The Guild of Gamers: The Shopkeeper
Chapter 1: Shopping in a Whole New Home Dimension and The First Customers
A/N: Hello everyone! As I said I am continuing this work. Random is as Random does is on hold while I figure out what direction I want to take it. I had vague ideas of how I want it to go but little else. I hope you enjoy this in the meantime. Oh and please tell me if you think a is a good idea. It would only be to let people have a voice in what I work on rather than being about charging for my content.
Disclaimer: I own hardly anything. The Guild of Gamers is a concept created by TheDarkWolfShiro. Go check out his stuff if you haven't as he makes great works and makes stories come to life.
{System speech}
[System screens]
"Active Thoughts/Telepathic communication"
"Speech"
"SCREAMING AND OTHER LOUD SCHIST."
"ROB's and other higher plane beings speaking."
POV: Alex Asími
As I walked through the back door to my new Shop/Home I exited out into an alleyway. Looking around there really wasn't anything back here which is kinda a good thing. I then entered my inventory and converted a bit of my gold into local currency. Then I cursed as it all turned into Euros. I guessed that meant that I was in a European area or something. At least that meant I spoke the language. I stepped out of the alleyway only to stop in my tracks as I looked around. Everything around me was super high tech looking. Then I noticed something across the street that almost made my eyes pop out of my head. In bright pink and blue neon lights were the words "Lizzie's Bar".
HOW?! How am I HERE?! And this is my new Home Dimension?! It took me a bit to stop panicking long enough to start walking stiffly down the street. "Okay Alex now just try to remember the location of things in the game. There are some small convenience stores and vending machines along the street and down this way there should be a clothing shop. OH wait this is near-ish that central plaza from near the beginning of the game. If I remember right there should be a ripperdoc there. Not that I am all that eager to get stuff shoved into my brain but I kinda need to if I want to blend in and be able to manage. I should have enough money to restock and get myself just the basic implant kit of a neural port and a netrunner deck. I just need the basics to handle this world nothing crazy like a Sandevistan or anything."
With those thoughts in mind I headed for the clothing store first and bought a little bit of everything including some body armor. Though I equipped said armor almost immediately then headed for the plaza I still thanked Lady Luck that this area was rather devoid of scavs. Occasionally one of the Mox came up to me and asked if I was alright which honestly made me feel rather touched. Of course I used the interaction to ask if the ripperdoc near the plaza was any good. The Mox I ran into told me that Robert was a decent Ripper and that he does business with the Mox regularly. I even got told about a passphrase I could say to get a discount on parts! Though when I asked what they wanted in return they just said "Be a friend to the Mox." and that was it. I went to Robert and got a neural port which took about an hour thanks to the advancements in medicine and the simplicity of the procedure. I need to remember if I plan to get anymore tech I should go to Viktor though because other people might ask a LOT more questions about my... eldritch affliction. I got myself a netrunner deck and a bunch of food along with buying out most of the stock in the gun store in the area. Who knew if you were willing to throw enough money at a problem it would disappear.
At that point I headed home before anything crazy could happen.
I spent basically the next hour getting everything on the shelves and in order. It took a while to find a setup that I liked and then as I placed down the last of the food stuffs I had in the fridge. (One I've found prevents things from going bad no matter how long they are inside.) I was interrupted by a now familiar PING as a screen popped up.
{Quest Complete!
[Quest: Restock your shop.
Objective: Use your new abilities to restock your shop with available funds.
Reward: Further repair of the system and unlock of further system functions.]}
{Further System repair successful. Further System functions unlocked.}
[Dimensional Door unlocked: The front door to your shop now can lead to numerous dimensions. Doors to said shop appear in random locations and dimensions. Should a customer open the door from the shop it will open to their world. However should the owner open the door it shall lead to owner's hub world. (Warning Owner cannot currently place doors and must remember the location of doors to return to the shop.)]
