16 hours remained before the first official day of school.
Morning in the central market began with a symphony unique to the city itself. Vendors shouted across crowded streets, wooden cart wheels rattled against stone roads, and somewhere deeper in the market district came the steady clang of metal striking metal from blacksmith stalls. The smell of fresh bread and sizzling meat drifted through the air while sunlight slipped between colorful overhead canopies, reflecting off beautifully carved shop signs.
Mike stood in front of a store located right at the intersection of two busy streets.
Unlike many nearby businesses that leaned heavily toward modern machinery and technology, this shop carried an unmistakably old-fashioned atmosphere. The storefront was built from dark polished wood, its surface covered in hand-carved symbols of magical tools…staffs, mana orbs, and strange ancient runes Mike couldn't understand.
Above the entrance hung a large wooden sign.
Tonio Magic and Technology Shop.
Mike inhaled deeply before straightening his posture like a proper employee.
"Welcome, valued customer!" he called out awkwardly. "Welcome to Tonio's Magic and Technology Shop! Would you like to take a look inside?"
A middle-aged man passing by slowed his steps and glanced at Mike from head to toe before giving a small nod.
Mike immediately opened the door and guided him inside.
The moment they entered, the customer visibly paused.
The interior of the shop was enough to make almost anyone stop for a few seconds.
Massive wooden shelves stretched all the way to the ceiling, decorated with intricate carvings. Countless strange items rested upon them, from compact mechanical gadgets to magical artifacts glowing with faint pulses of light.
The illumination inside didn't come from ordinary lamps.
Floating mana spheres drifted gently near the ceiling, bathing the entire room in warm golden light.
Mike tried his best to sound professional.
"We carry a wide variety of modern tools and magical equipment—"
As he spoke, he pointed toward a translucent pink orb resting on a nearby display shelf.
"This right here is—"
"BOOM!"
A thunderous voice exploded from behind the counter, cutting him off instantly.
"MIIIIKE! You idiot!"
Mike nearly jumped into attention on reflex.
"M…Mister Tonio!?"
A large man stepped out from behind the counter.
His hair was streaked with gray, and old scars marked parts of his face. His sharp eyes carried the intimidating aura of someone who had survived countless battles.
Tonio strode directly toward Mike without hesitation.
BONK.
He smacked Mike hard on the head.
"How many times do I have to tell you?" Tonio barked. "When customers come in, you call me over! You don't handle them yourself!"
Mike grabbed his head with a grimace.
"That hurts, old man…"
Tonio ignored him completely and turned toward the customer with an entirely different expression.
"My apologies for the inconvenience, sir. Please allow me to assist you personally."
Then he shot Mike another glare.
"Go watch the entrance. I'll handle things here."
"…Yes, sir."
Mike dragged himself outside and shut the door behind him.
The market remained lively as ever, but inside his head, irritation and helplessness swirled together.
I didn't even say anything wrong…
Several minutes later, the shop door opened again.
The customer from earlier stepped outside carrying a small bag, looking rather satisfied.
Mike immediately bowed slightly.
"Thank you for visiting!"
Tonio followed behind him with his arms crossed.
"Next time, call me first. Got it?"
"…Yeah, yeah."
The rest of the morning passed slowly.
Only a handful of customers stopped by. Most people simply glanced at the sign before continuing on their way.
Mike leaned against the doorway with his arms folded, watching the endless flow of people moving through the streets.
The shop's this nice, but barely anyone comes in…
Time crawled forward.
The sunlight gradually softened into a pale orange glow as afternoon approached.
Eventually, Mike stepped back inside.
Tonio sat behind the counter with one hand supporting his chin, staring blankly into space as if lost in thought.
Mike approached carefully.
"Hey, boss… can I ask something?"
Tonio grunted without looking up.
"What?"
Mike glanced around the store.
"This place looks amazing, and it's right in the middle of the market. So why are there barely any customers? We only had a few people all morning."
Tonio remained silent for a moment before exhaling slowly.
"You're new here, so it makes sense you don't know."
He stood up and walked toward one of the dusty display shelves.
"Even though this is the capital of the continent… it's not actually a major city."
Mike blinked.
"What do you mean?"
"There are hundreds of cities far more advanced than this one," Tonio explained. "This place is just… stable. It isn't a true center of trade."
He rested his hand on an old magical artifact covered in dust.
"People here don't have much demand for magic tools anymore."
Then he looked toward another shelf filled with sleek mechanical devices.
"And besides… times have changed. People trust technology more than magic now."
Mike quietly scanned the shop again.
Tonio spoke without turning around.
"This shop has existed for almost two hundred years."
Mike's eyes widened.
"Two hundred!?"
Tonio nodded.
"My great great grandfather ran this place…passing down from generations" he stopped then let out a deep sigh
A faint smile crossed his face.
"They were talented merchants. The kind who could convince customers to buy absolutely anything."
The smile faded slightly.
"…Me? Not so much."
Mike leaned against the counter and shrugged.
"I think you're pretty good. Every customer I've seen walk in here ended up buying something."
Tonio shook his head slowly.
"That's not because of me."
He glanced toward the front door.
"They already needed those things before they entered."
Mike tilted his head.
"Then that's just bad timing, isn't it?"
Tonio stared at him for a few seconds before letting out a quiet laugh.
"…Maybe."
Then his voice lowered slightly.
"But honestly… I never liked selling things."
Mike raised an eyebrow.
"Then what do you like?"
Tonio answered instantly.
"Fighting."
Mike burst out laughing.
"Come on, old man. You'd probably struggle just to run."
BONK.
Another hit landed directly on Mike's head.
"You little brat!"
The atmosphere became noticeably lighter after that.
Tonio sighed once more.
"Still… it's strange."
Mike rubbed his head.
"What is?"
"A kid like you choosing to work here."
Mike shrugged casually.
"In your dreams, old man. Every other place rejected me, so I ended up here."
Tonio immediately grabbed Mike by the collar and smacked the back of his head lightly.
"Shut up, you snot-nosed brat!"
"That seriously hurts!"
Tonio released him and turned away again.
"Forget it."
He paused for a second.
"You're a student from Gaiacademy, right?"
Mike blinked.
"Yeah. How'd you know?"
Tonio scoffed.
"It's obvious. Young, inexperienced, and standing around looking lost all the time."
"…Wow. That doesn't feel great to hear."
Tonio ignored the complaint.
"Tomorrow's your first day, right? Then why are you still working here?"
Mike leaned back against the counter.
"Because I'm broke. Need extra money."
Tonio pressed a hand against his forehead with a tired expression.
"Honestly…"
He fell silent for several seconds before walking back toward the counter and rummaging through a drawer.
"Well… you did help me these past few days."
Mike's eyes immediately lit up.
"A bonus!? Cash, right!?"
Tonio pulled out an old dusty book and placed it onto the counter.
"There."
Mike stared at it blankly.
"…What is this? A novel?"
Tonio sighed deeply.
"No, idiot. It's a spellbook."
Mike froze.
"A spellbook!?"
Tonio nodded proudly.
"I don't give these to just anyone…"
Mike interrupted immediately in a completely flat tone.
"Where's my salary then?"
…
…
…
Tonio stood motionless for several seconds before deliberately turning his face away as if he hadn't heard anything.
"Right. Anyway… it's a spellbook. Not everyone gets one—"
"This stingy old bastard"…mike thought