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Path to Prosperity - B2 Chapter 35
🕑 Added 2024-09-07 10:00:04 +0000 UTCIt hadn’t been long since Percy arrived in the capital, and it was only obvious that he lacked important information about various things. That included the prices of potions, Artifacts, and what exactly the prices indicated.
Still, he was bewildered when he heard about deteriorating runic enchantments and Artifacts being sold for a small fortune. No matter how Percy looked at it, selling deteriorating Mortal Artifacts for several dozen silver could only be described as fraud. Because that was exactly what it was.
Was Merchant Erdwin a nicer merchant? His prices might have been high in comparison to the other shops in Raewood, but his prices are incomparable with…anything in the capital.
Percy felt bad about the way he had been thinking about Erdwin and decided to apologize to the merchant if their paths merged in the future.
Or the capital is a stupid place for Adventurers. The demand for good equipment is too high compared to the supply, allowing merchants to increase their prices to a disgusting degree.
Since Percy wasn’t a saint, he considered increasing the prices of his goods. But not yet. The demand for Iron Artifacts and his other goods was incredibly low at this moment. That had to change first.
He studied the trio of young Adventurers and smiled.
“How about we do this?” Percy asked while reaching out for a small shield. His arm was about to slip through the loops almost instinctively, but instead of wearing it on his own, Percy approached the bigger guy. The Adventurer didn’t make a move and let Percy do his work.
Only a few seconds passed before the Adventurer wore the shield, covering most of his arm.
“If you tell your friends about my shop, I am willing to give you this shield for 50 silvers with one of the marvelous daggers on the house,” Percy offered with a light smile.
According to his calculation, the shield was worth 55 silver coins. That was three times the Prosperity points he had used to engrave [Impact Shield]. But that didn’t mean the shield was only worth 55 silver coins. Given his little experience with other merchant shops and the intel the Adventurers provided, Percy realized the shield could be sold for more than one gold coin. Maybe even one gold coin and 50 silver.
But Percy didn’t care how valuable the Iron Shield Artifact was. He could easily create another shield like that. Thus, Percy chose ‘exposure’ as a payment method. It was a limited payment method, but it was also something Percy needed the most.
“Are you serious?” The girl exclaimed, but the taller Adventurer wearing the Iron Shield frowned. He studied Percy in doubt.
“Where is the hook? What do you want from us?” He asked while his skinnier buddy added, “I doubt any legit merchant is willing to give us something this precious just like that.”
Percy’s smile widened. Their doubts were valid.
“I’ve already told you what I want. Please tell other people about my shop. This is my first day in the capital as a business owner, and you are my first customers. I’m willing to give you a nice offer, which will hopefully help you three to survive in the Wilderness while you share your experience about my shop and goods with others.”
The taller Adventurer was about to respond, but Percy raised his hand to stop him.
“Most Merchants do not have to resort to such tactics, but I’m new, and the competition is fierce. I won’t force you to buy anything but I can promise you that you won’t be able to purchase a Shield Artifact, with a Dagger Artifact on the house, for 50 silver. You said yourself that you cannot even buy deteriorating Artifacts for that little, yet here you have two proper Artifacts for cheap.”
Of course, Artifacts made from Iron weren’t as powerful as proper Artifacts made from other – better – material, but they were certainly on par, if not better, than the greatest mortal armaments.
“We’ll take it!” The young woman exclaimed while reaching for their savings, “And we will tell everyone about your shop! Your shop will be filled to the brim soon enough!!”
Percy raised an eyebrow but nodded. He glanced at the others and wondered if they would stop the girl, but the guys didn’t make a move. They looked at the iron shield and dagger and sighed deeply.
“Here you go,” The girl said, emptying the pouch on the wooden counter, “That should be–...”
Percy picked up one silver and put it back into her hand, “You gave me too much.”
The interfaces popped up, but Michael dismissed them. He used his spatial ring and smiled as he stored the silver coins.
“Oh? We had 51 Silver saved up? Oopse,” The young Adventurer pocketed the silver and waved Percy goodbye, “Wait for us. We will return soon!”
