Charlotte, look! There's a bookstore here!"
Jillian excitedly pointed at the grand bookstore beside her, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
This successfully caught Charlotte's attention. Seeing Jillian's enthusiasm, Charlotte responded with a nod.
"Let's go take a look."
However, Beta and Barrett had no interest in books and immediately refused.
"Boss, let's go somewhere else. You know we're both rough and tumble—we can't read," Beta said, shrugging.
Charlotte sighed helplessly, waving them off.
"Fine, do whatever you want."
Beta grinned, throwing an arm around Barrett's shoulders. "C'mon, let's hit up a restaurant!"
"Get your hands off me, idiot!" Barrett growled, trying to shake her off.
"Stingy," Beta muttered, but she didn't let go.
"No way," Barrett grumbled, though he didn't push her too hard.
As they bickered, it was obvious they got along well. Meanwhile, Charlotte, Jillian, and Lina stepped into the bookstore.
Inside, the decor was elegant, and the shelves were filled with a vast collection of books. Charlotte casually picked up a title.
[Coco Yasi Sea Travel Notes]
Intrigued, she flipped through the pages, immersing herself in the content.
After some time, Jillian and Lina approached her.
"Charlotte!"
Snapping out of her focus, Charlotte looked up, slightly confused.
"What is it?"
Jillian frowned, frustration evident on her face.
"There aren't any medical books here! We searched everywhere, but we couldn't find a single one!"
Lina nodded in agreement.
Charlotte raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound right. Are you sure you checked properly?"
Both Jillian and Lina nodded firmly.
"We searched every section. There's nothing."
"Not a single one!"
Charlotte found it strange. How could such a large bookstore not stock medical books? Especially on Senflewo Island, a nation renowned for its advanced medical technology.
It didn't make sense.
Their conversation seemed to catch the attention of the bookstore owner, a plump man with a big gold ring on his finger. He strolled over with a welcoming smile.
"Dear guests from afar, is there something I can help you with?"
Jillian wasted no time.
"Boss, why aren't there any medical books here?"
The bookstore owner chuckled.
"We don't sell medical books."
Charlotte, Jillian, and Lina exchanged puzzled glances.
"What? But this is Senflewo Island—a place famous for its medicine!"
Jillian looked genuinely upset. She had been so excited to visit, expecting to find rare medical texts.
The owner laughed, shaking his head.
"Exactly! Because our country is so medically advanced, there's no need for medical books."
Charlotte: ???
Lina: ???
Jillian: ???
What kind of ridiculous logic is that?!
The owner continued, clearly pleased with himself.
"You see, Dr. Lyle, our most esteemed physician, once said—'We already have the world's most skilled doctors and the most advanced medical technology. If visitors still need books on medicine, doesn't that imply our expertise isn't widely recognized? That would be an insult to our doctors!'"
Charlotte was speechless. Just because of one man's words, they stopped selling medical books? That's insane!
And yet… there was a twisted logic to it.
Before Charlotte could protest, Jillian suddenly nodded in agreement.
"I see… if that's what Dr. Lyle said, then it makes sense!"
NANI?!
Charlotte nearly stumbled. How did she switch sides so fast?!
The bookstore owner beamed.
"Smart girl! You understand true wisdom." He gave her a thumbs-up in approval.
Jillian returned the gesture enthusiastically.
Charlotte could only stare, utterly bewildered. Was this really reasonable? Was she overthinking it?
Lina, deep in thought, muttered, "It… kind of makes sense?"
No, it doesn't!
Yet, before Charlotte could argue further, they found themselves politely ushered out by the overly enthusiastic bookstore owner.
Out on the street, Charlotte, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke.
"You really think that explanation makes sense?"
Jillian didn't hesitate. "Yeah! After all, Dr. Lyle said it!"
Charlotte's eye twitched. "You trust him that much?"
"Of course! He's saved countless lives. He's a great man!"
Charlotte had no rebuttal. That part was true. Dr. Lyle was indeed a respected figure.
She sighed, shaking her head. Maybe she was just overthinking it.
In this world, common sense often didn't apply.
Jillian's eyes sparkled with determination.
"I want to be like him—a doctor who saves thousands of lives! That's my dream!"
Charlotte looked at Jillian. Sometimes she could be naive, but… her dream was admirable.
Just then, a voice interrupted them.
"Little girl, what did you just say your dream was?"
A shadow emerged from an alleyway.
Startled, the three turned to see an old man. His clothes were simple and slightly worn, and his white beard was unkempt. Yet, despite his ragged appearance, his eyes held a sharp glint.
Charlotte instinctively tensed but sensed no hostility from him. Instead, there was an odd warmth in his presence.
Jillian blinked. "Grandpa, are you talking to me?"
The old man smiled kindly.
"Yes, little one. What is your dream?"
Jillian straightened her back and answered with conviction.
"I want to be a great doctor and save lives!"
The old man suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! Wonderful! Fate works in mysterious ways!"
Before any of them could react, he tossed something toward them.
Charlotte caught it instinctively—a faded, worn-out notebook.
Without another word, the old man turned and walked away, disappearing into the bustling crowd.
Charlotte hesitated but didn't chase after him. He didn't seem to mean any harm.
"Here, take it." She handed the notebook to Jillian.
Jillian slowly opened it—and her eyes widened in shock.
"This is… a medical journal!"