V: Read the recipe before starting.

Serys felt her her heart hammering in her chest as she stood behind the counter of her newly opened bakery, The Enchanted Hearth. The scent of freshly baked bread and pastries wafted through the air, mingling with the warm sunlight streaming through the windows. 

The shop looked perfect—the pot of herbs by the window freshly watered, the tables polished to a gleam, the display case sparkling under the soft lighting, and the shelves stocked with an enticing array of goods. She had made flyers by hand and distributed them throughout Eldoria, from guild houses to shops. Despite all her meticulous preparations, Serys couldn't shake the gnawing anxiety building inside her. She had poured her soul into this place, and now, as she awaited her first customers, the weight of anticipation was almost overwhelming.

Was this a mistake? she wondered, glancing at the door. It was still early, and no customers had arrived yet. Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her apron as she recalled how much easier adventuring had been compared to this.

Her mind drifted back to when Exousia was nothing more than a tiny party of three: herself, Rieze, and Gress.

Serys hadn't always been a healer. When she first joined Rieze and Gress, she had been a mage, full of ambition to master the arcane arts. The three of them were inseparable, tackling quests and dungeons with youthful enthusiasm. But one ill-fated quest nearly ended it all.

The dungeon was supposed to be straightforward: clear out a nest of low-tier monsters, collect the bounty, and celebrate with drinks at the tavern. Instead, it turned into a nightmare. The monsters overwhelmed them, and their lack of a healer nearly cost them their lives. Serys could still remember the panic, the pain, and the helplessness as they fought to escape.

That near-death experience left her shaken, and in its aftermath, Serys made a decision that would change her path forever. She took the Re-Class Test, abandoning her mage ambitions to become a healer. But being a healer didn't mean she'd given up on her fiery spirit.

She chose to become a Lumina, a healer class that uses light magic to heal and shield party members. This class also employs light magic for blinding and devastating attacks, striking a balance between support and offense. Over time, with enough practice and hundreds of quests, her style of healing became... unconventional.

During missions, Serys would hang back, casting destructive damage spells while keeping an eye on her party's health. Her philosophy was simple: If they're not dying, they don't need healing. She wouldn't cast a single restorative spell until a party member's life dropped to a critical point.

Rieze and Gress had been the first to experience her approach. After narrowly surviving an encounter with a horde of monsters, Gress had yelled, "Your heal timing sucks, Serys! I could have died!"

Serys had smiled sweetly, her tone calm but chilling. "But did you die?"

It didn't take long for the two to adapt, learning to trust her timing. Despite their initial complaints, her method worked. They cleared dungeons faster than most parties, their coordination honed to perfection by necessity. The three of them improved their skills and became renowned for their seamless teamwork.

Her reputation grew beyond their guild. Other adventurers soon learned of her skills—and her terrifyingly precise, almost ruthless approach. She gained the nickname "The Goddess of Mercy" for the way she kept her parties alive with her impeccable judgment… as long as they stayed on her good side. Those who annoyed her quickly discovered that she would only heal them when they were about to lose consciousness.

But even the stress of keeping reckless adventurers alive paled in comparison to the anxiety of her bakery's opening day.

Little by little, customers began trickling in. The first to arrive were members of her guild, eager to support their former vice-captain. They laughed and reminisced as they sampled her pastries and admired the cozy ambiance of the shop.

Things truly took off when one of the guild members stopped by for a quick bite before heading out on a dungeon raid. They purchased a few pastries to share among their party members from different guilds, knowing that Serys had infused them with a small Strength Buff. Having firsthand experience of Serys's treats, they spread the word like wildfire.

By midday, the bakery was packed with adventurers, locals, and even a few curious merchants. Serys found herself overwhelmed as the line stretched out the door.

"I told you this would happen!" Gress exclaimed, throwing his hands up in mock despair as he tied an apron around his waist. "You're good at everything, Serys. Now we are doomed to a life of endless pastry-making and table-waiting!"

Serys and Rieze exchanged amused glances, clearly aware of his exaggerated theatrics.

"Less talking, more order-taking!" Serys shot back, though she couldn't hide the grin on her face.

Gress and Rieze worked behind the counter, managing orders and payments. Serys could hear them argue at the cash register as Gress tried to swindle someone who looked new in town. Ronan and Iona, meanwhile, handled serving and cleaning tables. Serys juggled baking, restocking the shelves, and preparing drinks with the speed and precision she had honed during her adventuring days.

As the sun began to set, the rush finally died down. The bakery was a mess—crumbs littered the floor, dishes piled high in the sink—but the atmosphere was one of triumph.

Serys gathered her makeshift staff at the end of the day, handing each of them an envelope.

"What's this?" Rieze asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Your pay," Serys said simply. "A day's allowance for your hard work."

Gress opened his envelope, his eyes widening. "You're paying us? I thought we were doing this as a favor!"

"I don't take favors lightly," Serys replied with a smile.

"At least you didn't die today, Gress," Rieze said amusingly. Rieze, Gress, Iona, and Ronan all accepted the envelopes with gratitude, their laughter filling the shop.

As Serys cleaned up the bakery late into the night, she reflected on the day's events. It had been exhausting, but she wouldn't trade it for anything.

Life as an adventurer was hard, she thought while stacking a tray of clean plates. But a baker's life? That's a whole new kind of challenge.

And as she locked the doors and readied to go home to the guild house, she felt a renewed sense of purpose. The Enchanted Hearth was a place where adventurers, locals, and friends could gather, share stories, and find a bit of comfort in the chaos of their adventuring lives.