Matsu's eyes sparkled the moment he spotted the wooden stall.
Painted across the top in crooked, messy letters were the words:
PUMPING WHEAT – GROW STRONG, FEEL STRONG, BE STRONG!
A single golden stalk rested inside a glass case beneath a dangling lantern, positioned like some priceless relic.
Behind the counter stood the vendor—a wiry man in patchy robes whose grin was far too wide for someone selling grain.
Matsu hurried closer, nearly tripping over a loose cobblestone in his excitement. He bent down and squinted at the scratched little sign beneath the display.
100 Gold
His shoulders dropped instantly.
He dug into his coin pouch and counted the few pieces left in his palm. Barely enough for crumbs.
Maybe he'd spent too much on food.
"Aw man..." he muttered.
"Good choice."
The voice came softly from beside him.
Matsu jolted and spun around.
A man in a beige cloak and matching wide-brimmed hat stood there, blending so naturally into the dusty crowd that it was hard to tell when he'd arrived. The cloak hid most of his frame, and the hat shadowed his face—except for one thing.
His smile.
Bright. Warm. Toothily cheerful.
"Huh?" Matsu blinked.
The stranger crouched beside him and peered through the glass case with an approving hum.
"The Pumping Wheat's a fine thing," he said, tapping the display lightly. "Most people don't know it's used to make Pumping Bread. Premium stuff. Popular in the upper levels."
Matsu's jaw dropped.
"Wait, really? My grandpa used to talk about that! I thought it was just one of his weird fake stories."
The man chuckled.
"Then your grandpa's smarter than most. Hard to find someone who respects quality grain these days."
"You sure know a lot about wheat, mister," Matsu said, brightening immediately.
The stranger laughed and rubbed the back of his head.
"Yeah... I guess you could say I love bread."
Behind the counter, the vendor froze.
His eyes widened.
"Wait, what did you say?" he snapped. "Upper-level people want this?"
His fingers twitched violently.
"Then I'm raising the price! Five hundred gold!"
"WAIT, WHAT?!" Matsu shouted. "It literally said one hundred just now!"
"Well now it doesn't!" the vendor barked, flipping the sign over and scribbling furiously. "Inflation!"
"You snake!" Matsu yelled.
The cloaked man sighed dramatically and placed a gentle hand on top of Matsu's head.
"Oh dear," he said softly. "How terribly unlucky for you..."
Then, in the same breath, he pointed behind the vendor and shouted:
"OH WOW! WHAT IS THAT?!"
The vendor blinked. "Huh?"
In one perfectly fluid motion, the stranger snatched the golden wheat from the counter with one hand and grabbed Matsu by the hair with the other.
"YEEEOOOOWWW!!" Matsu shrieked as he was yanked off his feet.
"COME BACK HERE!" the vendor roared, lunging over the counter too late.
The two vanished into the market crowd.
They didn't stop until they ducked behind a squat brick house tucked between two alleys.
Both were breathing hard.
The man casually let go of Matsu's hair.
"Here," he said, handing over the stolen stalk.
Matsu stared at it in disbelief, then accepted it with both hands like a sacred artifact.
His eyes glittered.
"...Thank you, sir."
The man leaned against the wall, smiling.
Matsu tilted his head.
"Why'd you help me? I'm just a farmer."
"Mmmmh..."
The stranger looked off thoughtfully.
"I guess I just wanted to."
Matsu narrowed his eyes.
"Yeah, but why?"
The man scratched his chin, genuinely considering it.
"I dunno," he admitted. "It just felt right."
He sounded almost surprised by his own answer.
Matsu studied him for another second, then nodded slowly.
"Well... whatever the reason..."
He held the wheat close to his chest.
"Thanks again for the wheat."
The man crouched down, resting his chin on one hand.
"What do you mean thanks?" he asked. "I'm selling it to you."
He held out his palm.
"That'll be two hundred gold."
Matsu froze.
Then exploded.
"HUH!? YOU'RE JUST AS GREEDY AS THE OTHER GUY!"
The cloaked man burst into laughter.