When Krasu and the sailors arrived at the island, what they saw was a small island covered in green grass and coconut trees filling every corner.
In the middle of the island, they saw a striking building that looked out of place. It was the Exchange House, more than ten meters tall, clearly visible from outside the island.
After that, the ship anchored quite far away because there was no port for such a large vessel on Reyhan's island. Krasu and the sailors moored the ship in the open sea and continued their journey in small boats.
As for Reyhan, he had already landed on the island and greeted Liora, who was waiting on the shore.
"Liora, they are merchants who were attacked by pirates, so I brought them here to clean and treat their wounds," Reyhan explained to Liora before she could even ask.
"Hmm, is there anything I can help with?" Liora replied, wanting to do something to assist Reyhan.
"Alright, just follow whatever I tell you later," said Reyhan.
"Hey, Krasu, bring everything and follow me to the center of the island. There are too many goods to carry here… and don't forget to bring the money," Reyhan shouted to Krasu and all the sailors who had just landed.
Krasu, who was observing the condition of the island, nodded and told his men to head there.
...
When they reached the center of the island, their eyes were drawn to the tall and luxurious building, and then they saw a large, strange object they couldn't recognize.
Reyhan approached Krasu and said, "There are no chairs, so just sit on the ground… did you bring the money? … Okay, follow me over there," Reyhan continued after seeing the money Krasu showed him.
Krasu followed with his two guards, entering the grand building with suspicion.
Once inside, even those who had traveled between countries were stunned by the spectacular sights.
Seeing their surprise, Reyhan felt a little proud, like a host praised for the beauty of his home.
Not allowing Krasu and the others to enjoy the view too long, Reyhan interrupted,
"Krasu, bring your money to exchange over there. You have to use the special currency on this island," Reyhan said, pointing to one of the counters.
Krasu nodded, recovering from his surprise, and walked with Reyhan to the counter.
When they reached the counter, an elegant female voice startled the three of them:
"Welcome, please place the items you wish to exchange into the drawer in front of you, and once everything is inside, please close the drawer door."
The three of them were startled, and the two guards stood ready around Krasu, looking for the source of the voice.
Seeing this, Reyhan realized he had been careless.
After all, people unfamiliar with it would be surprised by a sudden voice. He could only explain,
"You don't need to be on guard, this is a magic device, so it's the one speaking. Although it only repeats the same words," he tried to explain as simply as possible.
Hearing this, the guards looked at the strange machine suspiciously, while Krasu, who had been silent, suddenly burst out laughing.
"Hahaha… sorry for laughing. I really do seem like someone who's never seen the world."
After saying that, he immediately put all the money from his pocket into the drawer and closed it.
As before, the drawer glowed, and after a few seconds, it opened again.
"Please take your money. This currency is the official currency used in all resort facilities. If you are not satisfied with the exchange result, please contact the resort manager," the machine's voice echoed again.
Reyhan watched Krasu take the money, which was quite thick. Each bill was made of plastic with a denomination of 1,000 Royal, so the total was probably more than ten thousand Royal.
"This money can be used to buy something from the machines outside; there are various kinds of food and medical supplies there," Reyhan explained before Krasu could ask.
Krasu nodded and said, "Alright, then let's hurry, so the wounded sailors can be treated," and led the way outside.
Once outside, Reyhan once again helped Krasu buy medical supplies such as alcohol, anesthetic injections, bandages, and antibiotics.
Krasu also bought plenty of food and drinks from there, once again amazed at the wonders of the magic devices.
...
After everyone's wounds were treated and bandaged, they began a barbecue party suggested by Liora.
Krasu was not stingy at all and bought a large amount of beef and beer, so all the sailors began to forget their earlier grief and sank into the celebration.
Sitting around the barbecue grill, Reyhan, Krasu, and Liora began to chat.
"We lost more than twenty comrades in the battle with the pirates earlier, and some also lost limbs, as you can see, so they can no longer sail," Krasu said in a deep and quiet voice.
Reyhan did not speak to console him, but instead opened his pack of cigarettes and lit one.
Thin smoke began to rise from the tip of the cigarette, drifting into the air before disappearing into the night breeze.
"Want to try one? It can relieve stress and relax the body," Reyhan offered one to Krasu.
Krasu took a cigarette and lit it like Reyhan. "What is this thing called?" Krasu asked, examining the unfamiliar object.
"This is called a cigarette. It contains substances that can make people relax, but like alcohol, it can also be slightly addictive," Reyhan explained, then taught Krasu how to smoke it.
Reyhan took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled slowly, his eyes watching the sailors who had already sunk into the party.
"Anyway, sailing is a dangerous job; even storms are more terrifying, aren't they?" Reyhan said while sipping his beer.
"Yes… storms can sink an entire ship in a matter of minutes. But pirates… they take lives with their eyes wide open, without fear or mercy," Krasu said calmly, though he clearly despised the pirates.
Reyhan took another slow drag from his cigarette, his gaze still fixed on the sailors.
"Are there many pirates like that?" Reyhan asked curiously.
"Quite a few, but the sea is vast, and it's rather rare for a ship to encounter pirates. In fact, if we had crossed paths with pirates, we should have been able to escape while fighting with the cannons. However, the cargo on the ship this time was too heavy, so we could only fight," Krasu explained, describing the sailors' situation at sea.
Their conversation continued until night before they dispersed, and Krasu and the sailors returned to the ship to rest.