[Dimensional Shopkeeper Basic Perk Pack unlocked:
Dimensional Polyglot: Any Shopkeeper worth their salt can speak the languages of their customers. Now you can to! You can automatically speak any language no matter how how alien or ancient. (Warning this process is automatic and cannot be shut off you automatically know and speak the primary language a customer speaks even if all you hear is English.)
Immortal Object: Shopkeepers never die, this isn't Darksouls after all! Any attack done in the shop will do zero damage to shopkeeper or the shop itself. (Warning protection ends at the door to the Shop and cannot currently defend against Deity level entities and above, enter other worlds at your peril.]
Shop Upgrade System unlocked: SUS allows you to purchase upgrades and addons to your shop including rooms with various effects and various furniture. SUS also allows you to purchase certain perks with points earned from making successful sales.]
As I was parsing through all the information and checking out the SUS menu on what I could buy, which is pretty much anything I could ever think a shop might need, another PING popped up.
[Quest: Make a Sale
Objective: Sell at least 1 item.
Bonus Objective: Sell further items.
Reward: SUS covers modifications to HUB world and HUB world is stabilized.
Bonus Reward: 1 SUS point per extra item sold]
Looks like I need to sell as much as possible before my first customer leaves the store. And now we wait I guess.
I have no idea how long I waited for that first customer but it had to be HOURS. Then out of nowhere a group of people barged into my shop before slamming the door behind them as something bashed into it right afterword. It took me a moment to calm my minor panic over someone rushing in like that and a couple of extra moments to pick my jaw up off the floor as I realized just who had barged into my shop.
In front of me stood a dark haired woman with pointed elven ears, a demonic looking woman with a pair of horns one of which was broken off near the base and seemed to be covered in a light coating of flame, A man wearing robes wielding a quarterstaff with a rather handsome face and brown hair, and finally a white dragonborn of indistinguishable gender. ( Though if I had to guess I would say female based on build.) These were the characters from Baldur's gate 3! Shadowheart, Karlach, Gale, and Tav all standing in my shop! Once I got over my more than minor fanboying I finally piped up.
"Hello. Welcome to my shop travelers." I said causing them to suddenly spin around and take combat stances causing me to worry for a moment before remembering my Immortal Object perk would protect me. "Would you like to examine my wares?" I asked causing them to flounder for a moment at the unexpected situation of finding a shop in the middle of nowhere.
"Um... Hi? Look we don't have time to shop and you should really get out of here! There is a rather large and angry momma owlbear outside. I don't know how you sneaked your shop in here without her noticing but she is going to break down that door at any moment!" Said door rattles again a moment after Gale finishes speaking as if to prove his point.
"Oh? Are you saying that if I dealt with said owlbear you would stay and shop a while?" I said with a smile as I walked over to the shelf and grabbed one of the higher powered shotguns from the wall and loaded a bit of ammo into it.
"I mean yeah we would but I don't think you understand the danger we are in right now! What part of angry MAMA Owlbear do you not get?!" Gale sputtered as I walked over to the door and hip-bumped a stunned Karlach out of the way of the door causing her to let out a squawk of surprise at the sudden touch and probably me not catching fire upon touching her. Then they all freaked out a bit as me doing so caused Karlach to accidentally open the door back up. A clawed paw reached through to smack into my face but didn't do anything as I held the shotgun out so it was out of the doorway and pulled the trigger. The blast from the gun practically shattered the Owlbear's head as my arm jerked back HARD from the kick. Thankfully self harm is also not allowed inside the shop or I might have lost some teeth from the butt of the gun hitting me in the face.
"There all safe." I said as I emptied the gun of ammo and put it back on the stand it was on. Leaving the group gaping out the doorway at the pulped head of the owlbear I stepped outside and nabbed the Owlbear egg and brought it inside with a grin and put it on a hastily made nest of pillows. I had thought about grabbing the already hatched owlbear pup but the trouble that that likely would have caused would have been a bit much for me. I then turned back to the still rather stunned group with a clap of my hands that drew back their attention.
