Theo hadn't expected a mere disagreement to escalate to the point of blades being drawn. However, he had already gouged the value of these enchanted vegetables to the royal family. He knew they wouldn't easily give up on the only person who could supply them. He was simply toying with them, playing hard to get.
Elara stepped in front of Theo, turning to Haldir, her voice dripping with authority, “Commander Haldir, consider what will happen if I return to Silvermoon City and reveal how we missed this opportunity to get those special enchanted vegetables because of your rashness.”
She then addressed Aerin, “Sister, let me handle this. Father would be most displeased to learn if we return empty-handed due to your hot temper.”
Theo, slightly amused, ran a hand through his hair as if he had won a great war, while Aerin was bubbling up with anger, clenching her fist and glaring daggers at him.
Elara turned back to face him, her eyes becoming soft, “I apologize for their rudeness. I'm Elara, and this is my sister, Aerin.”
"Why can't your sister adopt your gentle nature? Is it so challenging to be a little nicer?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow.
Elara sighed, “It's a long story. Many elves hold grudges against humans.”
“I've noticed that on several occasions since arriving here,” he replied dryly.
Elara, with a softening tone, inquired, “Would you consider selling us those enchanted vegetables?” Her large, puppy eyes seemed intent on swaying his decision.
Theo's tone grew cold, “I'm not inclined to, especially after that last incident.”
Elara, earnestly, said, “I understand your reservations. Neither of us was entirely blameless in our previous encounter. I was at fault too and I apologize for my sister’s behavior. My birthday is approaching, and I’d hoped to celebrate with everyone in the Silvermoon city using those very enchanted veggies for a grand feast.”
Theo glanced at Aerin, who sat on the sofa, feigning indifference, but her fury was easy to notice, she appeared annoyed. Meanwhile, the store manager looked increasingly anxious, his hands clasped as if in silent prayer.
Clearing his throat, Theo asked, “How much do you require?”
Sensing an opportunity, Elara replied eagerly, “All that you can offer.”
Theo replied calmly, “You may need to empty the city’s treasury, and possibly even those of neighboring cities, to afford my entire stock.”
He knew they were from a royal family, but they weren’t in the capital city, Silvermoon, and he predicted they wouldn’t travel with so much money. So, he had already given her a warning considering his current stock, which was acquired in the span of seven days.
“We will get the necessary funds, but how much do you have in stock?” Elara asked with a questioning gaze.
Theo, adopting a business-like tone, proposed, “Before we proceed, let's discuss the price
“We can pay the same price we paid the store manager: 1 gold per kg for enchanted tomatoes and 3 gold per kg for enchanted potatoes. However, if you wish, we can offer more.” Elara suggested, her eyes gleamed with a sincere appeal.
Theo glanced at the store manager and began to grasp why the man had been so anxious, wishing to keep him outside.
“If you offer more than that, you probably won’t be able to afford it unless you return to Silvermoon City to dig deeper into the royal treasury,” he replied, understanding the vast stock at hand.
Haldir’s voice cut through, “For how much did you sell to the store manager?”
Giving him an icy glance, he disclosed, “30 silver for 1 kg of enchanted tomatoes and 90 silver for 1 kg of enchanted potatoes.”
At that revelation, Haldir, Aerin, and even Elara turned their disbelieving eyes to the store manager, whose complexion now resembled that of a ghost.
“You deceived us?” Aerin spoke, her voice flickering with rage as she confronted the store manager.
“No, Princess, he's lying. We paid him more!” the manager retorted defensively.
Haldir placed his hand on his jaw as he pieced it all together, “That's why you wanted him to wait outside, even though he was your supplier.” With a commanding tone, he ordered, “Soldiers, arrest him, at once.”
Several guards entered, following Haldir’s direction, and soon the store manager found himself restrained by chain-like handcuffs. As they dragged him out, he shot Theo a venomous glare, silently vowing revenge.
Elara’s voice was soft but mixed with disappointment, “He told us he purchased them from you at 10 silver coins less than our buying price.”
The sudden demand for his enchanted vegetables was astonishing to Theo.
“Can you show us the rest of your stock?” Elara inquired.
Theo hesitated, “This is very small place to unload everything. Besides, you'd need a lot of equipments to weigh such a volume.”
“You have an approximate figure though, right?” Elara asked.
“Roughly, yes,” Theo admitted, “but it may not be exact.”
Her face softening into a smile, Elara responded, “We’re willing to pay extra. Just tell us your estimate.”
“So you’d accept any number I throw out? Is it a royal trait, believing you can't be cheated? Theo murmured, though loud enough for everyone to hear.
Elara giggled, and Theo sighed, understanding that he couldn't truly deceive them as he already saw what happened to store manager for being dishonest.
