JEROME

The young lad stirred from his slumber. Carried by Jerome after succumbing to hunger, he awoke to the smell of grilling fish. The aroma wafted through the air, capturing the young boy's senses. "Join me. The fish is ready," Jerome signaled, holding up their roasted meal. Approaching forty, it had been a decade since he was in command of the Thousand Sail Fleet. The boy instinctively felt for the stones beside him. His captain and fellow deckhands had told him that if he ever encountered the Imperial Navy, he must find a way to take them out. "Hungry?" Jerome glanced at the boy. "We're stuck on this forsaken island, so it doesn't matter if you're a pirate or a marine..." Although the lad was doubtful, his rumbling stomach responded in kind. "You can call me Captain Jerome," he said, handing the boy a cooked fish. Upon hearing the man's name, the boy hesitated slightly before taking the fish and tearing into it. "So you've heard of me..." Jerome asked. "Everyone knows Jerome, the Navy Pirate," the boy replied. "Our captain mentioned that you kept chasing us for months. Craftier than the most devious pirates, he said." "Ha! I'll take that as a compliment," Jerome chuckled, biting into his fish with a grin. "Do you remember where you're from?" The older man continued. Jerome knew all too well where boys like these came from. He, himself, was once a deckhand on the pirate ship Peg Leg. He knew what it was like to be taken and put to work by merciless pirates. If he was lucky, he might live to see thirteen and become an official member of the crew. This child must have come from a small fishing village, from some humble and unremarkable family. "No..." the boy said quietly. Erasing these kids' pasts – that's the tradition on the Peg Leg, Jerome remembered. Jerome looked at the young lad and asked, "How old are you?" "Eleven, twelve, maybe." The older man spat out a fishbone as he spoke. "No need to lie, lad. I'd reckon you're at most nine." The youngster had already finished the roasted fish and sat there awkwardly. Jerome gestured that he could have more. "If we manage to get out of here, is there anywhere you wanna go?" Jerome asked him. "I don't know." Jerome could see tears welling up behind the boy's eyes, hidden behind each ravenous bite he took. "Listen, your captain is dead. You don't need to go back to that life anymore," Jerome said reassuringly. After being given command of his own ship, Jerome had been searching relentlessly for the Peg Leg. This infamous pirate ship had sown chaos along the Empire's shores, leaving destruction in its wake. It had separated this young boy from his life, much like it had done to a young Jerome many years ago when his village was raided and razed. That time, the Empire responded by sending three warships to pursue the Peg Leg. However, the pirate captain was able to distract the pursuing navy by throwing his deckhands overboard one by one. Jerome was among the handful who managed to survive the ordeal. From that time on, Jerome's sole wish was the Peg Leg's demise. By day, he manned sails and oars beside the crew. By night, he grappled with illiteracy, striving to learn. He barely managed to graduate from the naval academy. Yet he ascended, moving from midshipman to lieutenant and finally becoming the captain of his own ship. Jerome, not confined to doctrine, knew defeating pirates meant thinking as they did. Fellow captains saw an oddity—pirates saw a nemesis. Recently, he had caught wind of the whereabouts of the Peg Leg. Through misty seas and perilous reefs, he chased, crafting detailed plans, until the Peg Leg found itself in a corner with no escape. "In the end, I never thought that damn pirate would resort to blowing up the Peg Leg just to try to destroy me and my ship. I guess that was his final lesson. I searched this island for three days, and you're the only one I found alive..." Jerome's voice was tinged with regret. He could have saved more children. "If you have nowhere to go, you can join my fleet," Jerome offered. The boy looked at him, confused. "At the very least, you can attend the naval academy. Once you graduate, you can join my ship. Maybe even be my first mate one day. I think you'll be an officer in the future." Jerome said with a hearty smile. "Naval academy..." "First mate..." These words danced in the boy's imagination. He began to dream of a future worth living. "Can I really?" "Absolutely! The navy always needs a few good men, and everyone has something to offer!" Jerome stood up straight. He lifted the canvas behind him. "This rowboat is still intact. We can use it to leave this forsaken place." Leading the boy to the shoals, they managed to push the small boat out to sea as they climbed aboard. "I have a feeling this dinghy is about to save two people that will change the course of history. What's your name, son?" Jerome said as he paddled. "I'm Nate." "Well, Nate, from now on, you are a member of the Imperial Navy. Stand tall!"

"Hehe, this is something precious I found out in the open sea. Keep it out of the customs' sights!"

Has visit scenes with Hendrik and Hodgkin.