The morning of the first weekend in March was dotted with fine dew and drizzle.
Last night's heavy rain had left the ground somewhat muddy.
Dark came to the Lake Pavilion that led to Traveler Street, and sat for a while inside the pavilion, letting his soul be cleansed.
Only when the passersby grew more numerous did he find a stone stool to sit on, waiting for the teleportation hub to shift over to this side; then, with a slight twist, he was teleported to "the other side."
Stepping out from within the Lake Pavilion, he gradually blended into the crowd.
From standing apart from the world to vanishing among the masses, a person's soul goes through a gradual transition, allowing the mind to slowly settle.
Before long, Dark arrived at the Catnip Flower and Wood Shop.
When Miss Cat, who managed the shop, saw the young man walk in, she couldn't help but smile.
This first-year student of the Noble House hadn't come by the shop in quite some time; she had originally intended to give him a surprise.
But it wasn't too late for him to come today.
Surrounded by kitties, Miss Cat brushed back the curls hanging down by her temples, then rose to her feet, patted the odds and ends off her apron, and went to greet the blond youth with a smile.
The moment Dark stepped through the door, he couldn't help glancing at the Catnip growing in the flowerpots on either side.
Spring was the season when Catnip bloomed.
Once winter passed, Catnip became a bestseller once again.
At the Catnip Flower and Wood Shop, batch after batch of Catnip came and went, with new kitties arriving in stock every week.
Miss Cat seemed to have grasped the "secret to wealth"—more than half of the Catnip were soft-voiced little kittens, illegally adorable.
"Good morning, Demon."
"Good morning, Miss Cat."
Dark looked up and said, "Have any new Catnip come in stock? I mean, new varieties."
A slight curve crossed the corner of Miss Cat's lips. "Of course. I've set some aside especially for you. Come take a look."
Delighted, Dark hurriedly followed Miss Cat into her secret room.
The most conspicuous thing in Miss Cat's secret room was still that one enormous Goldfish Grass.
With its drooping eyelids, the Goldfish Grass looked as though it could never wake, swaying gently atop its supporting roots and stem.
As for the other Catnip used for testing, their numbers had dwindled considerably.
Whether they'd been sold off or sent back to the factory for repairs, he couldn't say.
"Come."
Miss Cat beckoned to him and walked eagerly toward the depths of the secret room.
As the darkness deep within the room was driven away by light, a timid Catnip huddled in the corner came into Dark's view.
Having originally come in search of "Lion Grass," he was instantly captivated by that Catnip!
For it was, astonishingly, a dragon curled into a ball!
Its body was a bit thicker, shorter, and rounder than a snake's, less than a meter in length.
Its hind limbs were rather sturdy, its forelimbs slender and short.
It was essentially somewhere between an Eastern dragon and a Western dragon.
On the top of its head were only two round bumps—dragon horns, though not yet fully grown.
This young dragon's scales were still very soft, exceptionally fine and smooth.
The scales carried a tinge of pale blue—a water-loving blue dragon species.
Miss Cat cupped the tail-end flowerpot of this "Dragon Grass" with one hand, hugged it firmly into her arms, and only then turned to walk back.
Watching the blue young dragon instinctively burrow its head into a crevice, Dark felt his heart suddenly skip a beat.
He couldn't help asking, "Miss Cat, this dragon grass…"
A trace of pride appeared on Miss Cat's face. "Yes, this Dragon Grass possesses the complete biological traits of a dragon. It's a rare item—even in our laboratory, there's only this one."
Dark was taken aback at her words and asked, puzzled, "If there's only one, why put it up for sale?"
Miss Cat smiled mysteriously. "Because it's a failure. A failed product of another experiment."
Dark: "A failed product of another experiment?"
Miss Cat nodded. "Yes. What we originally wanted to develop was Loach Grass, but due to an accident, a one-of-a-kind material got added, causing the test subject to mutate."
Dark: "Wait, what kind of loach is the Loach Grass?"
Miss Cat smiled sweetly. "The loach, as in the mudfish."
Dark was instantly startled. "A mudfish…"
Miss Cat nodded. "So this Dragon Grass inherited some of the loach's habits—alert and timid, shy of light, fond of burrowing into dark, narrow crevices."
"I see."
Dark understood somewhat.
He didn't ask Miss Cat again why she would sell him this one-and-only Dragon Grass.