"So welcome to my Shop! My name is Alex. Feel free to look around as much as you like!" I said with a smile as they seemingly snapped out of their shock.
"Who are you?! Why is your shop here?! What was that item you used?! Some kinda magic?! Why did you grab that egg?!" Said the now clearly female Tav with an excited grin as her babble speak took me aback a bit and she approached me REALLY invading my personal space.
"My name is Alex like I said. My shop is a little bit everywhere as the doors appear in random places. That item was a shotgun, a projectile weapon from where I am from. No, no magic was used in the process of firing the weapon, and I grabbed the egg in the hopes that either I can hatch it someday or sell it to someone as a customer. Now could you please back up a step? As while I do not mind a pretty woman in my personal space I don't know you in the slightest." I said with a bit of a blush at how close she is, rather severely flustered from both that and the rather rapid-fire questioning. Then just as Tav was backing up a bit with a blush Karlach barreled in with a rather unreadable look on her face.
"You touched me. When you got to the door you bumped me out of the way and didn't burn. How?" She really looked serious in that moment and it kinda threw me off given her normal attitude toward people.
"While inside my shop nothing can hurt either me or it. Your whole flaming thing that makes zero sense literally CAN'T hurt me while inside my store." I said to her after pausing to collect myself a moment.
"Do it again." Karlach demanded looking even more serious and intense.
"What?" I asked a little overwhelmed and confused.
"Touch me again. I don't care how just do it!" She said as she snapped at me a bit.
"Okay! Jeeze!" I said as I put my hand on her shoulder. "There that good enough proof?!" I snapped back a little bothered by how pushy she was being over this.
As she stood there and stared at my hand for over a minute I grew more and more uncomfortable. Meanwhile Gale and Shadowheart appeared to be wandering around the shop examining things from the various food items to the clothing and even the other weapons. I had made sure to get a few of the katanas when I went shopping and Shadowheart appeared to be testing the edge of one against a bit of leather.
"I... I can touch you!" Karlach said with a massive grin on her face. She then grabbed me and lifted me into the air with a back popping hug and a hearty laugh. "I can actually touch you! And you don't burn!" She looked ecstatic in that moment so much so that I could hardly bring myself to do more than hug her back despite myself. It didn't help that of the twelve times I played through Baldur's gate I romanced her 4 of those runs.
"Impressive bit of magic that. And the thing with the doors as well. So what are you exactly? No mage I have ever met could manage such magic." Gale said startling me and Karlach both as he had snuck up on us while we were rather occupied. Her getting hugged for the first time in probably years and me trying not to ruin it by coping a feel of fanboy even harder than I already was. His question however brought Karlach up short and caused her to put me down as a look of caution entered her eyes.
"Yeah I am gonna have to agree with Gale on that one. Pretty sure not even Zariel could make her invulnerable within a space and do the doors thing you've got going on bright eyes." She said with a slight frown.
"Well I am not really sure what I am honestly. You see I got sucked out of my home and ended up making a stupid deal with some entity called Mammon. Jerk took part of my soul after granting me this shop a couple of books on magic and a crazy sword and magical foci. I of course fought back and cut some bits off him and after he left me to die I kinda... absorbed the bits of him along with the sword and that foci. I guess the closest thing to what I am would be called a Fae." I said as I held my hands up in a surrendering gesture. Something in Karlach's eyes softened at the mentioning of my foolhardy deal and the consequences. Meanwhile Gale looked at me like I was some interesting thing for him to dissect.
Tav meanwhile had run off to look around the shop as Shadowheart apparently picked up a sword to get and was looking at the different food and drinks on sale.
"I guess after that story I should tell you a bit about myself to even things out. Hear that?" Karlach said as she tapped her chest. "I've got an infernal engine for a heart. Means I constantly run hot. Any excitement or, excitement makes me burn hotter. I trusted someone I shouldn't have and got sold to Zariel. Been fighting her battles for years since." She continued with a frustrated look on her face.
