After a few more trades of spoils were concluded, Sieg seized the opportunity to sell the two captured Pokémon, earning a generous sum of 140,000 Pokédollars.
"Such a high price, are they deliberately giving favorable treatnt?" Sieg wondered to himself.
Of course, it could simply be that Pokémon were scarce on the ship, and everyone was in urgent need of expanding their teams.
Whatever the reason, Sieg didn't particularly care; all that mattered was that his little treasury had just ballooned once more.
With a total of 440,000 Pokédollars now in hand, it was enough to buy nearly a quarter of a starter Pokémon.
Later in the exchange, so notes and experiences resembling training manuals were also put up for trade. Since such materials could be duplicated, their prices remained low, prompting many, including Sieg, to purchase them.
"These notes are a ss, so parts are nothing more than speculation. They're no match for the comprehensive guides published by the League," Sieg muttered after flipping through a few pages. Though only an apprentice, his knowledge far surpassed that of most pirates.
Once the trading session ended, everyone returned to their posts. Sieg headed back to his room, diving into the books he'd just acquired.
"Knowledge is the ladder of human progress."
…
The next day, sunlight blazed from above,
The ship's dining hall felt unusually empty. After their recent battle, the pirate crew had taken heavy losses. Barely over a hundred crew mbers remained.
Just as everyone was preparing to feast and celebrate with their newly swelled wallets, the current captain of the galodon entered the dining hall,
"Good day, crew, I am your captain, tako."
Though a woman, her voice rang with decisive authority. The vicious pirates in the room did not dare to underestimate her and greeted her with the utmost respect.
"Captain tako!"
"Greetings, Captain!"
"Good morning, Captain!"
Lady tako's gaze swept across the room and briefly paused when she spotted Sieg sitting in a corner. Her expression flickered, then moved on.
"There are two announcents today, First, the specific distribution of the resources we seized from the enemy pirate crew will be posted at the entrance of the dining hall. You may check it after this."
Excited murmurs rippled through the hall. The enemy pirate crew had been no less formidable than their own, everyone knew that the spoils would be substantial.
The room filled with quiet chatter as everyone began speculating about what they would receive.
"Silence!"
tako's sharp command brought the hall to a halt. All eyes turned toward the queen of the galodon, and no one dared utter another word.
"The second matter is that we're currently short on manpower. Starting tomorrow, I ask that you all work harder to ensure the ship continues running properly. We will recruit new mbers the next ti we dock."
So of the more powerful individuals on board tensed in anticipation.
"Why hasn't she ntioned promotions or selecting a new first mate yet?"
That unspoken question was on everyone's mind.
Especially Furuta. He was known as one of the most skilled fighters on the ship; few could match him. He had also wisely chosen to befriend the new rising star, Sieg.
Furthermore, he believed he had a better chance than most at becoming the next first mate.
The average pirates, however, were lost in excitent and not worried about such matters.
"Sieg, co with ," tako said before turning to leave.
Under the envious stares of the others, Sieg rose without a word and calmly followed her out.
As they left, he t Furuta's hopeful gaze and gave him a subtle nod.
…
Sieg walked down the dim corridor, closely trailing tako. Soon, the two arrived at the door of the ship's conference room.
When the door opened, the scene inside made Sieg's breath catch in his throat.
"My God,"
His mouth opened in awe.
Stacks upon stacks of bills lay atop the table, alongside baskets filled with Poké Balls.
His heart pounded wildly, and he couldn't help but swallow hard, greed flickering in his eyes.
Forgive this low-ranking pirate, he had never seen so much money in his life.
"This must be tens of millions, and all those Poké Balls, are they the captured Pokémon?"
He blurted the question out before rembering to address her respectfully.
But tako didn't seem to mind. A slight smile played at her lips, she was clearly in a good mood.
She held a special fondness for her apprentice and had been generous in ntoring him.
"That's right. The enemy ship's storage held many treasures. Though we recovered them in ti, a portion was unfortunately lost to the sea."
She stepped forward, gently picked up a stack of bills, and inhaled the faint, intoxicating scent.
That was the scent of wealth,
"Sieg, this is your share."
She handed him two thick stacks of bills, easily worth over a million Pokédollars.
Sieg received them with both hands, bowing slightly. "Thank you, teacher."
tako's sharp instincts caught the subtle shift in his tone. She looked at him with a knowing glint in her eyes.
"You have talent, exceptional mory, and comprehension. These are essential qualities for becoming a top-tier breeder."
She praised him, but then her tone turned more serious.
"But I hope you will make a choice, whether to beco a powerful trainer or a superb breeder."
She leaned back in her chair, crossing her long legs. The slit in her skirt revealed a glimpse of pale, flawless skin. As a woman in her pri, she radiated a unique allure.
Sieg quickly averted his gaze and replied, "Lady tako, if you believe I'm a genius, then I should live up to the na."
He raised his head, eting her gaze with firm, unwavering eyes. "I want to walk both paths, as a trainer and a breeder. As your student, I will never forget the kindness you've shown ."
tako stared at the face before her, so similar to one from her mories, a child she once knew.
After a brief pause, she chuckled. "You little charr. Always so smooth with your words. From today on, you are no longer an apprentice. You are my student."
Upon hearing that, Sieg bowed deeply and said with reverence, "Your student greets you, teacher!"
"This," she said, pulling out an old, worn notebook from the shelf beside her, "was my training log when I was learning. Consider it your initiation gift. Study it well, and aim to beco a true breeder soon."
The notebook bore neat handwriting and slightly curled corners, clearly the original, handwritten version.
The two continued to chat, discussing Sieg's recent struggles and problems he'd encountered during training.
tako answered each question patiently. The bond between them deepened quickly, it was a perfect picture of a devoted teacher and an earnest student.
After Sieg left, tako sat quietly on the long bench. Her slender fingers gently touched her forehead as she murmured to herself,
"Furuta, hmm? He's not a bad candidate. Worth considering…"
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