After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World

A/N: 5/5 Chaps for the day~! Thanks again for all your support! May we keep the rank until month ends! \\o/

...

____

Speaking of proposals, there was a particular wedding that had been delayed for a long time, but was finally seeing the light. This was because the person the couple had been waiting for had finally arrived with one of the caravans.

One of the many groups that had arrived with the mass influx of foreigners was from Glaston—Brenda's Hometown.

There was Raphten, Brenda's childhood friend, his partner, and a few of the members of their caravan. Like Bart, Raphten had also secured the distribution of a few products.

Glaston was quite far from Alterra, at least a few weeks of travel, so among the partners they were the ones who had returned the least.

Further, Raphten's team wasn't too wealthy and couldn't buy too many things, so the stocks were limited, adding to the premium state of whatever they brought back home. The products were just so good and novel that many people had to get more of them.

With such a status, businessmen would definitely find a way to get a share of the pie!

However, unlike Bart or Enok, Raphten and his partner were simple merchants who couldn't protect their trade secrets very well. After the second batch, various factions started to get more interested in their source than their products.

There were a lot of threatening involved, and a lot of insults were thrown. Even his sexual orientation was attacked. Their relationship was spread around the territory, and there were more than a few times he received a rock to his head.

However, Raphten stood strong and allied with those who didn't threaten them, but were powerful enough to keep the others at bay. Raphten let these parties handle the rest, as well as keeping those people from finding out about this place.

They would definitely do their best, after all, their interests were tied now.

Anyway, they traveled for a few weeks in their beast carts, looking forward to the loot they'd take home. Imagine how annoyed they were when they got blocked off from entering Alterra!

The only comfort was that the associate village they landed on—Bright Village—also had versions of those products. They naturally swept those away and threw money at them. However, there were still items they could not produce, so they resolutely refused to leave without getting to Alterra.

The Lord there, Micheal, was fortunately a sensible young man (unlike the Elders of Alterra) and hosted them quite well. A few days back, he also told them that a war was going to happen in Alterra and it was best to relax with them for a few more days.

Their stay in Bright Village was akin to a quaint vacation, with good food, decent lodging, and hospitable people. All that gold they spent even before landing in Alterra was worth it.

However, when they actually got to Alterra a few hours ago, they realized they still underestimated the place after all! Fortunately, they were rich merchants so all that gold they spent in Bright didn't put a large dent in their wallets, otherwise, they'd die of regret right now!

Anyway, by the time they entered the outer plaza and rode in the bike carts for the first time, all the annoyance they had felt back then was forgotten.

They wouldn't be leaving for a long time after this, going on to have a Quiant Vacation Part 2.

Among this group of merchants was a very important person to an Alterran. This was the 65-year-old Birion, Brenda's father and also a Class C weaponsmith!

He was sitting on a six-seater cart pulled by a single man (the driver's prerogative; apparently this set-up earned the most money), so the speed was admittedly a bit slower than others and they could see broats and bikes go past them one after the other.

However, they were in no rush. The sight of the street was beautiful, and they would definitely walk around after settling their things in the hotel.

The old man looked out with a soft smile. "It seems like my daughter has been living well as she said." To be honest, he thought she was exaggerating a lot in her letters to reassure him. He was apparently thinking too much.

It took him a while to move because the Lord absolutely refused to let him go. There was a lot of begging and promises, and they only agreed when Alterra—with Althea's permission—agreed to supply them with a large amount of crossbows (at market price, of course).

Birion didn't know what to expect coming here, but his daughter insisted they moved, and he trusted her.

He didn't tell her he was with the caravan before to surprise her, and it was he who ended up being surprised. He was happy his daughter found such a happy and secure place.

The cart eventually slowed down, slowly heading to one side of the road (there was a reflective flag raised on one side, which he'd later find out was to signal the lane changes). They watched as the cart entered a layby on the side of the road, soon screeching to a halt.

The driver—who was a bit sweaty, but otherwise still energetic—looked back. "This is the street, old man."

Birion nodded and said goodbye to his companions. They had been questioning his decision to move a lot, but now they could only envy.

Anyway, he walked down, carrying his chest, and placed it on the wheel he could pull. It was his own invention, though he had seen something similar being sold in a shop near the Beast Cart Inn. They called it 'suitcase', and for those tools wherein they'd just have to put their chests and pull, they called it 'trolley'.

Birion pulled his trolley, while his free hand took out the hand-drawn map from his space. Brenda sent this to him by the Ferrol Post Office before.

He soon arrived at the lovely house and pulled the bell (there was a note outside) and the door opened immediately, revealing his daughter and a man about a pinky taller than she was.

Birion looked a bit disappointed. He didn't look very strong…

Brenda didn't know what her father was thinking. She was just happy to see him there. "DAD!"

Troy paled and scurried over with them. He rubbed his wet palms on the side of his pants, almost extending it for a handshake, then he remembered the old man didn't know such a greeting and immediately retracted.

"Er… hello, dad… er, Mister…" Troy awkwardly greeted him, doing the standard semi-casual semi-formal salute of this world. Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire

The old man looked at him after greeting his daughter. "So… you're Troy eh?" he asked, looking at him up and down. Troy immediately straightened his back, breathed his stomach in, and puffed out his chest.

Brenda looked at the tense atmosphere between the two men and chuckled. "Yes, dad," she said, wrapping her arm around his. "This is Troy, my fiance."

Troy could feel the old man's disapproval of him and hurried to express his feelings. He took his arm and wrapped it around her shoulder, pulling her to him. "I love your daughter very much. I want to start a family with her."

Birion's eyebrows rose. "Even when she has a scar on her face?" he said. After all, such a mar on her face— of all places— would typically be a deal breaker no matter how amazing a woman was.

Troy's face did not show any hesitation at all. "I think it's beautiful," he said, tone filled with sincerity. "It shows what kind of woman she is—the kind I fell in love with."

Brenda's teasing smile faded then, replaced by pursed lips and tearing eyes. Her heart warmed and she held the man's palm. It was very cold and sweaty, but it showed how much he cared.

She rested the side of her face on his shoulder, turning to her father who had been watching the exchange.

"We will get married dad," she said. "You don't have an opinion on that, do you?"

Birion looked at his daughter and his future son-in-law. After a moment of pause, he shrugged. "As long as you give me smart little grandchildren."

Seeing the man was sincere, he genuinely didn't worry anymore. He was just that type of guy—otherwise, how could Brenda—a girl—even have a chance to develop into a proper weaponsmith?

Rather..., seeing them like this made him understand… that he could finally retire in peace!