Chapter 6: The Navigator
“The Temple of Gigantia?” Komer was stunned. From the tone of the other person’s voice, it seemed this temple was quite famous, but he didn’t recall having heard of it before.
Seeing the confusion on Komer’s face, the bearded man assumed he was uninformed about the southern regions. He glanced around quickly before lowering his voice slightly and explaining, “The southern continent is somewhat different from the northern one, especially the areas near the Midland Ocean. The races and religious beliefs there differ greatly from those in the north. The merfolk are the rulers of the waters, but they haven’t formed a unified force. They live in many tribes scattered across the seas of the Midland Ocean, with some islands serving as their key settlements. As long as you don’t invade these islands, they generally won’t interfere in the conflicts among the races on the continents.”
“The countries and forces near the Southern Midland Ocean are mostly multi-ethnic. Although mortals make up a significant proportion there, their numbers are far greater than those of dwarves, elves, or half-orcs and half-elves. Even the mortal forces there are very different from ours. Dwarves and elves worship their own traditional gods, while most mortals there revere the God of Darkness—Hades. The Church of Light isn’t very popular there and is suppressed by the local governments. The Temple of Gigantia is the most important temple dedicated to the God of Darkness in the city-state of Piraeus, the most significant mortal city-state within the League of Corinthian City-States. It is said to house sacred relics of Hades. The temple stands on the island of Kythira, in the Aegean Sea under Piraeus’ jurisdiction. When a fleet from the dwarf kingdom of Sevilo ran aground on Kythira during a storm, the temple collapsed as a result of the storm. The priests of Piraeus believed that the dwarves had desecrated the temple’s deity of darkness, causing the storm that led to its destruction. They demanded that the kingdom of Sevilo hand over those responsible for desecrating the god, but since important figures from Sevilo were also on that fleet, the dispute intensified, affecting the safety of the entire Aegean Sea.”
It was clear that Captain Portalan had a thorough understanding of the entire Central Sea, not just a superficial knowledge. He even knew secrets related to disputes between two countries—information that ordinary people could not access. This only indicated that he must be a significant figure in the Central Sea. However, it was puzzling why he would settle for being a captain on such a passenger ship.
“Oh, the collapse of a temple caused by a natural disaster could lead to hostility between two countries? Isn’t that an exaggeration? Maybe my wording isn’t precise, but it’s indeed hard to understand. Two countries in the same region clashing or going to war over such a matter sounds incredible. What do you think, Captain Portalan?” Komer shrugged, expressing his inability to comprehend such a situation.
“No, it’s not entirely that reason. If it were just that, it wouldn’t be enough to cause such a situation. Although the relationship between humans and dwarves isn’t very close, it’s not as bad as some in the north imagine. The city-state of Piraeus and the kingdom of Sevilo have never had a good relationship. Among the League of Corinthian City-States, there are two elven cities. Though they are members of the league, they have always maintained a close relationship with the kingdom of Sevilo. Over the years, it has been these two cities that have helped mediate relations, keeping the Aegean Sea peaceful. But it seems that this time, due to other reasons, these two elven city-states don’t have much energy to deal with this matter, leading to the deterioration of the situation.”
From these words, Komer could tell that this bearded captain was very familiar with the situation within the League of Corinthian City-States, which made him even more puzzled. The League of Corinthian City-States was composed of city-republics and city-states along the coasts of the three most important bays in the Southern Central Sea: the Aegean Sea, the Saronian Gulf, and the Corinthian Gulf. Most of these city-republics relied on handicrafts, commerce, shipbuilding, and shipping, adopting policies that encouraged trade. Their maritime and shipbuilding industries were highly developed. A navigator like Captain Portalan should be able to easily find a well-paid captain’s position in the Southern Central Sea, or even lead a fleet.
“Captain Portalan, please forgive my boldness in asking, but you must be from the League of Corinthian City-States, right? I was wondering if your current qualification is that of a Navigator or an Epic Navigator?” Perhaps out of an inexplicable fondness for this bearded captain, whose eyes always carried a hint of melancholy, Komer couldn’t help but ask further.
