Lucy sat up while stretching her arms up and yawning out loud. But it wasn't loud enough to wake up Charles.
How long will that blasted lazy wolf sleep? Lucy looked around.
The sky turned red, and the sun was nearly down behind the horizon. Nightfall will soon arrive and no land was in sight.
After stretching out her legs and arms, Lucy sat back down and checked her computer player status.
Lucy Longsilver Level: 10 Race: Cocker Spaniel (Dog) Class: Unknown HP: 05 MP: 0 Experience Points: 0/1000 Proficiency Points: 12 Strength: 2 Speed: 1 Intelligence: 1 Charisma: 1 Computer Player
Skills: Crafting Stealth
Equipment: White dress (AP+5) Lizard-boar meat Hatchet
Lucy left the spear and other materials behind since she could only carry a few in her inventory. She kept the boar meat in case she gets hungry although the meat would taste better if she cooked it. The hatchet was an easy weapon to carry, and she could use it to cut down more trees if she finds more. With the spear gone and the hatchet unequipped, Lucy’s strength remained in 2. But she will soon find a better weapon to give her a stronger attack power. Maybe a sword or pistol, or both. In fact, the paddles could be weapons too if a shark dared to attack the raft.
As Lucy crossed her legs, she stared at her proficiency points. She has used none of them since Charles and she left the island. She might as well update her attributes while she was still sailing.
“Let’s ssssssee.” Lucy focused on the four main attributes.
Strength would help her carry more items in her inventory and make her attack power stronger. Speed could support her dodging moves and escape faster from enemies. Even her attacks could move faster if she added more points to her speed attribute. Intelligence was useful for solving puzzles, although Lucy wasn’t sure when she will encounter one. She has no magic power either, and her magic resistance was very low. Charisma could be useful too. After all, a lady with high charisma could do anything she wanted. First, she should focus on what could help her survive longer.
Lucy added the points into her attributes and checked her results.
Lucy Longsilver Level: 10 Race: Cocker Spaniel (Dog) Class: Unknown HP: 05 MP: 0 Experience Points: 0/1000 Proficiency Points: 0 Strength: 5 Speed: 3 Intelligence: 3 Charisma: 6 Computer Player
Lucy considered strength and charisma to be her top chosen attributes. Her attacks would be stronger and the people would give her respect unless charisma only worked on NPCs. But with high charisma, everyone should treat her like a princess of the sea. Speed will be her next update after she levels up. She will need one thousand more experience points to reach the next level. Until then, her strength and charisma were her power.
After Lucy closed her status, she spotted a sparkle of lights twinkling on an island silhouette, miles away. It looked to be very far, but Lucy could make the raft drift faster with Charles’s help. This time she won’t give him an excuse to lie around like a lazy dog.
“Charles! Wake up, you lot!” Lucy shook the wolf’s shoulder. “Wake up!”
The wolf shot his eyes open and swung his fist toward Lucy. She ducked and slapped his face.
“What was that?” she shouted.
Charles widened his eyes at her and shook his head. “Sorry! I thought you were a sea witch.”
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“What?”
“Never mind, but it is your fault for waking me up like that!” He jumped to his feet and shook her finger at her face. “It’s bad luck to wake up a wolf while he is sleeping! I could have killed you!”
Lucy rose and growled. “You shouldn’t be sleeping in the first place!”
“I needed rest. Is that hard to ask?”
“Not while we’re sailing in the open sea on a small raft. Now, why don’t you turn around and look over there.” Lucy pointed her finger over Charles’s shoulder.
The wolf glanced and smiled at the island. “Oh good, another island.”
“Now get the paddle and help me!” Lucy grabbed the second paddle and pushed the raft.
Charles followed her lead. “Once we get there, we can go our separate ways. I’m sure any island would love to have a beautiful bartending lass in your image.”
“No, I’m coming with you. Captain Flipper needs to pay for killing my father.”
“But he is a strong player. You will never survive one step near him.”
