Part-16

After stowing tonight's take alongside leftover lumber, Ben pumped fresh water from the courtyard well to splash his face. As he peered up at constellations glinting sharp and clear in the absence of modern urban light pollution, mists of memory swirled through his mind. How many nights had he navigated by these same timeless stars during youthful adventures in the forest, evidenced by faded sketches and trophy discoveries still adorning his bedroom shelves?

The distant shriek of a hunting owl jarred Ben from his momentary reverie. He blinked himself back to the present and headed inside to prepare a well-earned late supper. As leftover vegetable stew slowly heated over the hearth fire's glowing embers, Ben withdrew a fresh pine block and began deftly carving away curls of wood from its edges. Each thin shaving spiral formed visions that guided his hands to shape emerging form - warriors and wizards striding forth from once passive grain. Though his arcane abilities had indeed been sealed by an unseen force upon returning to Nebula Nine, Ben's imagination remained boundless. Each figure materializing through patient whittling strokes represented another spark kindling in receptive young minds when discovered at his stall tomorrow.

By the time Ben polished off second helpings of the hearty broth, a small army of mystical heroes stood ranked across the table, freshly etched from timber along with the wooden cars. The pieces were but rough prototypes, their detailing and articulated components still crude. But the underlying shapes and scale clearly conveyed the epic tales behind every Job sculpt. Ben nodded approvingly at his evening's haul before banking the hearth fire for sleep. There would be ample weeks ahead to refine charm and resemblance once fundamental forms proved popular. For now, blanketing his dreams with riotous visions from the fantasy realms questing knights and wizards embodied would suffice perfectly.

When golden dawn next illumined the forest eaves outside Ben's window, he sprang from bed invigorated by imagination's infiltrating bounties. A quick breakfast of crusty bread, wild blackberries, and crisp well water fueled preparations for heading to market. Today Ben would debut designs honed overnight, eager to implement evolving "ant coverage" sales tactics that rewarded curiosity regardless of means. Because shaping inquisitive minds through creativity's spark held far greater purpose than accruing coins for himself.

A week had passed since Ben started selling his handmade wooden toys in the marketplace. Not only had his intricately carved wooden cars become quite popular with the local children, but also the novel wooden idol figures depicting various superheroes from planet Earth. Though such superhero idols were unfamiliar in this world known as Nebula 9, the imaginative and brightly colored figures had still proven to be a huge hit among the youths. Each idol figure was priced at 10 bronze coins, allowing Ben to earn a modest profit on every piece sold.

At his current pace of sales, he found that his System Points - required to unlock the Shopkeeper System permissions - were accumulating at 635 so far. However, the total points needed to fully activate the Shopkeeper System was a lofty 4,365. So while his wooden superhero idols and other creations were selling consistently, Ben felt his overall progression was happening too slowly for his liking. He contemplated what other business avenues or product lines would facilitate a more rapid earning rate, thereby pushing him closer to the activation threshold.

Unlocking the full Shopkeeper System was pivotal, as it would confer critical commercial rights and merchant protections once obtained. So Ben plotted what his next big merchandise move would be, one that tipped the scales faster in terms of both bronze coin profits and System Points. However, just as he was deep in strategic thought about expansion possibilities, a squad of armor-clad royal guards entered the busy marketplace area on patrol. This was not an unusual sight, as the royal guards regularly circled through such commercial zones of the city to conduct cursory sweeps and maintain a visible presence.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

On this occasion though, one of the royal guards broke stride and started heading directly in Ben's direction. Halting abruptly in front of Ben's humble stand of eclectic wares, the royal guard officiously declared, "Oy! It is illegal to sell goods in the middle of the roadway!". Ben took a breath and held his tongue. Though in reality he was not even positioned remotely close to obstructing the actual road, Ben knew reflexively arguing over such petty semantic details was futile. It mattered not; the royal guards superseded merchant concerns and dictated whatever street vending policies suited their liking at any given time.

Part-17

Resigned to the shakedown but not defeated, Ben calmly took out a full silver coin from his lockbox and extended it toward the smirking royal guard. "You have my sincerest apologies for any confusion regarding the allowed retailing spaces...I will be absolutely careful and adjust my placements properly from here forward".

Pausing to meet the royal guard's avaricious gaze, Ben added "...please take this small token as a measure of my gratitude for the royal guards' ongoing efforts to keep these bustling streets safe and orderly for all law-abiding citizens".

The royal guard quickly snatched up the proffered silver coin and deposited it into his belt pouch without a word. Turning on his heel to march away, he left Ben with an ominous parting shot - "See to it that you do! I will be back here to check on this vicinity again next week!". (1 Silver Coin = 100 Bronze Coin, 1 Gold Coin = 100 Silver Coin.)

Watching the unit of royal guards continue their arrogant strides through the dense marketplace crowds, Ben could not help but mutter aloud his cynical impressions of such exploitation and abuse of power. "Harrumph! Graft-hungry leeches and thugs like them are an epidemic across every planet, regardless of what new world you find yourself in!".

Fuming, Ben re-examined his modest coin stock to calculate what amounts he could afford to part with during the next inevitable shakedown visit. Though aggrieved, he also felt reinforced to seek out and create merchandise that sold extremely briskly - high enough volumes to offset these frustrating bribes and allow his Shopkeeper System activation to stay on pace.

It would be another few weeks before the shopkeeper permissions unlocked fully, so Ben focused intensely on what his next line of in-demand wares would comprise. Children's toys and youth novelty items had been reliable opening acts, but it was time now to strategize his true bread-and-butter commerce main event. What common needs did the surrounding community and its residents have that were currently underserved? Foodstuffs and grocery goods posed logistical challenges without reliable storage methods in place just yet. Textiles and garments might thrive, but supply costs on those could fluctuate greatly which dampened profit margins. Household tools and practical implements tended to be dominated by the long-established blacksmiths and hardware tradesmen already.

Three weeks had passed since his sales had steadily increased. Each day, more and more customers came to purchase the finely crafted wooden toys and figures that he made by hand. Ben took pride in his work, carefully carving and smoothing each piece before detailing it with bright, child-friendly paints. Though he had started the business as a hobby, word had spread in the little village about the friendly shopkeeper and his beautiful creations. The toys he made were affordable and brought joy to the local children. Soon parents and kids alike were stopping by to browse the newest toys on display.

One sunny day at noon, after a particularly busy morning, Ben sold the last of his ready-made inventory to an eager young boy who had come in with his mother. As the happy pair left the shop, wooden train set in hand, Ben went back inside and settled down on the chair with a satisfied sigh. He was glad his creations were so popular but also enjoyed the quiet moments like this. As he sat there peacefully, he glanced out the shop window and noticed the clear blue sky starting to fill with clouds.

"It looks like rain is coming," Ben muttered to himself. "It's been quite a while since we've had a good storm."

Though the plants and dusty ground would appreciate a thorough watering, some shopkeepers might be bothered by the thought of rain keeping customers away. But storms had always given Ben a sense of coziness and peace. As the first fat raindrops began to fall, damping the ground outside, he smiled slightly.

Soon a light rain began to pour from the sky, dripping off the eaves and gathering in puddles on the road. The pleasant, earthy scent of fresh rain filled the air. Ben found the weather romantic and wholesome.

As he watched the rainfall strengthen, listening to its soothing pattern on the window and roof, his eyes began to feel heavy. The rain made him feel sleepy. Just as he was about to close his eyes for a short nap, he heard the door creak open.

Startled from his drowsy state, Ben looked up to see a customer entering the shop. It was a woman - or was it an angel?