Unfortunately, when she checked the artificer workbench the next morning, it still didn't have any new items. So she decided to just make what was available—but only a few. Maybe if she had more knowledge about various aspects of the class, it would increase the chances of new items becoming available. It was the only thing that made sense to Sam, since that was how she advanced her other skills.
After a few hours of work, she had an impressive number of items—enough to definitely fill the display case if nothing else. Her next step was signage. She decided to stick with the name she had used in Crossroads: Sam's Creations. Simple and accurate.
While looking through the commercial section of her mana-pad, she found an assortment of items for the store—labels, price tags, signs in various sizes. She got to work making each section of the store its own "department" sign that would hang from chains attached to the ceiling.
She went over her stock and was satisfied it was enough to fill the shelves and tables while still leaving extras for restocking, giving her a buffer of a couple of days.
She was ready.
She went back to the house and told Fiona and Terrance it was time. The store would open in two days. Sam and Fiona made their way to the building to set things up.
Once there, Sam's first order of business was attaching the sign. Using her Mana Hands skill, she had one pair holding it in place while another attached it to the wall. She then hung a banner with the words Grand Opening written across it, just under the main sign.
She decorated the front with potted plants, a couple of benches, and hanging mana lamps. It looked inviting and relaxed, without the usual snooty, intimidating aesthetic of the big stores in town. It said, "Come in and take a look," rather than the usual, "I doubt you even have enough coin to peek inside."
When she was done, she received a pair of unexpected notifications:
{Ding! You've leveled up! You are now LVL 19 — 501/147,473 XP}
{+4 STP, +18 SKP}
Sam had definitely attracted a few eyes while working. Neighbouring shop owners came by to introduce themselves and welcome her to the neighborhood. Some stood off to the side with looks of contempt, just waiting for her to fail like the last owner had. After all, how could a young girl succeed where others had failed?
From a dark alley, a familiar face watched the scene, jotting down notes that would be relayed to his superiors. A new merchant in town assumed she could get away with not paying her dues to the Consortium. They wouldn't stand for that.
The rest of the day was spent filling shelves and organizing—then reorganizing when Sam changed her mind. Rugs were on the floor, curtains hung in the change rooms, and a bell over the door would announce new customers. Fiona was in her element designing the front window displays.
In one, she dressed a mana-quin in armor. It moved slowly through pre-installed actions, posing and turning to show off the armor. When Fiona added a weapon to its hand, it slowly thrust and parried as if fighting a beast. Sam had made an assortment of paints for her to decorate the back wall of the display window. Fiona turned out to be quite the little artist; her work added depth and life to the scenes she created.
The other window showed off various household items—an enchanted table propped at a slight angle to display the pieces clearly while keeping them in place for passersby.
When they finished, it was almost time for dinner. The Mana Hands skill had been useful, but it still took time to get everything just right. Sam stood next to Fiona, her arm draped over the girl's shoulder.
"So? What do you think?" she asked.
"It's amazing," Fiona said, looking around at their hard work. "It looked so huge and daunting when we started, when it was empty. Now it looks cozy and warm."
"Oh! One last thing!" Sam said, taking a pair of pendants from her inventory. "I made you a present. Just in case of an emergency—if you press right here," she said, pointing to the raised emblem of a soaring eagle, "it will send a signal to mine." She held up the duplicate pendant. "Then, when I press mine, it will teleport me to wherever you are."
Fiona's eyes widened in shock. "Really?"
"Yup. But remember—only emergencies. It only has a few uses. Once I level up a bit and you integrate, I'll be able to replace it with a stronger version. This one doesn't require you to use mana—it has a low-grade mana crystal inside. The stronger one will use your mana."
Fiona turned and hugged Sam tightly, thanking her. After locking up, they made their way to Mary and Red's to celebrate both their accomplishment and Sam's level-up, while planning the snacks for the grand opening. On their way out, Sam left some flyers with the couple to hand to customers and then headed home.
The next day, after finishing her daily quests, Sam returned to the store. She hung the signs she had created for the grand opening and set up some standing signboards on the sidewalk. Then she made her way to the gate for The Rift. After paying the entrance fee, she spoke to the AHA staff member she had met on her first dungeon trip.
"Ah, welcome back! Here for another trip to the dungeons?" he asked.
"Not today. I was wondering if I could leave these here for other adventurers to take. I'm having a grand opening for my new store tomorrow." She handed him a stack of flyers she had made the night before. Each one included a description of the store's offerings and a 20% discount coupon for AHA adventurers.
