Open for Business

[Arius POV]

Bang Bang Bang Bang!

"Alright! That should be good enough."

Wiping the sweat off my forehead, I look at the items that I've made over the last few hours. Three swords of different lengths and styles, two shields and some arm guards. Since we needed to sell as many items as possible, I decided to make these items as fast as possible so they were all sitting at copper rank with around 50 to 60 percent efficiency.

Looking at the clock on the wall, it was already six o'clock. Wrapping the items up and putting them in a bag, I quickly head out of the forge room. On my way outside, a receptionist gives me back my token which I place in my pocket.

"Grampa Edward should be awake now. Let's sell a few items today. Dakria, do you know how to sell items fast?"

'I don't know much since it's not the focus of my knowledge but I believe the most important part is to be known. No matter how good your items are, if people don't know about them then no one would bye them.'

"I guess you're right. Maybe I'll ask Big Brother later."

As walked through the now bustling streets of Trillium, I unknowingly attracted a few stares for being a kid who seemed to be talking to himself whilst holding a large bag of items. Still, I kept talking as I walked toward Grampa Edward's house.

"Speaking of Big Brother, I didn't see him yesterday night. I wonder where's he gone."

...

Soon enough, after a bit of a walk to the far side of the city, I arrive at a not so bad looking building. The Marks of Fate.

"It's looking better already, the outside is all clean and shiny."

As I admired the work that Grampa Edward and I had done, I walk up to the door and give it a few knocks.

Knock Knock Knock

...

Knock knock knock

After a few more knocks, I hear some noise from the other side of the door before it opens a moment later.

"Grampa Edward, I'm here for-Ah!"

"...Why...You...Here?"

Halfway through my greeting, I realized that the person who opened the door wasn't Grampa Edward, but another person who I was familiar with. Emotionless face and long white hair.

"Sophia! What are you doing here?"

"Why... are you here?"

"I'm here to help out Grampa Edward!"

"..."

As if my response landed on deaf ears, Sophia simply stared back at me, unmoving and blank-faced. As the situation grew awkward and me getting fidgety with me just holding a large bag in my hands, I let out a deep breath of relief as I hear the calls from Grampa Edward.

"..rius...Arius... Arius is that you at the door?"

"Yeah! It's me!"

"Alright! Sophia! You can let him in."

Hearing Grampa Edward's call, Sophia turns around and stops blocking the door. Wiping away my imaginary sweat, I push open the door and walk in. As I walked inside, I smelt a very different smell than the last time I was there. Instead of dust, there was the delicious fragrance of fried eggs.

"Arius, please come up to the third floor!"

As I walk up the stairs, slowly carrying the bag of items, I could tell I was getting closer to the smell of food. Feeling my stomach ache, I remember that I actually haven't eaten anything this morning. Putting down my bag of items in the workshop on the second floor, I continue going up the set of stairs until I reached the third floor.

Different from the first two floors, the third floor was much more organized with a living room and kitchen as well as other rooms attached to it. In the kitchen, I could see Grampa Edward cooking with a pan in his hand and Sophia helping to cut from vegetables.

"Arius, aren't you here early? You want some breakfast."

"Really? Yeah, I want some! Let me help."

I quickly run to the kitchen to see what things I can help with.

...

Soon enough, the three of us sat down at the dining table happily eating our fried eggs and salad. Still, not all was peaceful as while I was eating my food with a big smile on my face, I could see from the corner of my eye Sophia eating her food with a chilly aura coming out of her.

"Arius, I see you've met Sophia before."

"Nom nom, yesh... gulp... I met her when I went to meet Sister Stella at her academy."

"Oh, Stella! Sophia's friend, please tell her that I thank her for being friends with Sophia and that she's welcome to come anytime to see Sophia."

"Grandfather!"

'Grandfather?'

Hearing a sudden word from Sophia, I see a bit of redness that appears on her face before fading. While a little argument was happening between Grampa Edward and Sophia, I focus more on the new information that I received. I never really bothered to really look at Grampa Edward but now I do see some similarities between the two. Other than a few small facial similarities, the thing they had most in common was their white hair.

'I thought his hair was white because he was old.'

That's where the similarities stop though, Grampa Edward had yellowish-brown eyes whereas Sophia had whitish-blue eyes. Also, their personalities were completely different. Grampa Edward was usually always smiling and full of spirit while Sophia was ice cold. Though at this moment, they seemed to have equal intensity and energy.

"Grandfather!"

"What! You haven't had many friends for a long time. I was getting worried."

"Grandfather!!"

"Fine, fine, I don't have the energy to argue with you. Get ready, it's about time for your first class to start."

With that, peace returned to the house as we soon finished our food and Grampa Edward waved Sophia off. As we cleaned the dishes, I ask Grampa Edward a question that I had in mind.

"Grampa Edward, why does it look like Sophia doesn't know was is happening?"

"That's because she doesn't"

"What? Why don't you tell her?"

*sigh*

"Arius, let me tell you why. Back before Sophia started going to the academy, she was a bright child, with many friends and the same expressionless face. Once we found out that she had a good affinity with mana, her parents decided to send her under my care to allow her to go to this academy. However, as you could tell from the state of the business, most of the money that her parents and I earn is used for her tuition. The poor child is under a lot of stress. Telling her could break her spirit."

"Well, ummm, ok."

With an awkward silence, we finished quickly finished washing everything before heading down to the workshop to start work. Seeing a bag full of items sitting in the workshop, Grampa Edward couldn't but give me another hug of gratitude.

"Thank you so much, Arius."

"Don't worry about it, I said I'll do it so I'll do it!"

"Ha ha ha, alright, alright. Then I'll say this right now, I'll give you any profits we make this week."

"What! You can't do that Grampa! What about your hard work?"

"My hard work has already been paid with you here."

"But..."

As we continued to hassle, I eventually had no choice but to accept the money but no way in hell will I be keeping it, I'll need to think of something to do with it.

...

"Alright, we can open soon open the store then. However, first, we need to lay out all these items downstairs and put some prices on them."

As I brought my bag of items downstairs, I soon look back to see Grampa Edward bringing down his own bag of stuff too.

"Grampa, where did those come from?"

"It's my stash that I've saved up."

"But what about the items already on the shelves?"

"Those? Those are a few items I made long ago, never bothered to take them down."

"Aren't you afraid of something taking them?"

"That's what the guards are for. We aren't paying those taxes for anything. Ha ha ha!"

With that, the shelves were soon lined with a dozen items with prices listed below them. Then with the help of Grampa Edward holding me up, I turn the sign on the inside of the store window.

"We're OPEN!"

...

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Edward's Fun Fact: Due to living in the city but being from a town, Sophia is the odd one out in the academy. Thus as a response, she's grown colder and keeps more to herself, even towards me. I hope she can make more friends soon.