Johan had read that only normal classes levelled up.
Classes like Assassin, Swordsman, Bruiser, and Psychic, if one upgraded all the class-exclusive skills they got upon awakening and cleared a quest assigned by the system, these classes transformed into advanced classes, and on rare occasions reached Unique Class status.
However, nowhere could he find the confirmation that one could advance a Unique Class. No matter which book or online information hub he went to, Johan couldn’t find a single mention or hint of this.
Unique Classes gave more class-exclusive skills as one levelled up the available skills or cleared quests, which was common knowledge. But his situation went beyond absurd.
“I am too scared to even ask someone about it.” He could only sit on the potion workshop’s floor, hugging his knees as a bunch of books on classes were scattered around him.
Tower Farmer, this unique class already had huge potential. Potential he hadn’t realized in full yet. But to discover that the ceiling could only go higher, it was both nerve-racking and fascinating at the same time.
Nothing about this class made sense. Like the ranking system it used for potions.
Johan had let it be so far, assuming the system had a different ranking system compared to the one used by the Hunters on Earth, who had adopted the Mage Tower’s ranking system.
But now that he had gotten over his Debbie Downer days, he couldn’t overlook it again.
“I should get my hands on the Mage Tower’s healing potion.” One more favour to ask of Adrian, he could shake his head.
“Well, a unique class is supposed to be unique.” Leaving the upgrade problem for his future self, Johan reached the mart above to get some fresh air.
Adrian, who was supposed to visit yesterday, with the contract from the Agni clan, was a day late because he wanted to prepare the contract well.
A diligent fellow, Johan must say.
He decided to make some tea from Night bloom flower petals that he had dried while waiting. The first time he had tried, the tea came out so bitter and dark that his stomach turned inside out.
Now that was as good as a detox one could get, but it wasn’t the one he needed. So, after a dozen trials, Johan understood the golden ratio for the Night Bloom tea.
100ml water, 5 dried petals, and 10 minutes of simmering with a lid on.
The result was a light purple tea with blooming pink. It had a good amount of sweetness and depth.
Now, instead of the instant coffee mix, unless he suffered from a midday crash, Johan had decided to drink the Night Bloom tea on the regular.
Yuna liked espresso more since it was stronger. He didn’t know about Lucas; it seemed like the guy enjoyed alcohol or fizzy drinks more. But he knew for a fact that Merilyn would enjoy this tea. Another product to sell.
Let’s settle the things at hand first. Wiping his drool, he gave a cup to Adrian.
The guy had arrived while he was too busy using an imaginary money gun, spraying cash everywhere. As Johan took his seat opposite him in the potion workshop, he noticed a sterner look on the guy today.
He didn’t know the guy could get any sterner, but here he was.
“Hmm… this is excellent.” Even then, Adrian praised the tea, enjoying the taste and pleasant fragrance.
Though seeing this big guy hold the China cup with his sausage fingers was quite funny, he still made himself look quite the refined gentleman while drinking tea in his navy-blue suit and red-striped tie.
“Please have a lawyer look over this thoroughly before signing it.” Adrian handed over a thick brown paper bag with a wax seal.
It seemed like the contract for the upcoming business, but before Johan could say anything, the guy pushed forward.
“I insist you have a lawyer look over this.”
Well, what else could he do if the guy went this seriously? Johan did trust Adrian, but it wouldn’t hurt to check the contract as he said. The future Johan would find the Lawyer somehow.
Adrian also agreed to get him a few of the Mage Tower’s potions; Lucas had no plans of using them after Johan’s potions came into play. So, rather than letting them collect dust, giving a few away wasn’t that big of a deal, or so he explained.
Seems like they plan to get rid of the inventory they have now.
Johan could read that much, as Adrian said that they only had seven healing potions from the Mage Tower at the clan. Getting their hands on them had been a nightmare this year in particular.
But it seemed he was much more excited to help when Johan spoke of the potion bottling machine.
“Would you like a new one or a New one?” He asked.
“What’s the difference?” Johan tilted his head.
“Well, a new one would take about a month to arrive, fresh from S.M. Magik Manufacturing, because of the paperwork and approvals.” Then he added with a corporate smile. “A New one would be one of the spare machines we keep in the clan warehouse. It is brand new, of course, and I can have it delivered here before midnight.”
It seemed that the Agni Clan would have an easier time skipping several steps by disguising the process as renting out the machine on paper instead of getting him a new one.
“I’ll take the New one, but a new one too.” That was a no-brainer. Having two was better than one.
“Very well then.” Adrian jotted something down on the notepad he took out from his coat’s pocket. “Is there a specific delivery time you’d like for the New one?”
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“Three days if possible.” Johan could see the faint surprise in his eyes, so he continued. “I am actually purchasing the store next door.”
Since he had decided to move forward with his plan, why not go all out?
His current arrangement wasn’t so bad, actually; Johan did prefer it. But he had to be realistic.
The mart took up the majority of the first floor, and storage took up the remaining space. The basement had the potion workshop, with a row of alchemy utensils and shelves of dried herbs and books, with another storage room in the corner for extra items.
Johan had a comfortable bedroom on the second floor, with a second room reserved for Morgan, along with a joint kitchen. The terrace used to be a small garden, but it now worked as extra storage space.
There is no place for a proper meeting room here, or a place to set up the potion-bottling machine. After a not-so-thorough consideration, Johan decided to use the money piling up in his bank. He had to use it for something other than cat food, or it’d be a waste.
Thanks to Morgan, he could move into the place next door, which had stayed empty for six months now, so he got a good deal with a promise of full payment. It wasn’t anything grand, but it would serve him well as a first office of sorts.
