Volume 5 Chapter 22 [Ratis SIDE] Whether It Is A Mud Boat Or Not Depends On The Captain, Not The Boat
The pirate ship *Jolly Roamer* was sailing across the sea.
In the area ahead, which was the only land visible...
"Hey, we're not getting anywhere! What's going on?!"
About a dozen men were riding on a raft secured alongside logs.
In the center, supplies for the voyage were stacked. Five people rowed on each side.
Honestly, for a raft, it wasn't slow.
This was because everyone wore magic items that boosted their physical strength.
There are several types of magic items that enhance physical abilities.
One type increases strength by a fixed amount, like '+10.'
Another multiplies strength by a fixed value, like '×10.'
A third type sets strength to a fixed value, like 'making it 100.'
From an adventurer's perspective, the first type is used by low-rank adventurers with naturally weak physical abilities. The second type is for high-rank adventurers with strong base stats. The third type is used for large-scale operations where minimum strength is required.
The ten men rowing were equipped with the third type of magic tool. If they all moved together, they could make steady progress.
However...
"Damn it, didn't they say they made a ship? This is ridiculous! How can something like this be built with such a crappy setup?!"
From Ratis's perspective, comparing this to Horace's ship, the frustration didn't fade. They could only manage a raft.
The wood from the area before the Jeweled Ice Sea Domain, Ferl, is tough against everything except cutting. That's how it's used.
So, there are many sawmills. If you pay, you can get relatively high-quality wood.
However, the technology is limited.
It's hard to develop shipbuilding in a dungeon that's just sea.
The sawmills are state-run, funded by taxes. In such a situation, there's no incentive to focus on shipbuilding, which might not profit or could be a gamble.
At the very least, the Dragonstone Kingdom government decided not to invest when this dungeon was first discovered.
As a result, shipbuilding technology is almost nonexistent. It's a "try at your own risk" situation.
Since the government doesn't stop individuals from building ships, everything depends on the person.
Some, like Horace, can build sturdy ships. Others, like Ratis, hire carpenters from the Order of the Sealed Dragon headquarters and can only prepare rafts.
This varies from person to person, but whether they can accept it is also up to the individual.
"Tch, hey, can't you row faster!"
"This is the best I can do for a stable voyage."
"You could go faster if you wanted! If you don't speed up, I'll lose the last fragment!"
"But on the sea, only the ship is your footing."
"Then you should have prepared something sturdier!"
"You tried to force it, drew your sword at the sawmill, and got beaten by the Luster Report's workshop group, Sir Ratis."
"Shut up!"
Ratis, arguing with the raft's vice captain, only gets angrier when reminded of the facts.
The vice captain's sword looks higher quality than the others, so he's likely 'management.'
However, since Ratis is addressed with honorifics, there's some hierarchy. But he doesn't intervene, so it's probably not just a rank difference.
"It's the workshop fault for not making it. I'm the strongest swordsman of the Order of the Sealed Dragon!"
"Even if your sword is strong, you can't cross the sea."
"You... dammit..."
"The Order of the Sealed Dragon prohibits borrowing from outsiders. If you want something, pay properly. If you're proud of your sword, earn gold in a dungeon. Why threaten others? And it's pathetic to lose to non-combat specialists who works on the workshop."
"Shut up! When someone acts subordinate, you get carried away! I'll turn you into sea scum!"
"Then you're the one in trouble. The magic they (the other raft crew) use—I'm the one supplying all that power."
"Gugh, gigi..."
It's a back-and-forth argument, after all.
However, it's clear who's more reckless.
A ship with such an uncertain future is rare.
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