Nestled along the shore of the Slithering Sea, the port city of Oceanview captured attention with its strategic location. True to its name, it offered an unobstructed panoramic vista of the expansive ocean that stretched out before it. The rhythmic sound of waves lapping against the coastline provided a soothing backdrop to the bustling activity within the port.

The salty air carried a hint of adventure and opportunity, blending seamlessly with the vibrant atmosphere that permeated the city. As children, most of them Odoe, joyfully frolicked through the streets, their playful antics interrupted momentarily by the sight of the Rustler and Men'ma's carriage passing by. Even passersby paused, their curiosity piqued by apparently their unfamiliar presence.

"I may not be home yet, but this place already feels better than that damn continent," Men'ma remarked with a smile, stretching along the coastline. "So, what do you think of the city so far?" she inquired, breaking the silence.

"It's certainly unique," the Rustler replied. And indeed, it was. None of the cities he had visited across the continent resembled Oceanview. Although comparatively smaller in size, it exuded a vibrancy and charm that set it apart from any other cities he had encountered.

"Exactly," Men'ma agreed, shifting the topic before pointing towards a vessel in the bustling port. As maritime vessels of various sizes and shapes gracefully navigated the deep blue waters, several others remained anchored, patiently awaiting their next voyage. Among them, one vessel stood out distinctly due to its impressive size.

"That big boat right there, that's the very vessel that brought me to this continent," Men'ma explained, a sense of pride in her voice. "And it's going to be the same ship that takes me back home." She then turned around to announce to the driver, “Hey, I’m going to talk to the Captain. Go ahead without us. See you guys at the Devi’s mansion”

“Lady Men’ma?” The man asked, barely given the time to process his information.

Without a word of warning, she abruptly reached out and pulled the Rustler out of the carriage.

“Me too?”

“Yeah, you too,” she declared, “or perhaps you would prefer to stay in that wagon.”

Remembering how better it felt to have a firm grip on the ground, the Rustler shook his head.

“See. Now come with me, we gotta meet with the ship captain,” she said, motioning to come over to the large boat on the port.

As Men'ma and the Rustler walked towards the boat, they made their way across the wooden bridge connecting the port to the vessel. The creaking of the weathered planks beneath their feet added a sense of anticipation to their steps. Before they could reach the boat, however, someone onboard noticed their presence.

"Lady Men'ma?" a man mumbled upon noticing her.

"You," Men'ma smiled, "I remember you," she said, walking up to him.

"You're back."

"Yes, I am, and I am going home," she announced grandiously.

"I see," the man replied in kind to her answer. Then, he cast a glance toward the Rustler who stood at the top of the bridge, hesitating to step onto the boat, as if sensing a strange omen emanating from it.

"Where is your captain? Is he in his cabin or..." Men'ma asked, looking around.

"The captain, huh? As you know, there isn't much to do around these parts as of late, so no, the captain isn't here. It's been almost five days since we last saw him," the man explained.

"Oh..." Men'ma lamented until the man added, "but I think I know where I can find him. He's most likely at the 'Tropical Roach.'"

"The Tropical Roach," both the Rustler and Men’ma mumbled, intrigued by the peculiar name.

"Yeah," the man smiled, somewhat embarrassed, "it's a new bar across town, next to the Devi's mansion."

Men'ma briefly lamented, a tinge of regret crossing her face. "I should've just stayed in the carriage," she murmured. But then, shaking off the thought, she regained her resolve. "Whatever," she said firmly, determination gleaming under her visor. "It's our opportunity to explore the city."

As they turned to leave, Men'ma paused and looked back at the man. "See you later," she said with a smile. "What's your name again?" she inquired.

"It's Ni'iel, Lady Men'ma," he replied, bowing slightly.

"I see. See you later, Ni'iel," she acknowledged, her voice warm and friendly. “Let's go, Rustler, I know where this 'Tropical Roach' is, it's not far away," she stated, confidence in her voice.

With a nod of acknowledgment at the man, the Rustler followed Men'ma's lead.

With that, the duo made their way towards the "Tropical Roach" to find the missing captain. As they proceeded, one detail struck the Rustler greatly as they walked: they attracted a significant amount of attention.

Not only did the children gaze in curiosity, but the adults also paused in their activities, turning their heads to stare at Men'ma and the Rustler, albeit more so for the former than the latter.

Having been around the girl, Men'ma, who never made an effort to hide her crown, the Rustler had grown accustomed to being stared at. Those stares would often carry an air of surprise, intrigue, and sometimes even outright fascination. However, the stares they received here were distinctly different. Their gazes felt more like those of recognition and respect.

