PAID

Finally, they arrived at the port city where they could cross the Carib Sea.

Valentin looked around, blending in with the people from different regions, each wearing slightly varied styles of clothing. Even the pungent smell of fish wafting from the nearby market seemed like the scent of people’s hard-working lives, and it made Valentin’s heart swell. Without realizing it, he took a deep breath. Life and vitality, no matter when experienced, were always magnificent.

As he stood there with an excited expression, Asif ran over, leading a camel and a donkey, both relieved of their burdens.

“I’ve paid the fare. We need to board soon.”@@novelbin@@

“Got it.”

“I’ve already loaded the luggage onto the ship, so all you need to do now is get yourself on board. Are you sure you're okay carrying that stuff around all the time?”

Asif, still concerned, asked one last time about the sturdy bag full of papers, sketchbooks, and art supplies that Valentin, a nobleman and a pregnant one at that, had been carrying everywhere. Valentin shook his head firmly.

“I have to carry this myself, no exceptions. I can’t just let it get tossed around carelessly.”

Valentin still had the habit of never entrusting his art supplies and drawings to others. It would be disastrous if someone else handled them roughly, possibly breaking the delicate and fragile oil pastels.

“If you’re sure, I won’t insist anymore. There’s a place in that alley over there where I can leave the camel and donkey. I’ll go take care of that, so you go ahead and board the ship. It’s the one with the blue flag on the mast. Do you see it?”

Following Asif’s gesture, Valentin’s gaze found the rows of ships at the port. Among them, he spotted a ship with a small triangular blue flag fluttering like the sea. Valentin nodded and said, “Yes, I see it clearly!” Asif, looking reassured, left with the two grateful animals.

As Valentin got closer to the ship, a loud trumpet blared from the vessel with the blue flag.