Inside the Inn’s Room…
Leon stood beside Ellie, gazing at the plate piled high with cream puffs.
“Well, all that’s left is to sell them. And you,” he said, turning to Ellie, “will be the one selling them.”
“B-But, Sir… No one would buy from me. I’m dirty and not good-looking,” she replied hesitantly.
“Don’t worry,” Leon reassured her. “They’ll sell on their own. All you need to do is hold them and walk around the market. The sweet aroma alone is enough to make anyone drool.”
Ellie still looked uncertain. “But, Sir… How much should I sell them for?”
Leon glanced at the plate. “That’s twenty-eight cream puffs… The ingredients cost about twenty-one coppers… Hmm, five coppers should be enough.”
“S-Sir… That’s a huge loss… If you sold all of them for five coppers-”
“Per piece.” Leon replied with a smile.
Ellie’s eyes widened. ‘That’s 140 coppers! That’s way too much… Who would buy them for that price?’
“Don’t worry, they’ll sell,” Leon assured her. “Just take them and go. I’ll take care of the leftover cream in the meantime.” He picked up the plate and handed it to Ellie.
“Y-Yes… But how much do I get?” she asked, her voice trembling with both confusion and fear.
“Well, I’m earning five coppers per piece, so I’ll give you two coppers-”
“Two coppers… Thank you, Sir.” Ellie spoke as she cutted Leon in the middle of his talking.
“…. for each one you sell.” But Leon continued after.
Ellie gasped. “W-What!? That means… If I sell them all, I’ll get fifty-six coppers!?”
Leon smirked. “That’s right. Now go on—I’ll be watching from here. Don’t wander too far from the inn.”
“A-As you say…” Ellie whispered before hurriedly covering her face and stepping out of the room.
Within five minutes, she was outside, standing in the bustling marketplace, nervously clutching the plate.
‘How much time is left on Skill Crafter’s cooldown?’ Leon wondered. A screen immediately materialized before his eyes.
[Cooldown: 33:56]
‘Still some time left… This will probably be the last skill I craft today since the suns will set soon.’
A cool breeze swept through the kingdom, sending a collective shiver through the streets.
‘If I had tried selling these on a normal day, I doubt many people would buy them. But with winter approaching, a warm, sweet-smelling cream puff? Who could resist?’ A smile tugged at his lips.
“Buy some cream puffs! Fresh, warm cream puffs!” Ellie’s voice rang out through the market, growing louder with each call.
“Hmm? What’s that smell?”
“Yeah… It smells incredible.”
A kind-looking elderly woman approached Ellie with a curious smile. “Hello, dear. What is that wonderful aroma?”
“T-These are cream puffs, ma’am,” Ellie said hesitantly.
“And how much are they?”
“F-Five coppers…”
The old woman gasped. “Oh my! Are you serious, child? Five coppers for one?”
“Y-Yes, ma’am,” Ellie answered, shrinking under the skeptical gazes now directed her way.
“Why so expensive ?” a young man asked as he stepped forward.
Ellie hesitated for a second but answered, “B-Because… they’re warm and soft. When you take a bite, the sweet, creamy filling melts in your mouth, coating it in rich flavor. The bread is light and airy, making it even more delicious.”
Leon, still watching from above, felt his mouth water.
‘Well… That sounded really delicious-‘ Leon’s thoughts were immediately interrupted by a half-transparent screen popping in front of his face.
[Warning: You are under the effect of .]
His eyes widened in shock. ‘She has another skill!? And she doesn’t even know about it? Fuck, I’m drooling like an animal!’
He turned abruptly, spotting the leftover cream and some bread on the table.
“Bon appétit,” he muttered before grabbing a piece of bread, dipping it into the cream, and devouring it in one bite.
…
“I’ll buy one,” the old woman declared, pulling out five coppers and handing them to Ellie.
Ellie quickly gave her a cream puff, her heart pounding in anticipation.
Bite.
The old woman took her first bite, and just as Ellie had described, the warm, luscious cream flooded her mouth with an explosion of sweetness.
The crowd watched in silence, waiting for her reaction.
“Oh my… Give me two more!” The woman eagerly fished out ten more coppers. “These are absolutely divine! What did you call them again?”
“C-Cream puffs, ma’am. Thank you for buying!” Ellie beamed, handing over two more.
“I want one!”
“Me too!”
“Give me three!”
One by one, the every by-stander started buying, and the moment they took a bite, their faces lit up with pleasure. The aroma, combined with their delighted reactions, attracted more and more customers until—
“I-I’m sorry, but… we’re sold out,” Ellie said hesitantly, looking down at the empty plate.
‘That was fast… I didn’t expect them to go this quickly!’ Leon thought as he looked down with a smile.
“Hey, kid,” a man in his thirties approached. “Do you know the recipe for these? I’ll buy it for one silver coin.” He pulled out the shining coin, flashing it in front of her.
Ellie hesitated. She did know the recipe—she had watched Leon make them from scratch. But…
“N-No… I don’t know. My boss makes them,” she replied quickly before grabbing the plate and hurrying back inside the inn.
“Fuck, I should’ve offered her more…” the man muttered in disappointment as he walked away.
—
Inside Leon’s Room…
Ellie set the bag of coins down in front of Leon.
“I-I haven’t taken anything, Sir. There are 140 coppers inside. Please count them if—”
“No need. Here, these are yours.” Without hesitation, he pulled out fifty-six coppers and placed them in her hands.
Ellie stared at them in shock.
“Oh, and take this too.” Leon handed her an empty pouch—the one he had received from the Adventurer’s Guild earlier, now emptied into another bag.
The moment Ellie held the pouch, tears welled up in her eyes.
“Hey… I promised you fifty-six coppers. No need to cry over it,” Leon said, his tone neutral.
“T-Thank you, Sir. I… I can’t thank you enough.” Ellie’s voice wavered. “My family—me, my two brothers, and my mother—we haven’t eaten in three days. But today… you appeared out of nowhere. I-I can’t thank you enough, Sir. You’re like a god to me.”
She suddenly dropped to her knees, pressing her hands together in gratitude.
“Hey, If your family is in need of work… How about you guys work for me ?” Leon asked with a neutral expression as he looked at Ellie.
‘Beastkin are more immune to cold due to their fur. They can make some good workers in winters.’ Leon thought as a smirk spread across his face.
