Brain bloom

Ke Senshi took the clothes, looked around the alley with some difficulty, and stared at the tattered box for a while before silently carrying the pig's head out and crawling into the box to change her clothes. Dandelion silently updated her impression of Senshi in her mind, thinking that she was a very conservative girl, upholding the beautiful qualities of girls from the Land of Flowers.

A few minutes later, Mori finally changed his clothes and came out.

Having grown accustomed to modern clothing, I found this mix of linen, coarse cloth, and leather unbearable to look at, but the travel boots fit perfectly, and I no longer have to go barefoot—it's wonderful.

Mori tossed the treasure chest directly into his magic bag, thinking to himself that the "three alls policy" was truly thorough, even managing to retrieve the chest...

They emerged from the alley and joined the diverse crowds, forming a bustling throng as they headed towards the higher-lying town center. This was where the free market, upscale restaurants and hotels, and the aristocratic and administrative districts of Frozen Bear Town were located.

Mori knew the way like the back of her hand, memorizing every fork in the road. Among the people brushing past her were not only humans, but also various races commonly seen in fantasy novels. This town was no different from the Frozen Bear Town she knew.

She assessed the current situation and felt that they should prepare before doing anything else, so she suggested, "Let's go buy some equipment and supplies first, otherwise we might run into trouble selling scrolls at the free market, and we might even have to fight."

"I know, but we need to book a hotel first."

"And we still have that pig-headed guy with the bounty to pay... is it really necessary to book a hotel first?"

“No, remember—if you get into town, the first thing you must do is make sure you can find a place to spend the night. That’s an ironclad rule.” Dandelion’s expression was gloomy, and her tone was resolute. “There are incredibly terrifying ghosts at night… ghosts that no living person dares to face.”

Perhaps it was the words of the dandelion that resonated so deeply, but even in the bustling city, with the afternoon sun shining down on the earth, Sen Shi still felt a chill run down his neck. Could it be that ghosts really do appear at night? There had never been any before.

After hearing about this, she began to pay attention to the buildings around her.

He also discovered that the doors and windows were frequently sealed shut, even in high-rise buildings on the third floor or in areas frequented by tough guys with "mercenary" signs. Mori wondered if they were preventing theft or guarding against something that might appear at night.

Dandelion didn't say anything more. After the two of them entered the clean streets of the High District, they chose a stylish hotel and rented the last double room for three silver coins.

This was supposedly a newly opened inn, but what puzzled Mori was the various items displayed inside, including those for warding off evil, calming the mind, and aiding sleep. This went beyond the level of consideration for guests; clearly, they were afraid of something. Aside from that, at least during the day, the entire city was vibrant.

Dandelion finally felt relieved after renting a place to stay for the night.

"Let's post the information about the magic scroll first, and then wait for buyers to bid. Most of the nobles here started out in trade and are very wealthy."

“That’s a good idea. I thought you were planning to just offer 70 gold coins as a fixed price.”

The dandelion, praised, smiled proudly: "I'm not that stupid. This is a very rare and sought-after product, so of course I have to market it well."

Volume 1 #014 - What an embarrassing thing happened!

As a port trading town, Frozen Bear Town has two free markets: one is a larger free market with smaller prices and a wider variety of goods. Outsiders often say that this free market is full of opportunities, where you can find all sorts of good things at cheap prices. However, once you experience it, you'll never believe those lies again.

It was so messy and dirty.

Fortunately, Sen Shi and Dandelion didn't need to put what they were selling in such a place, otherwise they would have been suffocated by the smell.

On the way, the two, hungry, found a clean restaurant for lunch. After sitting down, Dandelion gave all her spare change to Mori, as if hoping she could use her experienced eye to find something useful at the market. The latter suggested that it would be better to buy some materials and make something of value to sell.

This was actually Mori Toki's true thought. Everything was currently a blank slate, and the specific plan for restoring the kingdom still needed to be explored gradually. However, she possessed many life skills, so earning money to accumulate funds for the war wouldn't be a problem.

Morishi, feigning nonchalance, brought up another important question:

"My dear princess, how many people do you have under your command now? After so many years of accumulation, you must have done more than just brew wine at home; you must have also used your political skills to win over several politicians who support you, right? So, how many reliable allies do you actually have?"

"Um, well... I... I brewed a lot of red wine! I promise I can make Mori happy." She pouted, trying to brush it off with a hum.

"Wait, are you sure there aren't any anti-war groups in this world? You... haven't managed to win over even one?"

"Oh, don't make things difficult for me, it's not like I haven't tried!" Dandelion sighed softly, her expression somewhat bitter. "I don't have the means to win people over. They do want me to offer something, but I've refused everyone... That's why I hate this world. Luckily, Tu Mi has always been with me."

