Chapter 44: Just Developed Abs, Want to Touch?
Charlotte patted the heavy money pouch in his pocket and left the pawnshop.
The magic core was sold for 21,000 copper coins, and considering the extra 1,000 copper coins as a favor, Charlotte made a new friend with the pawnshop owner.
That's why Charlotte made a high-profile appearance at the pawnshop, delivering goods for Diana's subordinates.
With over 20,000 copper coins added to his account, it was no small amount of money. It was enough for Charlotte to purchase many good items.
Moreover, as the coins entered his pouch, his wealth value increased as well.
This meant that he could purchase two more bottles of the Strength Potion and raise his strength to 400 kilograms.
Although it still didn't meet the standard for a knight apprentice, in the eyes of others, he was now a discarded mage, like an unknown hidden card.
Two Level 4 magic spells, a Judgment Sword that could cut through iron-like mud, and a strength of 400 kilograms—these were the cards he currently possessed.
However, compared to the opponents he would face, these cards were still too weak.
He wondered if Diana would remember him, the unlucky tenant when she saw the Moisturizing Essence.
Back at the clinic, Charlotte went upstairs to the kitchen and glanced inside. Vivian was sitting by the stove, looking serious as she watched the fire.
Anna had jumped onto the stove and was trying to open the pot with her claws.
The kitchen was filled with a rich meat fragrance, accompanied by the aroma of bamboo shoots, making it especially tempting.
Yesterday, they had satisfied their cravings by eating soup dumplings but smelling this aroma made Charlotte's mouth water uncontrollably.
Hearing the commotion, Anna quickly jumped onto a nearby chair and stared at Charlotte eagerly.
"Boss, is the meat cooked?" Vivian also stood up, looking expectantly at Charlotte.
It was her first time working as a kitchen assistant, and with the smell of the meat, she had lost count of how many times she had salivated.
Their previous cook had never been able to make such delicious and flavorful food, which made Vivian admire Charlotte's culinary skills even more.
Charlotte approached and lifted the pot lid. The rich meat aroma rushed out, and the soup had already thickened. The chunks of wild boar meat, cut into large pieces, were red and shiny, while the bamboo shoots had absorbed the meat juice and become plump, looking delicious.
He used chopsticks to poke the meat, and the skin was tender and elastic, easily sinking in. He covered the pot again and said, "Turn off the heat and let it simmer with the residual heat for a while. We can eat soon."
"Mumm." Vivian nodded and immediately returned to her station at the stove.
Charlotte cooked a small pot of rice, placed it on the stove, and then went out and entered the bathroom.
With 20,000 wealth points, he exchanged for two bottles of Strength Potion and quickly swallowed them without hesitation.
Soon, a hot sensation rose from the depths of his heart, as if he had just finished a sauna. He was drenched in sweat, but after the intense heat subsided, he felt refreshed and comfortable, unable to describe the feeling.
"Phew."
Charlotte let out a long breath, clenched his fist gently, and felt an unprecedented sense of strength in his body. Looking at his gradually defined six-pack abs, a crazy grin appeared on his face.
He had finally broken free from the sickly state. If he were to be sold to the clubhouse now, he would pass all the courses and become an outstanding male mage...
Wait!
He must abandon this habit of wanting to freeload!
He washed away the sweat and dirt from his body with cold water, changed into clean clothes, and left the bathroom.
After his body noticeably became stronger, his previous clothes felt a bit tight and uncomfortable to wear.
Of course, he hadn't turned into a muscular man yet. It was just that his original body was too weak, and the clothes tended to be smaller in size.
However, he started to worry a little. If increasing his strength meant increasing his muscles, then when his strength reached several tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of kilograms, what kind of muscle monster would he become?
If his height remained the same, he would first become a square, then a rectangular shape, and then... a wall?
Just thinking about that image sent shivers down his spine.
Charlotte returned to the kitchen, where Vivian was holding Anna and eagerly looking at the pot covered with a lid.
She turned her head upon hearing the sound and looked at Charlotte. He had just taken a shower, and his hair was still damp, his clothes fitting tightly against his body, revealing the contours of his abdominal muscles.
Vivian blinked her eyes and looked up at Charlotte, making sure she hadn't mistaken him for someone else.
She felt... like her boss had become stronger again?
And his face seemed to have gained some flesh.
Originally, his cheeks were somewhat sunken, giving him a frail and sickly appearance, even though he had a delicate and beautiful face.
But now, his face was well-defined, with a fair complexion tinged with a hint of rosy color. He looked healthy, and there was a sunny quality in his expression.
People who lived in the Abyss for a long time tended to have subpar health, but now the boss seemed healthy, nothing like a waste who had lost his connection to the magic source.
"These newly developed abs look good, don't they?" Charlotte said with a hint of a show-off. "Do you want to touch them?"
"No!" Vivian's face turned red, and she quickly turned her head away.
Charlotte grinned, teasing the little girl a bit, feeling a bit more cheerful in the process.
After waiting for a while, the rice in the pot was almost cooked, and the meat in the large pot had simmered to perfection. Charlotte found a large bowl and scooped the food out directly from the pot.
Five pounds of meat and one pound of bamboo shoots filled up a big bowl after being cooked.
He poured the last spoonful of thick gravy over the dish.
"Gurgle."
Both the two humans and the cat in the kitchen couldn't help but swallow their saliva at the same time.
"Let's eat." Charlotte brought the pot of rice to the side and sat down at the table without hesitation.
Vivian obediently sat across from him, eagerly eyeing the chunks of meat.
"Anna, come over and let me pat your head. You'll get your share of the meat today." Charlotte smiled and said.
Anna crouched on a nearby chair, observing Charlotte, then looked at the meat on the table, seemingly conflicted.
However, her body soon overcame her will. Anna jumped down from the chair and approached Charlotte's feet, raising her head and letting out a "meow" sound. Although reluctantly, she had indeed surrendered.
Charlotte reached out and rubbed Anna's head, enjoying the softness of her fur.
After a sufficient amount of head rubbing, Charlotte took her dedicated plate and picked a few lean pieces of meat, placing them on the floor.
Vivian watched as Anna gobbled up the meat, hesitated for a moment, and then also leaned her head towards Charlotte.
Charlotte was momentarily stunned but quickly reacted. He couldn't help but smile, lightly tapping her head with chopsticks and saying, "No head patting for you, just eat."
"Um..." Vivian held her head in pain, but upon seeing an extra piece of meat in her bowl, she immediately put on a smile again. Awkwardly imitating Charlotte's actions, she tried to use the so-called 'chopsticks' to pick up the meat.
For someone who was accustomed to using a knife and fork from a young age, it was quite a challenge. She failed several times in a row, with the meat in the bowl remaining unmoved, making it impossible to pick up.
But Charlotte remained completely indifferent, showing no intention of switching to a knife and fork for her.
After a few attempts, unable to pick up the meat, Vivian could only lean closer to the edge of the bowl, pushing the meat to the rim before taking a big bite.
Vivian's eyes instantly glazed over!
The tender wild boar meat practically melted in her mouth, the lean meat tender and succulent, not dry at all. The skin was smooth and sticky, and the texture was chewy and soft.
With a gentle bite, the savory juices overflowed from the meat, and the deliciousness of the wild boar meat was perfectly released at that moment—rich but not greasy, fragrant, and tender.
She felt like she was stepping on a cloud, or riding on the back of a galloping wild boar in the wilderness. Her whole being felt light and completely immersed in the irresistible trap of deliciousness.
This was just too delicious!