Naaza looked up from the potion-making book in her lap as the bell above the entrance twinkled and the door swung open. Her ears twitched once in irritation before the movement smoothed into a smile — a well-practiced, automatic one that didn't reach her eyes. The recipe she'd been reading — a new stabilizer formula using diluted unicorn gall — had just reached the interesting part. But that didn't matter. The bell meant customers, and customers meant money.
She snapped the book shut with a soft thud and stood. Maybe one of Takemikazuchi's kids again, here to buy antiseptic for whatever they'd scraped off themselves this time? The thought barely formed before it vanished — no, this was someone new.
A new customer.
The realization sent a tiny jolt through her. Her forced smile turned genuine for half a heartbeat before she masked it again into something professionally pleasant. New customers were rare. Old bastard Dian Cecht drew them like flies with his "miracle" potions and his bottomless marketing budget.
New customers meant possibility. Recurring revenue. Word of mouth. Survival.
Her mind kicked into overdrive, analyzing. Her eyes flicked from his hair to his bare feet in a single sweep.
Dark hair, golden eyes — striking, a little unsettling — posture slightly hunched, movements slow and deliberate. Dust on his face, scuffed belt, brand-new leather that hadn't yet molded to his shape. The short sword at his hip hadn't seen blood.
Fresh, she thought. Gods, he's the freshest rookie I've ever seen.
She straightened her back and slipped into her customer-service voice, soft and formal, just shy of flirtatious:
"Welcome, dear customer, to the Blue Pharmacy. It's a pleasure to have you here today. How may I assist you?"
He blinked, momentarily taken aback by her enthusiasm, but he didn't retreat — good. No discomfort meant she could keep the tone light, inviting. Men were simpler than potion ratios. Most didn't want to disappoint a cheerful woman. Five seconds in, and she already had the upper hand.
A tiny, traitorous part of her whispered that she might be overdoing it — preparing a full-blown sales strategy against a confused adventurer who probably couldn't afford even a healing salve — but she shoved that thought down with the same merciless precision she used when filtering toxins.
If anything, I need to push harder. Hook him now, and maybe he'll come back when he actually has money.
"Oh, nice to meet you, Miss!" he said at last, a slightly bashful tone coloring his voice.
Naaza tilted her head. Bashful? Was that flustered embarrassment or mild attraction? Either way, she could work with it—
"Actually, I'm not looking to buy anything right now…"
Her smile didn't falter, but she felt the muscles around her mouth tighten, the brightness dimming by a fraction. That was fine. Patience was key. Fishermen didn't yank the line at the first nibble. She'd draw him in slowly, gently—
"…but I would like, if possible, to join your Familia."
"Huh?"
The sound escaped before she could stop it.
She blinked. Once. Twice. The pleasant mask fell away completely. For a moment, her face was unreadable — not hostile, just blank. Cold analysis replaced charm in an instant. This wasn't a simple customer anymore. This was serious business.
Either he was stupid, or he thought he was clever enough to pull something. Both were dangerous.
"Explain yourself," she said flatly.
He didn't flinch at her tone. His eyes met hers. Not challenging, just steady.
"Ah, I can see that you'd prefer for me to skip the pleasantries," he said evenly. "I think your Familia is the best fit for me in my current circumstances. I've learned from the Guild that the Miach Familia specializes in potion-making, something I wish to study. I also heard its Captain was once a level two adventurer — meaning I can learn combat from you."
He paused, gauging her reaction. Naaza remained silent, tail swaying idly behind her stool, pretending disinterest.
"I'm also aware of the debt your Familia carries," he continued, "and I'm willing to donate most, if not all my dungeon earnings in exchange for the chance to learn."
"You'll have to state that in front of Lord Miach," she replied automatically, tone controlled but firm. His offer was somewhat logical, but logic didn't pay for bread. People said things like this when they didn't understand what poverty felt like — when they'd never gone hungry enough to stare at empty shelves and wonder which limb to sell next.
Her tail flicked once. The Blue Pharmacy's finances were a slow, grinding nightmare: empty shelves, half-finished orders, rejected potion batches because they couldn't afford proper catalysts. Poverty wasn't an inconvenience — it was a second shadow, always waiting.
But this didn't mean he couldn't be useful...
"I am, of course, aware, Miss Erisuis," he said smoothly, as if reading her thoughts. "In fact, I'm willing to do that this very moment, if you wish."
She froze for a beat. He knew her name, which meant he really dug for information. Some people in the Guild probably still knew about her— she wasn't that obscure — but something in the way he said it made it feel deliberate. This wasn't a prank.
"Lord Miach is currently away, buying ingredients," she said after a moment. "He should be back within the hour."
"Ah, I understand." He nodded, a small smile touching his lips. "Would you rather I wait outside? If more customers come in, it might get cramped."
Naaza's ears twitched in faint amusement. Polite, huh? Confident, too. She leaned an elbow on the counter, feigning laziness.
"No, you can stay here and tell me more about yourself," she said, voice slow and drawn-out, intentionally condescending. "I'd rather not present Lord Miach a swindler, if I can help it. So please — show me your true colors."
The man didn't bristle. In fact, he looked faintly entertained, like he'd just been challenged to a board game instead of interrogated.
"Sure thing. Let me start from the beginning. My name is Alex Silver, and I like getting stronger and learning new things. I arrived in Orario today and…"
Naaza listened, her tail curling thoughtfully behind her chair. For the first time in weeks, she realized, her boredom was gone.