Severin ignored Samuel’s almost flippant remark and instead started clapping.

After getting over their initial shock- Severin recognized the [Slaughter King’s] behavior probably wasn’t considered proper- the majority of the surrounding high ranking figures nevertheless joined in as well. Still, in these upper ranks in the stadium, the applause remained rather reserved.

It was the fans in the lower tiers who were responsible for most of the noise, and willing to shower the successful title defender with the applause Severing firmly believed he deserved; though maybe for different reasons.

But that didn’t prevent the people in the upper tiers from animatedly discussing amongst themselves, trying to figure out what exactly they had just witnessed .

With pointed ears, Severin leaned back into his seat.

This was what he was actually interested in.

…

“Did… Did that really just happen?”

“The fight, or..?”

“Seriously? No. Not the fight! I’m talking about…”

…

“… someone of his caliber. Of course, it has to be real. Even if you don’t believe his words, couldn’t you see the enormous difference compared to his last performance? Or have you already forgotten?

And you should be just as clear as me that someone like him won’t have that many level-ups anymore. So how do you explain his performance?”

…

“Can’t really fault him, I say. If that stuff really makes you fight like that, then just sign me up as well!”

“Right. Whatever that stuff was, I want some for my guards.”

Not just the guards! Didn’t they say it buffed his focus? The effects might just be equally beneficial to regular people.”

“By regular you mean non-combatants?”

“Same thing, same thing!”

…

“So that last thing was a mana potion?”

“Tzz. Since when do [Sword Dancers] use mana? If anything, it has to be an energy potion.”

“Certainly didn’t look much like a potion to me. Summoned directly into his mouth?! Besides. Normally potions are supposed to be, you know, some kind of liquid, no?”

“Either way, I’m pretty sure he called it a potion. A resource potion at that. Not mana, not energy. Resource.”

“You don’t mean…?”

…

The various smaller groups were still talking amongst themselves, but Severin had heard enough. The reception was as well as he could’ve hoped for.

Now it was time to check out his rewards.

The rewards for completing his advertising quest. Apparently, the System was just as satisfied with Richard’s performance as Severin himself.

He checked the status prompts.

Two more of the matte black membership cards. Of those he already knew in advance. And they were already reserved.

But what he didn’t knew were the additional V.I.P. features that also came with the quest completion. In that regard, the System had been rather vague. As so often.

Could it be that the unspecified rewards scale with the efficiency with which a quest was completed? Was the System rating his performance?

Once he thought about this, Severin really hoped this suspicion was right. After all, he had just surpassed himself. If this didn’t earn him full marks, then what would?

With bated breath, he scrolled down.

[Adjustable V.I.P. privileges.]

‘Five more combinator charges. Boring.

Then... let’s see.

The five percent discount can be increased up to ten. Also, kinda meh, to be honest. And if I understand this right, I have to compensate for the loss of revenue all by myself. The System’s cut remains unchanged. Great,’ he grumbled to himself.

‘But still worth it, I suppose.’

Severin was not exactly pleased with this arrangement. But as much as he was annoyed, he knew that a little generosity towards his most loyal customers would go a long way.

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Conversely, being too stingy with someone like Richard–who just paid a not negligible price himself - and limiting the benefits to the bare minimum might just jeopardize future cooperation.

Therefore, he concluded that, ‘I should probably see this as more of some kind of marketing expense.’

Still, Severin felt the rewards so far were rather lackluster. But luckily…

Severin scrolled down further and was pleasantly surprised by what he saw.

‘Now that’s more like it!’ He almost started laughing out loud and only caught himself at the last moment.

‘The limited carrying capacity has always been a problem! But let’s first see how exactly this works.

The membership card itself will serve as a magic storage? And because in a way those things still are the store’s, or rather the System’s, property, it’s not bound those same limitations as regular inventories? That’s at least how I understand it.

In that case, it should also affect the foodstuff, right?!’

Severin still remembered Andreas' complaints about the limited shelf life of Severin’s food. While normal food was well preserved inside one’s inventory, Severin’s stuff had soon begun to perish, and therefore making it unfeasible to sustain the corresponding food buffs over the course of prolonged dungeon exploration tours.

On the other hand, Severin himself didn’t have those same problems. In fact, the last time he checked, the few slices inside his own inventory still hadn’t even turned cold. The difference was all too evident.

‘Only shame that it’s only twenty slots.

Well. Then again.

Given that the capacity for elixirs and oils is only five to begin with…’

“Haha.” This time, he couldn’t control himself.

“What are you so pleased for? Is it still because of the number you did on Rich?” Samuel teased.

“I don’t know what you are talking about!” Severin vehemently denied the accusation, but carried a wide smile on his face while doing so.

“I just thought about sharing some of my good fortune with my most loyal customer,” saying this, he waved one of the black cards around. “But I have the feeling he isn’t even interested.”

“Hey, hey now brat!”

The title of most loyal customer naturally referred to Samuel himself, Severin’s first ever customer.

The [Shopkeeper] was in a great. Only because of that, and the fact that it was Samuel who first addressed him so casually, did he dare to be similarly jovial with the half-giant. And after the last couple of days, it just felt right.

In the end, Severin handed over the card. But despite the atmosphere, the decision to do so hadn’t been as spontaneous as it may have appeared.

It was Severin’s way to say thanks not only for the man’s continued patronage and for taking him with him on this trip, but also for setting up the meeting with the man sitting not all too far behind them.

Samuel understood all this. When the two of them had become more serious again, he therefore didn’t decline the gesture.

He said his heartfelt thanks and studied the cards with ever-growing excitement. Samuel already knew of some of the features-or rather privileges-it granted, simply because of his contact with Andreas, but the newest addition naturally came as a surprise to him.

But with Samuel being occupied, the surrounding voices, again, became impossible to ignore.

“But why would anyone set up shop in the middle of nowhere? Only to go to such lengths? Advertising in front of all these people? In front of all of Hanvia. Half of Galira even! Who would do something like that?”

“I think Sefron, was it? Sefron’s Emporium? What a grand name, tz.”

“Wasn’t it Severin?”

“Hmm. Could be. Sounds at least somewhat familiar.”

The [Shopkeeper] suddenly felt several heads turn toward his back.

Ahem

“I think I should get going.”

“Are you sure?” Samuel asked. “The first rounds of the one-vs-one tournament should start soon.”

Maybe if it were already the finals, or preferable even one of the guild subjugation events where he could see his first real fantasy monster, and where the first responders were more compelled to intervene immediately instead of waiting until the participants were already at least half-dead, he might have let himself be persuaded.

“I think I’ll pass. Richard must already be waiting.”

“Haha, I think you are right. And he truly has earned his reward!

But all jokes aside. I think it wasn’t a bad deal for him either.” This time, Samuel waved around the membership card. “And I would’ve said the same thing even before I learned of those new features you added!

You know what? I’ll might as well accompany you. I should see what the two troublemakers are up to, anyway.”

“Right.” Severin paused for a moment. “What about the third guy?”

“We’ll see.”