The Frugal Mage

"Welcome to Eterna Script Trading… You're right, Sir… It's our new writing tool called the Fountain Pen."

Rayven stepped forward and asked before he could reply, "Are you perhaps a scribe, sir?"

The man glanced at him and nodded. "I am. Copyist for the Merchant Guild's ledgers. And I've never seen pens like these." He pointed toward the glass case. "They don't have quills. How do they even hold ink?"

Rayven opened the case and gently placed one of the slimmer models in the man's hand.

"This is a Fountain Pen. Unlike a quill, it has a reservoir inside the barrel. You fill it once, and it writes continuously for a long time without dipping."

The scribe's skeptical frown softened slightly as he heard the explanation.

Rayven also sounded confident, so he couldn't help but feel curious about this item.

He uncapped the pen and touched the nib to the provided parchment. Soon, a smooth line of ink flowed across the page… It was steady and dark.

He also confirmed that the ink used was just right for writing, or perhaps, the parchment was also perfect for it.

His eyes widened. He tried again…

This time, he wrote faster as he started scribbling a few test words. The line didn't break, didn't blot, didn't fade…

"This… this writes like a dream." The man was obviously in awe…

"No inkwell? No constant dipping? Saints, I could copy double the ledgers in half the time."

Gene, who was also excited to see the first customer's reaction, smirked proudly from behind the counter. Of course, the craftsmen at the back, who were just listening to their conversation, also exchanged knowing glances.

They had certainly tried it before and knew how good it was. They had many revisions just to make this pen perfect since Rayven was simply too picky on this matter.

Furthermore, even if they saw Albert and Rennard's reaction to their creations, their reactions could be reserved because it was Rayven's creation. However, the true customers were different.

In the meantime, Rayven was simply too happy with this reaction.

"Exactly. Time saved, fewer mistakes, and no broken quill tips. The pen is built to last years with care."

The scribe kept writing, a smile was also spreading across his face as he realized how effortless the tool was. Finally, he looked up. "How much?"

"For the standard model, seven silver," Rayven replied smoothly. "The finer designs vary, depending on material."

It was expensive compared to the quill pen.

The scribe hesitated, but he still nodded. The time he would save using this would be immense. Furthermore, with how comfortable it was in his hands, he knew that these changes would make his work a lot easier.

"I'll take one. No, two. One for my work, one for my apprentice."

Rayven finally smiled as he took the man's coins. The very first sale. The very first proof that their effort had not been wasted.

Of course, their packaging was also exquisite since Rayven knew how important it was, considering how expensive the fountain pen was.

Based on his calculation, they only have to spend a silver and a half to produce one Fountain Pen…

***

The scribe admired the pen in his hand, but after a moment, he noticed that Rayven had placed two ink pots as well. Now, he realized something and asked cautiously.

"What happens when the ink runs dry? Do I throw it away?"

Rayven shook his head with a faint smile. "Not at all, Sir. If you noticed, I included two ink pots in the packaging. It comes with a set… I'm about to teach you how to refill it…" Rayven said as he readied to show how it was done.

"The fountain pen is built to be reused for years. When the ink runs out, you simply refill it."

He pulled a small glass pot from beneath the counter, filled with their specially mixed black ink.

"This model uses a built-in reservoir…" Rayven explained, unscrewing the pen's barrel quite easily.

He showed the man a small piston-like plunger inside. "You dip the nib into the ink pot, twist this mechanism, and it draws fresh ink straight into the chamber. Simple, clean, and efficient."

To demonstrate, Rayven dipped the nib, turned the piston, and then handed the pen back. The scribe tested it once more on the parchment. Just like that, his eyes lit up as the lines flowed smoothly again.

"No waste… no constant trimming quills… Just refill and continue writing?"

"Exactly. Now, the ink jars are free if you purchase them since we've just opened, but next time, they will be sold separately. A pot like this costs two silver coins and lasts for weeks of regular writing. You won't need to buy quills anymore, just ink when you run out."

The scribe let out a laugh of disbelief, his earlier hesitation was turned into excitement. "Remarkable… truly remarkable."

After getting the wrapped pens and ink jars into his satchel, the man bowed slightly in gratitude before leaving the shop.

The moment the door closed behind him, the bell chimed again. This time, three young men stepped inside.

'Ohhh? They're finally here…' Rayven mused as he realized that the customers were scholars.

Their robes marked them as students, though he noticed that the two wore plain, well-mended uniforms while the third had a fine coat draped over his shoulders…

He looked around the modest shop with mild curiosity, while his companions stared wide-eyed at the display cases.

"Eterna Script… This place is interesting." The noble-like student said casually as he looked around the place.

"I've seen the advertisements that was handed over yesterday." The young man said while looking at Rayven.

They had indeed made some promotions in order to ensure that there would be a few people who would be checking out their store.

After all, the city was still huge, so they had to make it known through various methods. Handing flyers to promote the shop was only one of them.

"The poster said that the pens here don't need dipping. I want to see it for myself."