Chapter Fifteen: The Gentleman (With Thanks to the Alliance Leader of Kalia~)
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Hearthfire Bay, a place long admired.
Over the past two years, Ethan had heard of this place more than once—sometimes from guild hunters boasting, other times from rumors brought back by traveling merchants. The common thread was that everyone who spoke of Hearthfire Bay did so with boundless imagination.
If you could pay the price, you could buy anything in Hearthfire Bay—even the key to open the Path of the Extraordinary.
Its other name was the Black Market. Unfortunately, Ethan had never set foot in Hearthfire Bay.
The reason was simple—there was no ship to carry him there.
The Black Market required an invitation, and as a minor figure from a border town, he was rarely taken seriously. But now things were different; he was no longer the same person. He had become an official of the empire.
A white shirt, a gray tie, draped with a large black trench coat, dressed like a gentleman from high society.
Ethan was no stranger to this gentleman persona. Back in his previous life at university, he had earned this title on campus. No one knew better what a true gentleman should do.
Step one, download a ZIP file named “Gentleman MOD” from the website.
Step two, leave a comment saying, “Thanks for sharing, good people live a peaceful life.”
Step three, share the downloaded file with his roommates.
Don’t underestimate these three steps—they showcased a gentleman’s ability to gather information, goodwill towards others, and willingness to share. This not only made him a gentleman in the eyes of others but also cast him in the role of a father figure to his roommates for quite some time.
Until near graduation, when his roommates discovered that the last 30-plus gigabyte compressed file he shared contained the entire “Society and Law” series. That’s when he lost both the “gentleman” and “father” titles.
Yet Ethan felt this was precisely what truly embodied the weight of being a “father.”
After graduation, everyone would scatter and enter the workforce.
This society was full of varying hearts—never trust others blindly, even if they often called you “father.”
This was… the final lesson!
Facing his reflection in the mirror, Ethan carefully adjusted his tie. This was the first time in two years since his crossing that he seriously examined himself. As the saying goes, clothes make the man. His old clothes were too shabby—no matter how handsome Yan Zu was, wearing plain civilian clothes would greatly diminish his charm.
“Hmm, not bad.”
Ivy, reflected in the mirror with arms crossed, commented, “At least you look human now.”
“You don’t have to compliment if you don’t want to.”
Ivy’s serious expression made it hard for Ethan to imagine how he had been perceived before. He thought this was Ivy’s own problem. Born into a wealthy family, she should have been accustomed to handsome men and beautiful women in the imperial capital, so her high standards were understandable. As for his official’s attire, he was quite satisfied—at least it gave him a strong edge in small places like Creekwood Town.
“Take this, and remember, once you’re in Hearthfire Bay, don’t let anyone know your name.”
Ivy handed him a masquerade mask and urged him to wear it. She prepared a fully enclosed mask for herself, revealing only her eyes. Her short golden hair was neatly tucked into a top hat, and she wore a black trench coat several sizes too large, making her look like a true investigator from the Containment Bureau.
Ethan guessed the oversized coat was to conceal her gender, but overall, the effect was less than ideal. Even the most battle-hardened kingdom soldier would struggle to develop chest muscles the size of Ivy’s.
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“Talk as we walk,” Ivy said, heading for the door. “Here are some precautions for Hearthfire Bay. The person we’re meeting today is Mugram, a black market merchant who often deals with the Containment Bureau. But don’t let your guard down because of that, and don’t be fooled by his appearance. Every merchant in Hearthfire Bay will smile while squeezing every last bit of value from you.”
Ethan nodded.
Shady merchants were not uncommon these days.
“Also, don’t talk to strangers there lightly. A single misstep can trap you in irredeemable depths.”
?
That sounded excessive. He had to confirm with Ivy again. “Let me ask first—we’re going there to buy something, right?”
He found it hard to imagine what kind of place would make a buyer lose their own people.
“That’s right.”
“Is the security… not very good there?”
“Hearthfire Bay is under the control of the Lofik Consortium. No one causes trouble there. I mean, you have to control your own desires, or you’ll pay the price.”
“You can rest assured.”
Ethan breathed a quiet sigh of relief; he had thought there might be kidnappers in Hearthfire Bay. As for desires, those were easy enough to suppress. “Haven’t you heard the saying? Poverty makes one pure and desireless.”
Ivy’s expression shifted again.
It was a teasing look, like watching a fledgling bird. Even behind the mask, Ethan could imagine her face—so much in need of… discipline!
“Ah, there it is.”
Ethan strongly suspected the mask had freed Ivy’s spirit. Her voice suddenly turned into that of a mischievous little girl. “People like you are easiest to be fooled. In Hearthfire Bay, money isn’t the only currency. Your eyes, your blood, your limbs, your organs—even your entire self can be stakes. And people there will lend you money, easily fulfilling your innermost desires.”
“I get the point, but what’s with your voice?”
Ethan thought differently—compared to himself, Ivy was the real danger.
That high-pitched tone was the one most likely to stir desire in others. If she kept talking like that in Hearthfire Bay, things would spiral into unpredictable directions.
“It’s the mask’s disguise.”
Ethan wanted to say more but was distracted by the scenery along the way.
Ivy led him twisting and turning through the streets several times until they reached a familiar spot. The town was still shrouded in the witch’s domain; the residents had long returned home. Along the way, they hadn’t encountered a single passerby.
He had been here before.
In a dream.
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At that time, he stood across the street and saw Zhaocai walking gracefully toward the depths of an alley, disappearing around the next corner.
“Left turn.”
Ivy reminded him.
This was the corner where Zhaocai vanished. When Ethan had followed all the way here, he witnessed a strange sight.
He saw Zhaocai leap down from the wall and transform into a white-haired girl, vanishing in the blink of an eye by a mailbox.
“Where is this?”
“Hearthfire Bay is a magical node in Creekwood Town.”
Ivy approached the mailbox, placing her left hand, clad in leather gloves, inside. “Watch carefully. I’ll only show you once.”
She took out a piece of parchment, placing her index finger on its upper right corner, slowly tracing toward the center. Her finger outlined a faint shape, resembling a coastline. Along the edge of the coast appeared many place names. When her finger reached the center, the image of an old-fashioned sailing ship emerged.
Ethan found it hard to stay focused because he noticed something odd on the parchment.
Yellow specks, no larger than fingernails.
Ivy seemed utterly unaware, and the yellow lights appeared disinterested in her as well. Like fireflies, they drifted straight toward Ethan, forcing him to look away from the parchment to the specks resting on his nose.
Droplet-cold and itchy.
“You must concentrate fully and ensure the route is accurate. If you deviate and get transported to a strange place, I won’t be able to save you. Remember, Mugram’s shop is located—”
“Achoo!”
The focused Ivy was startled by the sudden sneeze, shaking the parchment in her hand.
“You damn—!”
Her voice cut off abruptly as Ethan saw her body contort and get sucked into the cramped space inside the mailbox.
Ethan scratched his nose. With that earth-shattering sneeze, the yellow specks vanished.
Obviously, Ivy’s teleportation spell had taken effect.
But…
Didn’t this young lady curse at him as she was being teleported away?