Aresia casually flipped through the catalogue, “There’s fire silk spun by pyroarachness—thin yet warm fabric. These arachness live around volcanoes, which we rarely see, but the silk isn’t inherently lacking warmth; it’s more about the temperature. The effects of temperature control spells are significant.”

Approaching winter, spider silk sales didn’t decrease; its lightweight comfort made it a preferred choice. Unlike other garments, it didn’t require layering in winter, suitable for showcasing physique without fear of cold. Its popularity surpassed previous seasons.

Upon hearing this, Grysenna immediately anticipated a resurgence in spider silk’s popularity for the upcoming winter. Engaging the tailor, they discussed several new designs suitable for spider silk material.

The conversation seemed to have progressed for a while. Aresia, with her mother, prepared for a midday outing.”

Let me know if there’s anything specific you’d like to focus on or if you need further assistance!

“Grysenna turned around and asked, ‘What are you doing?”

“Just strolling to buy some materials; the ones I prepared are running low.”

Without wasting time, Grysenna nodded and left. Before departing, she instructed, “If you see Jorgus on the way, check if he’s available. If so, have him accompany you.”

Jorgus’ mother, Lily, was a successful merchant who owned an esteemed business – the Iris Flower Emporium. This business had gained significant renown in Santala City, boasting several branches specializing in exotic spices, jewelry, and craftsmanship. Their clientele mainly consisted of nobles, and the business flourished.

Jorgus, studying in Holy Lotean City, resided in an impressive villa at the boundary between the Upper City, where the nobles dwelled, and the Lower City. His lifestyle rivaled that of the nobility. Aresia, usually shopping from the Upper to Lower City, often passed by Jorgus’ residence.

Initially not expecting anyone’s company, Aresia found Jorgus to be her unofficial fiancé and nodded in agreement.

As Jorgus didn’t have many acquaintances in Holy Lotean City, Aresia’s visit caught him practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard. Upon hearing Aresia’s request, he nodded in acknowledgment and said, “I’ll just make a quick bath and change into something else.”

Jorgus moved swiftly, ensuring Aresia didn’t wait long.

Sitting in the carriage, Aresia glanced at Jorgus and asked, “Is there something you need to do? Is it out of the way, or should we go there before anything else?”

“Not out of the way. I am part of the Adventurers’ Guild and have a task to complete along the route.” Jorgus replied.

During the summer break, Jorgus had been busy participating in various auctions. Whenever he had some free time, he would take on missions from the Adventurers’ Guild. He wasn’t particular about the reward as long as the target wasn’t too far, providing him with exercise.

Just a few days ago, upon his return, he undertook two missions, venturing outside the city to search for lower-grade magical ingredients. He barely made it back before the city gates closed.

When Aresia came to see him, he intended to finish sword training before tackling the guild’s mission.

“Do you still take missions? It’s been a while since you were this far.”

Jorgus shook his head. “Not today. I plan to head to the arena nearby.”

“The arena?” Aresia was surprised. “Hasn’t it been closed down?”

Aresia wasn’t shocked, it was because of the Imperial crackdown on beast hunting that the arena had fallen on hard times. Even if it was sealed, it should have been close to shutting down. After all, without the grand fights involving fierce creatures, what could they showcase to the audience?

To counter the impact of the crackdown, they had switched to recruiting professionals for matches. Moreover, since the fighters weren’t actual beasts but professional combatants, the prize money was substantial, drawing in numerous participants.

Although the original arena had indeed been sealed, what remained was an officially regulated establishment, seemingly more formal. They still arranged competitions, but without the risk of fatal outcomes.

Jorgus was interested in the arena’s combatants and their fights.

“Recently, some people have been entering the matches with powerful beast companions, enhancing their odds of victory.” he remarked.

Although he extended an invitation to Aresia for the competition, knowing her aversion to violence, he understood her reluctance.

As the Adventurers’ Guild was on the same street as Aresia’s material shop, Jorgus’ completion of tasks didn’t take much time. Hence, Aresia decided to accompany him to the guild first.

Their arrival drew attention, especially towards Aresia due to her more glamorous appearance, as she had been dressed by Lady Meghan, appointed by the Duchess to ensure Aresia didn’t wear anything unsuitable. Her opulent noble attire stood out in the guild’s setting.

People quickly recognized her, and since she frequently came for guild-related tasks, even if she didn’t personally show up, representatives from the Duke’s residence continued to issue tasks. Soon, there were staff members inquiring if they needed any services.

Initially uninterested, Aresia changed her mind upon arriving at the guild. She decided to hang a few quests for acquiring magical materials, quests of higher levels than what was usually sought after. Surprisingly, these tasks paid better, and although the quests were newly posted, they were quickly taken up.

Since there was no need for her to queue, Aresia finished her business earlier than Jorgus and found herself waiting for him in the guild’s lobby, where they were being observed. She returned to the carriage to wait for Jorgus.

Before long, Jorgus arrived.

Jorgus turned to ask Aresia, “I just saw a posted quest for collecting Frost Thorn. Was that put up by you?”

Aresia nodded, “Yes, why do you ask?”

“I happened to come across this at my mother’s spice shop and wondered if you needed it.”

Frost Thorn is a magical plant that grows in extremely cold regions. Apart from being used in alchemy for potion-making, it’s also utilized for spice production. Indeed, there were reserves of it in the spice shop. This item wasn’t commonly found in the Holy Lotean city, especially not in a shop’s stock. Jorgus noticed that it seemed like the item had already been reserved by someone, yet he felt it necessary to ask Aresia about it.

Although Jorgus did own a spice shop directly, it wasn’t located on this particular street. Aresia decided to finish her purchases here first before heading there.

Aresia delved into various material shops, seeming like she was making large-scale purchases. When encountering items at reasonable prices, she seemed almost frustrated not to buy everything in sight. Her demeanor delighted the shop owners, and given her status as a regular customer, they offered discounts and even presented her with rare items for selection.

Initially prepared to assist Aresia with her purchases, Jorgus was like a guard. Aresia, upon buying a lesser quantity, stowed the items directly into her spatial ring, while the rest was scheduled for delivery by the shop, not giving them a chance to respond.

In a momentary distraction, Jorgus, who had been by her side, suddenly disappeared. Turning around, he was found conversing with a commoner child of about ten. The child carried a basket of flowers, not particularly rare or valuable, but rather common wildflowers arranged into bouquets. The combination was tasteful and beautiful.

Most of the foot traffic on this street comprised adventurers. Buying flowers seemed out of the ordinary.

Just as Aresia observed, Jorgus handed a silver coin to the child, who then handed over the basket of flowers.

When Jorgus returned with the basket of flowers, Aresia couldn’t help but ask, “Why did you buy flowers?”

Jorgus took one bouquet and offered it to Aresia. A faint hint of embarrassment appeared on his usually composed face, and his ears seemed slightly reddened. “I… I bought it for my fiancée, something just happened, so I got them.”

Aresia received the bouquet, a mix of yellow and white daisies, feeling a bit flustered.

It wasn’t common for someone to send her flowers, making this occasion quite unusual.

Without saying much, she quietly accepted the bouquet.

It seems like a moment of surprise and curiosity for Aresia as Jorgus unexpectedly bought flowers, sparking a sense of wonder and intrigue between them.