The next morning, the rumor had spread like wildfire.
All across the Industrial Cities, people whispered in excitement — Mina's Fish Shop was selling Firecarp for a month! Crowds doubled, then tripled. Customers lined up before dawn, while other merchants looked on helplessly as their shops remained empty.
By noon, the once-proud Firecarp merchants were pacing nervously in their mansions, faces pale and eyes hollow. Their ledgers were bleeding red. Warehouses were full of fish no one wanted to buy anymore.
Finally, they snapped.
"Find that Mina woman!" one roared, slamming his fist on the table. "I don't care if she's the Dragon King's daughter — I'll talk to her myself!"
And thus, a caravan of luxury hover carriages departed that very afternoon, carrying the city's most powerful merchants — men and women who once controlled trade routes, fleets, and fortunes. Now, they looked like beggars chasing salvation.
---