"Yeah that still doesn't make sense to me. I mean yeah kinda cool and all with the flames and the heart of iron and stuff. But if you burn hot enough to hurt people just by hugging them your clothes should spontaneously combust. Heck you should burn the ground you are standing on right now." I said as I looked at the OBVIOUS flames licking over the surface of her body. Though my eyes MAY have lingered on some places they shouldn't have for a moment. Honestly with the body Karlach had who could blame me.
"Well I don't know exactly how it works. I think one mage I asked ages ago said something about infernal energy targeting the living." Karlach said.
"You said something about some books on magic? Got anything that might help with Ceremorphosis?" Gale asked with interest.
"Ah not currently but I do know someone who might be able to help. Tell you what. You guys buy some stuff and I will see if I can get them to help and even if they can't help with that they SHOULD be able to do something about that infernal engine. That doesn't mean I'm not willing to part with my spellbooks though. Let me show you what I've got." I said as I walked behind the counter and grabbed the Skyrim spellbooks and placed them on the counter ignoring the shocked look on Karlach's face.
"Now Magic is split into five different disciplines or schools where I come from. Conjuration, Alteration, Illusion, Destruction, and Restoration. Conjuration is the school that deals with summoning beings and raising the dead. Though unless you want to be labeled a monster I would avoid that bit. Alteration as a school deals with altering yourself or others or the world around you in general. Illusion deals with affecting the mind such as calming enemies or making them fearful or even making your allies more courageous. It is generally considered bad taste to use these spells on another without permission or an emergency. Then there is Destruction. That school focuses on wielding the elements such as flame, frost, and lightning. And lastly Restoration. That one focuses on healing and defensive spells." I said as I gestured to each book in turn.
"Really that is rather interesting. What spells do these books cover? Or are they more of an overview of the basics of the groups?" Gale asked. As I was about to answer there was a whooshing sound as the Conjuration book glows and light floods Tav. Soon all of the light is absorbed into Tav and the book is now completely blank of all writing.
"Well then. Guess you decided to buy the Conjuration book then?" I said with a tight smile looking at a rather sheepish looking Tav.
"Um... S-Sorry I just wanted to check out if I could understand any of it. I didn't expect the book to turn blank like that." Tav said looking thoroughly embarrassed.
"These books give you the ability to cast the spell by reading them. By intending to read the book and opening the book it gave you the knowledge and ability to cast the spell. That one was Conjuration, so it should be the "Conjure Familiar" spell. You should be able to summon a spectral creature bound to you. Said summon lasts one minute and appears where you point. That will be 300 Gold." I said in response.
"3-300 Gold?! I could buy a decent sword and a set of enchanted plate armor for that amount!" Tav said looking flabbergasted.
"Yes you could however I don't think you understand. Those books not only teach you a spell instantly but are also currently something I can not get another of. So not only are they rather irreplaceable currently and therefore rare but also are magic items on their own. These books aren't exactly cheap either even where they come from. Creator knows when or IF I will ever manage to get another." I explained with an annoyed look.
"I-I'm sorry alright! I-I don't have that much money on me right now!" Tav said as she seemed to panic a little.
"Well you are in luck. Seeing as you didn't MEAN to steal from me I will allow you to pay half in gold and half in a magic item you find. It can be armor or weapons or even trinkets it matters not." I said calmly. "Or you can give me two magic items to pay for the full cost of the book." I said with a shrug.
"O-Okay I think I can manage that. I DO have two items I can give you. Gale are you okay for a bit until we find another?" Tav said with a look of concern on her face.
"Yes I am fine for now Tav. Don't worry about it." Gale said with a tense smile.
"How about this. Since I don't want to make things dangerous for your party I will give you some advice for free on how to find another magic item. In exchange I want you to buy some of the food and stuff from my shop and make sure to come back later to see if I have got the person I am thinking of to help. And if you want to know where another one is beyond that I ask that you remember my shop first when thinking about selling an item no matter how trivial it may seem." I said with a grin as they gaped at me knowing how to get another two magic items.
