He threw together a quick lunch, scarfed it down with his mind elsewhere, tidied up, and headed out again.
His destination was the General Store, a famous equipment shop tucked into the northwest corner of the bustling Adventurer's Main Street.
The two-story building had earned a sterling reputation among adventurers. Short of custom commissions, the place carried everything.
Leon strolled over with his wallet and keys, taking his time. Through the display windows, it looked like a department store on Black Friday: wall-to-wall bodies, noise, and energy.
Everything inside catered to adventurers. The basics ranged from Magic Stone lanterns and insect-repellent powder up to amulets and pendants with specialized enchantments. Everyday essentials for food, clothing, and shelter filled the gaps between. A dedicated premium section even stocked weapons and armor from the Hephaestus Familia and the Goibniu Familia.
Leon patted his noticeably thinner wallet, drew a steadying breath, and pushed through the door.
"Welcome to the General Store! How can I help you today?" A young attendant in a crisp uniform hurried over with a practiced smile.
"Just browsing, thanks." Leon returned a polite nod.
"Of course. Take your time." The attendant bowed and stepped aside.
...
The ground floor opened into a cavernous space crammed with merchandise. Might as well look around since he was already here. Rows of Magic Stone gadgets, household goods, furniture, and decorations blurred together until his eyes glazed over.
Off to the left, the premium counter section even housed a gourmet fresh-produce display. High-end brands lined the shelves: Demeter Fruits & Vegetables, Njord Seafood, and others.
No wonder they're a commercial powerhouse. Even a glimpse like this says everything about their reach.
He finished with the ground floor and drifted upstairs.
After wandering through several shops, his gaze snagged on a pair of earrings in a small accessories boutique: golden wheat-sheaf drops, delicate and elegant. He hesitated, wrestled with himself, then gritted his teeth and paid the 120,000 valis price tag.
The sting of handing over that much money lingered as he walked out with the neatly wrapped bag, the attendant's professional smile seeing him off.
"A hundred and twenty thousand for a pair of ordinary earrings..." he muttered. "Side businesses are highway robbery. I've got Hand of Omnipotence. I really should think about picking up a trade to solve the cash flow problem."
But reality check. He shook his head.
"Bad timing. I'll revisit that once I'm past the rapid-growth phase."
Leaving the General Store behind, Leon cut a familiar path from District Seven all the way to District One without breaking stride.
...
District One. Home to a dense concentration of upscale commercial zones and residences.
Orario's most exclusive haute couture shop, the Rafat Boutique, sat here. So did a handful of charming florists run by demi-human girls: Petal & Stem, DearFlora, and others.
Even the Astraea Familia's headquarters, Stardust Garden, and the Demeter Familia's headquarters, Wheat Manor, both stood in this district.
The whole area was immaculately landscaped, dense with greenery, and fiercely private. Walking the quiet, tree-lined paths, you'd catch glimpses of beautiful buildings peeking through the foliage, half-hidden and almost organic against the woodland backdrop.
The trail ended at a sprawling estate.
Leon stopped before the grand entrance and looked up.
A golden castle-manor stretched before him. Symbols of abundance, agriculture, and grain decorated every surface. Relief carvings adorned the walls. Wheat sheaves lined the windowsills. Fruit trees of every variety stood sentry along the perimeter, and even the hedges were sculpted from berry bushes and vegetable plants.
This was Wheat Manor, seat of the Demeter Familia, one of Orario's pillars of influence and economic muscle.
Of course, given the wealth of its mistress, this was hardly her only property. Several other estates of varying styles dotted the city and its outskirts. That alone spoke volumes about just how staggering Demeter's financial power truly was.
"Oh my, my~ If it isn't our little Leon!"
A warm, honeyed voice drifted from beneath a grapevine arbor in the courtyard.
Out stepped a breathtakingly beautiful goddess in a wide-brimmed straw hat and an off-the-shoulder orange-gold sundress trimmed with lace. Beneath the brim, honey-colored hair caught the light like liquid sunshine.
Her amber eyes found the figure at the gate, and they lit up with delight. A radiant smile bloomed across flawless features, the kind of smile that made actual flowers look dull by comparison.
Then, in the span of a heartbeat, her expression crumpled. Lower lip trembling, shoulders hunching, she dabbed at the corners of her perfectly dry eyes with a fingertip.
"Waaah... Leon, you waited this long before you even thought of me... You've already forgotten all about me, haven't you? So cruel... so heartless..."
Silence.
Leon's eye twitched. He caught the Familia members off to the side biting back laughter, and cut in before the performance could escalate.
"Lady Demeter, could you please rein in the terrible acting? You're really breaking the immersion here."
