Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Getting a Boat
Just as Mona let her guard down, her pupils suddenly dilated.
She felt her lips and teeth being pried apart—what was this scoundrel doing?
Mona wanted to say something, but her mouth was blocked, rendering her speechless for the moment.
While she was flustered, a gentle energy began to flow through her body, strengthening her cells and spirit.
Caught up in this peculiar sensation, Mona momentarily forgot to resist, letting Nolan take control and manipulate the situation.
Ten minutes passed.
The girl in his arms had gone limp, collapsing weakly against Nolan. Taking the opportunity, he held her close and lay down, gently stroking her smooth back.
Just as his "sinful hand" slid under the fabric of Mona's backless bodysuit, ready to explore the softness and warmth of her spine—
He looked up to see Lumine standing in front of him, hands on her hips, cheeks puffed out in anger, glaring down at him.
Nolan froze mid-action, an awkward smile spreading across his face.
"Uh, haha... Didn't you go to take a bath? Why are you back so soon?"
He hadn't received any notification that Lumine would teleport back, and of all moments, she had to appear now. As this thought crossed his mind, he instinctively glanced at the girl in his arms.
Alright, no surprises here—it must have been Mona who called for backup. A miscalculation, truly!
He hadn't anticipated that she could use her Interstellar Travel ability to summon Lumine. How careless!
"You! If Mona hadn't told me you were bullying her, I wouldn't have known that right after we left, you were up to no good!"
Lumine crouched slightly and pinched Nolan's cheeks with both hands.
Raising an eyebrow, she continued, "Well? Let her go, now!"
"Alright, alright."
Nolan had no choice but to let Mona go. After all, he had promised her just a kiss—this wasn't him fearing Lumine's impending wrath. Absolutely not.
"Hmph!"
Mona, her face flushed red, sat up from Nolan's lap.
With her right hand, she tidied her hair, while her left covered her exposed snow-white chest, where the fabric of her bodysuit had accidentally slipped off. She shot him an annoyed glare.
From that point on, Nolan behaved much more appropriately. With Lumine keeping watch and Paimon returning later, there wasn't any room for further mischief.
However, when Mona eventually grew sleepy, he still managed to find an opportunity to cuddle both Mona and Lumine as they slept.
Compared to his earlier antics, such behavior only prompted some symbolic resistance from Mona and Lumine before they silently acquiesced.
...
The morning on Ritou Island was graced not only with sunlight but also a cool sea breeze.
Since Nolan had angered Lumine and Mona the previous night, today's task of commissioning a small boat fell entirely to him.
Mona stayed behind in the Wonderland to study the stars, while Lumine and Paimon returned to Mondstadt for some leisurely shopping with Fischl.
The main task involved furnishing the Wonderland with basic furniture: beds, bookshelves, tables, and chairs.
After all, an empty space hardly resembled a proper residence.
Nolan had no objections to this and was happy to leave the preparations to others.
The commercial streets of Ritou were bustling with people as Nolan made his way to the docks. There, he approached a fishmonger to inquire about skilled shipwrights in the area.
As the primary trading port of Inazuma, Ritou naturally had its share of shipwrights.
The fishmonger, a local of Ritou, pointed him toward the "Ritou Shipyard," which was managed by the Kanjo Commission
Whether for building or repairing boats, the quality at the "Ritou Shipyard" was more reliable than other private small shipyards.
Nolan found the fishmonger's suggestion reasonable and proceeded to ask for the location of the shipyard.
The location was not far from the docks. After thanking the fishmonger, Nolan began heading in that direction.
It took about half an hour, during which he asked two more passersby for directions, and he finally found the "Ritou Shipyard." He then began discussions with the shipwrights about constructing a boat.
The shipwrights at the shipyard were extremely professional. They handed Nolan a catalog of small boat designs, asking him to choose one he liked.
If he didn't find anything suitable, they could customize the design based on his preferences or even build one from scratch using a design he provided.
Since Nolan wasn't skilled in ship design, he decided to leave the work to the experts and began browsing the catalog.
To his surprise, the "Ritou Shipyard" offered fully enclosed small boats similar to "wave boats." These boats allowed passengers to stay dry even in rough seas unless the waves were so powerful they tore the boat apart.
Moreover, even if the boat capsized, it wouldn't sink. With some effort, the occupants could right the boat, and if not, Nolan could easily use his psychic threads to flip it back.
The only difference between this and a "wave boat" was the lack of weaponry—these boats couldn't attack.
But that didn't matter to him; he didn't need the offensive capabilities anyway.
"This one looks good. How long will it take to build, and what's the price?" Nolan asked the shipwright.
"Nine hundred thousand Mora. Don't worry, we already have the necessary materials prepared. With a few workers on it, we can finish this boat in just three days," the shipwright replied.
"Alright."
Nolan felt that the time frame was reasonable.
These small boats were typically made of wood, so the material costs weren't high; most of the expense was in labor.
Nine hundred thousand Mora was within his budget. Without haggling, he paid a third of the price as a deposit, signed a contract, and left the shipyard.
Now, all he had to do was wait three days for the boat to be completed.
---
Over the next few days:
Mona continued her research on the stars, seeming to be on the verge of a breakthrough. Lumine and Paimon, knowing the boat would take a few days, returned to Mondstadt to continue shopping with Fischl, preparing more upgrades for the Wonderland.
During this time, Lumine and Fischl also exchanged tips on techniques for using Electro elements.
Meanwhile, on Ritou, Nolan sought out Thoma and informed him that progress had been made regarding the "International Trade Association" issue—they no longer needed to worry about a shortage of "Crystal Marrow."
However, Nolan didn't mention their upcoming plan to dismantle the Delusion Factory.
After all, Thoma wouldn't be of much help there. It was better for him to return to Inazuma City and assist in arranging introductions between them and Lady Ayaka.
This was on Nolan's mind.
In the original story, it was Ayaka, the "Shirasagi Himegimi" of the Yashiro Commission, who instructed Thoma to contact the Traveler.
Naturally, Nolan didn't want to miss the opportunity to meet her. He expected to be able to assist her in many ways, which would likely improve her opinion of him quite rapidly.
Little did Thoma know, this shameless man already had plans involving his young lady.
Thoma was amazed at how quickly Nolan and his companions had resolved the "International Trade Association" issue.
As expected of the legendary Traveler!
He suggested that Nolan and his team secure the necessary travel permits to enter and leave Ritou. Once they had the permits, they could meet him in Inazuma City.
Thoma, in the meantime, would head back first to prepare for their introduction to the Raiden Shogun.
Nolan had no objections to this plan.
Thus, a few days passed uneventfully.
(End of Chapter)
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