After all, a question with such an obvious answer called for an unspoken, tacit understanding.
But Miss Cat then said, without the slightest tact, "Of course, since it's very, very precious, it'll cost just a teensy bit more in credits."
Dark asked curiously, "How much?"
Miss Cat curled the corner of her mouth and said, "998! 988! You can't lose, you can't be cheated, all for just 998!"
Dark merely nodded slightly. "998? An ordinary pot of Catnip only costs 50 credits, so 998 is about twenty times that—still acceptable. Then I'll take this pot of Dragon Grass. If I raise it indoors, what should I watch out for?"
Miss Cat stroked the Dragon Grass's spine and said, "Just like Cow Grass, it needs to be continually fed a special potion. We can provide the potion recipe—you can buy the materials and brew it yourself, or place an order here at the shop.
"Other than that, all you need is a light-proof water tank. Smaller is better—just big enough for it to curl up and burrow inside."
Dark: "..."
Truly worthy of being a cat.
...
998 credits was indeed nothing to the current Dark.
But he understood in his heart that, for such a rare Dragon Grass, this price was practically half-sale, half-gift.
On Traveler Street there were quite a few shops that liked to invest in students.
This "Catnip Flower and Wood Shop," as well as Morgan's Shop, which had sold him the "Magic Brain Dropper," had both successfully left a good impression on Dark.
After purchasing the Dragon Grass, Dark not only bought three additional bottles of potion but was also given a cardboard box, just the right size to hold one Dragon Grass.
Afterward, he didn't leave but went on to ask about the development progress of Lion Grass and Rabbit Grass.
"Lion Grass and Rabbit Grass?"
Miss Cat tapped her lip and pondered for a moment, then said, "Sorry, but they haven't been successfully improved yet. The biological traits of the Lion Grass are still unstable, and the Rabbit Grass…"
Dark: "What happened to the Rabbit Grass?"
Miss Cat said with a touch of sorrow, "It didn't make it through this winter."
Dark: "..."
He thought for a moment, then asked again, "Then what about the Lion Grass that was in the shop before? Even if it's a defective product, I can accept it."
Miss Cat sighed. "It was sent back to the factory for repairs. We're a legitimate shop—on principle, we can't sell students dangerous goods that failed improvement.
"If you really want it, you'd need to present an authorization letter from at least one professor. Next week I can see whether I can bring it back for you."
Holding the cardboard box containing the Dragon Grass, Dark mulled it over for a moment, then said, "Where exactly did the improvement of the Lion Grass and Rabbit Grass go wrong? If needed, I could offer some help."
But Miss Cat shook her head slightly. "Trade secret."
"Is that so?" Dark said helplessly. "Then there's nothing for it. I'll come again next week."
Miss Cat smiled. "I'll do my best."
...
And so Dark took his leave of the Catnip Flower and Wood Shop.
The Catnip Flower and Wood Shop might look perfectly ordinary, but the technology for improving Catnip involved biological modification—definitely not something that could be developed casually.
That they could cultivate fruits of the "Animal species" from Catnip, which were clearly plants, was enough to show how formidable this technology was.
If the Lion Grass's biological traits weren't complete, problems might arise in cultivating the "[Major Sin Fruit]."
"I still mustn't rush this."
Dark hefted the cardboard box in his hands and couldn't help smiling again.
What did it mean to have an unexpected blessing?
This was an unexpected blessing!
"Next, should I head straight back to the dormitory, or look into methods for quickly replenishing mana?"
"The Mana Recovery Potion's recovery rate is far too slow, and it's not enough."
"I did hear there's a kind of magic wine that can quickly restore mana—maybe I could go ask Uncle Simmons about it."
As Dark walked and pondered, he found himself, without realizing it, at the door of that Goblin Antique Bookstore.
As luck would have it, this Goblin Antique Bookstore seemed to be holding an auction?
Dark had long heard that this shop occasionally held auctions, but he'd never paid much attention before his last visit, and even on that visit he hadn't run into one.
"Since I've come across it, I might as well take a look."
With the mindset of shopping at a supermarket, Dark came to a halt.
This Goblin Antique Bookstore was as run-down as ever; despite clearly earning no small amount of money, it never got renovated.
Dark himself found this "personality" hard to understand, but there were always people who liked this musty atmosphere.
Perhaps those who liked reading were all of the old-fashioned sort.
He didn't squeeze into the crowd.
