Chapter 006: Young Girl Su Sha
Sasha shook her head in confusion: "I don't know"
Strong felt fortunate: fortunately, it was just a meal; this scammer clearly saw that the lord was young and handsome, and showed some mercy.
Susha, puzzled, put it in her mouth and chewed, experiencing a sweet and sour taste, with the sourness being more pronounced. "It's quite delicious"
They hadn't eaten properly at noon. As they exited the Adventurers' Guild, Gaia and Strong's stomachs growled in unison. The two exchanged a wry smile, and Gaia waved his hand, saying, "Let's go eat first"
Originally, Gaia was prepared to leave, but this matter prompted him to decide to stay in Mainz for a few more days
He couldn't help but smile: "Miss, it was you who bumped into me, wasn't it?"
If one can become a first-level distributor, they will be able to obtain the cheapest products directly from Magic Soldier Family. This price advantage is evidently beneficial for the development of Greenland
While passing by a ready-to-wear store, someone suddenly rushed out from inside. Gaia had not yet had time to dodge when the person collided head-on with him. The fighting spirit within Gaia instinctively activated, and a faint golden light flashed. The other party let out a cry of surprise and was knocked back, landing squarely on the ground.
He suddenly saw a small grass by the roadside: "Wait a moment." Su Sha was taken aback as Gaia went over and pulled the grass out. The leaves of the grass grew oppositely on both sides of the stem, resembling two cow horns.
Strong Qi trembled all over, and Gaia smiled faintly, hissing... Two sharp canine teeth extended, and his pupils turned blood red
"Oh, do you have any other requests?" Gaia looked at the girl leisurely.
Ah! A few attendants were startled and took two steps back: "Vampiric fangs... you, you are a member of the vampire clan, a, a, a noble?"
Gaia slowly approached and said: "If I remember correctly, there don't seem to be that many nobles in Main City. Well, it seems that only the family of the lord of the city has been granted titles by the dynasty. Am I mistaken?"
Susha's face turned bright red as she tried to cover it up, saying: "Hey, but you were the one who wanted to treat me to a meal."
The guest at the neighboring table sighed in frustration: "Such a beautiful young lady, and it turns out a plate of vegetable soup can be enough to win her over. Why haven't I encountered such good fortune..."
This is the charge that is to be sent to the guillotine
Gaia smiled and said, "No, miss, I would like to ask, are you sure you really want to eat this kind of thing?" The girl nodded seriously and replied, "That's right"
The girl tidied up her clothes, but clearly the outfit she was wearing now could not compare to the luxurious gowns she used to wear, which had layers upon layers. When her hand brushed against the collar, it was evident that there was nothing there, and Gaia chuckled softly.
Gaia suddenly turned cold and pressed, "Did I remember incorrectly?"
In Gaia's heart, there was no sense of satisfaction from revenge. In his view, he and someone like Cristiano were simply not on the same level; his goal was Sean. Perhaps only when that moment arrived would he experience the relief of venting his grievances.
Gaia and Strong were taken aback, exchanging glances before silently lowering their heads to begin cleaning up their food. Gaia couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
However, he never expected that among a group of ragged adventurers, there was a noble. Ironically, this noble was also dressed in rags, and this robe at least indicated that this noble was not faring much better than the others.
Therefore, even the wealthiest merchant would not dare to offend a minor noble
In his previous life, his favorite cuisine was Sichuan food; while chili peppers exist in this world, Sichuan peppercorns do not.
His followers were far more arrogant than he was. A few of them rushed forward and shoved Gaia violently, saying: "Get lost! Our young master has spoken, and if you stay in Mainz, you will only meet a dead end. Our young master is giving you a lesson; in fact, you should be grateful to our young master for this..."
"No, no, I will register you right away," the clerk said hastily. As he filled out the registration form, he secretly felt apprehensive: this noble gentleman appeared to be quite young, yet his capabilities were indeed formidable. Someone like Cristiano could easily bring him to submission with just a gesture. He needed to be cautious in his flattery and avoid provoking his ire
Hahaha ... ...
However, even the lowest-ranking noble is not someone he can afford to offend. Not to mention opposing the entire noble class, even according to the laws of the Shenglong Dynasty, if he issues a task to hunt down a noble, that would be a capital offense
Gaia was taken aback; the voice was clearly that of a girl. He hurried over to help her up: "Are you okay?" The girl looked quite young, about the same age as Gaia. Her clothes were new but very simple, and she had a thick braid swinging behind her head.
Within the Abyss of Demons, there exists a strict hierarchy, and the dignity of the nobility must not be offended. The Shenglong Dynasty established its nation through military might, and the nobility often possesses a set of ancestral traditions, making them significantly more powerful than ordinary commoners. This prevailing atmosphere of universal cultivation has also led to the nobility in the Abyss of Demons exhibiting particularly arrogant tempers; any slight dissatisfaction may prompt them to resort to violence to resolve issues.
