New Companions

The three candidates who came for the job interview were a human man named Ash, a Zalid woman named Meticus, and a Pit woman named Sion.

"I was the captain of a coast guard patrol vessel, and Meticus also came up through the coast guard."

"I handled communications and navigation control alongside Sion on Ash's ship, but in the coast guard, I served as a pilot on a large patrol vessel and also held a license to pilot combat boats."

"I was a crew member on a merchant vessel after graduating from a maritime school, but three years ago, I joined Ash's escort ship. I'm not just skilled in communications and navigation control—I can also manage weapon systems."

The three of them seem to be experienced sailors.

"Definitely useful. The three of us are a real bargain."

Ash and his companions flash a sly, slightly suggestive smile, but their appearance and tone are somehow hard to read.

They all talk a lot together—this must be what "close-knit" means.

It'll probably take some time to get used to them.

That said, their backgrounds and track records are impeccable, and as escort vessel crew members, they're highly regarded. It's also fortunate that all three hold piloting licenses.

But above all, what caught Shinnosuke's attention was a particular qualification Ash possessed.

"Does Ash have a medical license?"

Yes, she holds a first-class medical officer license. Originally, she was a medical officer on a patrol vessel, but due to staff shortages in the coast guard, she obtained piloting qualifications as well and eventually became captain. Honestly, the coast guard is terrible at managing their personnel. Still, her medical skills haven't dulled at all, and if there's proper equipment on board, she could perform surgery.

Ash holds a ship's doctor's license, so having her on board means we can receive advanced medical care when needed, which is a great relief.

Milena also has medical qualifications, but they are limited to operating medical equipment and providing first aid—essentially, medical assistant certification.

While Milena's abilities make obtaining a medical license certainly not impossible, acquiring a license isn't simply a matter of possessing knowledge and passing an exam.

It requires specialized education and extensive clinical training, taking at least three years even under the most efficient circumstances.

In that sense, Ash is even more exceptional than Milliena—holding a medical license, a ship doctor’s license valid only with limited equipment, and additionally, a captain’s qualification.

"But why, with such abilities, did you leave the Coast Guard to become a free merchant?"

"It's a natural question, but even though I did join, I just couldn't adapt to that organization. Well, that was mostly my own fault. And just like Shinosuke, who's also a former military member, you know how it is—coast guard and military alike pay poorly and treat their personnel harshly. It just wasn't worth it. So, I made sure to work hard and repay the cost of obtaining my qualifications, then said my goodbyes."

Ash casually speaking.

Milena suddenly interjected.

"It seems he originally worked as an independent merchant. But assuming we hire you, how long do you plan to stay? We'd have to consider the extent of equipment investment accordingly."

"That depends on Shinnosuke. You should strive to win our loyalty and keep us."

"......That is what Shinnosuke-sama said."

Milena herself doesn't seem particularly opposed to the idea.

Upon double-checking the records, the escort ship Ash and the others had been operating was of frigate class.

It seemed there would be no issue entrusting them with escort ships in the future.

Shinnosuke made his decision.

"I can't immediately assign the three of them escort vessels. For now, I'd like to have them serve as crew on my ship and Andy's ship, and later, when the time is right, form a team. If that works for you, I'd like to proceed with hiring them—though it would be temporary, so it won't last long."

Ash and the others nodded after hearing Shinnosuke's words.

"Please, we'd be grateful. Don't let us go, okay?"

"……"

Shinnosuke deliberately ignored the latter part of Ash's words.

Having decided on Ash and the others' recruitment, Shinnosuke then called for Andy, Ellen, and Madelia.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Shinnosuke? You just approved the three of them, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. But I'd like to consult Andy on something—nothing urgent, but I wanted to hear his thoughts first."

"?"

I'm currently entrusting Andy with command of the Tsukikage, but looking ahead, if we're going to assign those three护卫 ships to the three of them, we'll need to reconsider the ship formations. Those three are experienced护卫 ship operators, but they're newcomers to our guild. On the other hand, the ships we currently possess are Yatagarasu, Fubuki, and Tsukikage—three vessels in total. Since Yatagarasu is a specialized ship, even if it's put into full operation in the future, I'll still need to be the one operating it.

"That's true."

"Then I'd be assigning Fubuki and Tsukikage to separate teams. But assigning the high-performance new destroyer Fubuki to the new recruits, while leaving the used transport ship Tsukikage in Andy's hands—this arrangement feels a bit off. So I'm considering giving Fubuki to Andy and the others instead. I'd like to hear Andy's thoughts on this first."

Andy glanced between Eren and then looked back at Madelia standing behind him.

"..."

Madelia remained expressionless, but silently nodded upon seeing Andy.

It was her way of showing she would follow Andy's judgment as captain.

I'd like to stay as the captain of Tsukikage. Tsukikage is certainly an old ship, but it's a wonderful vessel, and I feel our styles complement each other perfectly. Fukubuki is certainly appealing, but if my preference is taken into account, I'd still choose Tsukikage without hesitation.

Andy answered clearly.