After making a simple lunch and wolfing it down with a preoccupied mind, Fati finished the housework and went out again.
His destination was the Retailer, a well-known item shop located at the northwest corner of the bustling Adventurer Street.
It was a two-story building with an excellent reputation in Adventurer circles.
Except for not selling custom-made items, they had almost everything.
Fati carried his wallet and keys, strolling all the way there.
Looking through the window, it was as crowded and bustling as a supermarket.
Everything sold here was related to Adventurers, ranging from simple Magic Stone Lamps and insect repellent powder to various charms, pendants, and earrings with special effects, including daily necessities for food, clothing, housing, and transportation—everything was there.
Even in the dedicated boutique area, one could find weapons and armor produced by the Hephaestus Familia and Goibniu Familia.
Fati subconsciously touched his slightly thin wallet, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.
“Welcome to the Retailer!
How can I help you?” A waiter in a neat uniform with a decent smile quickly stepped forward.
“I just want to look around.” Fati replied with a polite smile.
“Alright, please help yourself.” The waiter bowed and stepped away…
Stepping into the first floor of the Retailer, the huge space was filled with a dazzling array of various goods.
With the mindset of “since I’m already here,” Fati wandered around aimlessly.
All kinds of magic stone products, daily necessities, furniture, and decorations made his eyes wander.
In the high-end counter area on the left, there were even boutique fresh food counters, with high-end brands like ‘Demeter Fruits and Vegetables’ and ‘Njord Seafood’ prominently listed.
“…As expected of a commercial giant, its influence can be seen in a glimpse.” Fati sighed inwardly.
After finishing the first floor, he strolled up to the second floor.
After wandering around, his gaze was finally attracted by a pair of golden wheat-shaped earrings in an exquisite jewelry shop.
After some hesitation, he gritted his teeth and bought them for 120,000 currency.
Paying with a heavy heart, he left the shop carrying the exquisite packaging bag under the waiter’s professional smiling gaze.
“So expensive!
A pair of ordinary jewelry costs 120,000…” Fati muttered with heartache, “Side businesses are indeed highly profitable.
I have the skill Hand of Omnipotence, so I should indeed consider starting a side business to solve my financial problems.”
But thinking about his current situation, he shook his head.
“The timing isn’t right; I’ll wait until after the rapid growth period.”
Leaving the Retailer, Fati didn’t stop, traveling familiarly from District Seven through to the First Ward…
The First Ward was home to many high-end commercial and residential areas.
Such as Orario’s top high-end custom clothing store: Rafat Clothing Store; Flower Affection and Grass Intent: a flower shop run by a demi-human girl, DearFlora Flower Shop, and so on;
Even the headquarters of the Justice Familia, Court of Stars, and the headquarters of the Demeter Familia, Wheat Hall, were all located here.
The overall environment in this area was beautiful, with lush greenery and high privacy.
Walking on the quiet paths in the woods, one could occasionally see beautiful buildings that blended with nature appearing faintly.
Following the path to the end, a huge manor suddenly came into view.
Fati stopped in front of the grand gate and looked up.
This was a golden castle manor, with symbols of abundance, agriculture, and grain visible everywhere in the details.
Reliefs on the walls, wheat ears on the window sills, various fruit trees acting as guards along the courtyard walls, and even the fences were decorated with shrub-like fruits and vegetables.
This was the Wheat Hall, the base of the Demeter Familia, which had huge influence in Orario and could be called a pillar of the city.
Of course, with the strength of the owner of this mansion, this wasn’t the only base.
There were several small wooden mansion courtyards with different styles inside and outside Orario.
From this, one could see how amazing Goddess Demeter’s financial strength was.
“Oh my~ isn’t this our little Fati?”
A soft and pleasant voice came from under the grape trellis in the courtyard.
A stunning goddess wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and an orange-yellow lace-trimmed off-the-shoulder gauze dress walked out gracefully.
Under the brim of the hat, her honey-colored hair flowed with a sun-like luster.
Her amber eyes caught the figure at the door, instantly lighting up with a surprised glow, and a perfect smile that could outshine a hundred flowers bloomed on her fair and flawless face.
Immediately after, the goddess’s expression suddenly changed, replaced by a tearful and pitiful look.
Her slender shoulders shrugged slightly, and she even went as far as to wipe away non-existent tears with her fingertips.
“Boo hoo…
Little Fati, you actually took so long to think of me…
Did you forget about me long ago?
So heartless, so sad…”
“…”
Looking at the goddess’s exaggerated performance, Fati’s temple throbbed slightly.
Seeing several Familia members nearby holding back laughter as they watched the fun, he quickly spoke up to interrupt the “spell”:
“Lord Demeter, could you please stop that clumsy acting?
It’s really too much.”
The exposed divine being—Goddess Demeter—paused her movements and instantly withdrew her theatrical display.
There wasn’t a trace of grievance left on her face.
“Ara?” She tilted her head, with a bit of playful defiance, “I practice every day, you know!