"Why wouldn't you just go and grab those magic items yourself if you know where they are?" Gale asked in shock. Meanwhile Karlach was giving the armor a keen once over not really knowing what to think due to the materials.
"Simple. Beyond the fact I can't die while in my shop only you can open the door to your world. When I open the door I get this." I said opening the door exposing the barren craggy island that is currently my Hub World to them. Gale gave me a shocked but understanding look as Tav looked at me with pity.
"So. Do we have a deal?" I asked with a smile holding out my hand.
"Sure. Here are the two magic items we can give you." Tav said after shaking my hand. She then pulled out The Watcher's Guide, which is a magic spear that makes it more likely to hit enemies after missing once and sets it on the counter. Then she sets down the Amulet of Lost Voices. I picked them up and the two items vanished into my inventory. I will probably absorb the spear and keep the amulet. The ability to interrogate the recently dead sounds like a great skill and who knows maybe if I give it to the right people or get to Skyrim I could get the enchant for it.
"Alrighty. The first item you can get rather easily by grabbing the spear head that was in the owlbear outside. Then you can take that and go north west of where you met Karlach to find the haft of the spear and repair it. The second you can get by fighting the "Paladins of Tyr" that are in the building in the same region. The so called paladin's have a sword you can take." I said with a smile as Shadowheart came over with a katana and some "Milk" chocolate and a few other bits.
"How much?" She asked blushing very slightly when I looked at the chocolate.
"15 Gold for the katana and 16 Copper for the chocolate." I said with a smile. She paid for her food and the katana before stashing it all away in her bag. Then Tav walked up with a bunch of food causing me to chuckle.
"That will be 2 Gold." I said to Tav.
"Just 2 Gold? For all this?" She asked incredulously as she looked at the rather large amount of food.
"Yeah I am doing my best not to stiff you guys on prices here." I said.
"What do you mean DO something with my Infernal engine?!" Karlach said as she finally processed and got over her shock.
"I meant just what I said. The guy I know who might be able to do something replaces organs pretty regularly. If he is here he should be able to get that engine removed and replaced with something FAR more reliable and just as useful without the whole "On fire" thing. I mean sure you're hot as hell but I think you would be hotter if you could hug someone." I said with a grin.
"Bright eyes... You do this for me and I will show you just how HOT I can be." She said with a grin of equal proportions.
"Oh and he might be able to get you a replacement for that broken section of horn if you want. Who really knows. We will have to see." I said with a bit of a blush at what she had just said.
"Oh I am DEFINITELY riding you until you see stars if you can keep your word." She said with a rather hungry smile, giving her lips a lick that sent a shiver down my spine and not an unpleasant one at that.
"Alright you guys go on. I gotta go see if I can set up things with Vik. Come back by in a couple days and we will see what shakes out. Oh and Karlach that armor you were looking at can stop stuff like that shotgun I used on the owlbear as well as weapons like swords pretty well. A maul might hurt but not much. Magic though would be one thing I have no clue on. Feel free to grab a vest on the house. Can't have your sexy ass dying on me before I get to keep my word." I said with a massive blush and a smirk. My comment made her blush in response and I did not expect Tieflings to blush purple. Despite said blush she still reached out and snagged a vest on the way out the door.
"Gale next time you stop by you should get a set of Kevlar shirt and pants. Those things are light but super durable. It won't do a thing against blunt damage but it stops most blades and arrows pretty well." I said as they all started to leave. He nodded in response and Tav gave me a happy wave on her way out. As the door finally shut I gave a sigh and looked around a moment with a smile. Then I was interrupted with a PING.
{Quest Complete!
[Quest: Make a Sale
Objective: Sell at least 1 item.
Bonus Objective: Sell further items.
Reward: SUS covers modifications to HUB world and HUB world is stabilized.
