Leaving Eldrich's workshop behind felt like stepping out of a storm of ideas.
Jax walked the streets of Crystalshire alone at first, letting the city breathe around him. The hum of mana-driven machinery blended with the clatter of tools and raised voices of merchants calling out prices. Crystal conduits glowed faintly along rooftops and alley walls, feeding energy into devices that looked half-magical, half-industrial.
It was rough. Underfunded. Uneven.
But it was brilliant.
Crystalshire wasn't a city that waited for miracles.
It built them.
That was when Jax found the manufacturer.
The man ran a modest plant on the eastern edge of the city, producing reinforced housings and crystal mounts for mana-driven devices. His operation was small—too small for his ambitions—but his eyes lit up when Jax started asking the right questions.
Production scaling. Storage logistics. Workforce expansion.
Jax didn't haggle.
He partnered.
By the time they shook hands, the deal was already transforming the man's future. Capital infusion. Guaranteed orders. Long-term contracts. The manufacturer immediately began talking about hiring more workers, expanding the plant, and bringing in apprentices.
They both saw it.
This wasn't just profit.
This was infrastructure.
With that settled, Jax moved toward the market district.
This was where Crystalshire truly lived.
Stalls overflowed with local produce, herbs, crystals, and tools shaped by necessity rather than polish. Jax set up briefly, not to sell—but to introduce.
Lily Herbs.
He laid them out in small bowls, each variety slightly different in hue and aroma. To the untrained eye, they looked similar—much like bell peppers from his old world—but their applications were anything but limited.
Jax demonstrated.
Fresh-cut Lily Herb in stews and sauces.
Dried and ground into seasoning.
Infused oils.
Heat-based activation for flavor release.
The merchants watched closely.
Then he explained the limitation.
"They only thrive in warmer climates," Jax said casually. "Solmere's conditions are perfect. Crystalshire's… not."
That caught attention.
He wasn't selling.
He was trading.
Soon, merchants were countering with their own specialties—mountain herbs grown only at altitude, crystal-infused salts, mana-reactive spices prepared through slow alchemical processes. Jax sampled everything, asked questions, took notes.
By the end of the afternoon, he had secured trade agreements with three merchants.
Goods for goods.
Spices for spices.
And future deliveries—once logistics improved.
Jax didn't say it aloud, but he was already counting on Eldrich.
If even half of their ideas came to fruition, distance would become irrelevant.
With business concluded, the Vixens rejoined him as the sun dipped low.
They spent the remainder of the day gathering information—quietly.
Mana Bulb growth zones were mapped along mountain plateaus a few miles outside the city. The proper harvesting methods were strictly documented; damage the bulb, and it lost most of its value. Timing mattered. Pressure mattered.
More importantly—
They learned where the Crystal Cave entrance was.
Not the obvious one.
The right one.
And that alone told Jax everything he needed to know about why so many parties failed.
Rather than camping near the cavern, they chose discretion.
They checked into the finest inn Crystalshire had to offer—a suite at the top floor. Comfortable. Quiet. Private. They wanted no rumors. No curious eyes. No premature attention drawn to Eldrich's work or their plans.
Tonight, they were guests.
They ate local dishes—crystal-warmed stews, bread baked with mineral-rich flour, drinks infused with faint mana that left a pleasant warmth without dulling the senses. They even indulged in light shopping, picking up supplies and curiosities unique to the region.
Laughter came easily.
But beneath it all, tomorrow loomed.
Tomorrow, they would enter an A-rank cave.
For some of the Vixens, nerves crept in despite themselves.
They'd trained relentlessly.
They'd grown stronger—far stronger than they'd ever imagined.
They trusted Jax with their lives.
Still… an A-rank dungeon wasn't something anyone took lightly.
Each time someone voiced concern, they looked to Jax.
And each time, they found him completely at ease.
Not arrogant.
Not reckless.
Just… certain.
That confidence steadied them more than any reassurance could have.
Whatever awaited them in the Crystal Cave—monsters, traps, magic that fought back—they would face it together.
And if Jax believed they were ready…
Then they were.
The city of Crystalshire settled into night.
Unaware that tomorrow, history would quietly change beneath the mountains.