To be seen through by little Fati at a glance, how boring~”
“…”
Fati usually kept a respectful distance from this goddess who always found ways to tease him, if it weren’t for having no other choice…
after all, he owed Goddess Demeter a huge favor.
“Mr.
Fati, it’s been a long time.
Your arm…?” A gentle voice sounded at the right time.
A girl with long golden hair tied into an elegant braid walked over quickly and opened the courtyard gate for Fati.
“It’s Persephone, it has been a long time indeed.”
Fati nodded with a smile and shook his injured left arm:
“As for this, I ran into a little accident.
It’s just a minor injury.
You understand, right?
Creatures like Adventurers.”
“Injured by a monster?
I see.” Persephone understood.
As an Adventurer, getting injured was commonplace.
Even if Fati was cautious, there was no way to avoid every mishap when one constantly walks by the river.
“Aren’t you busy working in the fields outside the city today?”
“The fields aren’t too busy this season, and someone has to stay to take care of Lord Demeter,” Persephone explained with a smile.
“True, after all…” Before Fati could finish, he was interrupted by a call from under the grape trellis.
“Fati~ why are you standing there like a fool?
Come over and taste the grapes I grew myself!” Goddess Demeter beckoned with a bright smile.
Fati walked under the trellis and took a bunch of grapes the goddess had just picked.
Looking closely, the grapes were round and plump like purple pearls, the size of longans.
The skin was smooth with crystalline dewdrops.
When hanging in clusters, they looked like stars, and the fruit on the vines shone brilliantly amidst the green leaves, translucent like emeralds in the sun.
He picked one and put it in his mouth.
In an instant, a burst of clear and sweet juice exploded on his tongue!
The perfect balance of sweet and sour brought a wonderful aftertaste.
The fatigue from a day of running around seemed to be instantly dispelled, and his spirit was refreshed!
“Delicious!”
“It has a taste of sunshine; I feel like my spirit has been purified.”
“Fruit personally grown by Lord Demeter is indeed extraordinary!
I’ve never eaten such delicious grapes in my life!”
Fati praised sincerely.
He could only say that she truly was the goddess in charge of abundance, the earth, and the harvest—Fati sighed in his heart.
“Hmph,” Persephone chimed in with a hint of pride, “Grapes grown by Lord Demeter are treasures that even other gods can’t get!
They aren’t available on the market at all.”
Fati looked at her in confusion:
“Eh?
Even for personal consumption, you can’t finish this many, right?
If they don’t circulate, what happens to the harvest?”
The girl raised her chin proudly:
“They are used to brew divine wine, of course!
The finished product appears at the Divine Assembly and Divine Banquets.
And…
occasionally at top-tier auctions.”
“I see.”
Now Fati understood.
Each bottle of this divine wine could easily sell for hundreds of thousands of currency.
This showed how unfathomably deep Goddess Demeter’s wealth was.
Enjoying this rare delicacy, the group moved to the drawing room of the Wheat Hall.
The goddess first carefully checked Fati’s injured left arm.
After confirming there was no serious problem, she felt relieved, but still couldn’t help but whisper a reminder:
“You must be extra careful when exploring the Dungeon and try to avoid getting injured.
Luckily your luck was good this time, it’s just a superficial wound.”
Facing the goddess’s sincere concern, Fati nodded seriously: “I understand, Lord Demeter.”
Then, the goddess’s tone shifted.
With an insight that understood everything, she curled up lazily on the soft sofa and immediately hugged Fati’s arm tightly, leaning her head affectionately on his shoulder.
Her warm breath brushed past his ear:
“Alright~ tell me, little Fati.
You only visit when you need something, so you must have encountered a problem you couldn’t solve yourself before coming to see me, right?” Her soft voice carried a hint of playfulness.
His arm sank into a plump and soft sensation, and the warm breath by his ear was even more soul-stirring; Fati’s heart skipped a beat instantly.
But noticing Persephone’s cold gaze from across the table, Fati’s heart shivered.
He quickly gave a dry cough, suppressed his romantic thoughts, sat up straight, and put on the most serious expression possible:
“Cough, Goddess Demeter, to tell you the truth, I do have a favor to ask.”
After speaking, he paused, choosing his words carefully before continuing:
“I wonder if you…
know any skilled ‘Mages’?
Or perhaps, do you have a reliable way to commission a custom staff?”
“A staff, and a Mage?”
Hearing him say this, Demeter and Persephone exchanged a glance, both showing surprised expressions.
“Could it be that you’ve mastered combat magic, Fati?
No, that’s not right, aren’t your three magic slots already…
oh, is it your third magic?”
Demeter knew Fati’s favor attributes, and Persephone wasn’t surprised either.
Because when Fati registered at the City Management Authority [Adventurer Headquarters], he was nominally affiliated with the [Demeter Familia].
To the outside world, he was a member of the [Demeter Familia].
Even the house Fati lived in now was provided by Demeter.
It could be said that Goddess Demeter’s kindness could never be fully repaid.