After I was rudely awakened by the hotel's roosters, and daydreamed for half an hour, I finally got out of the bed to wash up and relieve my bladder.
Once done, instead of choosing to get back in, and rot further, I decided to go down early today. Of course, the main reason this could even happen was because there were no mobile phones in this world for me to put my attention into while bed rotting.
Changing out of my pyjamas, and putting on a comfortable linen shirt, and loose linen pants, I walked down the stairs to the hotel's bar in slippers.
Unlike the nights, when the cacophony of drunkards mixing with music made things quite lively, the mornings here were much more collected.
With the exception of certain infamous few, most sat with a cup of tea, and a half loaf of steamed bread to break their fast. Some chose white bread, while those looking for cheaper options chose rye bread.
Of course, Puerto Copa served beyond just bread and toast in the morning, but the buttered bread and toasts were the staple, and most people preferred having them with a large cup of Sibe black tea.
You know what was a good thing about eating white bread on a small island? It was always freshly baked, and had no adulteration like chalk, alum, or plaster.
Why? Firstly, because farmers on the island already cultivated surplus wheat, and the larger excess was always sold, which kept the prices low. Secondly, because the island was massively impacted by tourist footfall, a certain level of minimum quality assurance was crucial, to hold onto customers.
Now, if the tourists only came on an independent boat, this wouldn't matter, because a first timer wouldn't know which hotel served good bread and which didn't. But since it was normal for everybody to travel in large tourist ships, the ship's officers who were familiar with the local market naturally only recommended places they considered good.
Taking my plate—which had a slice of buttered toast, quarter loaf of buttered rye bread, and a pint-sized cup of tea—I walked to one of the two empty tables in the dining hall, towards the extreme inside, right beside the wall.
At the table beside mine sat two youths, both facing each other due to the hall's seating arrangement. Both of them had me in their sight, and I had them in mine. They noticed me walking by them, but their attention went back to their tea and toast soon after.
These tables were meant only for two, and if someone couldn't find an empty table, it was a normal custom to share the table with whoever was sitting alone on one.
But since I was here quite early, I sat alone on mine.
If only Eleanor was here to share this morning with me. Sigh.
With a sigh, I shook my head, and focused on my breakfast, while letting my eyes wander around the dining hall.
Of the two boys, one had somewhat dark, bronze-like skin, while the other was lighter with a wheatish complexion. They both were natives.
"Where did you go last night? Your mother came to my house, saying you went there. It was good that I was on the farm then, and my father said the same to her, so she went home assuming you were with me. When I went home, my father was asking if you were at the farm. Fortunately I avoided answering by habit and learnt you were missing. Then I came straight here, and lo, I see you drinking tea like nothing happened."
The boy with darker, bronze like complexion whispered to the other one. He mostly spoke inconspicuously. The only reason I could hear him was because of my enhanced senses as an Instigator. His friend though, stayed quite as he took a sip of the warm tea.
"Come on, Giorgio! You have to at least tell me what is going on. If you are going to go off and disappear like that again, at least one person has to know where you are going, and if you'll even be safe."
The boy urged his friend again. They both looked to be about 17 or 18 years old, with recently shaved, patchy stubble barely visible on their cheeks, chin and neck.
Giorgio, the lighter skinned boy sighed at his friend's inquiry, and finally muttered under his breath.
"Alright, I will answer. Because you're the only one I can trust with this information. Listen carefully, Moroder, and promise me you won't let this out to anyone until the time is right."
The boy with bronze skin, Moroder, solemnly nodded at his friend's serious demeanour.
"I promise, this will only stay between us."
Giorgio stared quietly at this friend for a few seconds, then spoke in quiet whispers most people wouldn't be able to make sense of.
"Alright. Yesterday, in the evening, I went to see Sea God's members of Resistance from Bayam. Apparently the Sea God has had a reawakening, and 'He' is answering prayers and wishes, now."
Moroder's eyes widened, and he almost exclaimed out loud, before he shushed himself and hiss-whispered to Giorgio.
"The Resistance!? Do you know how bad it will be if you're caught by the Navy? Weren't those idiots already defeated in Rorsted? How are they suddenly making contact outside the Bayam sea?"
Giorgio almost looked like he was going to smash the cup of tea in his friend's face when he first exclaimed. Fortunately, his friend collected himself quickly and only spoke in whispers.
"Quiet down, will you?! They're not only undefeated, but they're also back much stronger. Not only do they now get their prayers answered by the Sea God, they even got funding and resources from some of the pirate admirals. They have been promised resources from Vice Admiral Iceberg, and recently Vice Admiral Ailment's first mate sent some big amount of money to Pilsey village. I think this is the best time that we also swear our allegiance to the Sea God, and prepare ourselves for a revolution."
Moroder's face looked like it was about to split open as it gaped wide.
