Brain bloom

"Alright, I have things to do before the transaction, but I'll be back to trade with you as soon as possible."

"Hmm...no problem, I trust you. I'll go prepare the cash...it will take a little time."

Mori kept a backup plan, not directly telling the other party that she possessed the healing spell itself. However, she didn't have another scroll on hand and had to make one herself. This wasn't difficult; she just needed to buy some engraving materials and hand-engrave it onto a blank magic scroll.

This is a highly profitable business, the only concern being that being too high-profile will attract trouble. Therefore, Sen Shi is happy to have a business partner like Old Wildcat who is sensible and generous.

Mori and Dandelion went out for a while, and after confirming that no one was following them, the group went to a noisy flea market. Although these items could also be bought at magic supply stores, if the other party asked, it might reveal that the magic scrolls were made on the spot.

The free market was exceptionally lively, though the stench from the crowds was much less intense than yesterday. Dandelion managed to squeeze in, holding her nose, and the two strolled around for a bit before realizing that yesterday's trading had focused on the catch of fish.

Today's trading focus is on various seasonal fruits and vegetables. In a port city, these sell better than fish.

Although there were some other miscellaneous items, the quantity was not large. Mori only noted down the things that he could make to profit without any risk. He did not find anything rare or anything that he could find at a bargain price.

"How boring." Her gaze swept over the rows of open-air stalls filled with miscellaneous goods. "They're all run by seasoned players; there's not a single bargain to be found..."

She had gathered all the materials she needed, but strangely, Mori didn't want to leave. She found shopping incredibly interesting. There were also stalls selling small jewelry and clothes, and when she came to her senses, she realized she was already admiring the items—meaning that even her soul had undergone a feminine transformation.

I don't know if it's good or bad...

Fortunately, Sen Shi didn't like any of the things here. As a master craftswoman, she naturally wanted to go back and make her own jewelry.

Jewelry can add many attributes and may also have unique effects, which can greatly improve a character in the early stages—it's not just about dressing up nicely.

"Mori Toki, Mori Toki."

Dandelion's words brought Mori back to reality.

"Don't worry, I only need the necessary funds for the winery's operation... I won't ask you for anything else, after all, everything is thanks to you. But how do you plan to operate this money?"

Volume 1 #029 · The Sparkling SB

Mori himself hadn't figured out what kind of business he wanted to do with the money.

This involves many aspects and is actually quite complex, making it difficult to make a decision easily. First, it's essential to maintain a low profile while ensuring sufficient profits; second, it's also necessary to pave the way for national restoration as much as possible. Mori doesn't yet have a deep understanding of the market in this world, but based on his profound knowledge of "The Silent World," he has several options to consider.

There is another extreme path: abandon commerce and focus on leveling up, get the Hunter's skill to Master, take the Debt Collector's Bow and go to the Kingdom of the Holy Coffin to shoot the King dead, then leave without a trace.

"Um, Moritoki, it's okay if you can't tell me the plan." Dandelion's words brought Moritoki to a halt.

"It's not that I don't want to talk to you, it's just that I haven't made a final decision yet... Never mind, let's not talk about this. Let's go back, there's nothing good to buy in this godforsaken place."

Their resolve was strong enough; knowing the transaction was more important, they resisted the urge to continue shopping and turned back along the side street.

Creating magic scrolls was quite simple for Mori; it only required a little effort and a bit of mental energy. So she simply found a shop selling drinks and fruit, squeezed into a corner, and sat down. Dandelion and Fufu kept watch around as she entered a meditative state.

The blood of a white-tailed, black-horned calf is used as ink, which is then applied to the bubbly tip of a black crystal pen—a classic combination essential for recording magical text.

Next, a parchment soaked in spiritual energy was laid out on the table. With his brushstrokes focused to the extreme, Mori drew the "Barahbrot Third Rank Array," a magic-representing array consisting of three overlapping special symbols, known as the foundation of magic.

Their lines are strange, but each one must be drawn in one stroke, and their size, time, and function are all equal, hence they are called the Three-Rank Formation.

A long time ago, when I was still playing games on a keyboard, spending money and time to master magic, even I, sitting in front of the computer, was brainwashed by this magical circle.

Back then, whether I was brushing my teeth, looking up at the sky, or having nightmares, everything I saw reminded me of the Barachbrot Third Array. I was completely obsessed, and it was incredibly painful.

