Grave Island
Captain, wake up.
The sun is already high.
Captain, you and Luna... both like to sleep in, don't you...?
Smile, Ayla.
Seeing the two of them the moment I opened my eyes, I forced my stiff body upright and tried to shake off my grogginess...
Mmm...
...Luna.
Luna must have gotten cold overnight. Her body curled around my arm, she got pulled upright with me as I sat up.
Luna, time to get up...
Mmm... Just five more minutes...
Forget five more minutes...!
Luna clung to my arm like a barnacle without even opening her eyes, so I shook my arm hard to wake her.
Get up already!
Aaaah... Don't shake me... You're way too rough first thing in the morning...
Luna. Unsightly. Get up.
Hehe... Luna, it's morning...!
Ugh... No way it's morning already... I need more sleep...
Rubbing her puffy eyes, Luna peeled herself off my arm and reached for the ground.
Huh...?
Ghk...!
...
...
...Yeah, it is morning. I'm wide awake now.
...Lunaaa...
No, no! That's not what happened, Captain! I just thought that hard thing was the ground, so I—
Enough already!!
Hehe... You two are so close...
Hmm... Why can't we find it anywhere...?
We need to find it before the pirates or that weird pig shark catches up to us...
We returned to the ship graveyard and spent hours searching for the stone marked with a moon, but it was all for nothing.
Just wandering under the blazing sun without any real rest was exhausting enough...
On top of that, the constant fear that the pirates or the pig shark could catch up at any moment was wearing us down even faster.
Aaaah! Enough, enough!
I can't keep looking! I can't believe we're stuck searching for some rock that might not even exist...
No sign... of it anywhere...!
*Flump...*
After crawling across the beach looking for the stone, Luna finally collapsed facedown, completely spent.
At this rate, I really might get heatstroke...
Ice cream...
*Flump...*
Smile collapsed beside Luna.
With the sun blazing overhead, scorching sand underfoot, and not a bite to eat, we'd spent hours searching for the stone marked with a moon...
No wonder we were on the verge of heatstroke.
That's strange... I'm sure we searched everywhere, but we still can't find it...
Ayla sat down beside them and unfolded the map again.
Or maybe we're supposed to factor in the second clue too, Smile?
You know, the other clue from yesterday. Something like, when you think it's over, that's when a new beginning starts!
...Incorrect, but somehow still makes sense.
Even if the end is already decided, seek the new path that can only be opened by those who choose to press onward.
Original wording.
A new path...
If we're supposed to follow the second clue, maybe we need to head in a direction we never thought of as a path before...
With that, we all put our heads together and started thinking.
*Gurgle...*
Ugh... But I'm too hungry to think...
Agreed... Internal energy efficiency declining. Immediate food procurement required...
*Rustle*
...!
A small sound nearby made Ayla visibly flinch, and she quickly got to her feet.
Don't tell me the pirates are already...!
Hm? What brings outsiders all the way out here...?
But despite her alarm, the person who appeared was an old man with a fishing rod.
Whew... I finally feel alive again!
Thanks for the meal!
Thank you for treating us to a meal. We really appreciate it.
Don't mention it. My days are usually pretty quiet, so I'm glad to have so many guests.
After I retired as a sailor, I built this cabin out here and have been living on my own.
When I was younger, I used to go sailing whenever I got bored. These days, even that is too much, so I mostly just fish.
You used to sail? Then you've got a boat too, right?!
Sure do. I haven't used it in ages, so it's sitting over at the ship graveyard nearby.
Still, back in my day...
Thanks to Luna's usual easygoing charm, conversation flowed nonstop around the table.
Thank you for the meal...
After quietly thanking the old man, Ayla rose from her seat and came over to me.
Then, Captain, now that I've eaten... I'll go on ahead and see if I can figure out what the new path means.
Please rest for a while, then come along with Luna and Smile when you're ready.
Then we'll go with you—
No, it's all right. I don't want you cutting your rest short because of me...
You shouldn't push yourself and end up feeling worse... So please, take your time...!
...
Before I could stop her again, Ayla turned and strode off with determination.
Luna watched Ayla with an uneasy look.
Ah...!
*Stumble*
As Ayla walked away, she tripped on a chair leg and stumbled. Luna, who had been watching her, quickly reached out to steady her.
*Sigh...* End up feeling worse? You're one to talk...
Th-thank you, Luna...
...Ugh...
Then, as if giving in, Luna messed up her hair with both hands in frustration.
