The plot was progressing more slowly than Ethan had expected. Although word had already spread about Norrington's impending promotion to brigadier general, and the barracks were busy with preparations, Jack Sparrow had yet to make an appearance.
Without that flamboyant, cunning pirate captain, Ethan had no choice but to wait.
With time on his hands, he attempted to establish a clear timeline for the Pirates of the Caribbean world. Doing so would help him determine how best to proceed with his plans.
However, he soon realized that pinpointing an exact timeline was difficult. The Pirates of the Caribbean films provided very few concrete time references. The most reliable clue was from the post-credits scene at the end of the third film, where Elizabeth, now a mother, had a ten-year-old son. That child later appeared as the secondary protagonist in the fifth film.
The first three movies were tightly connected in terms of time, but the exact timing of the fourth installment—On Stranger Tides—was unclear. Unfortunately, that was the film most relevant to Ethan's main objective.
Both the Fountain of Youth and Blackbeard played crucial roles in the fourth movie. From the established lore, Blackbeard—Edward Teach—was already infamous worldwide. He was significantly older than Jack Sparrow, so Ethan didn't need to worry about whether Blackbeard existed yet. The real question was whether Blackbeard had already mastered his supernatural abilities.
And more importantly… how was Ethan supposed to find him?
The fourth movie introduced a key lead, Blackbeard's daughter, Angelica. She had a known connection to Jack Sparrow, making her the most direct way to track down Blackbeard through Jack.
Without that lead, Ethan would have to search aimlessly across the vast ocean, much like the navies that had failed to capture Blackbeard.
"There's no solid intelligence yet… the odds of finding him are way too low."
After analyzing the timeline, Ethan realized that using Angelica as a lead wouldn't work either. He carefully combed through every detail he could recall. Thanks to his training as a mage, he could retrieve deep-seated memories with ease, though it took some effort.
That effort paid off, he remembered that Blackbeard had only recognized Angelica as his daughter shortly before the fourth film began. If Ethan tracked her down now, it was unlikely she would lead him to Blackbeard.
Besides, there was no telling whether Jack Sparrow had already crossed paths with her. If Jack hadn't met her yet, then she wouldn't be a viable lead at all.
"So, I can only rely on Jack Sparrow's guidance."
Factoring in the time required for sea travel, Ethan realized that he wouldn't be able to accomplish everything in a single visit to this world.
"That simplifies things. First, I just need to befriend Jack."
Establishing a connection would come first. Everything else could be discussed later. Jack Sparrow was hardly a trustworthy ally, but even a transactional partnership would be beneficial. Ethan might have to pay a price for that relationship, but it was one he could afford.
Time passed. As usual, Ethan spent his days wandering around town, stopping by Will Turner's forge before heading to the port.
By now, many locals recognized him. However, their private opinions of him weren't particularly flattering.
Ethan's sharp senses often picked up murmurs behind his back. Many gossiped about how he was young yet idle, spending his days aimlessly wandering instead of working. Others speculated that he was a noble's descendant—after all, he never seemed to lack money, always kept himself clean, wore high-quality fabrics, and avoided the filthier parts of town with visible distaste.
Initially, people complained about his apparent laziness, but over time, the idea that he was an aristocrat's son took root. The more they observed him, the more they noticed subtle differences between him and ordinary folk. To them, Ethan's habits resembled those of the nobility.
Even the innkeeper where Ethan stayed had started looking at him strangely. Though Ethan wasn't actually a noble, the man remained respectful, perhaps puzzled as to why someone of noble status would choose to lodge at his establishment.
"Things are getting weird."
Then, the most unexpected situation occurred—Weatherby Swann, the Governor of Port Royal, sent him an invitation to visit his mansion.
"Now this is getting really weird."
Through gossip, Ethan had come to understand just how different he was from the people of this era. Many of his habits, normal to him were things the lower-class citizens of this time couldn't even fathom.
Governor Swann must have initially dismissed the rumors, but after further investigation, he likely gathered enough information to suspect that Ethan wasn't a commoner. That was probably why he had extended an invitation.
Regardless of his actual reason, as the local governor, Swann couldn't ignore the presence of a well-dressed young man of unknown background freely wandering through his territory.
If Ethan was simply a noble's son on an adventure, the governor had a duty to ensure his safety. The last thing he needed was for a powerful noble family to come knocking on his door, demanding an explanation for some accident.