“But I can get stronger too now. Did you forget about my bloody new stats?”
Charles bit his lip and stroked the paddle through the dark water. “You will need time to update your stats, and you will slow me down.”
Lucy shook her head in frustration. Maybe this would be a good time to try out her charisma on Charles. If it doesn’t work, then she would be on her own. But trying was better than doing nothing.
“What makes you think you will have a chance against Flipper?” she asked. “You know if you have me, your chances of defeating Flipper will succeed.”
Charles paused and gazed at her.
"We both want the same thing,” she continued, “except I can get stronger. Join me, and you will get the map. If you don’t, you will die. Common sense, right?"
Charles’s sneer slowly changed into a grin. "You are a remarkable bartending, lass. I wouldn't mind free drinks on our quest."
Congratulations! You received your first crew member. Collect more for your ship. Crew: 01
It surprised Lucy. She doesn't have a ship yet unless the raft counted as one. At least her persuasion worked on Charles. "So what is the plan?"
Charles stared at the unknown island. "Well, whatever that island is, we should find a ship there and build ourselves a crew. Then we can hunt down Flipper before he finds the island. Sounds good, right?"
"Yeah," Lucy answered.
"And remember, lass. The map belongs to me. Understand?"
Lucy narrowed her eyes as she stroked. "I have no need for it."
"Then we are on good terms." Charles continued stroking.
Lucy shrugged and stroked to move the raft faster. “How do you know how player stats work?”
“I spied on many players before and learned what makes them strong. Just like spying on your enemies before you rob them.”
“That makes sense. You were a spy for the Empire.”
“Not anymore, but it’s still in my blood.”
“Why did you betray them?”
Charles cleared his throat loudly with his fist toward his mouth. “Keep stroking. Night in the open sea is very dangerous. Less talking!”
Lucy rolled her eyes and kept the raft in motion.
*****
The night fell quickly, but the raft was almost close to the dock at the harbor. Lucy gazed at the town past the large ships floating between the docks.
The town wasn’t as raggy and wooden as Lucy’s old home. White colors painted each building with yellow-tiled rooftops. Hundreds of candlelights glowed around the street, making the wide streets come to life. As the sky cleared, the full moon rose over the town to give the wonderful-looking settlement more light.
How beautiful! Lucy’s eyes sparkled at the town until a notification appeared in her vision.
You discovered Moonbright Town!
Moonbright was a tourist and gambling destination on the coastal shore of Cordeen Isle with casinos, shops, and fancy restaurants to please the wealthy visitors. Pirates, Imperials, and gamblers were all welcomed for delightful entertainment. The town allowed no fighting unless the bets were on. Moonbright earned its name after the people completed the town under the full moon. If you got the gold, the town will give you more!
Lucy glanced at Charles. “This town is Moonbright.”
The wolf crossed his arms, letting the raft drifted through the harbor freely. “I can see that.”
Lucy cocked her head. “You gambled here before?”
"I know someone who loves gambling here. If he is here, we will be lucky enough to get a ship."
"Who is he?"
"You will see him if he is at the Golden Shell casino."
Lucy has no plan to gamble at a casino because she has no money. Some casinos don't allow visitors who couldn't afford to play one game. But Charles should know the town better than her.
After the raft bumped into the dock, Charles and Lucy hopped off it. Charles grabbed a rope and tied the sail to the wooden bumper.
"You there!" A short pelican in a blue flock coat and a black tricorn hat. He waved a cane in the air while holding a leather book in his right-wing. "Stop right there!"
Charles turned toward the pelican and smiled. "Good evening, sir."
The pelican pointed his cane at the raft. "What is that?"
Charles glanced at the raft. "Uuuuuuuuuuuuh, boat?"
"I can see it is a raft."
"I told you so," Lucy whispered.
"This dock is preserved for passenger boats and vessels only," the pelican explained. "I suggest you leave or else I will summon the guards."
Lucy gulped.