Chapter 7: 7. Cold Approach

“The Azure Mountain Orchids only grow on the mountains to the east, but few adventurers have accepted any contracts, so… every merchant in town is out of stock…” Violetta said hesitantly, while I examined the situation. Thoroughly.

 Her pink hair was smooth and glistening, suggesting she took care of it, washed it and brushed it. Especially after what was probably a long night.

The dress, a lovely white, reached down to her feet, where the majority of the blood stains were. It had no cleavage, reaching up to almost the base of her neck, hugging and curving around her body perfectly. There was a pink ribbon that tightened it around her abdomen, to which she attached a purse. And then there were her breasts. Clearly at least a D, and quite firm without the support of a bra underneath the white fabric. My favorite kind.

Her arms and shoulders were exposed, allowing one full view of her tender skin.

Her green eyes shone with kindness, but also with… timidity? Uncertainty? They were quite different from the determination and sadness she had displayed the night before.

In general, there was a whole different vibe to her now compared to our first meeting.

“Well… it’s not that important. I can wait until another merchant has them…” she said quietly, almost to herself and turned to walk away.

“Wait,” I said, almost falling over from the sheer imbalance the giant bouquets created. I steadied myself and proceeded straight to my pre-framing. “I’m sorry, I’m a bit hungover today. We’ve met last night. Violetta, right?”

 “Uh…” she uhed. “Probably. I’m really sorry. It was a very chaotic night… I don’t remember you.”

“I remember you though. You were rushing around try to help every injured adventurer. It was quite impressive.”

Normally I would not try and bring the conversation to a man dying at both our feet, but this was an opportunity for a genuine compliment to her character rather than to her looks.

“I… uh… tried…” she said, looking down with a similar expression to the one she wore the night before.”

Right. I needed to change her emotions.

“That’s the best anyone can do,” I said. “What do you need these flowers for?”

“Oh, uh… they’re for an ointment that can wash out the stains… from my dress…” she said, somberly.

I would facepalm if it was physically possible for me. I settled for a mental one.

“It’s ok, I’m sorry for asking,” I said. Switching off the subject of blood and dead people being the top priority, before she went too far into gloom.

“I can give you one of these, but in return I’d like to ask you a question,” I said.

“Oh, that’s not necessary… I can pay for them, really I just need two or three,” she said nervously.

Nervous huh? Some empathy perhaps?

“Look, I know it’s a weird offer coming from a complete stranger.” Step one, acknowledge this is weird. “You don’t know me, you just need the flowers, I understand.” Step two, show you understand her position. “It’s just more fun and interesting than a simple exchange of money.” Step three, move the conversation along.

“Um…”

“How about this, a question for a flower,” I said, looking her in the eyes to gage her reaction.

Normally, a small game like this would be a breath of fresh air to a girl’s boring day. But Violetta was very hesitant. Nervous. Indecisive. She was probably the kind who wouldn’t say Yes or No. I’d have to lead this.

“What brings you to Ratia?” I asked.

“Um,” she hesitated. “I came for the library. I heard there are some books I need here.”

“Are you some kind of student?” I asked, looking at her intently in the way I would normally look at a girl to create some tension. Tension is not the enemy. It’s the un-calibrated use of it that is.

“I’m an acolyte of Athena, goddess of wisdom. I suppose I am a sort of… scholar?”

She made the jump from the general to the specific for me, so I could go for the personal.

“Really? Why Athena specifically? Out of all the gods out there.”

“Uh… I mean… we don’t really choose who we serve. The gods choose us. Athena chose to bestow her blessing upon me, and I had the choice of whether to accept it or not.”

“I’m sorry, I’m something of an outsider in these lands.” Which was truth. I also didn’t really know about the relations between the non-traffic-accident-victim inhabitants of Mithuna and their gods. “I meant, why did you choose to accept her blessing?”

“Hmmm…” Violetta thought to herself for a few moments. “It’s not common to receive a personal blessing from the gods, and I was always very interested in books and knowledge, and how it might allow me to make other people’s lives… better… I suppose. If that makes any sense.”

“So you like helping people, want to make the world a better place,” I assumed.

