━━━━━━━━━━┓?( ∞ )?┏━━━━━━━━━━

  Chapter 14: Fluffy Desserts

  ━━━━━━━━┛?( ∞ )?┗━━━━━━━━

  Perhaps owing to Pupu’s influehe previously awkward atmosphere had siderably eased, and dinner soon came to an end.

  “So, where did you all go today?”

  Having spent the day at the inn after pleting their ission, Marlyno was curious about what the others who had go had been up to.

  “Just the usual shopping. I picked up a new outfit.”

  “We were just browsing, really. Didn’t buy much,” another chimed in.

  “Um… we went to eat and then ran into some human traffickers.”

  “What!?”

  At Veridith’s revetion about their enter, both Marlyno and Sisi, not to mention the innkeeper at the ter, gasped in shock.

  As for Mira, she had just fallen asleep and was nily waking, still caught between dreams ay.

  “Are you alright!?”

  “Hm? Oh, I’m fine! I’m quite strong, you know, and my sister helped too.”

  “Ah… that’s a relief…”

  “They seemed to be wanted criminals or something.”

  “Wanted!?”

  The rexation that had washed over the group evaporated once more, rousing Mira pletely from her stupor.

  “Yeah, I think the bounty was several hundred silver s.”

  “...How much?”

  “Several hundred.”

  “...Did you lot just poke the hor’s ?”

  A bounty of several hundred silver s was no trifling matter; it was the kind of risk that could only be uaken for the highest-ranked issions, requiring the pletion of nearly ten to earn such a sum.

  “Ugh… Veridith, adopt me…”

  Awakened by the otion, Mira wriggled her way over to Veridith and g to her.

  With both their hair long and fluffy, the two looked like a pair of mismatched fluffy balls—one blue and one green—snuggled together.

  Though the se was utterly charming, Marlyno couldn’t help but pull Mira away.

  “Alright, Mira, don’t embarrass the others. Besides, we’re close to leveling up ourselves.”

  “Are you lot really that close to leveling up?”

  “Ah, yes.”

  In truth, the three of them had li fifth-tier for quite some time. Given their ret experiehey felt they were on the cusp of advang to six-tier, elevating them to the status of higher-tier adventurers. The rewards for a six-tier ission were at least two to three times what they currently earned.

  “In that case, let’s focus on some lower-ranked issions tomorrow, aiming to unlock higher-tier ones as soon as possible.”

  “Ah, alright, thank you.”

  ...

  Soon enough, the following day arrived. Thanks to the presence of people like Farkonia and Marlyno, who maintained a very regur routine, everyone was roused from their slumber before long.

  As a side note, Aris had hardly slept; at most, she merely rested her eyes. As she put it, even when she did mao doze off, her sleep was far from deep. Thus, she had decided to sleep altogether. Veridith, sharing a room with her, was also roused by her gentle nudges.

  “What issions should we take?”

  “With nine of us now, we should be able to handle several issions simultaneously.”

  Marlyno remarked, pulling a few issios from the board.

  “Let’s see, ‘Clear the Mice from the Warehouse,’ ‘Find a Lost Puppy’… all rather muasks.”

  “There’s not much we do; newly initiated adventurers often start with such menial tasks. After all, one ’t expect those who haven’t even fought animals to tackle monsters. This is also to help adventurers get aced to how the Adventurers’ Guild operates.”

  “Mm, I uand. But what’s this st one, ‘Help as a Temporary Shop Assistant’?”

  Farkonia poi the issio at the bottom of the stack, which clearly didn’t seem like a typical task for adventurers.

  “Erm… that is a bit strange.”

  “If I may expin…”

  “Wah!”

  The receptionist suddenly appeared, startling Marlyno.

  “The requester for this ission is ‘Fluffy Desserts.’ They’re short-staffed at the moment and need someoo assist temporarily, as they don’t have time to recruit new employees.”

  “Wait, ‘Fluffy Desserts’? Is that the one everyone’s been talking about…?”

  “Exactly.”

  At this revetion, Marlyno’s expression shifted dramatically.

  “This ission is definitely a go. Let’s accept it.”

  “?”

  Farkonia was left perplexed by Marlyno’s suddehusiasm.

  “What’s ‘Fluffy Desserts’ exactly?”

  “Mm? You don’t know? ‘Fluffy Desserts’ is a very famous feery shop; it’s said that one must make a reservation just to get a taste.”

  “Ah, are you talking about ‘Fluffy Desserts’?”

  Just then, Elyssa approached them.

  “I’ve had some before. It’s quite renowned ba my home; nearly everyone makes an effort to try it at least once.”

  “Is that so…”

  Even Elyssa, a vampire whose kin rarely sought out anything but blood, had beeed to visit. That was a testament to just how delightful the shop’s desserts were.

  “Sihat’s the case, let’s quickly finish our other issions and rush to the shop before it opens.”

  “Right.”

  ...

  To expedite the pletion of their remaining issions, the group split up, tag their assigasks currently.

  Ultimately, they succeeded in ing up their issions by the afternoon and revened in front of the ‘Fluffy Desserts’ shop.

  “Are you all tired?”

  “We’re not too bad, but she…”

  Everyouro Mira, who was now struggling to stay awake, her eyelids drooping dangerously.

  “...What’s wrong? I want to eat desserts too.”

  After a brief expnation, it seemed that anyone w at the shop, whether temporarily or permaly, was entitled to a free dessert as a bonus.

  “Hmm… Given the shop’s popurity, you’d think there would be a line of people eager to e and help for a free dessert. Why is that not happening?”

  “That’s something we don’t kher; perhaps there are hidden requirements?”

  That specution was correct because…

  “You’re the adventurers here to help! Finally, suitable didates have arrived!”

  A dy in an apron emerged, scrutinizing the group. Her gaze felt a touch… too intimate.

  “Um…”

  “Ah, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Maya, the manager of ‘Fluffy Desserts.’”

  She had flowing golden hair and exuded an air of elegance. However, the most strikiure was the long ears peeking out from her golden locks, clearly marking her as an elf.

  “I’ve had this ission up for a while, but I haven’t found any suitable didates until you lot showed up!”

  Maya’s gaze swept over the group, lingering noticeably longer on Veridith, Mira, Misako, and Elyssa.

  As a member of the demon rad a strong individual, Misako sensed something was amiss.

  This elf, she must be ‘that kind’ of person.

  ‘No wonder she said she couldn’t find suitable help!’

  But it was too te to back out now; they had already accepted the ission.

  “Now, please e inside. I’ve prepared uniforms for you all~”