The Verdant Merchant

The moment the bag disappeared, he felt it the heavy, constant strain of carrying the bag was gone. No strap digging into his shoulder, no shifting weight at his side. For the first time in days, he walked freely, almost as if he had been carrying nothing at all.

A small smile tugged at his lips.

After the purchase, he counted in his mind. With the storage ring secured, he now had around seventy-seven low-grade mana stones remaining outside the ring. Enough for small experiments or purchases.

Shade padded beside him, tail flicking as if sharing in his quiet triumph. Rowen let out a small chuckle. Today had been a good day.

With a small, satisfied smile, he stepped out of Arcane Craft. The bustle of the upper district surrounded him again, with merchants calling out, students hurrying by, and the occasional shimmer of enchantment from nearby shops.

After walking a short distance, Rowen paused and thought for a moment. He didn't want to handle payments offline anymore too risky, too cumbersome. An online transaction system for his shop would make everything simpler.

He knew that in the border town, most people hadn't even heard of the Federal Bank. Some had, but didn't have enough low-grade mana stones to open an account. His own shop, tucked away in the border town, had started small, but word of his magical vegetables and fruits had spread.

Now, with the shop growing more popular, especially with customers coming from the upper district, he realized something. If his produce could help border town residents earn more income, eventually they too might be able to open accounts.

After thinking it through, Rowen made up his mind. He would open an account as a merchant. It was a practical step, and one that would make his business smoother while helping him stay ahead.

Rowen glanced around, spotting a few well-dressed passersby. "Excuse me," he asked, "which way is the Federal Bank?"

A young man pointed to the street. "Just near the Cornerstone building."

"Thanks," Rowen said, nodding.

With the directions clear, he set off again, Shade trotting faithfully at his side. The street narrowed slightly as they approached the upper district's administrative area, the hum of the busy marketplace fading into the more official, orderly atmosphere. Soon, the familiar spire of the Cornerstone building came into view, and just beyond it, the Federal Bank's six- to seven-story building façade gleamed in the afternoon sun.

As Rowen approached, he slowed his pace. The Federal Bank stood in sharp contrast to the rough-cut stone and timber of the border town. Its walls were smooth, pale marble, with gold inlays forming the federal crest above the wide entrance. Two guards in polished armor flanked the doors, their stances relaxed but authoritative.

Rowen tilted his head back slightly, taking it all in. Compared to the crooked rooftops and worn cobbles of his own district, this place radiated wealth and order. Even Shade gave a soft "mrrp," tail swishing as if sensing the difference.

For a moment, Rowen felt the distance between his small shop and this grand façade, but then he straightened. He had a reason to be here now.

Rowen stepped toward the tall doors, but before he could pass through, a guard shifted his spear across the entrance.

"Hold it."

Rowen blinked, glancing up.

The guard's eyes narrowed as he looked him over from head to toe the plain clothes, the faint dust from travel, and the lack of refinement that marked most who came from the lower town. His mouth twisted in faint disdain.

"This is the Federal Bank," the guard said flatly. "It's not a place for loitering. Opening an account here requires a considerable sum; you don't look like someone who can afford it."

Shade let out a soft growl at the man's tone, puffing slightly.

Rowen's steps halted. He met the guard's eyes and glared, saying nothing.

The man was no ordinary watchman; his bearing gave it away. Even under the uniform, Rowen could sense the weight of his presence, the sharp control of the aura beneath his skin. A high-level knight. Not someone he could match.

Still, Rowen didn't lower his gaze. Shade bristled beside him, ears flat.

The knight-guard gave a faint snort, as if amused by the boy's defiance, but his spear remained in place.

Rowen opened his mouth, ready to snap back, but a calm voice called out from behind him.

"He's with me. My friend."

Both Rowen and the guard turned toward the sound.

A young man stood a few paces away, dressed in fine but practical clothes, his posture straight and confident. Recognition flickered in the guard's eyes immediately. The sternness in his expression vanished, replaced with rigid respect.

"Young Master Darian…!" The guard straightened, lowering his spear at once.

Rowen blinked, taken aback. Darian? He'd heard the name before, whispered with weight even in the border town. The heir of the Velestra family, one of the great houses of the everset city.

Even Shade tilted his head, sensing the sudden shift in the air.

Darian had been on his way to handle business at the bank when the scene at the gate caught his attention. The familiar flick of a black tail made him pause—Shade. And if the cat was here, then the boy just ahead had to be Rowen, the shopkeeper he'd met before.

His brows rose slightly in surprise. What was Rowen doing at the Federal Bank?

As he drew closer, he caught the guard barring Rowen's path, his tone sharp and dismissive. A faint trace of anger stirred in Darian, but when his eyes lingered on Rowen's plain clothes and dusty boots, he let out a quiet breath and forced his irritation down.

"Enough," Darian said, his voice calm but firm. "He's my friend. Let him pass."

The guard stiffened, lowering his weapon at once, head dipping respectfully. "Of course, Young Master Darian."

Rowen turned, startled, meeting Darian's steady gaze.

The guard stepped aside at once, but Darian didn't stop there. He moved closer, a small, easy smile on his face.

"It's been a while, Rowen," he said. "I didn't expect to see you here of all places."

Rowen blinked, still a little caught off guard. Shade flicked his tail, as if greeting Darian too.

"You're here to open an account, aren't you?" Darian continued. "Good. It'll make things easier for your shop. But I doubt anyone's explained how all this works to you yet." He tilted his head toward the grand doors. "Why don't you come in with me? I can show you the process; it'll save you from trouble later."

The guard kept his gaze lowered, the earlier arrogance gone, watching as Darian casually extended the kind of help most people would never dare refuse.

Rowen shifted his weight, the words catching in his throat. Darian Velestra, someone like him, had no reason to bother with a shopkeeper from the border town.

"I… I wouldn't want to trouble you," Rowen said carefully, his hand brushing the pouch at his side out of habit, though the weight was gone now thanks to the storage ring. "You probably have important business."

Darian's smile didn't waver. "I do. But it won't take long to help you, and besides, Shade would glare at me if I left you to stumble through this place alone."

At the sound of his name, the cat flicked his ears and gave a short, approving meow.

Rowen let out a quiet breath. Maybe Darian really didn't mind.

"Alright," he said at last, nodding. "I'll follow your lead."

Rowen followed Darian through the glass doors, which slid open on their own. The moment he stepped inside, his eyes widened. The interior was nothing like the shops of the border town marble floors gleamed under crystal chandeliers, and the air itself felt polished, quiet, and heavy with importance. Attendants in neat uniforms moved briskly about, assisting well-dressed merchants and armored adventurers alike.

Darian glanced back, a faint smile tugging at his lips at Rowen's expression. "Impressive, isn't it? This is the Federal Bank. It was established alongside the Cornerstone after the apocalypse to stabilize the economy and keep mana stone circulation under control."

Rowen listened closely as they walked deeper inside.

"Here, you can handle any kind of transaction," Darian explained. "From the smallest trade with low-grade mana stones all the way up to deals involving high-grade stones. They also offer exchange services, turning low-grade into mid-grade or higher, as long as you meet the requirements." He gestured subtly toward one of the counters, where a clerk carefully weighed a pouch of glittering stones. "And if you don't want to carry everything with you, the bank provides safe storage."

Rowen's brows furrowed slightly. That alone would save him endless trouble.

"But the most important part," Darian went on, "is their online system, M-Net. Once you open an account here, you can access it through M-Net. That means you can send and receive payments directly, without needing to exchange stones by hand."

Rowen nodded slowly, trying to take it all in. For someone used to the bustle of the border town marketplace, this was like stepping into another world altogether.