Chapter 126: The Opening

Chapter 126: The Opening



Simon entered the room to be questioned by Wizard Arch, while Charlie pulled Karl aside.

"Let's just put this matter to rest," Charlie said softly.

"When you work at the apothecary, you don't need Simon's help anymore. Let's not make things awkward between us."

"Brother," Karl frowned, "This issue was caused by him, and I'm willing to live in harmony, but I'm afraid someone isn't."

Charlie sighed and stroked his mustache, "Simon has been working with the mentor since he was young. After thirty years, there must be some emotional attachment."

"We only have one more year before we leave. The mentor wouldn't want any trouble in the shop during this time."

Karl shook his head.

Thirty years!

Still unable to find a master, it seemed that Wizard Arch wasn't entirely satisfied with Simon, at least in terms of his cultivation.

He was probably only considered as a business assistant, but now the bond was too deep, and it was already difficult to break free.

Getting rid of Simon wouldn't be difficult.

But what next?

The shop's operations required many suppliers, prices needed to be renegotiated, and various trivial matters had to be handled.

The key issue was that Wizard Arch and Charlie would be leaving in a year, and they didn't have the time or energy to find new suppliers and manage the shop, as these things couldn't be taken with them.

As long as there were no problems in the shop during this year and it was run steadily, that would be enough.

"Squeak..."

The door opened, and Simon, with a gloomy face, stepped out.

"Brother Charlie," he said, glancing at Karl.

"You know me. I've put so much effort into the shop, and I won't let anyone ruin it."

"This was someone framing me on purpose!"

"Simon," Charlie sighed.

"Let's end this matter here. I've already notified the other apothecaries to stop purchasing Harold's potions."

"The shop's reputation can't be damaged further."

The several apothecaries in the market were secretly connected, effectively preventing malicious price competition.

They could also unify prices and make money more conveniently.

Harold's deception would be boycotted by the other apothecaries, and he could only sell his potions privately from now on.

Charlie's intention was clear; he didn't care about the truth but was concerned about the business.

"You two should talk more."

Patting Karl's shoulder, Charlie smiled and said, "I have something to do, so I'll leave you to it."

He intentionally gave them time to be alone, perhaps hoping for a reconciliation.

"Hmph!"

Watching Charlie's back as he walked away, Simon coldly humphed, "Karl, I've followed Wizard Arch for thirty years. Do you think such a petty trick can drive me away?"

"I advise you to stop wasting your thoughts!"

Karl was taken aback, almost feeling wronged if he hadn't been sure of his innocence.

"Simon," he said, shaking his head lightly.

"Next time you look for someone, find one with a tighter lip. Harold is the kind of person who won't keep your secrets."

"Also..." he continued with a light smile, "The apothecary is the business of the Sixth Circle Tower. In the end, you're just an outsider, so be clear about your position."

Ignoring the other's flushed face, Karl walked towards the door.

................

"Bang!"

A private room on the second floor of the tavern.

Simon slammed the wine glass on the table, his eyes turning red with anger.

"Drink!"

The burly man, Ferra, laughed and offered another glass, "Keep drinking!"

"As long as you can vent your anger, go ahead and smash the glasses. I'll pay for today's expenses."

"Ferra," Simon said, his cheek muscles twitching, "Don't you know an assassin outside the market? Help me contact them. I want to kill that Karl!"

"Don't be impulsive! Don't be impulsive!" Ferra's expression changed, "He's a disciple of the Sixth Circle Tower. If something happens to him now, you'll be the first suspect."

"It's not worth it!"

"..." Simon clenched his teeth, "Just let it go?"

"Not exactly," Ferra's eyes flickered, "I know your abilities well, Simon. If it wasn't for your desire to apprentice under Wizard Arch, why endure such humiliation?"

"But the situation is clear. Wizard Arch will leave in a year, and he won't accept you as a disciple or take you to the Calim Continent. It's not worth decades of hard work."

Simon's expression froze, his eyes filled with unwillingness, shame, and anger. He then raised his glass and drank it in one go.

Thirty years!