This poor fellow, if he has no money, should he not try to woo girls like others do? He even brings a follower along, treating the girl to vegetable soup while pretending it's mashed potatoes, cut it out!
As the girl looked up, Gaia's first sight was those eyes, as clear and bright as the waters of an autumn lake, yet unfathomable at a glance, a deep and vibrant blue
Gaia handed her the grass, and Susha munched on it piece by piece like a snack. As Gaia walked, she said: "This is called horned grass, it is found everywhere in the Abyss, it has strong vitality and can survive in any environment"
Gaia looked at that Cristiano, who was fair-skinned and rather well-groomed, indeed fitting the description of a dandy. However, his high cheekbones gave off an uncomfortable impression, leading one to think that he must be a mean and arrogant person.
The girl pursed her lips, poked her snow-white nose with her finger, and made a face at Gaia, saying, "Not sincere."
Perhaps merchants can hire strong individuals for their protection, but within the Abyss, the nobility constitutes the largest and most powerful group. If a noble is offended, other nobles, even those who were originally enemies, will immediately unite and stand together against the external threat
Thus, he exerted his influence in Mainz, yet he was always very cautious, taking detours to avoid encounters with nobles. It was only in places like the Adventurers' Guild that he dared to act like an "upper-class individual" and look down on others
There are quite a few nobles engaged in business within the Abyss. In fact, to sustain their substantial expenses, nearly every noble family has its own trading firm. However, there are not many nobles like Gaia who personally take the initiative.
In the mind of young Master Cristiano, there was a blank slate. He was well aware of his family's position in the Abyss of Magic: merchants inherently held a low status, and even more so for those like them, who had to rely on another major merchant for survival. If a noble truly wanted to target them, it would take less than half a month for his family to completely collapse.
However, Cristiano did not think so. The three knocks echoed quickly, and he felt utterly embarrassed, wanting nothing more than to leave this place. Suddenly standing up, he felt a darkness before his eyes and collapsed with a thud.
The people at the neighboring table were whispering, their voices just soft enough for Gaia to hear. Gaia let out a helpless smile. It is indeed not easy to find a place in Mainz that sells humble foods like vegetable soup and mashed potatoes.
The girl blushed slightly, paused for a moment, and said apologetically: "I'm sorry, is my eating manner very unappealing? This is just too delicious, Martha didn't deceive me, this time sneaking out by myself is truly worth it"
The girl opened her mouth, and then immediately realized something, smiling slyly: "I won't tell you!" Gaia smiled slightly: Doesn't that just amount to an admission?
Susha has almost eaten an entire horned grass, and only then did Gaia reveal a sly smile: "Do you know why this type of grass usually grows at the base of walls?"
He had his hands tucked into his sleeves, his chin raised, and his nostrils flared at Gaia, looking down on him with disdain. He coldly snorted, "Hmph, get lost, leave Mainz!" After saying this, he turned and walked towards the office, no longer paying any attention to Gaia. In his view, a humble adventurer who had wasted so much of his time was already a nuisance, and such a small figure should not deserve the attention of Master Cristiano.
Cristiano struggled for a long time, and finally let out a long sigh, closed his eyes, and knelt down, bowing three times in front of Gaia.
Gaia arrived at the office door: "I want to participate in that competition conference"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Gaia could even feel several malicious gazes sweeping over from around her
... ... vegetable soup masquerading as mashed potatoes
Adventurers are inherently a mixed bag, comprising both passionate youths and escaped convicts. Many among them take risks for the sake of gold, and they may draw their blades without provocation, especially in the face of such a tremendous temptation
The girl's sitting posture is very dignified, and Gaia is now one hundred percent certain that this noble young lady must have sneaked out on her own
In the realm of Mo Yuan, warriors and mages are held in high esteem, whereas merchants are not accorded the same respect. The prevailing belief is that the strong have achieved their status through diligent cultivation, while the wealthy have acquired their riches through cunning and deceitfulness
The attendants' attitudes changed immediately, retreating seven or eight steps, regarding Gaia with fear as if she were a venomous snake or scorpion. Then, they turned back together to look at their "noble" young master
Ah! The clerk in the window was taken aback. Gaia tapped the table in dissatisfaction: "Is what I said not clear enough?"
Gaia plucked a leaf, rubbed it in her hand, and handed it to Susha: "Try this."
Gaia instinctively protected the food in front of him, clearly anticipating a comical scene where a light beauty would spray mashed potatoes.
