"Lyon Guild members have been too confident lately," he said.
"We have to find a way to survive. I'm not kidding, we need to find a way to survive right now."
Joseph quickly racked his brain.
What would be the best course of action in this situation?
'Even if we give up on this and go back to sea...'
Joseph was not unaware of the significantly strengthened naval forces compared to the past.
He also knew very well about the navy's battleships, which had grown to an incomparable size compared to their heyday.
'No, there's no chance there now. And now I have a family.'
"I don't think going back to sea is a good idea."
The union representative agreed with his words.
"We've finished our business on the sea. We went to see the former governor just to try our luck, and it's too late to go back to sea. We've become too accustomed to life on land."
"So what should we do? Even if we fight the guild here, it's not like we have a chance to win. And if we try to do things the way we used to..."
"Ismail will stop that. They'll kill me before I can twist that kid's head off. Poison or whatever."
"Then, isn't this a big problem?"
"That's why we're looking for a way to survive right now, you bastard!"
Joseph continued to search for a way to survive with a serious expression, as if it was his own business.
'What's a good move... That's right. If it's already a lost cause, that might be better.'
"Warren, what about this instead?"
When it seemed like Joseph had a good idea, the union representative quickly showed interest.
"Do you have a good plan?"
"Actually, it's more of a..."
"Stop beating around the bush and tell me straight. If we don't find a way to survive soon, it'll be the end for both of us."
"Well, if we can't go against the trend anyway."
In Joseph's view, this was the best option they could take.
"How about joining the guild? Then we can continue our bank business as before, and since Ismail has already sided with them, they won't kill us."
"What? You have a loose tongue!"
The union representative grabbed Joseph's collar at the absurd suggestion.
"Hey, you bastard! How can you say that now? Who's going to crawl under whose feet now?"
"But Warren, there's no other way for us to survive! And even if you don't like it, some of our members are already thinking about joining the guild. There's no answer here, and we have no chance of winning if we fight, so they'll abandon us and join them."
"Do you think I'll let those traitorous bastards go? Do you think I, Warren Dragoon, will let them go?"
As his voice grew louder, Joseph frowned and lowered his head.
"That's why I didn't want to tell you. I thought you'd be against it anyway."
"But still! How can you say that? How can I go under that blue-blooded brat?"
The union representative shouted again.
"I have my pride! How can I, who was once called a great pirate, go under that little brat!"
"What are you going to do then? You know very well that there's no chance of winning even if we fight, Warren. And it's not like you're going back to sea either, is it?"
"You bastard!"
Unable to contain his anger, the union representative slapped Joseph's face hard.
He raised his voice towards Joseph, who was staggering on the floor.
"I can't do that even if I die! I've bowed my head to someone once in my life, and that was enough with Ismail! And I, Warren Dragoon, am originally a sea person. I've been on land for too long as a sea man."
There was no chance of winning on the sea either.
However, remembering the past when he dyed the waters of the Black Label in blood and flame, he decided to go to sea once again.
'Yes, that chancellor was also very annoying. This time, I'll go back to sea. Then Ismail won't interfere. This has nothing to do with the bank business anyway.'
"It's time to end this damned life on land. I've forgotten that I was originally a sea man. A sailor is always a sailor. What the hell is this life on land?"
Warren, who was swaggering, yelled at his subordinate lying on the floor.
"I'll finish up here soon and head to sea. You go and find a ship that can go to the pirate island. I need to gather brave pirates to fight under my name again. And I'll buy a lot of pirate ships with the money I've made here. I'll become the old me again."
The union representative could not contain his excitement at the thought of becoming a pirate again, and Joseph, lying on the floor, looked up at him in silence with a mix of emotions.
A few days passed.
Warren Dragoon, who had converted all the assets he had accumulated as a union representative into gold coins, left for the harbor with several carriages loaded with the coins on a dark night.
The city was dark without a single light, and the union representative, looking at the city, smiled lightly.
'I don't feel much even though I won't see it again. Yes, this wasn't my hometown.'
"Is the ship ready?"
In the carriage he was riding, his subordinate Joseph was also there.
"Yes, everything is prepared as you ordered, Sir Warren. A smuggler will be waiting for us at the harbor now."
At those words, Warren's expression soured.
"Warren, what are you talking about? Now that I've become a pirate again. Just call me as you used to. Captain."
"Yes... Captain."
"Well, it's time to say goodbye here. I probably won't come back again."
As they arrived at the harbor, their carriage was suddenly stopped by the appearance of imperial soldiers.
Warren, taken aback by the unexpected event, looked out the window with a puzzled expression.
"What, what is it? What are those soldiers doing?"
At that, Joseph quickly went outside and started running somewhere.
'What is that guy doing now?'
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