or even three years. Key positions on Hope Island have to be held by one of our crew."

Looking utterly burdened, Dipp scratched his head in anxiety and said, "But I might wrongly arrest many people! Why do I have to do this? Didn't the Second Mate want this job?"

"Conor has his own plate full. You're young and adaptable. And your role as a boatswain isn't that far off from that of a police. Now that we have fewer people on the island, it's the best chance for you to try your hand at it.

”When the population on the island grows, it would be much more difficult for you to pick it up by then," Charles explained calmly.

"Captain, are we really not setting sail again?" Dipp asked as he sprawled out on the ground, extending his arms and legs to form a large X. His voice was tinged with a hint of melancholy.

Charles took a sip of the sweet and refreshing coconut juice before he answered, "Perhaps." He had already found the surface world. In other words, the Narwhale's mission was complete. Perhaps his sailing days might truly come to an end.

"The thought that I would be spending the rest of my life on an island...I suddenly feel that being at sea is more comfortable," Dipp mused.

"Isn't it better to live a longer life ashore than to risk it on the sea? Wasn't this what everyone aimed for when they joined an exploration vessel?"

"That was what I thought, too, but I’m not as happy as I thought I would be when the day finally arrived. I still think that it's much more thrilling to be venturing the seas with you, Captain."

Mock disdain surfaced on Charles' countenance as he cast a glance at his boatswain on the sandy ground. If it weren't for his injuries and the bandages restricting him from large movements, he would have dashed over and delivered a playful kick to Dipp.

How could you not appreciate the good times and only yearn for hardships? Charles' eyes narrowed into slits as he continued to look at Dipp.

Feeling a gaze on him, Dipp abruptly said, "Captain, do you still remember how we met? I was fighting with other beggars for a piece of fallen black bread. I was too frail and weak, and I lost the brawl. I even got beaten up back then. The wounds I suffered back then were so painful I can still remember them.

"Then I ran into you, and you asked if I wanted to have a full belly. I nodded, and you brought me aboard S.S. Mouse," Dipp continued, sounding nostalgic.

"It wasn't much. One of our sailors died then, and you happened to be there when we needed a replacement."

Dipp let out a chuckle. "Whatever the reason, you still saved my life."

Just as Dipp fidgeted and stretched like a cat waking up from its slumber, Charles caught a glimpse of a stark black marking at the nape of his neck.

"What's that on your neck?"

Dipp sat up immediately. With palpable excitement, he pulled down on his collar to reveal his collarbone. "I saw your tattoo and thought that it was pretty cool, so I got a similar one."

Charles finally got a clear glance at the tattoo—it was a curled-up, lifeless spider.

Thwack!

Charles flung the now-empty coconut husk at Dipp, and it struck the latter right on the head. His voice was laced with icy rage as he chided the young boatswain, "You don't even know the significance of this marking, and yet you dare to tattoo it on your body? Get rid of it, now!!"

Markings like these were the symbols of cults. Who knew what malevolent side effects it might bring after etching it on oneself?

"Captain, it's just a tattoo, no biggie," Dipp remarked with visible nonchalance.

Just as Charles stood up and was about to move to confront Dipp, he noticed a group of individuals holding makeshift umbrellas and approaching them from the shelter. His first mate, Bandages, was leading them.

"See... if you want to... use him... He wants to... see you," Bandages reported in his usual slow manner of speech and pointed to an individual next to him.

Charles' gaze followed Bandages' finger and landed on a handsome young man with piercing blue eyes and silvery white hair. His attire—a pristine white shirt, black pants, and a blue jacket— was oddly out of place with the island's scenery.

"Good morning, esteemed Governor. I'm aware that you are elated to have found and occupied a new island, but yet you are at a loss on how to deal with personnel, like who to hire or how much you should be compensating them. And that's where my expertise will come into play." The moment the young man started speaking, he immediately seized control of the conversation.

"Who are you?"

"I am Leonardo. With all due respect, and forgive me for my bluntness, it's unprofessional to entrust all trivial affairs of the island to an amateur. At this rate, the island will be consumed by chaos, like the mess of a thick mushroom soup.

Charles immediately realized Leonardo's intent. After all that talk, he was merely aiming to land a position.

"If he's an amateur, are you an expert then?" Charles inquired.

"Indeed. I was once the Minister of Administration on Shadow Island. My expertise can efficiently and effectively aid you in resolving the issues. I don't demand much for my compensation.

”I'm just asking for a small house, measuring five hundred square meters and located at the island's heart. Of course, I also seek a weekly salary of 30,000 Echo," Leonardo answered.

Charles approached Leonardo and stared into Leonardo's blue eyes with a calm gaze. "The Minister of Administration on Shadow Island is a young man?"

"Sir, do you judge an individual's capabilities by their age? A beggar, regardless of their age, they are still a beggar," Leonardo replied with a confident and calm glint in his eyes.

Charles placed a hand on Leonardo's shoulder. "I've been to several islands, and Shadow Island happens to be one of them. I don't recall the Minister of Administration being you."

"Governor, when was the last time you visited Shadow Island? Personnel changes," Leonardo replied, unfazed.

Charles' intense gaze bore into Leonardo's blue eyes as he leaned in and said, " You're aware that all governors were outlaws before they climbed to their existing positions, don't you? Should I ever find out that you've deceived me, you know what will happen to you, right? Former Minister of Administration of Shadow Island?"

A drop of cold sweat trickled down the side of Leonardo's forehead as he looked into the pair of icy and emotionless eyes of the bandaged individual before him and felt the man's firm and unyielding grip on his shoulder.

Leonardo clenched his hands into fists and forced a confident grin onto his face once more. "There's no reason to doubt me, Governor. I had indeed held the position before. You can confirm that with any resident of Shadow Island.

Charles gradually released the pressure he placed on Leonardo and turned his attention to Bandages. "All right. He will be Hope Island's Minister of Administration from now on. Handover and brief him on some of the affairs you have on your plate."

"Understood..." Bandages nodded and led Leonardo away to a distant thatched shelter.

Charles didn't know if it was his imagination or not, but he suddenly noticed that Bandages seemed to be walking with a renewed bounce in his steps.

"Captain, you're appointing him just like that? Isn't that too hasty of a decision? What if he has other ulterior motives? Or what if he's a conman?" Dipp exclaimed as his eyes widened in shock.

"That's your responsibility from now on, Chief Dipp. You know what to do next; I don't have to teach you, do I?" Charles settled down, back under the shade of a tree.

With a conflicted expression, Dipp stared alternatingly between Charles and the pair who had just left and eventually let out a resigned sigh. He then turned and ran after the pair as he muttered fiercely, "If that guy ends up being a con artist, Imma string him up as shark bait!"

"Remember to get rid of the tattoo!"

"I know, I know!"

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