"What are you saying!? If any of these Loen sepoys heard you, you're gonna die!"
Moroder whisper-screamed at his friends. Fortunately, both of their voices were completely suppressed under the crowd's chatter.
"And not only that, but there's nobody here who is going to come forward and revolt against the Church and the Navy! Do you think people are going to join another revolution? They are sheep, they eat from the meagre they earn, and squander what they save. Those who have more do not care about those below them, and those who have nothing, they die in the ditches by disease and hunger."
Moroder's face had turned sombre. It seemed like this boy had little hope.
At this, Giorgio let out a tiny smirk.
"What are you smiling about?"
Moroder asked him, his inquisitiveness apparent on his face.
"That's where you are mistaken my friend. The spirit of revolution, the desire for freedom, it's still alive on our home. Nobody talks about it in open, nobody gathers and discusses it, but if you come with me tonight, I'll show you a place. That's where it is still alive. And once they learn that Sea God and Rorsted Sea's Resistance is stronger than ever now, they will be more motivated than ever to come together and fight!"
Moroder still looked apprehensive of his friend's claims.
"Will... will it not be dangerous though? If you're caught, you will be thrown into the cells for at least five years!"
At this, Giorgio mildly chuckled.
"So what, if I do? My life is worth little compared to the future we will fight for. Of course the revolution will require sacrifices and martyrs. What is a few years of prison? Even more so, what is my own death in face of the freedom that our people desperately need, even if a lot of them might not realise yet."
Moroder nodded at his friends words. Still, he raised an eyebrow and questioned.
"But hasn't the Governor increased the minimum? The Church is also building two new schools."
"These Loense bastards? They don't care about us. So what if they wages are increased by two pennies, will everyone get a job? I heard about a giant steam ship they recently added to the military. Apparently it reduces the travel time between Pritz Harbour and Bayam to a third. Imagine if that thing actually becomes commercial? Our island will be out of business in a few years at most, if not months. Then we'll have no use, they'll let most of us starve, and only keep those alive that serve them as slaves. I will rather die than see such a future for my people."
Moroder looked down at his plate in thought. Something passed his eyes, and his sombre expression turned fierce. He looked up at this friend's face and said.
"How can I join? What do we plan to even do, now? Can we really win?"
Seeing his friend convinced, at least somewhat, Giorgio's lips curved up. Wish a sigh, he patted his shoulder.
"Come with me at night. Just tell your mother we'll be staying at the farm."
Moroder nodded, and took a sip of his tea.
I, who was carefully listening to their talks, while also multitasking with my tea and bread, acting all inconspicuous, stopped paying attention once their conversation became more mundane, about foods and girls.
Sea God Kalvetua, or should I say Mr Fool, is causing some great ripples across the sea.
Since Alger was soon to join the Resistance, and in future become Bayam's Sea King, I now had something interesting to report in my first Tarot gathering.
Done with breakfast, I stood up and went out to have a bath in the town.
Once afternoon came, I went to the gift ship near Puerto Copa, and relayed this update to Black Death's informant, and told him to pass it only to the people loyal to the Captain, or the 'second' third mate. Since James originally had his own ship, and this guy actually joined the fleet under him, he was familiar with those of the old party, and those who were the new additions, namely Mithor King's and Allen Bower's people.
Once done, I went to the dining hall again, had a filling lunch. After lunch, I went up the room to have a long, relaxing bath. By the time I came out and changed into clean clothes, it was almost 3 pm.
After waiting for a while, lying on my bed, I suddenly heard muted murmurs, and my vision was covered by an all encompassing gray fog. After about ten seconds of feeling like I was flying through the fog, my vision cleared to reveal a long mottled table surrounded by many high back chairs.
In front of me sat three ladies, and on my left sat three gentlemen. On my right, at the farthest end of the table, at its 'tail' sat another gentleman. And at the head of the table sat Mr. Fool. All these people were shrouded in a layer of the familiar gray fog.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool."
Just as I gained this awareness of my surroundings, a silver bell like voice chimed, and the lady with blonde hair, wearing an intricately designed dress stood, and greeted the man at the head of the table. She raised her skirt slightly with her hands, bowed a few degrees, bending her rear leg by a little.
Everyone else followed after her, and greeted the man with a bow.
When the lady and everyone else sat down, her gaze ended up on me, and she froze for a moment. The other lady of brown hair in a more casual dress on her left had a similar reaction.
Similarly, the three gentlemen beside me looked attentively at the third lady in the row in front of us. Meanwhile, the gentleman at the far end of the table turned his head left and right, one by one, in slow, simulated movements, as if he was a robot.
I could almost imagine the sound of servos coming out of his neck.
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Hehe, with 2k words in this, we have officially surpassed the 50k words mark for this story. This puts our average word count for a chapter at 1.54k words.
Drop a few comments and power stones, and please me. Thanks for reading y'all.