I closed the screen mentally and focused my attention on the elves.
As we finalized the purchase, I noticed Ella whispering something to Igor. He furrowed his brow and looked at me suspiciously.
"What kind of items does he have?" he asked, his voice low. "I don't condone illegal products in my shop, and the Merchant's Guild—"
"Relax, Uncle. His items aren't illegal," Ella said with a smirk. "But they are... interesting. Here, Dirk, show him the water bottle."
I hesitated for a moment before reaching into my bag and pulling out a clear plastic water bottle. Twisting the cap open, I handed it over to Igor. "Here. Try this and tell me if I can sell it in the marketplace."
Igor's sharp eyes studied the strange, foreign container before he took a cautious sip. The moment the cool liquid touched his lips, his eyes widened. He stared at the bottle in disbelief, then drank again—this time in large gulps.
"My goddess..." he whispered, lowering the bottle. "What kind of sorcery is this? This is by far the most refreshing and the clearest water I've ever had in my entire life."
Elvie and Ella exchanged knowing smirks.
"Can I sell it?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
Igor finished the water, shaking his head in amazement. "Sell it? Of course! And this isn't cheap. Where did you even get this, young man? Even the container itself is remarkable."
Elvie chuckled. "Uncle, did you notice anything else?"
Igor frowned. "What do you mean?"
Rolling her eyes, she said, "Old man, check your mana levels after drinking Dirk's water."
Igor's expression turned serious as he closed his eyes, focusing inward. A moment later, his eyes snapped open in shock. "What the heck? My mana... It increased! How could simple water do this?"
I grinned. "So, do you think people will buy it?"
Igor let out a hearty laugh. "Buy it? Dirk, if you market this right, you could make a fortune."
"Really?" I asked, still trying to grasp the gravity of Igor's reaction.
"Of course," he confirmed, his voice brimming with certainty. "This kind of product is unheard of. If word gets out, people will be scrambling to buy it."
His words sent a thrill of excitement through me. I had something valuable—something that could set me apart in this world.
Igor, however, wasn't entirely at ease. "Have you got your merchant license yet?" he asked, arms crossed.
"Yes," I answered, pulling out the small metal plate I had received earlier. As I spoke, I reached into my bag and pulled out a mamon—a soft, golden sponge cake wrapped in clear plastic.
Elvie and Ella both widened their eyes. "Wait—are you sure it's okay to give that to my uncle?" Elvie frowned.
I gave her a reassuring nod before turning to Igor. "How about this? Do you think I can sell this too?"
Igor stared at the small, fluffy bread as if I had just grown a second head. "What in the world is that?" He took it from my hand but hesitated, his fingers pressing against the plastic wrapper. "How do I eat this?"
"You need to open the plastic cover first," I explained.
With a furrowed brow, Igor peeled off the wrapper and took a small, cautious bite. The moment it touched his tongue, his entire demeanour changed. His eyes widened, and his jaw slackened slightly. He chewed slowly, savouring the texture and flavour.
"What on earth is this?" he murmured. "How can bread be so soft and sweet at the same time?"
He took another bite, larger this time. "I've never tasted anything like this in my life!"
And then, just as with the water, his eyes flickered with realisation. He closed them for a moment, sensing something within himself.
When he opened them again, he looked directly at me. "My mana level... it just increased again."
Ella beamed triumphantly. "I told you so! Mr Dirk's items are amazing."
Elvie nodded, still watching me with an unreadable expression.
Ella then turned to me, clasping her hands together. "Can I buy one later?"
I shook my head. "Nope."
She pouted. "Why not?"
I grinned. "Because I owe you two so much already. I'm not letting you pay me. I'll give you some later, just not here in the shop."
Elvie and Ella exchanged glances before smiling at me. I could tell they appreciated the gesture.
After finishing up at the weapon shop, Igor insisted on accompanying us to the marketplace near the town plaza. It was an open, bustling area filled with stalls, each one offering various goods—fresh produce, enchanted fabrics, handcrafted potions, and even weapons. The warm glow of magical lanterns illuminated the streets, creating a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere.
Igor led us through the crowd until we reached a modest but well-kept stall run by a young couple. The owners, a friendly-looking elf man and his wife, greeted Igor warmly. After a brief introduction, Igor wasted no time getting to the point.
"This young man needs a place to sell his wares," Igor said, gesturing toward me. "I want you to rent him your empty stall—right next to yours."
The elf merchant glanced at his wife, who gave a thoughtful nod. "An empty stall isn't making us any money anyway. What are you selling, kid?"
I smiled. "Food and drinks you won't find anywhere else."
At that, the couple seemed intrigued. After a bit of negotiation, they agreed to rent me the space for a fair price.
