Open for business, Charlotte let Vivian start seeing patients first while he focused on Jonah and Celia, who had just walked in.
The two siblings were fully armed, obviously preparing for a wilderness hunt and planning to buy some potions in advance.
"Doctor, hello." Jonah greeted him with a smile.
"Doctor." Celia also gave a shy smile.
"Are you two preparing for the wilderness?" Charlotte asked with a smile.
"Yes, we heard that there have been deer sightings around the outskirts these days. We plan to try our luck. The antlers are quite valuable, and hunting them isn't too risky." Jonah nodded, full of anticipation for today's hunt.
"I'm looking for a few materials. I wonder if you two are interested in taking my commission," Charlotte said.
"Oh? Doctor, do you want us to help you find the materials?" Jonah was a bit surprised, but immediately patted his chest and said, "Just say it. As long as it's something we can find, we'll help you get it."
"You don't have to go out of your way to search. If you happen to come across them while hunting, just bring them back to me," Charlotte said, taking out a piece of paper from his pocket and handing it to Jonah. "This is the list of materials. Take a look and bring back whichever you find."
"Okay, I'll do my best to find them," Jonah promised earnestly as he took the list.
"I haven't commissioned adventurers before. Do you think I should pay you a commission fee?" Charlotte inquired.
Jonah quickly shook his head. "It's just a small favor. You don't have to be so polite. If I happen to find these materials, I'll bring them back to you without hesitation."
"That won't do. In the wilderness, every extra task means taking on greater risks. I must pay you a commission fee. If you refuse, then I won't commission you." Charlotte's expression turned serious.
"Well... in that case, let me bring the things back to you first. Then I'll pay the commission fee based on the difficulty. If I don't find anything, then, of course, I won't accept your money," Jonah suggested.
"Alright, let's settle it that way," Charlotte agreed with a nod. The plan didn't sound too bad.
Jonah purchased two sets of basic first-aid kits and left with Celia.
Instead of seeking assistance from others, Charlotte began his practice.
The morning went smoothly, with no special cases or patients dying on the operating table due to severe injuries.
However, this meant that today's revenue was ordinary, with only 25,420 copper coins.
Today, Charlotte took on more surgical tasks.
As a result, Vivian seemed relaxed. After completing the surgery, she had free time to play with Anna while waiting for Charlotte to finish the last operation.
"Boss, upstairs, is that braised cow hooves? It smells so good." Vivian's nose twitched as the aroma of the stewed meat wafted down the stairs.
"That's right. Wash your hands and come upstairs for lunch," Charlotte replied, cleaning his hands before heading upstairs to cook.
In the large pot on the earthen stove, a pot of beautifully colored cow hooves had already stewed to a tender texture. As he lifted the lid, the fragrance of the meat filled the air, intoxicating anyone who encountered it.
Charlotte used a large basin to hold the cow hooves and started cooking rice by scrubbing the pot.
"Let me taste the flavor first." Vivian already had chopsticks in her hand and picked up a large piece of cow hooves, placing it in her mouth.
The tender and flavorful braised cow hooves melted in her mouth, and she couldn't help but take big bites. It was chewy and delicious, becoming more fragrant and flavorful with each bite.
"Is this... cow hooves? It's so delicious!"
Vivian's eyes were full of astonishment as she looked at the pot of braised cow hooves emitting a rich aroma. Such a delicacy had been discarded in the past.
"For lunch today, I only ate two bowls of rice. But I can eat two more bowls of cow hooves, otherwise, this pot won't be finished." Vivian said seriously.
Although she enjoyed it, she didn't continue to eat alone. She put down her chopsticks and approached Charlotte, giving him a thumbs-up, and exclaimed, "Boss, you know how to satisfy my taste buds. If I can't eat the food you cook in the future, what will I do?"
"I wouldn't mind if you worked for me for the rest of your life," Charlotte said earnestly.
It was not easy to find another hardworking, reliable, but not very clever employee like Vivian.
If keeping such an outstanding employee meant just providing her meals, he would not refuse.
"Really?" Vivian's eyes lit up, but she also had some concerns.
