Opening Day (Part 2)

At this moment, Alice was asking the young shopkeeper about the so-called Hot Pot. The young shopkeeper enthusiastically promoted the Multi-Functional Alchemy Pot in his hands.

The pot in the young shopkeeper's hands was the same kind as the one steaming on the counter. He had just taken it from the Shelf beside him.

"Beautiful lady." Edward forcibly changed his uncontrolled New Continent accent back into the refined Ailande accent of the Old Continent. "Please look, this is our shop's newly developed Multi-Functional Alchemy Pot. This pot incorporates two major innovative alchemical technologies.

"First is the material. This is Stainless Steel, a material I developed after years of painstaking research. Look how bright its color is—and it never rusts.

"Second, the internal Magic Array is made from pure silver. Genuine materials, built to last. Furthermore, after my improvements, the Magic Array no longer uses expensive Magic Gems for power. Instead, it uses Redstone, a specialty of our New Continent. This fundamentally solves the problem of being able to afford enchanted items but not afford to use them. With standard-cut Redstone at one Silver Coin per pound, this pot can make roughly three hundred meals and last more than three months. Isn't that economical?

"This pot is priced at 1 Gold Coin. But if you come into the shop now, you get twenty percent off. If you have a Coupon issued by our shop, you get another twenty percent off on top of that. That makes it sixty-four percent of the original price. For just 6 silver and 40 copper, you can take this Multi-Functional Alchemy Pot home. No Coupon? No problem. Your visit is already support for us. I'll make the call and consider you a friend—sixty-four percent of the original price it is.

"Rest assured, for 6 silver and 40 copper, you won't lose out or be cheated. Our shop guarantees replacement within one year and repairs for three years. You'll also receive a Stainless Steel Cookware Gift Set..."

Alice had been drooling over the fragrance wafting from the Hot Pot. But the young shopkeeper's rapid-fire introduction left her completely dizzy. She had nearly pulled out her money to buy one.

It was only when he got to the professional matter of Redstone Magic Arrays that she came back to her senses. She hurriedly interrupted Edward.

"Wait, Boss, you're an Alchemist, right?"

"I am merely an Alchemist Apprentice. You flatter me."

"Then isn't this Redstone Magic Array of yours just the Magic Array used to heat the boiler of a Steam Engine? Be careful, or the Steam and Mechanist God Church might sue you for patent infringement."

Edward's eyes lit up with an expression that said, Now that you've mentioned it, I'm fired up. He pulled out a thick tome over a foot wide from behind the counter.

Alice beside him clearly sensed the faint ripple of magic. She rolled her eyes, thinking, You just took it out of a Spatial Ring. What are you pretending to hide for? As if this young lady would care to rob a Little Apprentice like you.

As Edward searched through the thick tome titled Middle Earth United Invention Patent Yearbook, he spoke to Alice.

"The moment you asked that, I knew you were an Expert. Please have a look: Middle Earth United Invention Patent, first character, first number. Patent for the mechanical structure and technology of steam boilers and transmission systems."

Edward pointed solemnly at the document page he had found.

"Does it mention Magic Arrays? No! Why not? What was the God of Steam and Mechanists originally the god of? The God of Dwarves and Craftsmen. What do those Dwarves know about magic?"

Edward wiped away the flecks of spit that had flown onto his lips and continued.

"The Magic Array in current Marine Steam Engines was a Heating Magic Array commissioned by the Steam God Church from the Alchemist Guild, based on the Fire Wall Technique Magic Array. It consumes tremendous power and causes serious Magic Power pollution. You're an Expert, so take a look. Mine is based on the Small Fireball Technique and designed with reduced instantaneous output."

Alice nodded thoughtfully, then continued asking.

"This is somewhat interesting, but everyone else improves Magic Arrays to increase their power. Why did you alter yours to make it weaker?"

"To save magical energy. The stronger a Magic Array is—more precisely, the higher its instantaneous magical energy output—the less magical energy it draws from the void and the more it draws from its Magic Power source. Lower its power, and the reverse is true. Feel the Magic Power fluctuations from my Alchemy Pot now. There is practically no Magic Power pollution at all. It is completely safe and reliable. Ordinary people can use it safely, and ordinary people can afford it. My philosophy is—alchemy! People first!"

Although Alice was only sixteen, all the education she had received before becoming a formal Mage had revolved around the magical philosophy of higher, faster, and stronger. Hearing a philosophy from an entirely different perspective so suddenly felt like a bolt from the blue. Things she had never understood before suddenly became clear. She froze where she stood.

The moment Edward saw this, he realized something was wrong. Don't let this little show-off routine of mine confuse this pretty girl into going astray. That would be troublesome.

