Fresh and warm milk, sandwiches of ham, eggs, lettuce, and mayonnaise, and fried eggs on a pretty plate. It was a light and healthy breakfast, paired with the scenery of a beautiful garden filled with life and colors.
Yuna enjoyed such delight, smiling ever so happily as she indulged in the tasty meal before her. She sliced the eggs and fed them to herself. She then drank her glass of warm milk, humming to herself as she continued to munch.
"Grey, can I have someー" ［Yuna］
"No. And even if you try to pout, the answer will still be no." ［Grey］
"Mou... I haven't even finished what I was saying..." ［Yuna］
Grey was sitting in front of her, eating the same breakfast as his beloved. He didn't even try to hear her out as he already knew what the young lady would request of him. It was either more food or something that would upset her stomach.
He purposefully cooked less for today's breakfast, only enough to start the day with a smile. The reason being that they just came back to Galderia yesterday, and so, they agreed to eat at the Rabbit's Den as usual. In other words, they would be having a second breakfast together with Helen and the others.
"Don't pout too much now. We'll eat more later anyway. I'm sure you have a lot to talk about with Helen and the others later." ［Grey］
"Uuu... I guess you're right..." ［Yuna］
She may be spoiled in front of Grey, but she was also very tame. A few simple words were all it took to convince her, the young lady soon continuing her breakfast with a bright smile on her plate, digging in on the sandwiches with such vigor.
""Thank you for the meal."" ［Grey and Yuna］
Grey and Yuna soon finished their wonderful breakfast, cleaning up after themselves soon after. They washed the dishes, brushed their teeth, and cleaned the kitchen with a little bit of magic, the house sparkling clean like a gem under the limelight.
The doors clicked, the footsteps tapped, and the gates creaked. The winds whistled ever so softly as they headed out towards the inner districts of the city, chatting their time away as they smiled at one another, the blades of grass swaying as they passed.
It was yet another busy day, the streets crowded like they usually are and the people doing their best in their daily lives. The restaurants made delicious dishes, the flower stalls sold fragrant flowers, and the accessory shops were full of beautiful glimmers.
"Oh! Your Highnesses, Good morning! Would you like to buy bread again today? We're having a special discount!"
"Hahaha. Then can we reserve two bags please? We'll get them later." ［Grey］
"Ah! And another bag of your cheese bread, please! They're really good!" ［Yuna］
"Of course! That would be my greatest pleasure!"
And like usual, Grey and Yuna were called out by street vendors who were selling all sorts of treats and dishes. Be it bakeries, food stalls, and even open diners. They all called out to them with bright smiles on their happy faces.
Grey and Yuna's walk continued like that until they reached their destination, such a familiar scenery getting them as they halted their steps. The chimes rang out once again, drifting in the air like the sweet whispers of the wind.
"Helen, we'll get two servings of beef stew, pleaseー Oh! And rice as well!"
"Same here! We'll also get rice and about 6... No, 8 pork skewers!"
"Here, we'll get 3 servings of fried rice and pair them with fried chicken."
"Okay! 4 servings of rice, 2 servings of beef stew, 8 pieces of pork skewers... Then 3 servings of fried rice and fried chicken ... Is that all? Any more orders?" ［Helen］
The Rabbit's Den was full of vigor and merriness, neighbors, soldiers, tenants, and adventurers all having their breakfast and a young lady taking note of them, zooming all around the place as she confirmed everyone's orders.
She may be playful most of the time, but when it came to work, she was one hell of a hard worker. Not only does she need to deal with hungry customers most of the day, she also takes care of the reception, both jobs perfectly with a smile.
As soon as she was finished taking down their orders, she then zoomed towards the kitchen and relayed them to Gerd and Selia. She came back out with trays of food on her person, handing them from table to table, perfectly and gracefully as always.
"Oh! As expected of Little Helen! You really are fast at serving!"
"How long do you think I've been working here? And... I'm not little anymore! Geez! Stop treating me like a child anymore!" ［Helen］
"Hahaha! Sorry, sorry. I just got carried away."
