"Wow…" Nora gasped softly, blinking in disbelief. "I think… I can actually see more clearly now."
"That's a medicinal decoction for your eyes," Ron said as he took the empty bowl, using his free hand to gently ruffle her hair. "Drink it a few more times over the next couple of days, and your nearsightedness should be cured. Then you can stop burying your face in books all the time—it's bad for your neck."
"Mm-hmm." Nora nodded obediently, her eyes half-closed as she savored the comfort of the Boss's palm.
Not wanting to disturb her reading, Ron went upstairs, washed the bowl, and then headed next door to the Tabletop-Themed Tavern.
The tavern wasn't open in the mornings; business only picked up in the afternoons and evenings.
Yuna, having just finished cleaning both floors, was now back behind the bar, tinkering with her mixology experiments.
"Huh? Free so early in the day? Not busy teasing your little Nora today?" Yuna teased as she stirred a swamp-green liquor brewed from Greenfruit Wine into a glass.
"Tch, I was going to show you something nice, but now I'm reconsidering," Ron muttered, sliding onto a tall stool at the bar.
Yuna slid the murky green cocktail toward him with a playful grin. "Aw~ Don't be like that, Prince Ron~ Here, a Green Trap to make peace."
...???
"You named this?" Ron blinked, picking up the glass and taking a sip. Yep—it was that hideous-looking drink from before, which tasted way better than it looked.
"Green Trap?" That somehow sounded even worse than Green Sky. Was she doing this on purpose?
"I was originally going to call it 'Swamp,' but that just sounds unappetizing, right? So I went with Green Trap—same idea, but sounds cooler!" Yuna tilted her head, expecting praise like a puppy waiting for a treat.
"Mm-hmm. As long as you're happy," Ron said perfunctorily.
"Hmph! That'll be 30 copper coins. Second glass half off," she grinned with narrow eyes.
Ron chuckled and refused to play along, slapping down a One Gold coin: "Keep the change. Consider the rest a tip."
"Tch!" Yuna scoffed, but snatched it up without complaint. "So? What'd you come here for this early?"
"I told you, I brought something good."
As he spoke, Ron reached into his inventory and pulled out a Spice Pine branch—one that still had its thick needle-leaves.
Thud!
The branch hit the bar counter, and the heavy "needles" instantly crumbled into green dust upon impact.
Yuna took a cautious step back and frowned. "What… is that?"
"Don't look at it like that," Ron smirked. "Once you know what it can do, don't come begging me for more."
Yuna raised a brow, suspicious. "And what can it do?"
Ron casually picked up a handful of shattered "needles" and asked, "You have a teapot? Pour some hot water, would you?"
Intrigued, Yuna fetched a pot, filled it with hot water, and set it down in front of him.
Ron stepped behind the bar, rinsed the needle fragments, and dropped them into the pot.
Soon, a fresh, herbal aroma began to rise, energizing and invigorating.
Yuna sniffed it and looked slightly impressed, though she still said, "So it's just some weird tea leaves? What's the big deal?"
"This is just the appetizer. Patience," Ron said, pouring two cups and taking the first sip himself.
The tea was nearly flavorless at first—hot water with a whisper of taste—but after swallowing, a faint sweetness lingered on the tongue.
The real effect, though, wasn't in the flavor. The tea made from Spice Pine leaves was known for its yin-nourishing and yang-replenishing effects.
Thanks to his Life Belt, Ron's kidneys were already full of warm, revitalizing energy. After drinking, he only felt a slight warmth around his waist.
He smacked his lips thoughtfully and turned to Yuna, who was about to try her cup.
Seeing him drink first without hesitation, Yuna didn't think much of it.
She brought the cup to her lips, blew gently, and sipped.
The taste? Pretty bland.
She made a face. Not even close to my "White Temptation."
But the moment she swallowed, a wave of warmth spread through her body, like soaking in a hot spring.
A flush crept across her cheeks.
"Wait… You didn't give me something weird, did you?" she muttered, touching her now-warm face. She felt the heat pooling in her lower abdomen, making her lightheaded.
"That strong of a reaction?" Ron frowned in surprise. "The tea boosts vitality. Maybe it's just hitting you harder because it's your first time drinking it."
"Or maybe…" he added with a smirk, "you're just really weak and need the boost?"
"You're weak!" Yuna snapped, glaring as she slumped into a stool. Her limbs went a little limp, body flush with warmth.
"Hey, I drank a big gulp too, and I'm perfectly fine." Ron shrugged smugly and finished his cup.
The overwhelming heat in Yuna's body slowly faded. Though still flushed, her skin now had a healthy, radiant glow.
She rolled her eyes but finished the rest of her cup. The next few sips still made her feel warm—but the effect was far less intense.
"So? You said that was just the appetizer. What else?"
"Chill." Ron pulled a few glass cups from the back shelf and approached the thick Spice Pine branch.
Using a cocktail stirrer, he infused it with Light-Element Battle Aura, then poked it into one of the circular resin spots where he'd pulled out the leaves earlier.
Squish—
Thick, golden resin began to flow out.
Ron quickly caught it in a glass, waited for it to partially solidify, then stirred again to extract more from the tree's core.
"This... is drinkable?" Yuna leaned closer, sniffing curiously.
"You can drink it. Or apply it." Ron dipped his finger in the golden resin and smeared it on her cheek.
"Eww—" Yuna tilted her head back. "It's sticky…"
"Don't wipe it off. Spread it evenly—it's great for your skin."
"Seriously?" Yuna was skeptical, but the earlier tea had worked, so she hesitantly dipped a finger and spread the resin over her face.
Her fair skin quickly took on a golden sheen, like a ripe fruit ready to be picked.
While she applied her "face mask," Ron filled several glasses with resin, then boiled another pot of water.
He stirred the resin into the water, making two new drinks—one for him, one for Yuna.
By the time he handed her the cup, the resin mask had absorbed fully into her skin, leaving her face dewy and radiant. Her complexion looked so good it was almost begging to be poked.
"Not bad, right?" Ron said, watching Yuna touch her cheeks in amazement.
"Hmph. It's okay, I guess."
"I've got tons of this stuff," Ron said casually. "If you like it, I can fill up a tub and let you bathe in it. Drink a cup while soaking, too."
"Gross!" Yuna scoffed—yet she took the cup and sipped it anyway.
Ron drank his too—tasted a lot like honey water.
The moment it entered his stomach, a gentle warmth flowed through his body like soft hands smoothing out fatigue.
Yuna, after her first sip, went completely silent. She didn't say another word, and once she finished her glass, she poured herself another.
"…Was it that good?" Ron asked, confused.
What he didn't know was—thanks to years of training in Shadow Battle Aura, plus her early start in combat, Yuna's body had accumulated many hidden internal injuries.
They weren't debilitating, but like sub-health issues, they had the potential to flare up if she suffered serious wounds.
Normally, there was no real way to heal those—unless one had rare medicinal ingredients.
Veteran warriors often carried these kinds of hidden injuries, and most ignored them, having no other choice.
But for someone like Yuna—who was already a Fifth-Stage warrior, possibly with a shot at reaching Legendary rank—these injuries were critical obstacles.
Yet just now, she clearly felt the resin repairing those internal wounds.
Her eyes locked on the thick branch on the counter.
Then at Ron.
Her eyes gleamed.
Without warning, she stood up with a crack of her joints, her long legs and mature figure suddenly exuding charm.
She leaned forward, one knee on Ron's stool.
Ron leaned back, frowning. "What are you doing?"
Yuna smiled sweetly and licked her lips. "I was just thinking… soaking in a resin bath while drinking it sounds like a really great idea."