By the time Lorente had finished tidying up and returned to the store, nearly every customer had already perused the magical illustration of the Glazed Iceflame Hound displayed on the central counter.
This was something Lorente had specially commissioned from a third-level mage who was skilled in creating magical items, using the page in the Bestiary that depicted the Glazed Iceflame Hound as a reference.
It seemed that Lorente's desired effect had been achieved. The customers, all either of prestigious backgrounds or exceptionally gifted academy students, were completely captivated by what they saw. Every one of them stared in wide-eyed amazement.
These students, allowed by Lancelot to accompany him on his mission, were certainly no ordinary people. One clear sign of this was their reaction to the price tag of 50,000 gold coins. Only two students remained standing in front of the marble counter with wistful expressions, still gazing at the Bestiary. Meanwhile, more than a dozen others had crowded around the counter, eager to buy one of the creatures immediately.
"Store manager! I want to buy a Glazed Iceflame Hound!"
"Me too!"
"I’ll send someone over with the money right now. Can I pick mine out first?"
"I have a mana-boosting ring worth more than 20,000 gold coins! I’ll leave it here and bring the rest of the payment later. Let me reserve one first!"
Lorente was swamped by the customers’ enthusiasm. In that instant, he regretted it a little. Judging by their eagerness, it was clear his pricing had been rather affordable for them. He realized that even if he had set the price higher, they would have been able to accept it without hesitation.
However, after reconsidering, Lorente decided the current pricing was already very profitable for him. Raising it further might drive away some non-noble professionals. He suspected the two students still standing by the counter were likely in a situation similar to Simon’s—a genius born of common stock. They had great potential, but for now, lacked the financial means.
"Everyone, please don't rush. Currently, our Blue Star Pet Shop only has nine unsold Glazed Iceflame Hounds available for direct purchase," Lorente announced.
His words immediately stirred the crowd in front of the counter. In an instant, everyone realized that aside from themselves, the others had become competitors.
"Please don't worry. While there are only nine puppies available now, we also accept reservations. That means you can secure your place in line by paying a deposit," Lorente continued with a smile, revealing his trump card—preorders.
"However, even though we have nine puppies, you won’t be able to take them home right away," Lorente explained. "First, the pets are still in a critical growth stage and require professional care. Second, growing up within their own pack helps them socialize properly, learning how to interact with both humans and their kind."
"For the sake of being responsible to the pets, it's important to let them grow here until they are ready to be adopted."
As Lorente explained, he made a mental note to write this information into a booklet or create a large poster for the counter to save himself the trouble of having to repeat it so often.
"Store manager, if I preorder one, how long would I need to wait?" The first person to ask this question was actually one of the two students who hadn't crowded the counter earlier.
Lorente nodded at him. "If you place a preorder now, the puppies will be born in about six months, and you’ll be able to take yours home approximately nine months from now."
The student thought for a moment and then asked, "How much is the deposit?"
"The deposit is just 10,000 gold coins, and the remaining balance can be paid once the puppies are born," Lorente replied. "However, if you change your mind during this period, the deposit is non-refundable."
After another glance at the looping display of the Bestiary page, the student gritted his teeth and said, "Store manager, I’d like to preorder a Glazed Iceflame Hound!"
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"No problem. You can come over and register your contact information," Lorente said, nodding in approval.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth glanced around nervously. It was clear that those willing to pay the 50,000 gold coins weren’t keen on waiting nine months for a puppy.
"I can see that everyone really wants those nine puppies, but since the number is limited, why don’t we draw lots? That way, it’s fair for everyone," Lorente suggested.
Glenn and the others exchanged glances, seeing that no one was willing to back down, and finally agreed to the proposal, albeit reluctantly.
With a smile, Lorente tore up a piece of paper into small squares, marking a few with checks and folding the rest blank. He mixed them together, tossed them onto the counter, and let the students each pick a piece.
Those who drew a winning lot excitedly gathered around, while those who didn’t lingered behind in disappointment.
