We took the other route this time.
"Master, let me pull the cart."
"No, I'll do it," I insisted.
"But—"
"You're already carrying the wine, and without a bag at that. Let me pull it. It's not even heavy," I cut her off.
Mel hesitated before finally nodding.
With that settled, we started walking.
Heading farther south, we passed the Museum. Its olive-green walls and violet roof made it stand out, and even from the outside, the building looked spacious.
I gave it a passing glance before we continued west.
The ice cream stand wasn't open yet. It was still spring, after all.
Crossing the bridge, I caught sight of the Mayor's Manor. Its white wooden walls and black-and-white checkered roof stood out against the surrounding buildings.
Still, for a manor, it felt smaller than Olivia's house.
I supposed being a mayor didn't necessarily mean living in a mansion.
Further west, another bridge led toward the beach.
Fishing had been one of my favorite ways to make money in the early game. It was simple, reliable, and didn't require waiting several days for crops to grow.
But that was the game.
I doubted I had the capabilities to replicate that strategy in real life, especially without a proper fishing rod or any experience actually fishing.
One thing at a time, I suppose.
Trees dotted our path as we continued north, with the Mayor's Manor and the town's graveyard flanking the road.
I'd always wondered why there were so few graves here, considering how old the town was supposed to be.
Perhaps the residents were simply long-lived. Or maybe the graveyard was larger in the real world than it had been in the game.
I couldn't say.
Farther north, an establishment came into view. It was just past noon, and people were already heading inside.
Brown wooden walls and a dark roof.
The Stardrop Saloon.
The favorite hangout spot of many of the townsfolk, and one of the places I'd eventually have to visit if I wanted to get to know everyone properly.
We would be visiting it ourselves, but for now, I decided to leave our haul in the truck.
There was no point dragging everything around when we could store it safely for the time being.
We walked past the Saloon and continued west.
And then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a pleasant view.
Haley.
Her blonde hair was braided to the side, and she wore a white top decorated with a blue butterfly motif, paired with her usual pink skirt and belt. A straw hat with a red-dotted ribbon completed the outfit.
Blondes really were the best.
Back in my home country, most people had naturally dark or black hair. Seeing someone with a different hair color had always caught my attention, especially when it came with a foreign appearance.
Maybe that explained why I was so drawn to blondes.
Or perhaps I was just making excuses.
Haley was attractive, regardless of her hair color.
Still, I only spared her a passing glance and kept walking.
She might have been real now, but that didn't mean I could treat her like a character in a game. I had no reason to approach her just because I recognized her.
For better or worse, this wasn't a game anymore.
I should never forget that.
With that thought, I continued pushing the cart.
It wasn't just Anthony who noticed Haley.
"Hmm? They were from yesterday, weren't they?"
The two of them stood out.
Their appearance alone would have attracted some attention, but the cart made them even more conspicuous. Every so often, the metal they were carrying clanged against itself, producing a sound that wasn't particularly loud but was difficult to miss.
Haley watched them for a moment.
She'd been curious about the unfamiliar pair since yesterday, and seeing them again only made her more interested.
Besides, they appeared to be heading in the same direction she was going.
There was no harm in following along for a little while, was there?
At least, that was what she told herself.
Keeping a reasonable distance, she followed them through the square.
As the two of them continued along the road, Haley noticed a small gathering ahead.
A group of people stood around a red truck near the corner of the street, where the town's paved road ended.
The group was unmistakable.
It was the mayor and some of the mothers in town.
And judging by the expressions on the faces gathered around it, something was wrong.
As the three people and one tag-along approached the square, a group had gathered around a corner of the street, where the town's paved road ended.
The gathered crowd was smaller than yesterday. Practically just the same three women and Lewis.
All standing around a red truck.
Our truck.
I sighed. These people were far too bored.
Stopping a few steps before them, I spoke first.
"Hellooo~! What brings you guys here?" I asked mildly, testing their reactions.
"I should be asking you that. I thought we made ourselves clear yesterday," Lewis replied.
"Clear? Pls, you must be joking. The festival was one thing, but today isn't even a special occasion. Don't tell me your town would turn away a paying customer just because you don't like him?"
