Chapter 302: Another Wife Added by Shipwreck
Over a year had passed since that grand wedding of the century. Looking back, a lot had happened, though honestly, my memories mostly involve focusing on bringing children into the world.
In any case, I’d managed the incredible feat of giving almost every wife a child (except for the still-underage brides and Sherry). Life had settled somewhat, so I decided to embark on another great voyage. Having explored the new continent in the west, this time I set sail to seek out new lands to the east.
We first headed south, circled around the Afri Continent, and then steered northeast. My destination was the fabled Land of Gold, Zipangu.
Whether that’s its actual name or not, I didn’t know, but rumor had it that such an island existed. My ‘gold’ wasn’t in precious metals, though. What I truly desired were miso and soy sauce, tastes this world had yet to offer.
I’d already secured rice and soybeans, but the essential ingredient for making miso and soy sauce—koji mold—remained elusive. And it wasn’t just miso and soy sauce; with koji, I could recreate a host of other flavors, from mirin and vinegar to sake and shochu. I hadn’t tasted Japanese food in years.
Of course, it was absurd to expect to find Japan itself in this harsh fantasy world. However, after digging through documents, we learned of a great Eastern kingdom called the Land of Silk, which traded with the Kingdom of Silesie. Beyond that lay an island nation rumored to match Zipangu’s description.
After a month-long journey, my black cedar warship was close to reaching where Japan should be.
But then…
「Well, facing off with the eight-headed serpent Yamata no Orochi is quite a shock.」
We encountered a massive dragon with eight heads, which promptly capsized our ship and tossed us all into the sea. The legendary Orochi is said to command water itself, and that was clear from the violent waterspouts it summoned around us. Its strength was mythic. It appeared that, at least in this world, the eastern Yamata no Orochi was stronger than the western multi-headed hydra.
「You’re oddly calm in a crisis, King General.」
Admiral Mearid remarked, somewhat exasperated as we clung to driftwood together.
There’s no point in panicking at times like these.
With that mindset, the two of us clung to the floating wood, drifting aimlessly.
「After all these kinds of predicaments, you get used to it.」
「To think you’re less fazed than we sailors—I suppose life as a hero really is challenging.」
「Well, you could say that.」
「Here we are, stranded in an unknown sea without a map, yet you seem calm. It’s reassuring.」
Well, if nothing else, I can stay calm. I didn’t survive by luck alone, you know. Even if I don’t like the title, I’m called the Kingdom of Silesie’s top man when it comes to navigating through critical situations.
But whatever people call me, what matters now is to keep a positive mindset since survival odds dip when night falls.
At the very least, I could be thankful for a piece of driftwood big enough for both of us.
「I’m sorry to have dragged you into this, Mearid, but I’m actually relieved that our captain wasn’t Admiral Drake, who’s newlywed.」
I’m glad I made Admiral Mearid the captain of this voyage or I would have been terribly worried of Drake’s wife.
Drake, by the way, had been forcefully rejuvenated by a mushroom of eternal youth gifted by the Mother of Chaos, and was now devoting himself to fatherhood with his dragon maid wife, Asatte, daily.
Drake had begged me with a haggard face, saying, ‘Please, let me go to sea; I want to die at sea’. But I’d steeled myself and refused. Let him drown in domestic waters.
「I don’t feel dragged along at all. After all, I’m a sailor, too. If I die at sea with King General, there’ll be no complaints from me.」
「Sailors always say that.」
I replied with a sigh.
The era of grand voyages indeed came with danger, but of course, I had no intention of letting her die out here.
My lightweight, floating mithril armor was perfect for times like these.
「Don’t worry. Even if a shark attacks us, I’d fight it off. I’ll protect you, Mearid.」
「Haha, I’m counting on it.」
With no choice but to drift along, the waves eventually calmed, and sunlight pierced through the clouds as if the earlier storm had been a lie.
「And besides, I’m a hero, so things tend to work out. Look, an island’s coming into view.」
「Really? Maybe the goddess blessed us…」
The Goddess Asama is one of my wives, after all. Even though her reach barely extended this far into the distant eastern seas, she still came through when it mattered.
With a powerful kick, Mearid and I made it to the small island.
So, another survival adventure on a deserted island, then.
「Survival’s not bad every now and then, but… another uninhabited island?」
「Doesn’t look like anyone’s around.」
Mearid replied, scanning the area.
Judging by my sense of geography from Earth, we should be nearing the edge of Eastern civilization by now. I’d hoped to run into locals rather than an empty island, but it wasn’t to be.
It was a tiny triangular island, with a single hill that we could climb within an hour, offering a full view. There wasn’t a trace of civilization.
「No choice but to survive here until rescue arrives.」
With crew members like Kaara, who could fly, it was only a matter of time before they spotted us. The island had plenty of trees, so we could make do by chopping some wood with our swords.
