novelraw Chapter 31: A Misunderstanding
Chapter 31: A Misunderstanding
Leon smiled without saying a word, simply sitting quietly on the boat as he admired the sun sinking closer to the horizon. The orange-red clouds above were painted by the fading sunlight.
There was no helping it—this trip out to sea had been pure hard labor. Even though his physical fitness had improved, in terms of sheer endurance Leon was still only at the level of an average adult. The fact that he was still able to sit upright now was already a testament to his stubborn willpower.
Willy, on the other hand, looked completely unfazed. He steered with the underwater propeller while holding a radio in his free left hand.
The boat’s speed was fast, the sea breeze was strong, and Leon couldn’t hear what Willy was saying over the radio. Judging from his relaxed tone and occasional bursts of laughter, it was probably just casual chatter with a friend.
By the time they returned to the dock on the beach, dusk had settled in. Even so, Leon noticed another fishing boat nearby—identical in style to Willy’s but larger and taller.
At Willy’s greeting, Leon met the captain of that bigger vessel and finally learned who Willy had been speaking to on the radio.
The boat, named the Chirping Parrot, was captained by a well-known buyer in the Gem Sea. Willy had called him over to check and purchase the day’s catch.
Leon didn’t understand the technical fishing jargon the two exchanged, but he did catch a few off-color jokes here and there. From the way they talked, it was clear this buyer was quite the talker.
After the buyer finished counting the types and quantities of fish in the tank, he signaled to his crew to start moving them to his own ship. Then, together with Willy, he went ashore—Leon following behind.
As soon as they reached land, the buyer pulled out a wallet, counted a wad of bills, and handed it to Willy. Willy glanced through the stack, then split it in half and handed Leon his share.“This is your cut.”
“This much?” Leon was surprised as he looked at the thick bundle of hundred-denomination bills—Fanjier Republic currency. Just at a glance, there had to be four to five thousand in there.
“Yup. Surprised? Well, don’t get used to it. Many times our catch is barely a tenth of today’s haul, and sometimes we come back with nothing at all. That’s why I’m so interested in those moss larvae of yours—another source of bait means more security for our income.” Willy sighed.
“It’s a shame green onions have to be foraged in the wild and only appear in spring. Otherwise, this new discovery might have made the economic section of the Fanjier Republic Daily.”
“You actually have that kind of ambition, Willy? Never would’ve guessed,” Leon teased, surprised that Willy’s experiments had such lofty aims.
“Hahaha, just an example,” Willy waved it off. “Between fame and a quiet day fishing somewhere peaceful, I’ll take the latter every time.”
“It’s getting late. How about we go to the Starfruit Saloon for a bite? My treat.” With his share in hand, Leon was feeling generous.
“No problem,” Willy agreed, then looked them both over and chuckled. “But you think Gus will let us into his bar smelling like this? He might throw us out for ruining everyone’s appetite.”
Leon scratched his head awkwardly, realizing he was still covered in fish scales and reeked of the sea. “Right… Guess I should head back for a shower and a change. Why don’t we meet at the Starfruit after we’ve both cleaned up?”
“Sure. Got your keys? Your farm’s pretty far from here—you should take my bike. Ride home, then park it outside the saloon later. After we eat, you can just give it back. Saves you a lot of time.”
Willy tossed him both the motorcycle and garage keys. Leon didn’t refuse—having a ride beat taking “bus route eleven” any day—so after parting ways, he headed to the garage, fired up the bike, and sped toward Red Star Farm.
The moment he got home, Leon stripped off his smelly clothes and took a cold shower. The stench still lingered, so he scrubbed twice with soap before finally feeling clean again.
Dressed in fresh clothes, he took a moment to count the money Willy had given him.
Forty-seven bills of one hundred, and four bills of fifty—totaling four thousand nine hundred. That was more than two months’ wages at Joja Mart, with change to spare.
It made him realize how profitable fishing could be. Unfortunately, his own fishing knowledge was purely theoretical for now—far from enough to turn it into a main profession.
He hid most of the cash under his TV, keeping only three hundred in his pocket, then rode to the Starfruit Saloon.
When he pulled up outside, Willy wasn’t there yet. Parking the bike, Leon stepped inside to find Willy already seated at a table near the door, a mug of beer in front of him.
Leon sat down across from him. “I don’t drink, Willy. Sorry.”
“Oh? That’s a shame. Guess I’ll have to finish these myself,” Willy said with mild surprise but no attempt to persuade him. Instead, he waved to Gus.
“Gus! Dinner’s on me tonight. Bring us two of the daily specials!”
Gus had already noticed them earlier. Hearing Willy’s shout, he walked over, smiling. “I don’t think you’ve been in Pelican Town long, Leon. How’d you two get so close already?”
“Hahaha, we made a killing on the sea together today. Plus, I enjoy talking with him. Haven’t been this happy in a long time,” Willy explained.
“That so? I didn’t know Leon was into deep-sea fishing. Looks like Pelican Town’s got itself an impressive new farmer.”
Then Gus lowered his voice. “Leon, want me to have Emily come take your order?”
“Oh!” Willy’s eyebrows rose with amusement at Gus’s suggestion, but he didn’t tease further—some things were better left unprodded.
Leon could only give a wry smile. It wasn’t that he had any special intentions toward Emily—he simply found her pleasant to talk to, and she happened to be a pretty girl his own age. But with Gus’s hint hanging in the air, he honestly didn’t know how to respond.