Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

Chapter 203: Return Home

TL: Etude

In the waters outside Port Fran, the “Hope” was carrying out its patrol mission.

After Quik assumed the role of captain of the “Southern”, the captaincy of the “Hope” was handed over to Yarman. Commanding this military ship, renowned for its achievements, Captain Yarman felt incredibly exhilarated.

The “Hope” hadn’t been in service for long and had sustained no damage in its previous battles against pirates; it was almost like a new ship.

Now, Captain Yarman was meticulously inspecting the deck, which had been cleaned by the sailors.

He was barefoot, wearing only a pair of white cloth socks, walking from one end of the deck to the other.

After several rounds back and forth, the captain took off his socks and noticed they were still as white as before. He nodded in satisfaction.

Yarman loudly announced, “Today’s deck cleaning is complete.”

The sailors around him breathed a sigh of relief and began to put away their buckets, brushes, and mops.

“Captain, there’s something!”

The lookout on the mast suddenly shouted.

Everyone on the ship immediately became alert, with the gunners rushing to their positions, ready for any emergency.

Yarman shouted back to the lookout, “What do you see?”

“A ship, a suspicious ship heading our way. It’s not a civilian ship; it’s a full-sail ship.”

Someone on the deck asked, “At this time, it should only be us patrolling. Could it be… could it be the Southern?”

So far, they knew only the Alda Navy had full-sail ships.

The lookout, still peering through his telescope, kept his focus on the distant suspicious vessel.

“I don’t know if it’s the Southern, it’s still too far to see clearly.”

A sailor on the deck was skeptical of the lookout’s caution.

“Really, who else could it be but the Southern? You’re being overly cautious.”

“Shut up!”

Yarman sharply reprimanded the sailor, startling him into standing at attention, bracing for the captain’s scolding.

“The price of carelessness could be the lives of everyone on this ship. I don’t want to hear such negligent talk again, do you understand?”

The captain’s voice boomed like thunder.

“Yes, Captain!” the sailor replied loudly.

Yarman immediately gave the order, “Gun crews, take your positions! Helmsman, seize the upwind position!”

…

As the two ships drew closer, they finally got a clear view of each other.

“It’s the Southern, it really is the Southern!”

The lookout’s voice was filled with surprise as he recognized the flag on the distant ship’s mast – the Grayman family’s dragon flag.

A cheer erupted from the deck of the Hope.

“Helmsman, close in on the Southern! I actually missed that rascal Quik.”

Captain Yarman happily issued a new order.

“We’re going home!”

On the deck of the Southern, shouts of excitement filled the air.

Today was December 25th, and in a few days, it would be the new year. The Southern, having set sail on November 11th, had completed its nearly one-and-a-half-month journey, finally returning to Northwest Bay.

Unfortunately, they ultimately failed to reach the Northwest Bay before the Day of Descent, and in order to not miss the New Year again, the entire crew had to spend a very memorable day at sea.

They also spotted the Hope, which was on patrol duty in the distance.

Since most of the people on the Southern were former crew members of the Hope, seeing it felt like seeing their own brother. The signalmen on both sides endlessly exchanged flag signals through telescopes, while the other sailors asked the signalmen to convey their greetings.

“Seeing something from home really excites everyone, doesn’t it?” Cierra remarked, watching the cheering sailors on the deck.

“Yes, after all, no matter how good a foreign land is, it can’t compare to the place that raised you,” her daughter, Advisor Ladi, responded a bit sentimentally.

“Mom, do you blame me for making you leave your home to follow me?”

Cierra shook her head with a smile, reaching out to stroke her daughter’s long hair.

“Don’t say such nonsense. Haven’t I always told you? Wherever we are together, that’s our home.”

“Thank you, Mom.”

Advisor Ladi was a bit choked up, and Cierra quickly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes.

“People will laugh if they see you like this.”

…

Finally, the Southern and the Hope met, and they could hear each other’s shouts through the loudspeakers.josei

“Quick! You bastard, you’re still alive?”

“Yarman! I’m doing well, and you, you haven’t ended up in a shark’s stomach yet.”

The captains of both ships personally held large loudspeakers, greeting each other.

Laughter erupted on both ships, filling the sea with joyous sounds.

Then the Hope and the Southern sailed towards Port Fran, one after the other.

…

“Congratulations, Captain Quik! You’ve finally completed the task assigned by the lord.”

Cierra approached Captain Quik to congratulate him.

After so many days on the ship, she had learned quite a bit about the affairs of Count Alda’s domain.

The ship named ‘Southern’ was tasked with opening new trade routes to prepare for future large-scale maritime trade between Northwest Bay and Horn Bay. From the looks of it, Count Paul Grayman was a man of progress and ambition.

“Haha, congratulations to us all, Lady Sertia. Now you and Miss Ladi can live together, avoiding the pain of family separation.”

“Yes, this child used to be an adventurer, often not returning home. Now she has finally settled down. Although we are in a strange place, it’s better than not seeing her for a long time.”

Captain Quik seemed hesitant, as if considering something.

Lady Sertia noticed his expression and asked, “Is there something you want to ask me, Captain?”

“Uh… indeed, there’s a question I’ve been holding back, but I don’t know how to say it.”

“Haha, just speak your mind, Captain.”

Quik made up his mind and whispered, “Lady Sertia, to be honest, I used to be a pirate. Later, I was captured by Count Grayman, who graciously allowed me to redeem myself, and that’s how I joined the navy and rose to the rank of captain.”

“So, I’m rather familiar with pirate matters, so… so…”

“Haha, you want to ask about this tattoo on my arm, right?”

Cierra rolled up her sleeve halfway, revealing a symbol on her arm—a sinister skull.

“Uh… yes, although it’s a bit unusual, the skull is a universal pirate symbol. And considering how you went to the forest north of Fort Ness at night to find Miss Ladi, you don’t seem like an ordinary housewife.”

“Captain, you are very observant.”

Cierra smiled openly, admitting, “Indeed, I used to be a pirate.”

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