What a delightful question. After I retired from the Royal Avennish Adventurer's Guild, I decided to live my life by three guiding principles. The first of these is that I always try to listen to the story of the world. It's all around us, and it grows in leaps and bounds, driven forward by the interactions of simple folk and the movement of power and knowledge between them. I sell items so that the story I love so much might flourish.

The second principle is to find joy in human interaction. As you may or may not know, I spent over fifty years as an adventurer of no small renown. The hardest thing of my time doing so wasn't fighting against the hordes at the Gates of Dusk. It wasn't slaying the Black Dragon Father on the slopes of Mount Kanii. It wasn't even negotiating with the God Emperor of Urish for peace on behalf of my home kingdom. No, the most challenging thing was never having time to stop and just talk to people. Anyone is welcome in my shop, whether you want to buy something or just admire my collection. Have a listen. Share your story.

The third principle is more a concept that I embody, and it is the one that gets me into trouble. Some people describe themselves as creatures of habit. I describe myself as a creature of chaos. I embody the concept of chaos every day. It's not something I try to do; it's simply me. If you spend time with me, you're bound to find that out for yourself. But to that end, what could be more chaotic than a retired adventurer selling off powerful and dangerous magic items to random people walking into his shop?

-Basen Koh, on why he decided to open his shop

Reid completed his service writ job the next day. It wasn't nearly as disgusting as the sewer work, but it had been backbreaking. He spent the entire day cleaning offices throughout the tower. He had no idea how many people worked there or what they were doing, but he knew they produced a lot of garbage and random sticky messes on their desks.

After the day of soul crushing work, he was all too happy to pay for his next week's housing accommodations in cash and in advance. He had a meal with both Trace and Leah. Leah chattered at him about her specialization training, which she had started the day before. She was confident she'd be ready for her assessment in a couple days. Trace kept quiet. Something about the talkative younger woman seemed to rob her of a will to communicate, but she still cooked dinner, for which Reid profusely thanked her.

The following day was the start of the weekend. That meant the market square was back in full swing. Reid was optimistic about the day, leaving the Dusk Guild with a spring in his step.

Reid delighted in exploring his new city. Every day was something new, and today was the day he had been looking forward to the most. Growing up in his border town, he'd never been in a place with more than a hundred people at once. Now, he wandered through a market square filled with hundreds of vendors and what must have been ten times as many people. He'd left home and come to the capital city of New Avennia to follow his dreams. This was it.

He moved from stall to stall, watching how each merchant worked, trying to nail down what things they did to pull in customers and how they closed sales. He really had no idea what he was even supposed to look for.

A crowd gathered around a stall with the words "Harvin's Half Off Hooch" painted on the sign. Reid was pretty sure that was some kind of spirit. He joined the crowd to see why they were interested in the stall.

"That's right!" a loud man yelled from the front. He was standing before the stall and wearing a round hat with a feather. "Harvin has done it again! Berries sourced straight from the banks of the Liandre!"

Out of nowhere, the man produced a bunch of purple berries. They were unblemished and spotted with morning dew. With a flick of the hand, the berries were replaced with a lustrous piece of wood.

"Aged in barrels made from imported toral wood! Blessed and empowered by the tree people, this wood imparts magic into every batch. Each sip gives you warm and cozy feelings—a sense of belonging, family, and love!"

The man made the wood vanish and produced a fine dark bottle.

"I present to you: Harvin's Home, a wine you don't just drink, you experience! With three grades at reasonable prices, anyone can take home a piece of Harvin's Home today!"

The bottle vanished, and the man presented the stand behind him with a flourish. Through some magic Reid couldn't feel, the empty stall filled with bottles and crates. In the middle of it all was a man with a broad smile and open arms.

"Thank you! Thank you! Harvin's is now open for business!"

After a brief flurry of motion, a line formed, and Harvin started selling his wine. The whole show had been exactly what he wanted—dramatic and intriguing, with a product that even Reid wanted to experience. He wanted to talk to the man in the feather hat, but he'd vanished like the items he had produced.

Instead of trying to find the man, he continued his circuit of the market. What Reid really needed to find was a mentor. His work with Mr. Foursprout had been interesting, but the tree person hadn't exactly been helpful in learning the trade. Someone flashy like the man outside Harvin's could help him in some ways, but the man had more likely just been a performer. Reid pulled out his "to do" list and added a note to find where he could find some performers.

