Once Upon A Time

Ch. 1: Awakening

   The sun sets on the west as you stare at it sinking to the sea, looking at the orange-shaded sky that starts darkening. The sound of waves hitting the ship echoes in empty scenery almost makes you drift to sleep but if the cold railing that you are leaning on doesn't bump your head. You can sense presence on the deck by the equipment's sound, a loud bumping noise, and a loud shout, make you disturbed enough not to be able to sleep.

   Being curious with all of these ruckus, your eyes peek a little to the deck. There are tan-skinned men picking up something from the ocean using the crane. One with light-coloured hair gives direction to one that controls the crane while the hairless one helps bringing up the item. The brown-haired one controls the crane with the lever on the deck, and that someone happens to be your uncle.

   "We've finally recovered a treasure chest that sank a hundred years ago!" "Quick, let's open it up!"

   You can see something is emerging from behind the deck, slowly being pulled with a crane. It creates a loud thump that it shakes the ship and makes the railing hit your head. You can see their faces are plastered with expression of excited sailors retrieving an old folk's story. It isn't really interesting so you just sigh and lay down more for a while, shifting to comfortable position where that railing won't hit you.

   "Isn't it a bit long for a treasure chest?"

   Hearing that, it peaks your interest more than sleeping. You bring your body up to see the chest is indeed long from afar. You walk to the deck to see it being covered in barnacles, closing any gaps and decorating it with nature's look. But those can't hide the luxury of gold and metal along with gems attached on it. It is definitely looked like a treasure chest, but then it has a structure of a coffin.

   "Why did you pull out that coffin out, uncle?" you ask. "Another sailor's tale?"

   "Yeah. This is said to be a treasure chest. People say that it is dropped by a noble's ship a hundred years ago in a fire." Your face just drops in disappointment. It is definitely just one of the stories that is planned to give people false hope so they can drown in it. Though, it would be nice to get easy money for you and your uncle.

   "Hey! Why would you bring your niece here? She can't really do anything but stay inside!" the light-haired man shouts at your uncle, with the hairless nods at him. You just look at him with displeasure, biting down any smart comeback.

   "It is not really a problem if she doesn't disturb, does it?" your uncle says in your stead. "Don't listen to him, [Y/n]. Please get us some blades. It seems the gaps are covered with barnacles that even if we pick the lock, we can't open it until we get rid of those." Hearing his request, you take out three daggers from your bag. You quickly hand each one by one, but you give the light-haired man dagger by the tip pointing at him.

   "That is a coffin, Uncle. That can't have anything but a corpse," you speak up. No one stores any treasure in coffin except their dead loved ones. Probably, they would do it in the past. But for not knowing who would pick it up rather than leaving their treasures on land, the people from the past must be generous.

   "What are you saying?! Look at it! It is decorated with gold rim and metals!" the light-haired man insists. "At least if there is a corpse, we can throw it away and get money from selling the coffin!" he continues as getting rid the barnacles of the chest. The bald man just ignores your remark and follows the man's action. Your uncle just sighs as they clean up the barnacles.

   It takes several minutes before the sun completely sets to clear the barnacles off the opening of the coffin. The only thing that is blocking them from opening the chest is the lock on it. That's what you find strange since how people would lock a corpse, as if people are scared that... the corpse will become alive again.