When they returned home, Fiona went straight to bed, while Sam sat alone in the living room, contemplating her next steps. From what the investigator had said, the Consortium wasn't quite as ruthless as it had first appeared. Marcus had clearly been abusing what little authority he had, using their name to intimidate and extort.
There would still be issues in the future — she was sure of that much — but for now, things might finally settle. She could only hope that the Consortium was more reasonable than Marcus's actions had made them seem. With him and his thugs captured, maybe the rumors would die down, and the other merchants and crafters would ease up on her.
After depositing the resources she'd gathered from the dungeons into her warehouse, Sam finally retired for the night. She would check on the shop tomorrow and make a list of what needed restocking. She planned to close for the day to work through custom orders, replenish inventory, and give Fiona time to rest. The girl was in no shape to work, so Sam would leave a note on the door and handle everything herself.
It had been a busy month. Between crafting and commissions, Sam had advanced to LVL 21, stockpiling more stat and skill points than she'd realized.
She was confused when one of her main quests didn't get fulfilled at level twenty, until Jarvis explained that it meant Reach LVL 20 of your Primary Class. She figured that was still a long way off, so she mentally put it on the back burner — something to deal with in the future.
With a rare break ahead, she fully intended to sort out her neglected skills in the morning. Several needed leveling, and her stats — while decent for her level — could definitely use a bump.
Early the next morning, after finishing her daily quests, Sam walked to the shop and posted a sign on the door:
Closed for restocking — reopening in a few days.
Satisfied, she returned home and settled onto the couch with her mana-pad.
"Hey, Jarvis?" she asked.
{"Yes, Sam? What can I help you with?"}
"I was wondering if you could automate my skill upgrading. Is that possible?"
{"Yes. However, I advise adding stipulations. Without them, all your points may be spent on skills you are not ready to upgrade."}
"What would you recommend?"
{"You should first consider which of your skills level the fastest. Master Crafter and Enchantress are tied, with Beast Tamer close behind. Your Unique Skills are still low level, so those will also upgrade quickly.
General Skills will handle themselves. Advanced General Skills level very slowly because they require usage of all sub-skills.
Given this, I recommend a ratio of:
25% to Master Crafter
25% to Enchantress
20% to Beast Tamer
10% to Unique Skills
The remaining 20% should be divided between Advanced General Skills and your Beast Bank.
I suggest leveling Beast Bank manually."}
"That sounds reasonable. What does that do for my skills right now?"
{"You have several Master Crafter and Enchantress skills ready for upgrade. Shall we begin?"}
"Yes, please. Prioritize the lowest levels first."
{"As you wish."}
{Master Crafter – Available SKP: 24
Active Skills
One Size Fits All LVL 5 → 6
Beast Accessory Weaver LVL 3 → 4
Beast Armor Smithing LVL 3 → 4
Crafting Repair LVL 2 → 3
Disassemble/Reassemble LVL 1 → 3
SKP Used: 9
Passive Skills
Recursive Inspiration LVL 3 → 4
Enhanced Durability LVL 3 → 4
Ambient Workshop LVL 3 → 4
Tool Symbiosis LVL 1 → 3
Forgemind Sync LVL 2 → 3
SKP Used: 9
Remaining: 6
Enchantress – Available SKP: 24
Active Skills
Enchant Item LVL 4 → 5
Stat Enchantment LVL 4 → 5
Mana Enchantments LVL 4 → 5
Elemental Enchantments LVL 4 → 5
Multiple Enchantments LVL 3 → 4
Enchantment Removal LVL 1 → 3
SKP Used: 12
Passive Skills
Enchant-opedia LVL 4 → 5
Runic Inscription Index LVL 4 → 5
Mana Charge LVL 3 → 4
Arcane Conservation LVL 4 → 5
Enchantment Rush LVL 2 → 3
Hyper Focus LVL 2 → 3
SKP Used: 10
Remaining: 2}
{Ding! Your Enchantress class has advanced to LVL 4!
New Skills Unlocked
Active:
Set Bonus Enchantments — Grants synergy to gear sets.
Mana: 60 | Cooldown: 1 min
Arcane Shielding — Barrier enchantment for shields.
Mana: 45 | Cooldown: 30s | Duration: 20s
Passive:
Mana Imprint — Increases material-quality effect.
Harmony Weave — Additional synergy for matching enchantments.}
"Ooh, I know a couple customers who are going to be thrilled about set bonuses!" Sam said.
{"Those were all the skills available for upgrading, Sam."}
"Thanks, Jarvis. I've mostly been using those skills anyway."
Sam spent the next couple of days filling custom orders and fully restocking the store. Her customers were ecstatic — especially after she messaged them asking if they wanted their armor sets upgraded with new set bonuses. Only sets of three or more pieces qualified, but most were eager for the upgrade.
Before long, she leveled Set Bonus Enchantments to LVL 2, and she even produced several newly enchanted shields for sale using resources from the slime dungeon.
