The Strange Familiar Leader

"I've heard that term twice today already," Zhang Ruofeng asked, puzzled. "I heard it from the receptionist at the guild earlier today as well. What exactly does that term mean?"

"Let me ask you first: are you from another world?" Perman suddenly posed the question to Zhang Ruofeng. "Actually, there's no point in trying to hide it. The way your mouth moves when you speak is completely different from mine. Such a phenomenon can only occur if a deity has performed linguistic harmonization on you—a divine prerogative. In this continent, everyone speaks the same language. Even if there are differences in accents or habits, the major countries and large towns all use the common language created by the gods. Your pronunciation is too different from ours, and the way your mana circulates is far too strange. Therefore, it is impossible for you to be from this world."

"I didn't expect someone of your age to be so sharp," Zhang Ruofeng replied calmly, confirming Perman's statement, only to be smacked on the head by her pipe.

"You little brat, do you have any right to judge others?" Perman said, clearly dissatisfied.

"I'm 20 years old, am I still a brat?" Zhang Ruofeng protested in a low voice.

"20? I'm already forty..." Perman stopped herself mid-sentence and smacked Zhang Ruofeng on the head again. "Asking a lady her true age is incredibly rude."

Zhang Ruofeng clutched his head, thinking that his wounds had only just scabbed over before being beaten again. But it seemed protesting was pointless; he couldn't even track her movements, seeing only a blur. Suddenly, he felt a liquid pouring over his head, and a cool sensation instantly began to spread throughout his body.

"What are you trying to act tough for?" The potion maker pouted. "Your external wounds have healed by fifty or sixty percent, but don't you feel the internal bleeding from the shock to your organs?" Zhang Ruofeng couldn't help but offer a bitter smile at the potion maker who had instantly diagnosed his internal injuries.

"That's exactly why I came to the potion shop to buy medicine," Zhang Ruofeng said, shrugging helplessly.

"This potion is worth 1000 Faris, but if you give me three of those cigarettes you're smoking, we'll call it even." Perman smiled slyly and held out her hand.

"This is highway robbery," Zhang Ruofeng sighed, pulling three cigarettes from his pack and handing them over. Perman stared at his cigarette case, seemingly deep in thought.

"This cigarette case of yours seems to have a connection to another space," Perman said, looking at the case. "I always feel a strange kind of mana inside whenever you pull out a cigarette."

"Then I really must thank whoever brought me to this world; without cigarettes, I might have died of misery." Zhang Ruofeng could only set aside things he couldn't understand and pretended to be relaxed. "And what exactly did you mean by that—'the flower that blooms on a midsummer night'?"

"Since you've joined the Flower Goddess's familia, you should know about the affairs of the Flower Goddess's familia, right?" Perman asked.

"I have a rough understanding," Zhang Ruofeng replied. "In seven years, six members of the familia all failed their level-up trials and passed away, right?"

"But do you know this? Of those six members, the one who had been in the familia the shortest time had only been there for nine months, and the longest for a year and a half, before they began preparing for their Great Feats. Do you know what that means? Many people spend years, even over a decade, stuck at Level 1, unable to take another step forward. It's not just about honing themselves; it's because their lack of ability prevents them from completing a Great Feat. Although the Great Feat is different for everyone, it is never a simple matter. Your predecessors in the familia all began their preparations after only about a year, aiming for a higher stage. This only proves they had reached the critical point of leveling up and possessed the strength to reach higher ground. The blessing granted by every god is identical; how you grow depends on your talent and hard work. The people in your familia were all incredibly talented, yet they all failed their level-ups. It's like the most beautiful rose blooming on a midsummer night—instantly capturing everyone's gaze, only to wither in the shortest amount of time. You could call it the curse of your familia."

"I don't feel like I'm definitely going to die," Zhang Ruofeng shrugged, having never taken the matter to heart.

"Ruofeng." At this moment, Xin Mu walked in through the front door. Seeing Perman, who looked like a porcelain doll, she rushed over and pinched her cheeks. "This BJD doll is made so vividly!" Zhang Ruofeng broke into a cold sweat instantly. The person in front of them was a high-level adventurer, a Level 4 with unfathomable strength. Xin Mu's actions were far too bold.

"Hehehe~" To Zhang Ruofeng's surprise, it turned out that... although the familia head was a Level 4, the entire Medicine God's familia only had five members, all of whom were women. This was because Perman, as the founding member and leader, was famously obsessed with women—a well-known eccentric.

Perman was currently intoxicated by Xin Mu's touch when she suddenly reached out and groped Xin Mu's chest. Xin Mu didn't react in time, and after being grabbed twice, she jumped away in a panic. Zhang Ruofeng realized that even the cold Xin Mu could have a face flushed bright red.

"Hehehe, so it's a 'yes'?" Perman wiggled her hands, chuckling. "Kid, your girlfriend has a great chest, even if you can't tell from the outside."

"I really didn't expect you to be such a pervert." The black lines on Zhang Ruofeng's face could probably stretch to the ground. A dignified familia head with outstanding strength was actually a woman who liked women; Zhang Ruofeng felt he must have misunderstood something.

"We aren't in that kind of relationship," Zhang Ruofeng said blankly. Feeling completely fried, he didn't want to complain any further.

"Hmph~" Perman looked at the two of them meaningfully, not continuing the topic. "Anyway, both of our patron gods are good friends. Many of the flowers and herbs your patron god grows are potion materials. Once you grow up, I can get more cheap pharmaceutical materials from you. No matter how I look at it, I'm profiting." As she spoke, she tossed out two potion bottles. Zhang Ruofeng caught them; the bright red liquid flowing inside was clearly of a much higher quality than the bottle she had given him earlier.

"Don't bother looking; you two definitely couldn't afford these," Perman said calmly. "Even these bottles are custom-made; they won't crack even if dropped on the ground normally. They cost tens of thousands of Faris each." After finishing, Perman lit another cigarette.

"These are a gift for you, consider it an investment. If I have tasks to delegate to you in the future, or when I get my hands on good alchemy materials, you must come to me first, understand?"

"Understood." Zhang Ruofeng couldn't help but be deeply impressed by Perman. She handled social nuances with ease; although she was an eccentric, she was definitely someone worth trusting. It was no wonder that someone who liked women could become the head of a familia.

"Alright, alright, if there's nothing else, get going. You look like a beggar in those rags; go buy some clothes first." Perman waved her hand impatiently at Zhang Ruofeng, but her attitude turned enthusiastic again when she turned to Xin Mu. "I always welcome pretty girls!" she said, causing Xin Mu to step back once more.

The two walked out of the potion shop and wandered around for a bit. Zhang Ruofeng bought the cheapest linen shirt and some basic ingredients like rice and pork. Xin Mu also bought some changes of clothes, towels, and toothbrushes for both of them, and they slowly walked back to the flower shop.

As soon as they entered, they saw a mature, intellectual woman wearing glasses chatting happily with their patron god, both of them enjoying tea made from roses.

"This world really has everything," Zhang Ruofeng thought to himself. He hadn't expected to find people eating rice here, and he had seen people with black hair on the streets. Based on his knowledge, there seemed to be countries in the East, likely in an ancient state, but with gods descending, it probably wasn't a feudal imperial system.

"Look," Flora stood up happily, "they're back."

As she spoke, the woman also stood up. Zhang Ruofeng felt that this must be the Medicine God.

"Greetings, members of Flora's familia," the woman said with a faint nod. "I am the Medicine God, Evan."