Chapter 852
“I’m quite sure that after this, Anton won’t encounter any issues with any of the establishments here in the Noble Section,” Paul said.
“Mostly, it would only matter for the restaurants. I don’t think the other shops are that important since I still have to pay for anything I want to buy from them. I understand that the ship only covers my food expenses, and that’s only here in the Noble Section. In the Middle Section, I still have to pay for everything,” Anton told Paul and Eric as the three exited the restaurant.
What Anton did not tell them was that it was not the ship covering part of his expenses. It was the government of Ormunda, thanks to the portal scrolls he submitted every month.
“Where do you want to go next?” Paul asked.
“I don’t know. Let’s watch one of those plays in one of the theaters here,” Anton said.
Anton was a little surprised when both Paul and Eric chose a classy romantic play. He had expected them to go to the Middle Section to watch one of the trashy, pornographic productions instead. He supposed that even hormone-filled young men sometimes enjoyed watching something romantic but wholesome. He was not judging them, considering that he himself enjoyed romantic comedy movies.
Since the theater they chose was located in the Noble Section, it was almost guaranteed that the quality of the performance and its actors would be among the best. After the play ended, the three had nothing but praise for it.
Anton thought the play—a simple love story between a young nobleman and a farmer’s daughter—was ridiculously funny and wholesome. To be honest, with a setting like that, a less innocent mind could easily imagine a very different type of story.
He imagined that a story like the one they had seen would appeal strongly to the fantasies of young women, and he noticed that most of the audience indeed consisted of young women.
Anton had to admit that the production was reminiscent of old movies from Earth that featured only a handful of characters and a limited number of locations. As a result, the story relied heavily on dialogue rather than spectacle.
The story was sweet enough that Eric expressed interest in watching it again.
Afterward, the three wandered around the Noble Section without any particular destination in mind. Their original plan of simply walking around without entering any establishments was quickly abandoned. Instead, they entered whatever establishments caught their interest and spent a few minutes browsing the products on display.
While drinking coffee in a small café, Anton, Paul, and Eric discussed the absurdity of the play’s storyline. All three knew that such events rarely happened in real life. The reality was that the nobleman depicted in the play would most likely have taken advantage of the girl, and the story would have ended there.
“That’s exactly why the story worked,” Anton told them. “It’s a fantasy that wouldn’t happen in the real world. It appeals to the romantic aspirations of its audience, which is mostly young women. Or didn’t you notice that most of the audience were young women?”
“I don’t care what Paul says. I liked the story. Once I become a powerful wizard someday, maybe I’ll meet a beautiful farmer’s daughter and marry her. We’ll have a huge family, and our love story will be passed down through the generations as a family legacy,” Eric said, still captivated by the idea of romantic love.
Paul immediately began teasing Eric, escalating from calling him stupid to questioning his masculinity altogether.
Anton had to intervene before the two started brawling right there in the café.
He scolded them for ruining the relaxed atmosphere he had been enjoying that afternoon. The two immediately calmed down, knowing they did not want to jeopardize their newly earned access to the Noble Section.
While sipping their third cups of coffee, they talked about what they planned to do over the next few days, though all three knew that those plans would probably change.
“I wish a giant kraken would attack us,” Anton suddenly said.
“Why would you want the ship to be attacked by a sea monster?” Paul asked.
“The Melinda wouldn’t be in any real danger. It has several powerful wizards protecting it. I just want to steal a tentacle or two. When the ship I was on, traveling from Rendindura to the Gale Continent, was attacked by a kraken, I managed to get hold of one of its tentacles. It was some of the most delicious seafood I’ve ever tasted in my life,” Anton said as he reminisced about the flavor.
When Eric asked what it tasted like, Anton explained that a single bite brought a freshness that made one imagine life beneath the ocean itself. He described the taste as utterly delectable and unlike any seafood he had ever eaten, and he had tasted plenty.
After hearing that description, Paul and Eric also began wishing that the Melinda would be attacked by the legendary sea creature.
Anton, however, told them that even if such a thing happened, stealing a tentacle would be much more difficult this time. The ship was protected by powerful wizards, and they would likely secure the creature before anyone else could get near it.
Still, he assured them that he would do his best to acquire a tentacle or two if the opportunity presented itself.
After leaving the café, Paul persuaded Anton to visit a tailor. Paul wanted the three of them to dress in clothing more appropriate for the Noble Section. Although the judgmental looks from others should not have mattered, he admitted that they were beginning to irritate him.
Fortunately, the tailor had several ready-made suits that fit all three of them. According to the tailor, their body types were common among fit young men their age, so they would not have to wait days for custom tailoring.
Paul and Eric purchased multiple sets of suits, but Anton did not.
Instead, he told them that he already owned several suits that were superior to anything the tailor had available.
When the tailor expressed skepticism, Anton retrieved a couple of the suits Raymond had prepared for him. He had hundreds of them stored in his inventory, each intended for different occasions.
The moment the tailor saw the suits, he immediately recognized the label sewn into them. He explained that the creator was one of the most famous tailors in Ormunda and that each suit probably cost an enormous amount of gold. Supposedly, only powerful and well-connected nobles could obtain clothing of that quality.
Anton admitted that he had no idea how much they cost, as everything had been handled by his family’s butler.
He could only shake his head at Raymond’s incredible competence.
Anton, Paul, and Eric changed into their new clothes so they could roam the Noble Section looking like wealthy young nobles.
Before they left, Anton cast a cleaning spell on all three of them. He explained that wearing expensive clothes while feeling dirty made him uncomfortable.
Paul and Eric simply accepted his reasoning, and soon the three were walking around in their new outfits.
Anton had to admit that people treated them noticeably better once they were properly dressed.
Even so, he felt that his mage robes still commanded far more respect than any suit ever could. The real issue was that he was currently wearing ordinary clothes instead of his robes. He had chosen comfort while aboard the ship because he considered it relatively safe.
Besides, if he ever needed his combat gear, equipping the armor from his Diablo II system would only take a few seconds.
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