The morning market was already buzzing by the time Lena and Lixia rolled their cart into place. Wooden stalls lined the cobblestone street, merchants calling out their wares while customers haggled over vegetables, cloth, and trinkets. At the center of it all, Lena had set up a small makeshift stage—just a few planks of wood propped on barrels, with a bright blue banner that read: "MANACOOK 1000™ – COOK LIKE THE FUTURE!"
Lixia had already plugged the device into a portable mana crystal, and it hummed quietly on the table. She'd tied her silver hair back in a slightly-too-tight ponytail, goggles pushed up on her forehead, and was already polishing the metal surface like it was a trophy.
"See?" Lixia said, beaming at Lena. "Told you this spot was perfect. Right where everyone walks past."
Lena glanced at the mostly empty area in front of their stall. "Yeah, perfect. Let's just hope someone stops before noon."
She'd spent three days planning this demonstration—drew up flyers, talked to nearby merchants for permission, even convinced Thomas to sneak out early to help carry equipment (though he'd bailed the second he saw the crowd was thin). Now she stood watching as people walked by without a second glance, some pausing only to squint at the strange metal box before moving on.
"Maybe we need to be louder," Lixia suggested, cracking her knuckles.
"No loud shouting," Lena said quickly. "We talked about this—we want to look professional, not desperate."
Before Lena could stop her, Lixia cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled: "HEY EVERYONE! WANT TO SEE FOOD COOK ITSELF IN SECONDS?! NO FIRE, NO FUSS, NO BURNT FINGERS!"
Several heads turned. Most looked confused. One old man carrying a sack of potatoes just shook his head and muttered something about "noble kids playing with toys."
Lena sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Lixia…."
"Relax!" Lixia waved a hand dismissively. "I've got this. Watch."
She grabbed a bowl of batter from the cart and poured it onto the ManaCook's flat top. The runes along the edge glowed orange, and within seconds, the batter started to bubble and turn golden.
"TA-DA!" Lixia announced, flipping the pancake with a flick of her wrist. It soared through the air—and splattered on the ground a few feet away.
The small group of onlookers that had gathered let out a collective snort.
"Whoops," Lixia said, not even flustered. "Demo version needs a better flip setting. But look—see how evenly it cooked before I messed up?"
Lena quickly stepped forward, wiping up the mess with a cloth. "Sorry about that—we're still working out the kinks. Let me show you how it's supposed to work."
She carefully measured out another portion of batter, set the temperature dial to yellow (medium heat), and poured it slowly. This time, the pancake cooked perfectly—golden brown on both sides, fluffy in the middle. She slid it onto a plate and held it up for everyone to see.
"Fresh pancake in under two minutes," Lena said calmly. "No open flame, so no risk of burning your stall down. No need to tend to it—you can prep other food while it cooks."
A young woman in an apron—probably a baker's assistant—stepped closer, eyeing the device suspiciously. "Is it expensive?"
"Not as much as you'd think," Lena replied. "We're offering a special price for the first ten customers—includes a one-year warranty and free maintenance checkups."
"Maintenance?" A burly merchant crossed his arms. "So it does break?"
"Everything breaks if you don't take care of it," Lixia cut in before Lena could respond. "But my inventions are built to last! This thing can run for ten hours straight without overheating—unlike those clunky fire stoves that conk out the second you need them most. Plus, it can boil water, fry eggs, even melt chocolate without burning it!"
She grabbed a bar of chocolate from the cart and placed it on a small metal tray inside the ManaCook. The runes shifted to a soft green glow, and within moments, the chocolate was smooth and melted—no lumps, no scorch marks.
"See? Perfect every time!" Lixia boasted. "I've tested this thing a hundred times—only three minor explosions during development!"
Lena felt a sweat drop form on her forehead as the onlookers exchanged worried glances.
"Three minor explosions"—she'd specifically told Lixia to leave that part out.
Despite the comment, a few people started to lean in with genuine interest. The baker's assistant reached out to touch the device's surface. "It's not even hot to the touch?"
"Only the cooking plate gets warm," Lena explained quickly, steering the conversation back on track. "The outer casing stays cool, so kids or clumsy adults won't get burned."
She handed out small samples of the pancake and melted chocolate. One by one, the skeptical looks faded into surprise.
"This is good," the old potato-sack man admitted, taking a second bite. "Tastes better than my wife's cooking."
"Hey!" a woman nearby called out, laughing. "I'm your wife!"
The crowd chuckled, and suddenly the mood shifted. People started asking questions—about price, about how to get replacement mana crystals, about whether there were other devices like it.
