Chapter 74: 11. Saint Nali (Request for Follow-up)
“Dear travelers, this is the Captain’s office of the Lauren, operated by the Nali Exploration Company. Thank you for choosing the flight with Nali Exploration Company. We have now arrived at our destination, Saint Nali. We wish you a pleasant journey once again. Please check your belongings; if you notice any lost items, please report them to the headquarters of Nali Exploration Company within 7 days.”
The captain’s announcement resonated again throughout the ship. Fisher organized his thesis manuscript, carefully sealing them in kraft paper before tucking them under his arm and picking up his staff.
“Renee?”
The cruise ship slowly entered the massive port of Saint Nali, and even from onboard, one could hear the lively conversations outside. Above in the sky, a magical duty station was maintaining order, with armed officials ensuring everything was in place below. Every month, there would be one or two tourists fleeing due to customs discovering prohibited items, and of course, there were also cases where wanted criminals were discovered.
Fisher adjusted his gentleman’s hat and called out to Renee. After a second or two, she emerged from her room in a different outfit. Previously, her conservative black dress was representative of Cardu, but beneath it, she had cleverly donned lace stockings.
Now, her attire had transformed into Nali-style lady’s clothing— a light golden silk long dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure. Her long hair was styled into an elegant bun, adorned with a white rose hairpin, and topped off with a white wide-brimmed hat.
She looked at Fisher with a smile, reached out to adjust his bow tie and gentleman’s hat, her fingers mischievously brushing against his cheek as she said, “What’s wrong? Are you mesmerized? You definitely prefer the Nali style to Cardu’s conservative clothing; it’s both beautiful and elegant, isn’t it?”
“I wanted to ask, where did you get all these clothes?”
Fisher was puzzled about where she had obtained her outfits since Renee had brought no luggage on this trip yet changed clothes often.
“I bought them in Saint Nali.”
“Wait, you went back to Saint Nali to buy clothes and then returned to the ship? Why go through all that? You could have just come to my place and helped me tidy up.”
Confronted with Fisher’s lack of romantic understanding, Renee scowled and pinched the muscle of Fisher’s arm, her tone dangerously low, “Mind your own business!”
“Okay.”
Following the crowd outside the ship, Fisher encountered the businessman, Leibah, whom he had met earlier. Seeing the dapper Fisher, Leibah deliberately slowed down, walked up to him, removed his hat, and greeted him.
“Sir, fortunately, the pirates didn’t rob my goods before; otherwise, I would have really been in trouble. By the way, here’s my business card. If you need any cigarettes or fine wines, you can find my employees at the shop on Enko Street. Show them this card for a special price.”
“Certainly.”
Fisher accepted the card he offered and realized this shop was a chain he often saw in Saint Nali. It seemed Leibah wasn’t just a small-time trader as he claimed.
Placing the business card in his pocket, Fisher bid farewell to Leibah and disembarked with Renee.
At customs, there were quite a few local young children. Seeing the guests disembarking with their luggage, they perked up and hurried over to ask if assistance was needed. However, their services weren’t free, usually ranging from 10 to 20 euros depending on the weight of the luggage.
If one paid a bit more, they would even help carry the luggage to the waiting carriages outside. However, this time, Fisher’s belongings remained in the Southern Continent, so he didn’t require their help.
“Fisher, I’ll wait for you outside.”
At customs, Renee, lacking identification, couldn’t accompany Fisher through the government’s checks. So, she whispered in Fisher’s ear and slowly disappeared into the crowd heading toward customs, with the Hart Bird perched above the customs gate indicating she was still nearby.
Fisher glanced at the Hart Bird above, carrying his luggage into the customs inspection hall. This level mainly checked if travelers had brought dangerous items into Saint Nali. He remembered a few years back when many traders secretly brought giant snails from the Southern Continent, leading to a massive infestation in Saint Nali’s rivers that couldn’t be eradicated.
Consequently, the Parliament issued the strictest customs prohibitions in history, banning travelers from bringing any plants or animals without special approval to prevent another giant snail incident.
Fisher was not carrying any dangerous items and after showing his identification, he passed through customs and entered his hometown, Saint Nali.
The sea breeze greeted him, carrying a strong scent of smoke and fire, with bustling crowds everywhere—government officials, local residents, newsboys, students, and government posters plastered all around the port.
“Environmental Protection Bill—Take Back Our Blue Skies from Factories!”
