The Verdant Merchant

As Rowen finished counting—twenty low-grade mana stones in total. He slid them into the wooden drawer beneath the counter, a small satisfied smile tugging at his lips.

From the counter, Rowen glanced up at them without a word at the A small group of students stepped inside the shop, their eyes darting around the cramped shop. Curiosity was written all over their faces. They exchanged hushed whispers, clearly trying to piece together why Darian's group had come here in the first place.

Shade, who had been lounging lazily on the shelf, lifted her head at the sound. The black cat's tail flicked, and she gave a low, questioning meow, as if noticing the unfamiliar scent of newcomers.

The students huddled together near the entrance, their voices low but excited.

"...That was definitely Darian and Lyra buying something just now."

"And Aria too. If they're spending here, it has to be worth it."

"But… vegetables? With effects written on tags? Focus boost… mana recovery… I've never even heard of that."

One of them glanced at Rowen behind the counter. He was calmly closing the drawer after tucking away the mana stones, his expression as steady as always.

"...It's Rowen. He's not the type to scam people." "Yeah. If anything, he was always too straightforward back in class."

Their hesitation began to fade. If Darian trusted this shop enough to trade mana stones, and Rowen was the one running it, then there had to be something real behind it.

And if it was real—then they had just stumbled onto a secret far bigger than they expected. Potions with similar effects cost ten times as much, well beyond what most of them could afford. But here… these strange tomatoes and potatoes were priced at a level even lower-town students could scrape together.

"…If this is true, then we can finally afford recovery and focus items for ourselves." "Yeah. This… this could change how we train."

They finally stepped closer to the counter, their curiosity turning into resolve.

They exchanged one last look before one of them cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"Uh… Rowen," he began, a little awkward. "Those prices on the tags… are they real?"

Rowen glanced up from behind the counter, his hand still resting on the wooden drawer he had just shut. "Yes. What's written there is correct."

The group shifted uneasily. None of them had ever seen him lie, and he didn't look nervous now either.

Another student piped up, his eyes flicking between the baskets. "So… you're saying one of these tomatoes can actually help with mana recovery?

Rowen gave a small nod. "That's right. Their effects are no weaker than the recovery or focus potions you're used to. Sometimes… even better. The difference is that they're natural, not brewed like potions."

The students froze, wide-eyed. That kind of claim would have sounded ridiculous from anyone else—but this was Rowen. He was too straightforward to make up something like that.

"…You're serious?" one whispered.

Rowen only looked back at them calmly.

Their doubt cracked into excitement. Potions cost more than most of them could ever afford, yet here in front of them sat baskets of cheap vegetables with the same effects.

"…Then we'll buy," one finally said, almost breathless.

Rowen waited silently as the three students dug into their pouches. After a bit of hesitation, one of them placed three faintly glowing stones on the counter.

"Two for potatoes, one for tomatoes," the boy said firmly, trying to sound confident even though his hand trembled slightly.

Rowen glanced at the stones, then at the group. Their clothes were plain, and from the way they avoided looking at each other, it was clear this was all they could spare. Just three low-grade mana stones between them.

Still, he gave a small nod. "Alright."

He measured out one small batch of tomatoes and two of potatoes, sliding them carefully across the counter. Shade, perched lazily by the window, flicked her tail and let out a short "meow," eyeing the new customers with mild interest.

The students picked up the vegetables almost reverently, as if they were handling treasure. Their earlier suspicion was gone—replaced with a quiet spark of excitement.

If Rowen was telling the truth, they had just bought the equivalent of potions worth 20 times the price.

The three students left the shop with their small purchases clutched tightly, exchanging quick glances as if they'd stumbled onto something too good to be real. They didn't linger in the town. Instead, they made straight for the newly uncovered dungeon entrance.

Inside, they soon ran into a group of other lower-town students, already resting after their first skirmishes with the weaker monsters near the entrance.

"You look like you just came from town," one of them said, raising a brow. "What's with the excitement?"

The three traded looks again before one of them spoke in a low voice.

"It's about Lyra and Darian… We think we figured out their secret."

"You won't believe this," one whispered urgently. "Lyra and Darian… they weren't just ahead because of talent."

That got everyone's attention. The resting students sat up straighter, eyes narrowing with interest.

"One of the students whispered. "Lyra's group got ahead because of that shop. They've been using those vegetables to recover mana and energy faster—and the tomatoes to sharpen their focus. With that kind of support, they had the stamina and clarity

The knight was named Alric—a disciplined and proud warrior who carried himself with a quiet authority. Though only at the adept level, his noble lineage and polished skills made him a respected figure within Westlite Academy. He had a reputation for strict training and high expectations.

Beside him stood Cedric, a mage at the mid-adept level. Draped in finely embroidered robes that marked his elite status, Cedric was known for his sharp intellect and calm demeanor. While his magical potential was somewhat limited, his deep knowledge and refined technique compensated, earning him a prestigious teaching position.

Together, Alric and Cedric represented the polished, elite side of Westlite Academy—confident and accustomed to setting the bar high.

The knight, Alric, glanced toward the gathered students. His voice was steady but carried a note of authority.

"Alright," Alric said, turning to both Marn and Talia, "we can start. All the students are here."

Beside him, Mage Cedric stepped forward, his rich robes catching the sunlight. "Then let's not waste time," he said with a faint smile. "You may now enter the dungeon and begin your exploration."

A ripple of excitement—and a few nervous glances—spread through the students.

Almost immediately, the students began moving. Some quickly formed groups, whispering strategies as they checked their weapons and gear. Others preferred to go solo, confident in their own abilities.

Darian, with his usual quiet focus, chose to head in alone. Lyra and Aria teamed up with Calen, forming a small hunting party as they made their way toward the dungeon's entrance.

After entering the dungeon, everyone started to move their own way.

Inside the dungeon, the scenery shifted unexpectedly. Instead of cold stone walls, they found themselves surrounded by lush greenery—towering trees with thick canopies, vines draping over moss-covered rocks, and the sound of running water somewhere in the distance.

Lyra's group moved cautiously, weapons ready, but there was no sign of danger. Fifteen minutes passed, and still, they hadn't encountered a single monster.

"This is… strange," Calen muttered, scanning the dense foliage. "Usually, you can tell what kind of monsters you'll face by the dungeon's environment. But this one feels… mixed."

Just as they began to wonder if the place was empty, movement flickered at the edge of their vision. Out from between the trees stepped a small pack of sleek, catlike monsters. Their fur glistened faintly with a greenish sheen, and their eyes shone bright yellow in the filtered light.

The creatures didn't attack immediately. Instead, they prowled low to the ground, sniffing at the grass, trees, and even the air—almost as if they were searching for something in the dungeon's surroundings, though it wasn't clear what.

Lyra kept her eyes fixed on the pack, her grip tightening on her weapon. "They're distracted by something… But if they notice us, they'll pounce."

And if it was real—then they had just stumbled onto a secret far bigger than they expected. Potions with similar effects cost ten times as much, well beyond what most of them could afford. But here… these strange tomatoes and potatoes were priced at a level even lower-town students could scrape together.

"…If this is true, then we can finally afford recovery and focus items for ourselves." "Yeah. This… this could change how we train."

They finally stepped closer to the counter, their curiosity turning into resolve.

They exchanged one last look before one of them cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"Uh… Rowen," he began, a little awkward. "Those prices on the tags… are they real?"

Rowen glanced up from behind the counter, his hand still resting on the wooden drawer he had just shut. "Yes. What's written there is correct."

The group shifted uneasily. None of them had ever seen him lie, and he didn't look nervous now either.