Small Talk - I

Author's Note:- There are two kinds of potions, human made potions and the potions from New World.

Human made potions are divided into low, mid and high grade. While potions from New World are divided into grades from S to G.

Enjoy Reading~

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Arthur and Cassandra navigated their way up to the third floor, seeking the potions they needed. They had been informed by the attentive store attendant, who accompanied them, that the potions were available on this floor.

Hand in hand, Cassandra took the lead in the conversation, sharing her journey from E-rank to D-rank and recounting her battles against beasts, describing how she triumphed over them. Arthur listened attentively, nodding in appreciation, with a genuine smile gracing his face. He cherished the moments spent with Cassandra, enjoying the tales of her adventures as they strolled through the Mart together.

Upon reaching the third floor, the attentive attendant approached Arthur and Cassandra with a courteous smile. "Sir and Madam, please follow me to the guest room. We will bring the potions you need right to you," the attendant suggested, considering it a more comfortable option to cater to their needs in a private setting.

Arthur and Cassandra agreed, and they were led to the guest room where they could relax while the potions were brought to them. The attentive service made their shopping experience even more pleasant and convenient.

Upon entering the guest room, Arthur and Cassandra noticed several sofas arranged around a central table, and there were other guests already seated in the room. The attendant guided them to an unoccupied sofa, where they could comfortably wait for the potions to be brought to them.

Sitting close together on the sofa, Arthur turned to Cassandra and asked her with genuine interest, "What kind of potions do you need?"

Cassandra made a thinking gesture, as she thought for some time, then she said, "I want some recovery potions."

Arthur addressed the attendant, his voice firm and decisive, "Please bring twenty high-grade recovery potions."

The attendant nodded, acknowledging the request, and promptly left to fulfill the order. Arthur and Cassandra continued to engage in conversation while they waited for the potions to arrive.

After a short wait, the attendant returned, accompanied by a group of people carefully carrying trays in their hands. With utmost caution, they made their way to Arthur's table, ensuring not to disturb anything on their path. Upon reaching the table, they skillfully arranged the potions in a neat manner, placing the strength recovery potions on one side, the stamina recovery potions in the center, and the mana recovery potions on the other side, the attendants bowed respectfully before leaving the room.

As the trays of potions were laid out in front of Arthur, the impressive quantity caught the attention of many people in the guest room. Envious glances were cast their way, the sight of their well-stocked supply garnered both admiration and curiosity from the other guests.

Arthur turned towards the attendant and inquired, "Inform me of the total cost for all these potions."

The attendant nodded respectfully and quickly calculated the total cost based on the prices of the potions. After a brief moment, they provided the total amount to Arthur.

The attendant responded respectfully, "Sir, each high-grade potion costs 100 silver coins, so all these potions together amount to 2 gold coins."

As Cassandra was about to reach for her storage ring to retrieve the gold coins, Arthur intervened and motioned for her to hold back. Instead, he tapped his index finger lightly on the table, and to everyone's astonishment, two gold coins materialized before them.

The room fell into a brief silence, and wide-eyed gazes fixed on the miraculous display. Arthur's ability to summon the coins seemingly out of thin air left the onlookers amazed and intrigued and there was only one thing in their mind.

Top Ranker!

Cassandra's awe-filled gaze met Arthur's as he smiled warmly at her. "Put all those potions in your storage ring," he suggested.

Feeling a sense of trust and comfort in Arthur's words, Cassandra nodded and activated her storage ring with mana. With a swift motion of her hand, all the potions on the table disappeared, stored safely within her ring.

With their shopping successfully completed, Arthur and Cassandra left the guest room, the enigmatic aura surrounding them capturing the attention of those they passed.

Exiting the Mart, they boarded the carriage and informed the driver of their destination—a cafe. The driver nodded in acknowledgement and steered the carriage towards the cafe of their choice.

Inside their carriage, Cassandra held the potions in her hand, offering them to Arthur with a kind gesture. However, Arthur declined, gently stating, "If I wanted them, I would have taken them from the store. I bought them only for you, as I don't need them."

Cassandra's eyes widened slightly in surprise, touched by Arthur's thoughtful gesture. She placed the potions back in her storage ring and smiled at him, appreciating his consideration and care. With gratitude and affection in her heart, she leaned closer to him during the carriage ride to the cafe.