If Ethan was a representative sent by the British Crown, Swann would naturally want to make a good impression. A negative report could have political consequences for him.
And if Ethan was a foreigner… there was always the possibility that he was a spy.
No matter which scenario was true, Swann had reason to meet with him. Hence, the invitation now in Ethan's hands.
"This is a bit troublesome."
Of course, Ethan wasn't actually a noble. He could already guess the governor's reasoning. His ambiguous identity could be both a problem and an opportunity.
The real issue was that he knew very little about the current state of Britain. Given the ongoing tensions between Britain and Spain, impersonating a Spaniard was out of the question. On top of that, he had no knowledge of noble etiquette from this era, meaning any attempt to pose as an aristocrat would likely fail.
"It's best to just play dumb and go with the flow."
That might even lead Swann to believe Ethan was intentionally concealing his identity, making him seem even more mysterious.
It wasn't a plan he had much faith in, but it was better than nothing.
After changing into a more formal outfit and tidying up his appearance, Ethan followed the governor's men to the mansion.
He was escorted to a reception room designated for entertaining guests. He didn't have to wait long before the Governor of Port Royal arrived.
"Hello, I am Weatherby Swann, Governor of Port Royal. Welcome to Port Royal."
"Hello, I'm Ethan."
Ethan noticed Governor Swann maintaining a polite smile, seemingly waiting for him to continue. Left with no choice, he added awkwardly, "Just Ethan."
Governor Swann's expression faltered slightly, clearly disappointed. He had hoped to determine Ethan's background from his surname, but the young man had deliberately withheld it. To Swann, this came across as evasive, Ethan didn't want to reveal his identity.
"I hear you've been in Port Royal for some time now?"
"Yes, nearly a month."
Port Royal was a major port in the Caribbean, a relatively developed town but to Ethan, it still fell short. Though he didn't show outright disdain, his indifference was enough for Governor Swann to form his own assumptions.
"And what do you think of Port Royal?"
Unsure of how to answer, Ethan resorted to polite formalities. He praised Governor Swann's governance, calling Port Royal stable, prosperous, and full of potential, even suggesting that it could become the leading city in the Caribbean in the future.
Flattery was always well received. Even though Swann knew these were just polite words, he still appreciated them.
The conversation that followed, however, became somewhat awkward for Ethan. Governor Swann repeatedly steered the discussion toward Europe, leaving Ethan to respond vaguely, adding only a few comments here and there.
At first, Swann suspected that Ethan wasn't British, given his reluctance to discuss England. But as their conversation continued, he realized that Ethan possessed broad and extensive knowledge across multiple subjects, indicative of a high-level and well-rounded education.
In this era, ordinary civilians had no access to such education. Combined with the refined habits Ethan had exhibited, Swann became almost certain that he was dealing with a noble.
Since Ethan's name didn't suggest Spanish origins, Governor Swann regained his enthusiasm. His demeanor became noticeably warmer, and he even invited Ethan to stay for dinner.
Seeing Swann's reaction, Ethan knew his identity had been thoroughly misunderstood. But he had no reason to correct it, so he simply let the misconception stand.
The conversation gradually shifted to a discussion about improving Port Royal's development. With little else to contribute, Ethan found himself drawing from his experience with city-building simulation games to offer suggestions.
While discussing sewage systems, sanitation, and disease prevention, a graceful figure suddenly entered the room.
Ethan immediately recognized her, the heroine of the first three Pirates of the Caribbean films: Elizabeth Swann.
"Apologies, Father! I didn't know you had a guest."
"It's no trouble at all." Swann, who had now fully embraced the belief that Ethan was a young noble, introduced him with a smile. "This is Ethan. He recently arrived in Port Royal and has been sharing his thoughts on the city's development."
Then, turning to Ethan, he added, "And this is my daughter, Elizabeth."
***
Just created a Discord server, and you're all invited to join.
Whether you want to discuss the books you're reading, get new recommendations, or just chat about great stories, you'll also have direct access to me if you'd like to suggest a ff for me to work on.
Also, I'll be sharing character illustrations for my ffs later. And to kick things off, I'll be giving away one month of free Patreon membership to three random members later this week, so you definitely don't want to miss out.
DÎscőrd link: https://discord.gg/UN2j5Cmq