The next morning, Ben resumed his sidewalk salesman routine from the previous day, unfolding a woven grass mat before his modest shop. After carefully laying out the batch of intricately carved toy vehicles, he cleared his throat and belted out in a sing-song voice, “Get your magical toy carriages here! Finest in the realm!”
Ben continued hollering out pitches every few minutes, gesturing grandly at the array of wooden cars and trucks like a carnival barker. Yet despite the periodic waves of curious browsers his loud marketing tactics attracted, the initial intrigue still did not convert into sales from these wary rural villagers who came to town.
As the afternoon wore on, Ben’s spirits began to sink once more. Perhaps yesterday’s lone transaction with the wide-eyed village boy had been an aberration after all. Sourness brewed in Ben’s stomach - or maybe that was just hunger pangs from self-imposed austerity.
Just as he started packing up the unsold wares to call it a disappointed day, a group of four young boys wandered over from the winding market lane. And to Ben’s immense surprise, leading the pack of dirty-faced urchins was the same slender lad who had purchased the toy sedan yesterday!
The boy stopped before Ben’s mat and proclaimed to his friends, “This here is the shop I told y’all about! He crafted these artistic toys I displayed to you, and the cost is merely five bronze coins!”
The three other youngsters leaned down to inspect the automobiles, clearly enthralled. One tow-headed boy picked up a small truck model, turning it upside down with great curiosity.
One of the boys examines it as though he intends to uncover all the drawbacks of this toy.
Before Ben could explain the concept of inertia, the blonde boy dug a few bronze coins from his pocket and extended them eagerly. “I gotta get me one o’ these car things!”
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
The other two boys quickly followed suit, scrambling to gather their meager allowances. Within minutes, Ben had sold all three newcomers four of his unique toy vehicles. As the smiling lads scampered off back toward the village heartily debating what powers these “mystery carriages” held, yesterday’s returning lad shyly produced another five coins from his cloth sack.
“Um, reckon I could trouble you for one more automobile, mister?” he asked hopefully. “My baby sister done snatched mine earlier and I fear it lost forever in her mouth by now.”
Ben chuckled and gladly exchanged another carved truck for the dingy bronze payment. “Not to worry, my good man! Plenty more automobiles from whence that came.”
The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a warm golden glow on Ben's humble shop as the boy with the returned enthusiasm stood there, cradling his newfound treasure. The air was filled with the distant laughter of children and the faint sounds of the bustling village. Ben couldn't help but marvel at the way his carved wooden wonders had captured the imaginations of these youngsters.
As the lad clutched his second acquisition, a gleam of gratitude sparkled in his eyes. "Thank ya kindly, sir! These here toys are the best I've ever laid eyes on," he exclaimed before joining his friends, who were now animatedly discussing the mysterious capabilities of their newly acquired "mystery carriages."
Amidst the joyous chatter, a sense of accomplishment swelled within Ben. His small workshop, filled with the aroma of freshly carved wood, had become a haven for dreams and adventures. Other curious children began to approach, their eyes wide with wonder as they surveyed the array of meticulously crafted toys that adorned Ben's mat.
Ben stroked his bristly chin, deep in thought. How fortuitous that yesterday’s lone buyer had organically spread word about Ben’s novel wooden playthings to other local children! He had unwittingly demonstrated what Ben’s business mentor on Earth termed the “Ant Strategy.”
“When an ant discovers a morsel of food,” the mentor had explained, “it leaves an invisible trail of pheromones which other ants detect, following that path en masse to the feast. Your first loyal customer base is the ants who signal more buyers.”
Just as ants recruited comrades to share the bounty they uncovered, this kindhearted lad had organically served as an advocate for Ben’s wares to friends. The social ripples were already compounding sales. Ben straightened up the remaining toy cars with renewed motivation. Perhaps this humble young villager represented the tiny spark that would ignite a true buzz around the bizarre merchant's wares, sterile trails of coin spreading the word unto the kingdom’s far reaches!
System Points: 30
Required to Activate Shopkeeper System - 4,970 points