”I’m embarrassed to admit that whenever I go to sleep I still dream of finding treasures”

Captain Cutthroat and John watched as Corent burst out laughing, as if he had just heard a joke.

“You think this is funny, old man?” John drew his saber threateningly.

“Oh, you can’t scare me with that,” Corent chuckled, wiping a tear of laughter from the corner of his eye. “I’ve been around too long to be intimidated by clueless children like yourselves.”

“Clueless children? Why, I’ll kill you right now!”

“Do what you must, but know that even in death I’ll be better off than all of you. You’re all trapped in your search for money, slaves to your desires. You’ll never be free, not while you waste your lives in pursuit of treasures.”

“Thanks for the philosophical lecture! Now tell us where all our treasure is!”

“Your treasure? Ha! Everyone thinks they are entitled to treasures. But the truth is, we’re not entitled to anything. Everything in life is just a gift. We should be happy with whatever we have, however little it is.”

“Captain, permission to kill him now?” John’s hand trembled on the hilt of his sword. “Please, Captain, let me do it.”

“Wait.” Captain Cutthroat tucked his pistol into the sash tied around his waist. “I see we can’t intimidate you. I respect that, see. You’re an old man who doesn’t have anything to live for, anyhow. So, we’ll stop with the threats and just make a request, man to man. Tell us, if you please, when did the other captain and the boy come here? When did they take all of the treasure and where are they headed?”

“Oh, there wasn’t ever any treasure on this island, my good sir. I made up the entire legend. The captain and the boy were here, I won’t deny that. But they’re long gone now. No point in chasing them, as I’ve already told you; they did not take any treasure except my old ship with my old friend Jack aboard, if he’s still alive.”

“Jack? Who’s Jack?”

Corent just smiled and shrugged.