We got back inside the break room as I doubly asked her. She's drinking a cup of dark hot beverage. Master called it coffee. Master literally steals many innovative things from the outerworlds. He brought so many unknown things from there. I also told him to sell some for the shop's repairs but he said it's way too limited so he disagree.
"but this isn't still enough reason to be sleeping defenseless in the break room" I deduced.
"ahmm.. What are you gonna do if I do.. Are you.. Going to.. Pin me down?" she moaned while blowing softly at her coffee. She made it sound so seductive and enticing, it's gave me chills down my spine. She's making it worse with her sultry acting!!.
"Q-quite teasing me and go! Prepare the potions so we can open our shop early!" i stuttered, looking away to hide my blush.
"Pfft, okay~ guess you don't need to know, later boss hmm, hmm," she whispered, her giggles barely contained, as she headed straight to the shop to work on the shelves, her carefree humming trailing behind her.
Chloe's routine was straightforward: work came first, followed by essentials like bathing and meals. She managed to stay fresh, bathing twice a day. I wasn't intentionally snooping, but we did have a few... awkward encounters. Like that one time I stumbled into the bathroom, expecting it to be empty. Let's just say it was an honest mistake.
As I let out a sigh of relief, I couldn't help but think she was a handful. Her playful teasing and flirtatious vibes often left me feeling flustered sometimes. Getting used to it this isn't the first time.
But I do wonder what's she going to awakened tomorrow?. Why am I worrying about that, I should carry on to my quest.
"guess I should take the magic scrolls from my room and give them back to master" I muttered to myself, "he might open the portal if he needs my call."
I opened the door that leads to my own room. But to my surprised, I couldn't help but yelp.
"W-what kind of sorcery is this master?! Why have you not include the living quarters If your going to move the whole building out!!" i somehow noticed the ruckus I made and people within my sight are looking at me looking like a clown.
"mama, there's a weird man over there" kid A spoke.
"don't look and let's go, I'll buy you some candy" Mother A replied.
"who is that psycho" Villager A scoffed.
"there was a weird person living in that place?" Villager B baffled.
I could hear them from here.
Though their ridicule was fleeting, lasting mere seconds, their disapproving looks still managed to leave me feeling embarrassed.
As realization dawned on me, I muttered," Don't tell me..."
I rushed to the lab, hoping to find the magic scroll. But to my dismay, it was gone along with most of my potion-making equipment.
Whats left of the shop structures was the shop room where we sold and display potions, the basement that opened up because Master's portal is gone, the break room and the kitchen where the restroom could also be located.
The shops internal atmosphere is better than looking at the exterior that seems to whisper warnings. I don't know what's on Master's mind to decorate it with unsettling and dimly lit storefront. One might think the owner is a creep. I'm basically the owner. Co-owner, but still I wonder what people think of me if they find out.
I guess i already tried convincing master but he was so adamant, he keeps telling me it's uniquely esthetic and it's run down facade accompanied by old signs will make the shop greatly mysterious and will piqued costumers curiosity. But I find it the opposite. Isn't the facade's decoration a little bit too much? It's typically eerie.
I was left on daze sitting on the break room coach and thinking of how do I get those magic scroll. I frowned not because I loss my saving worth almost a million vlaris. Blumelia's most common and accepted currency. That is in my living quarter nor the loss of my special concoction device FusionStation, my exotic ingredients that I painstakingly grab from the outerworlds and it's apparatus which is in the lab. It's still a big loss but I'm more worrying about the magic scrolls. What if I can't get home without completing the quest..
"ugh.. What should I do," I muttered. Drifting in my own thought. Felrurne is somewhat sleeping nonchalantly in the floor mat near the door. My little plune hasn't make a noise even now. She responds to my words like using possession but she seems silently behaving above my head, hiding in my hair.
Suddenly Chloe arrived into the break room. Sweaty due to the boxes she lifts. It said let the man do the heavy lifting. But she never asked me for help in those stuff, and she's pretty strong since I know she trained too.
"I'm done with shelves, and we're ready to open soon. So have you found my reason?" she said. Smiling at me with a closed eyes as she look, she seems to be making fun of me.
"yeah, yeah.. You could've told me beforehand" I muttered, still spacing out on my thoughts. She must mean, the disappearance of the living quarters and the lab.
"I was going to, but you don't seems to want to hear it when you pushed me away" she teased, wiggling her eyebrows.
"but you kept talking some nonesense , I mean your actions are a bit inappropriate towards me" I argued.
"your The one who asked me about it, also I'm only paying back for interrupting my dream" Chloe retorted. I think that volcore dream catcher made a leap to change her. She was supposed to be timid and clumsy before. Now she doesn't even make a laughable skit like sliding suddenly.
She continued while walking towards the bathroom door. "I'm off to bathe. Keep your eyes on yourself, okay?" she said with a sly grin.
That grin, fine I'll play along. Even if I don't, you won't still stop.
"I make no promise" I teased, chuckling as I watched her walk away. Hearing my response. I didn't expect her to make a comeback reply.
"why are you staring at me with a bold face, do you also want to take a bath, with me?" she winked teasingly, grinning.
"not interested, I'll just take one after your done" I snapped, my voice firm. Brispeaking in a straight face.
"your no fun orvel" she pouted, and vanished into the bathroom door. I can even hear the waters gushing from there. Would it hurt if I enter, here offer seems rather enticin-.. No refrain yourself orvel, remember Master's virtuous guidance, let's calm down and resist temptation!. I've thought for it for a while and then realization came to me.
By the way, why the heck is she strangely calm even in this moment. She just lost her room? Shouldn't she worry about that? Am I the only one worrying a lot. Realization kicked in. As I wonder myself of how pathetic am I right now, absent-mindedly.
"Why am I just daydreaming here and doing nothing?... That's it!" i declared, determination etched on my face. "Mopping around aimlessly won't get us anywhere. If there's a market for magical beast skins, there might be dungeons nearby!"
"Come on Orvel! " I continued, Talking to myself with a grin spreading across my face. "The new world upon me is calling! Let's see what adventures we can find!"