I lifted my head and carefully scanned the warehouse again. Not far away, pairs of snakefolk moved as they had the day before, carrying buckets while patrolling the spaces between the cages. Their movements were partially obscured by the haphazardly stacked cargo between cages, making it harder to discern their exact patterns.

Speaking of which, the way these goods were stored was unbelievably careless. Even though I know nothing about managing a merchant ship, it's obvious that this level of disorganization is bound to cause problems. As long as it doesn't affect me, I don't care—but you can never be too sure.

The best time to observe the warehouse was during these oil-lit periods. Most of its layout could be seen clearly. Although the scene didn't change much no matter how many times I looked, observation was something I could never afford to stop.

"Wait and think. Hope always hides in the overlooked corners." Those were the most precious words my grandfather ever said to me.

I needed to gather more information—much more.

"Gah-gah!" "Ah-waka-da..."

From the corner where a cage and a pile of goods intersected, a pair of snakefolk appeared. They seemed to be an older and a younger one. The older snakefolk barked at the younger one, who shrank in response, clearly being scolded like an apprentice learning the ropes.

If only I could understand their words—no, I shouldn't think that way.

I bit back my frustration and, despite my body's weariness urging me to ignore their unintelligible conversation, I forced myself to listen attentively.

The prerequisite for obtaining more information was overcoming the language barrier. This current state—where I couldn't communicate with them at all—had to be broken.

I had to learn their language.

"Balasai!" "Hala!"

Finally, they reached the cage where I was held. The older snakefolk barked another order, and the younger one flinched, hastily plunging a ladle into the bucket. Unlike the other pairs, it was clear the older one dominated completely while the younger merely obeyed orders.

"Meow-meow!" "Meow-ha! Meow-meow-meow..."

My cage mates, meanwhile, desperately extended their hands and howled. I, however, remained still. Bound hand and foot, any movement on my part was a waste of energy. All I could do was silently watch the scene unfold.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

Perhaps noticing the contrast, the older snakefolk's gaze fell on me. While I admit my deadpan stare can be rather sharp, their look of disdain was just as cutting.

Splat!

The food in the ladle was poured entirely onto my cage mates' side.

As expected.

I muttered inwardly, unsurprised by the outcome. Watching my cage mates devour the scraps greedily, I could only think, "Another day, another pile of rotten fish."

Still, observing this scene and recalling the peculiar treatment I'd received from the crew, the nagging sense of unease I'd felt since yesterday swelled once again.

Perhaps I was overthinking things. But on the other hand, if this really was the "Dark Land," then as a human—a being that shouldn't exist here—I was an intruder.

According to the Holy Teachings of the Heavenly Church, the Dark Land was currently in a state of hostility with humanity.

So why hadn't they killed me yet?

I had been grappling with this question since yesterday. The more I observed the disorder of the warehouse and the ill-mannered crew, the clearer the answer became.

This ship wasn't an ordinary merchant vessel. While I don't know much about merchant ships, I know they wouldn't simply dock at one place and call it a day—they'd need to traverse long distances to make a profit.

The chaotic storage here, with no rhyme or reason, would lead to severe issues over time. Yet they hadn't addressed these problems, suggesting this wasn't a ship meant for long journeys.

The mixed and damaged cargo, some with signs of water damage, made the truth evident.

This was a pirate ship.

The skull-and-bone hat worn by that woman, the crew's varied levels of competence—it all made sense now.

As for why I hadn't been killed and instead remained bound and caged like this, the answer was simple:

"I'm a rare and valuable commodity."

Boom!

"Roarrr!"

A deafening roar jolted me back to reality, yanking me away from my spiraling thoughts.