"This, this... such precise arrangement, this is the most perfect drawing I have ever seen."

Dandelion glanced at it casually, but was immediately captivated, forgetting to be wary of others' gazes. "Incredible, could this be the work of a master?"

"Yes, just keep it a secret for me."

After speaking, Mori activated the Barahbrot Third-Rank Array with a drop of condensed mental energy. Its function was "record" and "capture," which was precisely the process of inscribing magic on a magic scroll. Mori raised his finger, pointed it at the center point, and casually flicked out a low-level healing spell, which went smoothly.

A magic scroll worth one hundred gold coins is that easy to make—that's how it is for Mori.

"Alright, let's go exchange the money—Princess? Why are you looking at me like that?" She had just finished rolling up the scroll when she unexpectedly met Dandelion's serious gaze.

"Mori, what is the meaning of your flower? I have the honor of summoning a master-level magician... Why don't you have a flower crown? Why didn't you leave a whole page of heroic poetry in the history of the Kingdom of Flowers?"

"Well..."

"What exactly did you do to avoid leaving your name? That's impossible. Did you hide your real name from me? Or were you stripped of your nickname?"

Sen Shi, not wanting her to press further, suddenly spoke up—"Because I am waiting for you, Princess. I hope you will compose poems for me and place a crown of flowers upon my head."

She couldn't explain those messy things clearly, so she resorted to some unrealistic, romantic phrases in an attempt to muddle through.

Surprisingly, it seemed to work well, because the dandelion's cheeks were tinged with a light pink, frozen in place, as if a plant had forgotten how to photosynthesize. Sen Shi now understood why Shakespeare's flamboyant works had endured to this day; there were actually people who fell for it.

After freezing for a few seconds, the dandelion reacted exceptionally strongly:

"I...I...I am also very honored to have waited for you!"

"Alright, shall we go? By the way, what kind of slave did you buy? What kind of Hand Clan?"

“Oh…ah? Slaves? I’ve forgotten…the Hand Tribe is a race that only has hands, and they’re very friendly. You can hire them to do handicrafts. I’ve always wanted one.”

With the pressure on his shoulders lifted, Mori finally changed the subject. After putting away the scroll and Fukufu, he and Dandelion walked side by side toward the black cat's mansion. Along the way, Dandelion was in an exceptionally good mood, and her voice was sweet as sugar.

……

The transaction went smoothly, and they were invited into the mansion without any problems. The formal transaction was to take place in the reception room.

Inside, only the old stray cat remained to greet the guest. He had prepared the capital for the transaction: one hundred heavy gold coins. The letters SB refracted the warm morning sun, shimmering with iridescent light. All the gold coins were neatly packed in an iron box, so heavy it seemed about to crush the wooden table.

"I must pay my utmost respect to those who carried the coffin."

This opening remark startled Sen Shi, but thankfully, he immediately realized it was a common phrase used by indigenous people...

"You actually brought the two of you back and were able to complete the deal with me... Oh dear, I was really nervous, afraid that you were just joking and would leave Frozen Bear Town immediately."

"The scroll is here, you can inspect it." Sen Shi placed the scroll on the table.

But her hand, hidden behind her back, had already reached the edge of her baggage. If the other party couldn't assure her that this was a trustworthy transaction, her debt-collecting bow would be used to eliminate this wealthy man.

The old wildcat opened the scroll and instantly recognized it as genuine with its excellent eyesight: "That's right, yes... it really is brand new, it's a healing spell."

"That's good."

"Then don't delay, go and get treatment for those who need it." Dandelion was in a particularly good mood and said something nice, "May your family be free from the troubles of illness in the future."

"Thank you! Alright, I'll go right away... I'm so grateful." His fist clenched into a ball, almost breaking the scroll. After carefully confirming that the scroll was intact, the old wildcat held it in its mouth and leaped out of the window as if committing suicide.

They were startled; they were really in a hurry. They jumped out of the window. Looking over, they saw that the old stray cat had transformed into a real black cat, striding away swiftly with all four paws.

All I can say is, it truly lives up to its reputation as a stray cat.

