"[Appraisal]."

 

The shopkeeper waving her hand as the young man walks out. Yesterday him would have purchased at least a small bag for propriety's sake. However, as it turns out, donning a fastened white tunic and all-cover pants were enough to give him the look. Of course, Ed raised his voice when his young master went out like this.

 

But how else one could do a well-planned market research without raising an eyebrow besides pretending to be a particularly strict housekeeper's help? Good thing though. The grain would undoubtedly spoil. It was well hidden, but just behind the leftmost corner barrel, the young man could perceive the slightest tingling of [Preservation Rune].

 

Nominally, using [Preservation Rune] was considered to be a good sense when you're running a store that deals with spoilable goods. Cost of materials and all that. But it's not if you're selling preserved foods. With [Enchanter] service requires at least silver card ownership, preserved food in form of dried, smoked, or salted goods were still quite in demand. Unfortunately, in what he called the best of rule lawyering, the shopkeeper never once claimed that his wares are dried goods. Customers just assume it was with how brown and aged the grain look under the slightly dim yellow lighting. He shook his head. Those fresh grains were easily twice the weight of the dried ones.

 

And that makes the fifth store for today. Groceries were mostly the same with a five to ten percent variation between common and inner district. There are at least five different common ores sold with only three were known as mundane. Magic items were abundant and there are few specialized stores for runes and for basic-intermediate spellwork. He suspects either the magic knowledge was in their infancy due to how only low tiered spell was sold or better store only cater select customer.

 

Either way, the tally was in! He could finally say with full certainty that this town has a very viable unfulfilled niche; potion! 

 

It's not like there is no potion per se. After twenty-hours of subvert interview, He could safely say that all burgeoning adventurers with self-respect to his own life will pocket at least one lifesaving enchantment on their person. But here, lifesaving could mean a whole lot of things. Sometimes it could mean buying 50 gold sword that had been enchanted with [Flexibility], other times is not skimping on Adventurer guild's discount bin when buying [Mana Light].

 

For injury though, while things like [Philter of Restoration] and [Invigorating Whiff] do exist, they tend to come in a very, very low rate. The circulating rumor is that they only came from five-fold mazes on the 15th floor, dropped by hidden treasure box which has 8 in 10 chances to be mimic. And it was literally snapped up the moment it hit the market since the best C rank only farms up to 7th floor.  It doesn't mean people not get injured though. People just tend to take a mundane way when they're dealing with injuries, most of the time they pour either water or spirit into their wound before bandaging them. Sometimes spellwork magician will administer burning touch for mid-battle heavy blood loss. Yeah, he knows, it super grim.

in

 

"Have Restia visited?" It was late afternoon when he finally comes back to the mansion proper. The young man just had changed when Edward knocks on the door, bringing him the chilled water basin. It's been a week since he met that young gnome. He remembers her gnashing teeth when they sign the contract. Apparently, an older woman was monitoring them behind the wall. Her manager. She needs that sale so badly to pass her apprenticeship. Euca still remembers how the older woman, shook her hand disappointed.

 

"Yes, young master. Miss Restia just left at the twelfth bell. For such short notice, she advised that only storefront at Aglen Street that meet your requirement." As it turns out, it was a bad practice using skill-assisted sales on higher-end customers. Which includes him if that not obvious, with fifteen thousand golds spent, the guild decreed that she ought to be his permanent handler, for a half-pay.

 

Ah. His feet! How those novel protagonists never complain about their feet after walking god knows how many hours? He forgets that he needs to hire a coach driver .... and now it's biting him on the back. Meh. he'll let Edward do it.

 

"How much does she quotes?" Should he use the [Painkiller] salves? He only has five hundred-ish remainings though (it paid to be a hoarder, he chuckled). It was quite surprising actually to found out that instead of just coins, he was transported here with several of his old storage items from [Chronicle]. The items were buried between countless pouch of coin. Those crazy developers, he groaned.

 

Abuse will result in mild addiction, he read from the tube. Sigh, it just used to be a flavor text. But with world being real...better not risk it.

 

"Three hundred gold for one renting years. Seven thousand for—"

 

"Just buy the lot. Tell Restia to withdraw it from my account."

 

"Young Master, it'd be unwise to spend such sum—"

 

"Ah ah. I need that lot to be private property, Ed." Of course, Ed was right. The sum was indeed ridiculous. But what can you do, skimp? I'm not even sure how this medieval fantasy world enforces a contract.

 

He means it'd be obvious the property price would skyrocket the moment he starts to market his potions. Do you think the original owner won't amend his price by then? Does he get a grace period? Eviction notice? Or just straight-up ten thugs, breaking his door, demanding me to pay a thousand gold more each year? He simply can't risk it.

 

From what the young man gathers Ar'endal originally was never meant to be an adventurer town. The neighboring countries were mainly concerned about containing the dungeon break. The empires and the principalities used to send alternating campaigns to the area. While it's true there is quite demand from the mana stone that the dungeon monster drop, maintaining a standing army was a particularly expensive endeavor.

 

He thinks it one of the first settlers who suggest to open the dungeon for public use; advertising it as a get-rich-quick scheme. It was quite a success supposedly, the break rate was halved. However, since the government itself was basically comprised of loose gathering of treasure-hunter, it safe to say that they cared little about anything but maintaining their treasure fount.

 

"As you wish young master." Ha, defeated sigh. Poor Ed, he thinks I'm wasting money. Which is partly true. But, if his conjecture were correct, He was transported to this world with his whole account from [Chronicle]. In so far, He only managed to unlock his most basic Alchemist/Mage-related items. BUT! Here's the big reveal. He is not that low-level dammit! This Alchemist/Mage was basically his smurf for getting the 2nd Santa Package from last year's Holiday Special. So following this logic, if he were to somehow improve, more of his currently locked storage would be opened!

 

But still, Ed has a point. he only has twelve thousand gold left. Six in his card and six in his menu. That is why he needs to start the shop immediately.

 

"Ah Ed, before he forgets, for tomorrow go ahead and buy a coach. No need to be fancy, but it needs to have the least shaking. And also hire a driver."

 

"Yes, young master. Should I consult Miss Restia for this?"

 

"No need. I trust your judgment on this. Also, tell Mrs. Crobe to send all meals to his study. Don't wait for me. I'd be there for several days at least. Just inform me when it's done and spruce up the place will you?"

 

Finally, it's time for a little lab work.