The goddess froze mid-sob. Every trace of sorrow vanished from her face as if someone had flipped a switch.
"Hmm?" She tilted her head, a spark of playful defiance in her eyes. "I practice every single day, you know! And you saw right through it. You're no fun at all~"
He had nothing for that.
When it came to the goddess who made a sport of teasing him, Leon's default strategy was to keep a safe distance. He wouldn't be here if he had any other choice.
He owed Demeter far too much.
"Mr. Leon, it's been a while." A gentle voice cut in at just the right moment. A young woman with golden hair woven into an elegant braid hurried over and opened the gate for him. "Your arm... what happened?"
"Persephone. Good to see you." Leon smiled and gave his injured left arm a casual shake. "This? Minor accident. Just a scratch. You know how adventurers are."
"Injured by a monster, I see." Understanding crossed her face.
For adventurers, injuries were part of the job. Leon was careful by nature, but anyone who walked the river's edge long enough was bound to get their feet wet eventually.
"No field work outside the city today?"
"This season isn't too demanding, and someone needs to stay and look after Lady Demeter." Persephone smiled.
"Fair enough. After all..."
Before he could finish, a call rang out from beneath the grapevine arbor.
"Leon~ Why are you standing around over there? Come try the grapes I grew myself!" Demeter waved him over, beaming.
He walked to the arbor and accepted the cluster she'd just picked.
Up close, the grapes were extraordinary. Each one was plump and round as a purple pearl, the size of a longan fruit. Smooth skin glistened with dewdrops. Hanging in bunches, they looked like constellations made edible. Under the canopy of green leaves, the fruit on the vine caught the sunlight and glowed like polished gemstones.
He plucked one and popped it into his mouth.
A burst of pure, crystalline sweetness flooded his tongue. The balance of tart and sweet was flawless, lingering long after the first bite. A full day's worth of fatigue seemed to dissolve on the spot. Energy surged back through him.
"These are incredible!"
"Like eating bottled sunshine. I feel like my whole body just got a reset."
"Fruit grown by Lady Demeter herself really is on another level. Best grapes I've ever had in my life, hands down."
He meant every word.
Goddess of harvest, fertility, and the earth. She's earned every bit of that title.
"Heh heh," Persephone chimed in, chin lifted with quiet pride. "Grapes grown by Lady Demeter's own hand are treasures that even other gods beg for. You'll never find them on the open market."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "You can't eat all of this yourselves, though. If they're not sold, what happens to the surplus?"
The pride on her face sharpened. "They're made into divine wine, of course. The finished product shows up at Denatus gatherings and divine banquets. And occasionally... at top-tier auctions."
"Ah. That makes sense."
The math clicked instantly. Every bottle of that wine would fetch several hundred thousand valis without breaking a sweat.
Further proof that Demeter's wealth ran deeper than anyone could fathom.
After savoring the rare delicacy, they moved inside to the parlor at Wheat Manor.
The goddess examined Leon's injured left arm first, and only relaxed once she'd confirmed it wasn't serious. Even then, a quiet warning followed.
"Be more careful exploring the Dungeon. Try to avoid getting hurt. You were lucky this time. It's only a surface wound."
Genuine concern, no theatrics. Leon nodded. "I will, Lady Demeter."
Then her tone shifted. Something knowing crept into her voice. She curled lazily into the plush sofa, hooked her arm through his, and nestled her head against his shoulder. Warm breath ghosted past his ear.
"Now then~ Out with it, Leon. You never visit without a reason. You must have hit a wall you can't handle alone, or you wouldn't have graced me with your presence." That honeyed voice carried a teasing edge.
His arm sank into soft warmth. The heat of her breath at his ear sent his pulse stumbling.
But across the coffee table, Persephone's gaze had gone arctic. The chill hit him like a splash of cold water. He cleared his throat, strangled every wayward thought, sat ramrod straight, and assembled the most serious expression he could manage.
"Ahem. Lady Demeter, I'll be honest. I do need a favor."
A pause. He chose his words.
"Do you happen to know any skilled enchanters? Or have a reliable connection for commissioning a custom staff?"
"A staff? An enchanter?" Demeter and Persephone exchanged a glance, surprise on both their faces.
"Don't tell me you've learned combat magic? Wait, that can't be right. Your three magic slots were already... Oh. Your third magic?"
Demeter knew Leon's Falna inside and out. Persephone didn't bat an eye at the discussion either.
Because on paper, Leon was registered with the Guild as a member of the Demeter Familia.
To the outside world, he was one of theirs.
Even the house Leon lived in had been provided by Demeter.
Put simply, the debt he owed the goddess was nowhere close to repaid.