Shrouded Seascape

Chapter 679: The Little Giant

This bookstore in the outpost was selling most of the Subterranean Sea's published books. The bookstore's four walls were also covered in books of a variety of sizes.

However, it was deserted compared to the other shops throughout the outpost, and it was all because the majority of the explorers didn't really care about the knowledge that they contained.

The newly arrived books with white covers didn't attract any attention except for the attention of explorers with "special interests" searching for pornographic books.

"Ugh, it stinks... it's so smelly," Lily said with her face scrunched and her nose covered by her tiny paw as she moved away from the new pile of books.

"That's the smell of money—the smell of the expensive purple-ringed octopus ink. It's a scent unique to new books, as this smell will gradually fade and become a fragrance from a stench," Grace said, picking up a book and flipping through it.

"I don't believe you. You must be lying to me. How can a stench become a fragrance?" Lily said, sticking out her tiny tongue at Grace.

However, it seemed like Grace didn't hear Lily, as she was completely engrossed in the book in her hands. After a few minutes of reading, she tossed the book aside and quickly dove into the pile of books, searching for something.

"Found it! I knew there'd be an original version of this!" Grace exclaimed and excitedly flipped through the book with her gaze unwittingly transfixed on its pages.

Lily walked up to her and cast a bewildered gaze at the text on the book cover in Grace's hands.

"Elementary Physics? What's that?" Lily asked, but she soon sighed helplessly upon seeing that Grace was not listening to her at all. It seemed that their plan to visit the newly opened cinema was now completely off the table.

Lily turned and ran over to the bookstore owner, asking, "Mister, where are the romance novels?"

With that, the two stayed in the bookstore until the owner told them that it was time to close up shop. The entranced Grace finally snapped back to reality.

"I want all of these books! The legend is true! This is so awesome! So this was how the Eye of Truth created the entire world!!" Grace exclaimed.

Hugging a stack of books, Grace enthusiastically shared the knowledge that she had discovered from the strange books with Lily. She was delighted and excited upon seemingly discovering a new world.

Grace felt like her worldview had changed drastically.

"Lily, let me tell you—this... this is just the first of many! Apparently, the combined weight of the Foundation's knowledge is several tons, at the very least! I really think that it will take a lifetime to understand the content of these books."

Grace was stunned by the question. She pondered briefly over it before timidly saying, "Sorry, I haven't heard of that island before. I think it's not an island in the Western Seas. I'm sorry, I don't know much about islands outside the Western Seas. This is my first time leaving the lighthouse where I lived..."

"It's fine. Come with me and let me buy you a drink. I'll tell you more about the Albion Isles, which was an island covered in machinery; many wonderful stories had taken place on that fascinating island." The little giant turned his covered face away and started walking toward a bustling bar nearby.

He didn't even bother waiting for Grace's response.

Grace hesitated. She turned to Lily, asking for the latter's opinion, only to see her looking around nervously.

"What's wrong, Lily?"

"I don't know... I just feel like someone's staring at me," Lily said, her furry head turned as she looked around with a confused look.

"Um, would it be dangerous for us to go to a bar? I read in a book that the bars in any island's harbor district are full of bad people.

Lily's ears perked up at Grace's words, and she nodded hurriedly, saying, "Sure, sure, let's go to a bar! I've never been to a bar, and I've never had alcohol, either!"

Under Lily's persuasion, the young girl eventually walked over to the bar where the little giant had disappeared. As soon as they entered the bar, they immediately attracted the gaze of everyone inside.

Coincidentally, Cook Planck of the Narwhale was in the same bar, and he immediately retracted his hand, which was inside a hostess' clothes, upon seeing Lily and Grace.

"What is Lily doing here?"

Before he could figure out the answer to his question, he saw Grace and Lily sitting down at the bar at the invitation of a man with features that made him resemble a little giant.

Planck pondered briefly over his next course of action. Moments later, he picked up a foaming mug of beer from the hostess tray and walked over to Lily and Grace.

"Albion Isles was an industrial city and was also famous for being the Island of Machinery. It was a huge part of the world's shipbuilding industry, as a massive chunk of the processed materials required from the industry are processed on Albion Isles.

"In addition, today's core of navigation—the turbine engines—was invented on the Albion Isles," the little giant said, sounding a bit emotional.