42: Chapter 42 The Choice of a Gift 42: Chapter 42 The Choice of a Gift “But I just don’t know what to choose, that’s why I’ve come to ask you, Annie.”

Upon hearing Annie’s response, Fiona’s delicate hands gently cradled her forehead, revealing an adorable expression of some distress.

“The best gift is the sentiment behind it, Miss Fiona.”

Annie bowed her head slightly and brushed aside a strand of her cascading black hair, gently replying to Fiona.

“But sentiment can’t directly be given as a gift.”

Clad in pure white gloves, her small hands fiddled with the lace of her dress’s hem, Fiona quickened her pace, slightly dissatisfied.

Her delicate silver open-toe sandals clacked against the cobblestone road.

“Annie, give me some suggestions.”

“Lord Anvis surely has no shortage of ordinary precious items.

So, how about choosing some unique and creative trinkets?”

The casually dressed maid pondered for a moment, offering a suggestion regarding the range of gift choices.

She did not wish to interfere too much with Fiona’s choices, but knowing her young mistress well, she realized that if she did not provide a clear answer now, her mistress might become unhappy.

“Hmm, that makes sense!”

Enlightened by Annie’s suggestion, Fiona’s eyes brightened up, confirming her scope of choices, which greatly reduced the difficulty of choosing.

As they walked, the pair approached the plaza on the side of the main street where many traveling merchants had set up their stalls.

The bustling crowd gathered here, among them not a few figures of exotic tribes from afar.

There were Professional Adventurers selling Magic Beast Materials, Metal Ores, and relics, as well as country folk coming into the city to sell agricultural products.

Numerous buyers were haggling fiercely with the stallholders, creating a lively scene.

This was Fiona’s first visit here, and everything around her seemed immensely novel to the young girl.

Spellcasters draped in Magic Robes, high pointy hats, mercenary squads armed with weapons, wearing Armor, scimitar-wielding nomads from the hot deserts, Barbarian Warriors from the Northern Land, and occasionally even the rare sight of an Elf or Dwarf.

The curious girl observed the people passing by, now glancing at a brown squirrel on a mercenary’s shoulder, now stealthily peeking at the pointed ears of a golden-haired Elf woman.

A wandering middle-aged woman caught Fiona’s attention.

She wore the checked headscarf commonly seen on commoner women, dressed in a yellow and white coarse cloth long skirt, with a large wicker basket slung over her right arm, filled to the brim with fresh seasonal fruit.

At that moment, she was diligently peddling her goods to the pedestrians on the plaza.

“Hello, may I ask, what fruit is this?”

Fiona approached the farmwoman and pointed to a bunch of pale green fruits about the size of table tennis balls in the basket, politely inquiring.

“Hello, you two beautiful young ladies.

This is Penggu Fruit, a common fruit.”

Seeing someone inquiring, the farmwoman quickly turned around, replying with a beaming smile.

Her eyes seemingly casually swept over the dresses the two were wearing.

Although the designs were simple, the material was clearly not ordinary linen upon closer inspection.

The farmwoman guessed that she might have encountered potential big customers, and her smile became even more eagerly warm.

“These are the freshest Penggu Fruits in all of Karlars, plucked at dawn still dewy.

Look at this green on the stem.

“This fruit has a special, refreshing fragrance, tastes very crisp, and is also very beneficial for protecting the skin…”

The farmer’s wife enthusiastically introduced to the two, knowing how to market to such customers.

They usually have little knowledge of these common fruits, but they pay great attention to their own skin care.

Just by emphasizing its skin-nourishing effects, she can often persuade them to spend generously.

As for how much effect the fruit actually has, she wasn’t sure.

But most fruits have some skin-care benefits, don’t they?

“Really?

Then I’ll have a bunch of this fruit.”

Fiona, somewhat curious, decided to buy a bunch to try.

“How much is it?”

The one asking for the price was Annie; when going out, Fiona did not need to carry money.

If she took a liking to something, she only had to express interest, and afterward, Annie would handle the payment.

“This bunch has thirty-two pieces, each costing five copper coins.

But for you two, buying the whole bunch together, it will only cost one silver coin and twenty copper coins.”

The farmer’s wife reported the price with a smile plastered across her face.

Annie nodded, finding the price reasonable, perhaps a bit expensive.

But today, while accompanying her young mistress, she didn’t want to seem overly frugal.

She took out a small pouch full of silver coins from her bosom and handed over two coins to the farmer’s wife.

The farmer’s wife quickly wiped her hands on her hemp skirt, took the silver coins with delight, fumbled in her old pocket and pulled out a handful of copper coins.

She counted out eighty copper coins for change and handed them to Annie, then respectfully passed the bunch of fruits to Fiona.

Having sold fruits here for a long time, she had noticed a pattern.

In situations where one person asks while the other inquires about the price and pays, it is usually the inquirer who is the real decision-maker.

After departing from the farmer’s wife, Fiona really wanted to taste the fruit immediately, but her ladylike education reminded her not to eat on the street.

Thus, the young lady paused, looked around, and noticing a relatively quiet alley nearby, walked towards it with zest.

As the young girl was about to enter the alley, three or four men nearby, who were looking at goods, chatting, or strolling about, suddenly ceased their actions and gathered towards the mouth of the alley, as if inadvertently.

Annie, half a step behind Fiona, frowned.

They were just a few Low Rank Professionals; she was confident she could handle them alone, but she didn’t want to spoil her mistress’s mood because of it.

She secretly took out a silver-white plaque and injected a hint of spiritual power into it.

A subtle, strange fluctuation immediately spread out.

Fiona failed to notice this little episode; her experience was still shallow, and right now, she felt nothing but excitement as she entered the narrow alley.

Because it was situated in the Queen’s district, the alley did not seem dirty, chaotic, or cold, but rather very clean.

The direct sunlight was blocked by the eaves, making the environment in the alley soft and elegant.

The gray-white stone walls on both sides were slightly damp, with green moss climbing upon them.

On the mottled stone pathway, some sparse vendors set up their stalls, selling some homemade handicrafts.

Fiona walked to the side of the alley wall and used a Neglect Skill on herself.

This made her presence less noticeable, making people subconsciously overlook the skill’s recipient, although it would not be effective against those with sufficient spiritual power.

After discreetly concealing herself, the young lady with gloved delicate hands plucked a pale-green fruit and sniffed it lightly, finding indeed a pleasing fragrance coming from it, which made her even more curious about its taste.

Thus, she conjured a small orb of water to clean the surface of the fruit and then bit into it forcefully.