Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 155: Applying for the Captain Position
“First, introduce yourself to the lord.”
Clive reminded from the side.
“Oh! My apologies.”
The applicant immediately realized, placed a hand on his chest, and bowed.
“Lord, greetings. My name is Kenbert, from Laifeng Port.”
Whatever peculiar hobbies the lord might have weren’t Kenbert’s concern.
He only wanted the captain position. If successful, he could work steadily, collect his monthly pay, and live a calm life.
Owen placed both hands on the armrests of his chair, straightened his back slightly, and scrutinized the applicant named Kenbert.
“Laifeng Port, huh? How did you hear that I was recruiting a ship captain?”
Laifeng Port was a small port city northeast of the Dongsheng Fortress, separated from Biānshù Town by several rugged mountains of the Sky Mountain Range.
“I have a merchant friend who suggested I come and try my luck.”
Kenbert replied.
Small merchants running errands and trading goods were undoubtedly an important medium for spreading information.
“I see.”
Owen continued.
“Although my requirements for a captain aren’t high, I do require at least one year of sailing experience. Kenbert, do you have relevant experience?”
“I once owned a merchant ship in Laifeng Port, transporting goods at sea to earn some money. I did this for at least three years, meeting your recruitment requirement.”
“Once?”
Owen asked.
“Then why aren’t you doing it now?”
“Well…”
A hint of sadness crossed Kenbert’s face as he explained.
“The sea is unpredictable. Unfortunately, I encountered a terrible storm. My ship was overturned by the waves, and several crew members went missing. I was the only one rescued by a passing merchant ship. Though I survived, without a ship, I couldn’t continue transporting goods.”
“I see.”
Owen nodded.
It was a maritime disaster—truly unfortunate.
However, Owen’s fleet’s main task was to procure materials from other regions and transport them back to Biānshù Town via inland waterways. Compared to sea transport, inland shipping was much safer—probably one reason Kenbert applied for this captain position.
“What did you do after the shipwreck?”
Owen asked again.
“I worked as a laborer at the Laifeng Port dock, barely earning a living for my family.”
So far, Owen was satisfied with Kenbert. Hiring him as the captain for the new ship posed no problem.
More importantly, during the interview, Euchina hadn’t pinched Owen’s hand to indicate any lies.
Still feeling a bit cautious, Owen leaned close to Euchina and quietly asked for confirmation.
“Did he lie?”
Probably not expecting Owen to ask, Euchina shivered slightly, then turned, climbed onto him, hooked her small hand on his shoulder, and whispered.
“Nope.”
Euchina’s actions startled the two others present, who exchanged strange glances at Owen.
Noticing their gazes, Owen felt slightly embarrassed and gently placed Euchina on the nearby chair.
“Sit here obediently, alright?”
“Mm…”
Euchina pouted, clearly reluctant.
“Fine, then.”
Fortunately, she didn’t throw a tantrum. She quietly sat on the chair, her small hand resting on Owen’s, continuing her task.
Next, Owen asked Kenbert a few more questions—mainly to verify whether he was a spy collecting intelligence on Biānshù Town.
He also asked about literacy, willingness to learn new things, and similar topics.
Kenbert answered honestly, passed Euchina’s lie-detection test, and told no lies.
“Congratulations, Kembert.”
After the interview, Owen smiled and said.
“You meet our requirements. I would like to formally sign a contract with you, recruiting you as Biānshù Town’s first-ever ship captain.”
“Really? That’s wonderful! Thank you, Lord!”
Kenbert said joyfully.
Owen gave Clive a look, and Clive immediately took out two copies of the pre-prepared contract—placing one on the table and handing the other to Kenbert.
“This contains the drafted contract terms. You said you only know some of the letters, so if there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask me.”
“Oh! Thank you.”
Taking the contract, Kenbert couldn’t help letting out a small, surprised sound.
“Huh? It’s not parchment…”
Although his voice was soft, Clive’s sharp ears caught it. He leaned over to remind Kenbert.
“This is a specialty white paper from Biānshù Town. It’s just as easy to write on, but much lighter than parchment. However, it’s prone to rotting if it gets wet, so you should keep this contract somewhere dry.”
“Biānshù Town can even produce such fine materials?”
Kenbert exclaimed in admiration.
With steadily increasing paper production and quality, Biānshù Town had fully replaced parchment with paper. Now, all contracts were drafted using high-quality white paper.
Of course, for large-scale trade agreements with major guilds, if the other party preferred, parchment could still be used.
After confirming the content was correct, both parties signed the contract. Kenbert was officially employed by Biānshù Town as the captain of the new ship.
With his copy of the contract safely stored, Kenbert mustered the courage to ask.
“Lord, may I ask where the new ship is now? And what is it like?”
The recruitment announcement had mentioned that Biānshù Town was constructing a brand-new cargo ship.
No matter how innovative the new ship might be, it shouldn’t differ too much from the common wooden ships currently in use.
Although Kenbert thought this, he still wanted to see it in person as soon as possible.
“You want to see the new ship?”
Owen put the signed contract into the drawer, then looked up at Kenbert, a slight smile appearing on his lips.
“Actually, your timing is perfect. The new ship will be launched tomorrow. I’ll take you to see it for yourself then.”
“Tomorrow?!”
Kenbert was momentarily stunned.
“Oh, I see now.”
At this moment, he thought to himself: the new cargo ship must have been under construction for quite a while, and I managed to get the captain position just a day before its launch—what a stroke of luck.
“Clive, please arrange lodging for Kenbert.”
Owen instructed.
Providing accommodation was part of the contract, meant to allow newly hired captains to move quickly into Biānshù Town and focus on their work without extra worries.
Kenbert was already eager to bring his family over to Biānshù Town, finally having a stable job.
“Yes, my lord.”
After placing a hand on his chest in respect, Clive turned to Kenbert.
“Please follow me, Captain Kembert.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Lord Clive.”
Never imagining he would one day become a ship captain again, Kenbert was now in a very cheerful mood.