Nelisa's footsteps came to a sudden halt before Ophelia's obstruction.
Her gaze swept over Ophelia's outstretched hand.
She saw the vigilance in those golden eyes, devoid of any hesitation.
A self-deprecating curve formed at the corner of Nelisa's mouth.
The smile was faint, yet it lingered on her face for a moment.
She made no further attempt to approach.
Withdrawing her gaze, she reached into the pocket of her skirt.
She pulled out a silver token.
It was a medallion engraved with a complex crest of waves, shimmering with a cold luster under the moonlight.
She held out the token.
"Simply tell us what materials you require here, and we will arrange them for you."
Nelisa's voice no longer held its previous stiffness.
Her tone even carried a hint of respect.
"And this token may be used elsewhere."
Her gaze turned back to Klein.
"Seeing this token is the same as seeing me."
She spoke each word deliberately.
"You may use the resources of the Silver Scale Chamber of Commerce as you wish."
Klein's fingertips brushed the silver token, the cold crest imprinting Nelisa's promise into his palm.
He did not put it away immediately, allowing the medallion with its intricate waves to reflect the dim light in the night breeze.
Ophelia withdrew her arm from in front of Klein, though her center of gravity remained subtly shifted, ready to build an invisible barrier once again at any moment.
Her golden eyes lingered briefly on Nelisa, the vigilance deep within them fading slightly, though not vanishing entirely.
Nelisa looked away from the token in Klein's hand and back at his face.
In those deep eyes, there was no anger at having her secrets seen through; instead, there was a trace of inexplicable frankness.
The corner of her mouth twitched slightly, a curve so shallow it was barely there, yet it was enough to show she had no regrets about her judgment and choice regarding Klein.
Klein tucked the token into his coat.
He knew that the value represented by this token had already surpassed mere material goods.
It was a form of power, a measure of trust, and perhaps a new direction for the Silver Scale Chamber of Commerce.
He said no more, as the purpose of this trip had been achieved, even exceeding his expectations.
The price of his audacious demands was the olive branch Nelisa had proactively extended.
Beyond that, the high-intensity mental exhaustion and the series of fierce battles now washed over Klein's body like a tide.
He felt his eyelids grow heavy, and a dull ache radiated from deep within his muscles.
He could not remember the last time he had enjoyed a sound sleep.
Ophelia turned her head, her golden eyes reflecting Klein's slightly pale complexion.
She did not speak, only moving a bit closer to him, silently sharing the exhaustion radiating from his body.
Nelisa's gaze drifted between the two of them, keenly capturing the trace of weariness deep in Klein's eyes.
"The two of you have worked hard on this journey." Her voice softened, her tone carrying a fitting amount of concern that was neither fawning nor overstepping.
"A place to rest has been prepared within the harbor district, making it convenient for you to access resources at any time."
Klein was about to nod in acceptance when a thought suddenly surfaced.
He paused, his thirst for knowledge still stubbornly prevailing over his fatigue.
He looked up, meeting Nelisa's eyes directly.
"Back at the tavern, I discovered two types of abnormalities," Klein said with an inquisitive tone, each word like peeling back a layer of fog. "One was the elemental annihilation caused by the source of the calamity, and the other was the exact opposite—an abnormal gathering of elements."
The sea breeze carried the salty scent of the water as it whistled past, fluttering Nelisa's black dress.
Yet her hair bun remained perfectly still, as if she were insulated from all turmoil.
Klein's gaze was sharp, fixed on her face as he tried to catch any subtle expression.
"Was that gathering of elements your doing?" Klein asked directly, without any evasion.
A very faint ripple flashed deep within Nelisa's eyes.
The corner of her mouth quirked upward almost imperceptibly—not in a smile, but more as a form of confirmation.
"In a way," Nelisa responded frankly, her voice steady, though she placed a slight emphasis on "in a way," leaving plenty of room for imagination.
"If you and Miss Ophelia had not intended to intervene, the Silver Scale Chamber of Commerce still had a way to avoid destruction."
Her gaze briefly flickered to the cube in Klein's hand before returning to his face.
"At the very least, we would not have allowed the innocents of Silver Scale Harbor to suffer," she added, her tone growing a bit more resolute.
Klein's brow twitched ever so slightly.
He had originally thought that Nelisa's "backup plan" might only involve evacuating the citizens or activating some kind of defensive measure.
But her answer now revealed a level of strength and heritage within the Silver Scale Chamber of Commerce that far exceeded his imagination.
The "way to avoid destruction" she mentioned was clearly not a passive defense.
It was an active, premeditated intervention that could even contend with the source of the calamity, at least in terms of protecting the populace.
Ophelia's golden eyes also narrowed slightly.
Klein did not press further.
Nelisa's words had already revealed enough information.
He knew that within Silver Scale Harbor, the power of the Silver Scale Chamber of Commerce was far from as simple as it appeared on the surface.
Nelisa's candor was both a gesture of goodwill and a silent warning—the Silver Scale Chamber of Commerce was not a lamb to be slaughtered.
Port deep lights flickered, and the massive merchant ships cast blurred silhouettes against the night.
The sea breeze grew colder.
Klein felt his physical exhaustion return, more intense this time than any desire for knowledge.
"Please lead the way, Chairman Nelisa," Klein said.
Nelisa nodded slightly and turned, her black dress swaying gently in the night wind.
She walked ahead with a poised stature, guiding the two of them through the harbor.
Ophelia naturally drew closer to Klein, her arm lightly brushing against his sleeve.
She could feel the stiffness in his body and the suppressed weariness.
The three of them walked along the path paved with rough stone slabs. The sounds of the harbor gradually faded, replaced by a deeper silence.
Only the occasional sound of waves lapping against the shore reminded them of where they were.
They passed several warehouses and turned into a quieter street.
Nelisa stopped before a wooden door carved with a fish-shaped crest. A kerosene lamp hung in front of the door, casting a dim yellow glow that illuminated the name "Quiet Sea Residence" written in the script of Silver Scale Harbor.
Nelisa pushed open the wooden door, and a faint scent of lavender wafted out from inside, mixed with the fresh fragrance of wood.
The flickering lamplight cast shadows over the interior furnishings.
It was a simple yet comfortable residence, seemingly a world away from the bustling harbor outside.
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