Chapter 34

The Saran River is formed by the confluence of three rivers from the Empire, and its name was changed to the Saran River upon entering the Union.

Within the Union, the river widens and its flow becomes gentle, running through the country from north to south, and finally reaching the sea at the southernmost Calisto region, completing its course.

In the Empire, the river's swift flow erodes the soil and carries it away with nutrients. However, in the Union, the flow becomes calm, and the soil it carries settles and deposits.

Over a long period, the Saran River has created fertile soil in the Union.

At the dock Ignacio had taught her, there was a simple pier and a small shack for the caretaker on the side.

Bertine stood by the riverbank for a while, gazing at the Saran River, then called out to the caretaker's shack from outside.

"Hello, is anyone there?"

When she called out, a man in his forties came out and looked at Bertine and Dorothe curiously.

"Hello. I heard that I can board a boat here. When is the next boat leaving?"

The man, as if teaching someone who had misunderstood, said,

"The boat leaves once a week, but isn't something wrong? The passengers are all men, and they sleep in a communal cabin. There are no rooms for nobles or women."

"Yes, I know. So, when is the next boat?"

"Three days from now, around noon. Are you really going to board, miss?"

"Yes."

"It's going to be a bunch of rough men around you."

"I don't mind."

The man, who looked doubtful, booked three tickets for them and they returned home. Bertine then told Diego, "We're going to the southern end of the Union by boat."

Dorothe immediately started to worry about the specifics.

"If we have to sleep in a communal cabin, we need to prepare clothes, miss."

"That's true. I'm tall, so I can wear men's clothes. Dorothe, you need to buy men's clothes and adjust the length quickly."

"Leave it to me. I'll prepare the clothes right away."

Three days later, they arrived at the dock wearing men's shirts and pants. There were two other passengers waiting at the dock. The men looked surprised at the sight of Bertine and the others and muttered, "This is the first time we've had female passengers."

"I won't be a bother. Please take care of me."

"We're going to play poker the whole time until we reach our destination. Don't get mad if it gets noisy."

"Of course. If you don't mind, I'd like to join you."

"That's fine, but this could be a good opportunity to make some money."

Bertine and the others' conversation made Dorothe and Diego smile wryly. The men, seeing the two servants smiling, thought they were exasperated by their mistress's whims.

Soon, the boat arrived.

The river boat was quite different from the boats Bertine knew in the Kingdom of Sanloren. It had a shallow draft and a wide hull, giving the impression of a large raft barely maintaining its shape. Two masts were equipped with several white triangular sails. The cabin section was a flat, box-like structure with a simple design.

As Diego helped her board the boat from the pier, the dimly lit cabin was filled with hammocks hanging from the ceiling beams. The air was thick with the smell of tobacco, alcohol, and men.

"Oh, it's hammocks, not beds. I've always wanted to try one."

"How do you get in and out, miss?"

"I'll show you."

Diego straddled the hammock, leaned forward, and then brought his legs into the hammock.

"To get out, you do the reverse. You can also sit down first and then lie down, but this is safer until you get used to it."

Bertine managed to get in successfully, but Dorothe fell out once. The other passengers laughed at the sight.

"Dorothe, it's a loving laugh, so don't take it to heart."

"I understand. I'll get better quickly, so don't worry."

Even before they had settled their luggage, poker games were already starting in various parts of the boat. Four groups of three to five or six people had started playing on foldable tables. As Bertine watched, the men she had met at the dock called out to her.

"Miss, do you want to play?"

"Is that okay?"

"Sure, I'll keep the stakes low for you."

"Thank you for your consideration."

All the men were grinning, thinking they had a rich mark.

However, after a while, a pile of large and small copper coins had accumulated in front of Bertine.

"What the heck, you're winning all by yourself."

"I'm sorry. I seem to be having good luck."

A man with a beard from another group, who had been listening, called out.

"Miss, do you want to join our group? The stakes are a bit higher."

"Sure, thank you."

Their group was stacking small silver coins on a round table. One of the bearded man's companions warned,

"Is it okay to play with a noble? You might get called to the principal's office later."

"Oh, my parents wouldn't do something so unsophisticated. Besides, my father taught me poker. If I lose, he'll reflect on his teaching."

"Then we'll play without holding back, miss."

After a while, a pile of small silver coins had accumulated in front of Bertine.

"No way! Are you cheating?"

"Check for yourself. Do you see any place to hide cards?"

"Well, when you put it that way..."

Bertine had anticipated this and had rolled up her sleeves and taken off her jacket with pockets. She was wearing a thin shirt and her pants had buttoned pocket flaps.

"I've been trained by my father since I was five."

"Your father is a noble, right?"

"A noble in the Kingdom of Sanloren, but he loves poker."

"Man, if I had known about your skills, I wouldn't have invited you."

"I'm sorry to win alone on my first river boat trip. If you can tell me about the delicious food in the Calisto region, I'll buy all the drinks tonight."

Everyone stirred at her words.

"Miss, are you serious?"

"Hey! You haven't even played yet."

"I've won a lot, so I'll treat everyone. Please drink without hesitation. Oh, is the bar open?"

"The bar isn't open, but the crew member with glasses is in charge of the drinks. Give the money to him!"

"I'll treat you, miss."

From then on, everyone gathered around Bertine and told her about the delicious food and sights in the Calisto region.

"Please, no baked cob or oil-cooked scallops."

"What, you know about them?"

"Oil-cooked puffer fish is delicious."

"No, puffer fish is best grilled over charcoal with salt."

"I like steamed clams with white wine."

"Steamed liver of large-mouth fish is the best appetizer."

"No, no, braised conch with white wine and herbs is the best."

Bertine smiled as she wrote down all the information. She had enjoyed the game and gathered useful information. The start of the trip was going well. Dorothe and Diego, who had been smiling wryly, quietly approached her.

"Miss, you're quite mischievous."

"Yes, it's not very mature to take all the money from amateurs."

"Shh. It's fine, Dorothe. I'll return it all in drinks. Besides, I'm not an amateur, Diego."

"Miss, you can't be called an amateur."

Diego was strict.

Bertine had learned poker at five and steadily improved her skills. By the time she was ten, she occasionally beat her father. By fifteen, she was evenly matched, and by twenty, she won about eighty percent of the time. After twenty, she could almost always beat her father.

The secret to her success was not particularly unusual. When her hand was bad or someone was about to win big, she would lose small early on. She would then bet big and win big when the time was right. Her father had taught her not to be greedy and not to leave the outcome to chance. But this was difficult for most people.

"Damn Bertine, you play with a maturity beyond your years," the marquis who had taught her the secret often lamented.

The ten-day river journey passed with talk of the delicious food by the sea and endless poker games. The enjoyable boat trip ended safely, and the three arrived at the Calisto region.

I have already scheduled posts for the year-end and New Year period. I would be happy if you could take a peek when you have some free time.