The next morning, I opened the shop for a normal day, figuring it was best to chat up the customers in order to learn more about the Lord Ruler and the big city two weeks away called Cheston.
Rather than go upstairs to her office, Milia plopped herself right at my side. In fact, we were shoulder to shoulder, presenting to the world that married couple running a shop look.
“I refuse to spend another day in that stuffy office,” she said as a response to my bemused look.
I snickered. “Fair enough.”
The apprentices handled all of the last-minute sweeping, bottling, and stocking before unlocking the doors to let in a line of customers. I considered putting them in shifts, but this wasn’t just employment. Training, their second crafts, and teaching came bundled with this gig. They also seemed to look forward to coming here every day, groaning when I mentioned anything in regard to a day off. Well, excuse me for being concerned about a teenager not wanting a day off. That felt practically unheard of, nonsensical.
Our first customer of the day was none other than the twerp. That made me realize I could just talk to them for information on the Lord Ruler that Milia didn’t already know.
“Hi everyone,” Ronica cheered. “I really need something for this headache.” She smacked the payment onto the table. “I drank too much last night. That whining elf was holding out on cherry wine the whole time and I only found out because she no longer wanted to drink alone.”
I passed her a vial of the general medicine potion. “Good to see you’re lively this morning, twerp. How’s the party?”
Milia and the apprentices were attending other customers, so there wasn’t just one single line. Everyone knew the prices and selling procedures by now, including Alexander. Then again, Alexander was a master at this, and his own items sold out instantly. His pockets were filled with his share of the sales.
“Pretty good,” Ronica said, before downing the vial like a bottle of water.
“You do know you don’t have to drink all of it for it to take effect,” I told her. “The instructions—”
She waved off my comment. “You have no idea of the potency of Iris’s cherry wine. Elves aren’t as bad as dwarves, but they cannot be underestimated. Both can make a damn good drink, except for demon juice.” She shuddered. “Nasty stuff.”
“You had demon juice?” I asked, laughing. “Who tricked you into drinking it?”
Ronica pouted. “Kelvin and Maxus, the pricks. I’ve never spit something out so fast in my life.” She looked at Milia. “Don’t drink more than a cup of that elf’s wine. Who knows what she’ll do to you if you pass out drunk—mmh!”
Iris bonked her as she entered the shop, blush furious. She removed her hand from Ronica’s mouth, after making sure she wasn’t going to blurt out more things. “Don’t go around telling people stuff like this. Do I look like some disgusting bandit to you?”
By this time, even Milia was amused by the exchange.
“We’d better get out of the way, it’s busy today.” Iris practically dragged Ronica away.
“Bye!” Ronica waved cheerily. “We’ll drop by later or probably tomorrow if work isn’t too annoying.”
The second person in my line ordered the higher priced health potions, the ones made by me. Smiling as I accepted the gold, I competed directly with Alexander, putting years of customer service practice to use.
I wanted to make sure everyone felt welcomed, but also not to the point of never wanting to leave. There was a line, after all. Sure, friends got a little extra conversation, but the people gave them no shit knowing they were protectors of the town. No one knew their real identities except my crew, the mayor, and probably the warden. Otherwise, they were simply adventurers that settled in. That explained the adventurer’s den being on the budget list.
Numerous customers later, we finally had an empty shop, people having left with satisfied expressions.
“Good call, asking about the best alchemy shop in Cheston,” I said to Milia.
“Not only will it increase your likelihood of finding a book with diagrams, but you may be able to establish some connections,” my fiancée replied.
I nodded, marveling at the idea. What would the system think if I, a potion maker, befriended the alchemists instead? It wanted to toss me into a pit of conflict with a pre-decided side. I was no fighter, no politician, nor heroic figure, but by now, I had accepted the fact that I also wasn’t normal. Fate and I were in a war, and though I didn’t start it, I also had no intention of doing its bidding either.