He took his time exploring the rest of the market. After a couple hours, he was near the end of his first circuit of the market. He hadn't found anyone quite as interesting as Harvin's performer, but he had seen a lot of traders in action. As he thought about who he'd seen that he might approach for work, he was distracted by a curious sight. The crowds were thinner in the back row of stalls near the corner, so he could easily see the old, unusual man he'd seen speaking with Mr. Foursprout the other day. He was at a small stall with a few things on display. He also balanced precariously on a stool and struggled to hang the narrow stall's sign. Reid rushed over to give him a hand.

"Excuse me! Do you need help?"

"Hmm? Oh, that would be great. Could you grab me some tea? Veris, just down the street, has the best blend. Two cups, if you please!"

The man pulled out a nail from the pocket of his robe and drove it into the sign without any visible tools.

"Oh, sorry," Reid said awkwardly. "I meant with the sign."

"Why would I need help with the sign?"

"You looked like you were about to fall."

"Looks can be deceiving, young man," he jumped off the stool with a flourish, presenting himself with a slight bow. "Take me for example. You wouldn't know it by looking, but I'm actually one of the top three experts in dochenzi, the ancient art of tile composition and crop rotation, in the entire world!"

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Reid didn't move for a moment, unsure how to process the information. "Oh. I had no idea."

"Well! That's a good lesson for you, then, my boy! Words can be deceiving, too."

"So you're not a...dochenzi? Expert?"

"Certainly not. I just made it up. What a ridiculous thing. Now, are you getting that tea, or will I remain parched?"

"Oh...ahh, I guess? I'm not really—"

"Wonderful, off you go. Just around the corner there."

The old man gave him a gentle push in the right direction.

Reid was a dozen steps away, shaking his head. "What in the world just happened?"

Despite his confusion, he found the tea shop a minute later. The buildings ran together in this section of the crowded capital. The shop had some kind of retractable glass wall, and the entire thing was drawn open into the fresh morning air. A small line waited for service from the single woman taking orders. He got in line, and only when it was his turn to order did he realize he didn't even know what the man wanted. He had been so confused by the exchange that he'd barely registered the request.

"Young man! Are you alright?"

Reid looked around. He was the only one in line, and the kindly woman behind the counter looked at him with concern.

"Oh, sorry. Just a little confused. I...uhh. Accidentally came in here...well, not accidentally. I meant to come in here, but I don't know what I want. I didn't want tea, but this man in the market square sent me to get some, and I wasn't really sure what I should do, and now I'm rambling because I have a tendency to do that when I get overwhelmed or nervous, and you know what? I should probably just head out."

The woman laughed. "Oh no. Hold on. I know that confusion. This man...white hair and a beard? Strange robes and talked a lot of nonsense?"

"Sounds right. He sent me for two cups of tea, I think. But he didn't tell me what kind."

"I'm sorry about him. He's a bit eccentric but an alright sort, I think. His name is Basen Koh. I'm Veris, by the way. Let me put together his order for you. Should I put them on his tab?"

"Oh, I can pay. I—"

"It's fine. There's no need to start panic rambling again. I'll put it on his tab. If rumors are any indication, he's not great at keeping on top of his payments, but he always stays on my good side. He either fancies me or is addicted to my tea."

Reid calmed down. The tea shop was nice, with tables for people to sit down and socialize, but it was empty this morning. The few people in front of him had just picked up some drinks to go.

"Are you new in the city? I haven't seen you before, and I never forget a face."

"The city is huge. You know everyone here?"

"Of course not, but I've seen most of them. Then there's the way you're looking around at everything. Like you've never seen a tea shop before."

"I haven't, actually."

"Really? Where are you from?"

"Glarrus. It's along the western border with Urish. We have one shop, and it doesn't have half the stuff I've seen in my short time in the city."

"I see. What brings you to New Avennia? Not joining the military, I hope? A nice young man like yourself shouldn't throw his life away for people with more power than sense, but you keep that between the two of us."

Reid laughed. The woman was a delight to talk to. Interested and engaging. He'd have to come back for some tips.

"I'm actually hoping to become a merchant. I want to find someone to teach me, ideally. If I can't get that, I'll probably just start working for one. If you have any recommendations..." he left the idea hanging.

She covered up a pair of mugs and turned back to him, setting them on the counter.

"Interesting. Stay away from the big names or the factory shops. They'll chew you up and spit you out without teaching you anything worthwhile. Working isn't a bad idea. I can't think of any proper merchants in the city that might take on a fresh face with no experience."

She pushed the mugs toward him and paused. "Although..."

Reid leaned in. "Yes?"

"You should work for Basen."

The idea confused him. The man seemed like he had about six things for sale. He also didn't seem like a particularly helpful person to work for. It was one thing working for Mr. Foursprout, who legitimately needed the help, but he wasn't sure why the older man would hire him.

