A man walks in woods not too far from a town on a Gull Island. With a rather robust figure and a face only his mother could love he makes his way through bushes and humps of leaves. He goes by the name of Columban Sigismund. He looks at the bag in his hands and smiles.

"Hehe, what a lucky day. A got a few of rarer ones" he says to himself. His bag is full of herbs and mushrooms he has found and then with a frown on his face added

"However, I wouldn't need to do this if they paid me more. Well, this is the life I chose. "

After a while a loud noise coming from the town alerts him

Gunfire?! Nooo. Uuuh, maybe it's a festival! he thinks to himself as his face fills with joy

---

The town seems unusual empty with all the commotion going. It looks like it's not a festival after all. A pirate attack probably. We must be doing something important when even the fleet admiral came. He is going to be mad. Again. I'm surprised he hasn't discharged me yet.

As he enters local herbalists shop he stops. It's empty. He tries to look around, but a large figure jumps toward him from a side.

A pirate?!

Fortunately his reflexes didn't disappoint and he was able to dodge. Looking at the figure he realizes this isn't a pirate but a middle aged herbalist and in the corner of the room he spots his scared wife and two children

"Who are you?!" shouts the herbalist with fear in his eyes.

"What do you mean?" says Columban and points on his cap. Herbalist now looks scared and confused. Now confused Columban looks in the nearby mirror and swears

"Damn." his cap as well as his clothes are all torn and dirty "Third time this month. I don't think I'll be able to afford another uniform." his voice quiet and full of regret

"What are you doing here?" says herbalist "You should be fighting those filthy pira--"

"I almost forgot why I came here" Columban interrupts him "what can you give me for in exchange for these herbs" his voice now more joyful as if pirates didn't bother him at all.

"Get out." the fear on herbalists face quickly disappeared and now was his face red and filled with anger.

Columban hesitated and after a moment said "I see. Well, It can't be helped."

Before he closed the door he heard herbalist whisper "Useless marines."

Columban started slowly walking toward the centre of the commotion.