Chapter 91 - 17. Centaur

Chapter 91: 17. CentaurFisher had accomplished something important and couldn’t help feeling a sense of achievement, which made him quite happy—it seemed that even the scenery outside had improved. Along the way, the researchers wearing black classical robes from the Royal College were no longer visible, unclear whether they had returned to the research institute or went to work part-time at the Pink Hall.

Damian’s words just now had refreshed his understanding of the principal; he hadn’t expected Damian to perform the heroic act of sacrificing one of his arms and explicitly naming Fisher to harshly criticize those decayed researchers. Because members of the Griffin Party greatly value their reputation, their old-fashioned Nali pride hasn’t faded, and they can’t stand others speaking ill of them; otherwise, they wouldn’t have monopolized education for so many years.

After leaving the Royal College, he continued walking towards the tram station, from where the central Golden Palace of Saint Nali and the clumps of Wutong trees outside were clearly visible. However, the palace gates were rarely opened because the King’s health had worsened, and he hadn’t left the Golden Palace in a long while, with only the Royal Family spokesperson appearing on his behalf.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please continue to follow the legislation of the New Party; we have decided to renovate the traditional and aged Fourth District, and when completed, the living standards of the Fourth District will be significantly improved!"

"We are always committed to the welfare, life, and liberty of Nali citizens and hope everyone will continue to support us in serving Saint Nali!"

"The South Continent demi-human Protection Association is now established, with our headquarters set up next to Saint Nali University, hoping to promote young people’s commitment to life preservation!"

"Please take a look at our promotional brochure!"

At an intersection a distance from the Royal College, Fisher could see from afar a New Party legislator in a suit and leather shoes standing in front of a huge New Party steamship insignia, ceaselessly shouting. Many supporters of the New Party were gathered excitedly, raising their hands in support following the speech.

It seemed the New Party’s campaigning had even extended into the Griffin Party’s stronghold, indicating that they were likely to win the midterm elections.

What caught Fisher’s attention wasn’t the sweating New Party legislator, but a girl standing behind the staff, waving a small New Party flag gently.

The girl, with beautiful brown hair and a human upper body that apart from the long ears hanging beside her head, was no different from humans, but her lower body was that of a massive horse with four limbs. The equine body was covered with a long robe that completely wrapped her beautiful brown hair, while the upper body wore clothes just like any ordinary Nali lady, appearing quite peculiar.

She was a Centaur demi-human!

At this moment, she seemed perplexed, watching the passionately enthusiastic humans in front of her and occasionally shaking the small New Party flag in her hand, apparently to affirm that the New Party indeed established a "South Continent demi-human Protection Association."

"Ladies and gentlemen, please come forward and review our specific policies for the upcoming election! Don’t rush; we, the New Party, assure you that we will complete the plans as scheduled! The achievements of the earlier half are there for all to see!"

"That’s right! We need more job opportunities!"

"Schools! My two children both need to go to school!"

Crowds surged forward to receive the small brochures distributed by the New Party, and the Centaur girl also held a small stack, carefully lifting one to hand to an approaching person. However, the human glanced at her and, seemingly in disdain, avoided her and then moved on to collect the brochure elsewhere.

The hurried New Party legislator couldn’t attend to her, and she slightly opened her mouth, then embarrassingly retreated back in front of the New Party flag, right under the huge banner of "South Continent demi-human Protection Association," and began waving the New Party’s small flag again.

The New Party had even managed to find a Centaur demi-human, a kind of demi-human Fisher had never seen before, as Centaurs had no fixed residence and usually migrated across the Southern Continent as an entire species.

Fisher’s records showed that Pioneers first encountered the Centaur species when they first landed on the Southern Continent; he tried to shoot down a Centaur to make it a specimen, but it didn’t succeed and instead scared them all away.

Since humans had entered the Southern Continent in large numbers, Centaurs had gradually disappeared from view; Fisher guessed they hid in the remote deep mountains, never expecting to meet one so far from the Southern Continent in Nali, let alone figure out how the New Party found her.

