Chapter 2209: Chapter 2209

The sailor spoke, his words tinged with melancholy.

"I used to be like a naive child—ignorant, and therefore fearless. Now that I've grown up and seen the dangers of this world, I look at everything differently."

"No, it's not fear. It's caution. It's... dread."

It was fear, plain and simple.

"It took me more than thirty years to truly understand the dangers of this world. Looking back, going to sea at sixteen and surviving this long in my ignorance... it's a miracle. But a man of the sea can never rely on miracles. I know that sooner or later, I'll die in some accident."

"You're not planning to go back to sea?"

"Truth is, a sailor my age has reached the time to come ashore. It's best to leave the opportunities to the younger generation."

"But are you content with that?"

"What's there to be discontent about? Life is what matters most."

This middle-aged sailor was different from the others. He had a wealth of life experience, and Jenkins wouldn't be able to sway him with just a few simple words.

"I have no intention of going back to sea. I never want to encounter the secrets hidden in the ocean again. After this, I plan to buy a house in the Nolan suburbs, find a wife, and raise my son to read and write. He can't end up a sailor like me. I've saved up a bit over the years, and I have connections at the docks. I could open a small shop, selling things both legal and... not so legal..."

He laid out his plans for the future to Jenkins, and it was clear the middle-aged sailor had thought them through long ago. It was a good plan. If not for the current circumstances, Jenkins would have wholeheartedly supported him. The man wanted a stable life and was determined to see his children rise above his own social class. Even Jenkins couldn't imagine a better path for him.

Therefore, what Jenkins had to do now felt wrong—coaxing a man who had resolved to settle down back out to sea was tantamount to sending him to his death. The sailor was right. Venturing into the oceans beyond the main continent, where the influence of the Orthodox Church was thin, was extraordinarily risky.

The very concept of a "Heart of Fearlessness" conflicted with the nature of being an Enchanter, because no Enchanter could truly be without fear. Even taking "fearless" as a figure of speech rather than a literal state of being, it was a trait rarely found among them.

The more one knew, the more one respected the world's dangers—that was the logical conclusion for any sane mind. But no Mysterious Realm was truly impossible to overcome. There had to be a way to convince the sailor to become "fearless" once more.

"What was your reason for becoming a sailor?"

"To put food on the table."

The answer was pragmatic. Jenkins had expected something out of an adventure novel, like a young man's thirst for adventure.

"But when you were young, didn't you ever dream of conquering the seas and becoming a great adventurer?"

"That's the kind of thing only hot-headed young fools dream about. I'm not young anymore. I gave up on such ridiculous ideas more than a decade ago."

The sailor shook his head.

"So you really have no desire at all to continue the life of a sailor?"

Jenkins asked, refusing to give up.

"Do I look like a madman? When a better life is within reach, why would I go looking for danger? You only get one life, and it should be cherished."

Jenkins found it hard to disagree with him.

Sensing Jenkins's predicament, the cat, determined to be on its best behavior, immediately offered him comfort. It rubbed its fluffy little face against Jenkins's cheek and let out a gentle, soothing meow. Official source ıs nοvelfire.net

"Don't worry about me."

Jenkins murmured to his cat, grateful for Chocolate's perceptiveness.

He studied the sailor again, hoping to find some inspiration in the man's appearance. It was a waste of time. With no better ideas, Jenkins could only resort to asking about the finer details of his life:

"If you leave the crew , will the captain agree?"

"We talked about it a few months ago. They've already found a replacement for my position as boatswain. The captain was reluctant to see me go, it's true, but we've been good friends for years. He understood where I was coming from, so he agreed to let me leave the ship... It's just... there are still some problems with the club."

The sailor hesitated. The middle-aged man didn't seem to be a schemer; his worries were for his own life, not for some world-altering crisis.

"What kind of problems with the club?"

Jenkins pressed immediately, sensing an opportunity.

"The club invested a great deal to train me as an Enchanter; I'm well aware of that. And now I'm leaving without having made any real contribution. The head of the club won't be pleased. I've asked the others for their opinions, and they all think I'm being ungrateful, that I'm a coward who doesn't deserve to be a sailor..."

Jenkins waited for him to continue, not wanting to interrupt.

"They have a point. Even the gangs that lurk in the city's underbelly understand the principle of repaying a debt. I received benefits from the club, but my contributions haven't been enough to balance the scales. And I can't possibly offer my life's savings as compensation. So, even with the captain's blessing, the club will definitely come after me. After all, if they set a precedent , it will only cause more problems down the line. I understand all that."

"So what are you going to do? Will you stay in Nolan? Or will you leave and start a new life in another country? I can't imagine this club of yours would hunt you across the world for something ."

"But I don't know a soul anywhere else. And the other club members are familiar with every port city I could possibly go to. I don't want to leave my home. Nolan is my home. Every wandering sailor has a place they're from. I'm sure I can figure something out. I don't mind being monitored. Even though I won't be at sea, I can probably still contribute to the club from the shore... At least, I hope so."

Here was a man full of hope for the future, yet utterly lost. He might not have been formally educated, but his worldliness and perspective more than compensated for it.

It would be difficult to change the mind of a man , but Jenkins knew he had to. He had to drag him away from the peaceful life he so desperately wanted.