The Frugal Mage

The three craftsmen paused in their work, curious as well.

Rayven smiled faintly, pulling out the rolled parchment bearing the official seals.

"Before that, this invention will be formally known as the Fountain Pen." He held the prototype in his hand…

"A tool that carries its own reservoir of ink. No dipping, no mess. Just steady, clean writing."

The craftsmen exchanged nods of approval. They were already aware of this name. Making it official also made them happy.

"And the business?" Gene asked as none of them had been told about this yet.

Rayven wryly smiled at this. He had actually spent nights turning words over in his head, trying to find something that would capture the essence of what he wanted his company to stand for. Finally, he spoke with certainty.

"Eterna Script Trading."

He laid the parchment on the table, letting them all see the bold letters.

"It means writing without end… Just like how the flow of ink in this pen will last far longer than any quill and inkpot. It's not just a name… it's a statement. This is the future of writing."

Stein chuckled from behind... "A little dramatic, but fitting. Merchants will remember it, and nobles will think it refined. You've chosen well."

Gene's eyes gleamed as he wrote it down. "Eterna Script Trading, distributors of the Fountain Pen… yes, it has a fine ring to it. Easy to market, easy to trust."

The craftsmen, though less eloquent, were also quite attracted to the name...

Bram then returned to his workbench…

For some reason, being part of this new invention made him more eager to work. It was completely different from his previous wire-handling job.

Rayven noticed their reaction and showed a satisfied smile.

Seeing how they liked the name, he felt a bit better.

For the first time since he had arrived in Hesa, he felt like he had truly planted something of his own. Missions from the system and the gold he earned would always be uncertain, but this business would be his foundation.

***

Soon, Rayven returned to the estate and rested.

The first thing he did was check his balance.

[ Current Balance: 290 Gold Coins ]

He exhaled softly. It was a respectable amount, but not nearly enough. He had already given Gene an additional ten gold for operations and wages… Although he had previously given them the 90 gold coins or so, it was not enough since he had a lot of plans in mind. It was an investment in stability that would buy him time.

Nonetheless, when it came to spells… 290 gold was a pittance.

The system's catalogue had been haunting him for days now, tempting him with spells he couldn't yet afford.

These are the spells that would sharpen his survival in dungeons, expand his reach in combat, and most importantly, prepare him for the day he inevitably had to face something on the level of that Alpha Beast.

He couldn't help but exhale slowly to calm his mind.

He was actually doing really well if he thinks about it.

It hasn't been a year since he became a 'mage', and he already has 7 Spells. For the true Mages of this world, that was already a very impressive feat.

He even defeated an Adept Mage in just a few weeks… Still, he felt that the world was getting more and more dangerous.

The fact that he was near a dungeon, the latest dungeon to exist, already tells a lot about this.

"Not enough… not nearly enough."

With that in consideration, he finally decided to draw upon the 500 gold his parents had arranged for him in the bank. It was a reserve meant for emergencies.

To Rayven, this was no longer a luxury fund. He wanted to complete his 10 Spells as quickly as possible so the path to advancement or Tier 2 Mage would open up.

But even that wasn't enough.

So, swallowing his pride, he went to Stein.

His elder brother listened carefully as Rayven spoke of needing more money for "business growth."

Stein did not question the details. He assumed the younger brother simply wanted to scale up Eterna Script Trading faster, and Rayven did nothing to correct the assumption.

After all, no one knew about the system. No one could know.

To his surprise, Stein didn't just lend him a small amount of money.

Instead, he had a better idea to give money to Rayven instead of just letting him borrow it. "Rayven, I want in. You've built something worth backing. I'll invest one thousand gold for a ten percent share in Eterna Script Trading."

Rayven paused for a moment. He didn't expect this request.

He thought he had misheard, but Stein was deadly serious.

"L-let's do it… I can do that." Rayven then asked Gene for some assistance with this transaction.

Soon, the parchment was already half-drafted, ready for their signatures.

A thousand gold. That was far beyond what he expected Stein to ever entrust to him.

Rayven swiftly completed the transaction…

Not only because the money was invaluable, but because this was Stein, the elder brother who had cared to visit him just to check his condition, who had given him credibility in front of the Commerce Guild, and who had taken him seriously about a business proposed by him who wasn't even an adult.

If there was anyone worth sharing the company with, it was him.

The deal was sealed before sunset as Rayven and Stein had to take out their money from the bank.

Soon, Rayven deposited them into his system.

[ + 500 Gold Coins acquired. ]

[ + 1000 Gold Coins acquired. ]

[ Current Balance: 1790 Gold Coins ]

Rayven stared at the glowing numbers in his vision… Almost eighteen hundred gold. More than enough to expand his Spell collection…

"Now… I can get the Spells I want!"

He opened the system silently, as he always did and scanned through the options that he had…

[ Skill Market ]

Mana Thread (Common) – 500 Gold

Stone Shot (Common) – 550 Gold

Minor Barrier (Common) – 650 Gold

Fireball (Uncommon) – 850 Gold

Mist Shroud (Uncommon) – 900 Gold

Fade Step (Uncommon) – 950 Gold

Whisper Link (Uncommon) – 1,000 Gold