In the cabin, Julian peeked outside through the window and saw the pirate ship crashing against the side of the passenger vessel.
"Well, this is horrible." He said out loud and put the curtains over the window.
"…" Kiernan cracked his knuckles. "What a coincidence, huh?"
"What do you mean?" Julian asked. "I sense sarcasm in your tone."
"We just left Kiwi Island a few hours ago, and we happened to get attacked inside the navy territory? I don't believe so; I think that guy is the reason."
"That guy? You mean the Count?" Julian asked. "He is a former pirate, so it makes sense for him to work alongside other pirate crews."
"I think I am having a sense of this whole ordeal." Kiernan said and crossed his legs. "Let me explain."
"Count Sander, in the public's eye, is the owner of a large shipping company. Correct? I believe they're using the disguise of shipping materials to transport the slaves and stolen goods from here to the Pirate Kingdom.
"This pirate crew must also be part of the shipping company, but while they aren't hoisting the pirate flag on their flags, they must come across as nothing but ordinary merchants to avoid suspicion."
"So, that's what they're doing." Julian scoffed. "They're delaying the ship's departure by as long as needed so this pirate crew can come near Kiwi Island.
"Then, when the passenger vessel or whatever is leaving the Kiwi Island, the pirates will follow, and when they're far enough from the navy's branch, they're going to attack like now."
"Nasty group of people." Kiernan said. "We can assume that Count Sander is expecting the two thieves to be on board this ship. They might also be here to retrieve the money."
"Shit!" Julian took his money bag from under his bed. "Where the hell can I hide this? If they're really here to retrieve this money, they will look everywhere!"
"I can hide it for you," Kiernan said.
"How?" Julian asked with a frown. "I don't think there are any places to hide inside the ship."
"Do you know what this is?" Kiernan brought out a ring.
It seemed like an ordinary ring and quite cheap.
"A ring?" Julian raised an eyebrow. "So? Are you proposing to me? If not, then I don't know how that should help us."
Kiernan shook his head and said, "This is Spatial Ring; now, does it ring a bell?"
"Spatial Ring?!" Julian's jaw dropped. "How the hell do you have one? It costs a fortune!"
"A family heirloom," Kiernan said with shrugged shoulders. "I can hide your money inside this thing."
"Oh, do it!" Julian tossed the money bag over to him.
While Julian watched, Kiernan "placed" the money bag inside the ring, but instead it went straight to his inventory in the system.
Spatial Rings were real things in the world, but they were extremely rare and expensive as hell.
While browsing through the internet, Kiernan found out about that and decided to use that as an excuse for his inventory if someone happened to see him make an item disappear out of thin air.
He doubted he actually needed to use it, but it was always good to have a backup plan.
This cheap-looking ring actually only cost 3 gold coins in one of the antique shops he visited in Irio. It was far from valuable, but it served a purpose.
"However, the pirates will take anything that seems valuable," Julian said. "Even if this ring doesn't seem valuable, they will take it. Spatial Ring is extremely valuable, and it even has our money in it!"
"That's why…" Kiernan, unwillingly, opened his mouth and swallowed the ring!
'Anything to keep appearances…'
He wouldn't really care if the ring got stolen as it was worthless to him, but he had to keep appearances. Julian was now thinking it was a real thing, and there was no other way he would be able to explain his inventory system.
He was already extremely lucky that there was something similar to inventory in this world; otherwise, he would have to be extremely careful when using his inventory to take out items.
"You swallowed it?" Julian's eyes shook.
"I'll shit it out if I have to." Kiernan said with an uncomfortable expression. "Our money is safe, for now."
"Alright…" Julian nodded.
At that moment, the door slammed open, and a rough-looking pirate appeared in the doorway, holding a flintlock pistol with scars running down his face.
It seemed like the pirate had been cut by lion's claws, as those scars were deep and jagged.
"Hands up!" The pirate pointed his flintlock pistol at them.
"I surrender!" Julian raised his arms.
Kiernan sighed and also raised his arms.
The pirate then pushed them out of the cabin and led them to the deck, where every other passenger was already freezing under the cold night air.
The pirate pushed Kiernan and Julian down, forcing them to kneel on the hard wooden planks.
Then, footsteps came as the pirate captain, Faelan, twirled the blade of his cutlass in the moonlight, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
He looked around at the passengers until his gaze landed on Kiernan and Julian. They were the youngest folk on the ship.
'They seem to fit the bill.'
Faelan crouched in front of the two young men and smiled. "Well, well, thieves. Welcome aboard, boys."
"Thieves?" Julian tilted his head in confusion. "Are you confusing us with you guys?"
"Haha…" Faelan laughed slowly before smacking his hand across Julian's face. "Bastard. Well, where did you hide the money, huh?"
"Stop that!" The captain shouted while bound by rope. "They're just two young men!"
"Silence!" A pirate smacked the captain as well.
"Money? What money?" Julian turned back with a confused look. "You can search my pockets. I can say that I am not very wealthy."
"What about you?" Faelan turned to Kiernan. "You can avoid the torture. I can see that you just want to go back home, right? Don't get swayed by your idiot friend here; just tell me where the money is."
"What money?" Kiernan asked. "Are the pirates so down bad that they're trying to steal lunch money from high schoolers? Holy fuck, man."
"Hah…" Faelan scratched the back of his head and nodded. "Alright then. Guys, go search the ship. If they find the money, I'll throw you two to the sea. I bet that you two won't survive even ten minutes among the sea monsters."