For a split second, Fire-Hammer thought he had dreamed himself back into the Age of Heroes—that the people outside were all adventurers clamoring for equipment.
But even back then, business had never been this booming!
And the things they were shouting... he couldn't understand a word of it. Product placement? Merchandise? What in the world was going on?
The only thing he knew for certain was that this definitely had something to do with that Demon King from the Gloom Catacombs. The word people were shouting most frequently was "Magic Game Tablet."
He had delivered the first batch of obsidian tablets the Demon King ordered long ago, and the second batch was currently in high-speed production. That Great Demon had mentioned something about turning the obsidian into "game tablets," but Fire-Hammer hadn't paid it any mind. He only cared about selling his wares; whether the buyer intended to save humanity or destroy the world was none of his business.
Furthermore, he had felt, deep in his heart, that the Demon King's business couldn't possibly succeed. How could something made by monsters win the hearts of humans? It would be a miracle if the humans didn't scream and toss the things into a bonfire, let alone pay money for them.
He half-expected the Demon King to come back in a few days to pawn his trousers just to make ends meet. (To be honest, Fire-Hammer actually quite liked those trousers—sturdy, stylish, and perfect for enchanting; a true essential for any traveler.)
However, looking down at the dense, swarming crowd below, Fire-Hammer was starting to feel less certain.
Could it be that those game tablets... are actually selling well?
But even if they were popular, they shouldn't be this popular! Something fishy was definitely going on at the Demon King's shop!
Fire-Hammer shut the window, added several locks, hurriedly dressed, shoved a few cabinets against the door for good measure, and then dove into his cellar.
Years ago, fearing his shop might be robbed, he had dug an escape tunnel. His younger brother often mocked him for wasting his effort. "The fool daring enough to rob a dwarf's shop hasn't been born yet!" the brat would say. Hah! That boy's beard was as short as his foresight—look who's using the tunnel now!
Fire-Hammer traversed the tunnel that hadn't been used for centuries, entered the Norelia sewers, and climbed up a maintenance shaft.
Two blocks away on Wisteria Street, a manhole cover was mysteriously nudged open. Moments later, an old dwarf covered in cobwebs and smelling of "sewer fragrance" crawled out, offering a sheepish grin and a nod to the stunned pedestrians.
"Sewer maintenance. Just maintenance." He frantically slid the cover back into place, brushed off the cobwebs, and scurried toward Sunset Boulevard like a thief in the night.
The moment he reached the street corner, the old dwarf was stunned once again.
There was a queue on this street!
A long line stretched from the Magic Game Experience Store in the middle of the block to a fork in the road hundreds of meters away, and it was still growing. There were men and women, young and old. Many had the foresight to bring sunshades and folding stools; some had simply sat on the ground in groups of four, playing a card game Fire-Hammer had never seen before.
A few entrepreneurs had already sensed the business opportunity, pushing carts along the line and hawking their wares: "Peanuts, seeds, bottled water! Folding stools, umbrellas, and Anti-Feudalism decks! Anyone need anything?"
One look at their bulging purses told him the demand was high.
"Excuse me, ma'am..." Fire-Hammer approached a noblewoman walking her dog. "What are you all lining up for?"
The woman looked down at the dwarf haughtily. "You must be a dwarf from out of town. Haven't you heard of the Magic Game Tablet? It's the trendiest, most entertaining toy in Norelia! Today is launch day, and everyone is here for it. Some lucky people pre-ordered and are here to collect, but others..."
She pursed her lips in annoyance. "Missed the boat and have to fight for the remaining stock. I heard there are only a hundred units available for walk-ins."
Needless to say, this lady was one of those who had missed the pre-order and was now prepared to break heads for a unit.
Fire-Hammer was baffled. Was a magic tablet really that interesting? Humans had seen all sorts of strange entertainment—moving pictures, voice-transmitting receivers—so why had they suddenly fallen in love with obsidian slabs?
Just then, a man in a black overcoat slunk over to the noblewoman. His hat was pulled low, hiding most of his face, which only made him look more suspicious. He turned his back to Fire-Hammer, faced the lady, and quickly pulled open his coat.
—A pervert!
Fire-Hammer had seen many such humans. They wore nothing under their coats and hid in the shadows of street corners, waiting to jump out and show off their pathetic "equipment" to passersby for twisted joy. He couldn't believe humans had become so depraved that they were doing this in broad daylight!
Fire-Hammer was preparing to launch a kick at the man's shins when he heard the man whisper: "Madam, do you want a Magic Tablet? Fresh stock, flat price of ten gold coins."
Fire-Hammer: "???"
The noblewoman stared at the man, seemingly about to scold him for the price gouging, but she quickly suppressed her shock and whispered back: "Ten gold coins is way too expensive! The original price is only five silver!"
"This is a bargain. If you don't want it, forget it. Dozens of people are begging me to sell!" He tightened his coat and turned to leave.
