What's with that obviously suspicious look on your face?
The constant stares from behind finally made Vane turn around.
"Are you the kind of NPC who requires players to actively trigger dialogue? You'll just keep quiet unless I ask?"
"... I don't understand what you're saying."
The man turned his face away and continued wiping the pocket watch in his hand.
"Stop rubbing it, you'll grind down all the carvings."
Vane slid to a seat on the swivel chair in front of the bar.
"Come on, please begin your story."
"I don't have any stories to tell," the shopkeeper replied curtly, gesturing with his chin towards the rocking chair.
"I've just heard that old man ramble on too much."
Vane looked him up and down, then nodded:
"That's true. The Stultifera Navis's last voyage was over fifty years ago. Back then, you were just a kid, weren't you?"
Just as the shop owner was about to lash out, he suddenly grasped the key point in her words:
"More than fifty years ago... how do you know all this so clearly?"
Vane curled his lips into a wicked smile, lifting his hair to reveal his pointed ears.
"Because I am the Vampire Demon,"
He blinked, his red eyes standing out brightly in the dimly lit shop.
Isn't it normal to live a long life?
The shop owner's body was visibly tense. Just as Vane was about to say something more to scare him, a hoarse voice came:
"The Stultifera Navis... a colossal flagship from the late Golden Armada era, one of Iberia's greatest masterpieces..."
Vane turned his head in confusion, and the other person fluently recited a series of major voyages and honors that the Stultifera Navis had participated in.
Its level of detail surprised even Vane, who only vaguely remembered the plot.
"Were you involved in its design?"
Vane tentatively asked a question, but the old man stopped talking abruptly.
Unable to get a response, Vane ignored him and turned back; the man's expression had softened considerably.
"What, not afraid now?" Vane raised an eyebrow.
"Hmph, this is Gran Faro, a key area of focus for the Inquisition."
The store manager seemed to recall something unpleasant and clicked his tongue.
"Since you can operate under the noses of those bastards, you must not be a villain."
"Damn it... Is it really okay to talk about law enforcement like that?"
Vane's expression was somewhat amused, while the man waved his hand impatiently.
"Go out and ask around; seven out of ten people will give the same answer."
"Are you going to buy anything or not? If not, then leave."
"Buy, of course we'll buy."
Vane points to the ship model.
How much is that?
"Not for sale."
A question mark appeared above Vane's head as he glared at the other person.
Are you trying to make fun of me?
"This isn't my shop, go ask that old man."
"So you're not the store manager after all!"
With a twitching smile, Vane asked the old man.
"Grandpa, are you selling your model ship?"
After a long silence, the old man's lips moved:
"That belongs to my son..."
"Fine, then it's not for sale." Vane rolled his eyes.
"Now I know why you guys are taking welfare. Running a shop like this, you're lucky it hasn't gone bankrupt yet."
He paused, then asked again:
"What about your son? Can't I just buy it from him?"
After he finished speaking, the store fell silent. Vane understood seven or eight tenths of what was going on.
"I see..."
Vane took the pocket watch from the man's hand and stood up.
"What are you doing?!"
"Smack."
A heavy gold brick was placed on the counter.
"I like this watch, I'll buy it."
The shop owner's eyes widened, and he didn't react for a moment. Vane opened the shop door, and the sea breeze rushed in, making the lonely wind chime on the lintel sway.
"Don't wait any longer."
Vane didn't turn around, left after saying a few words:
"It won't happen."
The door closed, and the shop owner, as if waking from a dream, chased after it, only to find the alleyway deserted when he opened the door.
Vane put his hands in his pockets, letting his long hair flutter slightly in the wind.
As he walked into the increasingly dense crowds in the town, people still subconsciously kept their distance from him, forming a loose circle.
Ignoring the stares, Vane aimlessly followed the flow of people until they converged in one place.
A church that wasn't particularly grand.
As the crowd surged in, the view disappeared, replaced by the solemnity of entering the sanctuary.
The believers found their seats and began to pray quietly.
Vane glanced at the modified Idol and found it somewhat boring.
"Sir, are you in any trouble?"
A gentle, clear voice came from his side. Vane turned his head at the sound and his eyes lit up.
With his neat, short, sea-blue hair and warm, gentle eyes, the handsome young man, Aegir, was looking at him with concern.
Upon seeing Vane's gaze, the boy was slightly taken aback.
He thought carefully and was certain that he had never seen this peculiar gentleman in town.
"Excuse me, may I ask—"
"Vane, that's my name."
"Ah? Oh, hello Mr. Vane, my name is Jordi, I'm a caregiver here..."
(In the story, Lumen's real name is Jordi Fontanarossa.)
"Okay, bro!"
Vane readily agreed, putting his arm around Jordi's shoulder and leading him to sit down nearby.
"Come on, tell me, what's bothering you? I'll take care of it for you!"
"Ah?"
Jordi was confused. He had only approached the man to ask if he needed help because he saw him standing there alone, so how did the roles suddenly reverse?
