Daniel walked over to a wagoner and asked, "How much for a ride to Arcana Town?"
The wagoner looked to be in his early forties, wearing a dusty, worn-out green tunic.
"One silver coin," he replied.
...
Almost an hour and a half later, Daniel finally reached Arcana Town. He climbed down from the wagon and handed the wagoner a silver coin.
Just then, several young shamans from different elemental groups emerged from the training grounds and gathered near the town gate.
"Status," he whispered under his breath.
——————
Name: Rainson Jackson
Age: 20
HP: 2300/2300
Mana: 1600/1600
Description: A young shaman who dreams of becoming a teacher, gaining great knowledge, and securing a stable future where he never has to struggle for money again.
——————
One of the young shamans approached the wagon — the same one Daniel had arrived in.
"How much to the kingdom?" Rainson asked in a casual tone.
"Two silver coins," the wagoner replied.
Hearing that, Daniel couldn’t help but give the wagoner a suspicious glance — the kind of look that said, I know exactly what you’re doing, but I just can’t prove it.
The wagoner met his gaze without saying a word.
"Okay," Rainson said, climbing into the wagon before giving his friends a casual wave.
Seeing that, Daniel turned away and headed straight inside toward his usual spot.
The bakery.
"Welcome, young man. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you," the owner said, picking up a plain biscuit from behind the counter and handing it to him.
"Thank you, sir. May I also have a glass of milk and some bread?" Daniel asked calmly.
"Sure. Your order will be ready in a moment."
With that, Daniel took a seat at a table with three empty chairs.
A moment later, three young men around his age sat down beside him.
"Haha... your Fire Wall can’t even last ten seconds," one of them said, laughing.
"The way you were panicking, what did you think was going to happen to you?" the other replied, chuckling as they continued their conversation.
Meanwhile, Daniel’s order arrived. He took a slow sip of milk while quietly listening to their conversation.
Judging by their discussion, they were clearly Fire Shamans.
*Slurp~*
"I feel bad for Haron. He doesn’t even want to go, but Master forced him to apply to the Royal Academy," one of them added.
Daniel’s eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of those words, his attention sharpened as the conversation reached his ears.
’Hmm... so I’m not the only one,’ Daniel thought taking another sip.
...
After finishing his lunch, Daniel stepped outside and spotted Harry at his stall, surrounded by a crowd of customers.
Daniel approached him. "Hello, sir."
Harry’s smile faded the moment he saw Daniel.
"Yes. Come to the back," he said.
He quietly slipped a money pouch from inside his satchel, keeping it hidden behind his body.
"That’s exactly four hundred silvers," Harry whispered, his expression serious.
"Good. But there’s a problem," Daniel said, meeting Harry’s gaze.
"What?"
"You see, I don’t understand. Why did you have to sell the recipe to other merchants?" Daniel asked, crossing his arms.
Harry’s eyes narrowed.
"Me? I never sold it to anyone."
"Sir, just tell me the truth. I dislike liars," Daniel said, his tone turning cold.
A tense silence hung between them.
Harry hesitated before shaking his head. "I swear, I’ve never sold it to anyone. I mean why would I sell the recipe that keeps my business alive? Just think about it for a second."
Daniel’s fist clenched at his side, his knuckles tightening as he stared at him.
’Then who sold the recipe?’ Daniel wondered.
"Harry! Come here, I need your help."
His partner called from the front, holding out several plates of meat pouches.
"Coming!" Harry replied.
He gave Daniel a quick glance before heading back to the stall, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
There were only two people he ever shared the recipe with — Harry and Renery.
Daniel’s brows furrowed.
If Harry didn’t sell it... then that only leaves Renery.
But Renery had been missing for a long time.
Then how the hell did the recipe end up in someone else’s hands?
With no answers in sight, Daniel shrugged it off and headed toward Renery’s house. Rather than waste time thinking about it, he figured it was better to check for himself.
Maybe Renery had already returned.
But when Daniel reached the house, the door was still closed, just as it had been the last time he saw it.
"Excuse me, do you know where this person went?" Daniel asked a stranger passing by.
The stranger shook his head, pausing for a moment to think. "Not really, young man. The last time I saw him was about a month ago."
With no other leads, Daniel turned toward the residential area and headed home. However, halfway there, he changed his route, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.
*Knock. Knock. Knock*
He knocked on Jessica’s door and waited.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to find a rose for her, as there hadn’t been a single flower seller along the way.
*Knock. Knock.*
No response.
’Isn’t she home?’ he wondered.
Daniel reached for the doorknob and slowly turned it.
*Creack...*
Without making a sound, Daniel slipped off his shoes and crept inside, moving on his toes like a ninja, and quietly made his way from room to room, checking each one.
He first headed toward the kitchen, but no one was there.
Then he moved toward the bedroom. The moment he peeked inside, the sight left him stunned.
’What the fuck. Is she stuck?’ He stared at the full curve of her ass in a lapis colored skirt, jutting out from under the bed as though someone had gotten trapped halfway beneath it.
Daniel stepped closer, fingers closing around the handle, and eased the door open.
The hinge gave a soft, drawn-out creak.
Jessica jerked, her body tensed under the bed, shoulders shifting against the floorboards.
"Who’s there?! Hello? Honey, is that you?" Her voice came sharp, edged with panic.
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