"Hi, everyone," Men'ma waved at a group of children, who eagerly waved back in innocent excitement. "Hi," she greeted another group with a friendly wave.

Unable to bear the curiosity any longer, the Rustler posed a question, "Hey, what's up with all these people staring? Do they all know you or something?"

"I'm not sure," she simply replied.

"You're not sure..."

"But I'm pretty sure all of them, if not most of them, know what I am from my crown, so..." Looking up at the crown she bore on her head, he recalled what she had said about it carrying the bearing of a full-blown Valkyrie.

However, as he reminisced about that conversation, he noticed something peculiar about the city's inhabitants: there seemed to be a scarcity of Arbians. The majority of the people appeared to be Odoes.

"There aren't many Arbians out here, are there?" he remarked, voicing his observation.

"Yeah," the girl almost instantly confirmed. "It truly makes me feel nostalgic. I was really surprised when I first landed here. In my mind, the Central Continent was a land populated by bean-skinned Arbians. Then I arrived here. Can imagine my surprise upon stumbling upon so many fellow Odoes."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“I guess I can.”

"I was then explained that the reason there were so many Odoe here was that most of them descended from Odoe who left the central continent to rejoin the motherland. However, for one reason or another, they eventually ended up taking root here. This led to the birth of Ocean View, the 40th city and the true southernmost city of the Central continent."

"And seemingly the smallest too," the Rustler added, noting the city's compact size.

"This is the place, I think," Men'ma said, coming to a halt as they arrived at a structure adorned with a vibrant sign bearing the name "Tropical Roach."

"This must be it," Men'ma exclaimed, a spark of excitement igniting in her eyes under the visor.

The establishment exuded a lively atmosphere, with the sounds of laughter and music spilling out onto the street, along with a strong and peculiar smell.

The duo exchanged a glance, a silent understanding passing between them, nodding in unison before proceeding into the structure.

As Men'ma and the Rustler entered the "Tropical Roach," they were greeted by a wave of warmth and the mingling aromas of exotic drinks.

Despite the smell and noise, the bar wasn't overly crowded. It had just about half a dozen chairs and an equal number of circular tables scattered here and there, around which groups of people played and drank, creating a lively scene. Initially, the room was filled with the sounds of groans, burps, glass clinking, and laughter, all adding to the vibrant almost chaotic ambiance.

However, as the bar's patrons took notice of Men'ma and the Rustler's presence, a hush fell over the room. Whispers of "That's..." and "Huh, a child" could be heard here and there. Ignoring the attention, Men'ma led the way, and the duo proceeded deeper into the bar.

As they moved through the bar in search of the captain, Men'ma's eyes lit up with recognition. She spotted a familiar face among the patrons and whispered to the Rustler, "There he is," pointing towards a corner table. The captain, a disheveled-looking man and an Arbian like most people in the bar, sat there with his face resting on the table, snoring away, saliva or spilled booze pooling beneath him.

"That's the captain you're looking for?" the Rustler asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Yeah, that's him. He's the one who sailed me across," Men'ma confirmed.

Suddenly, a man from the table bolted up upon recognizing Men'ma. "You... you're the Lady Valkyrie from back then," he mumbled, his voice filled with awe.

"Yes, that's me. I remember you," Men'ma nodded. "I'm here to speak with your captain. Could you wake him up for me?"

"Uh, yeah, yeah, of course, of course," the man stammered, quickly realizing the significance of the encounter. He approached the slumbering captain and gently shook him, trying to rouse him from his deep sleep.

It took the man several attempts, calling out the captain's name and giving him rougher shakes, before the Arbian captain finally stirred from his slumber. His first words, heavy and groggy, were a half-conscious "What?!"

"Boss, you gotta wake up," the man persisted, "Look who's here. It's the Lady Valkyrie, from back then."

The captain blinked in confusion, trying to comprehend the situation. "Lady what?" he mumbled, his voice still laced with sleepiness.

“Lady Valkyrie, there,” the man said, pointing at Men’ma.

The captain spent several seconds squinting his eyes, as if trying to make out a silhouette in the fog, before muttering, "You... you're finally back."

The man stood up and began walking in the direction of the duo. However, after taking only two steps, he abruptly straightened up, and before any of the duo could understand what was happening, a grotesque performance unfolded before them.

***

Men'ma, the Rustler, and the captain stepped outside to take a breath of fresher air. The pungent and reeking smell of booze escaped the captain's mouth as he spoke, apologizing once again.