“We should move to a more spacious place to manage the transaction better. You’ll also need a substantial amount of gold and some spatial rings to store the vegetables.” Theo suggested.
Elara turned to Haldir with a questioning gaze. “Commander Haldir, do we have a suitable place for this transaction?”
The man nodded thoughtfully, “There are a few open areas in the city we can use, Princess.”
“That works for me. But you might want to consider if it’s suitable for your status,” Theo pointed out.
Elara dismissed his concern, “It's fine. But, before we proceed, might I inquire about your name?”
The boy, realizing he hadn’t formally introduced himself, replied. “It’s Theo.”
As they prepared to depart, Haldir turned to the group with a bittersweet smile, “It's a bit of a distance though, a few kilometers away.”
Nodding, Elara, with a graceful and inviting gesture, extended her hand towards Theo. “Would you care to join us in our carriage?”
Aerin, still seated on the sofa, shot them a frosty, disapproving glance, yelling in her thoughts, ‘Please… Noooo…’
Catching her annoyed expression from the corner of his eye, Theo took Elara’s outstretched hand, which felt both soft and warm. As they exited the store, they were closely followed by Aerin.
The trio boarded the carriage, which, to Theo's surprise, was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate his large frame. He took a seat by himself, while the two sisters settled opposite him.
Throughout the journey, Aerin maintained her chilly silence, occasionally throwing cold glances Theo's way. However, Elara attempted to break the silence.
“Where did you manage to find those enchanted vegetables?” she asked, with a hint of curiosity.
Theo, leaning back comfortably, replied with a calm, “Trade secret.”
Elara giggled lightly at his response. “You truly are an enigma.”
Theo chuckled, “I get that a lot.”
Noticing Aerin's silence, he continued, “I wonder why a princess like you are in such a small city.”
Aerin’s gaze lingered on him for a moment, clearly puzzled by Theo's casual demeanor, unused to anyone addressing them with such familiarity. Yet, this wasn't Theo's fault. Coming from modern Earth, he wasn't accustomed to the royal etiquettes of this world. Elara, on the other hand, seemed not bothered by it.
She said, “We’re here for Sister’s training with her Teacher. I’ve often expressed a desire to train under him as well, but he's quite selective.”
“The Teacher sounds formidable,” Theo remarked, thinking this mysterious master even refused to take an elven princess as his student.
“He is and no one wants to offend him. I’ve pleaded with him multiple times to take me under his wing, but he always refuses,” Elara replied with a slight sigh.
As the conversation flowed, Theo reached into his golden vault, pulling out some Duskbloom Berries. Offering them to Elara, he said, “These might not be much, but consider this an early birthday gift.”
She took the violet berries from his open palm, and after eating one with some hesitation, she experienced a velvety taste - rich and smooth, with the sweetness of roasted delights combined with a melt-in-your-mouth creaminess unlike anything she had ever tasted. Her eyes closed as she savored it.
Aerin noticed her sister's reaction and, unable to resist, snatched a berry from her hand and ate it. She too closed her eyes, seemingly lost in the fruit's creamy, rich sweetness.
Theo watched their reactions with amusement, knowing they would become addicted to this fruit, and he had no intention of selling it to them. It was merely a ploy to endear them to his products, ensuring they would think twice before offending him in the future.
After Elara and her sister had eagerly consumed all the berries, Aerin's gaze shifted to Theo, her pride visibly wrestling with her desire. “I want more,” she murmured, a hint of longing evident in her voice.
Leaning back with crossed arms and eyes closed with a soft smile, Theo replied, “One should learn to say 'please' when asking for something.”
Aerin’s cheeks colored slightly, but before she could retort, Elara intervened, “Please, may we have more?”
Theo retrieved a paper package , previously filled with sweets for Neria. He emptied the package, storing the sweets back in his golden vault, and filled it with Duskbloom Berries before handing it to Elara.
Her face brightened as she counted several dozen berries inside. She then shared some with Aerin, who, despite her earlier pride, accepted the treat. As the two sisters enjoyed the berries, the carriage suddenly halted, causing them to lurch forward due to the motion's inertia.
Emerging from the carriage, they found themselves on the edge of a vast ground. Around the perimeter were ascending seats.
As Theo observed the surroundings, Haldir remarked, “This arena was used for tournaments in the past.”
Without further delay, Theo walked to one end of the arena to begin his task. A black void materialized a meter above the ground. Nightshade Tomatoes poured out like rain, rapidly covering the ground.
Carefully, Theo adjusted the void's position, ensuring even distribution across the arena so as not to get drowned in them. After about thirty minutes, he began unloading the potatoes, finishing the task in an additional ten minutes.
All around, eyes widened in amazement. Aerin and Elara appeared dazed, Haldir gasped for air, and some soldiers had their jaws on the ground.