I wouldn’t turn my back on Gwendolyn, for Mandi’s sake, and really, the only way to handle this was through potions. A potion that no one could ignore. Oh wait, that was all of my potions. However, would the Lord Ruler keep everything a secret? First, I had to convince him not to be a dick, that framing the Red Star was in fact potentially the worst move he could ever make. Why? It was simple, really. The emperor wouldn’t be dumb enough to buy such a nonsensical lie. With the Lord Ruler himself blaming his own citizens, that may embolden the Astral Empire to ‘liberate’ the people from a tyrant.
Maybe they’d even be right, but I dreaded the idea of war coming to a kingdom I lived in.
Then again, a public announcement from the Lord Ruler himself may have to be taken as truth, even if it sounded unlikely, essentially forcing Gwendolyn to be a martyr to calm down tensions. However, it had the downside of simply making the Lord Ruler look like a coward, trembling before the big bad empire.
“Hey, you’ve got a nice physique,” someone said, snapping me out of my revelry.
“Sorry, buddy, I don’t swing that way,” I said before looking up to see a robe-wearing bird man.
[Your ultimate identifier skill has at last progressed to stage 2. Improved identification of sentient races, along with additional details. Congratulations! It is not often a skill like this is ranked up by the few lucky enough to obtain it. Standard scans will never compare to it!]
[Analysis.]
Ju Jone. Race: Avian. Friendly. Customer. Magician rank: 2nd realm of the Adjusting.
He stood at roughly five feet, ten inches, with a beak for a nose I guess, but a normal human mouth and had blue fur covering his muscled body. His robe, shoes, and trousers were gray, with white bird symbols all over them, likely in a design that represented his homeland. His wings were tucked in tightly, preventing him from annoying anyone.
The birdman coughed once. “Pardon, I didn’t mean to startle you, humble shopkeep. You don’t see potion makers or even alchemists with C-ranked physiques very often. Even when some of them have the tools to temper their bodies, they’re either cowardly or uncaring.”
“I see,” I said, keeping my face neutral. Deciding to change the subject, I asked, “How can I help you today?”
“Five speed booster and five energy potions, please,” he said. “That should make my return trip easier.”
“Ah, heading home, I see,” I said, smiling. “Do you live far off?”
“Another five days in the deep east,” Ju Jone said. “My wife needed additional teaching materials.” He chuckled. “She wasn’t exactly happy about me volunteering to fetch those for her, but I didn’t mind the peace and quiet. I totally didn’t miss her the minute I stepped out of the village.”
The lie was so obvious that even Chenzu looked at him with a new respect.
“I’m quite familiar with how your kind works, my friend,” Chenzu said. “You’re linked during marriage, something more intimate than cultivation partners.”
“And?” Harmony challenged.
“He can feel just how much she misses him too,” Chenzu said.
Ju Jone shrugged. “You know, I didn’t expect to see anyone but humans in this village. But a griffin, may he bless this land, and a beastkin? I also detect faint traces of dragon. Whatever you’re doing, keep it up. You’ll need adventurers to truly expand your profits.”
Ju Jone consumed some of the energy potion before pulling his other purchases into his storage ring.
He bowed. “Please take care, everyone.”
“You too. We hope to see you again here at the shop,” I told him.
“Please have a safe trip,” Milia called after him. Everyone else expressed their farewells.
“Thank you, everyone. Thank you, Honorable Dryad and Blessed Saint.”
He left the shop, leaving me stunned.
“Well, that happened,” I said, smiling. “Cool guy. Though randomly commenting on my physique was a bit forward.”
Milia gave me a knowing smile, though it could be deemed inappropriate if taken out of context.
“Most avian are good people,” Chenzu said. “Despite being linked to their partners, they can get in some of the loudest arguments. Make sure children aren’t around when the argument’s finished. There may be a reason behind their triple-layered houses.”
I could’ve guessed at what he potentially meant by that but dropped the topic. It’d probably be best that I never found out.