Suddenly, a powerful wave of Mental Power erupted from Alice's body, forcing Edward several steps back. The metal devices on the nearby shelves hummed loudly. She had clearly gained sudden enlightenment, and her strength had risen by another small step.

Once Alice recovered, she hurriedly put away the snacks in her hand and straightened her collar. She gave Edward a solemn Mage's salute and said,

"Alice, Junior Mage of the White Hawk Duchy Imperial Mage Corps, has learned much."

Edward was startled as well. He quickly returned the salute, repeatedly saying that he did not deserve it. At the same time, he thought, Isn't this the trope from those early transmigration novels, where the protagonist releases his kingly aura and his underlings immediately bow in submission? This girl can't become my underling, but offering herself to me would work too. If she shamelessly throws herself at me, I suppose I'll reluctantly accept...

Just as Edward's thoughts began to wander, Alice saw her female cousin staring blankly in the weapon area nearby. She skipped over there. Edward immediately followed, thinking, If you won't offer yourself to me, buying a pot before you leave would still count as supporting me! Darling! I wasted so much breath on you.

The moment Andrea entered the shop, she noticed how warm it was. It was the dead of winter, yet it felt as though a roaring fireplace were burning indoors—except there was no fireplace in sight. The room was also extremely bright. Looking up, she saw that the shop had a flat roof, set with several round Milky White Glass Covers that emitted a somewhat dazzling white light. Are these Magic Lamps? How extravagant. No, there are no magical fluctuations at all. As a Great Knight, she had always been highly sensitive to her surroundings. Everything about this shop felt strange.

Afterward, she headed toward the Cold Weapon Area. After all, a Great Knight's love of weapons was inborn.

Wait, why was this area called the Cold Weapon Area? The term felt so unfamiliar. As the Princess pondered this, she suddenly saw a note on the sign: "Cold Weapons are weapons distinguished from Steam Crossbows and Steam Cannons, which heat water to produce Steam for firing. We collectively call Steam weapons Hot Weapons, while traditional swords, blades, bows, and crossbows are collectively called Cold Weapons."

"So that's how it is. It sounds quite reasonable." The Princess murmured in agreement. Somewhere in the unseen world, a label seemed to stick to her: Useless knowledge increased again.JPG

At first, the Cold Weapon Area contained normal varieties of Knives and Spears, swords, halberds, axes, hooked blades, forks, tridents, sickles, lances, staffs, whips, maces, hammers, claws... The metal surfaces of every weapon were exceptionally bright, gleaming like mirrors.

Andrea curiously picked up several swords and blades that looked pleasing to her, but the moment she held them, she found that they were all ordinary goods. The steel was good, but she could tell at once that they had been made by an Alchemist using the Shaping Technique rather than forged by a blacksmith. They lacked the resilience weapons should have. Such weapons were fine for ordinary people, but against magical beasts or superhumans, they were no different from scrap iron.

As she continued inward, things began to get strange. For example, there was a greatsword as long as a knight's lance. It looked like it was meant to imitate the greatsword of a Guoluo Muluo Greatsword Soldier. Its shape was far too exaggerated to be practical. Wait, there was also a note: Frostmourne—the most famous sword in **, and if you don't believe me, go ask Fire's Delight (^_^)

What did that "**" mean? The thought had barely occurred to Andrea before she dismissed it.

There was also a strange-looking great blade, engraved with a magical beast that resembled both a snake and a dragon devouring the moon. The sign beside it also had a note: Green Dragon Crescent Blade—I weigh 83 pounds. My other name is Cold and Elegant Saw. My Master has already Become a God, and both the underworld and the righteous path respect Him...

The strangest was a slightly curved blade placed on a wooden rack. Its scabbard rested on a lower shelf. From an Expert's perspective, the blade was very well designed. Its slightly curved body was suitable for slashing and made the slender blade less likely to break. Its pointed tip was suitable for thrusting. It was also meant to be held with both hands, making it easier to exert force. The ideal battlefield for such a weapon should be a Boarding Battle aboard a ship. But why was its edge on the back of the blade? Wouldn't that make it a sickle?

The sign bore a note: Reverse Blade—when you take me up, you swear never to kill again. You refrain from killing so that those who love you will not be sad. If those who love you are not sad, you will have no regrets. Only without regrets can you swing your sword without hesitation. What you hold is not a sword, but your heart—this is dedicated to your cross-shaped scar, and to the person who gave it to you.

"Sword... heart..." As a knight, Andrea seemed to be touched by the inexplicable words on the sign and murmured softly.

"Why is there a tear at the corner of my eye?"

"Because I used that sword to cut onions just now..." said the young Alchemist who had followed Alice over.