Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Neutral, Friendly Serenia
"Wow, it’s so lively," Yvonne Lynch exclaimed, but then she fell silent, just like Faye Yardley. A pang of heartache struck her; her world had once been just as bustling and vibrant.
The raft sailed into the harbor alongside other boats of all sizes.
It was then that Faye Yardley truly witnessed the diversity of life here.
Compared to the others, Eamon actually looked relatively normal.
There were Merfolk with fish heads, Octopoids, Treants, members of the winged Elven Race, Skeletons, and more.
Of course, the vast majority were still normal-looking humans.
The air was a mix of shouts, vendors’ calls, and loud, cheerful conversations. All the different beings seemed to coexist in perfect harmony.
[Dear player, you are about to dock at Port Serenia. Please prepare for arrival.]
[Friendly Reminder: Serenia is a neutral and friendly city. Fighting and killing are prohibited within the city limits.]
[As you have used a Refined Island Entry Order, you may stay on the island for 72 hours. We wish you a pleasant visit.]
Faye Yardley took out the Invitation Card and confirmed its use.
A moment later, Ethan Yardley materialized out of thin air on the raft.
Eamon rushed out of the planting room and tugged on Faye Yardley’s sleeve. "Faye, I want to go too! I can pay."
"Holy crap, this is real! I feel like I’m back in my old world," Ethan Yardley had just said when he saw all the different creatures and promptly shut his mouth. His old world was nowhere near this magical.
As Faye Yardley lowered her eyes, wondering whether to let Eamon come, Willow Yardley suddenly spoke up. "Sister, you should take Eamon. He has money. He can find a nice hotel for the night, and you’ll have a more comfortable place to stay."
’Right. The key point is that Eamon has money.’
’Considering she had looted silver and copper coins from the bodies of other Little Green Men, Eamon was probably much wealthier than them.’
"Alright, but don’t wander off."
Eamon nodded eagerly. "Don’t worry, I won’t run off."
He had run away from home to see the outside world. It was a shame his journey had gotten off to such a rough start, but now...
Eamon gazed at the port city before him, his eyes shining.
Faye Yardley’s thousand-square-meter raft really was just a simple little boat in this harbor.
However, she didn’t receive any scorn, just a lot of curious stares.
’To be honest, Faye was also very curious. How could a fish with arms and legs that walked upright distinguish the road ahead with eyes on either side of its head?’
Of course, she couldn’t stare impolitely. In any case, the Merfolk disembarked from a four-story ship and made it to shore smoothly, without bumping into anything.
’It was quite magical, really.’
The weather here was wonderful and the temperature very pleasant, so they all changed into summer clothes.
They docked and went ashore without any trouble.
Willow Yardley smiled and waved at them. "Have fun!"
Most people who docked at Port Serenia were there to relax and have fun, so Willow wasn’t worried.
Following the flow of the crowd away from the docks, they saw rows of bizarre-looking vehicles, clean and tidy streets, and a ground that seemed to be paved with crystal. Across the street was a row of transparent, reflective shops, each with a peculiar-looking clerk standing at the entrance.
’In such a prosperous port city, what should I get?’ Faye wondered. She had money too. It might not be a lot, but she should be able to buy something.
As she passed by a skeleton, it instinctively moved out of her way.
"Hey, what’s with you? Making way for a normal little human girl," a large Octopoid mocked its skeleton companion, gesturing wildly.
The skeleton snorted. "Use your head. Do you think I’d make way for a normal person?"
"I don’t see anything not-normal about her."
"That just proves you’re an idiot. Most people can’t even find the location of Port Serenia."
Faye was oblivious to their argument. At that moment, she felt like a country bumpkin visiting the big city, forcing herself to appear calm. This was to say nothing of the others: Eamon, who was hopping around, shouting "Wow!" in excitement, and Yvonne Lynch and Ethan Yardley, whose eyes darted everywhere, unable to take it all in.
"Faye, look! The clerk over there is one of my people! Let’s go check it out," Eamon said excitedly, pointing at a Little Green Man across the street.
Faye hummed in agreement. After all, she was also at a loss for what to do after arriving on the island.
’Surely the purpose of using an Island Entry Order wasn’t just to go on vacation, right?’
The pedestrian walkways and vehicle lanes didn’t intersect. To cross the street, you stood on a crystal platform, selected the other side, and WHOOSH—you were on the crystal platform across the road.
Faye also saw many flying vehicles, which seemed to be restricted to specific aerial routes.
"Welcome, esteemed guests, to our humble shop. Please, come in."
Eamon excitedly circled his fellow kinsman, chattering away in greeting. The other Little Green Man remained very polite, showing no signs of impatience.
The shop looked small from the outside, but the interior was vast, as if some kind of spatial Magic were at play.
It was a jewelry store, and the goods inside were a dazzling, glittering array of treasures.
"What do you like, Faye? I’ll buy it for you," Eamon said, proving to be quite smooth.
Faye just smiled without saying a word.
The ordinary accessories weren’t particularly interesting, but the ones that came with various Attributes were very eye-catching.
For example, there were bracelets that could store items, with prices varying greatly depending on their storage capacity.
Some increased base attribute values, others directly boosted attack and defense, and still others had powerful Skills sealed within them that could be used one or more times.
’It’s all so tempting,’ she thought.
She had thought she was quite well-off, but it was only here that she realized just how poor she was.
With only 1 gold, she couldn’t dream of buying anything with special attributes.
"Faye, this one would suit you."
Eamon, sitting on a high stool, pointed to a flower-shaped Red Ruby Ring in the display case. The clerk took it out for Faye to try on.
The Red Ruby Ring looked exceptionally beautiful on her fair, slender fingers.
Ethan gave his strong approval. "It’s beautiful."
It was a ring with an active protection skill that could automatically recharge. The price was 588 Gold Coins.
’588 might not sound expensive, but compared to her own balance, it was an astronomical price.’
Eamon took out a card and handed it to the clerk. "We’ll take it."
’Getting flexed on by her own employee... The world’s turned upside down.’
Faye didn’t bother with false modesty and said directly, "Thank you, Eamon."
Ethan chuckled and slung an arm around Eamon’s shoulders. "Hey, little bro, you’re not going to get one for your big bro?"
"Big Bro, that’s a privilege reserved for the ladies."
"But there’s still Yvonne."
Eamon: ...
Yvonne Lynch waved her hands. "Ethan, it’s alright. Eamon probably doesn’t have much money left on his card."
Eamon declared, "We’re buying. Miss Yvonne gets one too."
Faye, however, was staring at the ring on her hand, a little dazed. It was another piece created by Islander 78.
So she asked the clerk directly, "Is this shop owned by Islander 78?"
"Yes. I didn’t realize our esteemed guest was acquainted with our Island Master."
"I’m not, but I know of them. Can we get a discount?"
She didn’t know if her maxed-out charm and Luck Attributes were kicking in, but a mature and alluring female voice sounded from behind her. "It’s rare to meet someone here who has one of my earlier works. In that case, the ring is my gift to you."