"Why him?"

"Basen isn't a merchant—not really. He's a collector, a retired adventurer, and a powerful mage in his own right. Don't let him tell you otherwise about that last part. But he's bad at this. His store is poorly managed, and he's probably a week away from having all his things thrown out onto the street."

"You're not exactly selling me on the idea."

"Basen isn't a merchant, but he needs one. If you want to be one of the greats, that's the spot for you. I guarantee it."

He wasn't sure why, but the idea excited him.

"Thanks for the advice," he held out his hand to shake. "I just realized I didn't introduce myself. I'm Reid. I'll admit something about it does sound kind of exciting."

"You're welcome, Reid. If Basen gives you a hard time, tell him Veris said he has to hire you, or he's not getting any more tea!"

Reid thanked her again and got out of the way of some new customers. Once he had his bearings, he brought the mugs to the market square. He assumed there must have been some sort of deposit for the mugs, but since he hadn't paid, he didn't worry about it. He found Basen sitting behind his stall polishing a smooth black stone, his seven items sitting on the table unmoved since Reid left.

"Basen. I've got your drinks."

"Hmm? Oh. I didn't actually expect you to come back. And you've collected my name as well. Well, thank you."

"Sure. The tea was two silver," he guessed.

"Two silver! Did you tell her it was for me?"

"Uh, yes?"

"Damn. That's a surefire way to get charged double. Ah well, it can't be helped now." He produced two coins and handed them to Reid. Then he picked up a mug and took a sip. "That's the stuff. Now, can I interest you in anything, young man? I didn't catch your name."

"Reid."

Basen nodded and gestured invitingly at his table of what Reid could only describe as "random stuff." He stepped back and looked at the sign, which he hadn't read earlier.

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Stuff for Sale

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"Uh. What is this stuff?"

"Ahh, I see you read my sign but failed to grasp the hidden meaning within. The stuff before you is for sale."

Reid blinked.

"Are you being serious?" he honestly couldn't tell.

"I assure you, I am willing to part with anything on this table given the appropriate amount of coin or flattering compliments in return. The quality and quantity of compliments is directly proportional to your attractiveness and relative social standing, however!"

Reid pointed at two interconnected rings on the table. "What is this?"

Basen picked it up and examined it. "Oh wow, what a find. I didn't know I had these."

"You don't know what you have out here!?"

"Well, I know what I have out here, but I haven't identified all of them."

"Then how do you expect to sell them to people?"

"Curiosity? Dashing good looks?"

"I'm not sure that's a good business strategy."

"What are you, some kind of merchant?"

Reid considered. Before this week, he'd never actually sold anything in his life. But he knew in his heart that he was.

"I am."

"What should I do, then?" Basen asked, catching him off guard yet again.

"Listen, I don't want to come off as rude here, but do you actually want to sell anything here?"

"Oh, absolutely. I'm about...hmm. I moved into the building in September. How many months ago was September?"

"Five."

"Right. I'm about five months behind on rent. I really need to start selling some stuff."

Reid blinked again. He had come to the city to struggle and do what he could to become a merchant, and here was a man who just stumbled into it backwards with absolutely no idea what he was doing.

"Would you like to hear a proposal?"

"Oooh, I am a romantic at heart. Where?" Basen stood up and looked around.

"Not that kind of proposal. One where I offer you some service, and you choose to accept it or not."

"Aww. That's my fault. Jumping to conclusions. Very well. Have at it. I warn you, I am a shrewd negotiator."

Reid wasn't sure if Basen remembered him from the other day, but he hadn't really seen him as shrewd. If it weren't for the tree person raising his prices specifically for Basen, he would have paid more than he had to for any of the items Reid had been selling. Reid held up the intertwined rings that Basen examined.

"I will help you sell some of the stuff you brought with you today. Let's say three of seven items, given I don't know what they are, and neither do you, apparently. In exchange you hire me full time to help you run your business. Deal?"

"Huh. What do you get out of it?"

"Experience. I'm new to the city, and while I think of myself as a merchant, I need to grow and learn. Veris said it would be a good match."

"Aha! I knew she was pulling strings behind the scenes. I'm not sure why I should agree."

"You said you were going to lose your business?"

"Psh. They wouldn't dare throw me out."

"Veris said if you don't hire me, she's cutting you off. No more tea."

Basen rocked back and put a hand over his heart. "You fiend! She wouldn't! Would she?"

"Do you want to test her?"

Basen rubbed his chin. "Very well. Deal. You sell three of these items today, before the market ends in six hours, and I'll hire you."

They shook on it.

"Great," Reid said. "Now, what the heck are you trying to sell?"