The young lady was also loved by the customers, happily chatting by themselves as they waited for their orders to arrive. They always tease Helen every time they have the chance, their laughter clamoring all throughout the diner.
Meanwhile, Grey and Yuna took a table for themselves and soon their seats. They wanted to sit at the counters, but it was already filled with people. They waited for Helen to finish her job, watching her waltz around as she served the customers.
"Excuse, your orders areー Eh... Grey?! Yuna?!" ［Helen］
"Fufufu! You always give that reaction, Helen." ［Yuna］
The wait didn't take too long and it was finally Grey and Yuna's turn, but rather than have their orders taken, what they greeted by was a tight hug from Helen. The very same Helen who was now on the verge of tears.
"Oh! Your Highnesses! Welcome back! Are you eating pork stew again?"
"Looks like you also missed their cooking! Welcome back, Your Highnesses!"
And it was also because of Helen's sudden surprised voice that everyone glanced at Grey and Yuna's directions. Most of them were their neighbors and acquaintances, welcoming them back for their return, merry as they usually are.
"Geez! I heard that you arrived yesterday! Why didn't you come back and visit! I was so worried, you know?!" ［Helen］
"Sorry. We were so tired yesterday so we thought we'd visit after today and have breakfast too while we're at it. Did you miss us?" ［Yuna］
"Of course! What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?" ［Helen］
She was as upbeat as ever, replying confidently and boisterously as she tightened her embrace on the two, not even minding the eyes around them. It has been three months since they last met but the young lady hasn't changed one bit.
As soon as she let go of her embrace, Helen then wiped away the little tears in the corner of her eyes, a smile soon breaking from her lips. Her eyes started to sparkle once again, now brimming with curiosity as she stared intently at the two before her.
"So, how was your trip to Graystone? Did you enjoy it?" ［Heien］
"Well, that goes without saying that we did, but before that... Could we get something to eat first? We still haven't had our fill, you see," ［Grey］
"Fufufu! If that's the case, I'll get you our best breakfast! Dad made something new these past couple months, and I'm sure it will blow your minds!" ［Helen］
"Hahaha. I'm looking forward to it." ［Grey］
A triumphant look on her face, Helen quickly dashed towards the kitchen and a loud clamor followed her entrance. Gerd and Selia's voices overlapped with one another as Helen relayed the news of Grey and Yuna's return.
Before long, a young lady came back with a trayー no, a couple trays in her hands and headed towards Grey and Yuna's table. She didn't spill a single drop and placed them perfectly atop their table, a warm and aromatic scent wafting through the air.
""Thank you for the meal!!"" ［Grey and Yuna］
Grey and Yuna took their spoons and forks and dug in on the dishes before them, a range of dishes from chicken and eggs stew, sweet and sour pork, fried rice, spicy beef stew, and many more. All were sparkling beautifully.
The warmth and mildness of the soup, the richness and stickiness of the stew, the juiciness and tenderness of the meat dishes, the crispiness and umami of the fried fish, and the softness of freshly cooked rice. Everything was perfect and delicious, delightful to enjoy.
"Mmn～! So good! As expected of Mister Gerd and Miss Selia!" ［Yuna］
"Yeah. They're really delicious. But... I don't see anything new here." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! It's best served fresh and hot, so Dad is still making it in the kitchen. You'll see it soon enough, though." ［Helen］
Cling Cling Cling Cling
Helen explained and the chimes rang softly after her. Four middle-aged ladies came inside the inn with tiredness traced on their stiff faces. They were the neighborhood aunties, and Selia's friends who usually hang out in the Rabbit's Den.
They just finished their morning chores and housework left by their husbands and children, now off to rest themselves. They may be the same age with Selia, but they look much older due to the wrinkles and dry skin present on their faces.
But such tiredness quickly disappeared in an instant. The moment they saw Yuna by the corner of their eyes, excitement bloomed in their hearts and bright smiles bloomed on their faces, their energy seemingly coming back to them.
"My～! So you really are back, Lord Grey, Lady Yuna. Welcome back～!"
