The morning arrived without the chaos that Baston had expected.
There was no shouting in front of the store. There was no restless customers who were arguing over the missing goods. There were no desperate line that was stretching along the street. Instead, the atmosphere felt restrained.
When he reached the store district, he noticed something unusual immediately. Two men stood at the entrance of Rembrant's store.
They were not dressed like the customers nor did they resemble the city guards. Their robes were plain gray, unadorned by noble embroidery or merchant insignias yet the fabric itself was of high quality.
The subtle threads shimmered faintly when the light brushed across them. Near the collar of each robe was a small emblem. It was a circle that was intersected by three vertical lines.
Most pedestrians walked past without the recognition. But inside the store, Rembrant stood unusually straight. Panto noticed Baston first and hurried toward him.
"You came at a strange time," Panto whispered, "My father is busy at the moment."
"With the customers?"
Panto shook his head, "Not exactly…"
He subtly gestured toward the two gray-robed men. Baston soon narrowed his eyes. He did not sense the hostility but the air around the shop felt heavy. It was not oppressive one even though there was still a controlled pressure.
Before he could ask further, one of the gray-robed men stepped inside fully. His movements were precise as if every gesture had been measured in advance.
"Merchant Rembrant…" the man said calmly, "Thank you for agreeing to meet with us."
"It is my honor," Rembrant replied carefully.
The honor was such a strange way to describe the current treatment. That word alone told Baston that these people were not ordinary visitors.
The second man unfolded a small parchment. It was thin, nearly translucent and covered with faint magical diagrams.
"We represent the Research Center," he stated, "Recently, there has been an unusual fluctuation in the local consumption patterns."
Rembrant's smile stiffened slightly, "The consumption patterns?"
"Yes… It was specifically regarding the magic water."
Baston's expression did not change but his attention sharpened. The researcher soon continued with his statement.
"Yesterday, your store experienced a sharp and concentrated demand surge, followed by the immediate scarcity. Such behavior does not align with the standard promotion curves."
The way he spoke did not sound accusatory. It sounded more toward analytical.
"We are not here to investigate your wrongdoing," the second researcher added, "We are here because this anomaly interests us."
Rembrant swallowed subtly, "May I ask what kind of interest?"
The first researcher folded his hands behind his back, "The Research Center is currently exploring a new development direction regarding the mana stabilization compounds."
At those words, Baston's thoughts flickered. The mana stabilization was not strange in his ears. The reward from his previous bad performance surfaced in his memory.
"Mana potion infused with ice magic can cure poison from mana turbulence…"
He kept his expression neutral while the researcher continued calmly.
"The circulation of the magic water can reveal public response to the potential enhancement bases. Yesterday's demand spike suggests there may be a room for the expanded experimentation in distribution."
The first researcher tapped lightly on the translucent parchment in his hand. The faint diagrams shimmered, forming several layered charts in the air between them. The lines rose sharply before stabilizing.
"This is the yesterday's market curve…"
Panto blinked since he had never seen such purchasing data that was projected in such a manner.
"A natural promotion generates the gradual acceleration," the researcher continued, "Usually, it always starts from the curiosity and the doubt before the amount of purchases accumulate steadily. What occurred in your establishment was quite different."
The chart shifted again, "There was a confrontation, the public contradiction, and a brief collapse of confidence before a sharp reversal."
His eyes lifted toward Rembrant, "It feels like the emotion overrode the logic."
The second researcher added, "Such reactions are valuable for our studies. The mana stabilization compounds rely not only on the alchemical refinement but also on the public trust. The distribution failure often comes not from the formula weakness but from people's perception."
Rembrant listened carefully, nodding slowly though much of the terminology escaped him.
"We are not merely testing a formula," the first man clarified, "We are testing the response patterns."
Baston remained silent but he understood the implication. Yesterday's puppet drama had not only sold the goods. It had produced the data and this data was worth more than money in the hands of the scholars.
Rembrant blinked, "You mean you want to establish a cooperation with my trading shop?"
"Precisely..."