“One hundred gold coins, no problem, the purity is correct.” Sen Shi counted them, sighing at the weight of the gold coins, then tossed them into his bag one by one. “Alright, transaction complete. We have nothing else to do now, shall we go collect the slaves you bought?”

"No, no, I'm talking about delivery to Silvermoon City."

Mori thought about it and realized it made sense. He couldn't very well bring unknown slaves onto the sacred vessel, Tranquility. Besides, it seemed to only allow those who could ride it through the four seasons. Following this line of thought, Mori felt a surge of joy at the thought of soon leaving this wretched place.

Because having a place to live permanently is the meaning of life.

"Is your winery very large? Life there won't be as troublesome as staying in a hotel, will it?"

Dandelion smiled and said, “It’s small, but better than an inn. The room is spacious and the bed is soft. Every morning when I wake up, I can open the wooden window and see Silvermoon City under the rising sun, as well as my grapevines that I’m so proud of.”

"I prefer a firmer bed."

"We'll change it for you."

But not long after, some bad news pulled Mori Toki back from her fantasies of a new life.

Volume 1 #030: Quite a Few Troubles

Just as the two were returning laden with their loot and preparing to leave the manor filled with slaves to do something else to pass the time, a figure hurriedly appeared and blocked their path.

It was the little black cat that had caused Fufu such severe psychological trauma. He stood panting in front of Senshi. His skin was ashen, and although he didn't look as dejected as before, it was probably because he had encountered something even more troublesome.

"Please, please don't go yet."

"what?"

Sen became more vigilant, ready to throw the staff to Dandelion at any moment.

After all, even if the transaction goes smoothly, the other party might renege and try to do something bad. No matter how friendly they appear, all the slaves with clearly marked prices still prove that the other party is not a kind person.

"Is it because the goods we traded to you are wrong? Is there a problem?" Dandelion spoke first.

“No… Father said the magic scroll was fine… but it didn’t work. I heard that Ms. Mori has a deep understanding of healing magic, so Father asked me to stay behind and see why this happened.”

"Uh, it didn't work?" Mori's eyes flashed with doubt as he pondered and asked, "What kind of injury did the patient suffer? Even if it was mental damage caused by high-level magic, healing spells should be able to restore some of it..."

Dandelion also sensed that something was wrong—in fact, she wasn't an amateur in this area; after all, she was a great magician.

“If the healing spell doesn’t work, does that mean it might be an invasion from some terrifying entity?” she asked.

"...I...I don't know, but I've come to ask you to come back."

"We can't guarantee we can help, since the transaction is already over and we didn't guarantee after-sales service beforehand."

"In short, please follow me."

Out of curiosity and some insignificant kindness, the two of them followed the mansion to the first floor.

Around the room were several trusted men who were not slaves. The environment was also unique, clearly not a place for ordinary people to live—but when you pushed open the door, the interior was very simple, with only some items for warding off evil and praying for blessings.

The old stray cat sat slumped in a chair, a magic scroll, now ineffective, lying to one side. He kept looking at his family members sleeping in bed, every wrinkle etched with despair.

Before him lay an old, gray cat, its fur slouched and asleep, in deathly silence.

“This is my mother.” The old wildcat didn’t even turn its head. “The healing spell didn’t work.”

"I guarantee the magic scroll is fine."

“I know…I know. I’m not blaming you, I just feel hopeless. Even healing magic can’t save her.”

Sen Shi and Dandelion exchanged a glance, realizing they had been invited to treat the cat. After a brief discussion, they decided they didn't actually dislike the old stray cat, and since they were already there, it wouldn't hurt to try and help.

"May I come up and check?"

"Oh, that's troublesome."

Dandelion stepped forward. She had always wanted to impress Mori Toki and prove herself to be a princess worthy of her following. However, Mori Toki always brought a series of surprises, which discouraged her. And the problem she was facing now was exactly what nature magic excelled at.

This cat looks no different from any other stray cat, except that it is visibly old and its vitality is very weak. It's hard to imagine how long it has lived; this is the mother of an old stray cat.

Dandelion first ruled out physical and psychological injuries, running her fingers across the soft downy fluff to look for anything unusual—when her hand touched the wildcat's head, a sharp pain shot through her fingers.

“This, this is… a curse I’ve never seen before.” She turned around and looked at the old wildcat seriously. “Have you asked the Church of the Sea God to come and see? Purifying curses is their job.”