As the bell of the Storm Church tolled seven times, Bo Burnham was awakened by its sound, and the rays of the morning sun that peeked onto his face from the window.
Sitting up, he groggily opened his eyes, then squinted them as they took some time to adapt to the brightness of the morning.
Stretching his body, he stood up from his bed, and started folding up his quilt, and straightening up the sheet. As he was doing so, his gaze suddenly landed on the bedside table.
He was a junior merchant who had tried adventuring at sea once, but did not find joy in it. In the end, he found employment under a merchant in Bayam, and worked as his assistant.
Even though he had a good salary of three pounds a week, and on top of that, earned bonuses too depending on if he closed some deal for his employer, the loss of a pocket watch still hurt his heart gravely.
It had cost him a total of two pounds and eight soli, which was just twelve soli short of his weekly salary. For the past several days, he had been cursing the thief who'd stolen it from him, praying that the person would get retribution from the lord.
What he didn't expect, though, was to find out that a familiar pocket watch would come and lay itself on his bedside table in the middle of the night while he was sleeping.
His eyes widened as he snatched the watch in his hand, and looked at it carefully. He opened the lid, and found it working. He saw familiar scratches on the glass, which he was used to seeing. Going through the chain, he saw the deformation in the metal that he was used to seeing.
His chest heaved as he looked at the sealed window, then turned his head to look at the bolted door of his room.
"Holy Lord of Storms!"
He prayed with all his heart, grateful for the lord's grace.
...
As the sun had gradually risen up above the horizon, the rays that peaked into my room from the windows were especially intense. I tried to endure through, and continue sleeping, but ultimately, the bell of the Storm Church that tolled twelve times finally woke me up.
I, who had murdered another man—and was now on the lookout for my fourth and the fifth—finally sat up on the bed.
Rising up, I went to the bathroom to wash up, brush my teeth, and do the business. Once I came back, I pulled a string that connected to a bell right outside my room.
Soon, a service staff member who manned this floor came to my room, and I requested him to bring me breakfast. Or, brunch, considering the time I woke up at.
Once the food arrived, I leisurely sat at the dining table, watching as the sun gradually rose and went above the window of my room, leaving only a brightly lit day in sight, and a coolly blowing sea breeze.
Today's brunch was a full meal that had fried eggs, thick cut bacon, lamb bone soup, mushrooms, grilled tomato, some beans and toast, and a fizzy drink that tasted sweet, mildly sour and slightly bitter.
It was the Kirsch Tea, which originated in the mountains of Feysac, but spread further into the Winter County and the Midseashire County of Loen due to the popularity of its balanced mix of mild sour and bitter taste among the masses. When prepared with local honey, it presented a perfect blend of sweet, sour, and bitter.
I heartily finished every single dish, and emptied the plate clean, while taking intermittent sips of the tea. Indeed, it was a wonderful beverage that a person with good taste would enjoy at least once a week.
Once I was finished with the food, I had a bath, and enjoyed the feeling of fresh, cold water falling down my body. Getting out, I dried myself up, and put on my tuxedo suit.
For the past two days, I had followed the same routine, going to the bars, listening to people's stories, looking out for any rumours on the sea.
Recently, Vice Admiral Edwina Edwards' had been a little news. Apparently, the Golden Dream was sighted close to some Islands in the archipelago, before it disappeared off towards the north in the Sonia Sea.
As I thought about the time, I wondered how long it would take for our dear pirate hunter to appear.
As far as I remembered, Klein had left for Bayam somewhere around early January of 1350. Considering that one third of the month had already passed, it shouldn't be long before he comes here.
Then, would begin the saga of Gehrman Sparrow. I was quite looking forward to the news that I would get to hear as his adventures took place. It was an exciting thought.
I sighed, as I thought of my own strength. I wanted to get stronger too, so that I could also hunt pirates, and make money from the bounties.
Thinking of my level as a Sequence 9, I couldn't help but imagine myself bottoming up a glass of Lanti Proof in sorrow, and then throwing it across the imaginary Swordfish bar.
Ah... I wish to be stronger...
Gazing at the sun, I put on my halved black top hat, and walked out of my room.
As it happened to be, today was another gathering at the Amyris Leaf bar, just three days after the previous one.
Having taken all my valuables, which were my weapons and my wallet, I was now ready to head out.
I hailed a carriage, and asked the master to drive towards the Amyris Leaf bar.
When I reached the street, I got off the carriage, paid the driver 5 pennies, and walked towards the bar.
At the bar, I went to the counter, and sat down at a stool.
Passing the bartender three pennies, I said, "A glass of Zarhar."
Taking the drink, I leisurely spent time sitting there, or fiddling with my pocket watch, opening and closing it again and again.
After fidgeting, waiting, and drinking several glasses of beer, I finally stood up and walked towards a card room. Once inside, I knocked on a door in the room in a particular pattern. The door was opened, and I was led underground into a disguise room. There, I put on a hooded black robe, and a mask that covered the top half of my face.
Today, I was the second one to enter the gathering room. The other people before me were only the lady that I had noticed in the past two gatherings, and Strongman Ozil, the organiser.
Sitting down in a corner, I fiddled with my pocket watch to pass time as one by one, more and more people entered the room.
When there were about fifteen people in the room, and the clock hit 5:30, the gates were closed, and the gathering began.
The first one to speak was a man who looked tall and thin, appearing relatively lanky.
"I have three Murloc's bladders, I will sell one for 170 pounds, but if you were to buy all three, then it will be 150 pounds each."
The man spoke, and two seconds later, the lady that I had noticed more than once, finally spoke up.
"I'll take all three, I'll give you 500 pounds as long as you also provide supplementary ingredients for two sets of that potion."
"Fine, I do have them on me right now."
For those who knew, it was a simple transaction for the three main ingredients of a Sequence 9 Sailor potion, as for those who didn't, they could only guess what beyonder potion the ingredients belonged to.
Once the transaction was complete, the lady became completely silent again, and the gathering continued.