"I'm still young now. I can see patients and perform surgeries in the morning, refine potions in the afternoon, and work overtime refining potions at night. I can sleep for six hours a day without any problem. But what if I get old and can't work anymore? Will you still accept me?"
"It's okay. When you're old, you probably won't be able to eat five bowls of rice in one meal, so I can still afford to take care of you." Charlotte reassured her.
"That's good. You better remember what you said today. I remember it, and you'll have to provide me with meals for a lifetime." Vivian said seriously. "And, I can't guarantee that when I get old, I won't eat three bowls of rice."
"Alright." Charlotte nodded with a smile.
The rice was cooked until it was slightly raw and then steamed to remove excess moisture. This resulted in a pot of fragrant rice, which only took about ten minutes from start to finish, much more efficient than using a rice cooker.
The cow hooves didn't have much meat, mostly tendons and skin. After stewing for a whole morning, they had become soft, tender, and flavorful. The bright red color was very enticing, and one bite made the mouth water. It was truly an ultimate delicacy.
Compared to simply boiling vegetables in water, this was incomparably flavorful.
Vivian kept her promise and indeed only ate two bowls of rice, but she alone ate at least three catties (1.5 kilograms) of cow hooves. Her mouth was filled with greasy satisfaction as she happily finished her meal.
Charlotte went out to rent a carriage and arranged to meet the three of them on Baka Street.
Vivian and Kasha stood on the street, waiting for a while. Vigilantly looking around, Vivian whispered, "Where did the boss go? Why hasn't he come back for so long?"
At this moment, a black carriage slowly stopped in front of them. The driver was a burly man with a square face who whispered to the two of them, "Get in the carriage."
"Who are you? Why should we get in your carriage?" Vivian pulled Kasha back two steps, looking at the square-faced man warily.
"Shh, I'm Charlotte. I've disguised myself. Get in the carriage quickly and don't draw attention." The square-faced man said in a low voice.
Vivian had a determined look on her face. "I don't believe it. Our boss is handsome, not like you. And when he left just now, he wasn't dressed like you. Tell me, what did you do to our boss? Did you knock him out and put him in the carriage, and now you want to deceive and sell us too?"
Charlotte was somewhat amused and satisfied with Vivian's affirmation of his looks. However, he couldn't help but wonder if her excessive caution was due to the traumas she had suffered from being repeatedly deceived in the Abyss.
"It's the boss. I can recognize his voice, and his fingers are the same." Kasha pulled Vivian and boarded the carriage.
"Kasha, you're clever." Charlotte flicked the reins and drove the carriage forward. However, this served as a reminder to him that the disguise mask only changed the face but couldn't completely conceal certain details. When changing identities, he had to pay attention to this.
"Boss, is it you?" Vivian stuck her head out of the carriage and curiously reached out to touch Charlotte's face. "Even the shape of your face has changed, it's more amazing than my wig."
"Sit back properly and keep quiet. When we arrive in Calva, be careful and don't say anything. It's not the Abyss there, and you might be sought after by the Chronwell people." Charlotte warned in a low voice.
Hearing the name Chronwell, Vivian instinctively shrunk her neck and obediently sat back in the carriage.
But soon, she lifted a corner of the curtain and secretly admired the scenery outside, her eyes full of joy at going out.
Although she had traveled from the capital all the way south to the Abyss, crossing thousands of miles, she had been running for her life the entire time and hadn't had the chance to enjoy the scenery along the way.
It wasn't until she was taken in by Charlotte that her state of mind gradually calmed down.
Kasha also lifted the other corner of the curtain and curiously observed the outside world.
Although she had been in the Abyss for a year, she had barely been anywhere except the sewers, let alone the legendary Calva.
Even among the sea-dwelling races, Calva was still a coveted city.
Some powerful and wealthy sea-dwelling beings even owned properties in Calva and occasionally went there for a short stay.
It is said that there are two giant lighthouses in the big city, and when night falls, the two huge lights will illuminate the entire city of Calva.
Just the lighthouses alone are enough to excite and inspire one's imagination.