Roland held tightly onto Kai's hand as he led him through the city. The harbor was on the other side of the city from his house, so the distance was quite sizeable. He took this opportunity to show Kai all the notable parts of the city between the house and the harbor. He also showed Kai to a few friends that he had in the city.
The capital city of Henan was very vibrant. It was to be expected from the capital of a massive nation. The Pope of the Holy Kingdom was proud of the work that he and his predecessors had achieved, turning the Holy Kingdom into a hegemon that spread the faith to the masses.
"Here we are." Roland said when they finally reached the harbor. Kai's eyes were round, and Roland wondered whether they would fall out of their sockets. He faintly thought to the spirit that Kai had summoned, before shaking his head. His son did such things easily, but was still awed by sights like the sea.
As for the being that Kai had summoned, it had turned into a red tattoo on Kai's back that no one would notice unless they saw his shirtless back.
"Wow..." Kai gasped as he saw the large ships. Many people moved about. Shirtless young men carried around boxes filled with materials and products. Young women waved and giggled at the shirtless sailors that worked on the boats. Merchants sold their wares. Cheerful mothers haggled prices with the merchants.
"Come on, kiddo. Let's find Estella." Roland led the way through the harbor. As they went, many people called out to the man. They all recognized him because he was a frequent customer there. He introduced Kai as his son, and many people also commented on that.
"Why, he looks just like you. Only a hundred times more handsome!" An old woman said cheerfully, pinching on Kai's cheek. She handed Kai a small piece of fish flavored pie to eat and waved goodbye as the father and son went on their way.
Soon enough, Roland came before a large warehouse by the end of the harbor. The warehouse was much closer to the sea and ships than most others, which showcased the importance of the merchant who owned it.
A large man who stood well above six feet in height walked around with a crate of supplies on either shoulder. The moment he saw Roland, he dropped the crates and came over.
"Look what the cat dragged in! Roland!" He yelled and many other people began to gather. These people were all employees of Estella's father.
"Hey guys. How are you? How's the work going?" Roland asked with an easy smile. "This is my boy, Kai." He patted Kai's shoulders as he presented the boy in front of him.
"Hello." Kai smiled.
"Oh, what a handsome fella! He makes you look a wee bit ugly, Rolly!" The burly man laughed and slapped Roland's shoulder, making Roland stumble a bit. He was strong.
"Oi! What's going on over there?" All of a sudden, a short man with a round belly came around, shoving his way through the group. He had a little brown beard and a cute moustache that curled at the ends. On top of his head was a cowboy hat, and he wore a dark brown vest over a white shirt and dark brown trousers.
"Boss! It's Roland!" The people automatically gave way after hearing the man's voice, and he met up with Roland.
"Lad, what are you doing interrupting my business? Time is money!" The man jumped up, caught Roland's earlobe, and tugged on it, but Roland only laughed because it did not hurt him. In fact, in order to save the man's face, he had to bend with the man when he pulled his ear or else the man would have been left hanging from his ear.
"Sorry, old man. I can't help but draw attention wherever I go." Roland laughed as the man let go of his ear. Then he turned to face Kai. "This is my boy. I don't know if Estella has told you about him yet."
"Yes, yes, Kai, is it? Come, come. I have a boy around your age. You two will definitely get along. Oh, you can call me Uncle Anthony." The short, round merchant, Anthony introduced himself with a smile. He turned around and led them into the main building where his business was conducted, just beside the warehouse. The two story building was large and wide, and there was an office on the top floor where Estella was already waiting.
"Hello again, Kai." She smiled sweetly, and Kai was mesmerized by the dimples on her cheeks. He smiled back at her, feeling much better than when he had first arrived in Henan. The daze from travel had worn off. He now felt as if he would very much enjoy his time in Henan.
The door opened up once again, and a blond boy around Kai's age rushed in. His cheeks were pink from exhaustion and he rushed up to Anthony.
"Lance, we have visitors. You remember Roland, right? Well, meet his son, Kai." Anthony smiled at his son and gestured to Kai.
The boy, Lance, turned to face Roland and greeted him quickly, before turning to look at Kai curiously.