In an instant, Sen Shi understood that the only thing a princess of a fallen kingdom who had lost her homeland could be remembered for was her beauty.

Thinking about this, she felt extremely uncomfortable. If Dandelion hadn't been so isolated and helpless, she probably wouldn't have chosen that one-in-five chance to execute the magic of fate, hoping a hero would lend a helping hand...

With a sigh, Morishi felt a deep respect for the vanished Tu Mi, who, even as a ghost, had diligently protected the dandelion before Morishi's arrival.

Dandelion said remorsefully, "I'm sorry, I didn't manage to get any help... Restoring the country is too difficult, isn't it? I'm pretty useless, you can complain all you want... Actually, it's okay if you don't want to help me."

"I will make everyone who has spoken ill of you pay the most painful price." — She silently vowed in her heart to atone for her unintentional act of losing money, which was indeed a heavy sin.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was rather tense because the topic was so heavy. Even when chewing on the spicy fish, Mori found it tasteless. However, they overheard some idle chatter at the next table.

"It seems like war is really going to break out this time."

"The warmonger has brought another declaration of war. This time, he's probably going to bypass Silvermoon City and come straight here to bombard us."

"I heard that quite a few important figures have arrived, discussing how much money they should pay to the warmongers in order to avoid this war... Damn it, that country's fleet is terrifying."

As Dandelion listened, a glimmer appeared in her eyes, as if she were considering whether there was an opportunity to seize.

……

After dinner, in order to make some preparations, Mori persuaded his princess to agree to allocate some funds to buy some stimulants to ensure that they would be in perfect condition to negotiate the business—after all, no one knew if there were any extremists among the buyers.

Following his memory, Mori actually found the old apothecary. It was a favorite spot for newbies back then, and Mori himself had been there many times. He was surprised that after more than a century, the shop still stood, albeit on a smaller scale.

Stepping inside, the room is filled with a calming scent that can revitalize even the most weary person.

Mori didn't see any old acquaintances, because the shop owner was no longer the wrinkled, flamboyantly dressed old apothecary. Instead, he was a bespectacled, refined human man. Thus, for the first time, she truly felt the passage of time.

"What would you like to buy, magician?" the shopkeeper asked Dandelion kindly.

"I'd like to buy two bottles of Vitality Potions. I'm a regular customer of Silvermoon City's Chief Pharmacist, Mr. Byron. Could you give me a discount?"

"Ten per bottle. Unless you've bought over a thousand bottles here, I can give you a discount." Although his attitude was friendly, the shopkeeper simply glanced at Dandelion and, without being too impolite, took out what the customer wanted.

On the counter were two small glass bottles containing a medicine that wasn't blue at all, but rather a dark, inky black. Sen Shi immediately thought of Huoxiang Zhengqi Water (a traditional Chinese medicine), and felt a pang of nostalgia for his previous life.

"Alright, ten silver coins a bottle, right?" Dandelion, having failed to negotiate a lower price, hid her disappointment and put on a brave front, adding, "I hope your potion works as well as the one from Silvermoon City."

"I've changed my mind. I'll charge you twenty-five coins in total, because my stuff is better than that old man's in Silvermoon City," the shopkeeper said calmly.

Sen listened silently, not wanting to get too entangled in these matters.

Among the magical skills she possessed was one called "Magic Alchemy," which was actually the skill of creating various potions and supplements. Therefore, just by smelling the lingering odor of the raw materials, she knew that the potion quality here was actually quite poor.

If he were to speak now, Mori would be absolutely certain he could give the other person a good dressing down and then slam the door and leave.

After much hesitation, Mori Toki still didn't do it. Of course, she wanted to help her princess, but she also firmly believed that a dandelion destined to be crowned king wouldn't be a delicate flower—if it couldn't even withstand a little wind and rain, it probably wouldn't have any hope of restoring its kingdom.

Because Mori Toki wasn't the hero she expected, unable to protect her every moment and do everything for her...

Dandelion's expression was exceptionally gloomy, and his words were utterly indifferent: "Your potion hasn't been prepared long enough, so it still retains the raw materials' immaturity. I can accept the price of ten silver coins, because that's the market price, and I can tolerate your minor flaws."

The previously composed shopkeeper removed her glasses and silently observed Dandelion, seemingly assessing her magical abilities. Mori, however, was pleased, as her princess was not incompetent or weak. Confirming this, she smiled and ended the pointless farce.

“I remember that when Grandma Leila used to sell medicine, she would always write down the bills one by one.”

"How did you know about the God of Alchemy's... habit?" The shopkeeper gasped, his pupils instantly contracting.

Of course, Sen Shi wouldn't tell him that the first thing Granny Leila said to players every day was, "I've noted on the bill that you didn't buy any medicine today." Instead, he quietly remarked that the NPC from back then had now become the potion god in people's eyes...

