If this was a year ago, they all would be shocked by the price, but they had earned a lot of money during their travel and now 10.000 gold coins weren't that much to them.
Aldred bought a couple of fruits for his wives, and they all love them.
"I heard you find this fruit deep under the sea. Aren't you people scared of sea monsters?"
The seller laughed bitterly. "Of course we are scared, but most people will only do this once, and never do it again."
"I didn't know that."
"Most people don't, My Lord. Earning 10.000 gold coins is enough for them to live their whole life and save enough for their children and even grandchildren if they manage the coins well."
"That's good to hear."
"I know, but many people in this job died before they can obtain a single fruit."
"Why do they still do it despite the danger?"
The seller sighed. "The people in this job are a bunch of desperate men who have everything to lose. This job can give them a new life but most die while trying."
"What happened to their families?"
"Nothing. Their families are left to tend for themselves, but around a decade ago, people who have been in this job before started giving gold coins to the family of the fallen diver."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes. Those successful divers that had managed their money became wealthy and they even created businesses. They now will give aid to the family's fallen divers, but I think their most important project is making more jobs to prevent more people to dive deep into the sea. This is why the fruit price has increased even more since fewer people are willing to do it."
"And I guess that most divers are Bronze Rank and below, correct?"
"That is correct, My Lord. Silver Ranks can have a decent life, they don't need to risk it."
Aldred let out a small laugh. "I am just glad that there are people out there preventing more divers to appear."
"Why, My Lord? The number of sea fruits will decrease. Won't that be terrible for you?"
"Their lives are more important than these fruits."
The seller was astonished. "I am quite shocked. I never see someone from the ruling class who is sympathetic for these divers."
"I guess I am just different. Well, pack all the fruits for me. I am buying it all."
"Y—yes, My Lord."
Aldred hoped the successful diver would make more jobs and increase the quality of life, so less of divers would appear in the future.
After buying the fruits, Aldred and his wives walked around the floating market.
Aldred accidentally bumped onto a person, and he apologized. "Sorry about that."
To his surprise, the person didn't receive his apology. "How dare you touch me!"
"I apologized, didn't I?"
"You think mere words are enough to cool my wrath?" The man looked young and he wore luxurious clothes. Behind him, there were strong-looking guards with rare-grade armor and weapons.
The young man looked at Aldred's women and there was lust in his eyes. "You know what? I will forgive you."
"Okay, whatever."
"Only if your women stay with me."
Aldred sighed. He already expected this when he saw the lust glint in the young man's eyes.
'Why can't I go anywhere without any arrogant person bothering me? Seems like I have to kill this young person as well.'
Aldred was about to summon his Phantom Doomblade and cut this man to pieces until someone came.
"Fubam, what are you doing here?" a beautiful girl appeared and asked the young man with a slightly harsh tone.
"Ah, Lady Lura, this man bumped into me."
"Has he apologized?"
"Yes, but—"
"Then let it pass. Don't act like a child."
Fubam smiled bitterly but secretly gave Aldred a glare.
Aldred sneered which made Fubam even more enraged.
Eventually, Fubam left.
"I apologize on his behalf."
"You need not to."
"He is my acquaintance, so I feel like I should. May I know your name?"
"Only if I know yours."
Lura smiled. "My name is Lura Hildom, and you are?"
"Aldred."
"Again, I apologize, Lord Aldred."
"You don't have to. It's not your fault."
Lura grabbed something from her pouch and handed it to Aldred. "These are five sea tokens. Please take it."
"What is this for?"
Lura raised an eyebrow. "Lord Aldred, are you perhaps never gone to the sea before?"
"Yes. I am quite new to this."
"In that case, I will explain it to you. Those sea tokens are a sort of currency that you can use for the sea market. You might notice that the Sea Fruit Market does accept gold coins, but a lot of markets don't do that."
"Oh, I see."
"And how much does each sea token worth?"
"You will know in the future. For now, I will bid my farewell."
She left immediately.
"Weird. She just came and give me 5 sea tokens without giving a proper explanation on how to use them."
"She's a weird one." Mary nodded. "But she's nice."
"Beautiful too," Stella said. "Have you ever thought about adding her to the harem when you talk?"
"What do you guys talk about? Do you think I want to add every girl I see to the harem?"
His wives rolled their eyes at that.
"I am punishing all of you hard tonight."
His wives laughed and even joked around.
"Kyaaa, please don't do it, dear," Sophia said in a pitiful-joking voice.
…
A fleet sailed through a violent storm. The sky was covered by dark clouds. Lightning flashed and heavy rain fell.
A man was standing inside the command center, staring through the window and beyond the horizon. On his back was a pitch black sword, seemingly able to devour anything it touched.
He was 182 cm tall with a sword mark on his mouth. And thick armor wrapped around him all the time. His strong and bulging muscles couldn't be hidden by the plates.
Suddenly, as thunder growled, the door opened and an officer saluted. "Lord Simon, we found their tracks. They are heading to the east."
Simond was silent at first before he replied: "Use all of our magic crystals to chase them."
"In this storm, My Lord?"
"Don't make me repeat my word, Commodore."
"Yes… My Lord."