Cough... The girl coughed lightly to mask her embarrassment: "How about this, seeing your sincerity, I will reluctantly agree to your request, and let you treat me to a meal..."
Gaia waved her hand: "Alright, alright, I won't say anything more"
"Hey! Don't you have any words of apology?" The girl seemed to be sulking, deliberately pouting her small lips and putting on a spoiled expression. However, Gaia's intuition told him that this girl was not actually angry at all
However, she obediently extended her hand to Gaia, allowing him to pull her up.
He intended to remind Gaia, but it seemed that Gaia was completely captivated by that girl, not even glancing at Strong. Strong sighed inwardly: It appears that it is time to find a lady for the lord.
With a slight nod, the girl instinctively placed her right hand on the edge of the plate, only to realize that this meal had no accompanying wine.
Gaia smiled gently, and her smile appeared very kind. However, the nearby adventurers, who had just harbored ill intentions, couldn't help but shiver. It was precisely this seemingly harmless smile that made them associate Gaia with the phrase "devours people without leaving a bone"
"George, why say so much to him?" Cristiano glanced at the attendant on the ground and said, "Go check on Billy's condition." He then cast a faint glance at Gaia, exuding the demeanor of someone in a superior position, looking down on a "small person" like Gaia
Gaia looked at his expression, feeling no interest in such a person. With a casual wave of his hand, he said lightly: "Kneel down and give three kowtows. You just tried to kill me; now apologize, and we will owe each other nothing."
Main City is truly wonderful, I like it here. Such delicious food is so inexpensive; had I known it would be like this, I wouldn't have... Su Sha suddenly fell silent
The way she raised her hand and lifted her skirt immediately made Gaia aware: this was undoubtedly a girl who had undergone strict training in noble etiquette. The gesture of a standard noble lady accepting an invitation to dance clearly indicated that this girl came from an ancient family; otherwise, she would not have instinctively made such a move upon seeing a hand extended towards her
Are you okay? Strong also came over. The girl rubbed her nose, and this somewhat childish gesture appeared willful and cute. She pouted her lips. Gaia believed in her previous life that pouting was an eternal privilege of girls. Boys, once they grow up, would never make this gesture again unless they wanted to give others the impression that there was something wrong with their sexual orientation.
Gaia and Strong were both taken aback. Strong's mind raced through several thoughts, yet he could not find a reasonable explanation: Could it be that this girl was doing this for the first time, lacking experience and unable to be ruthless? That seemed too cheap, didn't it? Just because someone got hit, she demanded a meal, turning vegetable soup into mashed potatoes
His forcing Cristiano to bow and apologize is merely a reflection of his character: what is owed to me, I will certainly reclaim. As for bowing and apologizing, it is merely the most basic etiquette of commoners towards nobles
Gaia held a knife and fork in his hands, yet did not begin to eat. He looked at the girl, waiting for a comedy to unfold.
With a simple glance, he had already formed an opinion: at the very least, she was a girl who appeared very pleasant to look at
Strong secretly stamped his foot: How could he be so easily hooked? The lord usually seems quite intelligent.
The surrounding adventurers looked at Gaia's demeanor with admiration, thinking to themselves: indeed, he is a genuine noble, incomparable to a nouveau riche like Cristiano. Just look at how he raised his hand earlier; such a simple gesture exuded an inner calm and grace that the current purple-faced fellow could never match.
... ...
Clearly, Master Cristiano also sensed the ill-intentions of the surrounding adventurers. While feeling pleased in his heart, he had to maintain an air of indifference, putting on a smile that suggested "this was already anticipated by me": "Kid, remember this lesson: there are some people you can never afford to offend!"
What else can Gaia say? Only a bitter smile.
Gaia was taken aback. If she were truly an ordinary girl, his fighting spirit would surely have harmed her. However, it appeared that the girl was not significantly affected. He shrugged his shoulders, remaining on guard, and extended his hand to the girl: "Well then, esteemed miss, please forgive my rashness; I offer my utmost apologies."
As for this person... anyone who casually posts a task in the Adventurers' Guild to repair him will automatically become a white VIP of our Golden Spear Weapon Shop. Those who do not mind clearing him out of the Abyss will automatically become our green VIPs, enjoying a 10% discount on all products purchased from the Golden Spear Weapon Shop in the future
Marriage at the age of fourteen is not considered young among the nobility within the Abyss. There are quite a few nobles who already have numerous wives and concubines by the age of fourteen—of course, those indulging excessively in pleasures and debauchery often meet an early demise
Gaia stared at Susan's face, which suddenly turned purple from its originally fair and tender complexion, making her feel a wave of nausea: "Really, really?"
"No!" Cristiano instinctively shouted, "Of course you haven't remembered incorrectly, esteemed noble lord..." As he spoke, his body leaned down, the once proud individual now humbled like a servant.