They were friendly as can be, greeting the two with the friendliest smile one can see. But such a smile was only a facade masking but a hidden intention deep inside their hearts. An intention Grey quickly sensed, a cold shiver running down his spine.
Meanwhile, Yuna was still enjoying her second breakfast, greeting back the aunties whilst she innocently kept feeding herself, pure and oblivious glints shimmering in her eyes, not even noticing that she was already surrounded by the ladies.
"Lady Yuna, can I ask you a question?"
"Hm? Sure... Go ahead. I'll answer as long as it's within my reach." ［Yuna］
"Thank you... You see, my son has already reached 15 years old and..."
The content of the neighborhood aunty's problem was mainly about her eldest son. According to her, his son had just become an adult, and is now searching for a good job which he could enjoy and also earn a living from.
Though most people don't immediately go independent upon reaching adulthood, it is still better to think of the future and learn as much as possible. The sooner one finds a job, the better they can advance themselves, and so, the aunty was asking Yuna for advice on the matter.
Be it becoming a laborer, or serving some establishment, or being an adventurer, or being a merchant... There were a lot of jobs to choose from, and each has their own perks and drawbacks. It was something to think about.
But of course, as one would expect from the ever so enthusiastic Yuna, only a single job popped up inside her mind. It wasn't even a competition, her eyes lighting up as soon as the questions were asked. And that profession was...
"Of course! It should be alchemy!" ［Yuna］
"Alchemy... I heard that it was a difficult profession..."
"No, no, not at all! As long as you can grasp the basics, you're all good to go! It may take a while, but I'm sure your son can make it if he works hard enough!" ［Yuna］
Yuna continued to babble and mumble, sharing all sorts of things about alchemy and how it was easy to do them as long as you have the material and apparatus. They earn quite a decent wage as well, making it a very viable profession.
"Ah, I'll be going to the restrooms for a little while." ［Grey］
And just as Yuna got engaged in the talks about alchemy, Grey finally confirmed his suspicion. He quickly stood up as soon as he could and calmly walked away without looking back at his beloved fiancée. He hasn't even finished his meal yet.
"Amazing! Lady Yuna is not just an amazing adventurer, but an alchemist as well!"
"No wonder she could make those beauty products! She is a genius after all!"
"Hehehe! Those beauty products were nothing. I just made them in my spare timeー Eh? Beauty products?" ［Yuna］
It was a trap... It was a trap from the very beginning, and Yuna failed to notice it. She has grasped the situation now, but it was already far too late, the ladies surrounding her from all sides, not showing even a window of escape.
Now that she thought about it, the ladies who were asking her such questions were none other than the ones who trapped her before as well. The very same aunties who would go crazy for beauty, seemingly looking like a pack of starving wolves.
Yuna had already signed the patents and paperwork for the cosmetics, but since they needed to be away from Graystone, she never had time to teach the others how to make them. She thought she could just do it later, but she now very much regrets it.
"Now, now, Your Highness, we only have a few questions～!"
Or so she says, but their eyes were even scarier than those of monsters which she fought on the 10th floor. To make things even worse, she couldn't use magic on them. Thankfully, she quickly thought of a devious but effective plan.
"I-It was Grey who taught me how to make them!" ［Yuna］
Yuna's great escape plan: Sacrifice Grey.
Just like how Grey betrayed Yuna before, Yuna sold Grey's name in the moment of desperation. Grey hasn't even gone that far when the ladies' gazes concentrated on him, Yuna using that chance to escape with her "Nihility".
It was all too sudden. Before Grey could even notice, an aunty had appeared behind him and grabbed him by the shoulders with a terrifying smile on her face, preventing him from escaping... Though, just like Yuna, he also has an escape plan.
『Everyone, come out!』 ［Grey］
Grey's next level escape plan: Sacrifice the familiars.
His shadows quaked and 9 adorable balls of fluff appeared out of thin air, looking as confused as one can be. They may be powerful familiars, but with their current forms as they are, they were nothing but cute little furballs for the neighborhood aunties.
"Kyaa～! So adorable! What are these creatures?!"
