novelraw Chapter 11: St. Nali
Chapter 11: St. Nali
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the captain's office of the Lauren, operated by the Nary Pioneer Company. Thank you all for choosing the Nary Pioneer Company for your voyage. We have now arrived at the destination of this route, Saint Nary. Once again, we wish you a pleasant journey. Please check your belongings carefully. If you find any items missing, please report to the Nary Pioneer Company headquarters within seven days.”
The captain’s announcement echoed through the ship once again. Fischer tidied up his thesis manuscripts, carefully sealing them with parchment paper, then tucked them under his arm and picked up his cane.
“Renée?”
The cruise ship slowly sailed into the enormous port of Saint Nary. Even from onboard, the lively chatter outside was audible. Above, magical patrol posts maintained order, and armed inspectors kept watch. Every month, one or two travelers tried to flee after customs seized prohibited items. Occasionally, fugitives being hunted were also caught.
Fischer put on his gentleman’s hat and called for Renée. After a brief pause of a couple of seconds, Renée, now dressed differently, stepped out of her room. Her previous conservative black dress was part of Cardu’s attire, but underneath she cleverly wore lace stockings, understanding male psychology well.
This time, she wore a Nary-style lady’s outfit—a pale golden silk gown that accentuated her curves. Her long hair was tied into a bun, decorated with a white rose hairpin, and completed with a white sunhat.
She looked at Fischer with a smile, then reached out to straighten his necktie and gentleman’s hat. Her fingers, however, mischievously brushed his cheek as she said,
“What’s wrong? Stunned? Compared to Cardu’s conservative clothes, you really prefer the Nary style, don’t you? It’s both beautiful and elegant, isn’t it?”
“I’ve been meaning to ask, where do you get so many clothes from?”
Fischer was puzzled about where Renée’s clothes came from, since she hadn’t brought any luggage on this trip but kept changing outfits frequently.“I bought them here in Saint Nary.”
“...You went back to Saint Nary to buy clothes and then came back on the ship? That’s unnecessary. Why don’t you come to my place first? You can help me clean up a bit too.”
Faced with Fischer’s clueless remark, Renée darkened her face and pinched the muscle on his arm, her tone dangerously sharp,
“None of your business!”
“...”
Following the crowd outside, Fischer bumped into Laiba, the merchant he had met earlier on the ship. Seeing Fischer’s elegant appearance, Laiba slowed down, walked alongside him, took off his hat, and greeted him,
“Sir, thankfully the pirates didn’t rob my cargo this time, or I’d be in trouble... By the way, here’s my business card. If you need cigarettes or fine liquor, you can visit my store on Enko Street. Show this card for a special discount.”
“Definitely.”
Fischer took the card and realized this store was a chain he often saw in Saint Nary, so Laiba was not just a small-time merchant as he claimed.
Pocketing the card, Fischer said goodbye to Laiba and disembarked with Renée.
At the customs area below, many local youths’ eyes lit up when they saw passengers carrying luggage off the ship. They hurriedly approached, asking if help was needed. However, luggage carrying was not free—usually 10 to 20 Euros per trip, depending on the weight.
If tipped generously, they would even help carry luggage to the carriages outside. But Fischer’s belongings were left on the Southern Continent, so he didn’t need assistance.
“Fischer, I’ll wait for you outside.”
At the customs gate, Renée, without identification, obviously couldn’t pass government inspection with Fischer. She whispered in his ear, then gradually disappeared into the crowd heading toward customs, leaving only a Hart bird hovering above the gate to indicate she was still nearby.
Fischer glanced at the Hart bird above, picked up his luggage, and entered the customs inspection hall. This floor mainly checked whether travelers carried dangerous items into Saint Nary. He recalled that a few years ago, many merchants smuggled large snails from the Southern Continent, which ended up flooding the rivers of Saint Nary, and the infestation was impossible to eradicate.
The parliament then issued the strictest customs ban ever: unless specially approved, travelers were forbidden from carrying any plants or animals through customs, to avoid repeating the large snail incident from the Southern Continent.
Fischer carried no dangerous items. After showing his documents, he passed customs and entered his hometown, Saint Nary.
The sea breeze carried a strong scent of smoke and fire from nearby celebrations. Crowds of people passed by: government workers, local residents, newsboys, students, and government posters plastered on the port’s bulletin boards.
