"Ugh…"
Ron woke up at exactly six in the morning—his biological clock working like always.
He tugged lightly at the hem of his pants and sighed.
Another stiff morning, huh…
With a swift kip-up, he jumped out of bed and headed to the bathroom. He stood over the toilet for a long while before finally finishing his business.
After getting dressed, he went downstairs into the courtyard to start his morning training.
Before training, he brewed a cup of Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum tea and ate one petal, then began practicing the Light Sword Codex.
As his body began to warm up, Ron performed one precise movement after another, drawing out threads of "qi" to circulate through his body.
From today on, with the help of the Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum, he could accelerate his Battle Aura cultivation.
After an hour of training, Ron estimated his progress.
Without the Chrysanthemum, he would have needed at least another half a month to attempt a breakthrough to Tier 1 Warrior.
But now, with its assistance, he might be able to attempt forming a Battle Aura Vortex in just a few days.
"…Feels like the system is doing this on purpose," Ron muttered, drenched in sweat, as he walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower.
The first plant he got was the Nether Orchid, which enhanced meditation efficiency for mages. The second was the Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum, which boosted Battle Aura cultivation. It really did seem like the system was tailoring everything just for him.
Now he couldn't help but look forward to the main quest reward: the mysterious Scalevine. Who knew what that plant might do?
After his shower, instead of entering the dimensional space like usual, Ron headed down to the first floor of his shop and pulled up the shutter.
As expected, a small figure was already standing there, uncertain how long she'd been waiting.
Ron smiled helplessly. "Why'd you just stand there? Could've knocked."
Nora looked up at him, then quickly lowered her head. Her voice was crisp:
"I just got here."
"Come on in," Ron said, stepping aside to let her enter.
Nora followed him in, glancing curiously around the store's interior.
She had peeked in from the outside before, but walking in was a completely different feeling.
All the clear, sparkling glass made everything seem so… precious.
She walked cautiously, afraid of dirtying anything.
They approached the stairs when she suddenly paused and asked suspiciously, "Why are we going upstairs?"
Ron was already halfway up and glanced back with a chuckle. "You haven't had breakfast yet, have you? The dining area's upstairs. Also, we'll sign your employee contract there."
"Oh… okay…" Nora nodded, a little embarrassed, and followed him.
Even though she had decided to trust Ron—for now—Nora still kept her guard up. It might seem ungrateful, but that vigilance had kept her alive for over a decade.
Ron led her to the second-floor lounge and seated her at the dining table. He heated some milk, fried eggs and bacon, and served it with wheat bread—a full breakfast.
At first, Nora felt completely out of place. She sat stiffly on the clean chair, unsure where to put her hands at the spotless table.
She instinctively tugged at her patched-up robe and lowered her head—then noticed she had dirtied the seat a bit and fidgeted nervously.
But as soon as the food was served, the delicious smell overwhelmed her discomfort.
Once Ron sat down across from her and gave her the okay to start eating, Nora didn't hold back—wolfing it all down in a hurry.
Only when she finished did she realize Ron was still halfway through his meal.
Nora blushed.
Lowering her head, she picked up her fork again and started poking at the leftover crumbs on her plate, sneaking glances at Ron with the corner of her eye.
Ron was holding a knife and fork, cutting his food gracefully and efficiently—every motion natural and elegant.
This table etiquette had been ingrained in him from growing up in the palace as Ron André, even if his soul came from another world.
Nora watched this and subconsciously tugged at her old robe again. She felt… completely out of place here.
"If you don't mind, why not take a shower first?" Ron paused midway through his meal and suggested casually.
"Huh? A… a shower?" Nora leaned back against her chair, flustered. A faint blush crept up her cheeks as her tongue tripped over itself. "Why… why do I need to take a shower?"
Ron couldn't help but hold his forehead, chuckling.
"You don't always have to be this guarded… You're going to be working in a flower shop. Even if you don't bathe, at least wash your face, right?"
Only then did Nora realize—she had been deliberately smearing dirt on her face for so long that she'd forgotten how used to it she'd become.
Reminded of this, she finally understood.
"I'll go wash my face…" she mumbled, getting up from the chair.
"I've prepared your work uniform—it's in the bathroom. If you're okay with it, go ahead and shower, then change into the uniform. But I won't let you work in that outfit," Ron said as he cut into his food again.
"The bathroom door locks from the inside. The key's hanging on the handle—take it in with you. I'm not going to peek or anything, alright?"
Nora glanced down at her patched-up robe and muttered, "Okay…"
"…Honestly, with that build, there's probably nothing to see anyway."
Nora's head snapped up, puffing her cheeks in protest, only to see Ron calmly eating without even glancing at her. His movements were still elegant and composed.
"…Hmph."
She stormed into the bathroom.
Not long after, the sound of running water could be heard.
Ron, now finished with breakfast, sat on the couch… and couldn't help letting his imagination wander a little.
System Prompt: [Daily Quest Triggered.]
[Daily Quest] — [Peep at the Catgirl Showering]:
[Objective: Find a way to sneak a peek before she finishes her shower.]
[Reward: Hehehe~]
"…"
Ron's eyes narrowed as a look of pure exasperation took over.
This system… was getting more shameless by the day.
Where is your dignity!?
Should I spend some of my wealth points to buy you some shame?
And that reward description? What kind of twisted taste is that!?
[Shop Offer]:
[Temporary X-Ray Vision to See Through the Bathroom Door] – 10 Wealth Points for 3 Seconds
(Limited item: auto-expires after catgirl finishes showering)
Tch…
A mental image popped into Ron's mind—a small figure, with shallow-black cat ears on her head and a long, thin cat tail swaying behind her.
Warm water streamed down her back, soaking her ears and tail… which quivered lightly from the droplets.
Ron gritted his teeth and slammed the system panel shut, getting up and marching downstairs.
Trying to scam my Wealth Points with this kind of filth!?
Not happening!
Ron's will was solid as steel—utterly unshaken!🤣