The four landed on one of the numerous docks of Aquinox, as always, crowded to the brim with boats. The four paid the boatmen of the ship in 10 silvers and 50 coppers. They hired a [Wagoner] to pull the five Bulwark Walruses and five Razorgore Walruses. Ten in total, which means they have to pay the [Wagoner] 3 silver for each walrus. Another 30 silver from their expenses.

They headed towards the butchers to sell the meat that they have gained. Then, tired, the four went for a break. Sek slept soundly inside the wagon, hugging his spear. Ulron studied spells from his spellbook, bound by simple violet leather, and Thel was busy inscribing magic glyphs on the blank scrolls that he possesses. Kel was cleaning his arquebus, maintaining it for at least a few years more.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the butcher's. They entered the first floor of the three-story building beside the sea.

A human butcher chopped a slab of fish meat into cubes instantly and swept it aside. His eyes stared at them for a second before speaking.

"Ah, the Tides of Sobek." He stared with continually downcast eyes, only focused on the chopping board.

Kel brought in one of the Bulwark Walruses; lifting it will all of strength.

"Ah, you want it to sell them to me?" The human [Butcher] asked. "Bring it on the table then."

"Still 1 gold each, yeah?" Sek asked.

"45 silver now. Prices had gone down." He mentioned. "Give it to me."

The walrus was landed on the chopping block with a thud. Then, with great speed, he severed the armor from the skin. As for the Razorgore Walruses, he skillfully chopped the jagged blades off of their chins and torso.

It was a successful transaction. 450 Silver or 9 gold for whole walrus meat. More than the former Leviathans' Bane's payment. But they owe him a lot.

And so, with their Razorgore Blades and Bulwark Plates, they headed towards Lascze's shop.

The simple blue two-story building came into view as the wagon rolled closer. The ground stopped after the Gold-rank adventuring team paid the [Wagoner]. Then, they entered the stone and wood building.

"Welcome back." Lascze was glad that all of them got out alive.

"Here's the Razorgore Blades and Bulwark Plates." Sek placed the sacks of jagged blades and thick plates of metal-like shells.

"Thank you."

"Don't worry; we all owe you one." Their leader reassured. "Call on us if you need materials."

The middle-aged [Tidal Spearmaster], the simple, unassuming [Coral Mage], the gigantic but gentle [Gunmonk], and the reliable [Spellscribe Halberdier] left the shop for today.

Lewis was attending to the customers, selling them the goods like Lascze taught him. He was attentive, fulfilling their needs, answering their questions, and even complimenting them for a bit. Colarbo was rearranging some shelves, putting them in perfect order.

"Lewis." Lascze summoned him.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Accompany me to Orbetto's." He ordered. "Colarbo, you will be in charge here." He said as they walked away.

"Wait, what?" Colarbo exclaimed as the horde of customers flooded the store.

And so, they walked within the city of streets and canals, of stone buildings and foundations in muddy islands.

"I want to ride a boat." The boy suddenly uttered, seeing the boats sailing on the clean canals that comprised most of the city.

"We'll ride one soon," Lascze reassured.

They headed towards the same shortcut that Lewis and Colarbo had taken.

The boy and the [Shopkeeper] walked on the streets of Balevizo, a district full of stores and workshops specializing in different products.

The ringing of bells on the doors of stores can be heard occasionally by the people. The clang of metal against new hot metal echoed from the forges. People came into the establishments, either satisfied or the opposite, as they held their goods. There were carts selling food on the edges of the high, slanted streets. Steaming bowls of soup and pasta, baked bread, and boiling seafood filled the air with savory goodness. [Laborers] and [Haulers] were carrying supplies through the streets.

The slanted colorful stone brick buildings populated this district. With their stores, the crowd was full of people.

And so, they turned towards a steep alleyway, the shortcut that Colarbo and Lewis tread yesterday. Unfortunately, the alleyway was tight, and they have to climb up the steep stairs between mossy walls. The boy's legs ached, tired.

And so, they arrived at Orbetto's smithy. The clanging of metal against metal was echoed throughout the smithy, along with the voices of men and women. Heat radiated from the establishment's inside, intensified by the bellows and the stone furnaces' coals.

A humanoid catfish in a red shirt, holding a thick enchanted steel hammer. It seems like the hammer was recently used to shape red-hot metal by a [Smith].

"Good afternoon." Lascze greeted Orbetto.

"Sup," Orbetto replied. "Whatcha got for me?"

"Razorgore Blades and Bulwark Plates." Lascze handed the sacks of blades and armor plates to Orbetto.