He looked over the flyers and nodded, agreeing to hand them out. Sam thanked him and added that if he came by, he could get 50% off any item in the store. Smiling back at her, he seemed even more inclined to help. On her way back to the gate, Sam handed additional flyers to the people in line, pointing them toward the store.
With that done, Sam went home to rest and play with her tames. She was excited about tomorrow—and even a little nervous. She hoped the discount would entice people to show up. She had a feeling she was in for a big surprise.
The night before the grand opening, Sam found herself unable to sleep. She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling while Nyx and Nox snored softly at her feet, their tiny bodies rising and falling with each breath. Abe had curled up on her pillow, his whiskers occasionally tickling her ear.
{"You should try to rest, Sam. Tomorrow is an important day,"} Jarvis suggested gently.
"I know, I know. I'm just… what if nobody shows up? Or worse—what if they show up and hate everything?" Sam whispered, careful not to wake her tames.
{"Based on the foot traffic I observed during your setup and the number of people who stopped to look at Fiona's window displays, I calculate an 87.3% probability of a successful opening day."}
"You can't calculate something like that," Sam said with a quiet laugh.
{"Perhaps not with complete accuracy, but the data is promising. You've created quality products at fair prices. The location is excellent. Your storefront is inviting. Trust in your work, Sam."}
She smiled in the darkness. "Thanks, Jarvis. You always know what to say."
Eventually, exhaustion won out, and Sam drifted into a fitful sleep filled with dreams of empty stores and overflowing crowds.
The morning of the grand opening arrived with brilliant sunshine streaming through Sam's window. She bolted upright, startling Nyx and Nox, who tumbled off the bed with indignant mewls.
"Sorry, sorry!" Sam scooped them up, giving each cub a quick scratch behind the ears before setting them down. "Big day today, guys."
She dressed carefully in one of her nicer outfits—a deep blue tunic with silver threading that she had enchanted with a subtle shimmer effect, paired with black leather pants and her favorite boots. Professional but approachable. She wanted to look like someone who knew what she was doing, even if her stomach was doing backflips.
Downstairs, Fiona was already awake, practically vibrating with excitement as she helped prepare a quick breakfast.
"I couldn't sleep!" the girl announced, her eyes bright. "I kept thinking about all the people who are going to see the displays I made."
"They're going to love them," Sam assured her, though her own hands trembled slightly as she reached for her tea.
By the time they arrived at the store, Mary and Red were already there, setting up a small table outside with the promised snacks—an assortment of pastries, small sandwiches, and refreshing drinks. The delicious smell of fresh-baked bread wafted through the air.
"Thought we'd get here early to help," Mary said with a warm smile. "Plus, Red wanted to make sure everything was perfect."
Red grunted in agreement, adjusting the placement of a pastry tray with surprising precision.
Sam unlocked the door, and they all stepped inside. Morning light filtered through the windows, illuminating the carefully arranged merchandise. Everything looked perfect. The armor gleamed on its displays, the potions caught the light in jewel-toned bottles, and the household items were arranged with inviting practicality.
Sam released her tames from their beast space and used T.O.U.S. to shrink them to a more store-friendly size. She had set up a small bed for Iggy on the counter, and larger beds behind her—one for Syn, one for Tempy and the cubs to share.
They would act as pseudo-security for Fiona while Sam was in the back making or adjusting items for custom orders. She didn't want the sixteen-year-old to worry about anything in her absence.
"Okay," Sam said, taking a deep breath. "Let's do this."
She flipped the sign on the door from Closed to Open.
For the first ten minutes, nothing happened. Sam tried not to pace. Fiona kept adjusting items that didn't need adjusting. Mary and Red waited patiently outside with their snack table.
Then a middle-aged woman with a worn leather satchel paused outside the window, studying Fiona's armor display. She stepped closer, then closer still, before finally pushing the door open. The bell chimed a cheerful greeting.
"Good morning!" Sam said, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. "Welcome to Sam's Creations. Please, feel free to look around."
"That armor in the window," the woman said, gesturing behind her. "Is it actually enchanted, or is that just for show?"
"It's fully functional," Sam confirmed, walking over to the display case. "That particular set has Durability, Protection, and Mana Regen enchantments. I can show you the details if you'd like."
The woman's eyebrows rose. "And the price?"
Sam named her price—fair but not cheap. The woman considered for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"I'll take a closer look."
As Sam explained the enchantments in detail, the bell chimed again. And again. Within an hour, the store had a steady stream of customers—some browsing, some buying, all curious about the new shop that had appeared in their neighborhood.
A young adventurer bought three Standard Healing Potions and a Self-Balancing Canteen. An older gentleman purchased a set of enchanted kitchen knives for his wife. A woman with two small children bought warming enchanted blankets, exclaiming over the Auto-Clean feature.