Most of the Goblin Antique Bookstore's auctions were held on the spur of the moment, with no special notice or advertising—what mattered was "fate."
And so there weren't many customers taking part in the auction this morning—around a dozen or so.
Judging by their uniforms, they were all probably upperclassmen.
Most of them were from the Magic House.
Followed by the Fool's House.
There was one from the Knight House.
And there were none at all from the Noble House.
That old Goblin, whose skin was wrinkled enough to crush a fly between the folds, still wore a tattered cotton-padded jacket; the expression on his face was that of a common street merchant you'd see anywhere, rather than the owner of an antique bookstore.
In his hand he gripped a book a finger thick, hawking it loudly to the students.
Evidently, what was being auctioned today was that very book.
Dark narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the book's title, but the old Goblin kept shaking the book up and down, making it hard to see clearly.
After a good while, he could only faintly make out a few of the characters: "Synthetic… Beast?"
"200 credits! 200 credits! Just 200 credits! Is no one going to bid higher? This is…"
The old Goblin's shouting reached his ears.
Dark instinctively raised his hand. "300 credits."
"300?" A glint flashed in the old Goblin's eyes, and he immediately cried out, "300, 300, someone's bid 300! It seems this student has a discerning eye—he must have already seen the value of this book in the old man's hands! Anyone who wants it, hurry and bid higher; bid now or it'll be gone!"
Perhaps because Dark's participation was so abrupt, quite a few students turned to look at him.
The nearest student, from the Fool's House, casually remarked, "Junior, it's just a book on the transmutation of synthetic beasts. It may have some collector's value, but its contents aren't necessarily useful. There's no need to waste too many credits."
He was clearly acting out of kindness.
The others who looked over also nodded one after another, quite good-naturedly.
Dark thought for a moment, then smiled. "Thank you for the reminder, senior. I just happen to have a bit of interest in it."
The senior nodded. "As long as you understand. The ways for first-years to earn credits are very limited; even if you have more to spare than others, it's not good to spend them carelessly."
After that, the senior said no more and turned back to continue taking part in the auction.
Apparently realizing that Dark hadn't bid by mistake, the upperclassmen made no further bids.
And so Dark successfully won it for 300 credits.
He took out his Sorting Card, transferred 300 credits to the Goblin owner, and then received the book from his hands.
The book's cover seemed to be made of some very hard material with a metallic texture, yet it wasn't heavy, carrying a hint of coolness against his fingers.
"I really got it."
Dark glanced at the book once he had it, then quickly left.
It was only three hundred credits.
Although bidding had indeed been a spur-of-the-moment impulse, now that it was his, he wouldn't dwell on it too much.
Book title: Parkin Chimera's Guide to Synthetic Beast Transmutation
...
Walking down a secluded little path, he came to that small tavern that hardly did any business.
Dark knocked on the door, then pushed it open and stepped inside, carrying the cardboard box.
The tavern's owner—the male elf Simmons—was, sure enough, slumped over the counter dozing.
The half-bottle of Fairy Wine standing beside him made Dark fume at the sight.
"So he really was keeping it to drink himself?"
Before Christmas, Dark had made a special trip here to buy Fairy Wine, but Simmons had brushed him off with a flat "All out."
Yet now he wasn't the least bit stingy about drinking it himself.
Still, given that he was most likely Professor Silf's father, Dark didn't dwell on it too much.
"Uncle Simmons, are you still awake?"
Dark walked over and patted Simmons on the shoulder, then pressed harder when he got no response.
But Simmons showed no sign whatsoever of waking.
"What's he doing drinking Fairy Wine first thing in the morning? Look how drunk he's gotten himself."
He recalled how he himself had gotten drunk after just one sip.
Dark felt rather helpless.
It is not the wine that intoxicates—a man intoxicates himself.
Fairy Wine contained no alcohol, yet it was all the more intoxicating.
Dark set down the cardboard box, looked around, then set about moving Simmons from behind the counter to the reclining chair beside it; afterward he took down the thick coat hanging on the wall, draped it over him, tucked in the edges, and let out a sigh.
Spring had only just arrived; the cold still lingered.
Best to keep him warm.
...
"By the looks of it, this was another wasted trip."
Stepping out of the tavern, Dark closed the door properly, then turned and left.
"Everyone has their worries, but not everyone has a day when those worries are resolved—all one can do is offer a blessing."
...
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