Chapter 9: chapter 9. Mana potions.
The soldiers hauled 10,000 mana cores to Shina's caravan, the heavy crates clinking as they were loaded onto the wagons. Shina stood a little apart from the group, her posture straight, yet her eyes were alive with anticipation.
The sun had only just begun to rise, casting a soft golden glow across the quiet town. The distant hills were bathed in the early light, their shadows stretching long over the dew-covered ground. A cool morning breeze rustled the leaves of the nearby trees, carrying the fresh scent of earth and pine.
There was a quiet energy in the air—a sense of promise, of things beginning.
Just as I turned to walk back to the town square, my gaze caught Barns making his way toward Shina, holding a small vial with a confident smile.
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his unusual sense of timing.
"Heh, advertising now?" I muttered to myself, watching as Barns approached Shina. His grin was unmistakable, filled with the self-assurance of someone who believed in their product.
Barns held the vial up high, his voice carrying easily across the air. "A hundred gold for this," he said, his tone full of pride.
Shina's eyes flickered to the vial, then back to him.
"Trust me, it's worth every coin. Watch," Barns added with a flourish, stepping forward as he walked to one of the guards.
Shina's curiosity got the better of her, and she glanced at her guard who was being approached, a female swordsman named Chloe. Chloe was tall and sturdy, her face hard with the no-nonsense air of a seasoned warrior, but she hesitated as Barns handed her the vial.
Her fingers brushed the glass, clearly reluctant to trust something so unfamiliar.
"It's free," Barns said, almost coaxing, his smile never fading. "Take it, I promise you'll see."
The swordswoman hesitated again, but Shina, standing nearby, urged her to drink it. "Go on, Chloe. It's only a sip," she said.
With a resigned sigh, Chloe uncorked the vial and drank it in one swift motion. The crowd fell silent as they watched, unsure of what would happen next.
At first, nothing seemed to change, but then Chloe's eyes widened. She stood still for a moment, blinking as if trying to adjust to a new sense of awareness.
Then, without warning, she pulled her sword from its sheath. The blade hummed with an energy that hadn't been there before—mana coursing through it, a vibrant glow running from hilt to tip. Chloe's face lit up with realization.
"Sis Shina… I'm—I'm a magic swordsman!" she gasped, her voice full of astonishment and excitement.
A stunned silence fell over the group. All eyes turned to Chloe as she brandished the sword, now infused with magic, causing a few of the other caravan members to step back in awe. The power in the air was palpable.
Barns stood tall, pride blooming on his face as he watched the reactions of those around him. This wasn't just about selling a product; it was about seeing his work finally acknowledged. A father watching his child take their first steps, proud and elated.
Turning back to Shina, Barns's voice was full of excitement. "So, what do you say? This is the pride of my work. The mana potion."
Shina's smile was wide, but she paused, thoughtful. Her eyes darted to the vial in her hand, then to the other members of her caravan, all equally amazed. She looked at Barns, impressed, but there was a hint of hesitation in her voice.
"I'm thoroughly convinced, Barns. This potion… It's incredible. I could even sell it for more than a hundred gold per vial, but…" She hesitated again, glancing at the ground, the weight of the situation settling in. "I don't have the gold to buy it. Not yet."
That's when I stepped in.
"Barns, how many vials do you have?" I asked, my tone calm but focused.
Barns glanced at me, his smile never wavering. "A total of sixteen, my lord."
I turned to Shina, the offer forming in my mind. "Here's what I'll do. Take the sixteen vials as an investment from our town. Bring them with you on your travels and sell them. If you return next week with 40,000 gold coins, we'll consider this a partnership. And when we scale up production, you'll have exclusive rights to the potion. You'll be the sole distributor."
Shina's eyes sparkled, her expression unreadable for a moment. She seemed to be weighing the risk, but also recognizing the opportunity. The key words had been said—when we produce more. This was the promise of growth, the chance to make something big.
She stepped forward, her hand extending to mine. "I accept. I won't let you down, my lord."
"Good," I said, nodding, my voice steady. "Don't forget to bring back some exotic goods from your travels. We could use them here."
With that, the caravan began to pack up, and the quiet of the town returned, though the energy had shifted. There was a sense of anticipation now, the calm before a storm of potential.
As I watched the caravan leave, I turned to Barns. "Go to Lucia. We need more funds to produce these potions. And start thinking about a factory to mass-produce them. But right now, we need gold."
Barns gave a satisfied nod, his excitement evident. "Your wish is my command, my lord."
I watched him go, then made my way to the training ground, the cool morning air brushing against my skin. I picked up my sword and began to swing it, my thoughts focused, trying to push aside the looming debts and the uncertainty of the future.
Garrick, ever the keen observer, approached. "Something on your mind, my lord? Your posture is wrong," he said, his tone teasing but concerned.
I laughed softly, shaking my head. "Debts, Garrick. Always debts," I muttered, lowering the sword.
"I'll stop for today," I said with a sigh.
After a few more moments of contemplation, I headed back home and opened the system page. The numbers made my heart ache, but I couldn't ignore them. The debt was here, and it was growing.
Gold: 0 units
Mana cores: 52,208 units
Selling some of the cores, I brought my balance up.
Gold: 267,000 units
Mana cores: 18,833 units
I paid off the loan , a total sum of 267,000 gold coins. A hefty price but, I don't want it to spiral into twice it's amount when the deadline is crossed.
Next, I opened the loan page again.
Land Value: 350,000 gold
Available Loan: 320,000 gold
Daily Interest: 10-15%
I took out a 320,000 gold loan at 15% daily interest. The gold vanished into the system, but with a single click, the mana cores appeared—32,000 of them, to be exact.
Gold: 0 units
Mana cores: 50,833 units
I leaned back in my chair, exhaling slowly. The stakes were higher now, but there was no turning back.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone