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"And that should be it,

" Mia said, looking over our purchases stuffed into a cloth bag.

nJust like she warned, oil turned out to be the most expensive commodity. But there was little to be surprised about it. While I would never deny that growing vegetables was a hard job, they were overall a cheap commodity. As such, obtaining potatoes and tomatoes turned out to be the smallest cost, despite taking the most space in our bag.

nThe second most expensive item that we bought was a cauldron. While I hoped to find some simple pots, as it turned out, the cuisine culture in the market wasn't advanced enough for that.

n'That's strange,' I thought, unable to understand that point. 'Aren't pots the most obvious tool for cooking one would ever figure out?'

nWhile my knowledge about the origin of various things was limited, I still knew some bits and tidbits.

nIn Europe, pots came into use because they allowed one to turn small amounts of meat and vegetables into soup. Given the common problems and shortages of food, it soon turned out to be the most widespread meal for the peasantry.

nAs if to spit in the face of my first world, this place didn't have the concept of food deprivation. While it was not free, as long as one was willing to work a little, they would be able to fill their bellies. Only when one started looking for an actual taste did the price of the food skyrocket, forcing almost all of the less wealthy people to just live off the basic vegetables.

n'Isn't this a perfect ground to introduce fries to? Once I get my hands on more spices, I could even try making crisps!

n

"What are we going to do next?

" Mia asked, forcing my thoughts back to reality.

"How about visiting an auction hall?

"

nHer using 'we' instead of 'you' or 'master' didn't escape my attention.

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"I don't think there is any point in doing that. We don't have any money to bet with, so we would end up just watching at the goods we couldn't get our hands on,

" I replied. The truth was, though, that I hated the idea. Even if I had money...

nNo, that's the wrong way to look at it. Even if I always got bored while reading the auction-hall arcs of the few light novels that struck my fancy, I couldn't just ignore this aspect of life in this world.

nAs cliche as it could be, the auction hall seemed like a place where massive amounts of wealth and goods circulated, making it relatively easy to get rich quickly. That's why, as much as I hated the idea itself, it was a place I was bound to visit... But not now. Not yet. Hopefully, in the far-off future.

nWith that said, Mia simply took a turn and started guiding us back. Even though I perfectly remembered the path to the sect, I didn't say a word about it.

nIt was lovely to see how she was slowly opening up to me. If I were to say, treating her as my equal and actually letting her do some things was one of the major reasons behind improving her mood.

nIn a sense, by leaving some tasks to her, I was proving that I didn't consider her just a doll that I had to protect.

n'I want to try making those fries.' This thought was prevalent in my head. Even though it was only my second day in this world, excluding the time I spent on that damned exam, that is, I already missed the taste of the unhealthy food.

nI could easily handle not eating the fries for a long time. The truth was, I was simply curious whether I would manage to make them and whether or not they would be to Mia's liking!

nReturning to the sect took us only a few minutes. I carried our shoppings in my hands, yet surprisingly, I felt no burden of doing so.

nIt was the second time when I realized that my physical strength improved by leaps and bounds. While it was only a guess, I believed it was thanks to the rising purification of my body, whatever it was supposed to mean.

nStill, as we crossed through the gate back to the sect, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something wrong with the air inside.

nIt felt... Heavier. As if breathing itself suddenly became a slight burden. A burden that one wouldn't really care about in their daily life, but a burden nonetheless.

n'I wonder if this has an effect on my training,' I thought, directing my steps right back to the training gardens.

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"Master?

" Mia called me out when I took the lead of our stroll.

"Are we going back to the gardens already?

" she asked, leaning her head over her arm like some kind of confused puppy.

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"Yeah, I can't wait to test a few things out,

" I said out loud while shaking the massive cloth bag in my arms.

"And this is the only place where we are relatively safe,

" I added with a muffled voice.

nThe first sentence was directed to all those who would bother to eavesdrop on us. What I said after that was the actual reason behind my hurry.

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"Master, that won't do!

" Mia protested, putting a tough look on her face.

nRegretfully for her and amusingly for me, she only made herself look even cuter instead.

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"It's already past dinner time! I can't allow Master to slack on your meals!

" she protested.

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"You really don't need to worry about it,

" I said before shaking my head lightly.

"Why do you think I bought all this stuff if not to make a dinner?

"

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