第１６７８堀：海の世界は厳しいんです (Part2)
Well, I did take that hit to the body and ended up coughing up blood.
Lately, I’ve managed to at least block with my arms, leaving me with nothing worse than bruises.
Swinging this thing and actually landing a hit on the likes of Kirika-sama and the others is truly a difficult task.
I swung the iron rod through the air, lost in such thoughts.
"..."
The three of them stood there, utterly speechless at the sight.
Hmm, I wonder if I’ve managed to demonstrate my capabilities as originally intended?
Thinking this, I casually held the iron rod by the blade and offered the hilt toward them...
"Ah, ugh. Whoa, heavy!?"
"It’s dangerous if you drop it. Now, is my level of skill acceptable to you? Naturally, my colleagues are capable of the same."
"I-is that so?"
"Yes. This is the foundation. If we couldn't do at least this much, we wouldn't be fit to serve as Yuki-sama’s guards. Now, shall we proceed with the explanation of the ship?"
"Yes!"
Having finally grasped the power dynamic, the three fishermen became remarkably obedient.
*Sigh.* This is the drawback of being the shortest and most youthful-looking of the three.
Hovis has a magnificent bust and hips, Orelia has a perfectly balanced figure, and Ryshi, who joined recently, has a chest that rivals Rurua-sama’s.
...Ah, the only other one who could be called youthful is perhaps Prof-san?
Even so, despite being shorter than me, she possesses a certain presence that I lack, and her bust is quite ample, so she is perceived as a full-grown adult.
Perhaps I should ask her for some pointers next time.
While lost in these thoughts, I led Yuki-sama, Mauve-sama, and the others onto the ship, explaining the vessel as we walked.
"Fundamentally, this ship can be steered by a single person."
"Huh?"
"Well, think of it as a new type of magic tool. Of course, in the event of a malfunction, we have prepared a place to hoist sails and the necessary equipment, and we have oars on standby as well."
Though, with your scrawny arms, you’d likely just be swept out to sea if you tried to use the oars.
We arrived at the wheelhouse of the ship, which had been modified for fishing purposes.
"Now, I shall provide a demonstration first."
With that, I handed over the manual I had prepared, but...
"We can't read this."
"I can read it, but I don't understand what it means."
A massive problem had surfaced.
That’s right—while we introduced a school system to Aurelia Port, it wasn't mandatory. For those already working, the idea of cutting back on their labor to study is not something they would easily consider.
Even I only buckled down and studied after I became a slave in Weed and was forced to.
No, wait—I heard it would be advantageous for employment, so I worked incredibly hard, and for some reason, I ended up being bought by Yuki-sama.
That part of the sequence of events is still a mystery to me.
I had assumed that Orelia and Hovis would be the ones chosen, both for their talents and as women.
But Yuki-sama took all three of us in and gave us work immediately.
Well, that’s neither here nor there...
"Sigh. For now, you can study the manual once we return to the fishing port."
"Ugh..."
"Don't 'ugh' me. You are going to be teaching the newcomers in Weed how to operate this ship. How do you expect to do that if you can't even read? For now, I will show you the movements."
I won't go so far as to demand they memorize it.
Only a true genius could see something once and master it immediately.
Thinking this, I gripped the steering wheel.
"You lot, keep up with me, you pathetic-looking brats!"
"Hii!?"
I poured my spirit into the task and began teaching them how to operate the ship.
"Honestly, Yayui-chan really is something else when she changes gears."
"Yeah, and her steering is so masterful it’s practically an acrobatic performance."
"She’s driving so violently, yet the water in the cup doesn't spill a drop. What kind of magic is this? Yuki, did you cast a spell on the ship?"
"...No, I didn't. I believe it’s purely Yayui’s steering technique, compensating for the waves."
"What?"
In truth, among the three attendants, Yayui is the sharpest of them all.