"How much for this bedsheet?"
"15 copper coins."
"And the quilt?"
"20 copper coins."
"I'll take both for 10 copper coins. Deal?"
"…???"
The stall owner stared at Nora like she was crazy. "Little girl, don't mess with me, alright? Each of these costs more than that on its own. That's some wild bargaining."
Nora was squatting in front of a vendor's stall. Ron stood behind her, not planning to interfere.
She snorted coldly. "Don't think I know what's going on. You usually sell this stuff for under 10 copper coins total. You saw we were dressed decently and jacked up the price."
"I used to hang around here. I know your tricks. 10 coins, yes or no? If not, I'll find someone else."
The vendor realized she wasn't just some clueless customer. Grumbling under his breath, he reluctantly handed over the bedding set.
Nora didn't mind the weight. She picked up the quilt and bedsheet and turned to Ron, puffing out her chest proudly. "Boss, I'm done shopping!"
They had spent over half an hour wandering around the eastern side of the city. Nora had bought herself a new set of clothes and shoes. Now, with the new bedding added in and the earlier ramen meal, she had spent barely a few dozen copper coins.
Not even one silver.
Truly a frugal shopper.
Ron placed his hand on the quilt and stored it in his system backpack.
"Still need to buy anything else?"
"Nope, that's all I wanted." Nora shook her head, then asked curiously, "Boss, didn't you say you needed to buy something too?"
"Oh… right." Ron blinked, suddenly remembering. He had said yesterday he needed to get something, which is why they agreed to shop together.
That was just a last-minute excuse to go on a date with her.
But, actually… he did have something in mind to buy.
"Is there a place nearby that sells pots? Something with handles on both sides, preferably big."
"Eh?" Nora was confused why the boss needed a pot, but quickly nodded. "Yeah, I know a place."
"And an iron stove too—something you can build a fire under and put the pot on. Ideally, about the same height as our dining table."
Ron added.
Nora seemed to catch on and immediately led the way.
About ten minutes later, Ron happily stored the pot and iron stove in his backpack. He didn't even bother haggling—just paid the price and left.
Nora, watching her boss casually toss a few silver coins to the vendor, couldn't help muttering, "Boss, I could've bargained that down for you… Probably half price at least…"
Ron just chuckled and shook his head, saying nothing.
He still had tens of thousands of gold coins lying in his Gold Reserve Bank account—why would he care about saving a few copper or silver coins?
Money wasn't the problem. Time was.
If not for how cute Nora looked while haggling, he would've stepped in and paid for her things earlier.
But seeing as it was her first time using her own salary to buy something, he decided not to interfere.
The girl had her pride. Ron figured that if he offered to pay, it might only make her feel worse.
"Boss, what are you buying these things for?" Nora asked, still gently holding the edge of his coat as she followed behind, curious.
"I'm thinking of setting them up in the shop. Once I figure it out, we'll be able to eat hotpot at home," Ron replied with a grin.
It was already late autumn. Winter was just around the corner.
He imagined it—snowflakes drifting outside the windows, cold winds blowing…
He and Nora are sitting by the table, cooking steaming hot lamb slices around the fire, dressed in light clothes, enjoying hotpot indoors—absolute bliss.
"Hotpot?" Nora looked puzzled.
"It's where you toss raw food into a boiling pot and eat it as it cooks…" Ron said. "Hard to explain. You'll see once it's all set up."
Just then, the system's voice sounded in his mind.
[System: "A Tier 6 assassin is approaching from ahead."]
Ron's heart instantly tightened.
So it's finally happening…
He'd been wandering the streets with Nora for so long that he almost forgot about it.
But now, with the system's warning, one thing was confirmed:
Webster definitely lied.
The one Tier 6 assassin was still alive!
Ron hadn't been attacked when walking back from the Chaos City Magic Academy earlier that afternoon. But now the Tier 6 assassin had reappeared.
Maybe he hadn't noticed the other assassins had died earlier.
Maybe, when he saw Ron leave the academy alone and sensed no allies nearby, he became cautious and held back?
Ron calmed himself. To be safe, he reached his left hand back and gently held Nora's small hand.
"Eh? B-Boss…"
Nora's face turned scarlet. She flinched at first but didn't pull her hand away. Eventually, she just went quiet.
As the system reported the assassin getting closer, Ron led Nora to a nearby food stall and ordered two cocoa pancakes.
"You wait here for the pancakes. I'll go grab us something to drink," he said, letting go of her hand with a smile.
"…Okay."
The sudden loss of warmth from his hand made Nora feel oddly empty—but then she blushed again, flustered by her own reaction.
She stood quietly in front of the stall, watching the vendor prepare the food, occasionally sneaking glances at Ron's back.
Ron had only moved a few meters away, buying two cups of fruit juice from another stand just one stall over.
He confirmed that the assassin was walking straight toward him and relaxed a little.
The system's passive skill Vital Bloom was practically foolproof, but even so, Ron wanted to keep his distance from Nora just in case. He didn't want her caught in the crossfire.
Now, the assassin was right behind him.
His disguise was top-notch.
If not for the system's warning, even a fellow Tier 6 mage like Professor Hicks wouldn't have detected the killing intent unless they had a specialized detection spell active.
On the surface, the assassin looked utterly average—a man in his thirties or forties, casually wandering through the street.
He was eating a skewer of candied fruit, walking leisurely like any other passerby.
By the time he reached Ron, he had finished his snack.
Using the wooden skewer as a toothpick, he stepped in behind Ron.
Black Battle Aura surged quietly along the thin stick. The assassin sneered inwardly and prepared to stab it straight into Ron's back.
But then—
He realized… he couldn't move.
It was as if the life energy in his body had been drained or violently pulled into something else.
His legs wouldn't move. Something pierced through the soles of his shoes with a squelch.
The wooden skewer slipped from his fingers and fell to the ground.
He stared in horror as his hands slowly stiffened and dried out.
Small branches began sprouting from his palms and arms.
The assassin's face twisted in fear, but he couldn't even scream.
"Ahhh!"
The crowd erupted in panic.
People scattered in all directions like frightened birds.