CHAPTER 33: VISITING THE WOOD’S FAMILY SHOP AGAIN

The moment the first customers stepped inside, Rowen’s clear voice cut through the buzz.

"Same rule as yesterday—one batch per person. No exceptions."

Some groaned in disappointment, others nodded in understanding, but no one dared to argue. The crowd had grown too large, and everyone feared losing their chance if they caused trouble.

When their eyes fell on the neatly written signs, murmurs spread like wildfire.

"Two low-grade stones for three pieces?" a boy whispered, staring at the rare tomatoes as if they were treasure.

"That’s... that’s too much for me," an older woman sighed, shifting her coin pouch before glancing at the baskets of common+ vegetables. "These will do."

Rowen saw the same pattern again and again—those who came curious about the rare stock quickly backed away after hearing the price, settling for the common+ baskets. The glow was weaker but still far more potent.

Even so, the rare baskets weren’t ignored. A few wealthier students, those whose parents had some savings or side businesses, clenched their teeth and handed over the stones. Their eyes lit up with pride as they walked away, clutching their rare vegetables as if they were priceless jewels.

Outside, the line kept moving. Shade, Rowen’s sleek black cat, perched lazily on top of the wooden shelf near the entrance. Her tail flicked back and forth, golden eyes half-lidded but sharp. Anyone who got too close to the baskets without paying felt his stare boring into them. A few of the townsfolk had already learned from yesterday—this cat wasn’t just for show. Shade had claws and a temper, and somehow she always appeared right where trouble was about to start.

Rowen almost chuckled. Shade looked relaxed, but the truth was, he was guarding the shop in his own way.

Rowen felt a wave of relief. The people here weren’t nobles or powerful merchants—they were townsfolk, students, and elderly villagers. Poor, with little strength or influence. But desperation made them unpredictable. If they discovered someone was selling mana-rich food at a fraction of the price of energy potions in the expensive stores, they would never give up trying their luck.

Among the crowd were a few faces Rowen recognized—people who had loudly called his shop a scam just a few days ago. Now they stood in line, shifting on their feet, eyes darting nervously toward him. A couple whispered to each other, clearly worried that he might refuse to sell to them if he remembered their words.

Rowen caught their anxious looks and simply smiled. He had no interest in holding grudges over petty things. As long as they paid, it didn’t matter what they said yesterday. Business was business.

Time passed quickly, and before long there was nothing left to sell. The shelves stood empty, and only a few disappointed customers remained.

"Is there... hidden stock or something?" one asked in a worried tone, almost pleading.

Rowen gave a small, apologetic smile and shook his head. "That’s all I had this time. You can try again in the afternoon if you want."

They left with heavy steps, faces showing clear disappointment. Rowen waited until the last one had gone before exhaling in relief. Then, he pulled the day’s earnings onto the counter and began counting.

From the common+ baskets, he had earned around thirty low-grade mana stones. The rare ones, though fewer, still brought in another twenty. A decent haul considering the small supply of rare ones.

Counting them together, Rowen realized he now had a total of fifty low-grade mana stones. Adding the three stones he had left from before, his pouch held fifty-three in total.

Rowen turned and noticed Fern sprawled out lazily, not a care in the world. He frowned and nudged him with his foot.

"You should learn from Shade," Rowen muttered. "That cat works harder than you. At least she guards the shop instead of lying around."

Fern only flicked his ears, clearly not bothered.

Shaking his head, Rowen pulled out a twelve of mana stones. He counted twelve, then tossed them toward Fern. "Use these to recharge the land when needed. Don’t waste them."

He had no intention of rushing the next upgrade for the space, so he didn’t hand over a single stone beyond that.

After tidying things up, Rowen glanced at the clock. It was already around eleven in the morning.

"Still some time before noon," he murmured.

"Guess it’s a good time to check the market for fruit seeds," he decided.

With that, Rowen locked up the shop and prepared to head out.

After leaving the shop, Rowen adjusted the strap of his pouch and walked down the street. He remembered something on the way—when he had bought the previous batch of tomato seeds at Wood’s Farm Goods and Seeds, he had seen fruit seeds stacked on one of the shelves.

"If they’re still there, today’s the day I get them," Rowen thought, quickening his pace.

The memory of neat rows of small packets, some marked with faint symbols of glowing apples and berry vines, resurfaced in his mind. Back then, he hadn’t had the mana stones to spare. But now, with a pouch heavier than ever, he could finally afford them.

After some twists and turns through the narrow streets, Rowen finally stood once again in front of the Wood family shop.

This time, he had come with a clear goal—to buy fruit seeds. The only problem was, he hadn’t yet decided which fruit to choose.

With that thought circling in his head, Rowen pushed open the door. A small bell chimed overhead, and the shop’s familiar atmosphere greeted him.

Behind the counter, the same young woman who had attended him previously looked up and smiled politely.

"Welcome back," she said, recognizing him right away.

The receptionist blinked in recognition as Rowen stepped inside. She remembered him clearly—just a few days ago, he had stood at the very same counter, carefully counting his few low-grade mana stones before buying a simple batch of tomato seeds.

Back then, she had felt a pang of pity. A boy his age, trying to scrape by as a farmer in a border town, didn’t seem like he had much of a future. She had thought he was just another struggling youth destined for disappointment.

But now... the boy standing before her was different. His expression carried none of the uncertainty she remembered. Instead, there was a light in his eyes and a subtle confidence in his smile. That puzzled her.

Had something changed in just a few days?

Still, she straightened her posture and greeted him politely.

"Welcome back," she said, her tone careful but curious.