Ethan's career was facing a serious test.
A legendary bachelor who'd been single from the day he was born until now, he'd received a custom-service client for the first time—and she'd come for love advice.
Was he even qualified?
The white-haired woman pulled out a bulging purse right in front of him, untied its red cord, and showed him the gleaming gold inside.
At the very least, he could give it a try.
Ethan swallowed and made a difficult decision.
It wasn't as though he'd never seen a pig run, even if he'd never eaten pork. After all, he'd once lived in an age when the internet was extremely advanced. Although he'd never specifically studied books on romance, he'd read a novel or two about love, and his heart had fluttered at the sweet scenes.
"May I ask what sort of problem you're having, miss?"
"Well, I once had a boyfriend. We were very close. We lived in the same room, ate from the same pot every day, and often slept in the same bed."
Oh, no!
Ethan's heart tightened.
This girl had a boyfriend, and from the sound of it, they'd lived together for quite a while. Compared with a newbie like him, who couldn't even be called a beginner, she was practically an expert. He'd never lived with a girl, let alone kissed one—he'd only seen that happen in movies and anime.
If he blurted out some half-baked advice, she'd probably see right through his inexperienced act in an instant.
But as a respectable businessman, Ethan couldn't let his nerves show. He could only grit his teeth and follow her lead. "Are you having problems with your boyfriend?"
"A few years ago, circumstances beyond my control forced me to leave the place where we lived together."
"So you've been in a long-distance relationship for the past few years."
Ethan propped his chin on his hand, doing his best to use professional-sounding terms and make himself seem like a romance expert.
"A long-distance relationship?"
The red eyes behind the mask looked puzzled.
"It means you're living apart, but you're still in a relationship."
That was a serious problem. Ethan had long heard that long-distance relationships were difficult. Of all the cases he knew about, over eighty percent ended in disaster—and that was in an age when people could video call whenever they wanted!
In this world, where a couple who hadn't seen each other for years could only communicate through letters, their relationship would be even more fragile.
A bad feeling stirred in Ethan's heart.
Was this girl planning to order a custom-made magic scroll from him so she could blast her boyfriend after their long-distance relationship went south?
The white-haired girl nodded. "Yes. That's why I'm worried he won't recognize me anymore."
"How could he not? Never underestimate the power of love. For true lovers, it doesn't matter if a few years have passed—or even ten or several dozen. They'll still recognize each other at a glance, even in a crowd!"
That was how it always went in romance novels, and Ethan had always believed it.
He was a staunch romantic.
Ethan felt that he'd done a good job of conveying his faith in love to the white-haired girl. She seemed moved, gazing at him for a long moment as if she agreed.
"But recently, something's been bothering me terribly. I accidentally found out that my boyfriend has gotten very close to one of his female coworkers. They don't just work together; they live near each other, too. He often visits her at home and cooks for her. They're together every day, and they look so happy..."
It was cold!
So suddenly cold!
Even Ethan, an Elemental Shaper specializing in ice, couldn't help shivering and wrapping his arms around himself. It was a shudder that came from the depths of his soul. The red eyes beneath the spiral mask seemed to have plunged into eternal night.
It reminded Ethan of a saying:
You couldn't hide the look in your eyes when you wanted to kill someone.
The terror and chill touched his heart, even if only for an instant.
But the next moment, all the pressure vanished. Ethan heard a laugh from behind the spiral mask. It was soft, like a clear spring flowing. "But really, they're just friends with a perfectly innocent friendship, right?"
"Of course."
Realizing that this might be an order with someone's life at stake, Ethan focused completely and said, "The more things are like this, the more important it is to think calmly. For instance, have you seen them do anything intimate that goes beyond friendship?"
"No."
"So don't let a moment of anger cloud your judgment. Maybe they're just friends."
"Anger? I'm not angry."
The white-haired girl sounded puzzled. "I'm just wondering whether I should tie him up and lock him in a cellar no one can find, so that I'm the only person he sees when he opens his eyes each day."
Why were you suddenly telling a horror story?
"Absolutely not! Acting rashly at a time like this will only backfire."
For some reason, Ethan suddenly felt a strong sense of responsibility. The white-haired girl seemed to have had a romantic relationship before, but when it came to handling matters of the heart, she was far too extreme. "Since you've come to me, Old Sen isn't some pushover. You've been apart for so long, so why not start with your reunion?"
"Hmm?"
"I mean, we can plan an unforgettable reunion."
Ethan didn't know much about love, but he understood men's psychology to some extent. As the saying went, those who'd never been in love were the ones most likely to hold beautiful fantasies about it—even if those fantasies seemed impractical.
But this was a world with magic.
Turning those impractical fantasies into reality was magic's most unique charm.
He got down to business. "When are you planning to see him?"
"When I've finished the work I have on hand," the white-haired girl replied after a moment's thought.
"Even better. We have plenty of time. I'm not bragging, but the magic scrolls I make have a special touch of their own. They'll definitely leave your boyfriend with a lasting impression—one he'll remember decades from now!"
Ethan thumped his chest as he promised, and he already had plenty of ideas.
But before that, there was one problem he had to resolve. "Could you please wear shoes when you go out?"
He really couldn't stand it.
He was genuinely worried that before the day came, his client might step on a nail, get tetanus, and die young.
"I understand."
The white-haired girl seemed to see the light. "What kind of shoes do you like?"
"Crystal high heels... Huh? What does the kind of shoes I like have to do with anything? I'm really just worried you'll step on a nail. It's dangerous."
First of all, Ethan had to make it clear: he wasn't a foot fetishist.
He was genuinely concerned for his client's safety. There weren't many conscientious businessmen like him these days.
"Hmm."
The white-haired girl completely ignored his disclaimer and murmured to herself, "There should be shoe shops in the big cities... It's settled, then. I'll come find you again."
Seeing the white-haired girl turn to leave, Ethan hurriedly called after her. "One thing at a time. You paid all that money, but you haven't said what kind of scroll you want to order."
"A magic scroll?"
Her reaction made Ethan seriously doubt whether she'd even listened to the bartender's advertisement. This was a Magic Scroll Shop. The love advice was an extra service he'd been roped into providing on the spot.
"Is there anything in particular you want right now? Anything at all."
"Then I'll order a bouquet of roses."
"That's easy."
Ethan smiled. It was much easier to make than the triple Ice Arrow. He led her to the Energy-Storing Parchment shop and drew the scroll right in front of her.
When it was ready, she activated the scroll almost immediately.
A bouquet of crystal-clear roses bloomed in all their glory.
Even through the spiral mask, Ethan could sense how happy his client was.
Roses were a symbol of love.
That bouquet must have made her think of her boyfriend, right?
That was why she looked so blissful.
Ethan waved to her. The job was done; now he could slip away without taking credit.
This was Old Sen Magic Scroll Shop.
You could even get love advice here.
Before you continue