While she worked, Fiona hurried into the workshop to tell Sam that a group of men were waiting outside the gate. Since Sam hadn't authorized entry, the gate remained firmly shut. Dusting herself off, Sam headed over — Syn appearing behind her in full form with a single thought.
"Can I help you, gentlemen?" Sam asked.
A well-dressed man stepped forward. He looked to be in his early forties, with gray at his temples, wearing a crisp black suit — clearly not an adventurer.
"Good afternoon. You're the proprietor of Sam's Creations, correct?" he asked.
"I am. And you are?"
"Vonnar Blackhall. Merchant Guild Liaison for the AHA." He gave a courteous bow. "Your recent actions have been a tremendous help to us. On behalf of the Guild Master, I've been sent to deliver our thanks for exposing that despicable Marcus Vrell."
He motioned to the four men behind him, each carrying a large trunk.
"You've saved the guild an enormous amount of money," Vonnar said with a warm smile. "As thanks, we've gathered an assortment of resources that may prove useful to you. Don't let the size of the trunks fool you, though."
Each trunk was the size of a normal travel chest — modern luggage at best.
"They're spatially enchanted. Larger on the inside."
Sam smirked at the accidental reference to one of her favorite British sci-fi shows.
"We cannot part with the trunks themselves, unfortunately," Vonnar continued. "They're quite rare. But everything inside is yours."
Sam pulled out her B.A.G. bag. The moment the lids opened, golden mana particles streamed toward her in a brilliant cascade, vanishing into the bag. The men stared, wide-eyed.
"Outstanding! One of your creations?" Vonnar asked excitedly.
"Sadly, no," she said, carefully avoiding details. The last thing she needed was more attention.
"We've included some premium stock in this shipment," Vonnar said. "That's part of the arrangement the Guild Masters approved. The other part… involves something only you can provide."
Sam crossed her arms. "Alright. What are you asking?"
Vonnar smiled at the directness. "A collaboration — lightweight, simple, and mutually beneficial. We're offering you a flat twenty-percent discount on all high-quality resources from our guild stores. Metals, treated woods, preserved reagents, processed components — anything above standard grade."
Sam raised a brow. "And you want what?"
"Ten emergency pendants," Vonnar replied. "Each paired to a single receiver. Not for resale. Not for distribution. Strictly for our field teams."
Sam blinked. "Ten? For who?"
"Our gatherers," Vonnar said, his tone turning serious. "They're out in the wilderness more than any merchant ever should be."
Sam considered this. "The receiver only works within a fixed radius. So a designated team member — or a second support member — has to be stationed in a safe zone. They can't use it to cheat travel or teleport across the map."
Sam nodded slowly. "I can do that. Emergency only. Short-range recall. And you're not selling them."
"Correct," Vonnar said firmly. "We keep a registry of which teams have which pendants. They're not transferable. If we ever need more than the initial ten, we'll purchase additional units. Naturally… at your artisan rate, minus the twenty-percent discount you're earning."
Sam thought about it for a moment, then shrugged lightly. "That's fair."
Vonnar's smile warmed. "Good. Then consider this shipment — and your new discount — the first step of a very promising partnership."
{Hidden quest Discovered:
Panic Pendants & Merchant-Grade Expectations: Collaboration Engaged
You have agreed to craft emergency-linked pendants for the Merchant Guild.
Risk reduction: requested.
Crafting workload: increasing.
Guild faith in your survival rate: cautiously hopeful.
Objective:
Create 10 Emergency-Linked Pendants paired to 10 short-range Receivers.
Pendants must stabilize under rapid activation
Receivers must function within agreed distance radius
Guild restriction verified: No resale. No trading. No exceptions.
Optional Objectives:
Deliver all units without structural or enchanting flaws
Provide a safe-zone activation demonstration
Complete the order within 14 days for a SISTEM-recognized efficiency bonus
Rewards:
+300 XP (Crafting/Enchanting integrated)
Permanent 20% discount on high-grade Merchant Guild materials
Blueprint Unlocked: Portable Anchor Node
(Improves teleport distance anchoring, and reduces recall destabilization)}
Sam was shocked for a moment. It had been a while since she'd received a quest like that.
Back at her warehouse, Sam unloaded everything. Each trunk had held a themed assortment:
One full of wood — common varieties to rare, dungeon-grown magical timber
One packed with ores, ingots, and crystals
One filled with cloth, leather, and hides
The last stocked with cores, reagents, and enchanting materials
Someone had clearly done their homework.
Sam stood admiring her newly filled shelves, feeling like a dragon admiring her hoard. She couldn't wait to unlock more recipes.
A soft knock made her turn. Fiona stood shyly in the doorway, holding little Abe. The beastling was curled in her hands like a warm, purring stress ball.
"Hey, Fiona. You okay?" Sam asked gently.
"What did those men want?" Fiona murmured. She'd been quieter since the kidnapping — withdrawn, tense. Sam hoped time would heal that.
"Come look." Sam led her to the warehouse. "The Merchant Guild sent these as thanks for helping catch Vrell."