The second man finally looked directly at Rembrant, "We require a merchant with such established channels, the public credibility, and the ability to move goods discreetly yet efficiently."
The silence settled between them. At the outside, the street noise felt distant.
Baston observed Rembrant's posture change. The merchant's initial caution gradually shifted into something else. Surely, it was an opportunity.
"I am merely a humble merchant," Rembrant replied modestly, "But if the Research Center sees the potential in my humble establishment, I will do to my best."
"We do…" the answer was immediate, "We would like to establish a provisional agreement. It's regarding the limited batch testing, the data sharing, and the controlled release."
Panto stared at his father in disbelief. He never thought the Research Center would come to their establishment before making a contract. Even the nobles treated them with respect. And now, they were standing inside their store.
Rembrant's gaze flickered unconsciously toward Baston. It was only for a fraction of a second but the fat boy noticed. In that brief look, there was gratitude and misunderstanding.
Rembrant was pondering from the beginning.
From the ice bead, the sudden attention, the magic water surge, and now, the cooperation from the Research Center. Surely, this young boy was a bringer of fortune.
Meanwhile, Baston understood something else entirely. The researchers had not come because of Rembrant.
They had come because the data had moved them, because someone like Angus had likely spoken somewhere, because the information traveled faster than the rumors, and because the markets revealed the hidden currents.
In this likely misunderstanding, Baston said nothing.
After several more exchanges regarding the documentation and the future visits, the gray-robed men departed as quietly as they had arrived.
Only after they disappeared into the street, Rembrant finally exhaled. Panto soon rushed to his father.
"Father, that was the people from the Research Center, right?"
Rembrant nodded slowly. Eventually, he turned toward Baston with an expression that carried both of the excitement and the sincerity.
"Young Master Baston," he said warmly, "Since you arrived, my small store has experienced few changes beyond expectation."
Baston blinked innocently, "I did nothing…"
Rembrant chuckled, "The fortune rarely announces itself directly. Some people bring profit while the others bring opportunity. For you, it seems to bring both."
Baston smiled politely. Inside, however, his thoughts were not calm. This was not his doing but sometimes, the misunderstandings were more valuable than the explanations.
As if remembering something important, Rembrant signaled to one of the staff members. A sealed envelope was brought forward and placed carefully before him.
"This should belong to you," Rembrant said with a knowing smile.
*****
With that, Baston found a place to sit down and opened the letter. He read it once to see what kind of information inside. The handwriting was refined yet practical, showing a merchant's tone rather than a noble's flourish.
It was an official invitation to the upcoming city auction. Considering Rembrant's gratitude, it seemed he tried hard to secure this invitation exclusively for him.
The ice bead had stirred more than the simple curiosity. Since its announcement, the merchant circles had grown restless and several questions circulated quietly.
Where did he obtain such a rare item?
Was he secretly backed by a noble household?
Had he secured a private source of elemental artifacts?
Rembrant answered them all the same way.
His son had acted as intermediary and it came from a mysterious seller who preferred the discretion. The transaction was purely a business anyway. Some believed him and some did not.
There were whispers that the man had purchased the ice bead early just to elevate his status among the competing merchants. That he intended to showcase his influence rather than the profit. Still, the merchants valued the outcome more than the rumor and such outcome was already tilting in his favor.
Inside the envelope, Baston found an additional pamphlet.
It resembled the academy's enchanted catalog, a single sheet that was infused with layered magic.
When he pressed his finger lightly against its surface, the ink shifted. Magically, the items rearranged and the descriptions expanded. The prices revealed themselves in ascending order.
There were twenty-six items listed in total. There were artifacts, rare materials, elemental cores, and runic equipment. The cheapest began at fifty thousand pounds.
Baston exhaled slowly. Even selling ten ice beads would not grant him such spending freedom. For now, he could only observe. Hopefully, his observation would be useful.
He studied each item carefully, not only looking at the price but with his own calculation.
Who would bid for which object?
Which families favored what elements?
Which artifacts implied the hidden political alignments?
By the time he looked up, the sky outside the window had already darkened.