“Y-yes. You can say that…”

I was getting to know her, but she was still visibly uncomfortable. I’d need a softer, more easygoing touch perhaps.

I smiled, releasing the tension. “Well, those were four questions, so you can take four flowers.

Obviously I could have given her the entire thing, and would frankly have liked to, but it would have put too much pressure on her. Not to mention me conditioning the flowers was a clever way not to be too simpy and just give her everything she wanted right off the bat. She needed to earn them.

“It’s ok, I only need three. Thank you very much,” she said as she picked the three that seemed to fancy her the most. Looking rather giddy for a second.

Finally, a spark. I needed to see more of that.

“You look cute when you’re examining flowers so, expertly.”

It was more than about time to make it clear that this was a man to woman conversation.

The girl blushed. “Um, t-thanks,” she giggled nervously. “I studied a lot of herbology so…”

This was bad.

The tone in her voice was clear. This wasn’t an “Oh, I’m embarrassed” giggle. It was an “Oh no, another guy is hitting on me” giggle.

Even simply calling her cute was too forward. Just how shy was this girl?!

 A disqualification was in order.

“You’re not a witch, though, are you?” I asked, raising a brow.

“W-what do you mean?” she asked, too seriously. My dumb brain forgot there might actually be real witches in this world.

“I’m just saying,” I said, smiling. “If you lied to me and these flowers are for some poison meant for your ex-lover, we would probably not get along. I value honesty. Plus you might try to poison me if we got together and things didn’t work out.”

I and You is just conversation. We is flirting.

“I cannot lie. Athena demands her acolytes pursue the truth,” Violetta said, getting irritated.

Ok. The push of the metaphorical push-pull worked. Anger was good. I could work with anger.

“I’m not convinced,” I said, giving her another cheeky smile. “You’re an expert herbalist. You could turn this flower into anything.”

“There’s no known poison made from Azure Mountain Orchids,” she continued defending herself.

She wasn’t running away, which meant I probably had at least some of her interest. And I was at least managing to get some emotion out of her, but something was still feeling off about her. She looked quite feminine, projected the same with how she dressed and carried herself about, yet…

“Look, I’m sorry I’m making you uncomfortable” I said, smiling lightheartedly.

It was not enough.

Why wasn’t this enough?

“I was just teasing you,” I continued taking metaphorical steps back. “You seem like an interesting person, so I wanted to know more about you. I’ve never met an acolyte of Athena before.”

“Well, Athena’s acolytes are also highly discouraged from getting married so…”

“Of course, of course. We wouldn’t dream of offending Athena,” I said, trying to give her a sense that I understood the boundary she was putting for any farther romantic escalation.

“Do all acolytes of Athena wear such beautiful and lovely dresses, or is this all you?” And also give her the sense that despite that understanding, I was not ashamed of my interest in her.

You are reading story How to Seduce Girls in Another World: Book 1 – Shy Female Adventurers at novel35.com

“I designed this one myself actually. I read some books about sewing but I ended up hiring a tailor to do the job. The white symbolizes Truth.”

Finally! She was opening up.

“And what does the pink stand for?”

“The pink… is there because I like the color,” she said, giggling. This time it was a real giggle.

“A scholar, a herbalist and a fashion designer. An impressive set of skills for a young woman such as yourself.”

“Oh, thank you. Some people say I read too much.”

“Oh I’m sure,” I said, laughing. The law of state transference would be my tool to open her up.

“They must tell you that you’re wasting your youth. You should be going outside, making friends, meeting with boys.”

“Yeah… that’s word for word what they say, actually.” Her giggle finally turned into the slightest of laughs.

Things were positive. It seemed like I was getting to the social hookpoint. The point at where the usual Stranger Danger walls are off and the person is willing to talk to you somewhat openly.

However.

I intentionally didn’t tell her my name so that she could ask for it, yet she wasn’t doing so.

I guess I still had to carry the full weight of this for this shy girl.

“By the way, the questions for flowers deal doesn’t work both ways. You can ask me what my name is. Nothing will happen to your Orchids.”

“O-oh, I’m sorry. What is your name?”

“Vladislav Bohemond the Third,” I replied. “These flowers are for my wife, the duchess.”

