Chapter 134 The Hungry Sea

"So, what is this new boat thing that you are talking about?! I also hear that you have another Royal Misfit chasing after your tail, right?" Breya asked as she fell into my lap. "You are one busy person!"

"I mean, it's not like I am trying to make them fall for me!" I complained as I lay back on the couch in the backyard. The table had been pulled off to the side and replaced by a fire pit that was now burning.

Breya leaned back into my arms, turned her head, and kissed me on the cheek.

"For someone that doesn't try, you are very effective at what you do! Now, what is this about a shopping boat? A Mall?! What is this thing I keep hearing about? No one seems to have a hot clue what you are talking about, but everyone is excited!" Breya exclaimed, and I grinned.

This floating mall thing was probably going to turn into quite the success. I had assumed it would, since from my knowledge, shopping and women when together like butter and corn. The two things were almost made for each other.

"You know how you have the shops spread all over town? What if they were all in one area? And you could move them with you wherever you go?" I asked, and Breya grinned at me.

"Don't threaten me with a good time!" Breya laughed, and Claire pulled on my black sleeve.

"What kind of stuff will you have for sale?" Claire asked curiously, looking up at me with all her eye stalks.

My four detainees and Breya were all sitting on the couch with me while Eliza and Trina were doing something with the other kitchen staff. She wouldn't tell me, so I was more spurious than ever to know what they were up to.

Unfortunately, Breya and the girls grabbed me the moment they saw me walking through the house and pulled me out to the fire. The five of them had all been sitting out around the fire, drinking hot cocoa.

I had tried some of it, but it tasted of unsweetened chocolate. Not horrible, and if you didn't know any better, you would say the stuff tasted good. Unfortunately, I did know better, and this could use some sugar or something.

"Well, that is going to depend on the people that we have coming with us. There are numerous things, but one of the stores will have to be a bakery. Maybe even you girls could run it after I teach you how to make some more desserts," I suggested, but Breya shrugged.

"I am more of an eater than a cook. Though, I do like the sound of having cake always prepared whenever I want! So you're telling me that this... Mall thing is kind of like a floating city?" Breya asked, and I nodded but wiggled my hand.

"Sort of, but for our intent and purposes, it will be. The plan is to make it so people can come from the island and trade with us. This gets the people off the islands and out into neutral waters. Even if the head people of the islands have problems with me, this should keep us supplied," I explained, and then asked, "What is the distance between each island?"

"Depending on how fast the boat is, about three days of sailing, but that is only to the first island. After that, each one of your trips will take up to two weeks between islands," Claire explained, and I frowned at her.

"What is with the markup on time?" I asked.

"The islands don't have a way through unless you can make the boat fly. That means that you will have to sail around to one end or the other of each continent, but the weather at the farthest tips is the worst. There are strange storms that pop up and whirlpools that appear and swallow ships. That is not even talking about the sea monsters that get big and more aggressive the further you go to the center or the outer shell," Claire explained.

"Shell? So this is a flat world? What is the out shell made out of, and what is on the other side?" I asked curiously.

"What else would the world be? It is flat, but all compasses point to the Golden Repository in the center, so that is north," Claire explained, and I nodded.

"Interesting. Speaking of eggs, what is this Golden Repository, and where do the eggs come from?" I asked. "This is a subject that has been making my head spin all day worse than anything else that has happened."

"Really? How we are born is more perplexing than the biggest monster this world has ever seen?!" Breya asked, and I nodded, making her throw her hands in the air. "Couldn't you just lie to me for once? I wouldn't even care! You know what? From now on, when you think that your truth might be too much for me, just lie, and I won't question you. I will just know that it will be better for my sanity in the long run!"

"I have a plan for the monster, and I am pretty certain that I know the whole Blood Witch is causing it, so not much of a mystery. You women being born full grown, and then becoming partners with your pseudo child is a bit of a head-scratcher for me," I explained.

"I really don't see what is so confusing about it. I am still young, but even I get it," Wispy said from where she sat between Seraphina and Asha.

"You and the rest of us wouldn't because this is normal to us because it is the only thing that we have ever known. Galio has lived four hundred and ninety-nine lives on other worlds out there in the cosmos. Our ways and concepts are a lot different than what he is used to," Claire explained to the girls and then turned to me.

"The repository is run by a woman named Denise. She is always behind the ticket booth, and she is very polite. But Tallia and the other Goddesses will tell you that you don't talk to her because we have all tried," Claire explained.

"Oh? What happens if you try?" I asked curiously.

"Denise talks back."