For the first time in days, Fiona genuinely smiled.
"So… they weren't more bad guys?"
"Nope. Just a guild liaison and some porters." Sam led her back to the workshop. "Pick something. I'll make it for you using the new stuff."
Fiona's eyes widened. "Really? Anything?"
"Anything that isn't grayed out," Sam clarified. She pointed to the mana-pad interface. "Gray means I don't have the materials. Blue means I have the materials, but the craft requires multiple steps. Green means ready to craft."
"Thanks, Sam!" Fiona dove into the options.
It didn't take long before she pointed at a particular item.
{Mana Sketch Pad
Description: Perfect for budding artists and professionals. This item allows the user to draw on the surface creating works of art or blueprints that can be then transferred for permanent use or kept in the devices memory banks for later printing. (Images can be transferred to paper, canvas, wood or even cloth)
Power Source: Mana Crystal for devices usage. Integrated users can use mana at a cost of 10MP per image transferred. Alternatively a mana crystal can be used for transfer for Non-integrated users.
Note: Strength of mana crystal allows for varied continuous usage times:
Low-grade: 5 hours
Mid-grade: 10 hours
High-grade: 24 hours}
"Good choice," Sam said. "Thinking of becoming an artist when you integrate?"
"Maybe… but I also want a class that lets me protect myself," Fiona admitted.
Sam explained that she could teach her basic weapons training. She didn't have a combat class herself, but she could at least help Fiona not feel helpless. Fiona also mentioned interest in either a healing class or a bulwark class.
The idea made Sam smile — Fiona wanted to help.
When the pad was finished — powered by a high-grade mana crystal — Sam gave her one more item: a small mana-crystal charging station. It ran off ambient mana and would slowly refill the crystal, taking about twenty-four hours per full charge.
Morning came. Sam and Fiona restocked the store and opened for business. The eagle chicks, now six weeks old, required only three feedings a day, so Sam brought them along. Terrance was back at work but planned to stop by daily so Blizzard could give the chicks flying lessons.
While Sam was customizing enchantments on a set of daggers, raised voices drifted from the front.
"What now…" she muttered, capping her mana ink.
A rough, gruff voice echoed through the shop:
"Listen, girlie, I'm offering good coin for these birds — twenty gold each. That's my final offer. You're starting to piss me off. You don't want to see what I can do to a girl like you."
Fiona stood rigid behind the counter, knuckles white, trying to keep her voice steady. In front of her loomed a well-dressed man with an entitled scowl — the exact sort of customer Sam hated most.
Behind Fiona, the four eagle chicks were perched on one of Sam's creations. They were practically full-grown. Sam had been putting off their taming, waiting for them to mature fully. By the sound of things, she realized she wouldn't be able to delay that much longer.
"I don't care how old they are," the man snapped. "I want that one. I'll pay double. Triple."
Fiona shook her head. "Sir, they're not for sale. They belong to the owner."
"Don't lie to me." He leaned forward, lowering his voice in a way that made Sam's gut tighten. "A girl like you shouldn't pretend she has authority. I'm not leaving without one of those birds."
Fiona swallowed hard but didn't back down. "They're tames. Not merchandise."
"Oh, please," he scoffed. "Everything in a shop is merchandise. Now stop wasting my time and—"
Sam stepped around the corner.
Syn padded out beside her, massive and silent. His shadow reached the man's boots before Sam spoke a word.
"That's enough," Sam said.
The man jolted and spun around. His expression flickered from annoyance to surprise — then to something sourer — when he saw Sam, and the wolf towering behind her.
Sam didn't raise her voice. She didn't need to.
"Those chicks are mine," she said. "Fiona told you they're not for sale. That should've been the end of it."
"I was negotiating—"
"You were threatening a sixteen-year-old girl who works here," Sam cut in. "Big difference."
Syn took a single slow step forward, vines rustling and beginning to rise along her back. Her eyes were calm — the kind of calm that came right before a predator pounced.
The man paled.
"I—look, there's no need to be dramatic," he muttered. "It was a misunderstanding. I'll… take my business elsewhere."
"Good idea," Sam said.
He exited quickly, the door rattling in his wake.
Only once he was gone did Fiona let out the breath she'd been holding. Sam turned to her, her expression softening.
"You handled him well," Sam said. "You didn't fold."
Fiona flushed, partly proud, partly shaky. "I… tried."
"You didn't try. You did fine." Sam gave Syn a pat and stepped behind the counter. "If someone like that pushes again, call me sooner. But you weren't wrong to stand your ground."
Fiona nodded, a small smile forming.
Behind them, the chicks peeped loudly — as if scolding Sam for taking so long to intervene.
Syn leaned down and gave Fiona a huge, wet lick across half her head.
"Eww—thanks, Syn. I'm okay now," Fiona laughed, scrunching her face.
They finished their day without further trouble. That evening, Sam treated Fiona to dinner at Mary and Red's inn before heading home for the night.