007

It is been a few days since I announced the registering and mana particle density checking service. Compared to before the machine arrived, the increase in the number of customers can be seen. Evan charged a little for the service just enough to cover the electricity cost of the machine. So he didn't get much income from the checking service. But, many of the people that come here, also buy some pet food at the same time. Because of that, the pet shop income increases 3 to 4 fold from the last week.

"Here is the data of your pet. It can be seen here that the mana density is at 40. Based on the guidelines by the bureau, your pet is still far away from its evolution." Evan showed the woman the data of her pet.

"Is that so?" The woman showed a relieved expression. "These last few weeks hearing all the news... That is good if that is the case. Then I will come back here again for the next check next month."

Every time Evan measure a pet mana particle density, he also checked the status of the pet the customer bring using his skill. He always sees that the pet data printed and the one written on his skill are the same. Even when the data is not the same, the difference is always less than one percent. Once again he is impressed by the Mana Particle Research Bureau's ability to make a very accurate machine.

Not only that he also found the unlocking requirement for his [Encyclopedia] is to see the status of that particular magical beast. By checking all the pets that the customer bring, he filled up the [Encyclopedia] with common pets. Evan has seen many breeds of dogs, cats, and sometimes small pets like a hamster. All of those are now listed on the [Encyclopedia] and have a detailed explanation.

After finishing checking the pet of the woman, Evan took a little rest. It is true that there are many more customers compared to before, but there is still a time when the shop is empty.

"I am tired." Evan is not used to having many customers. He checked his phone and there is a message from Ainsley, it said that Ainsley can go here after this. Because of the increasing number of customers, the stock of pet supplies decreases at a faster pace. That is why Evan contacted Ainsley even when today is not the usual restocking time.

"Looking at the time of the message, he should be here soon," Evan muttered when another customer come inside the shop. "Welcome."

***

When Evan is still serving a customer, Ainsley comes into the shop. Evan looks at Ainsley as he goes inside the shop.

Ainsley also looked at Evan and said, "Hello, I will put these in the usual spot okay?"

"Yes, thank you very much." Evan only replied a little.

When the customer leaves the shop, Ainsley brings the last bag of pet food.

"Is that the last?" asked Evan after he count the bag piled up in the usual place. "Take a little rest here."

"Yes, I will take a rest after this. Please prepare an orange juice." Ainsley joked a bit.

"Here is your orange juice," said Evan while putting a glass of fresh water on the table. "The job going well?"

After drinking the cold water from the glass, Ainsley answered, "Not bad... But I lose one of my usual customers."

"Losing a customer? In this era where many people visited the pet shop?"

"Yes, it is not a pet shop after all." Ainsley stopped a bit, "It is a pet breeding facility. Since a year ago the order from that place keeps decreasing. Looks like they just can't continue operating."

Evan thinks about the possible reason a pet breeding facility closed its business. The only reason he can think is because of all the evolution of the magical beast. The amount of magical beast evolution these last few weeks is making people not want to buy a pet. Coupled with the harder regulation, the demand becomes much lower. Lower demand for pets makes pet shops lower their requests from the breeder. And for a breeder that is already struggling, this might as well become the finishing blow.

"I always thought that everything can crash down on a business. To think that when I get more profit this last week, another business on the same line as mine is bankrupt." Evan said what is on his mind.

"It is what it is... I know many people that have lost in the business. On the other hand, I also know many people that are able to live with their businesses. We can only do our best to live."

There is a silence after Ainsley said that sentence.

"Well, let's not talk about things like that." Ainsley tried to change the conversation topic. "Right, about that breeding facilities. The owner is trying to sell that, if you know someone interested, please tell me."

Evan thinks for a bit, "This might be weird after our conversation before. But maybe... I am interested in that. Though I will need two more weeks before I am able to decide."

"Really? Then if it is still available at that time, I will ask you."

Evan is still having some money at his disposal. He did loan money from the bank, but not all of the loan money has been used. Only a few parts of it have been used to buy the pet shop. Now the pet shop can survive by relying on the mana counter machine and the pet supplies. He wanted to try growing some spirit plant or training a magical beast. There is not enough place in the pet shop to experiment with that. Well, there is a place, but he doesn't know if training a magical beast will make a lot of noise or not. A building that was a pet breeding facility must be located in a place where some noises are okay.

The reason why Evan needs two weeks before deciding to buy or not is because he wants to see how the pet shop will fare in two weeks. He imagines that the customer will decrease, but how much of a decrease? He wants to know that first.

"Well then, I will go first," Ainsley said while preparing to leave the shop. "I will wait for your news in two weeks."

"Sure, be careful on the way."