While the day had just begun for their guests, much of the territory had been awake, a lot of whom had already been hunting outside. In fact, a lot of these hunters had already returned to sell their loot.
One of them was the new guard and half-orc Gochi, who was now in the Village Center with his team.
"I… do we sell these for the same price?" He asked, looking at the bulk of plants that were placed on the platform. He took out a couple of plants, as if unwilling to sell them for the default price.
Angelo, his teammate at this time, nodded, not sure what he was so reluctant about. "That's what we always do, yes."
Gochi frowned, really not wanting to place the plant back on the platform. "But this is more valuable than other plants…"
Angelo blinked and mused, "Then, if you think it's worth it, use the appraisal skill—which isn't free by the way—and then sell it to the pharmacy."
"We can do that?"
"Sure."
Althea happened to be nearby at this time. She was not in a very bright mood because there were no good NPCs today. How many questionable women would be suggested to her, anyway?
She was walking back when she overheard this conversation. There weren't many people in the center yet, so their conversation was particularly easy to hear.
She walked over and saw the plant. It was the guigorgon, one of the first plants she studied here, and also the main component of her hemostatic medicine.
"Hm, Angelo is right," she said, making the two flinch a bit. "My pharmacy does indeed buy this plant."
She turned to the half-orc with great interest. "You know a lot of plants?"
It wasn't that they didn't know people were nearby, they just didn't think it'd be an elder. They flinched and flushed when they saw it was the beautiful Miss Althea.
"I… I tinkered a bit with plants near Hoskle. We don't have clinics there, so…"
She nodded. As for why she didn't know of it, it's because it didn't show in his profile. He did not awaken any occupation, after all. At least not yet.
As for why no information about that was included in his registered profile, it was because he wasn't confident enough to declare it as an expertise.
However, there was interest, and even if there was minimal talent (which was something to be determined), Althea hoped to hone it anyway.
She looked at the young half-orc, who blushed a bit under her stare. "We're compiling a book of basic information about plants," she said, "I hope you can take a look at it."
"I'm sorry Miss but I… " He paused, face completely red in shame. "I can't read."
Oh, right.
"No problem. Find Rosalind," she said, "She will help you."
It was still an ongoing project and he still had a long way to go to master reading, but it was a step forward.
The half-orc looked at her with wide eyes. "I… really? Will learn to read?" And then learn more about plants?
"Of course. Everyone can, why not you?"
If he showed enough talent, she might even teach him more.
Gochi's heart shook and he held back his tears. "Thank you!"
…
Back in the park.
"Oslo!" Ansel said as he approached them. He was pushing the twins in their stroller towards them. He was carrying Theo in one hand, and the baby was looking quite comfortable there.
The big children continued to play where they were, being adorable.
Oslo couldn't help but look at him in amusement. They actually just met yesterday, but he couldn't help himself. "I see you've fathered a lot of children."
The two gorgeous men cackled at the joke, and to the eyes of many girls camping around and watching them aptly—they were downright sparkling.
A lot of them happened to be 'shippers' of the Sunset Pair, and seeing them together again made them so very happy.
Golden god has finally returned (bringing more with him!) and their longing to see this pair of eye candies would finally be sated!
Would they hug? Would they kiss?
The two halves of a pair were unaware of the fantasies that ran about them, proceeding to just introduce their families to the other.
"These are my siblings, Olga, Otto, and Obi," he said, before pointing at the blonde playing with the other children. "That's my only nephew so far."
Ansel greeted the adults and proceeded on introducing 'his' own children.
"That is Maya and Horus, as well as their friend Mimi, one of our lawyer's daughter," he said, since they were looking at the children anyway, before turning to the ones he was holding. "This is Theo and this is my niece and nephew."
Olga's eyes hadn't left the children since they approached. Her eyes stayed especially longer on cute babies in the stroller.
Then, as if feeling her stare, their eyes met hers and they smiled, and Olga felt her heart was hit.
Gah! Too cute!
Oslo saw his sister's fascination and wondered if she would finally agree to get married. He quite liked kids as long as they weren't his responsibility.
