"So cheap?" Ron raised his brows, a little surprised.
This was the third product sold through the system, and considering that Nether Orchid and Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum were priced at 20 and 30 gold coins, respectively, Ron had expected Scalevine to be even more expensive.
[System: "All floral prices in the flower shop have been thoroughly analyzed and calculated by the system to match their actual value."]
Ron nodded indifferently.
A lower price wasn't a bad thing—at least it made the product more accessible to more buyers.
After all, Nether Orchid and Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum were aimed specifically at mages and warriors, groups with an urgent need for such items.
Scalevine, on the other hand, while it might offer solid defensive capabilities, wasn't a necessity for most people. So a lower price made sense.
The plant could strengthen its defenses based on the mana or battle aura provided by its owner, but Ron still wasn't sure how significant that enhancement was.
He would need to wait for Harper's experimental results to know for sure.
Maybe the system had set a low price because Scalevine had certain shortcomings yet to be discovered.
[System: "Main Quest Triggered."]
[Main Quest] – [Sell 5,000 Scalevine Plants]
[Objective: As stated above.]
[Reward: Emerald Cypress Seed and its cultivation method.]
Any time a new flower went on sale, the system would issue a new main quest. Ron was already used to this and had a decent grasp of the system's pattern.
Main quests usually required him to sell a certain number of the new plant. There was no time limit; once the quota was met, the quest was complete—no failure conditions.
And after a main quest, a follow-up upgrade quest would typically unlock, requiring him to successfully cultivate the new plant.
Ron stroked his chin in thought, then closed the system panel.
True, the 5,000 plant quota felt a little high. The previous goals had been just 100 Nether Orchids and 500 Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemums—and now this one jumped 10x?
Still, Ron didn't feel much pressure.
There was no time limit, and now that the flower shop had a good reputation, finding buyers wouldn't be a problem.
Even if sales were slow, he could wait it out.
At least the system didn't slap him with a "failure = death" type punishment—somewhat considerate, in its own way.
Ron then explained the functions of Scalevine in detail to Nora so she could properly introduce it to customers.
She remembered the Scalevine Ron had gifted her previously—currently waiting for it to recognize her as its owner after a 15-day blood bonding period.
As she listened, her eyes drifted to the signboard:
[Scalevine]: 5 gold coins per plant
Her heart was suddenly filled with emotion.
5 gold coins.
That was 500 silver coins—equal to 50 weeks of her salary!
And the boss had just… given it to her?
Sure, he said it was standard equipment for employees, but Nora knew full well that was just an excuse to help her accept the gift.
So she listened carefully, absorbing all the info she could about Scalevine, determined to do her best for the boss and help the shop thrive.
Ron, unaware of her inner thoughts, gave her a few final reminders, then headed upstairs to prepare lunch.
The shop's business was steadily improving, and Ron had no reason to worry.
Especially Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum—its powerful effects had spread thanks to the Radiant Mercenary Corps, and word-of-mouth had brought in a steady stream of customers.
These weren't just walk-in buyers. Most were wealthy merchants or nobles purchasing in bulk.
Among noble families, not every child had talent as a warrior, and many were lazy or reluctant to train seriously.
Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum was perfect for that crowd.
Plus, it could be used to recruit elite bodyguards or nurture trusted retainers.
Even nobles who didn't train in battle aura could benefit by drinking Chrysanthemum tea for overall health and vitality.
Though… that was a bit of a waste.
Nether Orchid, meanwhile, was also selling steadily—but not as explosively.
That was to be expected, since mages were rare.
Also, a single Nether Orchid could survive long-term, and its natural scent alone improved meditation efficiency. It wasn't a consumable like the chrysanthemum.
Most mages would buy one and never need another.
If not for a large order from the Church of the Goddess of Harvest, sales would've lagged even more.
Still, Ron wasn't too concerned.
Both plants fulfilled essential needs for warriors and mages—especially those with weaker talent.
Once word got out, the entire Rixis Continent would become the shop's potential customer base.
No worries there.
After a simple lunch and a short rest, Ron set off for the Chaos City Magic Academy.
Last night during the hotpot dinner, Mason had mentioned a student interested in the Elemental Cards, who wanted to meet the inventor.
That student's father worked with the Gemstone Trade Alliance, meaning he probably had access to excellent distribution channels.
So Ron agreed to meet.
Upon arrival, he first dropped by Harper's lab and chatted with Edith for a bit before heading to the teaching building to find Mason.
Harper's explosive potion development had made great progress thanks to the addition of Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum.
As for Scalevine, testing had to wait until volunteers bonded with their plants.
Meanwhile, the lab run by Professor Hicks was also seeing promising results.
Edith said that if all went well, the first version of the new meditation potion might enter mass production soon.
Which would mean another sales boom for Nether Orchid at Ron's flower shop.
Humming a cheerful tune, Ron made his way to the faculty building.
His current fortune had passed 30,000, and his deposits in the Gold Reserve Bank exceeded 40,000.
In short: loaded.
Life was good.
At the teaching building, Mason brought Ron to his office.
"Just wait here for a bit. I'll go get him from class," Mason said, handing Ron a cup of tea before leaving.
Ron wasn't in a hurry. He sipped his tea slowly.
Barely two minutes later, footsteps sounded outside.
Click.
The door opened.
Mason entered first, stepping aside to let the visitor see Ron. He was just about to do introductions when—
"It's you!?" the visitor shouted, freezing in place and pointing directly at Ron, eyes wide with shock.
Ron blinked, equally surprised.
When he got a clear look at the student's face, realization dawned.
He'd seen this student before—during one of Illya's classes.
And with that realization came a twinge of awkwardness.