Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 29
He had an idea why Miguel invited him to work under him. There were rumors that Karlos was blessed by the sea, a belief passed around among the coastal folk. Miguel probably wanted to use that so-called unique ability to earn profit, thinking Karlos would be his golden ticket.
Karlos had no intention of working under someone, not now and certainly not in the foreseeable future. Especially when he had his own boat. Even though it was only a small one, it was enough for his livelihood.
Besides, Karlos didn't actually believe that being blessed by the sea was a real thing. It was probably just something people exaggerated. He just felt like he was lucky, luckier than others, perhaps.
'I'll only believe that I'm blessed by the sea if I catch a big yellowfin tuna or leopard coral grouper today. Then again, that's probably impossible.'
Karlos talked to himself in a half-joking tone. He placed his belongings in the boat, including his fishing rod, which he had cleaned and prepared the night before just in case. He felt like fishing in the sea today. He was quite excited about it.
Karlos pushed the boat into the sea and started the engine, the rumble echoing gently across the quiet shore.
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Around 7 a.m., Maya woke up and stretched her arms, yawning softly. Based on the sunlight seeping through the cracks of the closed window, it was already morning. She looked at the clock and confirmed the time, nodding to herself.
Before doing anything, Maya always made sure to say her thanks and pray to the Ocean Goddess, a habit deeply rooted in her. Growing up in a family of fishermen, she was introduced to the religion of the Ocean Church since childhood, long before she even understood what faith really meant. Her mother always prayed sincerely every morning, whispering softly with closed eyes and hands clasped near her chest.
At first, Maya found it a bit monotonous and excessive, a repetition that felt more like routine than devotion. But now, she was following in her mother's footsteps with the same sense of commitment and reverence.
Maya prayed seriously to the Ocean Goddess, her eyes shut tightly, hoping the deity would protect her husband every time he went fishing. She had been praying religiously every morning without fail, no matter the situation.
After a few minutes of prayer, Maya started her day. She folded the bedding and mosquito nets. The kids were already crawling around and active, their tiny hands exploring the railings of the crib. Arabella was even trying to climb out, a determined little climber with too much energy for her size.
The twins were happy to see their mother, their chubby arms waving and legs kicking in excitement. They cried out, staring at her breasts for obvious reasons, the universal hunger of babies in full display.
Maya gently carried Arabella first and fed her, brushing strands of hair while doing so. She couldn't feed two children at once, even though she had two nipples. It was difficult to nurse both at the same time without assistance or a proper setup. So she settled with feeding Arabella first, since she was the troublesome one, always the louder and more impatient twin. Once Arabella was satisfied, Maya fed Iñigo, who waited quietly, watching his mother with wide eyes.
After she was done feeding the twins, she moved into the open kitchen and started cooking. She prepared rice and vegetables with fish, a simple dish that filled the place with a comforting aroma.
Once that was done, she busied herself cleaning the house, sweeping, folding, wiping, the usual routine. She hummed while doing chores. This was her job every day, and sometimes she found it boring and monotonous. However, despite this, Maya never thought of looking for a job, not even a part-time one. The idea of working was a turn-off for her. She didn't want to work under a boss or be told what to do by a stranger.
Besides, her husband was earning well, more than enough for their daily needs. They also received a monthly payment for renting out the shop she inherited from her parents, which added extra financial comfort.
She sometimes glanced at the wooden gate, waiting for her husband to arrive. Hoping to hear the familiar creak and the sound of his voice calling her name. Even though they spent time together every day, Maya still missed her husband, no matter how often they were together.
Suddenly, she heard Arabella yelling. Perhaps calling her name or simply announcing chaos like she always did.
Maya dropped the broom and inspected her daughter, her instincts already sensing trouble. She sighed as she found the bamboo floor wet.
"You peed?"
"Ga!" Arabella replied proudly, as if it were an achievement worth celebrating.
It was fortunate that she was wearing a diaper, so she didn't wet the floor that much, just a small puddle Maya could clean easily.
"Let's change your diaper."
Arabella giggled as her mother carried her carefully to the small table, trying her best not to get wet. Once Maya was done changing her diaper, Iñigo also called out.
"Ya!"
She turned to him and found he had also peed in his diaper, synchronized siblings in action. Maya shook her head and carried him to the table with a sigh. She masterfully changed his diaper, a skill perfected through repetition. God knows how many times she'd changed these kids' diapers.
"You guys are getting naughty!"
The twins just giggled, guilty but adorable.
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"What the heck?"
Karlos was stunned as he reeled in the line with a firm grip and widened eyes. This was his second catch, and he hadn't expected it to be another Leopard Coral Grouper! He didn't expect this kind of luck.
Karlos had just finished hauling his traps and collecting the day's catch of crabs and prawns. His haul today was smaller compared to yesterday. Perhaps he could sell and earn around 3,800 pesos, assuming the buyers didn't haggle him. Unless the price of crabs and prawns fluctuated too much but that rarely happened.
Thankfully, he had brought his fishing rod as another method of catching fish, a backup he appreciated. When he found a nice spot in the middle of the sea, he set his bait and threw the hook into the water. It didn't take long before he caught a Leopard Coral Grouper. A shocking catch enough to make him laugh out loud.
Leopard Coral Grouper was the most expensive grouper in the region, perhaps in the entire country. Prized not only for its flavor but also for its vibrant appearance. It had a reddish-orange body covered in blue spots, forming a leopard-like pattern, hence the name.
However, this fish could only grow up to 27 inches and weigh around 5 kilograms at most.
The first fish Karlos caught was about 15 inches long, enough to put a proud grin on his face. He was already imagining how much it could fetch at the market.
But when his second catch turned out to be another Leopard Coral Grouper, bigger this time. Probably 24 inches, it surprised him even more. His luck today was borderline magical.
Leopard Coral Grouper could be sold for 1,500 pesos per kilogram if alive, a high price due to its premium quality. The last time he heard, a fisherman had sold dozens of them at the fish port for 1,286 pesos per kilo, but most of them were already dead.
Karlos weighed his two catches by instinct. The smaller one was around 1 kilogram. The bigger one was 4 kilograms, a hefty fish he had to grip with both hands.
If Karlos could sell them at 1,500 pesos per kilo, he could earn 7,500 pesos! That was huge, almost double what he had expected to bring home today.
It was fortunate that Karlos had prepared a large container, because he expected to fish today, a wise decision. He placed his second catch in the container, half-filled with water, making sure the fish could swim comfortably. He punctured the belly of the fish just like he did with the first one, carefully using a needle.
Karlos did that so the gas trapped in the fish could escape, something he had learned as a fisherman.
This method was used to keep deep-sea fish alive despite pressure changes. Karlos only did this for large fish that lived in deep waters, creatures not used to sudden rise. These fish had a harder time adjusting to the pressure difference, causing them to bloat like inflated balloons. Puncturing their bellies helped them survive longer, buying him more time to reach the shore and sell them alive.
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