The town of Dehumi was not large. Yesterday afternoon, the news of the incident at the Celine Tavern spread quickly throughout the entire city. It was soon known that the tavern's new proprietor was a generous and kind apprentice of magic. Although the people of Ser had a certain reverence for mages due to the dominion of the Red Robes, it did not mean they kept their distance. After all, within Ser's system, there might be individuals affiliated with the Red Robes among their relatives or acquaintances. Over the years, they had become accustomed to such things. Therefore, with the sudden change in the small town, the citizens greeted Panny with welcoming attitudes.

Thus, Panny became a celebrity overnight. As the tavern opened its doors in the morning, people greeted him friendly. Soon after, two individuals entered the tavern, and Panny was surprised by their early visit for a drink. It turned out they were a chef and a minstrel who had come to apply for positions. Panny was puzzled. While it was true that the tavern was lacking in these two roles, he had not yet advertised for positions.

"We were sent by Ogen, the proprietor of the Black Horse and Crescent Moon. He said you would surely offer us a good wage," the sincere chef said.

Black Horse and Crescent Moon. Panny recalled the mature and charming beauty Vika from there. He nodded in realization and then smiled warmly. "You both can start right away. Your wages will be generous, with bonuses at the end of the month."

"Thank you, boss."

The tavern was ready for operation.

Now Panny could divert his mind to other matters.

He returned to his room, opened his spellbook, and began studying spells. He needed to learn some readily available spells. The upcoming list of spells to learn included: Burning Hands, Endure Elements, Grease, and Ray of Enfeeblement.

Last night, he had taken the time to experiment a few times and successfully experimented with Ray of Enfeeblement. This magic could render a lively warrior into a powerless invalid, which was very practical.

As for the remaining spells, he had not made much progress in the defensive spell Endure Elements. While he had identified Burning Hands and Grease to about seventy or eighty percent accuracy, these two spells had a certain destructive power, so he needed to find an opportunity to experiment with them outside.

He went to the backyard and tried several times, using up all four spell slots. He turned a clear water ditch into a muddy one with Grease and set fire to it. Time passed quickly, and meanwhile, on another street, discussions about the newly transformed tavern continued.

"Miss, why did you send our chef and minstrel to that tavern of werewolves?"

"Oh? Do you think we have enough capital to compete for business with a tavern backed by the Red Robes?" Vika turned her head, smiling lightly. "Ogen, if they can't do good business, it's fine. But the new proprietor is quite an interesting lad."

"Well... but Miss, we may not know how long it will take for us to earn enough money to satisfy the master." Ogen felt somewhat disheartened, but he also knew Vika was right. If the tavern didn't do well, that was one thing, but if it started thriving and conflicts arose, the Black Horse and Crescent Moon, just a street away, would be as glaring as a light in the darkness of the night.

"The path of business is abundant, with opportunities for profit," Vika chuckled softly, gazing out the window. "And I believe that young lad will bring me surprises."

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"Is that so, Miss," Ogen had nothing more to say.

"Today is the Day of Magic. We are going to the temple of the Goddess Vaukine for worship. Prepare yourself, and let us hope the Goddess will show us a new path."

"Of course, certainly."

...

The icy currents of the Great Glacier almost perpetually assail the northern shores of the Falling Star Sea. In the northern regions like Leithman, snow and ice cover the land for most of the year. Even in the relatively southern city of Sael, by the month of Decay (September), the climate has already diverged significantly from warmth. As this time approaches, Panny feels it increasingly necessary to master the spell "Endure Elements."

The first week of Decay (in Ferren's calendar, a week consists of ten days) marks the seventh day, which is the tenth of the twelve annual celebrations of the commercial goddess, Vaukine. As usual, all followers of Vaukine gather at the temple for customary prayers. As an otherworldly visitor aspiring to receive Vaukine's favor, this day is unavoidable for Panny.

With his magic studies going well and the tavern running smoothly, with a few customers trickling in, Panny is in high spirits. He feels inclined to express his gratitude to Sister Vaukine. As he heads upstairs to tidy up, passing by a room, he suddenly catches a whiff of dampness. Turning his head, he sees the young girl lying forlornly on the bed. A thought crosses his mind.

Such a rebellious and wayward beauty, wandering aimlessly at night, is like a time bomb waiting to explode. If Panny were to be even slightly negligent and something were to happen to Hikol, he would likely have no future to speak of.

Whenever contemplating such possibilities, Panny is afflicted with intense headaches. Fortunately, he did not entertain such thoughts in the morning; otherwise, there would have been no need for him to delve into the study of magic. With such an unstable factor, even if Panny's spellcasting level reached the 8th tier, and he wished to employ a minor charm spell to make her obedient, it remains uncertain whether Januas would approve. Now, seeing Hikol lying on the bed, he pondered for a moment and deemed it preferable to exert some influence methodically.

He descended the stairs and instructed Damon to procure some inexpensive herbs from the herbalist across the street, concocting them into a potion. Carrying it upstairs, he roused Hikol from her slumber. The young girl, with a face tinged with faint blush, uttered dreamy words from her slightly blood-drained lips, soft and captivating.

Panny couldn't help but suppress a smile.

The girl quickly regained her senses, her expression a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

"You, you zombie-faced monkey!"

"Not very friendly," Panny replied immediately, speechless.

"Disturbing my rest, you better have a good reason," she demanded.

"Of course, today is the magical celebration. As someone protected by Lady Vaukine, shouldn't you show your respect at the temple?" Panny suggested.

"That has nothing to do with you," Hikol's expression softened slightly. Faith is one of the most important aspects of Ferren life, and using it as an entry point, no one would flatly refute it.

At the very least, one must show face to Lady Fortune.

"As your fellow believer, it does concern me. I hope we can go together," Panny insisted.

"But we're not going together!" Hikol huffed.

"You must contemplate, you will inevitably go one day, whether it be to bask in the bright sunlight, listening to the songs of minstrels, celebrating with fervent believers, or to choose the solitude of the late night," Panny remarked.

"I do not fancy the bustle," Hikol's countenance darkened, hands encircling her knees, head tilted aside. "A quieter ambiance suits me better."

"No one should be 'suited' for a lonely atmosphere, unless she willingly so, yet your current demeanor tells me otherwise," sensing the girl's emotions, Panny spoke thus. After a moment's silence, observing Hikol burying her head deep within her arms, shoulders slightly trembling, he sighed softly.

"At times, what hinders one's happiness does not come from external sources, but from within oneself."

"Nonsense... you know nothing..." choked sobs came from the girl.

"Indeed, I know nothing at all. As I've said before, I have no interest in knowing your affairs. Presently, I merely see an unhappy soul," Panny continued. "And I endeavor to bring joy to it."

Hikol collapsed onto the bed, chest rising and falling, gazing vacantly at the ceiling, eyes devoid of vigor.

"Here, this is an awakening potion. It will keep you alert today without the need for sleep, but be warned, drinking it twice will turn it into poison. Do not overindulge," Panny handed the cup to the girl, giving a playful wink.