Theo hadn't expected a mere disagreement to escalate to the point of blades being drawn. However, he had already gouged the value of these enchanted vegetables to the royal family. He knew they wouldn't easily give up on the only person who could supply them. He was simply toying with them, playing hard to get.
Elara stepped in front of Theo, turning to Haldir, her voice dripping with authority, “Commander Haldir, consider what will happen if I return to Silvermoon City and reveal how we missed this opportunity to get those special enchanted vegetables because of your rashness.”
She then addressed Aerin, “Sister, let me handle this. Father would be most displeased to learn if we return empty-handed due to your hot temper.”
Theo, slightly amused, ran a hand through his hair as if he had won a great war, while Aerin was bubbling up with anger, clenching her fist and glaring daggers at him.
Elara turned back to face him, her eyes becoming soft, “I apologize for their rudeness. I'm Elara, and this is my sister, Aerin.”
"Why can't your sister adopt your gentle nature? Is it so challenging to be a little nicer?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow.
Elara sighed, “It's a long story. Many elves hold grudges against humans.”
“I've noticed that on several occasions since arriving here,” he replied dryly.
Elara, with a softening tone, inquired, “Would you consider selling us those enchanted vegetables?” Her large, puppy eyes seemed intent on swaying his decision.
Theo's tone grew cold, “I'm not inclined to, especially after that last incident.”
Elara, earnestly, said, “I understand your reservations. Neither of us was entirely blameless in our previous encounter. I was at fault too and I apologize for my sister’s behavior. My birthday is approaching, and I’d hoped to celebrate with everyone in the Silvermoon city using those very enchanted veggies for a grand feast.”
Theo glanced at Aerin, who sat on the sofa, feigning indifference, but her fury was easy to notice, she appeared annoyed. Meanwhile, the store manager looked increasingly anxious, his hands clasped as if in silent prayer.
Clearing his throat, Theo asked, “How much do you require?”
Sensing an opportunity, Elara replied eagerly, “All that you can offer.”
Theo replied calmly, “You may need to empty the city’s treasury, and possibly even those of neighboring cities, to afford my entire stock.”
He knew they were from a royal family, but they weren’t in the capital city, Silvermoon, and he predicted they wouldn’t travel with so much money. So, he had already given her a warning considering his current stock, which was acquired in the span of seven days.
“We will get the necessary funds, but how much do you have in stock?” Elara asked with a questioning gaze.
Theo, adopting a business-like tone, proposed, “Before we proceed, let's discuss the price
“We can pay the same price we paid the store manager: 1 gold per kg for enchanted tomatoes and 3 gold per kg for enchanted potatoes. However, if you wish, we can offer more.” Elara suggested, her eyes gleamed with a sincere appeal.
Theo glanced at the store manager and began to grasp why the man had been so anxious, wishing to keep him outside.
“If you offer more than that, you probably won’t be able to afford it unless you return to Silvermoon City to dig deeper into the royal treasury,” he replied, understanding the vast stock at hand.
Haldir’s voice cut through, “For how much did you sell to the store manager?”
Giving him an icy glance, he disclosed, “30 silver for 1 kg of enchanted tomatoes and 90 silver for 1 kg of enchanted potatoes.”
At that revelation, Haldir, Aerin, and even Elara turned their disbelieving eyes to the store manager, whose complexion now resembled that of a ghost.
“You deceived us?” Aerin spoke, her voice flickering with rage as she confronted the store manager.
“No, Princess, he's lying. We paid him more!” the manager retorted defensively.
Haldir placed his hand on his jaw as he pieced it all together, “That's why you wanted him to wait outside, even though he was your supplier.” With a commanding tone, he ordered, “Soldiers, arrest him, at once.”
Several guards entered, following Haldir’s direction, and soon the store manager found himself restrained by chain-like handcuffs. As they dragged him out, he shot Theo a venomous glare, silently vowing revenge.
Elara’s voice was soft but mixed with disappointment, “He told us he purchased them from you at 10 silver coins less than our buying price.”
The sudden demand for his enchanted vegetables was astonishing to Theo.
“Can you show us the rest of your stock?” Elara inquired.
Theo hesitated, “This is very small place to unload everything. Besides, you'd need a lot of equipments to weigh such a volume.”
“You have an approximate figure though, right?” Elara asked.
“Roughly, yes,” Theo admitted, “but it may not be exact.”
Her face softening into a smile, Elara responded, “We’re willing to pay extra. Just tell us your estimate.”
“So you’d accept any number I throw out? Is it a royal trait, believing you can't be cheated? Theo murmured, though loud enough for everyone to hear.
Elara giggled, and Theo sighed, understanding that he couldn't truly deceive them as he already saw what happened to store manager for being dishonest.
