“Drex!” Cal’s call made the man turn in surprise.

Drex saw the cart filled with Sunfire Grains behind Cal, and his eyes widened with happiness.

“Initiate Cal! Initiate Tavia! I was wondering when the harvest would be ready!” Drex said joyfully as he swiftly approached to meet Cal in the middle. “Your yield is lower than I had hoped, but given where you are growing them, it’s acceptable that—”

Cal raised a brow at Drex’s sudden stop and followed his eyes to the red grain-covered crop at the top. “Is something wrong, Drex?”

“N-Not at all, Initiate Cal! I just didn’t expect that you would be able to grow the red gem variant! It’s amazing! Brilliant!”

“Then I expect a far greater price for it,” Cal laughed, temporarily letting go of the annoyance he felt toward Drex.

“Ah, well, that might be impossible,” Drex said nervously. “Your field’s first harvest has already been sold by the guild … and they anticipated poor results.”

Cal was speechless. Literally. It felt like he had been swindled. No matter how well the harvest went, he would get poor results in terms of money.

“It’s standard practice, Initiate Cal,” Drex assured, “This is to ensure a stable and predictable sale and delivery for both the sellers and buyers. Once the first contract is complete, you will get a far better one if you show you can grow the red gem variety consistently.”

“By my field’s first harvest, I assume you mean the entirety of it?” Cal asked with some resignation. It wasn’t the end of the world, but he felt disappointed that he wasn’t properly rewarded. As for a new contract, that was too far in the future to think about at the moment.

“Unfortunately, yes. The guild set the field size to eighty thousand square feet, and assumed a fifty percent yield for your first try.”

“So the guild pre-sold forty thousand Sunfire Grains,” Cal said flatly. “Though the assumed yield is atrocious, they are highly confident I would succeed to make such a deal.”

“I’m sure they knew you were reviving the field, Cal,” Tavia spoke for the first time since Drex arrived. “If anything, they were being too cautious with the yield.”

“That’s one way to think of it, Initiate Tavia,” Drex agreed with swift nods.

“I still get one silver per Sunfire Grain as you told me, right?” Cal felt slightly mollified when Drex nodded. “I shouldn’t ask, but how much could I have sold the red gem variants for if the contract didn’t exist?”

Drex winced. “Somewhere between five and ten silver depending on the quality.”

“Ouch, Cal. You lost huge on this deal.”

“Thank you for pointing that out,” Cal said dryly as he glanced at a far-too-amused Tavia before addressing Drex. “Well, let’s get this processed.”

It’s not worth trying to find ways to save the variants at this point, but maybe in the future if it becomes feasible.

Drex immediately shifted into action. He called over multiple workers and had them tally the number of Sunfire Grains on the cart. When it came to the red gem variants, it was clear that even Drex felt some pain from having to sell them at such a low price.

Cal watched all this carefully as he waited for Drex to finish moving the harvest into a nearby warehouse. He was thinking about the questioning he intended to do. It would be far less intensive than he planned.

The efficiency he observed would make it foolish for him to cut off the relationship with Drex completely. He would be just as hurt by that action, if not more than Drex. There was no reason for him to spend time sourcing another resource that could provide everything that Drex could.

“I counted two hundred and fifty-nine Sunfire Grains. Would you like to double-check, Initiate Cal?”

“That’s not necessary,” Cal shook his head. That was just about what he assumed he had.

“Very well. This is your payment,” Drex handed over coins in quick succession. Cal counted them before pocketing them in his pouch.

One gold, twenty-nine silver, and fifty copper.

“You took the guild’s tax out already?”

“Yes, it’s the standard fifty percent,” Drex said with a short nod.

“Hm, thanks. Now, for the uncomfortable talk I need to have with you. Why did you send Nismus to my farm?”

The sudden change in tone blindsided Drex. “I’m not sure what you mean, Initiate Cal.”

“Seris brought Nismus to me because you told her I was interested in seeing him. Let’s not play dumb, Drex.”

“Oh! That’s right, I remembered that Nismus knew far more about Sunfire Grains than I did, so I planned to let you meet again. Young Seris must have taken that another way and took action herself.”

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

“Hm, I see,” Cal didn’t believe that one bit. “If you have something to tell me, don’t mention it to Seris. There’s no reason to get her involved.” He gave him a sharp look before changing the subject. "You don’t mind if I leave the cart here, do you?

Drex took the warning for what it was and quickly agreed with his request. “Of course, Initiate Cal.”

“We’ll be back soon,” Cal motioned for Tavia to follow, leaving a flustered Drex behind.

“He was telling you a half-truth,” Tavia stated as they approached the bazaar.

“I’m aware. But I understand why,” Cal shrugged. At her questioning look, he expanded. “It’s to tempt me to use a third party to sell the crops. Nismus is that third party. He made his presence known at the farm before Drex told me of the reduced sale price and large fee the guild took.”

“Not a bad plan,” Tavia chuckled. “A little upfront about their intentions, but better than dealing with low-level scheming.”

“That’s why I didn’t do much other than warn them. Though, I was planning to cut off Drex before my anger cooled down.”

“Well, that’s not as bad as what you would have done in the past.”

They were at the edge of the boardwalk, their presence noticed by the few shoppers and the overlooking Initiates. Cal turned to face Tavia, curiosity clear in his expression. “What do you think I would have done before?”