How many thirty years does one have in a lifetime?

He had worked for the shop for thirty years, all for the chance to become a disciple of the Sixth Circle Tower and go to the legendary Calim Continent.

Now,

Everything was over!

From Simon's perspective, causing trouble for Karl was a way to vent his dissatisfaction with Wizard Arch.

"My friend," Ferra refilled his glass and said softly, "Have you thought about going solo?"

"Going solo?" Simon was taken aback, "What do you mean?"

"The apothecary sells dozens of potions, and you can find suppliers for all of them. Without you, Wizard Arch's shop can't run," Ferra smiled and said.

"That's also why, even if you make a mistake, Wizard Arch wouldn't dare to kick you out easily."

Simon nodded slowly.

It was because of this reliance that he dared to instruct Harold to tamper with the health potions.

Of course,

He hadn't expected Karl to uncover the truth.

"Since you can support the shop's business, why work for others instead of yourself?" Ferra asked.

"You'll earn more money this way."

"I've thought about it," Simon said coldly, "Not to mention going solo would offend Wizard Arch, but I also can't afford to buy a shop in the market."

In the bustling market, even the cheapest shop required over ten thousand magic stones, and there were taxes and restocking fees to consider.

Without at least twenty or thirty thousand magic stones, starting a business was out of the question.

This was true even for a shop in a remote corner of the market; if they wanted to open a shop near Wizard Arch's Apothecary, they'd likely need fifty or sixty thousand magic stones.

Underground deals were difficult to scale, and he had tried it before, only to end up working for others in the end.

"What are you worried about?" Ferla, the burly man, asked.

"Wizard Arch?"

"He's about to leave, and there are plenty of other formal wizards in the Leipzig Market besides him. It's easy to find a backer."

As he spoke, he finally got to his point:

"You know, I'm close to the young master of the Cape family. He's always wanted to have his own business."

Hmm? Simon raised an eyebrow.

"You mean, you want me to work for the young master of the Cape family?"

With the Cape family as a backer, there would be no need to worry about Wizard Arch retaliating out of dissatisfaction.

"No!"

Ferla waved his hand, "Not as an employee, but as a partner. A partner!"

"The young master can provide a shop space in the market, and we'll handle the connections, personnel, and suppliers."

"We'll split the profits three ways."

"Split it three ways?" Simon narrowed his eyes. "How will we distribute it?"

"This..." Ferla hesitated, then said, "Eighty-twenty split!"

"The young master gets eighty percent, and we get twenty percent. But we also invest five thousand magic stones as capital; otherwise, we're just working for others."

"Five thousand magic stones?" Simon's cheek twitched. "Do you have that much?"

"Hehe..." Ferla laughed, "We'll both contribute. I'll put in three thousand magic stones, and you'll add two thousand. Later, we'll split the profits fifty-fifty."

"With the suppliers we know, starting an apothecary business shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

"Or..."

He looked at Simon and smiled, "You've been with Wizard Arch for so many years, and you can't even come up with two thousand magic stones?"

............

"Mr. Karl."

Tracy, the salesperson, approached and spoke in a low voice, "The health potions, strength potions, and immunity potions are running low. Several other potions in the warehouse are also running low in stock."

"Noted," Karl said calmly. "Let's sell what we have for now."

"Yes, sir," Tracy nodded, hesitating before speaking cautiously, "Should we inform Apprentice Charlie?"

The conflict between Karl and Simon had been clear to everyone in the shop for some time.

They didn't care who backed down first; they were only concerned about the business suffering and facing Wizard Arch's reprimand.

Losing their jobs would be even worse.

After all, Wizard Arch provided decent treatment, and being in the market ensured safety.

"No need," Karl waved his hand.

"Apprentice Charlie and Wizard Arch have other matters to attend to. No need to bother them over such a minor issue."

Tracy opened her mouth, speechless.

The shop's business was barely holding on, and this was just a minor issue. What would be considered a major problem?

"Actually..."

Tracy's eyes flickered, and she whispered, "A few days ago, Apprentice Simon approached me privately. He wanted to invite me to work as a salesperson at his shop."