「How fortunate. There’s a fresh spring at the base of the hill.」
「Wait, Mearid. Even if it looks clear, spring water on islands can be dangerous. We should distill it first.」
I disassembled my mithril armor, using the torso as a makeshift pot to collect water from the spring. I then built a fire with gathered kindling, boiled the water, and collected the condensation in a potion bottle, securing our drinking water.
「You’re resourceful, King General.」
「I’ve been through this kind of thing enough to know my way around.」
「Hey! Why’d you suddenly strip down?」
「Well, drinking it might be risky, but there’s no harm in washing up a bit with the spring water, is there?」
Yeah, fair enough. My body felt sticky from the saltwater anyway.
A quick rinse, and maybe even a bit of laundry, wouldn’t hurt.
「Actually, I brought soap with me.」
「Pfft, you really are well-prepared, King General.」
Mearid laughed.
Getting laughed at for such things—maybe it’s deserved in times like these.
As for my undergarments, I opted for a makeshift loincloth using the large, tropical leaves tied with some vines. With a leafy wrap around my waist, I was fully in the island survival spirit.
Mearid, with her slightly wavy black hair, looked every bit the sailor woman. She somehow pulled off a tropical, islander look, reminiscent of a hula dancer.
Her old scars, which had once marred her lovely face, had completely faded, and with her well-toned figure adorned only with leaves, she had an exotic charm about her. A floral headpiece would suit her—maybe I’d look for one later.
The weather was pleasantly warm, and with a campfire, we wouldn’t have to worry about catching cold. While foraging, I stumbled across something extraordinary.
「Well, well, could this be a wild pineapple?」
「That prickly thing is edible?」
「If it’s the fruit I think it is…」
With antidote potions in stock, I was willing to take the culinary risk. I used a felled log as a cutting board and sliced open the fruit with its tough exterior.
「It smells pretty good.」
「Yeah, I think it’s safe. Whoa, that’s sour!」
As I bit into a slice of the fruit, a refreshing blend of tartness and sweetness filled my mouth.
This nostalgic flavor… it was unmistakably a pineapple.
「Let me have some too. Phew, it’s sour! But sweet and delicious.」
I laughed at her expression. Despite the sourness, it was indeed delicious.
「There are plenty more growing here, so we’ll have no shortage of dessert.」
「Then I’ll go catch some fish.」
As a sailor, Mearid was skilled at fishing. While she was at it, I dug a pit to create a proper campfire spot, laying down more leaves and even building a small roof.
By the time we finished, night had completely fallen. We grilled the fish Mearid caught, and I took a hearty bite. Delicious!
「With grilled fish and pineapple, I’m stuffed.」
Afterward, we brewed some tea with lemongrass, a common herb I’d found nearby. The taste was refreshingly light.
「It’s a bit early, but maybe we should sleep?」
「Yeah, nothing else to do anyway.」
「Aren’t you going to hold me?」
I almost spat out my tea.
「What are you saying all of a sudden, Mearid?」
「It’s not sudden.」
「Uh…」
「I’ve been wondering when my turn would come ever since you invited me on this voyage.」
「Oh, I didn’t realize.」
No wonder she’d been dressing a little cuter than usual. But I hadn’t thought she felt this way.
「You’re the one who told me to be more feminine, who gave me that beauty potion to heal my scars. Of course I’d have hopes.」
「I see…」
「Honestly, you’re still as oblivious as ever. A woman like me, getting rid of old scars just because you suggested it? I’d hoped for a bit more charm in how you approached this.」
「I’m sorry for not realizing sooner.」
I handed her a sapphire wedding ring I’d kept hidden away.
「Why do you have something like this?」
Mearid looked genuinely shocked.
「It’s hard to explain, but I carry it just in case, for moments like these. Things like this have been happening a lot lately.」
The sapphire matched the color of her blue eyes. Maybe, unconsciously, I’d brought it along knowing something like this might happen.
The ring band, made of mithril, could expand and adjust to fit anyone. Preparedness never hurts.
「Fufufu.」
「Don’t laugh at me.」
「You’re really something, you know that? I can’t tell if you’re thoughtless or thoughtful, reckless or sincere. Well, it doesn’t matter. Giving me this means you’ll take responsibility, right?」
「Of course. Mearid, from now on… no, as always, let’s stand together in all things.」
Since my cluelessness had forced her into confessing, I made sure to propose properly myself.
「Gladly…」
Tearing up, Mearid accepted the sapphire ring and slipped it onto her finger. Without hesitation, I pulled her into my arms and gently laid her down on our bed of leaves.
Maybe having our first time outdoors wasn’t ideal, but the night sky was beautiful, with only the sound of the waves and the soft crackle of the fire beside us. In its own way, it felt romantic.
And so, the tropical night passed. By the next afternoon, our makeshift search party finally found us, bringing our brief yet unforgettable adventure to a close.