By the time the Brotherhood Pharmacy had been completely established in the dungeon city after a two-month construction process and month-long trial operation, the summer heat had already waned, and a cool breeze started blowing in the morning and evening. The weather had changed to autumn.
The Brotherhood Pharmacy staff had been working hard, wearing the summer uniforms from last year.
"Aah. It's nice that everyone will get to rest a bit."
"So, Grandpa. You wanted to talk to me after work."
It was late at night. Evan addressed Bernard as he came out of today's alchemy class.
The door to the Pharmacy had already been closed, and some workers were cleaning up the shop. Bernard sat down at the counter. He was looking at the staff, especially Hannah.
"Aren't you in charge of your class?"
"What was in today's class? I didn't even come to teach you today. Anyway, I know about the results."
"Yeah, that's right… Some of my techniques are flawed but it's not a cause for resentment. And my new skills have improved a little. I'm learning alchemy faster than ever now."
Evan had been practicing his alchemy skills intensely at the Brotherhood Bathhouse. He had gotten used to demonstrating his alchemy quite a bit.
When Bernard had praised him by saying, 'I no longer have to teach you alchemy, boy', it was, in fact, the same as saying that he had taken the label of apprenticeship off Evan. If you received such a message from Bernard, you had to find out the meaning behind them by yourself and implement them.
"You don't even need to watch me anymore, so I can help you with your Pharmacy Job."
"No, you bastard. Do you think your Grandpa needs pampering with such chores? I have a lot of young and healthy people to help me around here."
"But I still know that my Grandpa's body is the strongest of them all." Evan stared at him, absurdly with a smile on his face, but Bernard looked away. Hannah glanced at Bernard, clapped her hands, and declared that the store was closed and everyone could rest.
They had a lot of customers today too!
"Phew, then let's go bathe now!"
"I'm so excited. Let's go!"
"If you don't wash yourself properly, you won't be allowed to enter."
All employees knew that Bernard had requested free access to the Brotherhood Bathhouse for all the employees of Brotherhood Pharmacy, in exchange for his cooperation in the development of the Brotherhood Bathhouse and its healing and curing effects. If there was any reason not to be despised by his own employees, that was the biggest reason!
In fact, Evan started giving him a portion of his net income, similar to Royalty.
He wanted to pay Bernard back, but Bernard refused to take his money, asking what he could do to help instead. Indeed, he was a legendary alchemist.
"Will you go with me?"
"Yes, let's go together."
Evan went out onto the street with the staff. Evan had delayed his alchemy class, to be conducted at night to go to the Bathhouse right after the class with the rest of the employees.
The Bathhouse added to the proficiency of almost all the skills you learned before. It went without saying that Brotherhood Bathhouse upgraded all kinds of skills.
Therefore, it was good to enter the hot spring water after completing all the training you could do that day, and of course, alchemy was no exception here.
It was already beginning to be seen as a place that made the body robust far beyond the realm of natural power.
"This is Brotherhood Bathhouse, welcome."
"Well, we're here!"
Since the Brotherhood Pharmacy employed many servants of the Marquis, familiar faces greeted Evan. The knights in charge of the security also politely bowed their heads.
The people working at the Brotherhood Pharmacy, who had become quite accustomed to Evan's beauty and status, were not much surprised whenever they encountered such a scene.
"Yes, everyone had been working late at night. These people are all black cardholders."
"Yes, I understand. Please have a good time."
Dividing into men and women, the party went into the changing rooms and was shocked to see a huge number of people crowded inside.
"It's packed even at night."
"They are mainly explorers coming out of the dungeon because the bathhouse is open all day."
"It seems to have increased more than yesterday…"
"Now, let's go in."
At first, some people felt a little reluctant to bathe naked with others, but now more than a month later, everyone had gotten used to it.
It was of great help that the Steama Village had already been established, which served as the inspiration for this luxurious recreational culture. It was the place that Evan was grateful for in many ways.
However, there was no intention of paying royalties there.
"Oh, Master. You arrived."
"Young Master."
"There you are."
Evan, who had entered the bath with Bernard, spotted Shine and Raihan and approached them. They were submerged in the bath with relaxed looks on their face. It seemed as if they had just arrived. Evan sat down next to them and began to ask.
"How much have you trained so far Shine?"
"NowI seem to have caught up on the training I was lacking, while on the trip to the Royal City."
"And how is brother Raihan?"
"I am still learning a lot every day. I grasp a lot of techniques while watching Shine."
Raihan bowed humbly, saying so. His well-developed body looked modest. When Evan glanced at Shine, he gave him the overall training report.
"There were many things to learn about the Paladin training method of the Church. Nowadays, the Knights' Commander is referring to that and preparing a separate training course."
"And what about Raihan brother?"
"The physical training itself seems to have been going steadily since the days of him being a priest… At first, he seemed to struggle with it a bit, but now he was on the perfect track, and the Knights Commander affirmed his admiration for him just yesterday."
Evan listened to Shine's words and looked at Raihan again. He was 19 years old this year and a little over a year as an adult. He had a very well-developed body despite being relatively young compared to other knights.
His physical condition was at another level, as Raihan took care of himself with constant effort. The body of the Unbreakable Shield was solid enough.
'There is only one problem with him now. He has to keep practicing proper martial arts. I had to do go through it too as I can't even wield a sword by myself, which is why I am an extra.'
It would have been nice to have met him a little earlier, of course, but it was a blessing to meet him at this point, who appeared only in the mid-to-late half of Yo-Ma Great War 4.
