novelraw Chapter 167: I’m Really Timid
Chapter 167: I’m Really Timid
Fortunately, when Emily brought over the juice, nothing awkward happened. The peach juice was as sweet and refreshing as ever, with just a hint of tartness—no different from usual.
Maru clearly enjoyed fresh fruit juice too. She took small sips while chatting with Leon, most of their conversation revolving around his life on the farm. She seemed genuinely interested in that subject.
Once Gus brought the food, the conversation came to a halt. Maru apparently had a habit of staying quiet while eating, and Leon had been raised with the old saying, “Do not speak while eating, or sleep while talking.”
Although he sometimes broke that rule in social settings, if his dining companion stayed silent, it naturally reminded him of the lesson from the Analects.
When they finished eating, Maru finally spoke.
“Having dinner with me must have been boring, right? Sorry… When I was little, I choked on food while talking and almost suffocated, so I’ve had a bit of a psychological shadow about speaking while eating.”
“Not boring at all. The food was delicious, and with your company—good food and a beautiful lady? That’s a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds. Whether we talked or not didn’t matter.” Leon smiled reassuringly.
“Huh?” Maru froze for a moment, then instinctively covered her face, stammering, “Leon… you… you’re exaggerating.”
“You’ve got to have confidence in yourself,” Leon encouraged her. “You’re already quite pretty. No one’s told you that before?”
“Uh… no.” Maru looked a bit awkward at the topic. After all, she and her father were the only dark-skinned residents in Pelican Town. Most people treated her kindly just by not giving her strange looks.“Then I’ll be the first. Anyway, since we’re done eating, I should take you home. Otherwise, I’m afraid your father might come looking for me.” Leon got up and went to the counter to pay.
Unfortunately, Gus wasn’t the one handling the bill this time, so Leon didn’t get his usual “special discount.” Not that he minded—he paid, said goodbye to Emily, and left the Stardrop Saloon with Maru.
“Sorry to make you spend so much,” Maru murmured, keeping her head lowered as they stepped outside. But she still remembered to thank him.
“It’s nothing. Just tell me—was the dinner good?” Leon asked.
“It was great,” Maru replied earnestly.
“Then that’s all that matters. If it’s good, the price doesn’t matter. People earn money to live well, after all.” Leon chuckled, then teased, “You know what the most painful thing in life is?”
“I don’t know.” Maru shook her head.
“It’s dying before you’ve spent all the money you earned,” Leon said seriously.
“Pfft—really?” Maru finally realized he was joking. She’d thought he was going to say something tragic.
Maybe it was because of that joke, but Maru finally lifted her head again as they walked toward her home in the northern foothills.
On the way, she suddenly asked, “By the way, Leon—has that Iridium-star meteorite on your farm caused any strange problems since then?”
“Nope. Why? Did your research on the meteorite fragment samples make any breakthroughs?” Leon asked curiously.
“Mm, a little. While studying it, I found some special genetic material. I referred to some of Dr. R. J. Cutler’s papers and found reports suggesting that this type of meteorite has a strong affinity with Starfruit. If we could extract enough of this genetic material, we might be able to create a Starfruit.”
“Artificial Starfruit?” Leon froze. He’d never imagined such a way to obtain one, and his interest was immediately piqued. “Is that even possible?”
“I don’t know. The theory was actually my father’s. He once acquired a Starfruit for research, but its genetic structure was too complex, and it’s made of materials not found on our planet. So the idea has stayed purely theoretical,” Maru explained.
“So your father has a Starfruit?” Leon caught onto the key point right away.
“Yes. But research hit a dead end, so he sealed it away,” Maru said. “Are you really that interested in Starfruit?”
“Of course,” Leon nodded. “Do you think if I offered to buy it, your father would agree?”
“Probably not. Starfruit is far too rare, and he’s a geologist and natural researcher. To him, it’s an important specimen, not something to sell.” Maru shook her head.
“I see.” Leon didn’t seem surprised, but he was already doing some mental calculations.
Before he could finish, Maru asked, “Leon, if you actually got your hands on a Starfruit, what would you do?”
“Eat it, of course. No matter how mysterious it is, it’s still a fruit. If you don’t eat it, what else would you do with it?” Leon said matter-of-factly.
“Really? But according to related studies, Starfruit isn’t exactly safe to eat. While it’s rumored to be delicious, there have been cases where people died after eating it. The special genetic material it contains could alter the human genetic chain. If your body can handle it, you might gain special abilities—but if it can’t, the collapse of the genetic chain would cause irreversible consequences.”
Maru’s face was full of concern as she warned him.
“Relax. I know my limits. I’m the most cautious person you’ll meet—I’m really timid,” Leon said with a smile.
“I don’t think so. Back when that giant Slime appeared, you were the first to draw your weapon and fight. That’s not something a timid person would do.” Maru recalled the scene, her eyes drifting slightly at the memory.
“Exactly because I’m timid, I wanted to eliminate the Slime before it caused trouble,” Leon explained.
“Hahaha, your way of thinking is really interesting. You’re not just trying to tease me, are you?” Maru laughed.
“These days, even the truth sounds like a joke to people,” Leon sighed, looking aggrieved. But Maru didn’t buy it—she kept smiling and nodded perfunctorily.
“Sure, sure, I believe you.”