The bearded captain was momentarily stunned before falling silent for a while, a faint bitter smile appearing on his lips. “Indeed, sir, you’re right. I was born in Sparta and grew up in Obea. I’ve loved sailing since childhood and have lived at sea ever since. It’s been several years since I obtained my Navigator qualification. As for an Epic Navigator, heh, earning that title requires more than just experience and qualifications—it demands a large sum of money. I don’t have that much spare cash these days.”
Both Obea and Sparta were mortal city-states within the League of Corinthian City-States, but Sparta’s situation was slightly different from that of the other members. Aside from a small town by the sea, most of its territory, including the city of Sparta itself, was inland. Sparta was the largest and most populous city-state in the league, and its economy differed from those of other city-states and cities that relied mainly on trade and shipping. Instead, it focused on agriculture, producing honey, mead, olive oil, and figs that were quite famous. Meanwhile, Spartan warriors were also renowned throughout the continent.
On the Land of Azure, becoming a crew member or captain is no easy task. From trainee crew members to regular crew members, from crew members to sailors, then to navigators and great navigators, aside from trainee crew members who don’t require any assessment, each subsequent level demands not only extensive sailing experience but also approval from the Maritime Guild. Especially for those above the rank of sailor, the assessments are extremely strict. Sailors can only operate and command small to medium-sized ships, while navigators can become captains of large ships and command ordinary fleets. However, to command a large fleet or an armed fleet, one must possess the qualifications of a great navigator. There are no more than thirty people in the entire Land of Azure with the status of great navigator, several of whom are pirates who roam across various oceans. Sailors who violate the Maritime Guild’s rules will face sanctions from the guild and will never receive its recognition for life. There are two Maritime Guilds: the Istanbul Maritime Guild, located in Istanbul, the largest port in the Midland Ocean and a strategic stronghold between the Midland Ocean and the Black Wind Ocean; and the Seville Maritime Guild, located in the West Star Ocean. Though both guilds have equally strict approval standards and recognize each other’s credentials, sailors have no chance of taking advantage of this.
Nodding silently, Komer could sense the desolation behind the other person’s words. Even as a navigator, one could secure a good position in the South Midland Ocean, but the other person clearly didn’t wish to discuss this topic in depth. With limited interaction, Komer felt he had earned some friendship from the other person. After all, they had only met for half a day, and Komer hadn’t even told them his own name, as he felt it would be inappropriate to give a fake name. But revealing his true identity now seemed rash, so avoiding the topic seemed like a good idea. It seemed the other person had also forgotten to ask for Komer’s name—whether intentionally or out of carelessness.
“The honey and figs from Sparta are truly unforgettable. Oh, and the olive oil too. It’s a shame I prefer the intoxicating fragrance of mead,” Komer said, trying to shift the slightly somber atmosphere by casually mentioning some specialties from the other person’s hometown to change the subject.
“Oh? Have you been to my hometown?” Captain Bearded Beard’s eyes lit up. Meeting an acquaintance in a foreign land—though not exactly an acquaintance—allowed him to reminisce about his hometown’s charms, which helped ease his worries on this vast sea.
“Well, we passed by by ship, but we didn’t stop in Sparta. I stayed in Piraeus for one night two years ago; the relaxed atmosphere in the cafes and taverns on its open squares was truly unforgettable. Sparta’s mead might be the best drink for me, but for you, Captain Portalan, and all of you brave sailors who spend your lives at sea, it might seem a bit too mild. Perhaps gin would suit your taste better.”
Comer’s nostalgic tone immediately stirred up deep memories in the other man, further enhancing Comer’s favor in his eyes. Wine has always been the liquid language of men’s communication. Although Comer preferred mead, it was clear that Captain Portalan wanted to turn Comer into a true sea man.
“Oh, sir, you’ve really brought back my memories. What should I do? Perhaps I can only drown my longing in alcohol. Would you like a drink?” The surprise and joy in the bearded captain’s eyes were unmistakable. Behind the captain’s office was his resting cabin. With a slight nod, Captain Portalan took out a small oak barrel from behind it. The shiny surface of the barrel seemed to bear a faint metal emblem. As Portalan gently pushed the old wooden cork out, it popped open with a sound, and the rich aroma of wine instantly filled the captain’s office.