'Well I'm fine with that... I can get some sun on the deck.'

Planning his next few days of lazing around Mars was in quite a good mood when Hanna approached him and asked him.

"Erm... Mars if it's not to much of a bother can we go see my parents sometime soon?"

"Sure, I'll make some time after the trip is over."

"Thank you Mars."

Mars gave a nod and fell silent as he looked out over the sea, a couple of hours pa.s.sed like this. When the sun was about to go down Mars grabbed one of the sailors and was escorted to his room below deck, it was a little cramped but Mars had seen worse so he was okay with it. Next Mars walked over to his backpack and took out something warped in cloth and unwrapped it, when he did his skill activated.

Cla.s.s 16 magic beast core.

Stored energy: 200.000 units.

Stored status points: 50.

Source: ???

Contains skill: ???

"Sorry it took so long to get to you my friend..."

Mars sat cross legged on the floor and began absorbing the energy units in the core, and so after leveling up once to level 114 the magic beast core turned into dust and Mars opened his eyes again and gave a nod.

".... Neat."

Mars understood his new skill and half wanted to try it out but decided to wait until he was in a combat situation to test it.

"Well I guess that's it for tonight..."

Mars stood up and took off his boots and his boardsword that was strapped to his back before he laid down in a hammock, as he gently swayed from side to side by the waves of the sea Mars closed his eyes and regulated his breathing, soon he fell asleep...

A few days pa.s.sed uneventfully, the only thing Mars did was bake in the sun and check up on the former slave soldiers, besides Hanna and James there was Maire and Jess. Marie had shoulder length red hair and eyes, besides that she had a calm temper and was rather easy to talk to. Jess on the other hand was a little harder for Mars to talk to as she addressed him as 'general' and all in all acted a little like she still had the slave collar on, Mars suspected that this was because she had had the slave collar on the longest of the four. Her blue eyes also seemed like they were unclear most of the time like a shroud hang inside them. This troubled Mars some but he figured that if he just watched over her she should return to normal as she acted normally sometimes.

".... You guys sure are a handful."

"Mars?"

".... Sorry I was just speaking my thoughts Marie."

"So you think we're a handful?"

"Yeah, no doubt about that... Not that I'm unable to handle you at all."

"...I see."

Maire looked a little down so Mars put his hand on top of her head and ruffled her hair a bit before he added.

"Don't worry since I have rescued you I naturally will take care of you until you can handle yourselves."

Marie gave a smile and a nod before she also looked out over the sea like Mars did and for some time everything was calm, that is until the problem child showed up.

"General."

Mars gave a sigh as he turned around and saw Jess, well calling her a problem child was a little overboard.

"What is it Jess?"

Jess straightened her back and gave a salute as she awaited her next command, Mars gave another sigh and spoke.

"At ease."

"Yes general."

Jess spread her feet to about shoulder with and put her arms on her back as she now stood at ease and waited for Mars to speak.

"What is it Jess?"

"Sir the sailors have been looking at me for quite some time, but when I approach them and ask what they want they shy away and mumble something I am unable to hear, what should I do about this general?"

Mars gave yet another sigh, he had overheard the sailors talk about Jess, the thing was she had... Well quite the figure but her eyes almost always held a sort of intimidating gaze, this was most likely why the sailors acted like teenage boys around her.

"Well for now ignore them, but if they begin to hara.s.s you and/or yell mean things come back to me and I'll sort it out with them."

"Yes general."

Finished say what she wanted Jess gave a bow.

"Excuse me general."

Jess gave another salute before she walked away, Mars watched her for a bit before his gaze returned to the sea for sometime until he asked Marie.

"Do you know where James is at the moment?"

"Hmm... He should be in his room."

Mars gave a nod, James was a problem he needed to handle, staying in ones room and thinking deep thoughts could be harmful if one did it too much, and this was basically all James did.

"I'll be right back."

"Have a safe trip."

Mars left behind Marie and walked below deck before he found James' room and knocked.

"... What is it?"

"It's me, do you mind if I come in?"

"No I don't, it's unlocked."

Mars walked into the small cabin and saw James laying in the hammock looking up into the ceiling and gave a sigh before he spoke.

"So you are wearing clothes, come join me on deck."

"... Do I have too?"

"Unless you want to be dragged there, yes."

James gave a sigh and ruffled his back hair before he got out of the hammock and followed after Mars up on deck, then he asked.

"How long do I have to stay?"

"Hmm... An hour should be good."

"Okay..."

Then James walked off and sat down with his back towards a mast and looked up into the blue sky, Mars gave a nod and walked back over to Marie and continued watching the sea until the sky once again turned dark, Mars was about to leave the deck and go to sleep but on the way he met Hide that stopped him spoke.

"We will be arriving tomorrow morning."

"I see... Is there anything I should watch out for when we arrive?"

"No, we will handle everything. Just make sure to remember your luggage."

"Sure."

Mars went below deck after he informed the 4 former slave soldiers about the arrival tomorrow, as he walked into his cabin Mars shut the door behind him and took off his boots and laid in the hamrock and regulated his breathing before he fell asleep...

In the middle of the night Mars' eyes slowly opened as someone knocked on his door, Mars gave a sigh and got out of the hamrock and opened the door and found Jess standing outside his door. He found that this time her eyes were clear and she didn't stand at attention, clearly her mind was clear right now.

"Umm... Mars?"

"Yeah I'm awake what is it Jess?"

"... Do you mind if I stay here tonight?"

Mars' sharpened his senses and noticed she was trembling ever so slightly.

"Sure, come in."

Jess gave a nod and walked in before she sat down in the corner of the small cabin and hugged her legs.

"What happened?"

".... It's the sailors, they make me... Uneasy."

"I see, well you are welcome to stay on one condition."

"What is it?"

"You get some sleep in the hamrock."

"... Okay Mars."

Jess got up from the floor and climbed into the hamrock and soon she was asleep, Mars gave a sigh and sat down on the wooden floor before he crossed his legs and regulated his breathing and began meditating to pa.s.s the time...

As dawn broke Mars naturally awoke from his meditation and stood up and stretched before he quietly left the sleeping Jess behind in the room and went on to the deck of the s.h.i.+p. Once topside he met Hide which stood and looked at the morning sea and the ermaging islands in the distance.

"Good morning."

"Oh good morning Mars, you're up early."

"Yeah well things happened.... So what are the plans for today?"

"Well first off we dock, then it's off to meet the crown prince, he's you host for your visit I imagine the he has something planned."

".... I see."

Mars gave a nod, he looked at the ermaging islands and got a little excited about the whole diplomatic visit, most of all he was excited for the food of cause as one of Mars' favorite things to eat was fish.