The first ray of morning sunlight shone on the deck. Alka's room was on the left side of the sterncastle, and sunlight penetrated the window into his room. He woke to the sound of the ship's bell. After dressing neatly, he made his way to the deck.
"Everything's ready. We're about to arrive."
Upon hearing this, Alka leaned against the ship's railing, poked his head out, and looked forward. Around him, quite a few ships of various sizes were visible, but due to the morning sea fog, the view was not very clear. He could already see a vague outline in the fog, which he presumed was their destination.
At this moment, the ship suddenly began to slow down. From the vast white fog, a huge object broke through. A gigantic warship, Alka estimated it to be at least forty meters long, sailed past them. White waves split to both sides, and the splashing water felt like it would drench their deck. Next to this massive sailing warship, their merchant ship looked like a child. Alka stood there stunned, watching the warship sail away.
The construction of this warship was clearly different from the merchant ship beneath his feet. It lacked the massive forecastle and sterncastle of older designs, instead boasting an incredibly beautiful, streamlined hull, unlike their merchant ship, which appeared somewhat bulky and awkward. Three tall, giant masts stood on its deck, with a single gun deck below. Both sides had evenly distributed cannon ports, intentionally opened as if to display its might. Hawls's treasured Vibrating Stone Cannons were visible, arrayed one after another, and these were obviously much larger than Hawls's own.
The entire warship was adorned in red and gold. On its masts, a blood-red flag depicted a golden coin. Alka had seen this symbol on a map; it was the emblem of the Blood Gold Alliance—a gold coin on a red background.
Siegert had somehow appeared beside Alka. "That's the 'Blood-Red Golden Flower,' a fourth-class ship-of-the-line of the Alliance Navy. She's forty-three meters long and eleven meters wide, equipped with a single gun deck armed with thirty-four cannons. The nightmare of pirates. Impressive, isn't she?" As he spoke, Siegert gazed at the warship with gleaming eyes.
Hearing the specifications Siegert rattled off, it was clear he truly admired this ship.
"Indeed, very impressive," Alka thought.
The 'Blood-Red Golden Flower' slid past them, followed by a three-masted warship about the same size as their merchant ship. There were only a few Vibrating Stone Cannons mounted on its deck. It stopped beside the merchant ship. A person wearing a yellow and black uniform boarded, exchanged a few words with Hawls, handed him a document, and then left.
"Who was that?" Alka asked.
Siegert, who was admiring the departing warship, turned his head and glanced over. "Them? They're the Alliance Navy. They probably came over because we're towing a ship, to inquire about the situation."
Soon, their vessel set sail again, gradually heading towards the distant island port.
「Tulan Island.」
It was one of the key member islands of the Blood Gold Alliance and the base of the Navy Fourth Fleet. It was also a renowned large island in the region, the most prosperous center of commerce.
As the merchant ship, towing the pirate ship behind it, slowly docked in the berth, the entire port scene unfolded before them. Numerous ships of various sizes were lined up beside the port, and in the distance, several mighty warships could be seen anchored in a large designated area.
Siegert patted Alka on the shoulder and asked, "I need to go with Uncle Hawls for the wheat transaction. Do you want to come along, or would you rather wander around on your own? This place is relatively safe, as long as you don't cause trouble."
Hearing this, Alka looked at the harbor city ahead, where various low buildings stretched into the distance. "I'll wander around on my own."
"Alright. We usually rest at the White Sail and Anchor. Remember to find us later. Just explore within the city; don't venture outside the city, understand?"
"No problem, don't worry."
"Also, don't make any large purchases on the island; you might get ripped off. Wait until I'm done tomorrow, and we can shop together."
"Alright, I'm off then." With that, Alka left the ship, passed through the dockworkers, and headed towards the nearby harbor city.
It was now morning, and residents and merchants bustled throughout the city. The scent of the sea breeze drifted from the harbor from time to time.
"Freshly caught sea fish, still fresh!"
"Excuse me, how do I get to the Governor's Mansion?"
"Join the army! Enlist in the Navy! Protect your homeland!"
"Mom, what's for lunch today?"
Various calls and conversations echoed around.
Walking on the main avenue, Alka observed the buildings and shops on both sides. The architectural style here wasn't much different from Golden Wheat Island. Probably due to the local climate, most people wore thin linen shirts. The shops on both sides mostly dealt in seafood and various grains, along with some small taverns.
As he walked further, the style of the area changed significantly. The buildings grew taller and more exquisite, their exterior walls adorned with colorful paint. The calls of street vendors were barely audible here. Though the area was still bustling, it was considerably quieter than the port. The people passing by were dressed noticeably better than the residents near the harbor. Most people wore cotton clothing. The nearby shops transformed into higher-end inns, clothing stores, restaurants, and bakeries. Passing a bakery, Alka glanced at the high-end bread on display, all advertised with labels claiming 'Flour from Golden Wheat Island.' But he wasn't interested in that.
He wandered for a while, taking note of many interesting shops. Then, Alka spotted the one he was most interested in: a weapon shop named Golden Blade, which occupied two storefronts.
Quite a few men were inside, selecting weapons. Alka quickly walked in.
No staff came to greet him. The counter and the racks behind it were filled with various swords and knives. There were Two-Handed Giant Swords, Sabers, Daggers, and Rapiers. The most common seemed to be Sailor's Short Sabers, a type of weapon prevalent on ships. However, none of these weapons were priced below one Silver Snake. A regular Sailor's Saber was typically valued at around one hundred Copper Swallows; one Silver Snake could buy two of them.
I should have come with Siegert, Alka thought. I can't choose between these weapons; I have no idea which are good or bad. Looks like I'll just browse today.
After looking around for a while, Alka spotted something peculiar and quickly approached. The counter displayed rows of short weapons resembling pistols. Their appearance was more akin to revolvers, also featuring a hammer mechanism at the back.
"May I ask what type of weapon this is?"
Hearing Alka's question, a shop attendant immediately stepped forward. Smiling, he retrieved the pistol Alka was eyeing. "This is a Vibrating Stone Pistol, a type of ranged weapon."
Vibrating Stone? Alka mused. It must be based on the same principle as the Vibrating Stone Cannons used on the ship. An Otherworld gunpowder design?
"What's the effective range?" Alka asked casually. He clearly didn't know this type of weapon, yet he knew to ask about its effective range.
The attendant continued smiling and replied, "Sir, the effective range is approximately fifty meters."
Hearing the range, Alka nodded. He didn't know much about firearms, so he wasn't sure if fifty meters was a good range for such a pistol. However, fifty meters was certainly sufficient for his purposes. Compared to various melee weapons, Alka, having come from modern times, favored such ranged weapons. American Iaido, he thought with a flash of recognition.
"How much does this weapon cost?"
"They range from three to eight Silver Snakes. We don't sell anything pricier here."
So expensive! Alka thought. Even the cheapest one costs as much as a skilled worker earns in a year.
Hearing this, Alka glanced at the pistols in the display case. All were revolver-style, though their appearances varied. One placed in the center had a tag marked with the numeral "8." This must be the priciest one then, he figured.
"Would you like to take a closer look, sir?" Without waiting for Alka's response, the attendant directly picked up the pistol worth eight Silver Snakes and placed it on the counter. He began to introduce it proudly, "This is a work by our island's renowned gunsmith, Alando Ture. It has an effective range of up to sixty-five meters and uses powerful Number Three ammunition. Only eight Silver Snakes. Considering it's a master's creation, that's truly a fair price."
Wait a minute, Alka thought, perplexed. How did this guy get the idea I could afford that much?