"Are you taking me for a fool?


    You listen to me, you conniving vixen. This lightning-element Red Constrictor Grass is not worth 60K Extols no matter how you look at it. This is way too expensive even by capital''s standards.


    The only reason I''m even interested in talking to you is that I couldn''t find this bloody thing anywhere. But being rare doesn''t warrant such a steep price hike. Hmph!"


    Ma was furious and her anger could be seen on her red nose and red cheeks. Or it might be because she was just a teensy-weensy intoxicated. She turned around to look at a certain ranker and made a "get a load of this harlot" face beforementing.


    "Did you hear that price, Almera? Unbelievable! Imagine the kind of booze I could buy with that much money."


    Ma almost managed to push the seller away with her mana fluctuations alone. Almera stood behind her, feeling ufortable with her captain''s behavior.


    Ma was seen wearing a cream-colored shirt under her brown sleeveless leather armor. She was wearing ck pants that matched perfectly. Her bodacious figure couldn''t be hidden under her clothes.


    Ma had changed her hairstyle from thest time. She had long hair that reached her waistline. Her light blue eyes wereplemented by the prominent earrings she was wearing. Her cherry-red lips made her gorgeous face even more attractive.


    Ma had stepped into the Expert rank a few days after Eren was done contacting her for an invitation to join the White Raven guild. She couldn''t take him on that offer because of the graduation event. After the event, she would be relieved of her responsibilities as a professor in LA.


    Almera was seen in her usual adventurer''s clothes as well. She too looked beautiful and full of youth. The ranking breakthroughs bothdies had achieved in their respective ranks had allowed them to refine their looks.


    However, Ma was still Ma. She still liked drinking and creating a fuss. She would often be quite a handful for Almera, who was stuck in the Adept rank for months on end at this point.


    The ranger was about to pull Ma away from being on the sellerdy''s face. But it turned out she didn''t have to. Because they both sensed something flying towards them and looked up.


    A flying vehicle attracted the attention of leaders who were buying and selling things on the market. It stopped at a corner and a ck-haired young man stepped out of it.


    Ma and Almera both looked at each other when they saw the young man''s face. Ma even used her mana sense to verify the mana signatures. It had been a while since theyst saw each other after all.


    "It really is him."


    Ma mumbled as Eren walked towards her. She got rid of her booze-induced temper and sobered up after such a pleasant surprise was given to her.


    Ma blinked once and saw Eren standing in front of her. She saw him sh a mild smile at her before speaking up.


    "Long time no see, Expert Ma. Congrattions on your breakthrough."


    Ma smiled back before returning thepliment.


    "Hehehe. Thank you. Long time indeed. It''s a pleasure to see you here. I was looking forward to this graduation event because of you.


    And congrattions on your breakthrough into the Expert rank as well, Ex… Naaah… Eren. I''ll just call you Eren from now on."


    "Haha. Fine with me. I''ll call you Ma as well." Erenughed before looking at Almera. He nodded at her before speaking up.


    "How are you doing, Almera? Does Ma''s drunken antics still give you headaches?


    Almera chuckled before agreeing with him.


    "You bet, Eren. She has started drinking even more these days, creating a ruckus wherever she is."


    Ma scrunched her nose and made an "I am not happy with what you said about me" face looking at Almera. Folding her hands under her heavy bosom, she let out a discontented sigh.


    "Sheesh… stop exaggerating you two. I don''t drink that much."


    Eren looked at Ma as if an old man was looking at a wasted youth. He sighed dramatically and spoke.


    "The first step in Alcoholics Anonymous is epting the fact that you are an addict. We can''t get anywhere with you not epting a simple truth, Mdy."


    ''Hehehe. How you of all people can preach about how to recover from addiction with a straight face is beyond me.''


    While looking around him, Eren ignored Alephee''s voice in his head and continued.


    "Let''s change the venue, shall we? Almera, and Ma, you two must be heading to the graduation event as well, right? Hop on my ride. We''ll talk on the way."


    Eren pointed behind him. Ma and Almera nodded enthusiastically. But then she thought of something and looked back. After staring at the cute-yet-cunning Adept rankdy seller for a second or two, she made her a final offer.


    "20K Extols. That''s my final offer for that shitty old herb you have. How about that?"


    The middle-ageddy was looking at Ma''s meeting with Eren with quite an interest. By looking at the vehicle Eren rented for himself, the businesswoman in her saw that Eren was loaded. She ignored Ma right away before speaking straight to Eren.


    "Expert Eren is it? Don''t you want to impress yourdies by buying the ranking resources they need? I am selling everything in my lot for a measly 400K Extols.


    I''m suredy Ma and thatss Almera would be very happy with you if you did. Ady''s heart is always up for the im if she finds a man who can give her what she needs after all."


    Ma and Almera both looked at each other and were too stunned to speak right away. They felt awkward that they were being called Eren''s women.


    Almera had first thought that Ma was stepping out of line when she called thedy seller a vixen. But she had to say that Ma''s assessment of this very vixen was spot on.