"Wait!" the woman called out, her face twisted in a battle of internal conflict. She grit her teeth. "Fine, ten gold coins! I—"
Suddenly, her dog began to bark furiously. A black shadow darted from the sidewalk with lightning speed, lunging at the man in the coat and kicking him over.
Fire-Hammer: "?!"
Looking closely, the shadow turned out to be a tall, burly man—the kind where a dwarf would only reach his knees even if he jumped. Though he looked human enough, Fire-Hammer recognized him instantly: it was the Werewolf who had pawned his axe at the Gloom Catacombs.
Wolf grabbed the man by the collar and hoisted him over his head. The man kicked his legs helplessly, unable to touch the ground. The Werewolf let out a menacing, low growl. The noblewoman's dog stopped barking instantly, let out a whimper, and dove under its owner's skirt with its tail between its legs.
Just as Fire-Hammer thought Wolf was going to bite the man's head off, the burly Werewolf spoke:
"The laws of this city strictly prohibit hoarding, reselling, and profiteering that disrupts market order! Come with me to the police station!"
Fire-Hammer: "..."
Is it really appropriate to recite the law with such a terrifying, murderous expression?
Without waiting for the man to answer, Wolf tucked him under his arm like a stalk of celery and vanished around the corner in three giant strides. Several other suspicious-looking people in overcoats who had been lingering nearby immediately scattered like startled birds. The people in line exchanged complex looks.
"Am I seeing things? Isn't this Old Fire-Hammer?"
A melodious, playful voice came from behind him.
"Good heavens, what is that smell? Did you fall into a sewer?"
Serina walked over gracefully, hands on her hips as she looked down at the dwarf.
The noblewoman with the dog looked at Serina, then at the dwarf, and covered her mouth in disbelief. "Are you... the equipment shop owner, Mr. Fire-Hammer?! Oh my, how rude of me! Please forgive me, Mr. Fire-Hammer! I absolutely adored your performance in Hero's Legend! Could I have your autograph?"
The dwarf stared at the woman in terror. He had barely escaped the madness at his own doorstep, and now people were chasing him here too? What had he done wrong?!
He stepped back, his eyes darting around for an escape route, but all he saw was a forest of human legs. He felt like a lost child in the woods, not knowing which way to turn.
Then, a slender hand grabbed his beard.
"Apologies, but our boss has urgent business with Mr. Fire-Hammer. Allow me to borrow him."
Serina smiled sweetly as she led Fire-Hammer out of the crowd by his beard.
Fire-Hammer breathed in the fresh air greedily. He and Serina bickered every time they met, but for the first time in his life, he felt a surge of gratitude toward this sharp-tongued female Succubus.
"...I owe you one!" the dwarf wheezed, clutching his aching back.
Serina tilted her chin up, deliberately hiding her triumphant expression. "I wasn't trying to save you. Lord Lorne actually asked for you."
"I was looking for him too!" Fire-Hammer grunted.
Serina led him through narrow alleys between buildings and into the experience store through the back door. Silas's booming voice echoed from the front hall as the male Succubus enthusiastically greeted customers. The back area was piled high with flattened cardboard boxes, which Fire-Hammer recognized as the ones used to ship his obsidian slabs.
The sheer volume of business stunned the dwarf once again. Never mind the shop; even the local scrap paper collectors were going to make a fortune today.
He looked around the empty back room. "Where's your Demon King?"
Serina pointed to the largest cardboard box.
It shook a few times, and then a young man stood up from inside.
"Welcome, welcome, Mr. Fire-Hammer." Lorne combed his messy silver hair with his fingers as he stepped out of the box with an awkward smile.
"...And you are?" Fire-Hammer tilted his head, looking past Lorne at the box.
"Nothing, I just saw such a large empty box and couldn't resist the urge to climb inside." Lorne kicked the box aside, pretending it didn't exist. "Are you alright, Mr. Fire-Hammer?"
"If I were alright, I wouldn't be here!" Fire-Hammer roared. "What's going on? Why does everyone know who I am? I don't recall becoming famous!"
"Well, the game I made happens to have an NPC with your name—a dwarf who runs an equipment shop. The players seem to think you've placed an advertisement in the game to promote your shop..." Lorne looked toward the ceiling with hands on his hips, his tone filled with admiration. "Their 'human search' abilities are incredible. Despite the primitive search conditions, they figured out 'Fire-Hammer' was a real person and even tracked down the fact that he's my raw material supplier. Truly impressive!"
"Why are you acting so impressed?!"
Fire-Hammer couldn't understand half of what Lorne was saying, but he understood one thing clearly: the source of all his misery was standing right in front of him!
Lorne's Marketing Report:
Outcome: The "Fire-Hammer Equipment Shop" Easter egg has gone viral.
Secondary Effect: Scalpers are attempting to flip units for a 2000% markup. Security (Wolf) has been deployed for "Market Stabilization."
Unexpected Discovery: Cardboard boxes are still the ultimate luxury for an overworked dev.
What's next for our weary dwarf? Will Fire-Hammer demand a cut of the "advertising" profits, or will he demand that Lorne somehow make him "invisible" to the public again?