Fisher, watching the Centaur standing at the back, took a copy of their midterm election promotional brochure and flipped through it as he walked towards the tram station. As he rapidly flipped through it, he finally found the promotion for the "South Continent demi-human Protection Association" in the corner of the last page.

The description was: "Under active construction."

Fisher scoffed and casually threw the brochure into a garbage bin by the roadside.

After buying some food and books, Fisher quickly reached the front of the tram station only to find that the usually operational tram station was temporarily closed. The locked-up station manager was apologetically addressing the surrounding citizens,

"I’m sorry, everyone! The tracks ahead are damaged; the number three line is temporarily out of service today! For the exact time of resumption, please refer to future notices from the transportation bureau!"

"Oh my god! You damn people, I pay so much in taxes, and this is how the transportation bureau treats us?"

"I still need to pick up my child from school!"

"Sorry, sorry everyone, an emergency occurred ahead and the police have blocked off part of the railway, there’s nothing we can do..."

Fisher stood behind the crowd, looking in the direction of the tracks. A few stations ahead was Karen Street, where something seemed to have happened. He furrowed his brow, if he remembered correctly, had Martha mentioned she was going to Karen Street to see what the excitement was about?

The instant these thoughts flashed through his mind, he pushed his way through the crowd that had gathered behind him, went to the roadside, and hailed a carriage. It would take less than twenty minutes to reach his rental home from here, which was much faster than taking the tram.

After getting off the carriage, Fisher rushed home, and sure enough, the house was empty; Martha hadn’t come back yet.

Fisher’s brow furrowed even deeper as he worried about Martha. Just as he was about to head out to Karen Street to check the situation, Martha’s familiar voice came from the outside of the back room,

"Fisher! You’re back, I thought you would be home much later... Oh my, my back."

Hearing Martha’s lively voice, Fisher’s previously tense heart immediately relaxed. He turned and saw Martha, holding her back, standing beside the road with a tall woman supporting her.

The lady was dressed in a Nali suit, typically worn by males, and wore no hat, generously revealing her beautiful long ponytail of silver hair. Her face was handsome yet perpetually bore a cold expression, even while supporting Martha, her expression barely changed. However, she slightly shifted her gaze upon seeing Fisher, who had emerged from the house with a hand cane.

Fisher knew this person; it was the pirate, Alagina, whom he had encountered at sea a month ago. He hadn’t expected to see her here, and definitely not in this manner.

"I heard there was an incident on Karen Street, even the tram station was blocked, I was worried something had happened to you so I hurried back by carriage."

"Oh, I never made it there! I fell on my way out from buying butter. That damn carriage was going way too fast, I was almost hit by that blind boy; thankfully, this lady came over to help."

Martha gratefully looked towards Alagina, who nodded and glanced past Fisher, not seeing Renie, then she said,

"Sir, we meet again."

Martha looked at Alagina then at Fisher, finally realizing something, and said,

"Oh my, you two know each other, who is this lady? You never mentioned her..."

"I met her on a ship when I returned from the Southern Continent, just saw her once."

Fisher quickly explained Alagina’s identity without mentioning that this "passenger" had forcefully boarded halfway through the journey. If he told Martha that Alagina was a pirate, it would certainly scare her.

Alagina looked at Fisher, then nodded in acknowledgment.

"Alright, Martha, it’s good you’re alright, go inside for now, and I’ll have a chat with this lady."

"Oh, okay, you two catch up, I need to rest a bit. I’m still feeling a bit dizzy. That boy drove the carriage faster than my son did, and he broke his left hand when he was eighteen because of it. I’m sure that coachman will end up the same way, sooner or later..."

Fisher chuckled at Martha’s muttering curse, agreed to properly thank the lady, and then Martha, holding the butter she bought, walked into her house, leaving Fisher and Alagina alone outside.

Alagina glanced at Fisher’s back, and when he turned around, she shifted her gaze to the ground in front of him, standing quite ’gentlemanly’ in place, waiting for Fisher to continue.

As people came and went around them, Fisher pointed to the empty courtyard behind them,

"It’s crowded here, let’s talk over there."

"...Okay."