Lixia was in her element now, gesturing wildly as she described every feature in detail. "—and if you upgrade to the deluxe model, it comes with a built-in timer that sings when your food's ready! I'm working on getting it to play folk songs, but right now it just does a little beep melody—"
Lena watched as her familiar rambled on, pointing at every screw and rune like they were works of art. Despite the earlier mess-ups, the demonstration was actually working—they'd already gotten three people to put down deposits for the ManaCook 1000™.
As Lixia launched into a story about how she'd once used a prototype to cook soup during a rainstorm (and "only got slightly electrocuted"), Lena shook her head with an exasperated smile. She wiped another sweat drop from her temple and thought to herself:
Seriously… her boasting is really something else. But I guess that's what makes people believe in these crazy inventions of hers.
---
👴: Stubborn Old Men and Shady Merchants
The Merchant Guild's main hall was bustling as Lena and Lixia made their way to the display area she'd reserved. She'd set up a small corner with polished examples of Lixia's inventions—ManaCook 1000™ stoves lined up next to ManaCool 2000™ units, plus newer gadgets like a ManaMassage Chair Pad and a ManaIron that pressed clothes without heat.
She'd barely finished arranging the displays when a group of five men in dark merchant robes blocked her path. Their leader—an older man with a thick gray beard and bushy eyebrows—crossed his arms over his chest.
"You're the Dunham girl peddling those… contraptions?" he grumbled.
Lena sized them up quickly—stiff postures, embroidered guild badges showing years of service, expressions set in stone.
Oh right… stubborn traditional geezers type of people. Good thing I dealt with plenty like this in my past life during corporate sales meetings.
She immediately plastered on her brightest business smile. "Good morning, sirs! I'm Lena Dunham, and these are revolutionary tools designed to make daily life easier—"
"Revolutionary?" A shorter man with spectacles cut her off. "Nonsense! Cooking with runes instead of fire? Storing food with 'cryo-mana'? It's all unorthodox claptrap that goes against centuries of tradition!"
"Exactly!" The bearded leader nodded sharply. "We've built our businesses on proven methods—wood-fired stoves, ice cellars carved from stone. Why would anyone trust some glowing metal box to handle their livelihood?"
Lena stepped forward, keeping her tone steady. "I understand your concerns, but it isn't like that at all—these devices are tested, safe, and—"
She was cut off mid-sentence by a cold voice from behind her.
"What did you just say about my inventions?"
Lixia had appeared at Lena's side, her usual cheerful grin replaced by a thin, icy smile. The air around her seemed to drop a few degrees, and the faint blue glow of mana flickered around her fingertips.
The merchants didn't notice the shift in atmosphere, continuing their rant without pause.
"Unorthodox is putting it mildly!" The spectacled man waved a hand dismissively. "They look like something a child cobbled together in a workshop—no respect for how things have always been done!"
Lixia's eyes narrowed, and she took a step forward—her knuckles white where she gripped the edge of a display table. Lena could practically see steam coming off her as she looked ready to unleash some kind of runic retaliation.
Oh no—she's about to go full inventor mode and probably turn them into living statues or something.
Lena quickly stepped between them, clapping her hands together brightly. "Now now, let's not get ahead of ourselves! The best way to know if something's truly 'unorthodox' nonsense is to try it out for yourselves, right?"
She gestured broadly at the displays. "I'll even let you borrow them for free for a week—no strings attached. If you still think they're useless after that, you can bring them back and I'll never bother you again."
The merchants exchanged uncertain glances. After a long moment, the bearded leader sighed heavily. "…Very well. But only to prove you're wasting everyone's time."
First Geezer – Master Baker Torvin
The portly baker marched straight to the ManaCook 1000™, eyeing it like it was a dangerous beast.
"I've been baking bread over open flames for forty years," he grumbled. "No machine can replicate the perfect crust fire gives."
He reluctantly agreed to test one in his shop. By the third day, Lena spotted him through his store window—he'd moved the ManaCook to his main counter, using it to bake rolls while his traditional oven handled larger loaves. When he stopped by the guild to report back, he was already making notes.
"The even heat… it makes the bottoms perfectly golden every time," he muttered, not meeting her eyes. "I'll take one… to 'inspect' its novel design further."
Second Geezer – Fish Merchant Brann
The gruff fish seller wrinkled his nose at the ManaCool 2000™.
"Fish needs to be kept cold the old way—packed in ice from the northern mountains! This 'mana compression' stuff will probably make it taste like metal!"
He took a unit to preserve his daily catch. Two days later, he showed up at Lena's display looking flustered—his usual morning rush of spoiled fish had dropped to zero.
"Stays colder longer than ice, and doesn't melt all over my counters," he mumbled, hauling a ManaCool unit toward his cart. "I'm taking it home to check if this unconventional method holds up over time."