"Store manager, I’m going home to get the money! You have to wait for me!" a knight who had drawn a lot exclaimed, brandishing the marked paper in front of Lorente.
"Don’t worry. I’ll reserve your spot. Just make sure to pay the full amount before I close the shop tomorrow at 7 p.m.," Lorente reassured them. "But if you miss the deadline, your turn will pass to the next person."
"That won’t happen! I’ll bring the money right away!"
"No way I’m missing out! Don’t worry, store manager!"
"Store manager, can I go see my pet first?"
"Store manager..."
"Store manager..."
The nine winners clamored around him, making Lorente’s head spin.
"Everyone, please calm down. Come to the counter one at a time to register your contact details. When the puppies are ready to be adopted, I’ll make sure to notify you!" Lorente called out, trying to restore order. "Later, I’ll take you to the backyard where you can each choose your Glazed Iceflame Hound!"
"I understand that everyone is eager to meet the puppies, so starting next week, we’ll have open house Sundays. Anyone who has already purchased a pet can come to the shop and spend time getting to know the Glazed Iceflame Hounds," Lorente continued. "During those visits, I’ll also share tips on how to raise them."
Patiently, Lorente reassured his excited customers, remaining completely unbothered by their enthusiasm. After all, who would complain about having too many eager buyers?
After a while, the customers calmed down. Many of the knights left to fetch their deposits, while the nine who had paid in full eagerly stayed behind. Lorente prepared nine slips of paper numbered one through nine for them to draw again, this time determining the order in which they’d select their pets.
He led the first customer, Hayley, into the backyard, where a group of Glazed Iceflame Hounds was playfully chasing each other. Lorente called over puppies One, Seven, and Eight before gesturing to the others. "These nine puppies are the ones available for selection."
"Remember, the choice between pet and owner is a two-way bond. If none of the puppies catches your eye, I’d recommend waiting until another batch is born," Lorente advised. "After all, these pets will be your companions in future battles, and it’s important that you choose each other."
He handed Hayley a small handful of dried pet food, saying, "Here, you can use this to greet them."
Nervously, Hayley nodded and crouched a short distance from the puppies, holding the pet food in her hands and watching the playful group, unsure of how to proceed. She didn’t want to scare them away, but she also wasn’t sure what Lorente meant by "mutual selection." What if none of the Glazed Iceflame Hounds liked her?
Seeing Hayley’s hesitation, Lorente didn’t step in. He knew the more authentic the interaction, the better the chances of finding the right companion. His intervention might do more harm than good.
Just as Hayley was feeling lost, one of the puppies wandered over to her out of curiosity. It was Number Nine, one of the two female pups in the litter, known for her boldness and curiosity about everything. Noticing the odd behavior of the two-legged creature nearby, Number Nine wagged her fluffy tail and approached Hayley.
Hayley’s heart leaped with joy, and she carefully extended her hand, offering the pet food to Number Nine.
The puppy looked up at Hayley, then glanced back at Lorente. Seeing no objections, she promptly gobbled up the food.
Emboldened by this, Hayley mustered the courage to follow Lorente’s earlier instructions. She looked into Number Nine’s glassy eyes and gently petted her head. The puppy didn’t resist, instead stepping closer to Hayley, encouraging her to scratch her favorite spot.
"Hello, is your name Number Nine?" Hayley asked softly, noticing the metal name tag hidden in the pup’s thick fur. "My name is Hayley. Would you like to come with me?"
Number Nine lifted her head and examined Hayley from top to bottom, as if assessing whether this two-legged creature was worthy. After what felt like an eternity, Number Nine slowly nodded and snuggled into Hayley’s arms.
Seeing the budding bond between the two, Lorente quietly stepped away, leaving them to enjoy their moment together.
As luck would have it, all nine customers successfully bonded with a Glazed Iceflame Hound, avoiding Lorente’s fear of anyone being left out. Once all the customers had chosen their companions, Lorente led the reluctant group back into the shop, wrapping up the transactions with a satisfied heart.