“Take away his job,” Tavia replied without hesitation. “Transfer him to the middle of nowhere. Reduce his pay to nothing. Take your pick. It wouldn’t have crossed your red line, so there would be no physical harm, but you would have tried to ruin his life in other ways.”

Cal could tell she was being completely serious. And it was almost a relief.

I wasn’t as heartless when I was a Trainee. It wouldn’t have occurred to me to have restraint after I joined the core guild. I wouldn’t have had the mind to make an effort to do anything other than swift harm.

“You’re proud that you have more restraint,” Tavia laughed.

Cal shrugged and said, “Let’s shop.” That got Tavia off the subject quickly.

The bazaar had far fewer shoppers crowding the boardwalk. This could be due to it being the last few days it would be open. Some stalls were closed, and most of the ones that were open had sparse goods for sale.

“What were you interested in buying?” Cal asked as they moved to the third stall in under a minute. Tavia had said a few words to each owner before deciding there was nothing of interest to her.

“Something I can’t get in Lumina. Or at least something I can get for much cheaper here before the shops mark them up.”

“Huh. I didn’t know you wanted to resell something.”

“Not necessarily. I'll keep it if I find something that can channel the fire element well. If not, then yes. I’ll sell it to buy something in Lumina.”

Cal hummed in thought as he watched Tavia browse another stall, only for it to give her more disappointment. “Give me a moment, Tavia. I might know where to find what you want.”

He smiled at her bewildered look as he walked away. He had often caught Vaela glancing at him from her spot overlooking the bazaar. If she took something Tavia wanted off these stall owners, he might be able to get it.

Cal’s eyes flicked to the side when he noticed a familiar and saw Benan’s stall with the man himself staring right at him. Benan did nothing other than give him a small smile before returning his attention to organizing his goods.

He didn’t change his destination, but he intended to speak with the man before he left.

“Vaela,” Cal greeted. “It’s been a while.”

“Far too long,” Vaela smiled. “If it wasn’t for your little assistant finding me recently, I would have thought you were in trouble after what you did.”

“What did I do?” Cal blinked in confusion.

“There were rumors saying you killed some important guild member in Lumina,” Vaela paused before laughing. “I should have known that was ridiculous, but you were named, so I wasn’t sure.”

That was fast. The rumor is already twisted.

Cal matched Vaela’s mood with his dismissive scoff. “I wouldn’t be here if that was the case.”

“That’s true,” Vaela’s smile lessened a bit. “So, what made you leave your… friend to talk to me?”

“You told me that you watch over the bazaar to have first rights over anything that comes through. Did you fid anything that relates to the fire element?”

Vaela looked embarrassed. “A few are claimed as such by the sellers. I don’t have any affinity towards it so I wouldn’t be able to tell if that’s the truth.”

“That’s more than enough. Could you do me a favor—”

“Cal!” Tavia interrupted him with a wide smile. “Who’s this? You never mentioned her to me before.”

Cal wasn’t startled by Tavia’s presence beside him. It was what she did after that left him without words.

He stared at his arm wrapped in a light hug as Tavia leaned her body against him.

“Cal?” Tavia’s smile gained a wicked edge when she noticed his silence.

Cal cleared his throat before motioning toward Vaela with his free arm. “Tavia, this is Vaela. I was asking her if she found any objects that relate to the fire element.”

“Oh,” Tavia blinked. “Oh!” She released his arm, to his… regret. “Vaela, was it? Could you show them to me?”

Vaela looked at Cal uneasily and said, “The other Initiates will demand payment from me if I give anything away.”

“You’ll be paid for it,” Cal assured her.

Vaela’s expression lightened immediately. “Then I would be glad to show you, Tavia.”

“Great! I thought I would enjoy looking through the stalls, but there’s nothing to find,” Tavia complained as she followed Vaela.

“You should come at the start next time. All of the interesting things have long been sold. The remaining—”

Vaela's voice trailed off as they walked away from Cal. He shook his head and chuckled.

This works out. I can get my answers without her beside me.

Cal turned and headed right to Benan’s stall. The man was staring right at him as if he had been waiting.

“Apprentice Cal, I see your previous purchases have been treating you well.”

Cal frowned as his eyes darted around. Nobody else was paying them any attention.

“Why do you say that?”

“Is it not obvious?” Benan chuckled. “You make no effort to hide yourself. It would be a miracle if I didn’t know.”

Cal subconsciously tapped his finger on the stall’s counter as his thoughts raced through his mind. He had no idea it was possible to hide his strength. Then again, it wasn’t necessary in his previous life.

The real question was what Benan really was.

He implies that my rapid increase in power is due to the objects he sold to me.

“Are you finished with your day, Benan?” Cal's tone was much more respectful than before.

“I could be convinced to end it if something else interests me.”

Cal hummed as he wondered if continuing this was the best choice. In the end, that didn’t matter. He had to know more of the things left on his dresser.

“I’d like to treat you to a meal if you’re free.”

Benan chuckled. “That should be the least interesting thing I have ever heard, but you change that. I’ll do so on one condition. You answer some of my questions, and I’ll return the favor.”

Cal wasn’t keen on agreeing, but there was nothing binding here. “We’ll see how it goes.”

“I suppose we will,” Benan laughed and started to put his things away.