Pal and Bear's boat had just reached five hundred meters from the boundary of Moonstone Province when they noticed unusual movements in the water about ten meters away.
The ripples grew larger until a massive creature emerged—it was the D-Class swordfish that had chased them that morning.
Because it had failed to catch them earlier, it had not yet been promoted. Now, the swordfish was furious, its impatience radiating from every twitch of its sleek body.
Pal and Bear stopped rowing. Although Miss Lane had said the boat had a water-beast shielding function, their fear of high-rank water beasts was deeply ingrained.
The swordfish began moving toward them.
Startled, Pal and Bear nevertheless trusted Miss Lane's words.
When the swordfish seemed to sense them, it suddenly stopped five meters away. Its sharp sword-like snout stabbed an E-Class water beast hiding behind a floating wooden crate northwest of their boat.
After devouring the smaller beast, the swordfish snapped its head to its left and swam eastward toward the skyscrapers, completely ignoring them.
Pal and Bear exhaled the breaths they had been holding and resumed rowing.
Along the way, they encountered other water beasts, but not a single one attacked. Even when the paddles splashed loudly, the beasts kept their distance, precisely five meters from the boat.
For the first time in months, Pal and Bear's journey was smooth.
Meanwhile, Isla Lane celebrated her new rewards in her small bread store.
The system's cheerful voice echoed in her mind:
[Congratulations for getting your first tenants.]
[Reward: Main Raft Expansion, upgrade of your wooden cabin to Town Hall, and unlock public amenities—Street Light and Welcoming Arch.]
[Congratulations for renting out the first boat.]
[Reward: Small Dock and Small Boat Rent Shop.]
"Hmm." Isla let out a muffled squeal of excitement over unlocking the Town Hall. Does this mean her sleeping quarters would be upgraded too? Maybe a bed with a massage function or a soft water bed?
Excited, she chewed her noodles quickly, then set down her spoon and asked the system about the thoughts running through her head.
Although she was happy to be a wealthy landlord, her ultimate goal had always been living comfortably. Being rich was just a means to that end.
[Host, it's even better than a water bed or a massage bed. After unlocking Town Hall, you can now name your city. The name will appear on Town Hall and your Welcoming Arch. This is your first monumental step toward building a city. Isn't that great?]
"A name?" Isla Lane paused.
[Do you want to build the Town's Hall and Welcoming Arch?]
Isla agreed.
A few minutes later, construction noises filled the bread store again as the raft expanded. Her personal cabin separated from the store, repositioned at the center of the raft and was upgraded to the two-story Town Hall.
After bidding Pal and Bear goodbye, Ron and Wells returned to their cabins and went to sleep. They hadn't had proper rest for days and were too tired. Thus, didn't notice the new building.
Isla stared at the wooden plaque on Town Hall, waiting to be named.
"Can you do the naming instead? I'm bad at it," she said.
[The system can't. Host, you're on your own.]
Isla gazed at the building. A name? What should she call it?
At that moment, she wished she could ask the grumpy old tavern owner, who had a knack for poetic names, even his tavern and liquor had elegant names like moonlight amber or eternal tide.
Suddenly, the scenery changed. She was back at the tavern. Smoke and stale ale filled her nose. In her second month as a hunter, she had staggered back from a nightmare dungeon. The raid had been sabotaged, and most hunters had died; only a few, including her, survived.
The memory of so many deaths weighed heavily on her. Visiting the hunter's hospital only reminded her of the deaths. On the way home, her mind replayed what happen in the dungeon, over and over.
Dazed, she had bumped into drunkards leaving the tavern. She saw the tavern and hoped alcohol might temporarily erase the trauma. That was the first time she tried booze.
The taste was bitter, her throat and tongue on fire.
"Cough! Cough!" The first sip was horrible, but it made the memory blur. She drank more, craving the temporary relief.
Until a wrinkled hand snatched the drink away. An angry voice growled,
"What are you drinking when you're injured? Who gave you this kid an alcohol? Are you crazy? Do you want to drop dead in my tavern?"
She looked up through blurry eyes. "I'm 22! Not a kid… hic… hic…" Then she fainted, causing a flurry of exclamations.
The next morning, she awoke in the hospital. The old man was there, caught between scolding and pity. He held back his mouth and left.
She later learned he was the tavern owner who had grabbed her drink. The next day, she went to thank him.
Of course, she was banned from alcohol until fully healed. The old man watched her like a hawk, grumbling whenever she stared at strong liquor.
It felt like having a caring elder—a foreign, fuzzy, and warm sensation.
Days became weeks. Weeks became months. Whenever she felt low, she found herself drawn to the tavern. It became her solace.
At the memory, Isla smiled.
"I've thought of it. How about Solace City? Doesn't sound cringe, right? I told you I'm bad at naming."
[No. I trust the Host's judgment.]
The wooden plaque was no longer blank. Bold pink letters appeared: Solace City's Town Hall.
Solace City.
Though her city couldn't solve the world's problems, she hoped survivors could find solace in it.
After a deep look, she stepped inside Town Hall. She couldn't wait to build the other buildings.
Of course, she didn't forget to ask the most important question.
"Can we unlock booze in the future?" she asked.
[Yes.]
She grinned.
Meanwhile, at the North, two massive buoyant pillars anchored to the seabed, connected by a steel arch appeared. "Welcome to Solace City" was painted in bold pink letters. Signal lights along the edge were installed which will light at night, guiding boats.
Far east, a speedboat cruising near the almost-submerged skyscrapers suddenly encountered the D-Class swordfish Pal and Bear had seen earlier.
After the fight, the passengers were exhausted. They attempted to seek refuge in the skyscrapers when a C-Class water beast—an eight-meter-long tuna—appeared and began chasing them.
"F*ck, give me a break!"
It had likely been drawn by the earlier fight.
The C-Class water beast relentlessly pursued them all the way to Moonstone Province.