Noticing Vane's unusual enthusiasm and familiarity, Jordi hesitated for a moment, then asked softly:
"Excuse me... do you know me?"
"Yes, I know him," Vane answered matter-of-factly, even with a hint of nostalgia.
"You were the one who raised me." (Referring to the game)
Jordi fell silent, and actually followed Vane's words, trying hard to search through her hazy childhood memories.
"...No, no," Jordi shook her head violently, "You should be older than me by all accounts... Ah!"
He realized what was happening and looked at Vane with some understanding.
"I see, are you joking with me?"
"Hmm... although I think I'm just telling the truth."
Vane looked into Jordi's still clear eyes, his curiosity growing even stronger.
"Brother, look at the state I'm in..."
Vane tilted his head slightly, his blood-red eyes narrowing.
Aren't you scared?
How could that be?
Jordi turned to look at the Idol in the center of the church, her gaze devout.
"This is a church, and as a caregiver here, it is my duty to help those in need."
At this point, he remembered his original purpose:
"So, are you facing some difficulties? If you'd like, we can talk about it."
"While I may not be able to help, I can certainly listen."
"It's difficult..." Vane leaned back in his chair, relaxing.
"It's nothing, just browsing."
"Some things feel much better when you talk about them," Jordi said sincerely, one hand on her chest.
"Always keeping bad moods inside is like inflating a balloon until it bursts one day."
"Is that so... Unfortunately, my heart is indestructible."
Vane shrugged, and Jordi looked helpless.
"But if it's you, there's nothing wrong with saying it."
Jordi immediately perked up and adopted a listening posture:
"Please speak."
"Hmm..." Vane organized his thoughts.
There was a man who kept waiting for someone he would never see.
How can I persuade him to stop waiting? Or rather, how can I get him to accept reality?
"Forehead..."
Jordi's smile instantly became somewhat forced, but she quickly composed herself and began to think seriously.
Seeing the other person's furrowed brows, Vane asked from a different angle:
"What would you do if you were in this situation?"
"Me..." Jordi scratched his head.
"I guess... all I can do is visit him more often, talk to him, and see if there's anything I can do to help."
Aren't you going to persuade him to give up waiting?
"..."
Instead of answering directly, Jordi asked a question in a low voice.
"Did that person... wait a long time?"
"... They must have waited quite a long time, after all, they're all getting old."
"Elder?"
The boy was taken aback, then understood and said:
"You mean Grandpa David, right?"
"You know him?"
"Yes, Grandpa David is the oldest person in town... From your description, did he go to the beach again this morning?"
After receiving a reassuring look from Vane, a sorrowful expression appeared on Jordi's face:
"Grandpa David has been doing this ever since I came to this town. People have tried to persuade him otherwise, and there have even been some arguments, but in the end... nothing ever came of it."
He paused, mimicking the old man's words from his memory:
[He's been adrift at sea for so long, he must have been terrified... What if he comes back and can't find me...?]
The boy's voice was not suited to uttering such sorrowful words.
But Vane still sensed the other person's emotions at the time.
After a moment of silence, Vane tried to revive the atmosphere:
"Look on the bright side, they still have their grandchildren to keep them company, don't they?"
"Grandson?" Jordi paused for a moment, then realized.
"You mean Uncle Jones? He's not Grandpa David's grandson."
"Uncle Jones was adopted by Grandpa David. There's a nearly forty-year age difference between them, so outsiders sometimes misunderstand."
"Adopted..." Vane stroked his chin. "No wonder that guy was so rude."
"No, no!" Jordi quickly waved her hands, looking somewhat anxious.
"The two of you actually have a very good relationship! It's just... it's just that Grandpa David accidentally fell in while he was at the beach before."
"Uncle Jones is just too worried, afraid something else will happen, that's why he always speaks so harshly..."
"Quiet!"
A staff member reminded them, and they silently shut their mouths, quietly leaving the chapel.
Just as Jordi was about to continue explaining, Vane waved his hand and cut her off.
"Alright, alright, let's skip this heavy topic."
He was simply moved, but he didn't have any obsession with solving the emotional problems of complete strangers.
The question was asked, and the answer was heard.
He didn't want to carry the heavy burden of this brief encounter forever.
Jordi paused for a moment, then smiled apologetically:
"I'm sorry, I meant to help you... but it just made the atmosphere more tense."
"Look at what you're saying, how can I blame you?" Vane patted him on the back.
"Don't look so glum. Show me around this town. I'm quite curious about this place."
He thought for a moment and added:
"Don't worry, there's a reward."
"Absolutely not!"
Jordi immediately shook her head, the gloom on her face vanishing instantly.
"Instead, I'd like to say, please come with me! I'd be happy to!"
"Hmm?" Vane raised an eyebrow.
"It sounds like you're very proud of this town?"
"Of course! You'll definitely love it here!"
Two figures, one in red and one in blue, stepped into the street side by side.
The wary gazes that had been fixed on Vane softened considerably upon seeing the young Aegir beside him.
The reason for this is...
My Father, the Town Mayor