In the afternoon, I decided to visit the residential district for some fun.
The restoration and construction work had mostly wrapped up, so it seemed the real development phase was finally starting.
"I don't want to show up empty-handed, so maybe I'll make some souvenirs to bring along."
Mark was happily dancing around while hugging the honey-filled pot.
Tom had also woken up, so I left the two of them to watch the house and headed out.
In the residential district, rubble still remained in the plots of the lower-ranked classes in the corners.
But on the plots of the mid-ranked and higher classes along the main street, many houses now stood in neat rows.
Although they were simple wooden buildings, there were workshops for production-class students and shops for those aiming to become merchants.
There was even a restaurant, and the terrace seats were lively with students leisurely enjoying lunch.
The main street was full of energy and bustle everywhere, truly giving the feeling that development had begun.
Just watching it made me feel more energetic too.
"Wow, this is great!
So many small energies coming together and creating something many times larger!
This is exactly the feeling I wanted to experience when I entered a pioneer academy! Let's see…"
Out of curiosity, I thought about peeking into one of the shops that caught my eye, but…
At the entrance, there was a sign that read "Special Training Class students not welcome."
Looking around, every shop had a similar sign refusing me.
They all looked identical, so someone must have made and distributed them all at once.
"Yare yare, so I can't even shop at the stores."
However, there was one shop without such a sign.
The sign read "Akemi's Potion Shop," and a long line of male students stretched outside.
"I'm not good at waiting in lines… but I did promise Akemi I'd visit when the shop opened."
Reluctantly, I joined the end of the line. A female student holding a sign noticed me and let out an "Ah!"
"Leopin-kun, you don't need to wait in line.
Akemi-sama instructed us to let you in immediately if you came. Please come this way."
Led by the girl, I bypassed the entire line like a VIP.
The people waiting showered me with jealous voices.
"Damn, that unemployed guy doesn't even have to wait…!"
"Normally that privilege is only for the Hero-sama or the Sage-sama and other top-class jobs…!"
"Why is Akemi-sama favoring such garbage…!?"
The interior of the shop, past the open entrance, was packed with customers.
Shelves were lined with small bottles of potions that sparkled mysteriously under the sunlight.
A female student at the checkout counter was loudly guiding people.
"Yes! Those who bought potions can enter the next room for 5 minutes only!
After 5 minutes, please exit and line up again~!"
Even though I hadn't bought anything, I was guided into the next room as if it was natural.
The room was thick with the heat and excitement of male students, all crowding around a window in the wall to peek inside.
Beyond it seemed to be an alchemy workshop.
In a dimly lit room with closed curtains, lit only by candlelight, Akemi was working.
It was a mysterious and captivating sight.
The drifting scent was sweetly intoxicating, and the male students looked like flies drawn to a carnivorous plant.
"I see. So if you buy something, you get 5 minutes to watch Akemi working.
What exactly do they do with that?"
Still, for Akemi's fans, it seemed irresistible.
Every time Akemi slightly tilted her face toward the window, they exploded with excitement: "Ah, she looked at me!" "No, she looked at me!"
I thought this was as far as I would be allowed to go, but naturally I was guided straight into the workshop.
The jealousy from beyond the window grew even stronger.
"Wh-what!? Why is a guy inside the workshop!?"
"Akemi-san's workshop is called the 'Secret Flower Garden'—it's top secret!"
"It's the dream of every man!? And yet… and yet, I'm so jealous~~!!"
Intense killing intent pierced me from countless gazes.
The discomfort was so overwhelming that I decided to just say hello and leave quickly.
"Hey, Akemi. Looks like business is booming."
"Nfufu, so it seems."
"Here's a little opening gift."
Without much small talk, I took out the pottery from my coat pocket and handed it to Akemi.
"Is this… a mortar?"
--------------------------------------------------
Granite Clay Mortar
Quantity: 1
Quality Level: 42 (Material Level 22 + Dexterity Bonus 6 + Job Bonus 14)
Fired granite clay.
It features flower patterns on the outside using glaze.
Thanks to the various bonuses, it allows faster and more uniform grinding and mixing than ordinary mortars.
--------------------------------------------------
"Yeah. I recently started pottery as a hobby. I thought a mortar would be useful for alchemy work, so I made one."
The moment Akemi saw the pattern on the outside of the mortar, she froze.
"Ahhn… could this be…"
"Yeah, it's the 'Black Purple' flower. I mixed the actual flower into the glaze, so the color is almost identical, right?"
"How did you know that this is my favorite flower…?"
"How? It was drawn on the sign outside the shop."
When I had visited Akemi at the tent earlier, I had noticed the shop sign.
I remembered the black-purple flower drawn alongside the words "Akemi's Potion Shop."
Akemi let out a sigh of amazement. "Ahahn… I'm surprised…"
"I never thought there would be a man who recognized the 'Black Purple' flower…"
This was also thanks to the job skills of "Mana Farmer."
Akemi's eyes, illuminated by the candlelight, reflected like the surface of water.
Her glossy lips moved, weaving soft words.
"…I've always had something I decided in my heart."
"What is it?"
"It's a bit embarrassing to say loudly, so come closer. Bring your face nearer, okay?"
I did as she asked. Akemi leaned in close and whispered into my ear like breathing on it.
"Nfufu…! The first man who gives me this flower… I decided I would never let him go…!"
The next instant, Akemi pounced on me like a spider capturing its prey.
…Gabaa…!
She pulled me into a tight embrace.
Before I could even think "What!?", my body was enveloped in soft warmth.
…Chuu, chuu, chuu…!
And then came the sucking sensation on my cheek.
From beyond the window came an explosive roar of screams.
"Eh… eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!?!?"