Fiona handled the transactions with growing confidence while Sam answered questions and demonstrated products. The emergency pendants caught several eyes, though most people balked at the price until Sam explained their life-saving potential.
By midday, Sam's face hurt from smiling, and her coin pouch was satisfyingly heavy.
The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the now-quiet store. Sam was behind the counter, counting the day's earnings with a satisfied grin while Fiona swept up. The grand opening had exceeded every expectation—her coin pouch was heavy, her shelves were nearly bare, and her custom order list had three full pages of names.
The bell above the door chimed, and three men entered. Unlike the adventurers and townsfolk who'd been streaming through all day, these men wore expensive tailored suits, their boots polished to a mirror shine. The tallest one, a man with slicked-back hair and a practiced smile, led the way. The other two flanked him like well-dressed guards.
"We're actually closed for the day," Sam said cheerfully, not looking up from her counting. "But if you want to leave your name for tomorrow—"
"Oh, we're not here to shop," the tall man interrupted smoothly, his smile never wavering. "We're here on behalf of the Merchant's Consortium. Congratulations on your… impressive opening day. Word travels fast in this district."
Sam's hands stilled on the coins. She looked up, meeting his gaze with a raised eyebrow. "Thanks. And you are?"
"Marcus Vrell, Consortium representative. These are my associates," the tall man said, gesturing vaguely at the two men beside him. "We handle business relations for all merchants in this area. It's come to our attention that you've opened shop without registering with us. An unfortunate oversight, I'm sure."
"Is it?" Sam leaned back against the counter, crossing her arms. "Funny—I don't remember seeing 'Consortium Registration' on any of the official business permits I filed."
Marcus's smile tightened slightly. "The Consortium operates independently of city bureaucracy. We provide… essential services. Protection, resource access, dispute resolution. All merchants in this district are members. It's simply how business is done here."
"And let me guess," Sam said, her tone dripping with false sweetness, "these 'essential services' come with a fee?"
"A partnership contribution," Marcus corrected smoothly. "Fifty percent of monthly profits. Very reasonable, considering what we offer in return."
Sam actually laughed—a short, sharp bark of disbelief. "Fifty percent? Oh, that's adorable. You know what I call fifty percent of my profits? Mine."
One of the other men stepped forward, his expression hardening. "Every merchant pays. It's not optional."
"Well, here's the thing," Sam said, her voice still light but her eyes sharp, "I don't need your 'protection.' I don't need your resources—I source my own materials just fine. And I definitely don't need to hand over half my earnings to some glorified protection racket." She made air quotes around protection.
Marcus's pleasant façade cracked, his smile turning colder. "Miss Sam, I don't think you understand the situation. The Consortium has been operating in this district for over a decade. We maintain order. We ensure fair competition. We… prevent unfortunate incidents."
"Is that a threat?" Sam asked, her tone suddenly flat.
"It's a reality," Marcus replied smoothly. "Shops that operate outside the Consortium's framework tend to encounter… difficulties. Supply problems. Customer complaints. Sometimes even more serious issues. It would be such a shame if your successful opening was followed by a string of unfortunate events."
Behind the counter, Iggy let out a low, warning growl. Syn's vines rustled near the door. Fiona had stopped sweeping, her knuckles white on the broom handle.
Sam straightened, her hand casually resting near where Abe's pouch hung at her belt. "Let me be crystal clear. I'm not joining your little club. I'm not paying you a single copper. And if you—or your 'associates'—come back here making threats, you'll find out exactly why I'm a Level 19 Beast Tamer with very protective tames."
She smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "Now, as I said, we're closed. Door's right behind you."
The three men stared at her for a long moment. Marcus's jaw tightened, but he maintained his composure. "You're making a mistake, Miss Sam. A costly one. I strongly suggest you reconsider our offer."
"I'll take my chances," Sam said flatly.
Marcus nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. "Very well. But don't say we didn't warn you when things become… complicated." He turned on his heel, his associates following. At the door, he paused. "Everyone pays eventually, Miss Sam. One way or another."
The door closed behind them with a soft chime.
Fiona rushed over. "Sam, are you sure that was wise? They sounded serious."
Sam watched through the window as the three men climbed into an expensive carriage. "Probably not," she admitted. "But I didn't come this far to hand over half my profits to some thugs in fancy suits."
She turned back to Fiona with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. We'll handle whatever they throw at us."
But as the carriage disappeared into the evening shadows, a small knot of worry settled in Sam's stomach. She had a feeling the Consortium wasn't used to being told no—and that they weren't about to let her get away with it.