As they arrived at the cafe, Rose courteously opened the door and guided them to a reserved spot, ensuring they had a quiet and peaceful space. Once settled, Cassandra placed an order for coffee and cookies for both of them. Rose discreetly excused herself, leaving Arthur and Cassandra to enjoy their private time together.

In the cozy ambiance of the cafe, Arthur and Cassandra engaged in easy conversation, savoring the warmth of each other's company. They relished the shared moments, knowing that they had found a place of solace and understanding within one another. As they spent time in this tranquil setting, their connection deepened, and the world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the bond they cherished in their hearts.

As Arthur and Cassandra were engrossed in their conversation, the tranquility of the cafe was momentarily disrupted by the sound of voices. An attendant's voice echoed, "Sir, the second floor is full, you can't enter the floor at the moment."

In response, a man's voice was heard, expressing impatience, "We've been waiting for so long. Please go and check if someone is done, so we can get a seat."

"Hubby, leave it at that. We can go somewhere else," the female voice said, suggesting that they explore other options rather than waiting for a table to become available.

"How can we leave didn't I promise you that we will celebrate your birthday here, so how can I go back on my words." the man said again.

As the man entered the second floor and looked around, his gaze eventually settled on a black-haired boy sitting alone by the window, enjoying a cup of tea. The man seemed to find a solution and approached the boy, politely asking if they could join the empty seat at the table.

The man walked towards the person sitting alone by the window, who had just finished his tea. With a warm smile, he said, "Hey, it seems you have finished your cup. Can you please let me have this seat? I want to celebrate my wife's birthday."

The boy looked at the man who requested the seat with a puzzled expression. He turned his head back and, a man in a black suit appeared behind him, elegantly dressed in a butler suit.

In a calm and composed manner, the boy pointed at the man who had asked for the seat and said, "Ask him to find another spot."

The butler, carrying out his duties with grace, approached the man who had requested the seat. In a polite yet firm tone, he conveyed the boy's wish that the seat was needed for his use.

As the man was a little startled by the butler's appearance, he quickly composed himself. However, when the butler politely asked him to find another seat, the man sighed in resignation. He understood that causing a scene would ruin his wife's mood on her birthday, especially since she disliked violence on everything. He decided to remain silent and left to find another spot in the cafe.

Meanwhile, Cassandra, ever perceptive, noticed the situation unfolding. Seeing that the man had vacated the seat, she stood up and addressed him kindly, "You can take this seat as we were about to leave."

As the man looked at Cassandra with a mixture of surprise and gratitude in his eyes, he expressed his thanks before heading to call his wife. Cassandra exchanged a knowing glance with Arthur, who smiled in response. Then, Arthur stood up, ready to leave.

At the same time, the boy who had been sitting alone by the window, sipping his tea, noticed Cassandra's presence and recognized her from earlier. Intrigued, he called his butler over and whispered something to him. The butler listened attentively and then glanced at Cassandra.

With a nod of understanding, the butler approached Cassandra with an air of quiet professionalism. He maintained a respectful distance and asked, "Pardon me, madam, but my young master would like to have a word with you if it's not too much trouble."

Cassandra exchanged a brief smile with the boy, and then she squinted her gaze. "I don't know him, and I don't want to go anywhere else," she stated firmly. With that, she started walking towards the door, Arthur following closely behind.

But before Cassandra could get out of the room, the boy came running to her and stopped her in her tracks. He extended his hand with a smile and said, "Lady, I just wanted to talk to you."

But Cassandra didn't say anything. She looked at Arthur, who sighed and stepped in front of her, asking, "What do you want to talk to her about?" Arthur cast his gaze down at the boy, who barely reached his chest.

The young one stared back with a hint of irritation in his eyes and queried, "And who might you be?" Arthur, unperturbed, remained silent, meeting the boy's gaze with calm composure.

The boy glared at Arthur and said, "Can't say anything?"

"Whatever." Arthur responded, maintaining his composure as he looked at the boy.

Arthur then took Cassandra's hand and started to walk away, seeing this the boy motioned his butler to stop them. The butler nodded getting the instructions, he the appeared in front of Arthur stopping him in his tracks.

"Master just wants to talk to her, can't she have a little chat with him." the butler said looking at Arthur.

Arthur smiled and calmly replied, "If he can't even state the reason for wanting to talk to her, there's no obligation for Cassandra to engage in conversation with him. He doesn't seem to be someone of great importance that we must talk to."

When the boy heard this, he looked at Arttur with a playful smile and said, "Do you know who I am?