The ladies squealed and crowded over the familiars. They were so overwhelmed by cuteness, they totally forgot about Grey. The latter didn't waste the familiar's gallant (and involuntary) sacrifice, and escaped as quickly as he could, silent as the wind.
The moment the ladies snapped back to reality and noticed, it was already far too late. Grey and Yuna were now both gone from the inn, leaving their breakfast behind and vanishing like a puff of smoke. The familiars also vanished soon after.
Huff Huff Huff Huff
Two figures gasped for their breaths as their hearts raced like stallions galloping on the meadows. They just escaped a narrow predicament, now out in the open streets as they ran away from the pack of hungryー no, scary neighborhood aunties.
"Yuna, you... I didn't think you'd betray me like that..." ［Grey］
"Hmph! Weren't you the one who betrayed me first before? This is just payback! I'm not guilty of anything!" ［Yuna］
"Hey now... It's been three months, you know..." ［Grey］
They love each otherー no, they are head over heels for one another. Even then, that doesn't mean they won't try to take revenge over petty and silly reasons. No matter how absurd and insane, they were still people, after all.
Though, because of such sudden circumstances, they have now missed their second breakfast without eating much. Gerd was also cooking something new and delicious. It was a shame, but there was nothing more they could do about it.
"Oh. Looks like they're selling skewers over there. Should we buy some?" ［Grey］
"Un. I'm still hungry too." ［Yuna］
The two could only move one, heading towards the stand where they sold skewers and getting themselves something to eat. Just the smoky and meaty smell alone was enough to make their stomachs grumble. There was no way they would miss it.
Four pieces? No. They brought a whole four dozen of them and ate them with such happy smiles on their faces. It's been so long since they got to eat pork skewers in Galderia, so they were really looking forward to it.
"Here you go, Your Highnesses. I hope you enjoy them,"
"Fufufu! I'm sure we willー Hm? Mister, looks like you put too many skewers. We only asked for 48... There's over 50 here..." ［Yuna］
"Ah, no. I meant to do that. You could call it my welcome back gift."
The vendor said with a bright smile on his face, but Grey and Yuna weren't happy a single bit. They had just seen a couple smiles like it just recently, and it was also the reason why they missed their second breakfast.
To make matters worse, they could feel a certain gaze from behind the vendor which one couldn't just ignore. It was none other than the vendor's wife and daughter, who suddenly appeared out of thin air. A terrible premonition loomed over their hearts.
"U-Uh... Mister... Is there anything you want to ask us...?" ［Grey］
"Well, it's nothing much... It's just, over these past couple months, a certain rumor has been going around the city... My wife and daughter have been interested in it..."
"A... A certain rumor, you say...?" ［Yuna］
"Ah, yes... Well... Have you perhaps made the nectar of youth, Your Highnesses?"
Their hunch was right on the mark, the premonition coming true not even a minute later. And now, it wasn't just called some excellent cosmetics, but instead, the "Nectar of Youth, a Legendary-Grade item of incomparable worth.
The wife and daughter's eyes were gleaming like that of a predator's, and in Grey's "Heaven's Eye", he saw a wave of similar women rushing towards them like a horde of starving zombies, eyes lit up with determination and madness for beauty,
It was now or never. Whilst the vendor was still occupied by making up excuses for himself, Grey then took a step back and escapedー or so he wanted to, but a strong force abruptly stopped him. It was none other than Yuna, her arms clinging onto Grey and preventing him from escaping.
『Dear, where perhaps are you going? You're not betraying me again and escape on your own again, are you?』 ［Yuna］
『N... No... Not at all... I was just thinking of going to the restroom...』 ［Grey］
『The restroom, I see... That seems understandable... And here I thought, you're going to escape because of the stampede of women rushing at us.』 ［Yuna］
Grey tried to reason out, but it was all for naught. The horde of women was already in sight, kicking up a massive cloud of dust and shaking the ground as they all towards Grey and Yuna. Even the elderly were fast as lightning.