She stared at me for a few moments, unsure how to respond.

“I’m joking. My name is Ken. Ken Kouboku.”

I managed to elicit another giggle.

“Nice to meet you, Ken,” she said. “What do you need so many flowers for?”

Some investment. Finally.

“They are for my harem of lovers,” I said.

“I see,” she said drily.

“I’m joking,” I said, laughing. “The man simply didn’t have change for gold, so I ended up taking his entire stock.”

“I mean, you could give them out to people if you don’t need them,” she said.

“I appreciate your kindness and worry for me, but I already have too many girls in this town who want to receive a flower from me. I couldn’t possibly handle more.”

“I’m sure,” she said very drily again. “Maybe you should just give them the flowers then.”

“That’s a good idea! You give good relationship advice.”

“Well, I read a lot,” she said, sort of nodding.

The sheer amount of effort I need to wrestle banter out of this girl. Truly the shy ones were the hardest. But that’s also why I liked them.

“I like you,” I said. “At first I thought you weren’t very talkative, but when you open up a bit you’re like one of these roses.”

“Um, thanks,” she said nervously again.

The girl still couldn’t handle a romantic compliment.

But we were firmly on a positive. It was time to escalate. Always escalate on a positive.

“Are you hungry?” I asked. “Flower shopping is exhausting. There’s a very good café I know a bit farther up the street. They actually have pink muffins. Have you tried them?”

“Uh, no. Not really. I would have remembered pink muffins,” she replied. “I hadn’t had the chance to explore the town yet.”

And there was my perfect opportunity for an instant date.

“Oh, they are absolutely amazing. Let me show you the place. We could rest our legs, eat pink pastries and you could tell me more about Athena. Recruit me to your cult even.”  

Something immediately shifted in her face.

“Oh. Uh, I’m sorry. I actually need to by some more ingredients…”

Where did that last minute resistance come from? Perhaps she needed a comforting assurance, like a time constraint.

“Oh it won’t be long. I have to get these flowers to some water probably in the next hour. I’ll only have time for one pastry and your quickest Athena’s cult sales pitch.”

“They’re sold in a shop on a different side of town so…”

Yet more no.

Maybe it was a different issue?

“Are you in town for long?” I asked. Which I frankly should have asked far, far earlier. Logistics is king.

“For another week at least,” she said. “But I really have to go…”

She was fidgeting, half walking away, half waiting for permission to do so.

Yeah… this wasn’t happening today.

“Perhaps some other day then, when you have time to explore the city,” I suggested. “Are you staying in one of the inns?”

The most annoying thing about a world that lacked cellphones and social media, was that getting a girl’s contact information basically amounted to asking where she lived. A very high pressure question.

“Yes…” she said, with no indication of specifying which.

All I could do was show empathy. “That’s ok. I understand. I’m still a stranger to you.

“I’m sorry but I really need to get those ingredients before sunset,” she said, taking her first physical step away from me.

“I understand,” I reassured her. “You can call on me at the CELL-inn where I’m staying right now once you have free time and want to check out those muffins.”

“I will, thank you,” she said, bowing slightly and turning to walk away.

She wouldn’t.

“It was lovely meeting you, Violetta,” I said.

“It was nice to meet you too, Ken,” she said, turning around for another polite bow and then resumed her quick escape.

As she left, leaving me standing, figuratively empty handed if not physically, I realized what felt so odd. Something I had failed to notice about her. The distinct smell of intense past trauma.

Aphrodite was right. This place made me rusty.

You can find story with these keywords: How to Seduce Girls in Another World: Book 1 – Shy Female Adventurers, Read How to Seduce Girls in Another World: Book 1 – Shy Female Adventurers, How to Seduce Girls in Another World: Book 1 – Shy Female Adventurers novel, How to Seduce Girls in Another World: Book 1 – Shy Female Adventurers book, How to Seduce Girls in Another World: Book 1 – Shy Female Adventurers story, How to Seduce Girls in Another World: Book 1 – Shy Female Adventurers full, How to Seduce Girls in Another World: Book 1 – Shy Female Adventurers Latest Chapter