After the apprentices, Milia, and I created more batches of potions, a new customer walked in. It was a tan woman wearing leather armor. Her accent felt like a mix of Boston and Australia, and the only reason why I couldn’t laugh was because of Milia giving me the side eye. She totally misunderstood my upbeat mood.
When the adventurer left, I chuckled. The dryad’s jealousy was just adorable. Humanity did have a bad reputation when it came to cheating on their partners, but I hoped to lead by example in the case of being nothing like that.
“He was clearly amused by her manner of speech,” Chenzu said the moment I opened my mouth.
I turned to look at him. “You picked it up too? Amusing is putting it mildly; I just didn’t expect it.”
I pulled Milia into me so as not to miss her blushing.
“We’re starting to pull in some interesting customers,” I said.
Things kind of got weird when a man and presumably his wife came in. The first words that came out of her mouth almost made me flinch.
“Then maybe I should leave you for Raider,” she snapped. “Even hidden behind a secret identity, he’ll be less stingy than you.”
The woman was holding a baby, making it all the more awkward. Thankfully, Milia recovered enough to handle the talking while the teenagers assisted me with gathering their ordered potions.
“You’ve heard the rumors, right?” the woman asked, her eyes seeming to be filled with stars and daydreams. “A hero of justice.” She kissed her giggly baby. “Even Lili agrees. What if he encounters Ramon Thunderblade? Will they elope in a hero-to-hero bromance, comparing each other’s sw—”
“Here’s your order, madam,” I said, strained smile on my face, eye twitching. Her husband gave me an apologetic smile, knowing that his wife’s volume showed no restraint. As soon as the family departed, everyone but me laughed. Chenzu and Lucas somehow ended up on the floor.
“Comparing what, I wonder,” Mandi said, though her daydreaming eyes made me clear my throat.
“I sure hope my apprentices aren’t slacking off. I don’t award contribution points to slackers.”
“Party pooper,” Harmony said, pouting as she returned to helping the others clean up or stock shelves.
Milia kissed me, then sat down to balance our logs. We usually took turns with that. Empty bottles, containers, and wrappings for the candy came in every week, so keeping an eye on our gold was beyond important.
Having a modest lifestyle capable of easily supporting a family, paying employees, hiring contractors every now and then when we needed them, food, and necessities all manifested as a result of the shop’s earnings.
After a good bit of time passed, I brought up the main topic and reason why we were taking the trip.
“Besides the bank, what else is needed for the town?”
Seeing Mandi not worried about her mother only meant one thing. She assumed I was going to do something about it, which only made me feel tired. I wasn’t a walking miracle worker. If I was, my shop wouldn’t be ranked so low. I’d master both the way of the potion maker and alchemist until Cheat Potion Maker became a real thing and not just an inside joke between Milia and me.
“Other than an adventurer’s den, you should probably ask the mayor to hire a proper guild manager,” Milia suggested. “Unless we’re planning on snatching Anzu.”
“As much as I love that idea, I’m really not in the mood to piss off someone who can create sunsets out of their mouth,” I said, voice tired. That prompted a laugh from Mandi.
“Father’s hoping to find teachers for the school,” Harmony added. “He’s even talking with Howie about teaching any child that shows signs of the spark.”
Mandi sighed. “Howie turned him down this morning. He doesn’t want to risk interference with our family’s contract, but is willing to tutor on his free time as a way around it.”
“We could always try for more entertainment,” Lucas said, though he shook his head. “There’s also the situation with merchants. When someone’s finally old enough to work, there will not be many people left to apprentice under.”
“Does this have anything to do with that girl from the other day?” Chenzu asked, his grin wide.
Lucas shook his head furiously. “This problem is tied to the school situation. Anyone with the spark could be sponsored into an academy. Even if it’s not amazing, a lower-tiered academy will still take them. Either way, their future and family’s is guaranteed.”
“The merchant situation is a tricky bit,” Harmony said. “How will we convince anyone to move here, much less open a stand or shop?”
“You start with the traveling merchants,” I said, which made everyone look at me or nod, eyes dawning with understanding. “If there are any, I can’t see any better way for word to spread. They may be able to convince their peers to set up shop.”
