Ronan made a simple lunch. He had a lot on his mind, so he finished his food in a few bites. He finished the housework and went out again.
His destination was [Retailer]. This famous item shop was located in the northwest corner of the busy [Adventurer Street].
It was a two-story building with a very good reputation among adventurers. It sold almost everything except for custom-made items.
Ronan carried his wallet and keys and walked there.
He looked through the window and saw that it was as crowded as a supermarket. It was very lively.
Everything sold here was related to adventurers. This included simple items like [Magic Stone Lamps] and [Insect Powder]. It also included charms, pendants, and earrings with special effects. They even sold things for daily life like clothes, food, and housing supplies.
In the special luxury area, you could even find weapons and armor made by the [Hephaestus Familia] and the [Goibniu Familia].
Ronan instinctively touched his thin wallet. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
"Welcome to [Retailer]! How can I help you?" A male clerk in a neat uniform greeted him with a polite smile.
"I just want to look around," Ronan replied with a polite smile.
"Certainly. Please, take your time," the clerk bowed and stepped back.
Ronan walked through the first floor. The huge space was filled with all kinds of goods.
Since he was already there, Ronan looked around casually. The various "Magic Stone Products," daily items, furniture, and decorations made him feel a bit dizzy.
At the luxury counter area on the left, there was even a fresh food section. High-end brands like "Demeter Fruits and Vegetables" and "Njord Seafood" were displayed there.
"...As expected of a commercial giant. You can see how much influence they have just from this," Ronan thought to himself.
After looking through the first floor, he walked up to the second floor.
He walked around for a while. Finally, in a fine jewelry shop, a pair of golden earrings shaped like ears of wheat caught his eye. After some hesitation, he gritted his teeth and bought them for 120,000 Valis.
It hurt to pay that much. He took the beautiful gift bag and left the shop while the clerk watched him with a professional smile.
"So expensive! A pair of regular jewelry costs 120,000..." Ronan whispered, feeling the loss. "Side jobs really are profitable. I have the skill [Omnipotent Hand], so I should consider a side job to fix my money problems."
But then he thought about his current situation and shook his head.
"The timing isn't right. I'll wait until my fast growth period is over."
Ronan left [Retailer] and kept walking. He moved quickly from Sector 7 to Sector 1.
Sector 1 was home to many high-end shopping and residential areas.
It had Orario's top custom clothing shop, the Rafat Clothing Store. It also had DearFlora, a flower shop run by demi-human girls.
Even the headquarters of the Astraea Familia, [Stardust Garden], and the headquarters of the Demeter Familia, [The Wheat Hall], were located here.
The whole area was beautiful with many trees and offered great privacy. As he walked on the quiet paths in the woods, he could occasionally see beautiful buildings that blended in with nature.
At the end of the path, a huge estate appeared.
Ronan stopped in front of the grand gate and looked up.
It was a golden castle-style manor. Symbols of fertility, agriculture, and grain were everywhere in the details.
There were carvings on the walls and wheat patterns on the window frames. Various fruit trees acted as guards along the walls. Even the fences were decorated with berry bushes.
This was [The Wheat Hall]. It was the home of the [Demeter Familia], a group with huge influence that served as a pillar of the city.
Of course, given the owner's power, this wasn't her only base. She had several other wooden villas and yards with different styles inside and outside Orario. This showed how amazing Goddess Demeter's wealth truly was.
"Oh my~ Isn't this our Ronan?"
A soft and pleasant voice came from under a grape trellis in the courtyard.
A beautiful goddess walked out. She wore a wide-brimmed straw hat and a long, orange, off-the-shoulder dress with lace. Her honey-colored hair glowed like sunlight under the hat.
Her amber eyes saw the figure at the gate. They immediately lit up with surprise. A perfect smile appeared on her fair face, one that could make flowers lose their color.
Then, the goddess's expression suddenly changed. She looked like she was about to cry and seemed very pitiful. Her shoulders shook slightly, and she even wiped away fake tears with her fingertips.
"Wooo... Ronan, you finally remembered me after so long... Did you forget all about me? So heartless, I'm so sad..."
"..."
Watching the goddess's over-the-top acting, Ronan's forehead twitched. He saw a few Familia members nearby holding back their laughter. He quickly spoke to stop her:
"Lady Demeter, could you please stop that terrible acting? It is way too much."
The goddess, Demeter, stopped her movements. She immediately stopped her act. There was no trace of sadness left on her face.