"He said the pay would be higher than here, but I didn't agree."

"Oh!" Karl raised an eyebrow, deep in thought.

"Is he planning to open a shop?"

"Probably," Tracy nodded. "The alchemist who supplies us has been running out of stock intermittently. Perhaps it's related to this."

"Noted," Karl nodded. "Focus on your work. The business here won't collapse. When it improves, I'll give you a promotion and a raise."

"Yes, sir," Tracy smiled sweetly. "Then I'll get back to work."

The reason she hadn't agreed to Simon's proposal and even told Karl was that she valued the shop's stability, even if it meant turning down a potentially better offer.

Regardless, the shop wouldn't collapse! As for the raise Karl mentioned, Tracy didn't take it to heart; she was content as long as the shop didn't close. A promotion and a raise were secondary.

"Open an apothecary?"

Karl seemed to have an idea and stretched his muscles before stepping out of the shop.

The Leipzig Market was bustling, even as the evening approached, with a constant stream of people and many shops at full capacity.

The Cape family intentionally controlled the number of shops in the market to facilitate management and prevent disorderly expansion.

There would only be a few shops of each type, and only when one of them couldn't continue operating would there be additional shops available for sale.

Consequently,

shop spaces in the market were not only expensive but also highly sought after. Even ordinary people with sufficient magic stones couldn't afford them.

"Simon has climbed high!"

Karl muttered and continued walking, eventually stopping in front of a shop with five shop spaces.

This shop was likely the largest in the market, primarily dealing in the trade of spells and magical artifacts.

"Honored guest..."

"Mr. Karl!"

The attendant recognized Karl and hurriedly approached, "What can I help you with?"

"Is Sam here?" Karl asked. "I'd like to speak with him."

"Young Master Sam?" The attendant nodded. "He's on the second floor. Please follow me."

Sam,

A rising star among the younger generation of the Cape family.

In his early thirties, he was already an advanced wizard apprentice, with the potential to become an archmage within a decade.

"Mr. Karl."

Sam stood tall and straight, his deep and refined eyes like obsidian, shining with a noble and pure lineage.

The Cape family is not just a wizarding family; they also possess noble bloodlines, and those who follow the path of knighthood can achieve legendary status.

"I've long heard that the Six-Circle Tower has welcomed a new batch of recruits, but I never had the chance to visit. I didn't expect Mr. Karl to come first."

"Have a seat!"

He greeted warmly, "Please, take a seat."

In the eyes of the locals, the Six-Circle Tower is merely a somewhat influential force that once had a Second Circle Wizard.

But it certainly can't compare to the powerful factions that control the markets.

However, the top families are well aware of the terrifying force backing the Six-Circle Tower.

In fact,

For thousands of years, the Magic Forest has failed to achieve true unification because of the secret dealings of the major powers on the Calim continent.

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

"You're too kind."

Karl sat down and placed a book on the table, "I have a wizarding heritage I wish to sell. Mr. Sam, could you appraise it and give me an estimate?"

"Just call me Sam." Sam waved his hand modestly, "I never expected to see a heritage from the Six-Circle Tower today. I'm already eager to learn more."

"No!" Karl shook his head and explained, "This heritage is something I acquired from others; it's not from the Six-Circle Tower, and its rank isn't high."

"Oh!" Hearing this, the excitement in Sam's eyes instantly faded, but he proceeded with the business, "That's fine too."

"Collecting various wizarding heritages is something every family does, but if we've already collected the heritage Mr. Karl has, it'll be difficult to sell it for a good price."

"I understand." Karl nodded.

Not long after,

Sam reluctantly put down the book in his hand.

"It's an ordinary wizarding heritage, belonging to the Natural School's Earth Element. Fortunately, the explanations are quite clear."

He paused for a moment and said, "I'll offer three hundred and sixty mana stones for a ten-year buyout."

A ten-year buyout means that within ten years, this heritage cannot be sold to others, though teaching disciples is allowed.

After ten years, it's up for sale again.

