The room was so quiet Leon could hear his own heartbeat thudding in his ears. The word floated inside the orb, glowing faintly.
[ALCHEMIST]
‘What’s happening? Did I get a good class or what?’ Leon wondered, his face carefully neutral despite the rising tension.
The elder nun broke the silence first, her voice calm yet pleased. “Well then… congratulations, child. You’ve received a good class and a bright future.”
The crowd wasn’t as kind.
“Isn’t he a commoner?”
“Yeah, how can a commoner get that class?”
“I thought only nobles had such classes.”
“Me too…”
Leon’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t like where this was going.
‘So commoners aren’t supposed to become Alchemists? Great. Just what I needed. Will the nobles come after me now? …Screw this. I’ll just hide my class and live like before,’ he decided, keeping his expression unreadable as he turned and left the church.
Outside, the kingdom buzzed with life. Carriages lined the cobbled streets, a small fountain sparkled in the sunlight, and crowds bustled through the marketplace. Despite the lively atmosphere, Leon’s mood was sour.
As he wandered, he noticed something disturbing — shop after shop had signs reading:
‘NO COMMONERS ALLOWED.’
‘Looks like Commoners aren’t much of a thing in this world, one of the reason why most of them live outside the kingdom.’
His thoughts paused as he spotted a butcher shop.
[Buying and Selling Meat. ANY QUALITY MEAT AVAILABLE.]
As soon as Leon read the sign, an idea struck him.
He immediately ducked into a nearby alley.
“Withdraw…”
With a quiet swish, his inventory screen popped up. He still had 6 kilograms of horned rabbit meat from before. He tapped it, and the meat materialized in his hands.
Emerging from the alley, he strode into the shop.
The counter was empty.
“Hello? Anyone here?” he called out.
A woman’s voice echoed from the back. “Who is it?”
Before Leon could answer, she stepped out — and his eyes widened.
She was a woman in her early thirties, her body curvy and thick with soft folds. Her chest strained against her apron, and her wide hips swayed with each step. Blood smears covered her clothes and skin, but that didn’t hide her sensual figure.
Leon blinked and quickly activated .
[Name: Merida.]
[Class: Butcher]
[Age: 32]
[Mana: 700]
[HP: 1400]
[Description: A single widow working as a butcher for the past 14 years. Lost husband in a war.]
‘Fourteen years alone? She must be desperate for a dick,’ Leon thought, his face remaining neutral.
Merida gave a tired smile, wiping her hands on her apron. “How can I help you?”
“I saw the sign outside. You buy meat too, right?” Leon asked.
She tilted her head. “Only monster meat.”
Leon held up the horned rabbit meat. “This fresh enough for you?”
Her eyes widened. “Horned rabbit? Did you kill it yourself?”
“Yeah.”
Her gaze flicked to his shoulder. “That explains your injury. Alright… I’ll give you 20 coppers for the lot.”
“Deal,” Leon said without hesitation.
Merida blinked in surprise. “Really? That fast?”
He shrugged. “I’m not a bargaining type.”
The butcher nodded, pulling out a coin pouch and tossing it to him.
Leon caught it effortlessly and pocketed it without counting.
“Aren’t you going to count it?” she asked, confused.
“No need,” he replied, already heading for the door.
“Hey, wait!”
Leon turned back, raising an eyebrow.
“Did you gut this rabbit yourself?” she asked, her expression curious.
“Yeah. My father taught me a little.” Leon lied as he couldn’t tell her about his previous life.
Merida’s eyes lit up. “Kid… you looking for a job?”
“Not really. I’m—”
“Listen, you’re young and talented. Gutting a horned rabbit clean in one go? That’s impressive. How long did it take you?”
“Five minutes.”
She whistled. “I’ll pay you 50 coppers for four hours a month.”
Leon’s mind raced. ‘That’s a lot for a commoner… but I’ll need more money if I want to move up in this world.’ His eyes drifted, unintentionally, to her deep cleavage pressing against her apron.
‘Fuck it… If I can have the slightest chance to motorboat them, hell I will take it.’ Leon thought in his mind as lust took over him.
“I’ll take it… but I need a 30-minute break halfway through,” he said.
Her grin widened. “Deal. Be here tomorrow at 8. Oh — you’ll need a city pass.”
She rummaged in a drawer, pulling out a blank white card and tossing it to him.
Catch.
“Whisper your name to it,” she instructed.
Leon studied the pass, then brought it close to his lips.
“Leon Luster,” he said softly.
The card shimmered, words appearing across its surface:
[Name: Leon Luster.]
[Age: 18]
[Working For: Merida the butcher.]
[Temporary City Pass]
“See you tomorrow,” Merida said, her voice warm.
Leon nodded and left the shop, his thoughts turning to what he could do with the extra money.
‘Now… where can I find a carriage home?’
Before he could decide, a familiar voice cut through the crowd.
“There he is!”
Leon turned, his heart sinking.
Derisa stood at the end of the street, pointing at him. Beside her were two old men in strange green robes — and they were walking straight toward him.
‘Fucking hell… Why is she after me again?’