My Favorite Game Followed Me!

Chapter 847

Anton didn’t mind that Paul and Eric were so obvious about considering themselves lucky to have befriended a rich young man like him. At least with the two youths, Anton knew exactly where he stood. As they walked from the Revere restaurant through the narrow yet exquisitely decorated streets of what everyone called the Noble section of the ship, Paul and Eric strutted proudly as though they fully belonged there.Many of the wealthy-looking people on the streets stared at the three of them, mostly because of their ordinary clothes and the fact that they were together. When Anton walked alone, people generally ignored him, aside from the occasional second glance from ladies who found him handsome. It was not uncommon for rich young men to “slum” among the lower classes while wearing deliberately simple clothing.

What surprised Anton was the lack of visible mages. Despite the captain telling him that the number of wizards aboard the Melinda exceeded the number that had once traveled on the destroyed Amelia, Anton barely saw any. None of them seemed to mingle with ordinary passengers, and he wondered why.

More than likely, Anton simply failed to notice them because they were not in the habit of displaying their abilities openly. The wizards aboard the ship also appeared to restrain themselves for some reason. Another factor was that Anton was not actively searching for them.

In truth, he had little interest in befriending other mages. He intended to start over from scratch once he arrived in Izmorta, and things would become complicated if other wizards learned that someone already confirmed to have reached the Supreme Rank intended to present himself as a novice mage.

Anton was flabbergasted by Paul and Eric’s audacity. The two wandered into various shops within the Noble section, casually selecting clothes for themselves and their families, along with anything else they found appealing. What truly amazed Anton was that they fully expected him to pay for everything.

When he complained mildly, Paul simply explained that this was the payment Anton owed them for guiding him to the most interesting places in the Middle and the Bottom.

In the end, Anton merely shrugged. Altogether, they had spent only a few hundred gold coins, an enormous amount for poor families but utterly insignificant to someone like Anton, who could earn hundreds of thousands of gold coins through dungeon delving or crafting magical items. What truly surprised him was how long it took Paul and Eric to finish shopping.

After nearly two hours, the two finally declared themselves satisfied and led Anton toward the Bottom.

Anton offered to carry their purchases since the two looked ridiculous hauling what resembled a mountain of goods. Once he stored everything inside his inventory, they continued their journey toward the section of the Melinda known as the Bottom.

“At least you wear sensible clothes instead of those ridiculous silk outfits and ruffles rich young noblemen seem to love,” Paul remarked while Eric nodded in agreement. “Honestly, those things look hideous. I can’t understand why anyone thinks they’re handsome.”

If Anton were being honest, he shared the same opinion. However, as a wizard, his thoughts naturally gravitated toward practicality whenever clothing was concerned. Beyond comfort, the important question was whether the clothes possessed magical properties capable of protecting a wizard in battle.

The Melinda was so enormous that it took them quite some time to reach the Bottom. Worse still, there were no direct paths. Traveling from the Noble section to the Bottom required navigating a maze of interconnected passageways.

Anton did not mind. In fact, he enjoyed wandering through the ship because it allowed him to observe the many races aboard, including elves, dwarves, halflings, and others.

Paul explained that the Bottom was not actually the lowest part of the ship. The true bottom consisted of massive storage areas where supplies and cargo were kept. It was also where the animals were housed, both livestock meant for food and mounts used for travel.

Whenever animals were mentioned, Anton could not help feeling a twinge of sadness. He remembered his family’s two loyal donkeys, Maide and Bailey. Anton, Anders, and Anna had cared for them while fleeing from the undead. The two donkeys had bathed in and consumed the Mana Water that Anton continuously produced since arriving in this world. Anton knew it would not take long before both animals evolved into spirit beasts.

Fortunately, Paul and Eric refrained from entering the countless shops scattered throughout the Middle.

“Those shops are for ordinary people,” Eric said when Anton pointed them out. “Why would we buy anything there?”

Anton simply shook his head after hearing that response.

The ship’s three main sections—the Noble, the Middle, and the Bottom—each consisted of several floors. When Anton asked Paul and Eric how many floors there were exactly, they admitted they had no idea. According to them, they had never met anyone who knew the exact number. Even the informational packet provided by the ship’s crew contained no such details.

There was only one establishment in the Middle that Paul and Eric entered: a weapons and armor shop. At first, Anton assumed the two intended to purchase something, but they merely examined the displayed equipment.

Noticing Anton’s expression, Paul explained.

“Our fathers didn’t want us buying weapons because they were afraid we’d become too fascinated with them. They wanted us focused on becoming wizards, even though we barely know how to begin doing that. Don’t get me wrong, Eric and I both know how to defend ourselves with weapons. It’s just that our families keep them locked inside our rooms. Our parents said there shouldn’t be any situation aboard the Melinda where we would need them.”

Paul and Eric’s families lived on the upper floors of the Bottom, which, according to Paul, reflected their comparatively better financial status. The truly destitute passengers occupied the lower floors.

As they approached the residential area where their families stayed, Paul and Eric asked Anton to return all the purchases he had stored in his inventory. Apparently, they wanted to carry the goods themselves to avoid being scolded by their mothers for failing to return home the previous night.

Although their families allowed them to explore the ship freely, they were still expected to return by nightfall.

The residential district where Paul and Eric’s families lived resembled a crowded street lined with rooms on both sides. Personal belongings filled nearly every available space on the floor, creating a chaotic but lively atmosphere. Despite the clutter, the place remained surprisingly clean and well-ventilated, with none of the foul odors Anton had expected.

Paul and Eric loudly announced that they had brought gifts for everyone. Anton nearly laughed when he saw the expressions of the two middle-aged women—whom he assumed were their mothers—soften from anger into delight.

At the very least, before anyone eagerly grabbed the gifts, the families first made certain that the items had been obtained legally and were not stolen. Paul quickly assured them that everything had been given by their new “employer.” Top of Form

Even though their mothers’ expressions softened since the items Paul and Eric chose to purchase were practical things like different varieties of clothes for men and women, thick blankets, sheets, pillow cases, bags, and other household and kitchen stuff, the two older men who looked so much alike that they could be nothing but brothers were still glaring at the two young men. Anton assumed that the two older men were Paul and Eric’s fathers. Bottom of Form