Chapter 25: A Gentle Morning, A New Order
The early morning haze settled over Dhaka like a blanket, soft and silvery. The call to prayer had already faded, and the sky above Abid's small rooftop room was turning from pale lavender to soft gold. Inside, the whirr of a ceiling fan blended with the occasional clang of utensils from the neighboring flats.
Abid rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stretched. The scent of fresh parathas being cooked downstairs wafted through the window, and his stomach let out a soft growl in response. He sat up, blinking slowly, mind still hovering somewhere between dream and duty.
[System Message:
"Daily Login Detected – Welcome Back, Merchant Abid"
Bonus: +10 Efficiency for First Task of the Day]
"Morning already?" he murmured, dragging himself to the low wooden table that now doubled as his workspace.
Tanveer had left early for an errand—something about picking up art supplies and fresh staples from New Market. Abid had insisted he take the day off, but his friend was stubborn, especially now that the system had granted him limited assistant privileges.
The tablet glowed to life as Abid tapped the corner screen, pulling up the shop dashboard.
\[System Notification:
"You Have (4) New Orders Pending"
* Commission: Forest Sprite Sketchbooks (x3)
* Commission: Magical Ink Refill (Obsidian Black)
* Special Order: 'Dreamy Days' Romance Anthology Bundle
* Custom Request: Talking Bookmark Enchantment (Voice: Calm Male)]
The list was growing steadily more whimsical by the week.
Abid chuckled. "A talking bookmark? Alright, sure. Why not?"
He clicked on the details of the anthology bundle order. The buyer had specifically requested soft pastel-themed covers with subtle embossing, along with a handwritten thank-you card in florid script.
[System Tip:
"Handwritten Notes boost customer loyalty in the Kingdom of Virendell by +18%"]
"I guess I should start practicing my calligraphy," Abid murmured as he reached for his pen set.
He set to work slowly, letting the process center him. The first task of the day was assembling the sketchbooks for the Forest Sprite Guild—customers who appreciated craftsmanship. He selected handmade paper with green flecks and stitched each book with vine-patterned thread.
[System Perk Activated:
"First Task Bonus: +10% Quality"
Result: Sketchbooks produced with slight glow under moonlight – rarity increased.]
By the time he finished binding the last book, the sun was fully up. Outside, the alley had burst into life. Children ran barefoot chasing a plastic ball, and the tea seller's call echoed through the walls.
Abid leaned back and smiled. "Not a bad start."
Just as he reached for the next order, the screen flickered—something rare.
[System Message:
"Merchant Connection Request Incoming – Source: Otherworld Terminal (Secure)"
Do You Accept?
[Y/N]]
His brows lifted. This wasn't a customer message. It was something deeper—system-level.
He hesitated only a moment before pressing "Yes."
The tablet went dark for a few seconds. Then, a softly glowing interface appeared, completely different from the usual UI.
[Private Link Established
Merchant Identification Confirmed: Abid Rahman
Status: Independent Vendor – Cross-World Contract Tier 2
Message Incoming…]
A smooth, feminine voice followed—no doubt system-generated.
"Greetings, Merchant Abid. You are receiving this message due to your rising reputation in three major provinces of the Veil Continent. Your work has caught the attention of a Senior Merchant. If you are interested in potential collaboration or mentorship, please confirm your availability."
The screen pulsed with an animated glyph: a stylized feather and coin.
[System Alert:
"Mentorship Offer Detected – Optional Event Trigger"
Accepting this offer may unlock higher-tier merchant pathways and rare contracts.
Warning: Commitment may impact current delivery speed.
Do you wish to proceed?
[Y/N]]
Abid stared at the glowing prompt.
He knew enough from experience now: when the system offered choices like these, they weren't just flavor text. Accepting could lead to major changes—not just in opportunities, but in how much he'd have to juggle.
And yet… the curiosity tugged at him.
He tapped "Yes."
[Response Recorded.
Senior Merchant Invitation Accepted.
Next Steps: Await Initial Contact – ETA: 72 hours (Realm Time).
In the meantime, prepare a sample portfolio of signature goods.]
"Well," Abid said to the empty room, "looks like I have homework."
He took out one of the small wooden display cases he'd recently finished varnishing. Into it, he carefully placed one copy each of his bestselling items: the "Crimson Blade Chronicles" manga volume, a crystal-embedded calligraphy pen, and one of the glowleaf-bound notebooks. It looked modest, but it carried everything he had built so far.
The rest of the day unfolded in a quiet rhythm. He packaged the romance bundle with extra care, printed a talking enchantment onto a slim leather bookmark—testing the voice ("Hello, reader. Don't forget to rest your eyes!")—and updated the shopfront to highlight spring festival items.
By early evening, the sun dipped low again.
Tanveer returned, dusty and sweating but grinning. "I found the perfect set of vintage sketch pens near Nilkhet. Cheap, too."
Abid took them, eyes widening. "These are Japanese-brand! You actually scored these here?"
"Let's just say the guy didn't know what he had."
[System Notification:
"Inventory Quality Boosted – Rare Tools Identified"
New Item Class: Superior Earth-Origin Pen Set
Potential Use: Limited Enchanted Blueprints Unlocked]
Abid turned the pens in his hand. "These might be the exact type I need to design those magical blueprints the Guild of Enchanters requested."
"Glad I could help," Tanveer said, dropping onto the floor. "Any weird system messages today?"
Abid gave a tired smile. "Let's just say… someone higher up is watching."
As dusk rolled in, the two friends shared leftover shingara and sat quietly, watching the sky shift colors again.
[System Log:
End of Day 193
Portfolio Progress: 12%
Active Orders: 2
Pending Event: Mentor Arrival in 71:12:05
Mood Status: Focused – Calm – Curious]