Unexpected Visitors

When they returned to the town of Hadas, it was already noon on the second day. As promised, Sean prepared a large bucket of hot water for Cecilia to take a comfortable bath.

In addition, Sean took care of all the household chores for the day, which, in a way, was a way to please her.

Sean also handled lunch, but he couldn't help but feel that choosing the profession of a blacksmith in the game was a bit annoying.

He was starting to get tired of eating meat every day and suddenly longed for the various delicious dishes he could enjoy before, both in and out of the game.

Although it was just a simple meal, it was still better than the "poison" concocted by an apprentice mage. In any case, they couldn't rely on the little girl for cooking.

"Why is it stew again?" Cecilia, who had just finished her bath, wrinkled her face when she saw the iron pot on the table.

"Because it's convenient and cheap," Sean blushed slightly. Although making stew was simple and inexpensive, it wasn't that he couldn't afford ingredients. It's just that after wasting a lot of money trying a few times, Sean stopped doing such things. "Are you done with your bath? Let's eat."

As Sean spoke, he placed the remaining bread and vegetables on the table and then turned to look at Cecilia.

However, this glance made Sean's face show a hint of surprise. Due to the hot weather, Cecilia had just come out of the bath wearing a relatively thin dress.

She had her head tilted, drying her wet hair with a towel. It was just a simple action, but it exuded a noble temperament, completely unlike a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl. Only those who had received an extremely good upbringing could display such an aura.

However, it was undeniable that despite Cecilia's young age, her figure and appearance resembled that of a teenage girl still in the developmental stage.

Moreover, based on the information revealed so far, this young girl's future achievements would undoubtedly be astonishing.

Seemingly aware of Sean's gaze, Cecilia suddenly straightened her body, a proud look on her face, which made Sean chuckle helplessly. "You should learn this move in a few years, considering your petite stature."

Cecilia pursed her lips, hmphed, and ran to her seat like a proud little chicken, eagerly waiting for the meal to begin.

It was a very simple lunch, but both Sean and Cecilia enjoyed it.

Although Cecilia initially complained a bit, she still showed gratitude when the food was served and didn't waste a single bite.

This was what Sean valued the most.

He was well aware that Cecilia's background was far from ordinary. Aside from her magical talents, her demeanor, actions, temperament, and way of speaking all revealed her status as someone exceptional.

Yet, she was still willing to endure hardships, and that was truly remarkable.

After lunch, Cecilia should have been responsible for the household chores, but today was a rare occasion when Sean took care of them. Cecilia continued to browse through her magic tome.

In the game, it wasn't difficult for a mage apprentice to advance to the third-tier profession of a mage. They just needed to meet the requirements and complete the necessary tasks. However, in the real world, becoming a full-fledged mage was not easy. Besides having sufficient insight and magical talent, one also needed the guidance of a mage. Even then, there was only a fifty percent chance of becoming a formal mage.

Cecilia had good talent and insight, but the problem was that she didn't have a mage to mentor her, making her path to achievement somewhat challenging. However, Cecilia had told Sean that the magic tome she had was a collection of her teacher's magic notes. If she studied it diligently, becoming a great mage wouldn't be a problem.

In the game, a great mage was a fifth-tier profession.

Of course, self-studying without a mentor would require significantly more effort.

It seemed like a peaceful and ordinary day.

If it weren't for the knocking on the door.

Sean curiously looked towards the door, but Cecilia showed no intention of getting up to answer it. Reluctantly, Sean went to open the door.

Standing outside were a slightly overweight man and a sturdy middle-aged man.

"Mr. Sean, you finally showed up!" The overweight man warmly shook Sean's hand, filled with excitement. "We've been looking for you for days, and you weren't home. We were so worried."

"Mr. Harvey, you're too kind." Sean was momentarily taken aback, not fully comprehending the situation. Nevertheless, he politely invited the overweight man and the middle-aged man inside, while ensuring Cecilia served them tea.

"Lovely young lady, I hope you're doing well," Harvey greeted Cecilia with a smile. However, Cecilia remained cold and didn't reciprocate the friendliness.

Harvey seemed accustomed to Cecilia's indifference and didn't push further, maintaining his smile. On the other hand, the middle-aged man showed a hint of displeasure on his face, especially when he looked at Sean, his eyes filled with disdain and hostility.

But Sean remained calm about the middle-aged man's expression. He was used to it, having anticipated such a reaction since he became a mercenary. In fact, he had grown accustomed to such attitudes.

Mercenary (Tier 1 profession): This is a versatile profession that rarely leaves a positive impression. Essentially, anyone can claim to be a mercenary just by wielding a weapon, making it a somewhat ubiquitous existence. However, in many regions, mercenaries are regarded as bandits or brigands. If you are suddenly arrested by guards while traveling, don't be surprised, as it's likely an area that dislikes mercenaries.

Job Reward - Weapon Insight: Due to your extensive wandering, you understand the importance of weapons. In many situations, you have been forced to use unfamiliar weapons, giving you unique insights into their usage (automatically gain "mastery" effect when using any weapon). Wandering Life: After countless trials on the brink of life and death, your achievements have been astonishing. Indeed, true strength requires constant honing (Strength +2, Strength Limit +4, Endurance +2, Endurance Limit +5, Agility +1, Agility Limit +4, Wisdom Limit +3, Willpower Limit +4).

Job Penalty - Malice: Due to the peculiar nature of the mercenary profession, you will often face unexplained malice. In areas where your reputation is below friendly, all your expenses will be increased by 30%.

The myriad professions in "Miracle" were indeed one of its highlights, but those were mainly reserved for higher-tier professions. According to the game's initial setting, players could only choose from three Tier 1 professions: mercenary, apprentice, and priest. Although professions didn't limit a player's growth path, players who chose apprentice or priest could also advance to melee-oriented professions at Tier 2 or Tier 3. In the game, many higher-tier professions covered different lower-tier professions, except for differences in job rewards and penalties.

It was evident that these characteristics were still preserved on the Miracle Continent, and they seemed to have even deeper and broader impacts.

Thus, Sean, who had his eye on the unique job reward "Weapon Insight" exclusive to mercenaries, naturally had to endure the negative effects of the job penalty "Malice."

"Mr. Harvey, you seem to be quite busy usually," Sean disregarded the middle-aged man's expression and smiled casually. "Is there some commission you'd like to introduce to me?"

"You guessed it right," Harvey nodded, not denying it. "This commission is something only you can undertake."

"Oh?" Sean became interested upon hearing Harvey's words.

Because Sean was well aware that the man before him, Harvey, was not someone to be underestimated.

The merchant profession was indispensable in any world, and on the Miracle Continent, it held a particular importance. Many goods relied on merchants for promotion and transportation to circulate effectively. Merchants' associations were a product of this situation, with some having strong ties to specific countries, while others maintained significant neutrality and independence.

"Polar Silver" was a prominent independent merchant association whose commercial activities covered six kingdoms, including the Seryan Kingdom. It could be considered one of the more renowned associations in the northern region of the Miracle Continent. As the head of a large merchant association, the president of Polar Silver couldn't possibly handle everything personally. Thus, the association had different ranks, such as stewards and commerce leaders, based on hierarchy.

Harvey was in charge of the trade route from Surylan to Sianqi in the Seryan Kingdom. Being responsible for a trade route, Harvey not only had a personal guard composed entirely of Tier 3 professionals but also had access to more funds than an ordinary viscount. Even Viscount Damian relied on him in many aspects.

Although he might not possess overwhelming power, he certainly had the qualifications to move around with authority in the Sivilan region.

And yet, such a person was seeking assistance from Sean. How could Sean not be surprised?