The moment he thought of this, Cristiano's legs felt as weak as noodles, trembling uncontrollably. He grabbed a nearby attendant to support himself, preventing him from collapsing on the spot. In his mind, the scene of the sharp, gleaming guillotine falling with a clang kept flashing before him, and cold sweat quickly broke out.
Gaia shrugged helplessly and said, "Alright, as you wish"
He suddenly thought of something and spoke at length: "Is this even considered delicious? Alas, you really haven't tasted anything good. The main issue lies with the spices. There is a plant called Sichuan pepper, which has serrated leaves and small fruits. When its fruits are ground and mixed with chili peppers in cooking, the flavor is both numbing and spicy, causing your tongue to suffer in agony, yet you still want to eat more. It is a painful yet pleasurable experience, and that feeling is simply wonderful"
Only after losing something do we realize its value—this saying is equally applicable to food
A plate of vegetable soup masquerading as mashed potatoes, one copper coin
Ah... well, how satisfying! The girl walked down the street, gently touching her slightly protruding belly and letting out a satisfied moan. She patted Gaia on the shoulder and said, "Since you treated me to such delicious food, I will reluctantly tell you that my name is Susha. What about you, what is your name?"
There is another plant called star anise, whose seeds have eight points. It is used for stewing meat, and I assure you that the aroma of the broth is so enticing that it will make you want to swallow your tongue
She smiled and picked up the knife and fork: "Alright, then I shall begin!"
Strong felt a persistent unease as he stood to one side: the young lord clearly remained unaware of the dangers lurking within the world and the scheming of others. In Meinhardt City, countless individuals relied on such deceitful tactics to make a living, and it was evident that he had encountered one today
In his previous life, he had treated countless girls to meals, and even when he could only afford street-side stalls at the beginning, he had never spent so little money to treat a girl to a meal.
Because dogs always like to urinate at the base of walls, have you ever seen a dog urinate? It has to lift one leg. Only in the places where dogs urinate will this kind of grass grow
"How can you be like this? You have no gentlemanly demeanor at all. Regardless of the circumstances, your hostility has hurt me!" the girl insisted.
As Gaia revealed her noble identity, the attendants were immediately taken aback. Offending a noble may not be a serious crime, but it is undoubtedly a troublesome one, as the punishment you receive is entirely at the discretion of that noble
"What’s wrong?" The girl appeared somewhat anxious: "Is it too expensive? Can't you afford it?"
... ...
With a wave of Gaia's hand, more than a dozen attendants, both in front and behind, carried Cristiano away, filled with gratitude
Gaia laughed heartily: "If I had known it would be like this, you wouldn't have had to scheme so hard to calculate how to treat me to a meal, right?"
Cristiano's face turned purple; he knew that if he knelt down today, he would never be able to hold his head high in Mainz again. However, not kneeling today could potentially lead to the destruction of his entire family
"An apology alone is not enough; I was thrown to the ground by you." The girl now resembled a cunning fox. Gaia and Strong did not share any "telepathic connection," yet when the girl uttered these words, both of them simultaneously thought: Here it comes!
Young master! The attendants rushed forward to help Cristiano, yet they cast their eyes towards Gaia: even the noble elder had not spoken, and with a borrowed courage of a leopard, they did not dare to leave just like that
Gaia finds it easy to understand such matters; in his previous life, he had also watched some historical dramas. Such events have occurred more than once in the history of that world
However, he did not expect that the situation was exactly the opposite. After the girl took her first bite, her eyes immediately lit up, disregarding her appearance, and she launched an all-out assault on the large plate of mashed potatoes.
In front of Gaia and Strong were bowls of beef bone soup and dry biscuits, along with a serving of fruit. In contrast, the girl had only a plate of vegetable soup with mashed potatoes, the cheapest food in the entire restaurant
"Gaia." He glanced at Susan and casually asked, "Martha is your servant, isn't she?"
Do not underestimate a 10% discount; a significant portion of an adventurer's expenses is spent on equipment. Although it is only a 10% discount, over the course of a year, it could save dozens of gold coins. As levels increase in the future, the benefits of this discount will surely be even greater
Gaia lowered her head, ending the fantasy, and gave Susha a strange smile: "It's fake, I made it up to deceive you"
Susha was taken aback, and then immediately became furious: "How can you raise someone's expectations like this and then say you are deceiving them..." Her delicate fists rained down on Gaia's arm, though it didn't really hurt; it felt somewhat like a back rub.
However, for the average person, although this food is simple, it tastes quite good
The pouted lips are of a healthy pink hue, with distinct lip lines, delicate as if carved from jade
Susha, drooling, looked at Gaia with a face full of longing: "Really?"