Dawn City's trade station bustled with voices and endless hawking, while caravans and pedestrians streamed through its entrance without pause, lively from day until night.
Tracks of varying widths crisscrossed the ground like a checkerboard, while dazzling treasures and rare goods piled up like little mountains on the stalls.
There were eight-armed octopus-style mechanical manipulators made by Boulder Military Industries, clocks and jewelry from the Camelback Kingdom, generic bionic maidservants and attendants imported from Utopia City, even exotic spices from the distant ocean continent and soap produced by the Legion.
In short, if you could think of it, you could buy it here.
Long ago, Dawn City's market had changed its business model. While retaining bulk commodity trading points operated by the Alliance, it leased its expanded trading space to private individuals.
Those renting stalls included local merchants and shelter residents, as well as traveling traders from elsewhere.
Even before the Wave began, this place had gradually grown livelier as winter passed.
Now that word of the Wave's end had spread, the prosperity here had gained an added touch of celebration.
"Has something good happened recently?"
Stopping before a stall, a man in a gray high-collared coat looked up at the decorations hanging in front of it and casually asked.
His complexion was somewhat dark, deep wrinkles lined his brow and the corners of his eyes, and he looked weathered by hardship. He carried a suitcase in one hand.
The stall owner looked him over and found him unfamiliar. Assuming he was a traveling merchant from far away, he smiled and said,
"Our esteemed Overseer led us to victory over the Wave. A victory celebration will be held here in three days. It's one of our old traditions. Say, is this your first time here?"
"Not exactly, but the last