Third Geezer – Tailor Vance
The tailor poked at the ManaIron with a finger like it might bite him.
"Ironing requires careful control of heat and steam—you can't get that from runes! It'll burn every piece of fabric I own!"
He borrowed it to press a batch of noble robes. When he returned, he'd already brought three more tailors with him to look at the display.
"The steam comes out evenly, and it never gets too hot," he admitted, adjusting his spectacles. "I'll take two—one for the shop, one for home… to evaluate its atypical functionality."
Fourth Geezer – Innkeeper Gorn
The burly innkeeper scoffed at the ManaMassage Chair Pad.
"Back pain is cured by strong ale and a good night's sleep, not some buzzing cushion! It's all fancy nonsense for people with too much time on their hands!"
He took it for his common room after complaining about his aching back from hauling barrels. Lena found him the next day napping in his chair with the pad on full power, snoring contentedly.
"…Helps with the stiffness after long days," he grumbled, carrying the pad out to his wagon. "Taking it to 'assess' this unconventional contraption properly."
As the morning wore on, all five merchants were loading appliances into their carts, trying their best to look like they weren't actually thrilled. The bearded leader—Master Merchant Holger—cleared his throat loudly as he lifted a massage pad onto his own cart.
"Ahem! I shall take this chair massager with me to inspect its heterodox design and functionality. Don't get any ideas—I'm only doing this to document exactly where these devices fall short of traditional methods!"
The others chimed in quickly:
"I'll be testing the ManaCook's aberrant heat distribution!" Torvin called out.
"Checking if the ManaCool's nonconformist cooling system is even practical!" Brann added.
Lena watched them go, her lips twitching into an askew grin.
Just as I planned hehe. Let them tell themselves it's for 'inspection'—by next week they'll all be placing bulk orders.
She turned to find Lixia standing beside her, a sweat drop rolling down her temple as she watched the merchants drive off.
"…She really is a merchant at heart," Lixia muttered to herself. "Although… looking a bit shady with those methods of yours."
Lena just winked and started packing up the remaining displays. "Hey, whatever works to get people to appreciate your genius."
Lixia's frown softened into a small smile. "Yeah… yeah, I guess it does."
---
A Few Days Later
The morning market was packed—far busier than Lena had ever seen it. A steady stream of customers flowed to their stall, some returning to buy more appliances after their trial periods, others coming on word-of-mouth recommendations. Lena was juggling orders, answering questions, and handing out brochures all at once when she spotted a hooded figure lingering at the edge of the crowd.
Christopher Veyron pulled his cloak tighter as he watched from the shadows. His eyes tracked every movement—how Lena demonstrated the ManaCook while chatting casually with customers, how she remembered regulars by name, how even skeptical shoppers left with at least one device. He'd spent the last three days observing her methods, comparing them to his own family's traditional approach of relying on reputation and status alone.
This is… nothing like what Father taught me, he thought, his jaw tight. We wait for customers to come to us. She goes out and makes them want what she's selling. My methods are completely outdated.
He'd seen how the old merchants who'd mocked her just days ago were now promoting her inventions to their own contacts. He'd watched as a single demonstration could turn a crowd of onlookers into buyers. Something inside him stirred—part frustration, part admiration, part fierce determination.
Before he could second-guess himself, he pushed through the crowd and approached Lena just as she was finishing up with a family buying a ManaCool unit.
Lena turned to him with her usual bright smile. "Welcome! Would you like to try some of our—"
"LENA DUNHAM!"
Christopher pulled back his hood, his brown eyes blazing with intensity. "From now on… you're my rival!"
Lena blinked, holding a brochure halfway to his hands. "Eh?"
Before she could say another word, Christopher spun on his heel and vanished into the crowd, moving so quickly he was out of sight within seconds.
"Wait—hold on!" Lena called out, taking a step forward before stopping. She scanned the sea of people but couldn't spot him anywhere. She let out a long sigh. "What was that about?"
"Fufu~" Lixia chimed in from behind the display table, where she was adjusting a ManaIron. "Looks like you'll be having more people drawn to you now~"
Lena turned to her, confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Nothing nothing!" Lixia waved a hand dismissively, her silver hair bouncing as she worked. "We should get back to sales—there's a line forming over there!"
Lena nodded, but as she turned to help the next customer, a thought nagged at her. Hmm… that boy looks familiar for some reason… Did I see him at the guild?
Her train of thought was cut short by a loud BOOOOM from the back of their stall, followed by a cloud of light blue smoke billowing into the air.
Lena facepalmed, letting out a silent sigh as she recognized the telltale sign of Lixia tinkering with a prototype without warning.
"Lixia," she called out as she made her way over to assess the damage. "What did you do this time?"
