Chapter 31: A Misunderstanding
Leon smiled without saying a word, simply sitting quietly on the boat as he admired the sun sinking closer to the horizon. The orange-red clouds above were painted by the fading sunlight.
There was no helping it—this trip out to sea had been pure hard labor. Even though his physical fitness had improved, in terms of sheer endurance Leon was still only at the level of an average adult. The fact that he was still able to sit upright now was already a testament to his stubborn willpower.
Willy, on the other hand, looked completely unfazed. He steered with the underwater propeller while holding a radio in his free left hand.
The boat’s speed was fast, the sea breeze was strong, and Leon couldn’t hear what Willy was saying over the radio. Judging from his relaxed tone and occasional bursts of laughter, it was probably just casual chatter with a friend.
By the time they returned to the dock on the beach, dusk had settled in. Even so, Leon noticed another fishing boat nearby—identical in style to Willy’s but larger and taller.
At Willy’s greeting, Leon met the captain of that bigger vessel and finally learned who Willy had been speaking to on the radio.
The boat, named the Chirping Parrot, was captained by a well-known buyer in the Gem Sea. Willy had called him over to check and purchase the day’s catch.
Leon didn’t understand the technical fishing jargon the two exchanged, but he did catch a few off-color jokes here and there. From the way they talked, it was clear this buyer was quite the talker.
After the buyer finished counting the types and quantities of fish in the tank, he signaled to his crew to start moving them to his own ship. Then, together with Willy, he went ashore—Leon following behind.