"How much?" Orbetto asked Lascze. "This is a good quality material."

"Each blade costs 2 silvers, and the plate costs 10 silvers each." Lascze, using his [Mental Calculation] Skill, calculated the total price.

Lascze sighed. "All of them can be brought for...about 350 silvers."

"Can I buy half of them for now?" Orbetto asked.

"Yeah," Lascze answered. "We're friends anyway."

Orbetto fished out 1 gold and 5 silver from his pouch. He handed him the coins and shook hands simultaneously, a small but time-honored tradition between customers and sellers of Aquinox.

"How's your smithy these days?" Lascze asked.

"Doing well, you know, selling a couple of my enchanted weapons." He bragged. "How's your shop these days? You leveled yet?"

"I leveled up once," Lascze answered.

"Man, what are you now, Level 40?" He rhetorically asked. "It would be more fitting for you to continue your family's whaling business instead of your brother."

"Nah," He denied. "My brother is better than me in managing the business."

"Heh, true." Orbetto chuckled for a bit. "Wanna hunt for old time's sake? Maybe hunting a Dragonshark or two?"

"I'll think about it." He said.

"It would be nice if good ol' Iguino will join us."

"Yeah."

"You're a [Royal Champion], right? So just walk in the Azure Palace and drag him to our trip!"

"Retired." He corrected. "Well, even if I show unannounced-"

"You can do it!" Orbetto slapped his back.

"Well, you're right."

After conversing some more, Lascze decided to go back towards the shop, walking through the city of canals, bridges, and stone islands.

They entered the store, and all was in order. No customers grumbling about inadequate service, at least.

Colarbo managed to handle the customers pretty well.

"You should've told me in advance." He grumbled after leaving him for dead managing the store.

He performed [Hawker] duties throughout the day, calling for potential customers, helping Lascze in the store, assisting customers, or restocking goods from the shelves.

The temple bells rang at intervals. And as the bells toll, the sun slowly sunk towards the horizon. [Shopkeepers], [Cooks], and other establishment holders lit their lanterns and candles. [Lamplighters] brought their ladders and lit the streetlamps. [Mages] lit the magical stone and wooden wards; the streets were more vibrant than ever, more dynamic than the morning's hue. It was now a city of lights within the ocean.

There were no monsters that lurk within the canals anymore. At least, no one dared to get close with all of the wards around the city.

"How much we made today?" Lascze asked Lewis to make him practice being a merchant.

"About 2 gold and 40 silver," Lewis answered after he counted the money.

"We'll survive for another week then."

Doors and shutters were closed shut as the shop closed its doors for the night. The streets were full of lights and people. The canals' water reflected that too; the channels echoed orbs of light within the darkness. The roads were a cacophony of sounds and lights, the chattering of people, the sounds of steps against stone, the lit paper multicolored lanterns lined above the streets, and the streetlamps.

The nightlife of Aquinox has returned. People don't need to hide in fear of monsters. The night was a time to explore, a time to unwind for many people. [Sailors], [Stevedores], and [Ship Captains] and their crewmen prowled the wet streets, barefooted, for beer and brothels. People in the middle-class shop for luxury goods or commodities or ate from the numerous restaurants or taverns that the city-state of Aquinox is famous for. Nobles walked around the clean streets beside the Azure District and the Pearl Districts' clean canals, a place for noble folk and their ilk. They roamed freely without worry of [Cutpurses] and [Pickpocketers] stealing their money, or [Assassins] taking their heads or [Kidnappers] taking them.

Even in the night, [Fishmongers] and [Butchers] sold their remaining goods, along with some [Shopkeepers]. Foreign [Merchants] were peddling their foreign goods from wagons and carts. The food courts were as dynamic as ever; the smell of well-cooked food was wafting through the wet markets of Aquinox. Taverns and brothels were now packed full of customers, drinking, making merry, and conducting all common kinds of debauchery. Entertainment establishments were now full swing; audiences and onlookers surrounded the street performers' theaters and stages. Tourists rode that long and wide canoes through the city's canals, with professional [Rowers] rowing them to their destination or roaming around; there are even floating gazebos and restaurants packed with customers from here or lands far away.

The city-state of Aquinox, the City of Currents, the Azure Kingdom, the Pearl of the New World, is alive.

Still, the [Guardsmen] patrolled incessantly through the crowded streets, wary of anyone who disrupts the streets or rogue monsters sneaking through the wards. Their eyes are sharp and fierce, keen on spotting trouble in an instant.

Lascze, Colarbo, and Lewis locked the doors of their shop.