As for signing a wizarding contract for a complete buyout, that's a privilege reserved for special wizarding or high-ranking heritages.

Actually, a heritage of this rank doesn't need to go through him; someone downstairs could handle it.

Three hundred and sixty mana stones? Karl's eyes lit up slightly; this price was even higher than what he had heard, likely due to the reputation of the Six-Circle Tower.

A heritage acquired for several dozen mana stones could now be sold for over three hundred, a profit of several times over, and it would also increase their reserve of resources. This deal was worth it!

"Deal!"

He shook hands with Sam and then spoke again, "Aside from this wizarding heritage, I have another business deal I'd like to discuss with you, Sam. It's a long-term arrangement."

"Oh!" Sam straightened up, "Tell me about it."

"The meat of legendary creatures." Karl said,

"I wish to acquire some meat from legendary creatures from the Cape family, purchasing it regularly and in fixed quantities."

"But..."

"The meat I want needs to be pre-processed using this method."

He handed over a piece of paper filled with writing.

Sam became interested.

As a family controlling a market, hunting magical and legendary creatures was a common affair.

They had been doing business in this regard.

Knights would consume the meat to strengthen their bodies, and bloodline wizards would pay a high price to acquire legendary creatures.

However, specially processed meat was something he hadn't heard of before.

After reading the paper, Sam's expression gradually turned solemn, "Mr. Karl, it seems like you're turning the meat of these creatures into a drug to aid knights in their training?"

"More or less." Karl nodded, "Can it be done?"

"Yes, of course!" As a qualified merchant, Sam had a keen insight into his own goods.

This was a formula that could, to some extent, revolutionize the existing knight training potions.

Unfortunately,

The formula in his hands was incomplete, and the crucial steps remained in Karl's possession.

No wonder it was called pre-processing; the meat had to go through Karl's hands to become a complete product.

A business opportunity!

This was a brand new business opportunity!

Sam held the paper in his hand, his heartbeat quickening involuntarily.

"Sam!"

Today, Allen was radiant, wearing an exquisite wizard's robe and holding an advanced staff.

His black hair, neatly smoothed across his forehead, showed signs of meticulous care.

"Allen."

Sam approached with a smile in his eyes, a hint of unnoticeable disdain flashing in his gaze.

Today was the opening day of Allen's small shop, and his brother Sam was invited to attend.

In fact, it was only yesterday that Sam learned his younger brother was opening a shop, and the location he had chosen was right here.

Across the way was Wizard Arch's apothecary.

"Of course!"

Allen raised an eyebrow,

"I know what you're worried about. The wizard Arch from the Six-Circle Tower will be leaving the Magic Forest soon."

"The new wizard apprentices don't know how to run a shop, so I'm setting up here to grab their business."

"You all fear the Six-Circle Tower, but I'm not afraid!"

Sam shook his head lightly.

He had never liked his younger brother; he was arrogant, proud, ignorant, and not very talented.

Although they shared the same father, they had different mothers, and their relationship was even more distant.

"You should think it through."

Sam's lips curled slightly,

"To get this shop, I believe you put in a lot of effort and probably borrowed quite a few mana stones."

"If I can't make money, or even if the business fails..."

"Think about how you'll explain it to the creditors."

"You..." Allen's face changed:

"Sam, my brother, don't you have any faith in me?"

Today was the opening day of his shop, and instead of offering blessings, Sam was cursing him.

"Hmph..." Sam gave a light scoff, his smile fading:

"Since you carry the blood of the Cape family, I advise you to change your business direction."

"Opening an apothecary here..."

"You'll get an unexpected lesson!"

"Hmph!" Allen scoffed:

"I'd like to see what kind of lesson it will be."

"Alright." An elder from the Cape family interrupted them with a wave of his hand, pointing ahead:

"There are guests coming, let's not give them a reason to laugh at our family."

The shop's opening was a joyous occasion, and even though Allen was feeling unhappy, he had to force a smile to greet the guests.

"Sam, you shouldn't speak of your brother like that." A tall woman spoke softly:

"He put a lot of thought into this shop."

