Chapter 34: First Impressions of Menar Village

Perhaps it was the "spring outing" Zoe mentioned that planted the seed, but Ronan actually dreamed of one.

In his dream, he traveled through a season where flowers carpeted the hillsides. He visited Ménerbes, Avignon, the village of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse—which he had heard mentioned once or twice—the hilltop village he had only ever seen on television, and even Cannes, the gathering place of stars. These cities and villages, which he had never set foot in, appeared in his dream exactly as he had imagined them.

Upon waking, Ronan forgot the specific details of the cities, but he clearly remembered the feeling—a sense of happiness enveloped by immense joy. He hoped to eventually walk through every town in Provence, and the first step of this plan was Ménerbes.

...

It took less than twenty minutes to drive from Lourmarin to Ménerbes. As they neared the foot of the village, Ronan realized that he had "seen" this renowned Provençal village countless times over the past month. Whenever he sat in his backyard enjoying a snack or a drink while admiring the distant peaks, the mountain he was looking at was exactly where Ménerbes stood.

Ménerbes is a classic "bird's nest" village. The houses are built against the mountain, with streets winding downward along the terrain. Like Lourmarin, it follows a centralized layout, but Ménerbes is crowned by an unreachable watchtower at its highest point. Zoe described it as a place where the classical and the modern intertwine; the hillside area is filled with 16th and 17th-century architecture, while the plains, developed in recent decades, feature modern museums typical of large cities. All of this belongs to Ménerbes.

As Ronan drove into the village entrance, he saw large cast-iron letters mounted on an ancient wall:

"Life is beautiful."

Ronan recited the words unconsciously. Zoe, in the passenger seat, turned her head and smiled.

"Isn't it?"

Ronan scratched his hair. "Life is certainly beautiful, but there are too many people here, aren't there? I’m getting dizzy..."

So many people! It wasn't the crowds that frightened Ronan, but the accents of these Provençals. The region had a very thick accent, which was the one thing he couldn't adapt to. They had a habit of turning words into incantations filled with high-pitched notes, emitted from deep in the throat, raised several octaves through the nasal cavity, and finished with a heavy uvular trill, all sprayed out in one go. With dozens, perhaps hundreds, of people firing off these Provençal-style mental attacks simultaneously, Ronan’s heart trembled in sync.

Zoe comforted him with the tone one might use for a child. "It’s winter. Even for a market in Ménerbes, the foot traffic can be described as a 'low point.' People prefer to stay home, take a lovely afternoon nap, and don't want to leave their warm beds to wander a morning market. If you're afraid now... how will you survive the peak season?"

Zoe’s words reminded Ronan of a joke he had heard at the old tavern: "So, is that why many people in Provence have birthdays at the end of the year?"

In winter, the most important thing for the people of Provence is making babies!

Zoe turned her head away, pretending not to understand. "The market is in the small square. Let’s head over."

...

The small square exuded a strong Renaissance style. It wasn't large; on one side stood a small palace, and on the other, a clock tower that now served as the village hall. Ronan and Zoe arrived fifteen minutes early, but most of the stalls were already set up, and many customers were already carrying goods in their hands.

The two looked at each other and said in unison, "We need to come half an hour earlier next week."

One couldn't treat the Ménerbes market with the same attitude as the one in Lourmarin; this was the Golden Triangle, after all! They stopped talking, ceased observing the architecture like tourists, and headed toward their assigned area.

Their space was in an extension of the square near the palace, a right-angled area. The long side was for Zoe to sell her plates and cups, and the short side was for Ronan to sell the half-crate of truffles he had brought. They had plenty of room. In commercially developed areas, market management was much more formal; tables and parasols were provided by the management center, so there was no need to bring their own.

While setting up, Ronan couldn't keep his mouth shut. He learned from the flower vendor next door that their spot had previously been used by a bread merchant, who was banned by the authorities after someone got a stomach ache from eating a pizza-bread purchased there.

"It happened last week, and we took over this week. The stalls in Ménerbes are truly in high demand," Ronan whispered to Zoe.

Zoe’s expression suddenly soured. "The truffle season is ending soon. Will you still come after that?"

Ronan shouldn't miss such a rare opportunity, but what would he sell later? He said with unwavering determination, "I will. I definitely will. I’ll find something else to sell."

Five minutes earlier, a system notification had chimed in his ears:

【Participating in a lively market: Happiness +3】

For the sake of happiness, he would attend every single one without fail!

...

The markets in the Golden Triangle were simply different. The foot traffic was at least three or four times greater than in Lourmarin, and the nature of the customers was different too. A cafe owner bought ten cold-dish plates of similar style but different colors from Zoe’s stall—that single order exceeded her usual half-month income.

Ronan also encountered several shopkeepers who came to source goods; some bought dozens of small truffles at once, while others came specifically to pick out the largest ones. Items that took over three hours to sell in Lourmarin were mostly gone in two hours in Ménerbes. Indeed, truffles were a hot commodity everywhere.

At 11:30 AM, pedestrians began drifting toward the restaurants and cafes on either side of the street, signaling the end of the market. The two calculated their earnings: Ronan had made over 7,300, and Zoe had made 2,500. Their first experience at the Ménerbes market was a huge success!

Vehicles were not allowed in the market area. Zoe stayed to watch the stall while Ronan made trips to the car to transport their goods.

After returning from one trip, Ronan said with a hint of excitement, as if he had discovered a great secret, "I took a different path to the parking lot just now and found a huge open space. You can see the plains and fields below the mountain—it’s absolutely beautiful."

Right there, he had gained 3 points of [Happiness].

Zoe pointed in a direction. "The best viewing platform in Ménerbes is over there. In the autumn, you can see green vineyards and golden wheat fields."

"Where?" Ronan looked around curiously.

Zoe watched his profile and smiled. "Let’s pack up first. Once we're done, I’ll take you."

Ronan made four trips himself, and Zoe accompanied him for one. Finally, everything was loaded into the car.

"Where is that best viewing platform you mentioned?" Ronan still remembered. He wanted to go and farm some experience; perhaps a better viewing platform would yield more than 3 points?

Zoe pulled open the passenger door and sat down. "It takes four or five hours to go to Avignon and back. The sun sets early now, so let's try to get back before dark. Don't drive through the mountains at night. Let's go to the viewing platform next time."

Ronan felt a bit disappointed, but Zoe was right. He got into the car and started the engine. "Then let's find somewhere to eat. It's lunchtime."

He would settle for less and try to farm some dining experience instead. Would eating in Ménerbes grant more happiness?

The next second, a soft object appeared in his mouth, and a loud sound echoed in his ears:

【Tasting a croissant: Happiness +5】

A croissant gives 5 points?!

"Pfft," you really are that kind of system!!

Zoe stuffed the croissant into Ronan’s mouth and looked straight ahead. "That’s also the theme for next week’s spring outing. Today, we’re going to Avignon."

How could they see everything in one day? If they did, what excuse would he have for a "spring outing" with her next week?