Bonus Reward: 1 SUS point per extra item sold: 150 points total.]}
I blinked at the amount and pulled up the menu to see how much it would be to buy an extra room. Specifically a ripperdoc operation theater and a couple of rooms for Vik and Misty to stay in if need be. The price made me wince. It would cost me all but twenty points just to get those rooms. Most of that was from the Ripperdoc theater but still that was a lot. In the end I decided to get it not for the fact that I could make money selling access to Vik. But rather because Karlach was worth it. Being a gamer with very little in the way of prospects I could never really get a girlfriend for long and Karlach was GORGEOUS. Besides that if I could get access to food stuffs from Baldur's Gate I could sell it for ridiculous sums of money in Cyberpunk. Not to mention how much something like a cow or pig would go for. Mind made up I opened the perk menu and bought my first perk taking my remaining points.
[Doors Doors Doors unlocked: Need to set up shop somewhere more open? Want to have a door somewhere but the random generator not cooperating? Look no further! You can now place permanent or temporary doors to your shop anywhere you like! (Warning permanent doors will always be visible and temporary doors will go away the instant you shut the door behind you.]
Now I just have to convince Vik to set up shop in my shop. Misty too if I can manage it. Having someone who could manage the shop while I am away would be really nice.
It took me about an hour to get to Misty's Esoterica from door outside Lizzie's Bar. The entire time I was walking there I was sure something was going to happen but nothing did. Either no scavs saw me or more likely the gun I was carrying was keeping them from just rushing me. As I entered the shop Misty greeted me.
"Hello, welcome to Misty's Esoterica let me know if there is anything I can do for you. If you are here to see Vik he is down the stairs and to the right after you go through the door behind me." She said with a placid smile.
"Hello Misty. I was wondering if I might be able to speak to you and Vik for a moment in private. I can pay for the time needed if necessary." I said with a nervous smile as Misty's smile goes from placid to sharp at my request.
"And why do you want to talk to us?" She said semi-frigidly with a suspicious look on her face.
"I have a proposal for you both and it would be better explained without being said out where anyone can hear. I promise, I ain't a corpo. Nor do I plan to hurt either of you. If it makes you feel better I will leave my gun here but I NEED to talk to you both... You two are probably the only two I could trust with this." I said more nervous now than before as I set my gun down and out of my reach. The look of sharp suspicion on her face lessened a bit, and the cold look in her eyes softened a bit as I set the gun out of my reach.
"Fine. But if this is a trick don't think for a second I won't put you down. Vik should be free for a bit. Come on." She said opening the door behind herself and motioning with her head for me to go down first.
I swallowed nervously and headed down the stairs in front of her. It took a moment to get down to Vik's and the whole time I was nervous. Soon we entered Vik's operating theater.
"Hey Vik. This guy said he has a proposal for us. Doesn't seem like a corpo to me. I think we should hear him out." Misty said from behind me as Vik studied me intently.
"Oh really? Well then son, what's this proposal of yours." Vik said after he stared at me for a moment. I sighed nervously before finally speaking.
"I want to preface this by saying I know this sounds crazy, but I have proof. My offer is simple. I have a place you could work in that is completely safe. Misty, you could sell your stuff inside without fear that some scav or corpo could come in and snatch you up right in your store. Vik you could work knowing that no corpo could order you to stop while saving someone's life." I said after I took a moment to calm down.
"Huh. And where is this "Safe place" son? At your corpo headquarters? Cause if I have to move I am gonna have to give a hard pass." Said Vik with a surly frown.
"NO! No I don't work for any corporation. I... I am not originally of this dimension. My store exists in a pocket space between universes. I know it is hard to believe but I have proof! Look!" I said opening a temporary door in the middle of the room into my store. At this Vik's eyes went wide right alongside Misty's. Before they can respond further I bulldozed onward before I could lose my nerve.
"I've got a Ripperdoc Theater all set up for you in here and you would be free to leave at any time. I also have rooms upstairs already prepared and ready if you want them. While inside my store no one could hurt you and I can set the door to my store right where Misty's current door is! You wouldn't have to go anywhere you don't want to I promise! A-And I am willing to pay for your services as a Ripperdoc! My store has doors all over the Omniverse! There will be no shortage of money I swear!" I said hurriedly before shutting my eyes nervously as they both look at each other and try to process everything. The silence seems to drag on for an age as I wait.