Percy chuckled in response, his eyes trained on the Adventurers as they left the shop.
“The shield is great,” The taller Adventurer mumbled as a smile blossomed on his lips while his friends patted on his back, “You’ve been wanting to purchase a proper shield. Here you go!”
The door closed behind the Adventurers, muffling their voices, but Percy’s smile didn’t cease.
“That wasn’t too bad,” He nodded slowly, a tinge of pride taking root in his chest.
He made a profit, hooked potential returnees, and hired some cheap advertisers in one move. That could be considered a success.
***
The days after his first customers passed quickly and it was only now that he understood how much freetime one could have as the owner of a small business.
Percy didn’t waste his time in the shop and trained his mana control and the like in his freetime. He stayed in the shop most of the time because he had to close the shop whenever he left to do something, but that was fine. Training in the warehouse, which was empty since he had everything either displayed in the shop or safely stored in his storage ring, was pleasant. He was out of everyone’s sight and could swing his sword without any care in the world.
The storage transformed into his training room for mana and sword training and he rarely left it within his shop’s opening hours.
Since he’d installed a bell at the entrance, Percy was always informed and ready to sell a few more Iron Artifacts and potions. The customer flow was still rather slow, but Percy noticed a distinctive improvement compared to the first day. First of all, the three Adventurers returned two days after their initial purchase to buy some potions and one more iron dagger with [Sharpness]. However, they weren’t alone. They brought their friends.
Their friends immediately noticed the trio’s new equipment but didn’t think too much about it. If anything, they made fun of their friends for being stupid enough to purchase Iron Artifacts. The trio was embarrassed at first, but it was replaced by pride and excitement after their first day of hunting in the Wilderness. They completed three guild missions when they usually only completed one and earned almost six times more coins than normally.
That was more than enough evidence to tell that the trio did the right thing. After all, their Iron Artifacts were still undamaged.
The trio continued earning more coins, and two of them also ranked up once. It didn’t surprise Percy when they greeted him nicely. Even the grumpiest and most suspicious among the trio was now overly nice to him.
The trio and their friends used their savings to purchase as many potions and Artifacts from Percy, but they weren’t his only customers. Percy repeated the same discount tactic he’d used with the trio two more times. That was enough to pull some Adventurers with deeper pockets into his shop.
One of them purchased the Silvron Ring with [Enhanced Senses] for two gold coins and returned with a tip of 10 silver coins two days later. Apparently, the Adventurer survived a battle with a Dusk Bear the day after he purchased the Silvron Ring. He was certain [Enhanced Senses] saved his life.
Percy didn’t reject the tip, but he also told the Adventurer to share his experience with the Dragon Lair shop. The Adventurer promised to tell everyone about the shop, which was probably how more Elite Adventurers with even deeper pockets came to check it out.
The Elite Adventurers checked the Iron Artifacts but were a little disappointed. The Artifacts were good enough for Gifted with small wallets, but the only interesting products for Elite Gifted were the Tiagro Sword Artifact and the Yvelton Ring.
Yet, that was already enough to keep the Elite Adventurers interested.
“You should adjust your prices,” One of the Elite Adventurers said, “Some merchants are already looking for ruffians to stir trouble. I don’t think you’re in trouble just yet because you don’t have that many customers, but your prices are like a declaration of war to them.”
Percy had never seen the Adventurer, but he nodded slowly.
“Thank you for telling me…but why–...”
“You are wondering why I’m telling you this, aren’t you?” The Adventurer asked with a sly smile.
He shrugged lightly. “I like your prices. Your Artifacts are genuine and don’t strain the material, which is usually reason enough to increase the price twofold. At least, that’s what other merchants are doing. Yet, the price you’re asking for doesn’t change.”
So, you are telling me to change my prices because…you like my prices? Well, and that mess with those merchants. But that should be fine.
The Adventurer studied him with the same sly smile, pointed at the Yvelton ring, priced at eight gold coins, and smiled.
“And I’d like to buy the Yvelton Ring for seven gold coins. Before you adjust your prices, of course.”
