That morning, the early sunlight slowly swept across the surface of the Velmara sea, reflecting a golden hue among the small waves that lapped against the pier posts. The air was soft and salty, carrying the scent of the ocean. Along the streets of the commercial area, merchants began to set up their stalls, shops started to open, while on the docks, fishermen just returning from the sea unloaded their night's catch.
Velmara was a vast city located in the south of the Kingdom of Elarion, directly facing a seemingly endless blue ocean. From a distance, the city looked like silver scales stretching along the coastline, shimmering as the morning sun reflected off the rooftops of the citizens' homes. Although not the capital, Velmara's territory was equivalent to that of major cities usually ruled directly by a Duke.
My father, who was only a Count, did not oversee a large territory like other nobles. His power was limited to Velmara and a few small surrounding villages. These villages lived off the sea and the coastal forests, producing salt, building ships, and supplying the port's needs as fishermen. But in return, his responsibility was far greater than just guarding the land. Velmara was the sole maritime trade center of the Kingdom of Elarion. Every merchant ship, whether carrying produce from the south, spices from western kingdom, or just stopping over on its way to another continent, typically passed through Velmara. Likewise, all seafood traded in Elarion, fish, salt, pearls, even oil from seaweed, all came from here.
Why did all merchant ships have to pass through Velmara? The answer was simple, there was no other safe route. In the northern part of the continent, the waters had long been a conflict zone between humans and the ice dragon race living at the north pole. Centuries ago, that area turned into a dangerous frozen sea, full of perpetual snowstorms and sea creatures that had evolved under the influence of cold magic. No human ship could last long there, even the northern kingdom's warships would be destroyed by ice or polar storms before reaching the halfway point. Meanwhile, the western route was not an option. There was a black-level Secret Realm, or the highest level, one might say, located on an island in the middle of the ocean, a mysterious and ever-changing region where the sea currents, space, and time itself seemed erratic, compounded by a dense abyssal energy. Many sailors tried to breach it to find a new route, but none ever returned safely.
In the game version, that Secret Realm was one of the endgame contents, a mysterious dungeon with an unknown number of floors. There were no official records of how deep it actually was. Both I and the rest of the player community had only managed to reach the 100th floor. Every time someone tried to step onto the 101st floor, their character would die suddenly, without warning, without a battle log, and without any traceable cause. There were no enemies, no visible traps, just a screen that went dark and a short message that read, "You have reached the player boundary."
Velmara was divided by a large cape that jutted out into the sea, splitting the city into two sides with different functions. On the left side of the cape, the waters were relatively shallow and the waves were calm, making the area a coastal tourist destination. A long stretch of golden sand was lined with small cottages, seafood restaurants, and inns that were bustling with locals and out-of-town merchants every weekend or holiday. On the right side of the cape, the sea was much deeper and the currents were strong, this area became the main port for fishing boats and cargo ships. Every day, several ships docked at the pier, carrying cargo from the western kingdom, seafood, spices, metals, and various other goods sent throughout the Kingdom of Elarion or to other countries. Rows of large warehouses stood sturdily along the docks, guarded by workers and port guards. The path in front was always busy with loading and unloading activities, wooden crates were lowered from ships, moved to carts, and then loaded onto magical trains, a series of metal carriages that moved without horses, powered by a mana crystal core in the front of the locomotive.
The city's layout was divided into 5 parts. In the northeast, the largest section was the residential area, a stretch of houses. This area was known for being quiet and comfortable, inhabited by local residents. In the northwest was the main commercial area, where a large market and rows of shops and restaurants stood side by side. There were also many simple inns here for ship workers and visiting merchants staying temporarily in Velmara.
In the southeast lay the city's elite district, the center of entertainment, high-class inns, and upscale trade. The buildings in this area stood majestically with white stone facades and large glass windows that reflected the sea light. The southwest was the maritime and logistics zone, where the life of sailors and fishermen pulsed ceaselessly. The port in this region was always busy with fishing boats docked alongside cargo ships newly arrived from the western kingdom. Every morning, fishermen unloaded their catch, fish, shellfish, and various seafood, which was then sorted and sent to storage warehouses near the docks. On the other side, cargo ships were busy loading and unloading goods. Wooden crates filled with spices and metals were lifted using magic cranes, then transferred to the waiting magical trains on the pier tracks. The sound of metal wheels clashing with the rails, the shouts of the dock foreman, and the sea breeze combined to create the daily music of this area.
Meanwhile, the central part of the city was filled with a large park that served as the heart of Velmara's community life. The park was surrounded by shady trees and a circular stone path that was always crowded with citizens taking leisurely strolls or street vendors selling snacks. In its center stood the towering city clock tower, marking the time for all.
Right now, I was in one of the clothing stores in the southeastern district.
I glanced around casually. Wooden racks were filled with dresses of various colors, and the attendants were busy arranging the folds of fabric with professional smiles. Then there was Rosaline, holding a red dress, its fabric shimmering softly under the light of the crystal chandelier.
I asked quietly, "Honestly… what are we here for?"
Rosaline glanced over, still looking at the dress in her hands. "For next month's event, of course."
I raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it too early?"
She just smiled faintly. "If we wait until the end of the month, all the good styles will have been bought up by the nobles from the capital."
I sighed, but before I could reply, Rosaline was already walking towards the fitting room.
"Wait a moment, Brother. I want to try this one on."
A few minutes later, the curtain of the fitting room opened, and Rosaline stepped out slowly. The red dress fell softly against her body, adorned with silver lace on the sleeves and waist. Her long hair was left down, reflecting the light from the glass window behind her.
"How is it?" she asked, a little nervous.
I gave a small smile. "It looks good on you. The color of the dress and your hair match perfectly."
Rosaline's cheeks flushed slightly. "You're just saying that to be nice, Brother."
"I'm serious," I said with a soft laugh.
"Mother would have been proud to see you like this."
Before Rosaline could reply, the shop's doorbell chimed softly.
*Cling
The soft chime of the door signaled a new arrival. Three girls stepped inside with light, graceful steps, drawing the attention of everyone in the boutique.
!!!
I was startled by their appearance.
'I didn't expect to see them here…'