Evan thought there was no limit to what could be achieved; therefore, what was inadequate should be covered from now on. Fortunately, Evan knew not one or two but many ways to fill in the gaps of time.
"Raihan thinks shields are just as tricky as alcohol is, Master."
"Tricky huh… ?"
As an upright Paladin candidate, Raihan, who wasn't immune to profane words, heard Evan's murmur and moved his gaze sideways. But Evan said with a grin.
"You don't have to think so negatively, Raihan brother. We're going to embark on a journey that others cannot venture upon. Half a year from now, we all have to go into the dungeon together, but we can't even dream of going inside until you haven't learned the shield techniques, right?"
"Does that mean …"
"Yeah. From tomorrow, you will start training with that shield technique of yours. I have already prepared the necessary things."
"Master…!"
Until now, Evan had been taking steps to ensure Raihan's healthy mental and physical conditions before training martial arts. In other words, until now, Evan hadn't seen Raihan hold a shield even once.
But now he was ready enough. In fact, he had evolved faster than Evan had thought. Evan blamed himself for having underestimated the guts of Unbreakable Shield.
"Finally, I'll get to use a shield! But, Master what if your predictions are wrong and I have no aptitude for a shield? What if I've been dreaming of impossible things so far?"
"Then brother will also learn fighting skills with me."
"Oh, huh."
Evan shook his head as he watched the handsome and sturdy man shrink indefinitely in the bath.
Whenever Evan forgot something important, he sometimes got timid like that, but he felt like he would have to work hard and firmly in the future to fix Raihan's attitude.
"Grandpa, you know we have to start with high-level alchemy tomorrow."
"I know. Tomorrow there would be more challenging tasks for you kid. You've been warned to be ready for that. Instead of paying attention to brutal martial arts, you'll have to start focusing on alchemy again."
"Have you enjoyed it? Should we head back home?"
The party had soaked enough in the bath to relieve their fatigue and enjoyed the effects of enhancing skill proficiency. They came out, wiped their bodies, and left the changing room enjoying a glass of milk.
Seeing that everyone either had either a bottle of milk or beer in their hands, it was expected that the day of collecting silver coins from the vending machine might be looming near.
The milk was delicious. Evan was drinking coffee milk while Shine had chosen chocolate milk, and Raihan had chosen strawberry milk. Maybell and Belois had said that they only drank regular milk because its original taste was truly profound.
"Young Master."
However, Evan found it scary that they both drank milk. Suddenly Belois appeared, holding a bottle of milk in one hand as she was opening the door of the changing room from the other side. She was with Hanna, and surprisingly, Serpina was also present there was currently the Bishop's counselor, working under the Earth Church.
"Master Evan!"
"It's been a while, Sis Serpina. Do you come here often?"
"It's expensive, but I keep coming back because my skin keeps getting better! Look at my skin!"
Serpina shed tears of happiness that came from improving her skin mixed with feelings of sadness that came from the high entry fees. Her skin was really smooth.
Honestly, Evan couldn't wrap his head around the fact that she, who was only 19 years old, already cared so emotionally about her skin… It was evident that Brotherhood Bathhouse was satisfying customers, which were not only limited to explorers who attacked the dungeon.
Was getting smoother skin better than healing all the abnormal conditions as well as wounds on your body? Women who cared about their appearances like Serpina and those who valued health care paid the same amount of 20 silver coins as an entry fee.
This was the thing that made him want to stomp his feet right then and there at the Brotherhood Bathhouse.
"But Sis, if you drink beer like that after your bath, your skin would look as a sandfish's."
Serpina was also of the 'beer group' like Bernard. As Evan looked at the beer bottle in her hand and pointed out, after contemplating over it for a while, Serpina said.
"Master Evan, the God I serve, the Mother of Earth once said that sometimes, putting the facts in front of everyone could become more violent than anything else."
"Please. I will pray to the Mother Eather that my Sis does not get executed for blackmail."
"It's not blackmail, but the true words of Mother Earth… By the way, Master, who is the handsome man standing behind you? I don't think it's the same middle-aged escort you're always with."
Seeing Raihan behind Evan, Serpina asked with a twinkle in her eyes. But, in no time, Hannah also came by her and looked at Evan.
Her eyes were sparkling.
"Really, I'm also seeing him for the first time. Are you the Master's new escort knight? You are very young unlike those who have been protecting Master Evan in the past. Hello, my name is Hannah."
"I am Raihan Drukas. I am not an escort, but I am working hard to be able to stand with you in the future."
Hanna had strawberry milk in her hand. Her face and blonde hair were wet.
Raihan, who was a handsome man himself, politely greeted them. Hannah and Serpina giggled.
"His voice is also very charming. I am Serpina. I work for the Earth Church."
"His hair is like a lion's mane… !"
Raihan Drukas, one of the strongest figures of Yo-Ma Great War 4, had already started to make a name for himself among the ladies!
Evan looked at the two women, who were complimenting Raihan's appearance with a strange look. Of course, he had expected that the young and handsome Raihan would become popular with women. So, the situation before him wasn't surprising at all…
'Dain isn't middle-aged, but I mean… Dain, I'm sorry. I guess that's the fate of extra…'
Evan quietly mourned him, recalling Dain's face. He was a loyal man who had not received the attention of the opposite gender yet.
Dain D. Meltra was born as the third son in his family and then became a Knight of Iron Wall Knights. He was still a young knight who was only 26 years old.
'Of course, people don't care about all of that, but they should!'