She reached out and retrieved twenty-five silver coins from a void, placing them on the table. Then she picked up the potion she had bought. Before leaving with the dandelion, Mori Toki casually uttered a single sentence—

“You can look at the bills from over a hundred years ago. There’s a person named Sen Shi who bought over ten thousand gold coins worth of potions here.”

After watching the two strange customers leave, the manager was stunned for a while before running upstairs to look for the old bills.

This is a century-old establishment; everything is preserved with magic. The shopkeeper frantically searched, his heart trembling. Could it really be true? Such a large volume of transactions… it's unbelievable. How did that person know about the God of Potions?

However, he searched for a long time but couldn't find it, and he felt like he had been tricked.

Mori, who had made such bold remarks, hadn't walked far when his face suddenly turned bright red, and he blurted out, "Damn it, Mori is my real name, but that's not my character's name..."

She'll never dare to come to that store again; it was just too embarrassing.

……

(I can only update once a week recently because there are some obstacles with the contract. The editors at Shuke will be on holiday for several days on Children's Day, so I won't be able to receive the contract during that time.)

I'm not going to get Moon Raven's perfect attendance bonus anyway, so please don't send me any more venomous words next month... I won't receive them.

To keep the word count low enough for the contract, I can only update once a week for a while, but after signing the contract, I'll basically update twice a day. It should be around the 10th of next month.

So it's fine to let it grow during this period, since the book is still very young and you can't really read much content yet... Or, maybe I can take a break for a few days and then release it all at once?

……

(Thank you all for your monthly tickets and recommendation votes for Moon Raven, please continue to support her next month...)

Thank you to the toilet installer for the 10000 donation, and thank you to ailees, Night Spring Bride, Gray Toilet, Childlike Illusion, and World for the donations!

Even though I can't receive it, I still want to thank the world, cocoleaf, the author for selling their asshole (dare to reveal their real name?), Lulutia-Zejin, Quezhou Yifan Du Rulai, and Shuke2258994330 for their razor blades OTZ)

Volume 1 #015 · This is a gentleman

Even though this is a town battered by sea winds and permeated with the stench of salted fish, it still retains a pursuit of beauty. In the city center of the upper town, several benches surround bright flowerbeds, which are generally a favorite spot for young men and women from wealthy families to date.

However, Mori and Dandelion were unaware of this and were only thinking about resting their bottoms on the chairs.

"Your mental strength hasn't fully recovered, has it?" Mori asked.

"Yes, only about one-tenth of the usual amount. It took too much effort to summon you."

"Alright, drink both bottles." Sen Shi handed the two bottles that looked like Huoxiang Zhengqi Water to the princess, and opened the cork of one of them so that the thrifty Dandelion wouldn't find an excuse to refuse.

"Wow, this is my first time drinking it... I'm kind of looking forward to it."

Watching her curiously sniffing the bottle, Mori suddenly remembered that she had told him she hadn't tried this kind of stamina potion yet. Since that was the case, when haggling at the apothecary, he mentioned that he was a regular customer of the Silvermoon City apothecary…

Sen then raised his question.

Dandelion smiled slyly, a hint of smugness in her eyes, thinking that even her great hero had moments she couldn't see through.

"That's a bargaining tactic. After all, I do know that old man and have always wanted to learn magic from him. But I can't raise the funds to buy the materials for practice, so I have to give up."

"I see, it was all a bluff during the bargaining... Ha. But if you want to learn magic, you'd better drink it soon; it will be helpful."

As an expert in this field, Mori Toki also went through a training phase. Not only did she need to make large quantities of potions, but she also had to drink the potion many times to learn and improve through personal experience. This is why she spends a lot of gold coins to buy the most basic potions from the shop…

Thinking back to her previous failed attempt to show off, Mori sighed silently again. Lost in thought about these trivial matters, she watched with interest as Dandelion poured a tiny bit of the potion onto her tongue and exclaimed in surprise, "It doesn't taste bad at all!"

She immediately gulped down a bottle, her face becoming rosier. When she wanted to drink another bottle, she handed it to Mori.

"You should add something too."

"No need, I'm in good spirits, you can drink it all—but keep the bottle, wash it when you get back and use it later." She had already decided that once she had a suitable place to stay and had a proper understanding of the market, she would start making all sorts of goods.

……

The two arrived at their destination, full of energy—an ornate wrought-iron gate adorned the facade of the free market, inside which lay an open-air marketplace filled with hushed conversations. The ground was almost spotless, and although there weren't many people coming and going, they were all dressed in fine clothes.

At the entrance, a half-orc with bared fangs was staring at their shoes. If they were dirty, he would immediately stop them and send them away without mercy; they were not people who should be allowed in here.

Fortunately, the orcs didn't make things difficult for them and opened the door generously.