"We going to Gemmeni's place?" Colarbo asked.

"Yeah," Lascze said. "We have discounts there."

"Nice," Lewis remarked.

They walked towards a nearby rickshaw station. They paid the [Rickshaw Puller] before they headed towards Gemmeni's place.

They entered The Withering Fish. Inside the building, there are so many people after serving a customer. So Gemmeni, after doing a customer some potion-infused fish, slid towards them on the wet floor.

"How can I serve you today?" Gemmeni asked them formally, smiling.

"Cut that shit out." Lascze laughed.

Gemenni chuckled. " I do believe we still have a private dining room."

"It's on the house, right?" Lascze asked.

"Nah."

"Discount?"

"Just a tiny bit."

"How much?"

"20 silver, 30 for the original price," Gemmeni whispered, keeping it secret that he was handing out discounts.

"Good enough."

They were led into the restaurant's edge, where the wood and stone private dining rooms at. Lewis and Lascze ordered the same order they have earlier this morning. The waitress noted it and headed towards the kitchen. There were complimentary ales for this night to celebrate the Monster Surge's elimination that had ended yesterday. Lewis was given a non-alcoholic

"To celebrate our successful day for today, let us cheers." Lascze spoke." To the shop."

"To the shop," Colarbo spoke.

And then they crashed their wooden mugs together with cheers. Then, instantaneously, like the drunk that dove-man is, Colarbo chugged the alcoholic drink towards his beak.

As soon as possible, Gemmeni served them their orders. Cleansing Shrimp Scampi Linguini and Strengthening Tuna Steak. Colarbo ordered a plate of Dreaming Drunken Shrimp, an extra alcoholic to his liking.

Lascze patted Lewis's head before they ate.

He thought about many things, even as he ate, such as taking care of the child. He wondered if he could maintain his business. He thought about expenses and savings. He thought about the child's future, and he thought of raising him well, even though he was just his employee. Finally, he thought about his friend, about how lonely he is at his palace.

But the juicy chunks of the tuna distracted him from his thoughts. That's how good Gemmeni's cooking is.

After spending time together, they go their separate ways. Colarbo headed towards his apartment while Lascze and Lewis returned home.

They opened the door to their shop. Thankfully, no one attempted to break into this shop. Lascze decided to retire early, slinking to his simple bed. Lewis stayed up for a bit, still studying the currencies that are currently being circulated in Aquinox.

Well, until he fell asleep, book flat on his face.

And as he slept, he heard a voice in his head.

[Class- Hawker] obtained!

[Hawker] Lv.5!

[Skill- Lesser Loud Voice] learned!

[Class- Apprentice Shopkeeper] obtained!

[Apprentice Shopkeeper] Lv. 10!

[Skill- Friendly Smile] obtained!

[Skill- Sales Talk] obtained!

Total Level 15!

-

Colarbo entered the apartment that he is living in, a dingy stone apartment with noisy neighbors. He climbed up the stairs. Already, there was shouting and screaming echoing from the other room. But he paid it no mind because he was already used to it.

He entered his place, a messy room littered with his clothes and feathers. Within a pile of clothes is a black robe, enchanted with [Obscurity].

For tonight, he donned the robe and flew out of the window. The moon was full and bright, which was detrimental for Colarbo; well, that's the name of the mask that he wore during his "work." A cover of a drunkard, drinking to forget reality.

-

In a prison cell, locked behind iron bars, a boy was recovering from his bruises. The boy was a [Thief], and a Level 20 at that. Since his parents got killed by a debt collector, he lived in the streets for a year.

He had been working for a group of thieves on the surface of the Aquinox's criminal underworld for months now, but a tall order has ruined it.

Now he waited for what's going to happen to him. Will he be adopted by the orphanage, or will he be sold to slavery?

But he thought of the boy who tried to save him from the lashing. Granted, he was in trouble for rescuing him, but he was still grateful. But a mere child could not visit here. It was common sense; children aren't allowed here at all, well, except with a guardian. So how could he save him? He was just a mere child, after all.

But still, the child [Thief] prayed, to whichever god was alive or real. His ears perked instinctually.

A step. A silent one, but in this prison, everyone was asleep.

He saw a shadow lurking in the candlelight—a shadow of a strange-looking man.

Before he knew it, he was free. The iron bars of the nearest window was cut clean, now pieces of them are on the floor. He didn’t even hear them fall.

And so, without hesitation, he squeezed in the window and snuck through the nearest canal. He slept beside the water, under a bridge, with no one in sight.