Chapter 236: Boohm
"It's as big as the harbor at Fiverion," Greldo said, whistling appreciatively.
"Bigger," Rindiri said.
"It's weird," Irwin said, staring at the distant harbor. The three of them were standing on the hind deck while Zender was working to clean the sails, and Earila was standing on the prow, gaping at the distant harbor.
Like Fiverion's, it was built atop a large cluster of trees that had wrapped up and around it. Buildings were spread out throughout, creating a small city with a slightly chaotic, almost grown feeling to it.
I wonder how long it will take for Eluathar to look like that, Irwin thought.
"You said they have no adjacent worlds and barely any mining," he said. "I still don't understand how it can be this rich if there's just some old people coming here to spend the final days of their lives."
"It's not just some kind of old people," Rindiri said, making some minor adjustments to their course. "They are either the poorer sons and daughters of nobles or small-time merchants. In the central regions, they would be seen as barely middle-class, but here they are big-spenders."
They were sailing towards multi-layered docks, with clear signs on which ships were allowed. The largest portion was for the merchants, and a few dozen big-bellied merchant ships were being emptied and or loaded. One massive ship, easily ten times the girth of The Sonata, was docking far ahead of them.
The top docks, narrow and with nice carvings, were private. Family symbols were etched in the sides, and relaxed-looking guards walked across. Escort vessels seemed ready to prevent anyone from trying to claim a spot where they weren't allowed while beautiful ships lay moored everywhere.
A smaller area to the side had a large sign that read 'Public Docks', and that was where they were heading right now. Dozens of small ships, nearly all scouting class, were there.
"Where Fiverion is still reliant on its adjacent worlds and the mining and harvesting those bring, Tulpil has none of that. It's like a retreat, and most of the soulshards come from external sources. Because of this, there is no single owning factor. Instead, it's run by a council of representatives of the different bigger parties, the merchants, nobles, cardsmiths, and crafters," Rindiri said as she maneuvered them towards a free dock area.
A potbellied man with a gleaming thin sheet came walking from a building at the end of the docks. Two young men followed after him, looking bored and tired.