CH 5

“Once you’re done eating, get some sleep. You got work first thing in the morning.”

One of the sailors said so and left the hold of the ship.

I’ve been working ever since we left the port, and all the joints in my body are aching.

This ship is a merchant ship, but they weren’t just carrying typical cargo ー they also transported slaves.

Yesterday, we docked at a nearby port somewhere, and most of the slaves in the ship’s cargo hold were unloaded there. Now, there’s only me and one other child inside a cage located in the deepest part of the ship.

I pick up the bread the sailor left behind on the floor and nibble on it.

It’s hard and tasteless. But even so, if I don’t eat something, I can’t survive.

I thought about dying, but I finally learned how to use the [Alchemy BOX].

If I can escape, then I know I’ll be able to do something with my life once I’m free.

Of course, I would like to live a life in luxury ー but now, if I can live normally, I’m okay with that.

I already have some preparations too when that time comes.

When we were helping cook the food for the sailors, they asked me to throw away the used up coal, but I secretly kept it.

If I put it in the [Alchemy BOX], no one can find it.

While we were fixing the ship, I placed small pieces of wood inside the [Alchemy BOX] as well.

The wooden chips would be used for the fires, but no one is keeping track of how many there are. Larger wooden pieces would just be thrown overboard into the ocean.

With the wood chips and wooden pieces, I was able to make a key for my handcuffs.

One of the sailors accidentally dropped the original key, and I was able to pick it up.

I hurriedly made a copy, so I don’t know if the spare key will actually work or not.

When I first picked up the key, I thought about running away then, but from inside the hold of the ship, there was no place to jump out into the ocean.

And even if I was able to jump out, I don’t even know where we are in the ocean, and it would be dangerous. I wouldn’t know how far we are from land or which direction to go. I need that information first.

If only there was a window or somethingー

As I was thinking, I heard a loud <groooooooowwwwwwllllllllll> sound.

Ain: “Was that your stomach just now?” I can’t see anything in this dark, but there are no replies.

But instead, I heard a threatening <GROWWWWLLLLL> this time come back.

From the sound of the voice, I think it’s a girl, but it’s a pretty savage girl from the sounds of it. But maybe that’s why she’s still on this ship.

Ain: “Here, I’ll give you half. Go ahead and eat.”

I tear the remaining bread into two, and I throw half of it towards the cage deep inside the hold.

With only one candle lit, I don’t even know if the bread reached her or not.

But after a while, I heard the sounds of eating coming from the back.

Looks like she was able to get the bread.

And it wasn’t out of pity or kindness that I gave her that bread.

But it was just that I felt like she and I were similar when no one chose to buy her as a slave.

In the past life and in this life, no one depended, relied, or wanted me around ー so we were similar in that sense.

Well, let’s get some sleep. I need to regain some of my stamina as much as possible.

But this ship…...it started rocking pretty severely. It was so calm during the day.

I closed my eyes as I wrapped myself in a paper thin blanket when…..

“Hey, you spoiled brat, get up.” Ain: “ugh……….” “It’s getting pretty stormy out there. We need you to stand watch.” Ain: "Stand watch?” One of the sailors came, and opened the door to my locked cell.

With that, I head to the deepest part of the hold with the man.

Thinking that it would be cold on the ship deck, I had my blanket wrapped around me.

“You get out too. You got those night eyes.” “GRRRRRRR”

“Try and bite me! I’ll break that nose of yours!”

“GRR……”

Night eyes? By the light of the lamp the man held, I look and see the person that was held inside that cage.

I see. So she was one of the [Beast Race].

She had ears and a tail like a dog, and her clothes were ragged.

She probably hasn’t bathed in a while, and she wasn’t given much food either. It pained me to see her so gaunt and malnourished.

The man pulled on the Beast Girl’s chains and we all went up to the ship’s top deck.

“Hey, move it!!”

I hurriedly follow, and out on the deck, there isn’t particularly a strong wind or anything.

But the ship is definitely moving harshly against the large waves.

“You brats keep an eye out that way. If you see anything, yell. The Beast Girl can’t talkー so brat, you’ll be the messenger, got it?!”

She can’t talk? Is that why she’s only growling this whole time? I nod to the sailor and look at the Beast Girl.

Her long and wiry hair is a mess and is hiding her eyes, and I can’t see her face very well.

But I can tell that she’s shaking in fear.

Ain: “Are you scared?” But she only stared at one single point and continued to shake and tremble.

Is there something over there inside the water?

As I tried to look more carefully, the ship suddenly tilted to the side!

We both rolled, fell, and slid on the deck, and both the girl and I were thrown overboard into the water.

With a <SPLASH!>, the Beast Girl sinks as she tries to doggy paddle in the water!

Can she not swim?!

I hurriedly grab the girl’s hand and come back to the surface.

“(gasp!)....(gasp!).....”

Ain: “HーHey, can you not swim?!”

Even though she’s about to drown, she refuses to cling to me for help. I’m glad she’s not doing so, but it also indicates how much she distrusts humans.

Butーーthis is an escape opportunity.

Well, we better escape no matter what in this situation.

A fire blazed atop the ship, and we heard the screams of men in the distance.