novelraw Chapter 8: Kid, Do You Like Fishing?
Chapter 8: Kid, Do You Like Fishing?
Leon hated riddlers—especially when the riddler was throwing the puzzle at him.
But Lewis clearly wasn’t going to explain. No matter how much Leon was dying of curiosity, he probably wouldn’t get the truth out of the sly mayor.
Maybe he’d have to find it out himself. It was a bit of a hassle, but Leon thought it could be fun—because if Lewis went to such lengths to cover something up, it had to be interesting.
“Thanks for the explanation. By the way, are you heading back to town? If you are, I’d like to hitch a ride. I need to buy some ingredients and kitchenware.”
Since there were no answers coming, Leon could only push his curiosity aside for now and return to his earlier plans.
“Of course. It’s on the way. In fact, even if you hadn’t asked, I would’ve invited you along to meet Willy. He has a gift for you.” Lewis nodded, then climbed into his pickup.
“Hop in. We’ll go together. I’ll show you around town while we’re at it.”
Leon didn’t refuse. Once he got into the passenger seat, Lewis drove them off the farm.
Having a car made all the difference. A trip that would’ve taken half an hour on foot took just five minutes by car, and they were already in Pelican Town.
“This is the only clinic in town. Harvey, the resident doctor, is very skilled and a good man—just not great with socializing. If you ever get hurt or fall sick, this is where you’ll get the best care.”Lewis had stopped the car on the north side of Pelican Town’s square, pointing to a large building marked with a red cross.
After introducing the clinic, Lewis drove on for a short stretch.
“This is Pierre’s General Store. Besides seeds, he sells some daily necessities, but his main business is farm goods and mid-to-high quality seeds. They’re a bit pricey, but if you want top-quality crops, Pierre’s seeds are the best choice.”
From the window, Leon spotted a building with a sign for Pierre’s General Store. It took up quite a bit of space. Through the glass doors, he could see plenty of customers browsing inside.
The layout was much like a small supermarket, but with a stronger rural charm—most of the shelves were stocked with vegetables.
“On Wednesdays, Pierre closes for the day. If you need seeds then, you’ll have to go to JojaMart.”
With that, Lewis kept driving. They crossed a stone arch bridge and came upon a modern-looking blue, two-story building.
Its steel-and-concrete design was completely different from most of Pelican Town’s architecture. A massive JojaMart sign hung overhead, and through the glass front, rows upon rows of goods and uniformed employees bustled about.
Lewis gave the place a glance and said, “Joja’s pretty convenient—open year-round, twenty-four hours a day. Affordable, plenty of variety… but I just feel like its style doesn’t fit Pelican Town.”
Then he added, “Still, it has boosted the town’s economy. Morris, JojaMart’s local manager, has been pushing me to turn the abandoned community center into a Joja warehouse. I’m torn—on one hand, it would mean economic growth, but on the other, it would hurt the town’s cultural atmosphere. I don’t know what to choose.”
“Anyway, enough of that. Let’s go to Clint’s blacksmith shop.”
Lewis turned the car south. Passing a small park, they arrived at a dark brown stone building.
“Clint’s Blacksmith Shop is one of Pelican Town’s oldest businesses. His family’s been running it for generations, so their craftsmanship is excellent. Their tools and weapons are top-notch. If you ever go exploring in the wild, this is the place to get a good weapon.”
Leon nodded. This world wasn’t exactly safe—there were monsters in certain wild areas, and in the mines.
After the blacksmith shop, Lewis drove further north, toward the river that curved around Pelican Town. Soon, they stopped in front of a large building.
“This is Pelican Town’s library and museum—the cultural hub of the town. Unfortunately, the previous curator ran off to the Gotro Empire with all the museum’s artifacts. Now, it only functions as a library.”
Lewis’s expression twisted with anger. “That damned old curator. I never thought he’d defect to the Gotro Empire. If I’d taken the museum more seriously back then, I would’ve put a bullet in that bastard before he left.”
Leon said nothing, just nodded quietly.
Realizing he’d gotten worked up, Lewis took a deep breath to calm himself. “Alright, enough about that. Let’s head to the beach. Willy’s waiting for us there.”
He pressed down on the accelerator, speeding through town. After crossing another stone bridge and passing along a wooded path, they reached a beautiful beach.
“Stardew Valley sits on the edge of the Gem Sea. Back in the day, our natural and mineral resources were shipped out by sea. Pelican Town was founded for that reason. But times have changed—now we’re on the outskirts of the Fanjier Republic, and we focus on tourism instead.”
Driving along the clean, tidy beach, Lewis explained.
“Does Pelican Town still do shipping?” Leon asked.
“Not really. The roads are better now and cheaper for transport. Besides, there’s no large-scale cargo to justify keeping the docks for shipping. The port only runs fishing operations these days.”
Lewis parked at the beach, and they both got out, stepping onto a pier that stretched into the sea. At the far end stood a solitary wooden shack.
As they approached, Leon spotted a middle-aged man on the dock—a sun-tanned face under a felt hat, a thick beard, a sweater, and a cigarette dangling from his mouth. He was gazing out at the ocean.
“Willy, I brought the new farmer you wanted to meet,” Lewis called out.
“Haha, thanks, Lewis. Let me take a look at what kind of young man our new farmer is,” Willy replied, turning toward Leon.
“Kid, do you like fishing?”