He then went back to his inn and the dinner arrived soon after. The inn's upper floor offered a wide view of the district. The lanterns flickered along the streets like the grounded stars. Several conversations flowed easily among the tables.
"Have you seen this year's auction catalog?"
"It's far more impressive than the last year."
"There's an ice bead listed."
"That alone guarantees some noble attendance."
"I heard it's exceptionally pure."
"For ice magic practitioners, it's very valuable. And even for those who can't use it, it's a bargaining chip."
Someone leaned closer, lowering their voice, "Do you know which family who will definitely pursue it?"
There was a brief pause.
Baston's fingers paused over his cup. He remembered something that the principal of Zeverius Academy once mentioned that certain family treated the ice element as more than affinity.
It was their legacy, identity, and the authority.
He did not know whether that family would take fancy toward his existence according to their ideology but he knew one thing.
The ice was not merely a magic. It had political strength in this kingdom. He then finished the dinner in silence.
*****
The next morning, the old book shimmered faintly before him. The page turned on its own, revealing a good result on his performance yesterday.
Baston leaned back, thinking about what he had done. It was alright to have a good rating but it also meant the manipulation did not work optimally.
Perhaps, the hesitation reduced the impact. Perhaps, the ripple had not spread wide enough. Or perhaps, something else had interfered.
The old book pulsed once more and a folded parchment appeared in his hand.
"Blizzard Insignia, capable of invoking the ice spell for wide area once..."
The paper felt ordinary at first touch yet when he held it slightly longer, a faint chill seeped into his fingertips.
It did not respond to casual mana probing. It waited for his order to be used. Regarding the reward this time, it was indeed good enough. The insignia was consumable, single-use, and had high impact.
He carefully slid it between the old book's inner pages. He would treat it as the emergency insurance. He then left shortly after.
When he reached the merchant district again, he noticed something different. There was no chaotic crowd and no shouting customers.
Instead, several merchants stood outside Rembrant's store in quiet conversation. He stepped closer and the fragments of discussion drifted toward him. Regarding what had happened yesterday, the news likely had already spread far.
Inside the store, Rembrant appeared far more composed than yesterday. Indeed, he was tired yet energized at the moment. When he noticed Baston, his face brightened immediately.
"Young Master Baston! Please, come in..."
His tone carried warmth and something close to reverence.
"It seems the business is good," Baston replied mildly.
Rembrant chuckled, "More than good…"
He lowered his voice, "The Research Center wishes to cooperate and from now on, this store will be the first to obtain their exclusive items."
Panto stood nearby, barely able to contain himself, "They want father to help distribute the experimental batches in the future!"
Rembrant nodded, "It will be limited partnership at first with controlled supply. If successful, it will become a long-term cooperation."
His gaze drifted toward Baston once more, "I must thank you again."
Baston blinked, "For what?"
Rembrant smiled knowingly, "The fortune favors those who stand near the right people."
Baston did not correct him. Sometimes, the misunderstanding was more beneficial than the truth.
As Panto led him toward another room, he leaned closer conspiratorially.
"You know yesterday's two strange men?"
"Yes?"
"They weren't ordinary researchers. One of them is rumored to have connection with Great Wizard."
Baston did not react outwardly. A certain name popped up inside his head. While the connection was thin, it was not impossible.
Panto continued, "Also, the city is trying to locate the two men who caused yesterday's market stir."
Baston's steps slowed slightly, "Oh?"
"They want to ask how that sudden demand spike started. The merchant association is analyzing their behavioral triggers."
Panto scratched his head, "Apparently, they think whoever orchestrated that argument understood the public psychology extremely well."
Baston allowed himself a small and harmless smile, "That sounds exaggerated..."
"Maybe…" Panto replied, staring at the empty magic water shelf, "But whoever did it, they already changed the flow of the entire market in one afternoon."
Baston's gaze lingered on the shelf. It was just a small performance between two puppets yet the ripple had reached the scholars, the merchants, and perhaps even the great wizard.
The old book did not reward his consequence, but even though so, it already brought a good impact.
And sometimes, this impact traveled farther than intended.