“I had thought you would move to the Hunter Sectors soon. But I suppose that is too much with the current rates.” Adrian gave him an understanding nod. The look of someone who had to pay too much money for a home.
In a world where rifts could open any time, places where Hunters gathered were the safest. And the safety came with a huge price tag.
Still, Johan believed he could move there after he finalized a few deals. He still had one important task pending, so a few more months of delay weren’t a problem.
With a bit of small talk, Adrian seemed ready to leave. However, Johan noticed the bit of hesitation in his actions.
Since this considerate man seemed too shy to bring up the topic, Johan decided break into it. After all, it was all for his benefit.
“What does your wife think of the carrots?”
“She enjoyed them well.” Seemed she had asked him to get some more, judging by the look on his face.
“Wait a minute.” Johan went into the storage room of the potion workshop and hefted a ten-kilo crate split between cherry tomatoes and carrots.
“Do tell her to share this with the community of new mothers she is in.” He had prepared this in advance.
“How did you know she was part of a community like that?” Adrian seemed shocked.
“That’s pretty common stuff.” Johan had taught kids from a number of rich households thanks to communities like these, and he learned a lot from them as well.
Adrian should live in a well-off neighbourhood considering his career and position. Women from such places formed such groups much faster than usual, so it wouldn’t take much time for the weight loss vegetables to spread among them.
And rich ladies from such communities spent most of their money on two things. First, their children’s education, and second, to maintain their beauty so they could keep their husbands’ attention.
“Still, please tell your wife to limit herself. Fat is still essential for the body.” What would this vegetable burn if there were no fat in the body? No, the very thought of having no body fat was terrifying.
Not everyone could survive with a negative body fat percentage like Ronnie Coleman. Johan didn’t have much fat on his body, at least it didn’t seem like it. So, he didn’t want to test this on himself.
“We do have a Clan-affiliated hospital, so I’ll have them check it and forward you the reports.” Adrian-emon was a god-sent.
“I look forward to it.” Johan saw the man off and went back to his room, lying down in his bed to take in all that had happened.
With this, he had most of the things in order. Some workers from a renovation company Morgan worked with would come by tomorrow and work on the property, turning it into a proper office for him.
He had to get the contract looked over with Morgan’s help as well. She had connections with a great law firm.
Aren’t I relying on her too much? I wanted to repay the favour, not add more! Even when he tried not to, Johan somehow always ended up relying on Morgan.
This woman had too many convenient connections and had too much money, paired with her devil-may-care attitude and willingness to help, he couldn’t help but turn to her over and over again.
“She’s becoming more like the trusted elder she always wanted to be.” Cold sweat dripped down Johan’s brow.
If things continued like this, he wouldn’t be able to make fun of her anymore.
As he purged the image of the supercompetent Morgan from his brain, the door to his room flung open.
She stood in his doorway; a white cloth covered her nose and mouth. A duster in the right hand and a dripping map in the left, she posed like a dozen cameras focused on her.
“Did someone call for a trusted elder?” She said before breaking into a series of dry coughs.
“Yeah, this is more like it.” Like a sage, Johan nodded to himself.
“Wha..ack…t? Do you mean by… Achooo!”
It seemed like Morgan had remembered she had room here and decided to clean it by sneaking in while he rested. What she didn’t know was that Johan cleaned her room more frequently than his own.
However, when he entered the normal bedroom, or what used to be normal, soapy water covered the floor, and the bedding got flipped. Doors to the wardrobes hung ajar as clothes hung on for dear life. He could hear running water from the bathroom and the thick scent of detergent filling the room.
It was as if a tornado had passed through this place.
Morgan only rubbed her reddened nose and whistled away. Even though the reliable rating he had for her had flatlined again, Johan didn’t feel the slightest bit of joy.
It took a while for him to handle the mess; most of it was a band-aid measure. He’d wait until after dinner to fix the more glaring issues.
“What even got into you do that?” Johan placed a stuffed pepper into his plate, still unsure what brought this whirlwind around.
“I have to get used to living alone now that you are leaving.” Morgan took a bite with hidden pain in her usually clear eyes. “Now I understand what Mrs Huang of Seventh Street felt when her son moved to Sector Z.”
“I only took an office next door. I am not even moving out of here.” He deadpanned.
“Oh, really?” Morgan’s mood shifted from melodrama to normal at the drop of a hat. “It’s all fine then. But you have to give me a one-year notice in advance if you ever think of moving out.”
“A one-year notice?” Even toxic workplaces weren’t this extreme.
“Yes, a one-year notice. If you follow the rules, I’ll think about letting you go.” Morgan said, munching away at the fourth stuffed pepper.
So, it wasn’t guaranteed that he could move out even if he gave a notice?
He could only sigh and move the topic along.
“You know a few people in the Alchemist Association, right?” This was the last thing he had to take care of after securing the office.
“I know a few.” Morgan looked at him with unblinking eyes, already curious.
Johan placed his spoon on the plate and smiled.
“Can you get a few potion makers for me?” It was time to get workers for his operation, Operation Potion Supply for Morgan Hunter Mart Chain. “As long as they are trustworthy and have the brewing skill, I won’t ask for more.”
“I can look into it. Give me a week.” Morgan nodded, going back to eating.
Johan scratched his cheek and kept glancing at her, but she only tilted her head.
“No high school students this time, please.” He finally said.
“…” Morgan stopped for a moment and swallowed the mouthful of lemon rice in the awkward silence. “Yeah, of course, who in their right mind would hire high school students?”
Watching her chuckle and shrug, Johan had a lot to say, but he stopped himself.
Next time she starts acting mature, I should remember not to raise the flag.
Another day, another lesson learned.
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