Captain – Chapter 116 – Deal Sealed

At the thought of his future life as described by the first mate, Anderson’s charming face immediately fell, all his previous smugness gone.

Yes, the reason his family turned a blind eye to his wild behavior lay precisely here. He wasn’t like Caine, and the Anderson family wasn’t a military family like the Howards—they always needed a sufficiently capable successor to develop the family.

It was like a cursed chain, firmly locked around his ankle, and that damned feeling was truly maddening.

“Alright, alright, why are you two so incompatible? If you want to argue, wait until we’re on the ship. We still need to recruit people soon.”

Roy interrupted their “verbal sparring,” casually placing the wine bottle on the table, then curiously asked Anderson: “You said earlier you wanted to become a crew member of a legendary pirate. Why specifically choose me?”

Given the current situation, among the six legendary pirates, her circumstances were the worst, even downright miserable.

Anderson twisted the amethyst ring on his finger and said unhurriedly: “Legendary pirates aren’t so easy to find, nor are they easy to deal with. Among you six, the only one likely to have the patience to see me, let alone accept me now, is you.”

Pirate ships don’t carry idle people—this is an iron rule. Ordinary pirate ships adhere to this, let alone the warships of legendary pirates.

At that level of naval battle, each additional burden would increase many unnecessary risks, something no captain would be willing to bear.

As for Anderson being wealthy? Well, if Roy still possessed the Mermaid and Yadris, she might not have the patience to continue talking with the young master. Instead, she would likely do as the other four had done according to him—strip him bare, tie him up with hemp rope, and exchange him with his family for a huge ransom.

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But now times were different. To reclaim what was hers, she had to unite all forces possible. Although Anderson had fled from his family, he was still a young master, wasn’t he?

“Your timing is indeed excellent, but have you considered that if I can’t reclaim the Mermaid, your calculations won’t work out at all?” Roy kindly reminded him.

“Choices always carry risks, Captain, and risk is what our family fears least.”

Anderson smiled unconcernedly: “This time, I’m placing my bet on you, considering it an interesting investment. After all… what could be more exciting than confronting the Mermaid?”

“Then which position would the young master like to apply for?” Roy asked, taking the stack of contracts from her first mate and flipping through them.

Someone as delicate as him would certainly not want to do hard labor. He probably couldn’t navigate or steer, and fighting was out of the question. So it seemed there wasn’t really any position suitable for him.

But since he was willing to pay, perhaps he could be an idle employee doing nothing, which wouldn’t be a big deal.

However, Anderson gave the captain an unexpected answer: “Ship’s doctor, Captain. I want to be the ship’s doctor.”

Her hand paused while flipping through the contracts, and Roy examined him with a skeptical gaze: “My dear young master, can those delicate hands of yours really hold a surgical knife steady?”

It wasn’t that the captain looked down on him, but the position of ship’s doctor was too important—not a place for someone to slack off. If a pirate ship’s doctor was an ignorant novice or a good-for-nothing just passing time, the mortality rate on that ship would definitely reach an unacceptable level.

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“Why not be an accountant instead? Isn’t accounting and doing business what your family excels at?”

Hearing the captain’s persuasion as if she were coaxing a child, Anderson’s smile stiffened. He took a deep breath, then reached inside his formal attire, fumbled among several checks, and took out a small rose-gold badge, placing it before Roy and Caine.

The badge was exquisitely crafted, with thorns carved around its edge. In the center was a dove wearing a laurel wreath, with wings spread in flight, symbolizing the transmission of goodwill and peace in a world full of thorns. It was an identity proof from the St. Mark Medical Association.

The St. Mark Medical Association was a worldwide medical organization, uncontrolled or influenced by any power, dedicated to treating patients and supporting the weak. Those who could join were all respected, kind-hearted doctors.

And those who earned the rose-gold badge had passed rigorous medical theory and practical examinations, gaining recognition from the association as distinguished physicians.

Playing with the badge on the table, Roy asked her first mate in confusion: “What is this?”

The captain had some impression of the Anderson family, but she truly had no concept of what a medical association was. After all, doctors from the association would absolutely refuse to treat a feared and shunned pirate like her.

“A kind of… medical certification, indicating that he indeed has considerable achievement in the medical arts,” Caine carefully explained in terms the young woman could understand.

“Uh, just this badge can prove he knows medicine?”

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Roy still couldn’t believe that the Anderson family’s young master would be willing to study medicine, because in the eyes of nobles, stooping to treat people was a very shameful thing.

“Be honest now, you didn’t just buy this with money to fool me, did you?”

Hearing the captain’s questioning, Young Master Anderson’s face turned white with anger. Even when Caine had targeted him everywhere due to misunderstandings earlier, he hadn’t been this angry.

“Captain, this badge cannot be faked, and there would be no point in faking it.”

Seeing this, the first mate coughed lightly, then quietly reminded the captain that while the association’s certification was quite convincing to peers, in the eyes of outsiders, it was nothing more than a flattened piece of gold that no one would pay attention to.

“I see, I see. I never expected the young master to have a doctor’s compassionate heart… It’s truly surprising.”

Seeing Anderson’s displeased expression, Roy laughed it off, changing the subject, then found the ship doctor’s contract among the papers and handed it to him somewhat awkwardly.

“By the way, before you came in, I think I heard something about… a bonus. Is that still valid?”

The hundred thousand gold coins went without saying, and this young master didn’t seem like someone who would go back on his word, but the matter of bonuses she had vaguely heard earlier needed to be properly inquired about.

“It is.”

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Anderson took the quill pen Caine passed him, wrote his flowing signature in the name column, and answered without raising his head: “Based on the salary you give, I’ll provide your crew with three times that amount as a bonus each month. But now it seems that the monthly pay itself will also have to come from me, won’t it?”

The sailors who had been listening intently to this conversation immediately erupted in cheers, though they were quickly suppressed by the captain’s displeased gaze.

“Having bonuses would be excellent. After spreading the news, the number of applicants will definitely double, no, increase several times over. But that’s not actually what I wanted to ask.”

Watching Caine put away the contract, Roy pointed at herself with her finger and asked hopefully: “The crew members get bonuses, but what about me?”

Anderson picked up his cane beside the chair and smiled: “If you need money, you can come to me. As long as it’s not too excessive, I think I can provide it.”

Having said this, Anderson stood up leaning on his cane and extended his other hand toward the young woman: “So, do we have a deal?”

Before the captain could respond, Caine had already grasped that hand, which was too fair to seem like it belonged to a man, and shook it once, neither too firmly nor too lightly.

Understanding her first mate’s little thoughts, Roy smiled and gently tapped the table.

“Deal, Young Master Anderson.”