"Well... That all sounds well and good but what do you mean no one can harm us while inside? And what the heck is the "Omniverse"?" Vik asked after a moment of talking to Misty with nothing but looks and eye contact.
"I mean just what I said. While inside the Shop no one can hurt you. You could get shot at point blank range with a tank round and not even have your shirt ruffle. Unless it is a medical procedure no harmful actions can take place inside the theater. The Omniverse is... Do you know multiverse theory? Well the Omniverse is the collective of every Multiverse. Doors to my shop are randomly placed throughout it. Unless I place a door somewhere myself the people in said universe must find one of my doors to enter the shop. However with infinity as the target it is kind of inevitable that people will find the doors. Your normal customers would be able to enter through my door if I place one and still reach you whenever it is needed." I said after I took a calming breath.
For a moment they both looked like they were going to disagree... Then Misty seemed to express something to Vik and after a sigh he spoke. "Alright. Let me look at the theater and we will go from there." He said as he got up.
"Sure!" I said with a grin as I held the door open for him. "The theater is on the right side through the door with the red cross on it. The rooms are up the stairs if you want to take a look at those too." I said with a smile that almost seemed to make him already regret agreeing to look.
After almost half an hour of looking around Vik came out and looked at me. "Do you mind if Misty and I talk things over for a bit?" He asked calmly.
"Sure take your time. I understand that this is an important decision." I said with a hopeful look. The two of them walked out of the room for a moment and talked for a while. At the thirty minute mark I started to get nervous. After all they are like one call to Arasaka away from me having some serious problems. Thankfully they came back before I could worry too much.
"We agree to try out the situation. But we reserve the right to leave at any time if we find the situation uncomfortable. I will be taking that room since I normally sleep in my theater anyway in case of emergency. But Misty has decided to keep her apartment for now. We will see how things go from there okay?" Vik said with a serious expression upon his face.
"Of course! Welcome to Silver Owl Emporium! Proud to partner with Misty's Esoterica and Vik's clinic! I already have a client lined up from another world I need you to look at. I am gonna pay outright for the work too. A woman named Karlach who had her heart replaced with something called an Infernal Engine. The engine is breaking down and worse outside the shop she can't so much as touch a person without burning them to ash. I want you to replace the engine with something useful for combat but not detrimental for her life. I am willing to pay upfront for the work." I said seriously holding a hand out for a handshake, causing Vik's and Misty's expressions to soften a bit as they realized I likely put myself out there that much for Karlach rather than some money down the line. Vik shook my hand followed by Misty and I set up the permanent door and helped Misty move all her merch into the shop and set things up in a manner "To promote helpful movement of positive internal energies and mental balance.". It took a while to do all that but once it was done I grinned widely at the fact I finally had some help.
"Well Karlach should be stopping by either tomorrow or the day after. I have been running myself ragged dealing with setting everything up so I am going to finally check out my room. I will talk to you two tomorrow." I said with a yawn more eager to actually get to absorbing the spear I got to unlock magic for myself. I waved at them as I headed upstairs and entered my room. Rather than inspect said room at all I pulled out the spear I got earlier today and absorbed it. It grew dull and then cracked before turning into glowing dust that got absorbed into my hands. Then after a warm feeling that permeated my entire body a PING rung out.
[Enchanted Item Absorbed! Mana Manipulation unlocked.]
It felt great to unlock my mana. Like I had a limb asleep all this time and it just woke up. Like a missing chunk of me was returned. I would say it was better than sex but I have never had that so I could not tell you such. Now... Now all I needed to do was get Karlach better and get access to the food market there and my little shop would be set for life.
A/N: Thanks for the support and reading the entire chapter! If you enjoyed let me know and if you didn't tell me why! I will probably set up a just so I can get some input in what I write. Hope y'all have a good weekend! Until next time!