“You’re exactly right,” Alexander said.
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Chenzu said, scratching his chin. Suddenly his eyes widened. “I think I may be able to help rank the town up a second time!”
My eyes were probably shining like the cosmos. “You can!?”
“Just leave it to me,” Chenzu replied. “Entertainment and management. The kids will enjoy things too. Their happiness is a contributing factor toward town ranking. Which means you’d better start learning how to be a good father now.”
I coughed. Milia cleared her throat. The teenagers laughed at our expense.
“You really are a vulgar man,” Milia said, though her glare didn’t last long. I wasn’t sure when, but her annoyance toward Chenzu had finally subsided.
After closing down for the day, I decided to announce the apprentice’s favorite activity of the day. Training.
“To the dungeon we go,” I said, gaining a collective look. “That’s right. You’re tired and ready to call it a day, perhaps eat, or take the dump you’ve been holding all day. What will you do if you’re attacked? Will the mugger wait for you to finish your mutton slice? Well, Harmony?”
Harmony flinched. “No, of course not.”
I whistled. A second later, Wolverine was in my arms. Cheetara hopped onto my shoulder, nestling against my cheek, earning herself some pats too.
“I’m kidding, by the way,” I said, which made them nearly miss a step. The late afternoon was turning into the early evening. I wouldn’t have dared prank them if Milia was in earshot. “Tomorrow, be prepared to finish off the C-ranked dungeon. You won’t be fighting alone, since it’s too strong, but that’s where Wolverine and Cheetara will come in.”
Lucas breathed out a sigh of relief. “Again, thank you for saving our lives.”
Wolverine barked once. Cheetara meowed.
“Woofy, Cutie, dinner’s ready,” Milia called, and the pets quickly ditched me, the call of food overwhelming their minds. Of course, that was the reason why I called them anyway.
“I’m feeding Beakwing,” I called to Milia.
“No need, I’ve already fed him,” she said. “Chenzu’s fed the elicrones, along with the chickens.”
“Speaking of chickens,” I said to the teenagers. “I have yet to introduce you to fried chicken.”
“Fried?” Mandi asked.
“You’ll see,” I said. “For now, you’re good to do whatever you want. As usual, you’re welcome to stay for dinner. You too, Chenzu.”
“I’d like to take you up on that,” he said. “I’m hiding from someone, anyway.”
Mandi shook her head. “Chenzu.”
He shrugged. “It’s just a misunderstanding. But in order to explain, she has to be sober.”
I raised a finger, then lowered it. “Never mind, I don’t want to know.”
While Milia prepared dinner, I checked the cube for any new options, though nothing caught my eyes.
Annoyed, I checked the new structures menu again, hoping for lower prices. What surprised me was the sight of a sixth option with conditions.
[Structures. Currently unlocked:
1. E-ranked Refreshing Fountain. Price: 2,000 spirit coins. A fountain that releases the purest waters. Attuned with water and ice aura. Will remove impurities.
2. E-ranked Observing Orb. Price: 150,000 spirit coins. Range: you can only observe your farm, the forest toward the deep east and the grasslands west of your home.
3. E-ranked Battle Arena. Price: 400,000 spirit coins. Not necessarily needed for battle, but a perfect training ground for anything. Reaching a high enough rank will change it into a stadium. Perhaps you will find yourself hosting events someday.
4. D-ranked Mana River. Price: 600,000,000 spirit coins. A river of mana-enriched water, stretching for three miles. A personal river like this will no doubt be a symbol of superiority.
5. D-ranked Holy Mountain. Price: 10,000 heavenly spirit coins. A large mountain filled to the brim with special energies. Creatures of darkness will not be able to come near it. What will happen if you meditate in such a place? Would make one interesting sect, clan, or academy-exclusive structure should you manage to rank it C or higher.
6. ??? Price: 15,000 heavenly spirit coins. Raise your town’s rank to unlock this option and potentially lower the price.]
