NABC Chapter 27 Port
Chapter 27 Port
Delicious food, unforgettable moments...
After finishing their meal, the group went to the lobby.
"Waiter, how much is it in total?"
"Greetings, Lord Demery. This will cost 150 copper coins."
"Um."
Bishop Kingsley pulled out a silver shield and gave the 10 copper coins as a tip.
He casually gave the other 40 copper coins to Fafnir.
"Little guy, consider this your payment for today's work. Besides, you were the first to discover the smuggled goods, so don't refuse. Take it."
By the way, I won't need your help tomorrow, but I'll probably need your assistance as my assistant clerk in a couple of days.
"Haha, if you were here every day, I couldn't afford to pay you tens of dollars a day for your services," Bishop Kingsley joked casually.
Fafnir hesitated for a moment, then accepted the 40 copper coins and bowed to Bishop Kingsley.
"Thanks you!
"By the way, Lord Demery, where is Mr. Victor? I think it's time to go back to school."
"Him? He only chatted with me for a couple of minutes today and then left. He had other things to do. You can go back by yourself."
"Little guy, it's so late, why don't you stay in the inspection team's dormitory for the night?"
"No, thank you, no need!"
"Alright, then go to the port and take a look. There are a lot of cargo wagons parked there. There should be wagons heading to the western district near the city center that will depart soon. You can take one."
Bishop Kingsley tried to persuade Fafnir to stay, but Fafnir didn't want to cause him any trouble.
Besides, he might just be being polite; he and this Chief Sheriff might not be very familiar with each other.
Fafnatch, carrying a bag containing the priest's robes, bid farewell to the group and left the restaurant alone.
However, as soon as he stepped outside, the cold immediately struck him.
It’s so cold!
Well, Fafnir immediately returned to the restaurant. The winter nights in Lorraine were quite cold, and he had to wear his priest's robe to keep warm.
"Fafner, what brings you back?" Hans noticed Fafnir's return.
"Mr. Hans, it's a bit cold outside, I'll change my clothes."
Fafnir asked the waiter for directions to the restroom and explained that he needed to wash himself a little, as putting on his priest's robes directly would make them dirty.
"Okay, sir, the restroom is at the very end of the corridor. Also, you can take a free towel, and I'll have someone get you a basin."
"Thank you so much!"
After arriving at the bathroom, Fafnir filled a basin with water and used a towel to wipe his body.
Ah, if only there were hot water.
Wait, perhaps… Fafnir thought, why not try the fireball spell himself, but he absolutely mustn't activate it.
"Fire element gathers..."
Fafnir's fireball spell was already quite proficient. He activated the spell in his hand but didn't unleash it; instead, he dipped his hand into the basin of water.
Fafnir used up half of his spiritual energy to heat the device, which lasted for less than half a minute—he would have been very tired if he had used up all his spiritual energy.
The water in the basin was finally not so cold anymore.
……
The nights in Port Ryan are far from peaceful; ships are constantly docking and departing.
The wind was a bit strong at the harbor, but Fafnir, dressed in his priest's robes, didn't feel cold.
Fafnir had originally planned to take a carriage directly, but since it was his first time here, he was quite curious about the port of this world.
Moreover, the weather is nice now, the air is moist and fresh, and the night sky is clear, so why not take a walk along the Ryan River?
He strolled along the River Ryan, carrying a sack containing his soiled robe.
The wide river surface was dotted with sparks, and the night vision ability of the rat-man bloodline allowed him to clearly see the masts and sails on the boats.
Fafnir walked slowly; he hadn't taken such a leisurely stroll in a long time, even though this "waste of time" would make him get back to his dormitory later.
No, this is not a waste of time, Fafner thought.
Anyway, grammar school is already on holiday starting today.
No work tomorrow, no need to get up early, just enjoy the relaxation and comfort of the evening breeze...
The nine o'clock bell rang from afar, its dull sound scattered by the evening breeze, falling onto the water and breaking into indistinct echoes.
The crowd around Fafnir gradually increased. Along the banks of the Ryan River, people lay sprawled, wrapped in thick blankets of indeterminate color.
They're resting now, perhaps so they can get back to work later, Fafnir thought.
An oil lamp hung in a makeshift wooden shed, and a row of shadowy figures crouched against the wall.
They were wearing heavy cotton-padded coats and seemed to have nothing to do now, squatting there smoking or drinking, talking in their distinctive Western Common, shouting or laughing from time to time, which Fafnir couldn't quite understand.
Could they be employees of the Nunns Empire?
Fafnir paused for a moment, then continued walking along the riverbank.
The smell of tobacco and alcohol was awful; Fafnir disliked it...
Interesting… Fafnir saw a young man with an oil lamp hanging beside him and a drawing board, painting the laborers.
It was a sketch. Fafnir stopped beside him and saw his drawing.
—At night, under the dim light of an oil lamp, the dockworkers move about in the corner of the shed.
After a while, the young man noticed Fafnir, put down his pen, turned around and smiled at him:
"Hey, little guy, I don't think I've seen you around here before. I'm Renatos, a painting student."
"Hello Mr. Renatos, I'm sorry, I hope I haven't bothered you."
I was just watching you paint. It was the first time I'd ever met a painter, and I couldn't help but stop in my tracks... You paint so well.
"Thank you, little one. I wouldn't call myself a painter; I'm currently studying painting at the Northern Art University in the Holy Kingdom of the Elves."
As you can see, I'm trying to depict the scene before me through painting. I've been staying in Port Ryan for the past few months, painting.
"Your painting is really good, so lifelike. Do you plan to first create a sketch and then paint the rest in oil?"
"Oh? Haha, little guy, you know all this? Well said," Renatos nodded:
"By the way, what are you doing here so late? Aren't you with your parents?"
"My parents and I are domestic workers from the Nunns Empire. I'm currently volunteering at a grammar school and don't usually spend time with them. Today, I have some work at the port."
Fafnir truthfully replied, "I'm about to go back to school to rest."
"I see. I might visit the Lorraine Grammar School in a while."
Little one, walk two hundred paces north from here and you'll reach the place where carriages gather. Go back and rest early.
"Thank you, Mr. Renatos, goodbye!"
Goodbye, little one.
Fafnir bid farewell to Reinatus and headed north.
It's getting late, time to go back.