Ina meticulously cleansed her hands and, with devout earnestness, commenced the raffle draw.
[You have obtained: Fruit preserves x10, Carrot seeds x10, Silver coins x2, Potato seeds x10, Copper coins x50, Tavern decoration - Wheat field painting x1, Copper coins x73, Vending machine x1, Plant nutrient solution x100, Chocolate bricks x5]
[The Seed Shop has unlocked the purchasing rights for carrot and potato seeds!]
A vending machine? This contraption was also in the prize pool? Ina eagerly dragged it out, her smile freezing upon her visage as she furrowed her brow, inquiring, "Where are the goods inside?"
The system trembled in trepidation: [Your reward is the vending machine…]
"So, where are the goods?" Ina pursued.
[For 50 achievement points, you can refresh the inventory~]
Ina glanced at her single-digit achievement points and decisively stashed the vending machine in her backpack, refusing to let it pilfer her precious points!
Lusen crouched by the doorway, tinkering with something. Ina planted two potato seeds, waiting for them to mature while observing her vocational skill proficiency.
Cook (Secondary profession)
Level: 1 (40/100)
Skills: Cook's Intuition (You possess a faint understanding of culinary arts)
Whether it was tossing together a simple salad or preparing intricate boiled fish, each dish only contributed five points of proficiency. Ina pondered if she should use an easy cold dish to boost her vocational proficiency, especially since she could convert food into nutrient solutions by sending it to the Slime Recycling House. Just then, the potato leaves in front of her began to yellow. Ina skillfully uprooted the potato seedlings, revealing a cluster of tubers connected to the roots. She swiftly unearthed the few potatoes left behind in the soil, which had not departed with the stem.
Hearing Lusen conversing with someone, Ina looked towards the entrance—had a visitor arrived? A blonde girl carrying a basket entered, and Ina felt she seemed familiar, but couldn't recall where she had seen her before.
Lusen surreptitiously mouthed the visitor's identity: Lilith, the mayor of Rosa Town's daughter.
Ina gave Lusen an approving glance, Praise his knowledge of the townspeople.
Lilith spoke in a soft, gentle voice, "Miss Ina, I'd like to purchase some vegetables."
Ina politely declined her request, "I'm sorry, but we only sell prepared dishes here." Selling raw materials only provided a meager income and didn't grant any experience or achievement points, so Ina had no intentions of opening a vegetable store for the time being.
Lilith furrowed her brow in confusion, as the Dragonflame Restaurant had never had such a policy before; the entire town had always bought their vegetables here. Nevertheless, this didn't deter her. Tilting her head, she asked, "May I request specific flavors in the dishes?"
"Certainly."
Upon receiving an affirmative response, Lilith revealed a playful grin, "I'll need a lettuce salad without the salad, a peeled raw potato, and some diced onion."
[You've received an order: Lettuce Salad (Suggested Retail Price: 70 Copper Coins), Diced Onion (Suggested Retail Price: 85 Copper Coins), Peeled Potato (Suggested Retail Price: 50 Copper Coins). Please complete the order promptly!]
Ina also smiled, immediately getting to work. As long as she could hoodwink the system, she didn't care what they made.
Lilith paid two silver coins for her order, stowing the wrapped vegetables in the small basket she carried, and politely bid Ina farewell before departing.
On her way, Lilith encountered two women heading in the same direction, stopping to greet them, "Aunt Hana, Aunt Keira."
Hana, short in stature with light golden hair and a plump figure, appeared amiable and reminiscent of a sunlit cloud. Glancing at Lilith's basket, she cast a "told-you-so" expression at the tall, red-haired woman, Keira, beside her, "The Dragonflame Restaurant will continue selling vegetables even with the change of owner."
Keira, donning a large, somewhat comical hat that threatened to tip over as she moved, steadied the brim with one hand as she inspected Lilith's basket, nodding in satisfaction, "This lettuce is plump and green, even better than what the previous owner produced."
Seeing the peeled potato and diced onion Lilith had deliberately revealed, both women expressed delight, "They even help deal the ingredients!"
The two women enthusiastically entered the restaurant, forcing Lusen, who was squatting by the entrance, to make way once again. They hesitated between Ina and Lusen, seemingly unable to determine who the new owner of Dragonflame Restaurant was. Ina took the initiative to greet them, "Good evening, ladies. What can I get for you?"
The two women simultaneously rummaged through their bags and presented Ina with gifts. Hana, smiling, said, "There aren't many residents in our town, so we'll be neighbors from now on."
Keira was more straightforward, "My smoked meat is the best in town."
Ina was pleasantly surprised and quickly handed them two cans of fruit, making sure to teach them how to open the cans, "Just hook your finger here and gently pull."
After exchanging gifts, Hana and Keira ordered similar dishes to Lilith's and left hand in hand in high spirits.
Ina watched them leave, noting that it was quite late and there likely wouldn't be any more customers today. The Dragonflame Restaurant's first day of business ended with a total revenue of 7 silver coins and 35 copper coins, 210 experience points, and 38 achievement points—a remarkable accomplishment.
She opened the paper bag Hana had brought and found an enormous loaf of bread inside that looked vaguely familiar.
Ina asked Lusen, "Are baguettes popular here?"
Confusion flickered in Lusen's eyes. When he realized that Ina was referring to "Hannah's white bread," he immediately shook his head. However, it seemed as though he recalled something and hesitated before nodding.
Ina smiled knowingly, and with a flick of her wrist, the bread slipped from her hand and landed on the kitchen counter with a loud thud.
Handing the bread to Lusen, she instructed, "You can use this for self-defense when I'm not around in the restaurant."
Lusen obediently accepted the bread, "Hana's bakery... is a bit special."
"Have you been there before?"
Lusen nodded, "I've been there once, so I know Miss Hana." Remembering how Hannah couldn't tell who the restaurant's owner was, he quickly added, "Her bakery is very popular, so she probably doesn't remember me."
Ina asked further, "Very popular? Are all her bread like this?"
Lusen: "Yes, that's why I've only been there once."
Ina: I'm even more confident about opening the restaurant now!
Hana pulled off Keira's wobbly hat, asking, "Why are you wearing this strange hat today? You look like a floor lamp."
Keira's vision was blocked by the hat, and she almost tripped. After regaining her balance, she looked at Hannah, and two fluffy, upright ears popped out of her red hair. They tilted sideways shyly, "I was afraid I might scare the new boss of the restaurant."
Hana pondered seriously, "Red-haired werewolves are not uncommon, but I've never seen a girl with pink hair. Miss Ina probably wouldn't be scared by you."
Keira suddenly understood and smiled, "You're right! I'm the one who got surprised! How could anyone have pink hair?"