HPDBC Chapter 306 Rome Stories February 23 New Share
Chapter 306 Rome Stories February 23 New Share
By the time the clock struck nine, Pam started the bus right on schedule. The steady increase in speed, combined with the cool breeze from the air conditioning, made Leon close his eyes.
It wasn’t because he was tired—he just had a habit of resting with his eyes shut whenever he traveled by bus. Since this ride’s final stop was the Calico Desert, he didn’t need to worry about overshooting his destination.
Pam had seen him board. If they arrived and Leon still hadn’t gotten off, she would probably come over to remind him. So he felt completely at ease.
What surprised Leon was that, along the way, the bus actually stopped several times. During these stops, not only did people get off, but some also got on.
Opening his eyes, Leon gazed at the dunes outside. He found it hard to believe there were settlements in such a place. He had always assumed the only human-inhabited spot in the Calico Desert was the oasis.
As the bus rolled on, more passengers filled the seats, until even the one next to Leon was taken by a sun-bronzed middle-aged man.
The man looked friendly, so Leon struck up a conversation.
“Uncle, do you live in the Calico Desert?”
“Yes, I do. I’m from Windrise Oasis. Judging from your fair skin, young man, are you a tourist from elsewhere or a friend from Stardew Valley?” The man grinned as he replied.
“I’m from Stardew Valley,” Leon answered.“Ah, Stardew Valley is wonderful—four distinct seasons, lush mountains, and clear waters. Windrise Oasis can’t compare,” the man sighed.
“Where are you headed on this bus, Uncle?” Leon asked. In the past, he wouldn’t have thought to ask this, since he believed the bus only had two stops—Stardew Valley and the oasis where Sandy lived. But now it seemed there was more than one oasis in the Calico Desert.
“The Central Oasis. You?” The man asked in return.
“I’m going to the last stop.” Leon didn’t know what Sandy’s oasis was called, so he phrased it differently.
“That’s the Central Oasis too. Hahaha! Looks like you don’t know much about the Calico Desert. Is this your first time here?” the man asked with a laugh.
“Not the first, but I’m not very familiar with it,” Leon explained.
“That’s normal. The Calico Desert isn’t exactly a hot tourist spot. If Stardew Valley hadn’t restored the desert bus route, I probably wouldn’t have left Windrise Oasis myself.” The man chuckled reassuringly.
“We desert folk could never afford to run a bus. We’re lucky Stardew Valley reopened the route. Without it, we’d still be riding camels for half a day just to reach the Central Oasis.”
“So what are you going to do in the Central Oasis, Uncle?” Leon asked.
“Business, of course! The Central Oasis is lively these days. The bus brings more visitors, and everyone can gather there easily to trade goods between oases. It’s the perfect place to swap for what we need.” The man’s smile widened.
“Before the bus service returned, we only went there on the sixteenth of each month for the big market. Now we can go almost every day. By the way, if you want souvenirs to take back, you can find me. My wife’s the best glassblower in Windrise Oasis—her pieces are very popular.”
“So how do you usually get your supplies? Do you rely entirely on self-sufficiency?” Leon was eager to learn about desert life from a local.
“Well, each oasis produces enough for most daily needs. But for other goods, we attend the monthly gathering to trade our desert specialties with merchants from the Traveling Merchant’s Guild,” the man explained.
“The Traveling Merchant’s Guild,” Leon mused. No wonder they were the biggest merchant organization in the world—they even had a presence here in the desert.
“That’s right. They’re the only ones willing to trade with us. We like dealing with them—they’re fair in both prices and purchases. Never once have they tried to raise prices unfairly or underpay us,” the man said warmly.
“So besides glassware, did you bring anything else this time?” Leon asked.
“Yes—camel cheese, cactus fruit, desert dates, dried sandfish. People in the desert don’t lack these things, but the Guild always buys whatever we bring.”
“Then save me some! I’d like to try them—I’ve never seen such things before,” Leon grinned.
“Haha, no problem! I’ll even give you a discount,” the man replied heartily.
As they chatted, Leon learned much about desert customs and culture. In return, the man heard news that never reached the desert—like the fact that the Fanjier Republic had been at war with the Gotro Empire across the Gem Sea for years. Few in the Calico Desert had even heard of it.
“Have you ever thought of saving enough money to leave the desert and settle somewhere else?” Leon eventually asked.
The man’s smile faded, replaced by a serious look. “No. We are children of the desert. The oases have nurtured us, and we must give back. If everyone left, the yellow sands would swallow the oases.”
“Such noble resolve!” Leon gave him a thumbs-up.
The man grew a bit embarrassed and added, “Honestly, we’re just used to life here. The oasis is comfortable. If we lived elsewhere, we probably couldn’t adapt. Some people have left before, but within half a year, they all returned.”
“My grandfather used to say the Calico Desert is closest to Yoba’s sacred land. Yoba needs us to bring life to this desert.”
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