Extra's Perfect Ending

Chapter 90: Sailor Association

The Sailor Association is established along the shoreline of Tumidus. It was formed in response to the unjust rule of a former mayor of the city. The Association brings together fishermen and sea-faring sailors under a single banner, giving them significant leverage for improved policies and quality of life, and ensuring fairness for those dealing with the sea.

The Association is often seen tackling pirates, apprehending them, and issuing bounties. It has offices in many locations, with one of the larger ones situated in Tumidus. The grand road leading directly to Lememore and the northern road is particularly attractive to merchants and sailors alike.

Merchants come to sell their goods, while sailors seek to trade their fish and treasures. The current head of the Association is Hinly Coukus, a man from the southern sea who rose from a receptionist to his current position. With years of experience in the industry, he has developed ambitious plans that extend well beyond the realm of the sea.

The Association generates revenue by charging a fee to sailors and merchants for maintaining their membership. In return, members enjoy benefits such as easier sea travel, reduced pirate harassment, assistance with negotiations, and the option to sell goods at market rates if they have trouble finding buyers. Overall, the Association enjoys a strong reputation among its members.

It is a go-to place if you want to get into the sea-related business.

Reeva arrived in the late afternoon after woking at his burger shop, as usual. The sun cast an orange hue on the building, and as he approached, the smell of sea salt was more pronounced than anywhere else in Tumidus.

He noticed many sailors coming and going for appointments at the Sailor Association. At the front of the building, a large anchor was hoisted up and used as a signboard, with a wooden board featuring pop-out letters spelling "Sailor Association."

The place exuded an oceanic vibe.

Reeva, Theia, and Hilda entered the building and were greeted by a receptionist, as is customary in reputable establishments.

"Welcome to the Sailor Association. Are you here to get a permit, a membership, or would you like to purchase our insurance?" the receptionist, clad in a deep blue outfit, asked. Reeva felt as though he had been transported back to 2024, recalling a similar, albeit more chaotic, situation.

"No, I have an appointment with Mister Hinly at 4 p.m. under the name Penu."

The receptionist checked her paper, her index finger gliding down the list of appointments until she found his.

"You are scheduled to meet Mister Hinly at 4, and you arrived at 4:02 p.m. Mister Hinly is quite busy and cannot extend his schedule, so please be mindful of this and try to arrive earlier next time if you wish to meet him. That said, Mister Hinly is currently waiting for you. Please follow me."

Damn.

Reeva was surprised by the strictness of the place, but it was understandable given the volume of people coming and going. He guessed that many of them were wealthy merchants. But it’s not a hard guess considering the accessories they wear.

The receptionist handed Reeva over to a coworker, who led him and the others upstairs. The old wooden stairs creaked from overuse. They followed her to a room and she opened the door. Revling what’s inside.

The office smelled like being on a boat at sea. Its layout was similar to the Holen’s office but with more space for storing files. Most notably, the wall behind Hinly was replaced by a window, offering a full view of the ocean.

Though much of the view was just ships sailing by, if they waited for a couple of hours, they would enjoy an exclusive view of the sunset. An impressive figure sits in the middle of the glass wall against the background of a vast ocean.

Hinly Coukus was a man of impressive stature, more so than anyone Reeva had met. His physique was typical of a sailor, so he was surprised to see such a muscular office worker.

"I’ll excuse myself."

The receptionist bowed to both Reeva and Hinly before exiting the room.

"Quite the lovely view, isn’t it?"

Hinly, who had been working on paperwork moments before, asked. His deep voice sounded like it had been honed by years of exposure to sea salt. His head tilts a little as a gesture for Reeva to look at the sea.

"A million-stac view for sure," Reeva replied honestly, impressed with the view Hinly had for himself.

"HAHAHA," Hinly laughed heartily, finishing his paperwork and gesturing to the coffee table. "Maid, could you prepare the coffee? I like it black with a pinch of sugar."

Hilda followed Hinly’s request. Moving herself over to the coffee machine.

"Hope you don’t mind," Hinly said, turning to Reeva. "But I can already tell you don’t. HAHAHA. Most people I deal with would be so annoyed if I asked their servant to do something. Such a sour ass."

Hinly spoke in a light-hearted tone. Reeva sized him up and prepared for his next move.

"Oh, interested in these muscles?"

"No..."

"Well, I train them every day! As a kid, I always thought being a sailor was cool. My dad would take me far out to sea to catch rare fish. He said a good sailor needs good muscles! Even now, I haven’t forgotten his words."

Reeva smiled, unsure of where Hinly was going with the conversation.

"But that time has long passed. Sometimes I miss the old days when I didn’t have to deal with paperwork. By the way, why are you here?" Hinly asked, genuinely puzzled about Reeva’s presence.

"Your business doesn’t overlap with ours unless you want to become a sailor. If that’s the case, we could get you started with a cheap boat, and you could work your way up from there."

Reeva only smiled. He had heard about some of Hinly’s personality traits but never expected him to be this... eccentric.