By the time the four of them left the alley, it was nearly noon. Alice was still casting the Cleaning Spell on herself over and over. It could remove dirt, but not moisture, and the clothes around her shoulders were still damp. The feeling made her sick.
Edward had already dropped High-Profile Invisibility and lowered his arm, which had grown sore from holding it up.
Edward had suggested they ride the Sidecar and continue on their way, but there were four of them and only three seats. He had even suggested that the two princesses squeeze in behind him, but the Knight Princess said Alice was wearing a dress and couldn't do something so unladylike. Edward had to give up on the idea.
They weren't far from City Gate Street anyway, so the four of them walked toward the city gate.
"Mr. Smith, can those potatoes you mentioned really solve the famine?" Elwin had lost his usual composure and kept pressing Edward with questions like a child.
"Potatoes were originally ornamental plants, like tomatoes. They have pretty little white flowers.
"Later, people discovered that their tubers grew quite large, about the size of Horse Bells. That's why they're also called 'horse potatoes.'
"Most people think these potatoes are slightly poisonous. Usually, they're processed and fed to pigs.
"They produce an incredibly high yield. You couldn't imagine how much you can harvest per acre—it's more than ten times as much as wheat.
"But people can eat them, too. You just have to peel them and remove the eyes. You can even make bread with them.
"To make the bread, you just mix in two or three parts flour with mashed boiled potatoes, then let it rise..."
As they walked, Edward shared his knowledge with the other three. Before they knew it, they had passed through the city gate.
When they passed the Seafood Shop they'd visited last time, Edward also bought a few fish and lobsters.
The four of them eventually reached the Rainforest Trading Company, where Edward had been before.
"Welcome, my Mage. You've brought friends, too. What an honor for our humble shop." Mr. Gonzalez smiled as he recognized Edward. His distinct rolling accent conveyed all the warmth of a southerner.
"Oh, just look at you! I said you wouldn't stay single forever, my handsome Mage. What a pity—I was hoping to introduce you to my niece. Now, let me guess: which of these two beautiful ladies is your girlfriend?"
The Beautiful Girl Mage smiled and made a point of showing off her ample chest. Nearby, Pastor Elwin hurriedly tugged at her sleeve.
The Knight Princess bashfully tugged the brim of her cowboy hat and turned her gaze aside.
"Ahem, don't tease me, Mr. Gonzalez. We're here on business today." Edward smoothly changed the subject, without introducing his companions to Mr. Reis as he had just done.
"Oh, is this the 'big' deal you mentioned the other day?" Mr. Gonzalez asked with a chuckle.
"That's right. It's the 'big' deal—a very, very big deal," Edward replied with a smile.
"Then, ladies and gentlemen, please follow me." Mr. Gonzalez took out a ring of keys, lifted the counter's hinged panel, and led Edward and the others through the shop's back door to the pier.
They followed Mr. Gonzalez down the stone-paved road along the pier, heading south along the Coastline.
After walking a few hundred meters, they came upon a cluster of warehouses. Several large trading companies had set aside land by the seaside pier and built these warehouses themselves.
Mr. Gonzalez stopped in front of a huge warehouse. It had a large entrance for delivery carts, but the door was firmly locked. He took out a key and opened a small door set into it.
They filed inside after him. It was dim in the warehouse, and as soon as they entered, the earthy smell filled their nostrils.
Edward was just about to take out his Flashlight when Alice rubbed her hands together and cast an Illumination Technique. A bright beam shone from the delicate Small Wand in her hand.
"Oh, forgive my manners. I had no idea this beautiful young lady was a Mage, too," Mr. Gonzalez said, turning around in surprise.
Everyone except Edward was stunned by what they saw. Potatoes, still coated in dirt and piled high, filled the entire warehouse. They looked like little hills.
"What do you think, everyone? Quite a sight, isn't it? They grow everywhere on the southern plains and hills. The farms down there can't use this many, so they ship them over by the boatload. But most farms around here raise cattle, and there are very few pig farms. They can't use all these potatoes, either." The old man cheerfully introduced his goods.
"These potatoes weren't selling a few days ago. I was about to dump them into the sea as fish food, but Mr. Smith heard about it and told me to store them properly. He said a big buyer would come to purchase them. If you're interested, we can talk about the price. We sell them by the basket, one Copper Coin per basket. All you have to do is clear out these warehouses for me. I have three or four more just like this."
They walked over to the piles and picked up the potatoes for a closer look. They'd probably been knocked around while being dug up and loaded, but the weather was cold, and none had gone moldy or spoiled yet.
