In the smoke and the salt, Weyer made the impossible choice. He would sacrifice the cargo to save the town. Grain spilled into the harbor and soaked the boards; the corsairs, wanting quick profit, scrambled to claim the easiest prize and were delayed by the slippery chaos. The militia pressed the advantage and, heavy with luck and grit, pushed the attackers back. The cost was dear: warehouses burned, and the cog that had carried Weyer’s future sank with a long, reluctant sigh.