---
A Week Later – Dunham Manor
The morning post arrived with a flourish—instead of the usual stack of invoices and local correspondence, the steward carried a sealed envelope bearing the royal crest in gold wax. James Dunham broke the seal carefully at his desk in the study, Amelia standing beside him as he unfolded the thick parchment.
To Baron James Dunham of the Northern Territories,
We have been made aware of the remarkable innovations developed by your daughter Lena Dunham and her associate, Lixia. Reports of their "ManaCook" and related devices have reached even the royal household, with several nobles of the court praising their functionality and ingenuity.
We formally request that you bring these inventions to the Capital for a special demonstration before the King and his council. Such advancements could greatly benefit our nation's domestic infrastructure, and we wish to discuss potential royal patronage for their production and distribution.
Please respond at your earliest convenience.
Signed,
Lord Marcus Thorne, Royal Advisor to the Crown
James read the letter through twice before setting it down. Amelia rested a hand on his shoulder. "It's a great honor," she said softly. "The royal family doesn't often seek out merchants this young."
"I know," James replied, his expression thoughtful. He picked up his quill and pulled out a clean sheet of paper. "But Lena is only twelve. Thrusting her into the Capital's court now—with all its politics and scheming—it would be too much."
He dipped his quill in ink and began to write, his handwriting steady and formal:
To Lord Marcus Thorne, Royal Advisor to the Crown,
We are deeply honored by your gracious request and the recognition of Lena's work alongside Lixia's inventions.
However, we must offer our sincere and polite refusal to present at this time. Lena remains young at twelve years of age, and we believe she would benefit from further experience and growth before undertaking such a significant demonstration for the royal household.
We commit to bringing these innovations to the Capital for your consideration when Lena reaches fifteen years of age. Until then, we will continue to refine and expand upon her work, ensuring it meets the high standards befitting of the royal court.
With deepest respect,
Baron James Dunham
He sealed the letter with his own crest and called for the steward to have it sent immediately. As the man left the room, Amelia poured them both a cup of tea.
"Lena will be disappointed at first," she noted.
"Perhaps," James agreed, leaning back in his chair. "But she'll understand. The Capital isn't ready for her yet—and she isn't ready for the Capital. Three years will give her time to build her foundation solidly, so when she does go, she'll be prepared for whatever comes."
Down in the kitchen, Lena was just finishing up inventory when the steward found her. "Miss Lena," he said, bowing slightly. "A royal letter arrived this morning requesting a demonstration. Your father has sent a response declining for now—he says you'll go when you're fifteen."
Lena paused with her pen over the ledger, then smiled and went back to writing. "He's right," she said quietly. "Three years… plenty of time to make sure everything's perfect."
Lixia, who was tinkering with a new ManaBlender prototype nearby, looked up. "Fifteen? That's ages away!"
"Plenty of time to make our inventions even better," Lena replied, closing the ledger. "And to make sure we're not just another novelty the court forgets about in a month."
She glanced out the window toward the Capital's direction, a determined look in her eyes. Three years. I'll use every single day to make sure when we do go, we'll leave our mark.
Lena was leaning against the kitchen windowsill, watching the gardeners trim the hedges outside. The morning sun cast warm patches across the stone floor, and somewhere in the distance, she could hear Thomas arguing with one of the stable boys about horse training techniques.
Although having to demonstrate the appliances in front of the royal family is completely unnerving... she thought, pressing her forehead lightly against the cool glass. Thank God Father refused.
A quiet sigh of relief escaped her lips as she let her eyes drift closed for a moment. Just the thought of standing before the King and his entire council—all those eyes watching her every move, judging not just her inventions but her worth as a merchant—made her shoulders tense up all over again.
She straightened up, running a hand through her hair, and her expression grew thoughtful. Did I change too much already?
She thought back to when she first woke up in this world—as a small child, scared and confused, clinging to memories of her past life like a lifeline. Now here she was, running a growing business, challenging traditional merchants, and even catching the attention of the royal court.
Forget it, she decided, shaking her head slightly. No point in overthinking it now. Let's just keep a low profile for the next few years—build up our reputation properly, make sure everything's solid before we step into the spotlight.
She turned away from the window and headed back toward the worktable where Lixia was already busy sketching out designs for a new Mana-powered clothes dryer.
"Any progress on that prototype?" Lena asked, rolling up her sleeves to help organize the scattered blueprints.
Lixia didn't look up from her paper, pencil moving rapidly across the page. "Almost! I just need to figure out how to keep the mana flow consistent without making it rattle like a carriage on cobblestones!"
Lena smiled and started sorting through the tools laid out on the table, her earlier worries already fading into the background. Low profile or not—she still had work to do.