“Environmental Protection Act—Take back our blue sky from factories!”
“Mid-term campaign proposal of the Pioneer Party: Renovation plan for District Four.”
“The agenda for war orphans has been approved!”
“The Southern Continent Demi-human Protection Association is under construction. Caring for life is our slogan!”
Many citizens who hadn’t seen Saint Nary in a long time paused briefly before the political bulletin boards. Fischer was among them. He quickly noted that the Pioneer Party—commonly called the New Party—still enjoyed high approval before turning away, cane in hand, and headed outside.
The paved road ahead was no longer muddy but covered with clean stone slabs. Carriages lined both sides, and tram tracks ran through the middle for public electric trams. Fischer glanced at the station and figured it was about seven stops from here to his rented home.
Renée appeared beside Fischer without him noticing. Watching him examine the station, she pouted, poked his shoulder, and said,
“Don’t take the tram. I’ll treat you to a carriage ride home.”
Fischer glanced at her, wondering where she suddenly got so much money. She’d also bought his cane before. When she was with him, she lived off him, but as soon as she left, she seemed to get rich.
“Where did you get the money?”
“A lady’s little treasure chest. Gentlemen don’t ask~”
She coquettishly tapped her lipstick, then tugged Fischer’s sleeve as they walked toward the other end of the street. Along the way, they passed many hurried travelers and sights. The buildings by the port were draped with blue and white griffin flags, symbolizing this as the heart of Nary, Saint Nary.
“So, how does it feel to be back in Nary? Don’t you feel like you can breathe easier?”
“Not bad. At least I can drink authentic fine wine and coffee.”
“That’s good... I’ll be leaving again in a few days. This time, I’m really going to the south of Cardu. I’ve enjoyed the time with you. Not bad, not bad.”
Originally wanting to find an excuse to send Renée away, Fischer was struck by a different feeling hearing her say she was leaving. He wanted to hold onto her. When he turned to look at her, she wore a mischievous smile, seemingly waiting for him to beg her to stay.
Or perhaps, just one look was enough.
“Take care of yourself.”
There was nothing to avoid. After all, even if Renée wasn’t the Undying Witch he was searching for, she was a close friend he knew well. Meeting her teasing gaze, Fischer’s reply was serious and sincere.
“Hmph, I knew you wouldn’t say anything nice. So what next? What are you planning to do?”
“Publish my thesis and earn some money. The family’s running out of funds.”
“Isn’t it because you gave that carriage to the Dragonkin that you’re broke?”
“The 1,500 Euro ticket I bought for you was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. In that sense, you two aren’t that different.”
“...Do we even have a ‘yours’ and ‘mine’ anymore?”
“‘A lady’s little treasure chest, gentlemen don’t ask’...”
Fischer repeated Renée’s earlier words expressionlessly, which made her furious. In Renée’s eyes, Fischer was also the man she considered to have the worst temper.
They bantered their way toward the carriage pick-up point. Since the carriage would take them directly to their destination, there was no need to squeeze onto a crowded train for an hour to Fischer’s rented home.
It had to be said, the Environmental Protection Act might really be working. The sky was unexpectedly clear the day Fischer returned to Saint Nary. The sea breeze at the port brushed every resident’s face, bringing the scent of the ocean.
“Sir, want to try our shop’s latest coffee?”
“Maid café welcomes your patronage!”
“Sir, can you help me? I haven’t eaten for many days...”
Fischer paused slightly and looked toward the source of the last voice.
Next to the port church, a group of dirty beggars lay under the rain shelter of the platform. Saint Nary often rained, so this spot had become a gathering place for beggars. The police sometimes drove them away, but no matter how often, they always returned.
Fischer arrived in Saint Nary in the afternoon. Many beggars were taking a nap, with only one or two still calling out to the street, hoping to meet kind people like Fischer.
Fischer reached out and tossed two Nary Euros into a beggar’s hand, then lifted his cane and continued walking.
“May the Mother Goddess bless you!! Welcome to Saint Nary!!”
The beggars behind kept bowing their heads repeatedly, but Fischer didn’t look back. He said something he completely didn’t understand,
“Better to believe in Lhamastia. She can hear you.”
The beggar tilted his head, holding the coins in his hand, of course not understanding the well-dressed gentleman’s words.
He just kept repeating,
“Welcome to Saint Nary!”