One week had passed since the day Arthur bought a small shop in the center of Rolmuth. That was where his potion shop would be, and since the day he bought it, Arthur and his wives spent hours of their day making it succeed.
The first step was to make it an excellent environment for anyone inside. Arthur planned a delivery system, but one still had clients who visited the shop in person, so everything had to be in order and clean.
After the first week, the Frostpeak Potion Shop was ready to open! It had an open space for the clients to see the potions on display and a menu of all the potion's effects and prices!
A counter where they could speak with someone who worked in the store, asking for information, and also where they would pay for the things they bought.
There was also a bathroom if anyone needed it, and some areas where the clients were not allowed to go in: the underground alchemy room where Arthur prepared his potions, and it also worked as a storage room. And a room where someone would write down the orders and pack them for delivery.
"This is it, husband. We will open the store, finally!" Wisa said as they looked at their store from the front.
Arthur had yet to hire someone, as he knew it would take some time for his business to start having many orders, especially considering the large number of potion stores inside the city — shops that already had a reputation different from his.
He changed the front sign from closed to open and sat behind the counter with his wives, waiting for the first client. The previous day, Arthur went around the city distributing the fliers he made, which contained the type of potions he sold and the way for them to make orders without having to go to the store.
"No clients, it seems…."
Jane and Wisa were sad after their first day of work. The sun was going down, and no one came into the store, and no one contacted them for a delivery service. Even Arthur, who expected that, was also down, as deep down he wished his shop would succeed on its first day.
"Some things do not work as we want." Thought Arthur, but as they were ready to get up from their chairs and close the shop for the day, the doorbell rang, and someone walked in!
It was an older man who had a long white beard and hair. The wrinkles on his face were few considering his age, and that was the power of being a mage.
Arthur sensed the man had the power of a rank two mage, which was his limit. Although it was lower than Arthur's rank, it was still a considerable power in the demon continent.
The man entered and glanced around, looking at all the glass displays with potions.
"Welcome. How can I help you?" Wisa said, greeting the newcomer.
It shocked the man that a rank two mage was greeting him when he entered the shop, and his first thought was that the lady was the shop's owner, "the owner greeting me? What an honor!" he said.
Arthur was behind the counter with his aura hidden, and only a powerful rank three mage or a rank four mage could see through him. He understood why the man would think that way, as rank two mages were often powerhouses, leaders of families, or owners of shops, like that one.
"Well, this is not bad. Considering everyone is after me, keeping a low profile is good." Thought Arthur.
The people who attacked the Coldharbour family were after him. Those who were investigating his bursts of madness were after him. His wives had kept a low profile, so if that man believed Wisa was the owner, so be it.
"Haha, of course. An esteemed guest like you deserves the best treatment. Now, what can I do for you?"
"My grandson will take a test to enter a magical school in a month, and you know, us humans aren't the most talented among races, so I was looking for a potion to increase his power, but all the other shops only have low-quality potions that will do more harm than good. I came here after seeing your flier and wanted to check."
What the man said was correct. Many races lived together in the demon continent, the humans weren't in command, and their overall talent was worse than many other races.
Not only that, but usually, those bestial races also had powerful bodies, making it even worse for humans to compare.
"Yes, we have many different points, from a first circle mage to a rank three mage to use. What exactly are you looking for?"
"What? Really? Do you have any potions that can increase the life span of this older man? I don't see me reaching rank three even with the help of the most extraordinary potion."
Arthur, behind the counter, came to greet the man too! Wisa was not the most knowledgeable person regarding potions and was not the one who brewed most potions there.
"Hello, sir. May I suggest you two potions?"
"Go on."
"The first is for your grandson. What exactly is his level?"
"Hum, he is a second circle mage."
"I see," Arthur said, gesturing for the man to follow him to the displays.
"You should not look only for a quick power increase. When people are young, that is the best time to refine their talent, clearing up their path for future achievements. Here, look at this potion. This is known as an Elixir of Cleansing. It does purge the impurities inside the mana core, indirectly increasing the mage's progress rate."
The man was paying a lot of attention to everything Arthur said, and for some reason, Arthur gave him an air of mystery, one he could not pinpoint what it was.
"There is also this one, the Draught of Secrets. It will boost the power of your grandson from the second circle up to the fifth! I suggest you give him this first for quick progress, then coupled it with the Elixir of Cleansing to expel all the impurities your grandson already has in his mana core and the new ones from the elixir."
These two potions were not cheap for the general public, like someone beneath the rank one, but for a rank two mage, especially one with years of experience, it was cheap.
Arthur showed the man the two potions, and the man checked them entirely to see if they were of good quality, and they were! Not only good quality, but the man had never seen better potions before.
"I will take these two potions. Do you have something that extends my life span?"
The first two options for the man's grandson were cheap, only adding up to 120 mana stones. But a potion capable of extending the life span? That was something expensive, even for a rank two mage.
They were expensive and rare too, and Arthur did not have many.
"Yes, I do have one. The Giant's Flask. It is brewed with the blood of icy giants from the northwest mountains, and it can add up to 150 years for you!"
"I want it!"
The man was smiling, not caring about the price. He was getting too old and wished to be around to help his grandson in his early stages, so he needed that potion, no matter what!
"This is a more precious item. Come, follow me."
~~~~
"Did you see this potion shop? Let us look; it might have something useful for us."
"Larry, we have a beast to hunt! Don't you remember the number of dead bodies in that Lycan's Lair? Or the human settlement? We cannot fool around."
"Let's go! It will be a quick stop, I promise."
"Alright, but you will have to buy something for me."
"Hehehe, of course, boss."
Three men wearing light armor, a cape, and many weapons hanging on their waists and back went toward the Frostpeak Potion Shop.
Hunters from the Adventurers Guild were looking to kill the beast, also known as Arthur. When the first moment of madness happened, Arthur killed many Lycans and humans. People wanted answers, and that's why the Adventurers Guild acted and sent people to investigate.
The guild sent some of their best, and without much problem, they found Arthur's track and have followed him ever since. They did not get too close, as Arthur noticed them that way, and they had never seen Arthur's true face.
He looked normal, so the three hunters believed Arthur was no human but something else in disguise. The Frostpeak Potion Shop, newly opened in the capital, caught their attention, not because they thought Arthur was there — they had lost his track in the past week — but because they wished to buy anything which could help them in their hunt.
"This is the place?" One of them said, looking at the huge sign saying 'Frostpeak Potion Shop.'
"It's closed, unlucky. Maybe we should return here tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow? No, I have a better idea. Why don't we break in?"
~~~~
Jane and Wisa had left the store moments before the three hunters arrived, returning to their rented house in a wealthy city neighborhood.
Arthur stayed in the shop, closing it and entering his basement to craft some potions. The city had many guards, and crimes often happened in the poor areas of the city where no guards went, so Arthur was not that concerned about some breaking in, but going against his beliefs, he heard from downstairs a noise, like a window opening.
"Who am I going to kill tonight?" thought Arthur, stopping his potion craft, putting on a black hood, and going upstairs to check.
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