Chapter 170: Voyage (1)
It took Valkran several hours to recover from the shock. Once he finally regained his composure, he went to persuade the pirates.
The pirates were initially bewildered. Sailing into the middle of the ocean with an Inquisitor to hunt down demonic creatures from the Demon Realm sounded like a suicide mission.
However, once they heard the terms of the deal, the pirates accepted. These were men who, instead of following Valkran’s original seafaring intentions, had chosen to stay in the estate and enjoy the comforts of land. They weren’t about to miss the chance to gain official recognition from a holy follower and walk the earth freely.
Thanks to Valkran’s persuasive speech and the excellent rewards offered, he convinced the pirates without much trouble.
The next step was repairing the ship. Although the galleon hadn’t suffered major damage from the tornado, years of neglect had left various parts worn out and in need of repair.
Still, the repairs wouldn’t take too long. With all the pirates pitching in, the work could be finished within a few days. Compared to the time it would take to acquire a ship from scratch, this was practically instantaneous.
“I’m glad things worked out,” Ketal commented.
“Yes,” Aquaz acknowledged quietly, nodding.
“The estate should remain stable without any major disruption,” Ketal continued. “The citizens will likely continue their satisfying lives.”
Unlike in the past, the Bulkan Estate was now rich in resources. There was no need for them to rely on plunder anymore. The pirates, now potential citizens, could make a decent living by taking on maritime escort missions.
In fact, this was beneficial for the citizens too. Having pirates living right next door had to have caused some anxiety, even if the benefits outweighed the unease. Resolving that underlying tension was certainly a positive development for them.
“And it’s a huge gain for the pirates. They’ve gained the chance to live legally on land. While they can’t resort to their old ways of plunder and lawlessness, they can enjoy a peaceful life with access to the territory’s proper welfare. Ketal paused, then noted, “It benefits us as well. We might have been stuck in the estate for months trying to find a ship and crew. Cutting that down to a few days is good for our journey.”