Chapter 742: Priorities, Priorities, Priorities

∆Are you sure you don’t want sent at least two of the kaijin to go and scout out that entrance? Long distance kaijin assignments ain’t that weird, Arachnidame and Lacerage are living proof of that.∆

’Yes, but they’re doing the relatively safe and mundane task of managing my clan’s business ventures. To a remarkably successful degree by the way, thank you Logos for the heads up.’

=With your perchance for panicking, I figured it would be smart to want you about the changes ahead of time.=

’Once again, not sure how to feel about that assessment, but thank you anyways, Logos.’

=Anytime.=

’Now then...time to just mark this place on the map and we can worry about it coming here later.’

∆=Actually, milord. We might be able to help with that.=∆

’Oh?’

__________________________________________

Home.

The Zhen Clan of Stampeding Bison had been away from Stone Claw City for a little over a month now, and frankly put, a lot of them wanted to go home.

It was nice coming to the land of their ancestors and finally burying a hatchet that was literally the catalyst for them establishing their branch location in the first place, but after going through a literally shit ton of events over the course of not even a week, they had no desire to get involved in any more battles, adventures or shenanigans. Especially if it involved the so-called "Abyssal Lands", a place that not even their battle crazy matriarch went into without proper preparation.

As such, Patriarch Zhen Shi made the executive decision to simply mark this place in their travel logs and make plans to visit/raid this place at a future date.

There were some minor grumblings about not visiting immediately since they had the chance, but not many.

"I mean...I get that most of us are homesick at this point, but can’t we just take a quick detour into the Abyssal Lands? How bad can it be?"

"Did you not hear the whole explaination about what the hell, ’shadow water’, is? I don’t know about you, I’d rather not have my aether and possibly my life drained by some creepy cursed water. Frankly put, j miss the desert at this point."

"Speaking of the desert, y’all think everything back home is okay? We haven’t been gone that long, and we did leave everything in the capable hands of our seconds, but..."

"I’m sure everything is fine. It’s not like anything super dramatic can change in the course of a little over a month...right?"

Evidently, the branch clan had no idea that a lot had dramatically changed for them back at Stampeding Bison, but they were going to find out.

Once they got back that is.

"Let’s just hope things go smoothly from her back to the port, yeah?"

Thankfully for them, it was going to a smooth trip back, but the surprises were going to be a bit more...civil.

_One return trip to Pearl Scale Harbor later._

After a thankfully uneventful trip through the rivers of the Pearl Scale Empire, the branch clan had finally returned to Pearl Scale Harbor.

Not much had changed for this charming little port town since they were last here, which made sense since they didn’t linger around here for long in the first place.

However, there was one change that was noticable to the branch clan as a whole...and one little change that was only noticeable to the Fourth Young Master.

As to what that big change entailed, well...let’s just say it involved the method in which they got to Roaring Tide in the first place.

...

At this point in time, the Zhen Clan had secured some lodgings in an inn, that wasn’t as nice as Cozy Maple Hotel, in order to get in some good night’s rest before going on their journey across the ocean.

Granted, they also had to secure passageway on a ship in the first place, but that wasn’t going to be a big issue given who they were travelling with.

"Alright, now that we’re back at Pearl Scale Habrir, let’s see if we can find someone who is headed towards Stampeding Bison and secure some passage to Pearl Tusk Harbor. It might be a bit scummy, but we might be able to use the fact that Xiao Liu’s fiancee is an Imperial Princess to-"

"Uh...First Elder? I don’t we’ll need to worry about doing anything like that."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I...think it’ll just be easier to show you than tell you, sir. Check out this notice board."

"Okay...weirdly ominous, but-what the fuck?"

"Yeah, that was our reaction."

When the Zhen Clan had first arrived to Pearl Scale Harbor, they made a pretty big impression.

Not because of their patriarch’s status as an Aether Lord, that revelation was later, but because they had arrived in a strange vessel that was as loud as thunder, and had the ability to cut through any current or wave regardless which way the wind blew. In other words, an ocean steamer called the S.S. Nimona.

The Zhen Clan had figured that the S.S Nimona and her crew wouldn’t be in port due to the nature of captains and their ships going wherever they could to do...whatever.

The Zhen Clan wasn’t all too familiar with naval practices since they were predominantly landlocked, but they at least understood that sea captains tended to act on the more nomadic side of life.

That didn’t turn out to be the case this time around.

Staring at them like a garish painting, the Zhen Clan had found what appeared to be a permanent notice, nailed to the board like a scheduling chart.

A notice that resolved their issues quite handly.

...

Come aboard the S.S. Nimona, the first and possibly only ocean steamer that regularly ferries between Roaring Tide and Stampeding Bison through their sister harbor towns.

Enjoy speedy passage, luxury cabins and delicious cuisine all while not having to worry about cabin fever or dying winds!

Ticket prices are negotiable, please talk to the harbor master in regards to arrival and departure dates.

...

"Huh...on the one hand, good for them, they were very fine fellows and their strange ship was quite lovely. On the other...negotiable ticket prices is a bit...concerning."

"Should we at least go and tell the patriarch and the rest of the elders before we decide?"

"Yes...let’s do just that. I don’t think we can take this notice with us, can we?"

"No, but it appears they have copies of it over there."

"Excellent."

_____________Meanwhile__________________

"Ooooh, this place is amazing! I’ve never seen so many beautiful ships like this before!"

"In that case, why don’t you go and explore it properly? You know where we’re staying anyways."

"I could, but I’d prefer to be holding my darling’s arm."

"Tsk."

"I hope you two realize the moment either of you let go of his arm, it’s mine, right?"

"We know."

’How...how is this a common fantasy? I think my arm is about to get ripped off!’

While the Zhen Clan was spending the day/evening in Pearl Scale Harbor, Zhen Liu thought now would’ve been a good idea to go and check on a certain candy store and a certain candy kaijin that he made for the owner of the aforementioned store.

However, before he could go and try do this quickly and quietly before anyone could notice, Princess JinJu Ren, Jin Fang and Rianna all had noticed that he was going somewhere and determined that now was the absolute best time to go on a romantic outing of sorts.

Or to be more accurate, Jinju Ren had noticed Zhen Liu was about to go off somewhere on his lonesome and figured that she would tag along because it would be fun.

Jin Fang noticed that Jinju Ren was actively flirting once again and decided to tag along because, in her head, territory must be marked.

And finally, Rianna tagged along because...she was bored and a part of her wanted to see what would happen. That and she figured if the other two girls were in the middle of arguing she could just swoop in and take Zhen Liu for herself that day.

While this was happening though, Zhen Liu was more or less befuddled due to his inexperience in dealing with romance in general. It’s one thing to go from monogamy to polyamory, it’s another thing going from inexperience to polyamory.

’Seriously, how do the harem protagonists in comics handle this? Actually, how do people handle romance in general, this is tiring!’

=If it helps, you’re not the only kaijin lord that had a harem or polyamorus lifestyle that we’ve had to help out in this regard.=

∆Granted, most of that hell came in the form of medicines designed for the bedroom.∆

’I am not at that point, but good to know. I guess.’

∆=Not yet.=∆

The quartet of Zhen Liu, Rianna, Jin Fang and Jinju Ren continued to walk through Pearl Scale Harbor, practically not having a single care in the world.

Until..

∆∆What’s the matter? Don’t you want to hang out with such an esteemed fellow such as our lord?∆∆