novelraw Chapter 202: Broadening Horizons
Chapter 202: Broadening Horizons
“There’s no need for a pirate role, but why do you think I could serve as combat personnel?”
Leon made the remark half in jest, but still asked out of curiosity.
“Gus told me,” Willy replied. “He said you’ve already joined the Adventurer’s Guild, that you’re a real adventurer. Aren’t adventurers all powerful fighters?”
“Uh… and how did Gus find out about that?” Leon pressed.
“Of course he heard it from someone else. Don’t underestimate Gus’s intel network. He runs the only saloon in Pelican Town. Pretty much anything unusual that happens here, he knows about. The customers in his saloon are the best source of information.”
“I hear you two talking about me. So… was it something good, or bad?”
Just then, Gus arrived with a tray of food, setting the plates down before fixing them with a mock-stern face. His lips, however, curled upward in a faint smile.
“We were talking about your information network,” Willy said frankly. After all, it was true, not slander.
Gus grinned, pleased. “Exactly. So Leon, if there’s ever something you want to know, come to me. I’ve probably heard a thing or two about most matters in Pelican Town.”
“Alright.” Leon smiled and nodded, then eyed the lavish spread before him. “By the way, how did you get this ready so fast? You’d barely gone into the kitchen.”“I had it all prepared before I went to find Willy. I just reheated it when I got back,” Gus said, then turned to Leon. “Willy’s explained the situation to you, right?”
“Yeah, he has. So, are you coming with us to look for Old Hans’s treasure?” Leon asked.
“Mhm.” Gus nodded in confirmation.
“What about the Stardrop Saloon?” Leon asked.
“I’ll close for the day. It’s just one day, after all. Compared to running the saloon, I want to see Old Hans’s treasure site. I also want to confirm whether his remains are there.”
“I see.”
Leon glanced at Gus, a small question lingering in his mind.
Would Gus be willing to accept Old Hans’s legacy when they found it? After all, it was a friend’s inheritance. Even if that friend was most likely long gone, taking it could feel like desecration.
Leon didn’t know Old Hans, so he felt no such reservations. Willy seemed openly excited about the treasure and unconcerned with sentiment. But Gus, who’d remembered Old Hans for so many years, was harder to read.
Whether by coincidence or because he’d read Leon’s thoughts, Gus spoke while gesturing for them to eat. Lifting his fork, he said slowly, “I’ll admit I have my own motives for going. I have to take a share of Old Hans’s treasure, but not much. Two-tenths will be enough.”
“I’m also taking two-tenths. The rest—six-tenths—are yours, Leon,” Willy added. “We agreed on this earlier. You’re our fighter and the one who found the lead on the location. Taking more is only fair.”
“Uh…” Leon was pleased to get the lion’s share, but the atmosphere felt a bit off. He quickly made a counter-offer.
“I can take four-tenths. You two split the other six.”
“No,” Gus shook his head. “I’m taking my two-tenths to send to Old Hans’s nephew. He told me about his nephew before. As his only relative, the boy has the right to inherit part of the legacy. More than that would do him no good—and it wouldn’t be fair to you either, Leon. Without you, this treasure could have been taken by someone else or left forgotten on some nameless island. Besides, I’m not short on money.”
“I’m taking two-tenths to offset my costs for this trip,” Willy explained. “And I expect to come out ahead anyway. Honestly, I care more about the journey itself. What man of the sea hasn’t dreamed of hunting treasure? Experiencing this adventure is the real prize for me.”
“So, Leon, you should take the six-tenths. No need to argue.” They spoke almost in unison.
Their words resolved Leon’s earlier doubts.
Gus was still the same Gus. He wasn’t going for himself, but for the sake of friendship. That raised Leon’s opinion of him even higher. Having a friend like Gus was a rare blessing.
As for Willy, his reasons—pure interest and the thrill of the chase—were easy to understand. Since both men had their own motivations, Leon decided not to press the matter further.
As for his six-tenths, he accepted them without guilt. He wasn’t about to give them away to Old Hans’s nephew like Gus; he had no connection to Old Hans, and he certainly wasn’t a saint.
With that settled, the three stopped talking business and began to enjoy Gus’s feast.
After they’d eaten their fill, Gus left the saloon with Leon and Willy. Locking the door to the Stardrop Saloon, he hung up a pre-written notice.
“Let’s go. Willy’s already got the food and fresh water ready. We can head straight out to sea. Leon, do you have anything else to prepare?” Gus asked at the door.
“Nope. I’ve got everything with me,” Leon said, pulling the Galaxy Watermelon Knife from his System Backpack. “Including weapons. So I can guarantee your safety on this trip. But if we run into a fight, you’ll have to follow my lead.”
“Mhm.”
The two stared curiously at the Galaxy Watermelon Knife in Leon’s hands, especially when he made it vanish back into storage. The ability to store and retrieve items at will left both Gus and Willy amazed.
But neither asked for details. They were both in their forties or fifties, seasoned enough to have seen plenty of strange things. Leon’s trick was impressive, but not frightening.
Leon noticed their calm acceptance and felt relieved—while also chiding his past self for being so timid, hiding everything and pretending to be an ordinary man.
Life in Stardew Valley—or rather, in this world—was far wilder than Leon had imagined. Abilities that would seem supernatural on Earth might not be all that shocking here.
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