"Sorry for earlier, M'lady," the captain said. "I didn't mean to do that in front of you. I was simply not expecting your presence."

"It's nothing," Men'ma replied before turning to the Rustler, raising an eyebrow. "Right?"

What is she even expecting me to answer exactly?

The Rustler hesitated for a moment before responding, "Yeah, I guess."

"I see," the captain replied, a smile forming as he scratched his head. "So you're finally going home, M'lady Valkyrie."

Men'ma nodded. "Yes, after two years, I'm finally going home. That's why we came here to find you. I need you to take us to the Southern Continent."

"Us?" the captain questioned, scratching his head. "Is the little buddy over there going too?"

Men'ma looked at the Rustler, hoping for some reaction, but he remained stoic. She sighed and turned back to the captain, nodding. "Yes, the little buddy is going too."

"I see," the man sighed, then started nervously massaging his neck. "Is there a problem?"

"Well, I can't deny that there, in fact, is."

"What is it?"

"Just to be sure, did you meet up with the Devi already?"

"No, I went straight to you."

"I thought so, that would be more like you," the captain chuckled. "And when do you expect us to leave exactly?"

"I don't know, today or tomorrow perhaps. Either is fine by me."

The man let out another chuckle and used one arm to reach out and massage his forehead. "Just as I thought."

Men'ma and the Rustler exchanged a glance.

"I'm sorry, what exactly is happening?"

"Well, M'lady Valkyrie, there are a lot of things that have changed both in this continent and the Southern Continent in the two years you were out there."

"What happened?"

"Not long after we escorted you to this continent, that service ended up costing us a heap of trouble. And not just trouble from anyone, but rather from fellow Valkyries of yours."

Though only briefly, Men'ma found herself shaken by the mention of her fellow Valkyries, but she quickly contained herself. "And?"

"And... I'm not exactly sure how it devolved, but for a while, we were sailing to this side of the sea, forbidden from even approaching their coast. I'm sure you understand what that means: no trade, no deliveries for us, just nothing." He bitterly smiled. "That is because of two things: one, because we sailed you across the sea, and two, because they heard that we were involved in the death of one of their own. What was her name again? Niara... Ara, Niara something like—"

"Ninjara?" the Rustler offered.

"Yeah, that's the name! That's the damn name! See, even you guys have heard about that. Tsk. As if I had anything to do with that. I already have plenty on my plate with us having to deliver because some idiots among us travelers have managed to get on the bad side of a murder-hoboing psychopathic Raj. It's like I haven't left the continent because of their bullshit, and now even from here, I am suffering the consequences of their actions. Damn them! Damn–-"

"Captain," Men'ma interjected, her voice an ominous whisper cutting through the captain's frustrated rant. "I understand that things have grown complicated on your end, but be warned, you are venturing upon treacherous ground. The ice beneath your feet grows perilously thin, and the looming darkness that lies ahead holds a wrath far more wretched than anything you could have imagined. So please watch your mouth."

Confused about the sudden words of warning he received, the captain's eyes wandered aimlessly until they met the Rustler’s unwavering gaze, causing them to freeze in place, a profound unease settled over them.

"Those blue eyes... You're a Raj, aren't you?" the captain asked, his voice suddenly sober, his throat tightening as he swallowed. "My apologies... um, please disregard my previous remark. I didn’t mean them."

As the captain's words hung in the air, met with silence, the Rustler's expression remained inscrutable, devoid of any discernible emotion, yet it exuded an undeniable sense of foreboding. The atmosphere grew heavy with palpable tension.

It would require Men'ma's intervention to break the tense atmosphere. She wedged herself between the Captain and the Rustler, offering her suggestion. "Captain, I believe I made a mistake by approaching you directly. Could you please head to the Devi's mansion instead? I will follow along, and we will discuss everything there."

Without wasting a single moment, the captain, now completely sobered up, swiftly declared, "Certainly, we can. I'm heading there immediately," and promptly vanished from sight.

With the man gone, Men’ma sighed one out loud, then turned to face the Rustler warning, “Sorry but you’re not touching that one.”

“I wasn’t planning to.”

“You were not planning to, huh. Is that so?”

“It is.”

"I understand. I believe you, but may I nonetheless suggest that you engage in some touristic activities while I go and speak with the local Devi and the captain, whom I believe you have inadvertently frightened to death, regarding our journey across the sea."

Though initially inclined to voice disagreement, the Rustler's thoughts gradually shifted, and he ultimately concurred with her decision.