“Pioneer Party Midterm Election Proposal, Fourth District Renovation Plan.”
“The agenda concerning war orphans has been approved!”
“The Southern Continent Subhuman Protection Association is under construction, ‘Caring for Life’ is our slogan!”
Many citizens returning to Saint Nali after a long time paused at the political bulletin board. Fisher was among them, quickly scanning the information, speculating that the Pioneer Party, commonly referred to as the New Party, still maintained a high support rate before shifting his gaze and walking outward with his staff.
The road ahead was not muddy but cleanly paved with stones. Carriages traveled alongside, with tracks for public trams in the middle. Fisher glanced at the station; it would take about seven stops to reach his rental apartment.
Unbeknownst to him, Renee appeared beside Fisher, noticing his observation of the station. She pouted and poked his shoulder, saying, “Don’t take the tram, I’ll treat you to a carriage ride back.”
Fisher turned to glance at her, wondering where she suddenly got all this money. She used to consume his things when they were together, yet now, she seemed affluent after being apart.
“Where did you get the money?”
“The lady’s little treasure, gentlemen shouldn’t ask~”
She playfully pointed to her lipstick, tugging at Fisher’s sleeve as they walked towards the other end of the street, bypassing many hurried travelers and scenery. The buildings by the port displayed blue and white gryphon flags, symbolizing that this was the heart of Nali, Saint Nali.
“So, how does it feel to be back in Nali? Does breathing feel smoother?”
“It’s alright. At least I can enjoy fine wine and coffee again.”
“That’s good, but I’ll be setting off again in a few days. This time I’ll really go check the southern side of Cardu. I’ve really enjoyed spending this time with you, it’s been nice.”
Originally, Fisher intended to find an excuse to send Renee away, but hearing her mention leaving made him want to keep her around. When Fisher turned to look at her, he found her full of playful smiles, seemingly waiting for him to persuade her to stay.
Or perhaps, one glance was enough.
“Take care of yourself.”
There was no escaping it; even if Renee wasn’t the undead witch he was searching for, she was still a close friend he knew. Facing her teasing gaze, Fisher’s reply was earnest and serious.
“Hmph, I knew you wouldn’t say anything sweet. So what’s next? What are you planning to do?”
“Publish papers and make some money; my family is struggling to make ends meet.”
“Wasn’t it that you’re giving the dragon race that carriage that makes you struggle?”
“The 1500 euro ticket you bought me was the last straw that broke the camel’s back; in that sense, you’re not much different.”
“.Are we even splitting the costs?”
“‘The lady’s little treasure, gentlemen shouldn’t ask.'”
Fisher expressionlessly repeated what Renee had previously said, causing her to sulk. In her eyes, wasn’t Fisher also the worst-tempered man she had ever known?
The two engaged in light banter as they walked towards the carriage station, which would take them directly to their destination, sparing them the hour-long squeeze in a crowded tram back to Fisher’s apartment.
It’s worth mentioning that the Environmental Protection Bill might have been effective; surprisingly, on the day Fisher returned to Saint Nali, the sky was beautifully clear. The sea breeze from the port tousled the hair and faces of every Saint Nali resident, bringing with it the scent of the ocean.
“Sir, would you like to see our shop’s latest coffee offerings?”
“Welcome to the Maid Beverage Shop!”
“Sir, could you help me? I haven’t eaten for many days.”
Fisher paused slightly, directing his gaze to the source of the last voice.
By the church next to the port, a group of filthy beggars rested under the rain shelter at the station. It often rained in Saint Nali, making this spot a gathering place for beggars. The police occasionally chased them away, but no matter how many times they were driven away, they would simply return.
Fisher arrived in Saint Nali in the afternoon, and many beggars were napping. Only a couple were still shouting toward the street, hoping to encounter kind souls like Fisher.
He reached into his pocket and threw two Nali currencies into the beggar’s hands, before continuing on with his staff in hand.
“May the Mother bless you! Welcome to Saint Nali!”
The beggars behind him constantly bowed, yet Fisher, without looking back, said something he completely didn’t understand,
“Still, go believe in Ramastia; He can hear you.”
The beggar tilted his head, clutching the coins, clearly not understanding the well-dressed gentleman’s words.
He simply kept repeating, “Welcome to Saint Nali!”
Requesting follow-ups and votes is very important to me.
Thank you very much!
(*`*)
(End of chapter)