"Oh?" She tilted her head with a playful look. "I practice every day, you know! You saw through it instantly, Ronan. That's no fun~"
"..."
Ronan usually tried to keep his distance from this goddess who always teased him. He only came here because he had no other choice.
After all, he owed Lady Demeter a huge favor.
"Hello, Ronan. It has been a long time. Your arm...?" A gentle voice spoke. A girl with her long golden hair in an elegant braid walked over quickly. She opened the courtyard gate for Ronan.
"Hello, Persephone. It really has been a long time."
Ronan smiled and nodded. He moved his injured left arm slightly.
"As for this, I had a little accident. It's just a small injury. You know how adventurers are."
"You were hurt by a monster? I see," Persephone understood.
For an adventurer, getting hurt was normal. Even though Ronan was careful, things could still go wrong.
"Are you not busy in the fields outside the city today?"
"It is not the busy season for the fields right now. Also, someone needs to stay and take care of Lady Demeter," Persephone explained with a smile.
"True, because..." Before Ronan could finish, a voice called out from the grape trellis.
"Ronan~ Why are you just standing there? Come and taste the grapes I grew myself!" Lady Demeter waved with a bright smile.
Ronan walked under the trellis. He took a bunch of grapes the goddess had just picked.
The grapes were round and full like purple pearls. They were about the size of longans. The skin was smooth with drops of dew on them. The bunches looked like stars hanging among the green leaves. In the sunlight, they looked as clear as emeralds.
He put one in his mouth.
Suddenly, a sweet and clear juice exploded on his tongue! The balance of sweet and sour was perfect. It had a wonderful aftertaste. The tiredness from his long day seemed to vanish instantly. He felt refreshed.
"Delicious!"
"It tastes like sunlight. I feel like my spirit has been cleaned."
"Fruits grown by Lady Demeter are truly amazing! I have never eaten grapes this good in my life!"
Ronan praised her sincerely.
He thought to himself that she truly was the goddess of fertility, the earth, and the harvest.
"Hmph," Persephone added with a hint of pride. "The grapes grown by Lady Demeter are treasures that even other gods want! You cannot find them on the market."
Ronan looked at her with confusion.
"Eh? You can't eat all of these yourselves, right? If you don't sell them, what happens to the rest?"
The girl raised her chin proudly.
"We use them to make Divine Wine! The wine is served at the Denatus and divine banquets. Of course... it also appears at top-tier auctions sometimes."
"I see."
Now Ronan understood. Each bottle of that wine could easily sell for hundreds of thousands of Valis.
This showed just how deep Goddess Demeter's wealth was.
After finishing the rare treats, they moved to the sitting room of [The Wheat Hall].
The goddess first checked Ronan's injured left arm. She felt relieved after seeing it wasn't serious. However, she still gave him a gentle warning.
"You must be extra careful when exploring the Dungeon. Try to avoid getting hurt. Luckily, you were fortunate this time. It is only a surface wound."
Ronan nodded seriously at her genuine care. "I understand, Lady Demeter."
Then, the goddess's tone changed. She looked like she knew exactly why he was there. She leaned back lazily on the soft sofa and suddenly grabbed Ronan's arm tightly. She rested her head on his shoulder. Her warm breath brushed past his ear.
"Alright~ Tell me, Ronan. You wouldn't come here unless you had a problem you couldn't solve alone, right?"
Ronan felt the soft touch on his arm and the warmth near his ear. His heart skipped a beat.
But then he noticed Persephone sitting across from him. She was looking at him with a cold gaze. Ronan shivered. He coughed and forced himself to stay calm. He sat up straight and put on a very serious face.
"Cough. Lady Demeter, to be honest, I do have something to ask of you."
He paused for a moment and chose his words carefully.
"I was wondering... do you know any skilled [Magicians]? Or, do you have a reliable way to get a custom staff?"
"A staff? A Magician?"
Hearing this, Demeter and Persephone looked at each other with surprised expressions.
"Don't tell me you learned combat magic, Ronan? That shouldn't be right. Your three magic slots were already... oh, is it your third magic?"
Demeter knew about Ronan's Status. Persephone wasn't surprised either.
This was because when Ronan registered with the Guild, he was officially listed under the [Demeter Familia].
To the outside world, he was a member of the [Demeter Familia].
Even the house Ronan lived in now was provided by Demeter.
It could be said that Ronan could never fully repay Goddess Demeter's kindness.