Igor placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Dirk. I'll spread the word among my friends. Your stall will get customers."
I nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. This was it—the first step toward establishing myself in this world.
With our business settled, Elvie, Ella, and I left the market and made our way to the inn next door, where we had a hearty dinner before finally resting for the night.
Tomorrow, my journey as a merchant will officially begin.
*****
A few days later, word about my stall had spread like wildfire.
What started out as a humble setup with a crate of water bottles and good ol' mamon has turned into a hotspot for adventurers and dungeon crawlers. They loved the convenience—and let's be real, nothing beats soft mamon after dodging goblin arrows.
The best part?
Another ding.
That was my fifth one this week. Five levels in total. I was practically glowing with pride.
Naturally, I whipped out the Guardian screen again with a practised flick of my fingers. "GUARDIAN!"
It blinked to life.
NAME: Dirk Robinson Jr.
LEVEL: ???
POWER: ???
MAGIC: ???
HP: ???
VITALITY: ???
I stared.
"What the hell? Question marks again?" All of my stats were unbelievable. Was I too weak? Do I have to complete more quests?
Five quests. Five dings. And still, the same three annoying question marks staring back at me like I owed them money.
I groaned and ran a hand through my hair, slouching on the tiny stool behind my stall. "Am I bugged? Did I break the system or something?"
Another ding.
Message from the Guardian system: Your status is automatically hidden.
"That's cryptic and annoying," I muttered. Hiding because it was too low? Well...whatever, I pushed the screen away. Screw it. Whatever those mystery stats were, they didn't pay the bills. My stall, on the other hand? That was where the real magic was happening. And if I had to sell another hundred noodles just to discover what "Level ???" meant... then so be it.
Let the riches roll in.
At first, it was just a few curious customers—adventurers stopping by after a long day, merchants looking for a quick snack, and even a few guards who had heard rumours about a miraculous drink that replenishes energy. But soon, my small stall turned into the busiest place in the marketplace.
The line stretched down the street, with people talking excitedly about my products.
"I heard water can restore mana instantly!"
"That fluffy golden bread—what's it called again? Mamon? My neighbour says it's so soft it melts in your mouth!"
"I don't care how much it costs; I need to try it!"
The rush was exhilarating but also stressful. Within an hour, we were completely sold out.
Ella wiped sweat from her brow. "Dirk, what now? We don't have anything left!"
Elvie looked at the massive crowd still waiting. "If we tell them we're out of stock, they might riot."
I pretended to sigh in disappointment and raised my hands. "Everyone! That's it for today. We've completely sold out."
A collective groan of frustration rose from the crowd.
"No! I was next in line!"
"Dirk, you can't do this to us!"
I gave them an apologetic smile. "Come back later in the afternoon! I promise to have more stock available."
With that, I quickly closed the stall and hurried to the inn with Elvie and Ella.
The moment we reached my room, I locked the door behind us.
Ella gasped, placing her hands on her knees. "God, that was intense."
Elvie grinned. "Dirk, people are crazy about your products! It's only been a day, and you're already the most famous merchant in town."
I went to the corner of the room where my magic backpack rested. The infinite supply was my secret weapon.
Without a word, I reached inside and started pulling out hundreds of water bottles and dozens of freshly packed mamon.
Ella's jaw dropped. "I still can't believe that bag. Where does all of this even come from?"
Elvie shook her head in disbelief. "Magic items like this exist, but I've never seen one that creates infinite food. Are you sure it's not divine magic?"
I smirked but didn't answer. The less they knew, the better.
Once we had gathered enough stock, we quietly made our way back to the stall, making sure no one saw us.
We reopened the stall as if nothing had happened.
"Alright, folks! Fresh stock is available!"
The moment I said that, the crowd erupted into cheers.
People rushed forward, coins in hand, desperate to get their hands on my products. I even saw a noblewoman stepping out of her carriage, escorted by two guards, just to buy water and mamon.
The market vendors near me stared in shock.
One of them, a fruit seller, whispered to another merchant, "That kid just closed shop, went to the inn, and now he has full stock again? How is that possible?"
The other merchant shook his head. "I don't know, but whatever magic he's using, it's making him rich."
I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. They wouldn't believe the truth even if I told them.
The next few days, I could hardly believe my eyes. People were lining up just to buy my water and mamon. I'm so excited that I'm earning so much. If I keep this up, my retirement will be soon, and I'll be loving my easy life here with many gold coins in my wallet, more than I could count.
At first, I thought the interest would die down after a few days, but instead, the line only grew longer. Adventurers, merchants, elves, and even scholars from the magic academy were flocking to my shop. Word had spread across the town, and soon enough, even people from neighbouring villages started coming just to buy my goods.