Foundations Of Influence (Part 2)

Ethan sat cross-legged on his bed, the dim light of a single candle flickering beside him in the early morning darkness. His eyes were closed as he focused his thoughts inward, activating his Otherworld Free Market skill. A familiar tingling sensation spread through his body, and the world around him soon faded.

When Ethan opened his eyes, he stood in the neon-lit Otherworld Free Market. This was where he could spend the AEC coins he had saved. Over the past few days, he had saved 46 coins and planned to use them wisely today.

He wandered through the market, eyeing the bizarre and varied items on display. A potion that made your voice sound like thunder for 10 minutes. A self-writing quill that never ran out of ink. A cloak that allowed you to blend into shadows. 'Too expensive.' He needed valuable yet subtle items to avoid raising suspicions.

As he window-shopped the vending machines, one of them with a shimmering blue glow caught his eye. The items inside seemed to pulse with a faint magical energy, and Ethan approached with interest.

The first item he examined was a Compass of Lost Things. This small, ornate device pointed towards any object the holder had recently misplaced. It wasn't a powerful enchantment, but it could be pretty handy for the absent-minded. The price was 8 AEC coins. He selected it with a few taps of his finger.

Next, his attention was drawn to something called a Whispering Journal. A leather-bound book enchanted to record anything spoken within a five-foot radius. 'I'm sure someone will be interested in that.' Ethan mused as he paid the 12 AEC coins.

Finally, he spotted the most expensive item he could afford. They were a pair of silver earrings with pale blue gems. They were delicate and elegant, yet practical. The gems were enchanted to detect poison, glowing faintly when they sensed any harmful substances in food or drink. Ethan whistled as he glanced at its 24 AEC coins pricetag. This item alone cost more than half of the savings he entered with, but Ethan knew it could be invaluable.

Satisfied with his choices, Ethan completed his transaction and felt the familiar sensation of being pulled back to reality. His consciousness returned to his body, and he opened his eyes to find himself back in his now brightly lit room. 'I must've spent longer there than I thought.' As expected, the items from the Otherworld Free Market now lay on his bed.

Ethan picked up the earrings, admiring the craftsmanship. They would be a valuable addition to his stock. But first, he had to cover his tracks. Luckily, he could already hear his staff dealing with the early morning customers downstairs.

He brought the items next door to his private office and called Finn. The halfling appraiser entered with a cheerful bounce in his step, his keen eyes immediately spotting the new items on the desk.

"Ah, new stock! Let's see what we've got here," Finn said, rubbing his hands together with excitement.

Ethan handed over the items, watching as Finn carefully examined each one. He made mental notes of their features and scribbled down some rough values.

"Compass of Lost Things, about 120 gold, give or take," Finn said, nodding in approval. "Whispering Journal, hmm, probably around 180 gold. And these earrings… well now, these are something special. I'd say 350 gold for the pair."

Ethan smiled. Finn's appraisals were exactly what he needed. He quickly wrote up fake receipts as if he had purchased these items from the Department of Interworld Affairs (DIA), ensuring that everything appeared legitimate for the inevitable scrutiny from the Merchants Guild or the Kingdom.

"Thanks, Finn. You've been a great help," Ethan said, handing the halfling a small pouch of coins as a bonus.

"No problem, boss. Just doing my part to keep Nexus running smoothly!" Finn replied with a grin, pocketing the coins.

With the paperwork done and the items ready to be displayed, Ethan headed downstairs to place them on display. As he arranged the earrings in a glass case, the door to Nexus swung open with a loud bang.

Ethan looked up to see a young man swaggering into the shop, flanked by two burly bodyguards. The man was dressed in fine silks, his blonde hair slicked back, and a sneer permanently etched on his face. He strolled up to the counter with an air of arrogance that Ethan recognized all too well.

"I'll be taking those," the young man declared, pointing at the earrings in the display case. "How much are they?"

"350 gold," Ethan replied evenly, meeting the man's gaze without flinching.

The customer scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "Nonsense. I'll give you 50 gold for them. Be grateful I'm even willing to pay that."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, his patience already wearing thin. "The price is 350 gold. No discounts."

The young man's sneer deepened. "Do you know who I am? My father is Baron Ainsworth, and I could have this place shut down with a word. You'd do well to remember that."

Ethan remained calm, his voice cold. "And you'd do well to remember where you are. I don't care who your father is. The price is non-negotiable. If you're not willing to pay, you can leave."

The noble's face twisted in fury, and he stepped forward, his hand reaching for the earrings. But before he could touch them, Galen appeared beside him, moving with the speed and precision of a trained mercenary.

Galen clamped his hand on the noble's wrist, and with a swift, practiced motion, he twisted the arm and forced the young man to his knees.

"Leave now, or you'll be crawling out of here," Galen growled, his voice low and dangerous.

The noble's face turned pale as his bodyguards hesitated, unsure of how to react. Finally, one of them spoke up, stammering, "L-let him go. We'll leave."

Galen released the noble, who scrambled to his feet, clutching his bruised wrist. He shot Ethan a venomous glare.

"You'll regret this," the noble spat. "I'll make sure you pay for this insult."

Ethan watched as the noble and his bodyguards slunk out of the shop, the door slamming shut behind them.

"Nice work, Galen," Ethan said, nodding appreciatively.

Galen grunted in response before returning to his post by the door.

As the shop quieted down once more, Ethan allowed himself a small smile. He knew the noble's son would try to cause trouble for him, but he wasn't worried. After all, the DIA was behind him.