Walking on the road, Colin's steps were light, his heart barely containing his joy.
The efficiency of the Lan Shipyard was even higher than expected.
They had planned to finish manufacturing in half a month, but it only took thirteen days to complete.
Walking on the road, he found himself inexplicably recalling the feeling of picking up a new car in his previous life.
The feeling of picking up a ship... In his view, it was somewhat similar.
But undoubtedly much more exciting.
After all, the ship was far more important than any car in his past life, both in price and significance.
The Lan Shipyard wasn't far from the inn; they could get there on foot by crossing two intersections and taking a turn.
He hastened his pace and soon reached the first intersection.
"Master?" Renee stopped and looked at him for instructions.
"Mhm," Colin nodded, realizing what needed to be done, and instructed, "Go ahead, and remember to have Mod tidy everything up."
Renee nodded and briskly walked in the other direction of the intersection.
Colin withdrew his gaze and continued to lead Demi and the employees of the Lan Shipyard forward.
He had already packed all his belongings into the Storage Ring.
If all went well, he planned to set sail directly from the Lan Shipyard's dock that led out to the sea after picking up the ship.
As for the ship's fuel,
The Lan Shipyard also had coal for sale, and his Storage Ring was also stocked with plenty of coal... There was no need to worry.
...
Tap tap tap—
Elsewhere, a Guard clad in golden patterned Steel Armor jogged down the street.
His movements caused the metal armor to collide and produce a clanging sound.
After a while, the clanging came to a halt.
He paused briefly in front of the inn to make sure he had the right place and then strode boldly inside.
"Excuse me, sir, may I help you?" The waitress in the lobby became nervous upon seeing his imposing approach and asked.
"Does your inn have a Wizard staying here who is accompanied by a maid and a little girl?" The Guard glanced at her and asked in a deep voice.
"...Yes!" The waitress thought for a second before responding respectfully.
In this world, inns hadn't the principle of protecting the privacy of their guests.
"Go and inform that person that a Golden Knight from the Bananka School has a message and requests an audience," the Golden Knight said indifferently.
He didn't remove his helmet, but his voice was still clear, as if it wasn't obstructed at all.
"Alright..." the waitress agreed, flustered.
But soon her expression faltered as if she remembered something, and she stammered an explanation, "But sir, the Wizard just left not too long ago..."
"Where did he go?"
"...I do not know, sir," the waitress shook her head.
They were just an inn, they might answer when a guest would return or leave, but knowing where a guest went after leaving was a bit too difficult.
The Golden Knight understood this as well, and without further inquiry, simply turned and left.
He had other Official Wizards to notify.
...
"Are you satisfied with what you see?" The salesman with the handlebar mustache, smiling, pointed at the white vessel berthed in the dockyard.
"The exterior is quite nice," Colin said with a faint smile.
The main color scheme of the Sea Swallow was white, and its streamlined body was as elegant as a dolphin.
"Let me take you aboard for a closer look."
"Mhm," Colin nodded.
The salesman led him up the Sea Swallow, stepping on the ship's side ladder.
What first caught his eye at the bow of the Sea Swallow was the large white smokestack on top of the forecastle, a necessary vent for the boiler inside.
This feature distinguished the Sea Swallow from modern yachts of his past life and gave it a unique temperament... a bit rough, but not crude, instead filled with a sense of power.
Colin ran his hand over the steel railing coated with a layer of white paint.
In his previous life, steam engines had not developed to such maturity before being replaced by internal combustion engines.
On modern small vessels, such smokestacks were rare.
After all, internal combustion engines using diesel or gasoline as fuel didn't require such large exhaust vents...
Colin shook his head to dispel the memories.
Above the deck, the superstructure had two stories.
Below the smokestack was the modest captain's cabin, and further below was the living room.
Master and guest bedrooms, as well as other functional rooms, were all located beneath the deck.
The deck of the Sea Swallow was not the traditional yellow teak but a layer of gray steel treated for slip resistance.
At the moment, it was bare without any sofas, deck chairs, or sun umbrellas.
The primary purpose of seafaring vessels in this world was safe navigation, and comfort obviously couldn't compare to the leisure yachts of his past life.
Of course, facing the numerous dangers at sea, he also wasn't in the mood for leisure.
Just as he was about to go below with the salesman, an employee from the Lan Shipyard boarded the Sea Swallow.
The man stepped aside, revealing Renee and Mod behind him.
"Master, Mr. Mod has arrived," Renee said respectfully.
"Mr. Colin," Mod also greeted Colin respectfully.
"Mhm," Colin nodded, scrutinizing Mod.
He had specifically instructed Renee to ask Mod to bring all their belongings.
But now it seemed that Mod was only carrying a bag.
Either it meant he had very few items, or like Colin, possessed a storage Witch Tool.
He turned and continued down to the deck.
Mod stepped forward, engaging in conversation proactively.