Chapter 227

Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 227

After receiving a few basic pointers from his father, Iñigo managed to pick up the basics of swimming, though he wasn't quite as coordinated as Arabella, who was good at swimming almost instantly.

Still, that didn't dampen Iñigo's enjoyment of the beach one bit. An hour after splashing around in the surf, both twins were completely exhausted.

"Arabella, you must always remember: never go swimming in the ocean without our permission. If I ever find out you snuck down here to swim by yourselves, I'm banning you from Jollybee for a whole month. Only your brother will get to go enjoy Jollibee," Maya warned her daughter sternly, knowing full well how mischievous Arabella could be.

"Mama, I pwomise!" Arabella answered enthusiastically.

She honestly hadn't expected swimming to be so much fun. She loved the water immensely, even trying excitedly to grab at small fish she spotted darting past her legs.

The next day, Karlos headed over to the northern district of the town, looking up in awe at the towering buildings. Some were still actively under construction, while others had already been finished.

"Alfred, did you have to wait long?"

"I only just got here myself. Ready to take a look at the property?"

"Yes, lead the way."

Karlos and Alfred stepped inside the upscale apartment complex. The interior was sleek and modern, giving off the sophisticated vibe of a luxury hotel. Unsurprisingly, the entire building was owned by the Alejandro Conglomerate.

Alfred exchanged a few words with the receptionist before they stepped into the private elevator. The apartment complex stood ten floors high, and Karlos was genuinely surprised to learn that a vast majority of the units had already been purchased.

"I recall this building was only completed earlier this year."

"That's correct, but many buyers snatched up units while construction was still ongoing. Una Town is growing rapidly. The trade sector, the fishing industry, and the harbor are all booming. Even smaller corporations are setting up shop here. It's only a matter of time before this town gets officially reclassified as a city. I've even heard rumors that the municipal council is expanding town developments southward. Karlos, your beachfront property might end up right in the path of growth."

"Yeah, I've caught wind of those rumors too," Karlos agreed. Moments later, the elevator chimed, and they stepped out into a well-lit 30-square-meter apartment unit.

Karlos thoroughly inspected the space... It was completely unfurnished, but spotless. Aside from that, it came fully equipped with a clean toilet, a glass-enclosed shower, a functional kitchen, and two cozy bedrooms. Karlos was thoroughly satisfied with the layout.

He walked out onto the private balcony, the unit faced the sea, offering an unobstructed, panoramic view of the endless blue waters. In the distance, he could even spot the bustling harbor and tiny silhouettes of boats near the docks.

Instinctively, he pulled out his brand-new camera and snapped a few photos of the coastal scenery. He also took pictures of the interior rooms, planning to show them to Maya later that evening. His wife hadn't been able to join him because she was stuck at home taking care of their two high-energy toddlers, so Karlos promised to bring the views home to her.

The camera was a recent purchase, bought so the couple could document their family milestones and preserve precious memories. Maya had fallen entirely in love with it, burning through an entire roll of film in just one week.

A single roll of film cost 250 pesos, not even counting the separate expense of having the photos chemically developed. In the early 2000s, digital cameras, especially expensive models supporting SD memory cards, were still far from mainstream luxury items, meaning film was the standard.

Speaking of film, Maya had actually used a full roll taking shots of Karlos's naked, muscular body, quietly drooling as she held the translucent negatives up against the sunlight. Naturally, she never dared to take those specific rolls down to the local photo lab for printing.

Karlos gave the apartment a firm nod of approval, he genuinely liked the place. Without wasting any time, he decided to move forward with the purchase.

"This goes for 500,000 pesos, right?"

"Yes, and we can sign the paperwork right away."

Karlos had zero financial issues covering the cost. He knew full well that real estate prices in the area would skyrocket over the coming decades, it wouldn't shock him at all if a modest apartment unit like this hit 3 million pesos by the 2020s.

Alfred quickly reached out to the building manager, who hurried over to personally shake hands with Karlos... Gazing at Karlos, the manager couldn't help noticing a subtle facial resemblance to the conglomerate's young masters, leading him to make some respectful private assumptions.

The manager generously offered a discount on the spot, and Alfred saw no reason to object. Karlos handed over a total of 450,000 pesos, signed the deeds, and officially registered the new property under his name.

"By the way, will Roman be attending the upcoming Fiesta?" Karlos asked Alfred.

Una Town held its grand annual Fiesta every July to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. The festival heavily revolved around honoring the Ocean Goddess, since the sea served as the town's primary economic lifeblood.

This deep-rooted tradition had been celebrated for generations. Countless tourists flooded into town to join the week-long festivities, and local households traditionally prepared massive feasts to welcome neighbors, friends, and traveling strangers alike.

There was a long-standing cultural belief that opening your home and feeding people during the festival brought divine blessings from the Ocean Goddess down upon your household.

"I believe the Young Master intends to make an appearance."

"I see. Well, if he's free, tell him he's more than welcome to drop by our house. We'll be cooking up a great meal for everyone." Karlos had already extended invitations to Jerry and Marcos, though they weren't entirely sure if they could make it. Apparently, the underground political feud between the Araneto faction and the Patong family had escalated drastically, to the point where both the governor and the vice governor had recently survived near-assassination attempts.

"I will be sure to relay your invitation to the Young Master."

"Thank you."

With that settled, Karlos departed the building clutching the ownership documents. He made a quick detour to a local department store to pick up basic appliances for the rental unit, nothing overly extravagant, just a sturdy refrigerator, a washing machine, an induction stove, and a television set. His plan was to turn the apartment into a short-term rental property for tourists visiting the town during peak seasons.

Sure enough, just two days prior to the start of the Fiesta, a group of college students reached out to rent the unit for 1,000 pesos a day, booking a week-long stay to experience the local festival culture.

Karlos naturally accepted the booking without hesitation.

[Thank you for reading this novel.]