"I think you should leave."
"Make me."
His expression hardened.
"I don't see why I should listen to a rural town's mayor," I added, deliberately provoking him.
"Your family has no authority here," Lewis retorted. "This nation is a republic. Political power belongs to the people, not to some noble family."
Ah, there it was.
He wasn't entirely wrong. The Ashbelles didn't govern Pelican Town, and our family name didn't grant me the right to interfere with its administration.
But that was a far cry from saying our name meant nothing.
"You're confusing two very different things, Mayor."
I gestured toward the town behind him.
"I'm not here to govern your people, nor am I demanding that you bow to my family. I'm a customer visiting your town. I have money to spend, and unless there's some law I've broken, I don't see why you get to decide whether I'm welcome."
"That's not what this is about!" one of the women snapped.
"Oh? Then what is it about?"
None of them answered immediately.
"Is it about the farm?" I asked. "Because if it is, then let's talk about the farm. If you have a legitimate claim concerning the property, present it through the proper channels. If you believe I've violated some agreement, show me the agreement."
I paused, looking from one face to another.
"But if your only objection is that you don't like the person who inherited it, then I'm afraid that's a personal grievance, not a legal argument."
"You have no idea what that farm meant to this town!" another woman protested.
For a moment, I said nothing.
No, I didn't.
I hadn't known Willow or the Greenwoods. Whatever memories these people carried, whatever years they'd spent with the previous owners, they were theirs, not mine. Read this novel at novelping.com for the best experience.
But that didn't mean they could simply transfer their grief onto me.
"If you didn't want to sell it," I replied, "you shouldn't have put it up for sale in the first place."
Lewis stepped forward.
"You think I didn't try to stop it? I raised the price, and your family still honored the agreement. What choice did I have?"
"So you raised the price hoping we'd back out?"
I tilted my head.
"Interesting. You made an offer, we accepted it, and now you're blaming us for following through? If you never intended to sell, you shouldn't have named a price in the first place."
I let the words sink in before continuing.
"Unless, of course, you simply wanted more money. In which case, I don't see how our agreement to pay the price you set makes us the villains here."
His mouth tightened.
"You—"
"What law have I broken, Mayor Lewis? What order have I disobeyed? Have I trespassed on private property? Damaged anything? Threatened anyone?"
I spread my hands.
"Or is the offense simply that I arrived in town, acquired a farm, and had the audacity to disagree with you?"
"You're twisting my words!"
"Then correct me."
I smiled, though there was little warmth in it.
"You invoked the republic when I mentioned my family. Fine. I respect that. But a republic doesn't mean that a mayor gets to turn personal dislike into official policy. Your position comes with responsibilities, not just authority."
The three women began talking over one another, their voices rising as they demanded that we leave.
I raised my voice enough to be heard.
"And before anyone starts making accusations, I suggest you consider what you're actually accusing me of. If you have evidence of wrongdoing, present it. If you don't, then spreading claims about me could have consequences of its own."
I turned my attention back to Lewis.
"I have no interest in suing the townspeople over a disagreement. But if you intend to use your office to obstruct me, or if anyone decides to make false allegations that damage my reputation, I will have the matter examined through the proper channels."
I tilted my head.
"Surely, as mayor, you wouldn't object to that?"
Lewis stared at me.
For a moment, I thought he might actually answer the question.
Instead, he looked toward the three women before turning back to me.
"...This isn't over."
He began leading them away.
I watched them go.
"No, Mayor. It isn't."
I spoke loudly enough for him to hear, without bothering to turn around.
"But the next time you approach me, I suggest you come with something more substantial than assumptions and threats."
Their footsteps gradually faded.
A bunch of naive fools, letting their emotions do their thinking for them.
Still, I couldn't entirely blame them.
I didn't know the Greenwoods. I didn't know what they'd meant to these people, or what memories they were trying to protect.
But I wasn't going to let their grief dictate what I did with my life.
And if Lewis wanted to make this a political matter, then so be it.
He could hardly expect me to keep playing nice while he tried to intimidate me into submission.