“We should move to a more spacious place to manage the transaction better. You’ll also need a substantial amount of gold and some spatial rings to store the vegetables.” Theo suggested.
Elara turned to Haldir with a questioning gaze. “Commander Haldir, do we have a suitable place for this transaction?”
The man nodded thoughtfully, “There are a few open areas in the city we can use, Princess.”
“That works for me. But you might want to consider if it’s suitable for your status,” Theo pointed out.
Elara dismissed his concern, “It's fine. But, before we proceed, might I inquire about your name?”
The boy, realizing he hadn’t formally introduced himself, replied. “It’s Theo.”
As they prepared to depart, Haldir turned to the group with a bittersweet smile, “It's a bit of a distance though, a few kilometers away.”
Nodding, Elara, with a graceful and inviting gesture, extended her hand towards Theo. “Would you care to join us in our carriage?”
Aerin, still seated on the sofa, shot them a frosty, disapproving glance, yelling in her thoughts, ‘Please… Noooo…’
Catching her annoyed expression from the corner of his eye, Theo took Elara’s outstretched hand, which felt both soft and warm. As they exited the store, they were closely followed by Aerin.
The trio boarded the carriage, which, to Theo's surprise, was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate his large frame. He took a seat by himself, while the two sisters settled opposite him.
Throughout the journey, Aerin maintained her chilly silence, occasionally throwing cold glances Theo's way. However, Elara attempted to break the silence.
“Where did you manage to find those enchanted vegetables?” she asked, with a hint of curiosity.
Theo, leaning back comfortably, replied with a calm, “Trade secret.”
Elara giggled lightly at his response. “You truly are an enigma.”
Theo chuckled, “I get that a lot.”
Noticing Aerin's silence, he continued, “I wonder why a princess like you are in such a small city.”
Aerin’s gaze lingered on him for a moment, clearly puzzled by Theo's casual demeanor, unused to anyone addressing them with such familiarity. Yet, this wasn't Theo's fault. Coming from modern Earth, he wasn't accustomed to the royal etiquettes of this world. Elara, on the other hand, seemed not bothered by it.
She said, “We’re here for Sister’s training with her Teacher. I’ve often expressed a desire to train under him as well, but he's quite selective.”
“The Teacher sounds formidable,” Theo remarked, thinking this mysterious master even refused to take an elven princess as his student.
“He is and no one wants to offend him. I’ve pleaded with him multiple times to take me under his wing, but he always refuses,” Elara replied with a slight sigh.
As the conversation flowed, Theo reached into his golden vault, pulling out some Duskbloom Berries. Offering them to Elara, he said, “These might not be much, but consider this an early birthday gift.”
She took the violet berries from his open palm, and after eating one with some hesitation, she experienced a velvety taste - rich and smooth, with the sweetness of roasted delights combined with a melt-in-your-mouth creaminess unlike anything she had ever tasted. Her eyes closed as she savored it.
Aerin noticed her sister's reaction and, unable to resist, snatched a berry from her hand and ate it. She too closed her eyes, seemingly lost in the fruit's creamy, rich sweetness.
Theo watched their reactions with amusement, knowing they would become addicted to this fruit, and he had no intention of selling it to them. It was merely a ploy to endear them to his products, ensuring they would think twice before offending him in the future.
After Elara and her sister had eagerly consumed all the berries, Aerin's gaze shifted to Theo, her pride visibly wrestling with her desire. “I want more,” she murmured, a hint of longing evident in her voice.
Leaning back with crossed arms and eyes closed with a soft smile, Theo replied, “One should learn to say 'please' when asking for something.”
Aerin’s cheeks colored slightly, but before she could retort, Elara intervened, “Please, may we have more?”
Theo retrieved a paper package , previously filled with sweets for Neria. He emptied the package, storing the sweets back in his golden vault, and filled it with Duskbloom Berries before handing it to Elara.
Her face brightened as she counted several dozen berries inside. She then shared some with Aerin, who, despite her earlier pride, accepted the treat. As the two sisters enjoyed the berries, the carriage suddenly halted, causing them to lurch forward due to the motion's inertia.
Emerging from the carriage, they found themselves on the edge of a vast ground. Around the perimeter were ascending seats.
As Theo observed the surroundings, Haldir remarked, “This arena was used for tournaments in the past.”
Without further delay, Theo walked to one end of the arena to begin his task. A black void materialized a meter above the ground. Nightshade Tomatoes poured out like rain, rapidly covering the ground.
Carefully, Theo adjusted the void's position, ensuring even distribution across the arena so as not to get drowned in them. After about thirty minutes, he began unloading the potatoes, finishing the task in an additional ten minutes.
All around, eyes widened in amazement. Aerin and Elara appeared dazed, Haldir gasped for air, and some soldiers had their jaws on the ground.
