Morning arrived without the chaos Baston had expected.
There was no shouting in front of the store.
There was no restless customers arguing over missing goods and no desperate line stretching along the street. Instead, the atmosphere felt restrained.
When Baston reached the merchant district, he noticed something unusual immediately.
Two men stood at the entrance of Rembrant's store.
They were not dressed like customers nor did they resemble city guards. Their robes were plain gray, unadorned by noble embroidery or merchant insignias yet the fabric itself was of high quality.
Subtle threads shimmered faintly when light brushed across them.
Near the collar of each robe was a small emblem.
A circle intersected by three vertical lines.
Most pedestrians walked past without 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 customers?"
Panto shook his head, "No… With them…"
He subtly gestured toward the two gray-robed men. Baston narrowed his eyes.
He did not sense hostility but the air around the shop felt heavy. Not oppressive one even though there was still a controlled pressure.
Before Baston could ask further, one of the gray-robed men stepped inside fully.
His movements were precise and economical as if every gesture had been measured in advance.
"Merchant Rembrant," the man said calmly, "Thank you for agreeing to speak with us."
"It is my honor," Rembrant replied carefully.
Honor was such a strange way to describe the current treatment. That word alone told Baston these 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 local consumption patterns."
Rembrant's smile stiffened slightly, "Consumption patterns?"
"Yes… Specifically regarding magic water."
Baston's expression did not change but his attention sharpened. The researcher continued.
"Yesterday, your store experienced a sharp and concentrated demand surge, followed by immediate scarcity. Such behavior does not align with standard merchant promotion curves."
The way he spoke did not sound accusatory. It sounded analytical.
"We are not here to investigate 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 mana stabilization compounds."
At those words, Baston's thoughts flickered. 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.
"Magic water, in large enough circulation, can reveal public response to potential enhancement bases. Yesterday's demand spike suggests there may be room for 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.
Lines rose sharply before stabilizing.
"This…" he said calmly, "Is yesterday's market curve."
Panto blinked. He had never seen purchasing data projected in such a manner.
"A natural promotion generates gradual acceleration," the researcher continued, "Usually, it always starts from curiosity and doubt before the amount of purchases accumulate steadily. What occurred in your establishment was quite different."
The chart shifted again, "There was confrontation, public contradiction, and a brief collapse of confidence before a sharp reversal."
His eyes lifted toward Rembrant, "It feels like emotion overrode logic."
The second researcher added, "Such reactions are valuable for our studies. Mana stabilization compounds rely not only on alchemical refinement but also on public trust. Distribution failure often comes not from formula weakness but from 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 response patterns."
Baston remained silent but he understood the implication.
Yesterday's puppet drama had not only sold bottles. It had produced data and this data, in the hands of scholars, was worth more than money.
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 established channels, public credibility, and the ability to move goods discreetly yet efficiently."
Silence settled between them. Outside, the street noise felt distant.
Baston observed Rembrant's posture change. The merchant's initial caution gradually shifted into something else. It was an opportunity.
"I am merely a humble merchant," Rembrant replied modestly, "But if the Research Center sees 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 limited batch testing, data sharing, and 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 nobles treated them with respect. And now, they were standing inside their store.
Rembrant's gaze flickered, almost unconsciously, toward Baston. It was only for a fraction of a second but Baston noticed.
In that brief look, there was gratitude and misunderstanding.
Rembrant was thinking from the beginning.
From the ice bead, the sudden attention, the magic water surge, and now, the cooperation from Research Center. Surely this young boy was a bringer of fortune.
Baston, meanwhile, understood something else entirely.
The researchers had not come because of him.
They had come because data had moved them. Because someone like Angus had likely spoken somewhere, because information traveled faster than rumors, and because markets revealed hidden currents.
In this likely misunderstanding, he said nothing.
After several more exchanges regarding documentation and future visits, the gray-robed men departed as quietly as they had arrived.
Only after they disappeared into the street did Rembrant finally exhale. Panto soon rushed to his father.
"Father, that was the Research Center, right?"
Rembrant nodded slowly. Then, he turned toward Baston with an expression that carried both excitement and sincerity.
"Young Master Baston," he said warmly, "Since you arrived, my small store has experienced changes beyond expectation."
Baston blinked innocently, "I did nothing…"
Rembrant chuckled, "Fortune rarely announces itself directly. Some people bring profit while 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, misunderstandings were more valuable than explanations.
As if remembering something important, Rembrant signaled to one of the staff members.
A sealed envelope was brought forward and placed carefully before Baston.
"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.
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 simple curiosity. Since its announcement, merchant circles had grown restless and 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.
It came from a mysterious seller who preferred discretion. The transaction was purely business. Some believed him and some did not.
There were whispers that Rembrant had purchased the ice bead early just to elevate his status among competing merchants.
That he intended to showcase influence rather than profit. Still, the merchants valued outcome more than rumor and 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 infused with layered magic.
When he pressed his finger lightly against its surface, the ink shifted. Magically, the items rearranged and descriptions expanded. 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 calculation.
Who would bid for which object?
Which families favored what elements?
Which artifacts implied hidden political alignments?
By the time he looked up, the sky outside the window had already darkened.
He then went back to his inn.
Dinner arrived soon after. The inn's upper floor offered a wide view of the merchant district. Lanterns flickered along the streets like grounded stars. Conversations flowed easily among tables.
"Have you seen this year's auction catalog?"
"It's far more impressive than last year."
"There's an ice bead listed."
"That alone guarantees noble attendance."
Baston lowered his gaze but listened.
"I heard it's exceptionally pure."
"For ice element practitioners, it's invaluable."
"And even for those who can't use it, it's a bargaining chip."
Someone leaned closer, lowering their voice, "You know which family will definitely pursue it?"
There was a brief pause.
Baston's fingers paused over his cup. He remembered something the principal of Zeverius Academy once mentioned that certain family treated the ice element as more than affinity.
It was their legacy, identity, and authority.
He did not know whether that family would take fancy toward his existence according to their ideology but he knew one thing.
Ice was not merely magic. It had political strength in this kingdom. He finished dinner in silence.
*****
The next morning, the old book shimmered faintly before him. The page turned on its own, revealing 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 hesitation reduced impact.
Perhaps the ripple had not spread wide enough.
Or perhaps something else had interfered.
The old book pulsed once more. 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.
Baston carefully slid it between the old book's inner pages.
He would treat it as emergency insurance. He left shortly after.
When Baston 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 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.
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 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 experimental batches in the future!"
Rembrant nodded, "Limited partnership at first with controlled supply. If successful, it will become long-term cooperation."
His gaze drifted toward Baston once more, "I must thank you again."
Baston blinked, "For what?"
Rembrant smiled knowingly, "Fortune favors those who stand near the right people."
Baston did not correct him.
Sometimes misunderstanding was more beneficial than truth. As Panto led him toward the shelves, 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 public psychology extremely well."
Baston allowed himself a small, harmless smile, "That sounds exaggerated."
"Maybe…" Panto replied, staring at the empty magic water shelf, "But whoever did it 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 scholars, merchants, and perhaps even great wizards.
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.