In a small shack by the dock, a glasses-wearing man slept with his legs leaning against the counter, the chair under him creaking softly whenever he moved slightly.
A man shouted and kicked the chair from under him.
Norman quickly opened his eyes and flipped himself back to his feet before he fell down. It was an amazing show of agility.
"Tch…" the man clicked his tongue. "Go do your job. Check those young men over there!"
Norman nudged his glasses and looked over to the young men, who seemed quite lost at the busy dock but looked like they had just arrived.
He took his money bag, then tossed his satchel over his shoulder and headed over to the young men.
After hearing the shout, Kiernan and Julian looked over—they recognized Norman as one of the Harbor Masters—they were waiting for one of them to come.
They didn't want to illegally enter Nightingale City after all.
"That's 20 coins per head upon entry," Norman said. "Which vessel did you use to come here?"
"That," Julian smirked and looked at the shaky-looking rowboat.
Norman nudged his glasses and looked at the rowboat. He doubted that it could even hold three people, let alone make it safely across the World Seas.
"Is your real ship somewhere outside Nightingale Pass?" Norman asked.
"No, that's it." Kiernan said.
"Yep!" Julian smiled.
Norman frowned and knew they were lying, but he didn't really care as they were going to tax them the same amount as with the large vessel.
"It's 500 gold coins to have your… boat here. 20 gold coins per head to enter the city."
Kiernan rummaged through his back pocket, took about six hundred gold coins, and handed them over to the Harbor Master.
"Well, thank you, sir." Norman said, and then asked. "May I receive your identification papers?"
Kiernan and Julian showed their names.
Norman then checked his tablet for those names in the criminal database but found nothing. He then tried to look for any bounty posters with their faces but couldn't find anything that could match accurately enough.
"Alright. Write your names down here, please."
He handed them a book—it was to register their entry into the city.
Kiernan and Julian wrote their names down in the book.
"That's it. Welcome to Nightingale, and I hope you will enjoy your stay."
"I am sure we will." Julian said with a smile. "Do you know any nearby inns anywhere? We would want to sleep with a roof over our heads."
"Where do you want the inn to be?" Norman asked. "At the outskirts? Near the harbor?"
"Close to that castle, please." Kiernan said.
"Foaming Drink Inn should be closest," Norman said. "It is owned by a friend of mine, and he always makes sure his guests are comfortable and well taken care of."
They said, and then headed towards the city to find the Foaming Drink Inn. When they were out of Norman's sights, he took off his glasses, cleaned them with his shirt, and then put them back on.
He then walked back to his shack, sat down, and resumed his nap.
The warm golden light bathed the cozy-looking inn. Its walls were made out of wood trunks, and the ceiling had greenish veins of mold running through it.
The bar counter was also purely made out of wood—golden maple to be specific—and the mood of the inn was very nature friendly.
With the wood encompassing every corner, it felt like being in a peaceful forest cabin.
"Raquel, two more drinks!" Thegan placed two wood glasses of ale on the counter.
The ale was literally foaming over the glass, and it looked very appetizing with its deep golden color and sweet aroma.
Through the back door, a sweet-looking girl walked out. She was wearing a pretty white bodice with an elegant, flowing white-colored skirt, and she also wore knee-high tights that matched her skirt perfectly.
Her feet were hidden under a pair of white ballet flats, and her hair was styled in loose curls that cascaded down her back.
She was the star of the inn, Raquel Fang—most came to the inn only to court her or to see her—which made the inn the most popular in the city.
Her father, Thegan, smiled at the sight of her and went to pour more drinks of their Foaming Gold Drink of Dreams.
Raquel picked up the wood glasses of the ale and went to one of the tables.
"Here it is~" She smiled and put the glasses down. "Two drinks of Foaming Gold Drink of Dreams!"
A gray-haired man said, and took a sip before letting out an amazed sigh of satisfaction.
"As great as always. This drink is only the second best thing to come out of this tavern, though."
He was already feeling tipsy and looked at Raquel through rose-tinted glasses, but he had already gotten rejected by her three times, so he knew when to take a no for an answer.
Raquel said with a giggle and then moved behind the bar, but then the door of the inn opened, and with her sweet-sounding voice, she said.
She looked towards the new arrivals and looked surprised for a moment. She didn't recognize their faces and knew by their look that they were new in the Nightingale.
It was easy to tell who was native to Nightingale, and she could tell with certainty that these two young men weren't.
"What a nice place~" Julian said with a smile and walked to the counter. "We're here to rent a—"
He was about to say something but then caught the sight of Raquel, and his words got stuck in his throat. Even he was amazed by her beauty.
Raquel's cheeks also turned slightly pink. She was used to attention, but something was different in his look. It made her feel warm.
"Yes?" Thegan then stepped in the middle of them and raised an eyebrow. "You here for a room or drink?"
"Room, please." Kiernan patted his friend on the shoulder.
"How many nights?" Thegan asked.
"I don't know yet. Let's start with 10 days."
Thegan smiled and led them to the front desk to check in. After registration and paying the amount, they received their golden keys and went straight to their room.
They only rented one room with two beds.
"Ah!" Julian jumped down on his bed and straightened his legs. "Finally, relaxation!"
Kiernan sat down on his bed, hunched over, and took a deep breath—it was an annoyingly long two-day trip to here.
Both of them were starting to hate seas.
"That waitress, though, sheesh," Julian smirked. "Beautiful one, aye?"
"I guess." Kiernan said, then laid down on the bed. "Ask her out if you like her so much."
"Hmm~" Julian shrugged his shoulders. "You're not like other teenagers. Aren't we all supposed to be horny and wanting a taste of romance?"
"Am I different?" Kiernan asked with a smirk and looked over.
"Yes, I think so!" Julian said. "You're always so calm and collected, even when women are clearly flirting with you."
Kiernan just laughed and shook his head with amusement.
"That Wren chick liked you; I saw it in her eyes," Julian said. "Well, sexually, not romantically, I guess. She was one cold-hearted bitch, though."
"Does this place have a shower? Go find out; I want to take one." Kiernan said.
"Don't change the subject!" Julian tossed his shoe at him. "This is how teenage boys bond—talking about girls!"
Kiernan took the shoe that he'd thrown and tossed it back. It flew with greater strength and hit Julian in the chest.
"Hah…" Julian cracked his knuckles, grabbed his pillow, and threw it over to Kiernan.
Before it could land, Kiernan flipped the bed to the side and made it shield himself from the pillow attack.
"Iron Style, Bed Flip."
"Hey, don't you start using Iron Style, you cheater! And did you just make up a new technique because I am pretty sure that's not a real one!"
"Iron Style, Pillow Throw."
"Huh?" Thegan looked to the ceiling. "What was that sound?"
"Hmm~" Raquel perked up her ears and heard the sounds of fighting. "Boys will be boys, I suppose~"