Rather than forcing his way through the main gate, Andres drifted along the outer perimeter, observing the flow of movement from a different angle.
It didn't take long for him to notice something important.
Not everyone entered through the same path.
Some passed through merchant lanes. Others were escorted under guild authority. A few entered alongside noble convoys, barely questioned at all.
"…Access is tiered," he muttered.
That meant there wasn't just one way inside.
There were layers.
And if he couldn't enter through strength or status, then he would find another path.
His attention shifted when a sudden cracking sound broke the rhythm of the area.
A merchant's cart had collapsed under its own weight.
Wood splintered. Crates toppled. Fruits scattered across the ground.
The merchant froze in panic, his hands trembling as he scrambled to salvage what he could.
"Damn it… these will spoil!"
People gathered briefly—but none stepped forward to help. They observed, calculated, and moved on.
Andres watched carefully.
That reaction alone told him everything.
In this world, people didn't act without return.
No one helped unless there was value in it.
He stepped forward.
Picking up a fallen fruit, he examined it briefly before activating his ability—carefully.
Multiplication.
The fruit split into two. Then three.
He stopped immediately.
A faint wave of fatigue brushed against him—not overwhelming, but noticeable.
"…So there's a cost," he realized quietly.
Everything here had rules.
Even power.
He approached the merchant and placed the replicated fruits onto the cart.
The man froze.
"…Where did you get those?"
Andres paused before answering.
"…Found them."
Not a lie. Not the truth.
Just enough.
The merchant inspected them quickly, biting into one. His expression shifted instantly.
"…How much for the rest?"
Andres blinked slightly.
"…Rest?"
The merchant's gaze sharpened.
"You have more."
Silence settled between them.
Instead of answering directly, Andres observed the situation:
Urgency. High.
Loss risk. Immediate.
Demand. Stable.
"…You'll lose more if you wait," Andres said calmly.
That single sentence changed everything.
The merchant looked at him differently now—not as a random boy, but as someone who understood value.
"…Who are you?"
Andres didn't answer.
Instead, he turned and walked away.
Because what he gained in that moment wasn't money.
It was understanding.
Information created leverage.
And he had just taken his first step into using it.