"All right, Mr. Gonzalez. I'll take every potato you have. Someone will come to discuss the details with you tomorrow—no, this afternoon." Princess Andrea, who had been keeping a low profile, suddenly spoke up, displaying all the authority of a domineering CEO. After all, food was a strategic resource, and it was best to keep it in her hands.
Mr. Gonzalez's deeply lined face broke into a broad grin. The potatoes were cheap, but he had thousands of tons in stock. He'd never seen a deal involving such a huge quantity of potatoes bought all at once.
As they left the Rainforest Trading Company, Mr. Gonzalez happily saw them to the door and assured them that he had plenty of suppliers. If they needed more, he could bring over several boatloads at any time.
Before leaving, Edward remembered to slip two baskets of potatoes into his Spatial Ring. When he reached for his money, Mr. Gonzalez told him to take them for free as thanks for bringing him a customer.
Edward rolled his eyes, thinking, You're so stingy. A deal this "big," and all you give me is two Copper Coins' worth of commission.
The four of them headed back, and Edward invited everyone to his home for a meal. He also promised to show the impatient Pastor Elwin how to make Potato Bread.
At the city gate, Princess Andreia called over the City Gate Guard Captain on duty. After giving him a few instructions, she brought everyone to the entrance of Smith's Alchemy Shop.
The huge Glass Door swung open, and the Copper Bell above it rang out with a clear, pleasant chime. As they entered, they saw Harry, the red-haired young man in Denim Overalls, chatting behind the counter with a girl around seventeen or eighteen.
"Welcome!" Harry called out without getting up. When he saw Edward had returned, he greeted him.
"Hey, Edward. Yini came by to see me, and you got back just in time. Yini and I are going out to eat today. This is Yini. Yini, this is my boss, Edward."
Edward nodded cheerfully and greeted the cute, freckle-faced girl, who had as many freckles as Harry. That kid's got some nerve, openly dating during work hours and introducing his girlfriend without batting an eye right in front of his boss. Looks like I'll have to give him a raise this month, or he might not have enough to spend...
The other three came in, too. Harry recognized the Big Shot who had visited last time, hurriedly greeted them, then quickly pulled his girlfriend along as he made to leave the shop.
Edward simply told Harry, "Go enjoy your afternoon, Harry. You can have the rest of the day off."
After Harry and his girlfriend left, Edward went to the counter and opened a hidden compartment. Inside was a switch with a red handle. He pulled it, and the roller shutter outside came down.
As the shutter closed, the room grew only slightly dimmer. Only then did the others notice the lights overhead, shining brightly.
"Mr. Smith, are those Magic Lamps? Why can't I sense any Magic Power?" Princess Andrea asked the question she'd wanted to ask last time.
"Your Highness, you don't have to be so formal. You can just call me Edward. These aren't Magic Lamps. I'm bringing light down from the mountaintop. The principle is simple: I set up a large mirror on the mountain to collect the light, then draw the glass out into fibers and use them as conduits to carry the light here," Edward explained.
"Then I'll call you Edward from now on. Please don't be formal with me, either. Just call me Andrea. But can light really be transported?"
"By 'transported,' I just mean that the light travels through the glass. Pure glass is an excellent material for light. The brighter it is outside, the brighter it is inside."
"So, all you're saying is that the brighter it is outside, the brighter it is in here, and if it's overcast, your shop will be dark. What's the point?" Alice was clearly more perceptive than her cousin. She was the sort of girl who noticed flaws.
"You're right. But don't you think using sunlight to brighten a dark room is a very cost-effective solution?" Edward explained with a smile.
"What do you do after dark? Do you have to light candles?"
"No. I have real Magic Lamps." Edward went to the back door of the shop and opened another hidden compartment.
Edward fiddled with the controls. The light in the room went out, then yellow lamps gradually lit up one by one.
"I've blocked the sunlight from coming in. These are the real Magic Lamps. What do you think? Can you sense the Magic Power now?"
"The Magic Power is so faint. It's nothing like the Magic Lamps I saw at Magic Academy," Alice said.
"That's right. I optimized the Magic Array's output. These lamps require very little Magic Power, so they waste less, too. Just one pound of properly cut Redstone can keep the lamps here lit for about a month."
"That's really cost-effective," Alice marveled.
Princess Andrea was already wondering whether she should install a set of these Magic Lamps in her family's castle. Meanwhile, Pastor Elwin was thinking about how to persuade Princess Andrea to donate a set for his church, too.
Edward restored the sunlight, deactivated the warning Magic Array in the Backyard, and invited everyone into his home.
The three followed Edward into the Backyard and couldn't help exclaiming, "Wow!"
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