Guess a little hardship isn't enough to make you turn back.
Fine, I get it.
...?
Honestly, I still can't shake the feeling that this is a really stupid idea...
...But when you're trying this hard, I can't exactly just look the other way...
Huh...?
...
Lost in thought, Luna put on a stern look, as if she'd made up her mind about something.
So...
I can't just stand by and watch anymore, so the genius oracle Luna herself is going to give you a better plan!
Y-yes...!
Do you have a good idea?
Of course! Good ideas are my specialty!
You were a sailor, so you know your way around maps, right?
I see... The ships' final resting place, eh...
We searched all over the ship graveyard, but... just couldn't find it.
Ah, so that's why you were there.
But when sailors talk about the ships' final resting place...
Hmm...
Hmm? Is there somewhere else?
...Old stories tell of ships swallowed by a strange current off Flora's coast...
They say there's a small deserted island surrounded by old ships.
We sailors had a name for that island, rumored to be the ships' final resting place...
Grave Island.
Grave Island...?
According to an old legend, Grave Island was where the Pirate King first docked when he settled in Flora...
Well, they're all just old stories.
Wait, if it's an island...
Yes. Boat required to get there.
But we have no boat.
Ugh... Right. If it's across the water, how are we supposed to get there?
Hmm... If only there were a boat around we could use...
A-a boat we could use...?
...Um...
...Oh.
Huh...?
...Right.
Hmm...
We all turned to the old man, who was still deep in thought.
Hm? You mean... me?
Ayla paid for the old man's boat, which had been sitting at the ship graveyard waiting to be scrapped...
Then we made our way to a nearby beach and launched it without trouble.
Whoa...
Aside from looking a little worn in places, it's in great shape, isn't it?
Yes. Should be seaworthy enough.
Amazing, Luna...! Thanks to you, we found a real path forward...!
Ahem! Oh, that was nothing!
When it comes to the sea, ask a sailor!
Calling that lucky break a contribution gives Luna too much credit.
Also, excessive bragging detected. Now reluctant to praise her.
Ahaha! Come on, Smile! Praise me already!
Ayla looked relieved as she watched Luna and Smile bicker playfully again.
Still, I'm glad. If we need a boat to reach the island... then the pirates won't be able to follow us that easily...!
Hehe, that's true. Ayla, that's one less thing to worry about!
Yes. Cannot do much about the pig shark, which can move on both land and water...
But eliminating one concern should reduce psychological burden.
Maybe setting sail felt like the start of a new adventure. All three looked flushed with excitement.
But then...
They must have gone this way! There are footprints here...
She made it pretty far. Not bad for a sickly little thing.
Damn it... How far did that brat run with the map?!
I-I think the pirates are here...! They already made it this far...
What?! Already?! Why are they so persistent?!
There's a boat anchored over there!
...!
Need to get off and find somewhere to hide. High risk of being spotted if we stay here.
Th-then where do we go?!
A cave this secluded should be hard for the pirates to find.
Let's head for that cave!
Tucked away on a remote stretch of shore and hidden by brush, the cave was easy to miss unless you knew the area.
We got off the boat and quickly ducked into the cave.
No one is here!
Those little rats must be hiding somewhere on this boat! Search every inch!
As soon as we slipped into the cave, we heard the pirates board the boat and start rummaging through it.
...Phew...
...Let's move quietly.
While the pirates were busy searching the empty boat, we decided to quietly leave the cave and move somewhere else.
I took the lead as we carefully moved through the cave...
...And where do you think you're going?
Waaah?!
Eek...!
A pirate suddenly appeared behind us, grabbed Ayla, and snatched the map from her hands.
H-how did you...?!
Heh heh heh. Any sailor worth his salt knows the local terrain.
If you weren't on the boat, I knew this was where you'd run.
Let Ayla go and give the map back!
Hah. If we were going to hand it over that easily, we wouldn't have gone to all this trouble chasing you down, would we?
But without that map, I—
*Cough... cough...!*
Ayla!
Ayla broke into a violent coughing fit.
...Keep this up, and we'll have to settle things by force again, just like last time.
They've already lost to us once.
High probability that we will win again.
Why, you... You take us for idiots?
Come on out, boys!
The pirate swung his sword as a signal. Before we knew it, more pirates came pouring in and surrounded us.
Seems we were a little outnumbered last time.
So I made sure to bring plenty this time. Go on, let's see you fight your way through.