It was why he really liked Honda and he assumed he'd like his other nephews and nieces would be adorable as well.
(He was wrong, but that was a story for much later.)
Speaking of nephews, he turned his head in a direction to watch Honda, who was now blowing bubbles and giggling with the older children.
The Golds smiled and felt relieved. That little boy was always very somber back home, trying to emulate his father but had the predispositions of his mother which ended up just making him miserable.
Unlike his father who was genuinely unamused with people, Honda actually really liked them but was just very shy.
This disconnect would eventually lead to depression, and it wasn't something they wanted him to go through.
"That child really needed to loosen up," Olga said, chuckling, though her hands were already sneakily pinching baby cheeks. "To think he'd need just a day here."
"Hmn," Oslo said in agreement, subtly pulling away his sister's hands on the babies' cheeks (they could get inflamed if not gentle enough!), "Altera is very special."
A magical territory, indeed.
…
On the children's side, innocent meet-cutes really were happening. "This is nice. Are these bubbles?" Honda asked his new friends.
He knew this because he once took bubble baths with his family. But they didn't quite float like this and they weren't so many.
"Yep. We can make bigger ones!"
"Ohhh!"
At this Horus revealed an even larger plate and circle.
"What is that?"
"You don't have to blow, you just move it like this."
Horus, although younger and much smaller, took it upon himself to teach the larger boy how to use it. At this time, he just gently waved the bubble wand and a big bubble formed. "You have to be slow though, but not too slow."
Honda was sparkling when the toy was handed to him. If one didn't know what it was, they'd think he was given a real magic sword or something.
Anyway, the young blonde tried it and failed a few times, but with Horus and the other kids' patient guidance, he managed to make it in the end.
It was a wonderful big bubble as big as his face, reflecting his happy face.
His eyes was bright with pride and the other children clapped their hands in congratulations.
"Very good," Mimi said, handing him a milk candy. It was a cute wrapped thing. "Here's candy."
Honda blinked and wondered what it was. But then he saw the other children unwrapping the outer layer to eat their respective candies and did the same.
His round brown eyes went wide as the sweet touched his tongue. "Wow, delicious!" He yelled. There were sweets in the city, but they weren't so delicious and… pure tasting!
His chubby cheek puffed though. "Too bad Long Ears couldn't eat…"
"Long ears?"
Honda took his stuffed toy from his space.
Maya and Mimi brightened, "WOW, so cute!"
Mimi, in fact, had the exact same model, and she immediately pulled it out from her space, too. "I have similar bunny! My dad won it for me!" To be more accurate, Jun got Tom to do it for him, but he had taught Mimi that convincing people was part of one's skills, so the credit ultimately went to him.
Anyway, the children looked awed at the twin dolls, which were really just bought/won from the same store.
"WOW"
"WOW!"
The simple happiness of the little ones made the adults around them smile.
Ansel shook his head and looked at his friend, "You came back just in time! The supermarket are putting out new products! And a few other stores are opening to celebrate our 60th day of survival!"
"We'll be there, thanks."
"Come on kids," "Honda will be going with his family to walk around."
"Ehhh…" Maya pouted. "Can't he come with us? Or can't we come with them?"
"We can guide them around!"
"Yesyesyesyes!"
"We know all the best foods!"
"Yesyesyesyes!"
Ansel's lips twitched and he looked at the guests, "Well…"
Oslo laughed, patting his shoulder (enticing squeals from different groups of girls stalking not too far away). "We would love you guys to accompany us!" He said, "We'll treat all of you with all the snacks you want to eat!"
Ansel laughed. "Deal!"
…
As they went to the supermarket, they encountered some passerbys, a lot of whom greeted them casually—someone even patted Oslo's shoulder loudly, and he didn't seem to mind at all.
Most of all: he looked really, really, happy.
The Golds recalled their time back in Bluelle. Often times they had to watch what they said and did. It was the primary reason why they were always out on business trips.
They had never really felt being in such a close-knit community before...
And they felt kind of envious.