There weren't just four of them like before, and not just a dozen either. There were more than a hundred of them searching and scouring for Grey and Yuna. They were like hunters in a jungle of stone and wood. A pack more dangerous than monsters,
『Sorry...』 ［Grey］
『Fufufu! Apology accepted!』 ［Yuna］
Unfortunately for them, unlike before, Grey and Yuna were now prepared. With just a little bit of magic, they quickly vanished in the middle of the streets like a veil of thin mist. All the ladies were puzzled, the skewer vendor evidently perplexed.
Everyone searched for the two, looking left and right, and high and low. As the words spread about Yuna's beauty products, more and more women joined. Soon, even the merchants joined in, and so did the husbands troubled by their wives.
"Ah! Their Highnesses are on the roofs!"
Though, it didn't take long before Grey and Yuna were spotted, all eyes swimming towards their direction like a coordinated orchestra. It was actually a tad bit scary to watch, Grey and Yuna feeling a shudder running down their spine.
"Haha... How troublesome..." ［Grey］
They ran and they ran, but as if their eyes could compare to Grey's, they always found them one way or another, more and more people joining their ranks, and the wave of beauty crazed people growing larger with time.
They tried to retrieve the bread they reserved, but the women lie in wait. They also thought of just heading back home, but they were also there. The Rabbit's Den was also out of the window. They were everywhere and anywhere, not letting a gap form.
Time passed and Grey and Yuna spent the day running and hiding. Thankfully, they managed to take their skewers and there were also a number of tasty snacks in the "Inventory". It was actually quite fun getting chased around all day,
"Haah... We could finally relax..." ［Yuna］
Still, it was a little troublesome when the people started climbing roofs. Not only could they be caught, it could also cause accidents and injuries. They could only lay low and hide in one of Yuna's happy places. It was none other than...
"Thank you very much, Guildmaster. You really saved us there." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! It's my duty as the Guildmaster, after all." ［Rina］
... The Alchemists' Guild.
Grey initially thought they should just spend the day in the "Sanctuary", but that would only prolong the problem. It was better to make something to appease the people and handle things more responsibly.
Yuna was also just thinking of getting some new alchemy quest, so it was the perfect time. It was also peaceful and quiet so she could focus on making her concoctions and potions with an ease of mind. Renting a laboratory was the right choiceー
Click Clack Clack
"Hm? Guildmaster...? Why are you locking the doors...?" ［Yuna］
... Or so Yuna thought, when suddenly, the Guildmaster locked the doors behind them and slipped the key between her bountiful chest. She didn't answer Yuna, a bright yet terrifying smile blooming on her face.
"Now then, about those beauty products, was it...? Can you tell me a little more about them? I'm quite curious about it, you see." ［Rina］
What was just as scary as a woman who craves for beauty...? It was an alchemist who craves for knowledge. And unfortunately for Yuna, the Guildmaster was both of them. It was twice the terror and twice the pressure.
"Yuna, you aren't thinking of escaping, are you?" ［Rina］
"I... I'm not... I was... I was just thinking of inviting the Guildmaster!" ［Yuna］
"Fufufu! That's great! I knew I could count on you!" ［Rina］
She was still smiling, but her eyes were begging to differ. Yuna could only accept the harsh reality of life, and follow the higher-ups. No matter how powerful she was, there were still those above her. Oh, the bitter reality of the world.
"Then, while you ladies are having your chat, I'll be taking my leave. I'll come get Yuna back later when you'reー" ［Grey］
"Grey, where perhaps do you think you're going?" ［Rina］
"Huh?" ［Grey］
Grey tried to get away, but a hand suddenly grabbed his shoulders before he could even turn around. The Guildmaster was wearing the same smile on her face, now tilting her head and closing her eyes for a bonus scare.
"Umm... I also have some work to finishー" ［Grey］
"Hm?" ［Rina］
"Like I said, I haveー" ［Grey］
"Hm?" ［Rina］
Resistance was futile and reasoning was off the table. The more Grey tried to reason out, the tighter the Guildmaster's grip became and her expressions darkened with it. If he refuses anymore, he would only be digging his grave deeper.
"I... I'll be in your care..." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! You should have said so sooner!" ［Rina］
CHAPTER 344 END