"Aunt Milly." Facing the woman, Sam's arrogance diminished, and he spoke softly:

"I know the new apprentice wizard, Karl, so I'm well aware that Allen's shop won't last."

Hmm? Milly raised an eyebrow.

Although she was of a higher generation than the two, she wasn't much older in age. Her exceptional wizard talent overshadowed other aspects, and in the past year or two, she was likely to be promoted to a formal wizard.

"I heard that Allen poached a key member from Wizard Arch's shop, and now his store is lacking potions to sell."

"How can you say Allen won't make it?"

"Aunt, that's the Sixth Circle Tower." Sam sighed:

"They are one of the top powers on the Calim continent. The items they display are enough for us to enjoy for a lifetime."

"Allen should have discussed it with me first. I've seen what Karl showed, and he..."

"There's no chance!"

Milly still frowned.

She didn't think Sam was exaggerating; Allen had borrowed several thousand magic stones from her.

"Boom!"

Accompanied by a muffled sound, fireworks bloomed in the market sky, and the four large characters of "Allen's Shop" were fixed in mid-air by magic.

"Wow..."

"Great!"

"..."

The invited guests applauded and cheered loudly, attracting many passersby.

Simon, dressed in a tuxedo, stepped out of the shop and greeted the crowded people with a wizard's etiquette.

"Today is the grand opening of Allen's Shop. Welcome, guests. To celebrate, all potions are 10% off for the first three days."

"And!"

His voice rose, and he shouted:

"Our shop's potions are cheaper and more affordable than some stores, and we won't run out of stock."

As he spoke, he glanced at the apothecary across the way, making his meaning clear.

"Good!"

His voice had just fallen when cheers erupted from the crowd, followed by continuous applause.

Across the way.

Karl shook his head slightly and waved to Tracy, Jeff, and a few others.

"Take the stuff out."

"Yes."

They responded and carried several long tables to the front of the shop, laying soft red carpets on them.

On the tables,

were wooden boxes.

Inside the boxes,

were pills.

Their movements were gentle, a stark contrast to the other side's grand display, as they quietly arranged the items.

However, the area was crowded with people, and it was inevitable that some would notice their actions.

"Huh?"

Two people dressed as knights approached, asking curiously:

"What are you selling?"

"High-quality beast pills!" Jeff's eyes lit up, and he explained enthusiastically:

"These are pills made from the meat of magical creatures and legendary creatures... They are beneficial for knights' cultivation."

"Ordinary beast pills can aid knights' cultivation, high-quality beast pills can help grand knights improve their cultivation, and advanced beast pills can assist legendary knights in their training."

"Really?" The two looked doubtful.

They often saw potions, but at first glance, the pills seemed like the leftover residue from potion-making.

"How much are they?" One of them asked casually:

"Free!" Jeff waved his hand, explaining:

"These are our shop's newest products. The first hundred visitors can get one ordinary beast pill for free."

"High-quality beast pills are twenty magic stones each, but you must purchase other items worth one magic stone in our store to buy them."

"Is that so?" The two looked surprised, and one of them spoke:

"Wow, really?"

"Yes." Jeff nodded, handing over an ordinary beast pill and encouraging the customer:

"You can try it and see how it works."

"Hmm..." The customer took the pill and tossed it in his hand:

"Alright."

He trusted the reputation of Wizard Arch's shop, which had been open for thirty years, and casually threw the pill into his mouth.

"Hmm..."

After a few breaths, the relaxed expression on his face disappeared, replaced by a serious look.

"What's wrong?" His companion's expression turned tense: "What happened?"

"Huff..." The knight exhaled, his eyes twitching. Ignoring his companion, he rushed to the counter:

"How much are they?"

"How much?"

"Ordinary beast pills are one magic stone each, high-quality beast pills are twenty magic stones each, and there's a limit of one magic stone's worth per person." Jeff wasn't surprised by the customer's reaction; he had the same reaction when he first tried it.

"Since they're new products with limited quantities, you must purchase other potions in the store to buy the beast pills."

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(End of Chapter)

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