Before he knew it, a single loaf appeared instantly on one of the shelves.
Noah blinked, momentarily startled. The auto-baker had just finished its work. One perfect loaf—golden-crusted, aromatic, and completely ordinary to anyone who didn't know what it could do.
He approached the loaf, running a finger over its crisp exterior. The memory of his vitality boost from earlier that day lingered—that rush of energy, the sensation of his body becoming somehow more resilient, more alive.
I wonder...
"System, would me eating the bread give me more attributes? Or is it just a one-time thing?" Noah asked, eyeing the solitary loaf on his shelf like a child contemplating stealing a second cookie.
The blue interface flickered into his vision:
[It's a one-time boost. Eating the bread will not give you a stat boost. However, it will provide the same benefit that others experience: accelerating your natural healing by 30%.]
"Figured. I knew that was too good to be true," he muttered, rolling his eyes.
Noah dragged himself back to his chair near the door, resuming his vigilant post. For the past hour, he'd kept the door ajar, scanning the street for potential customers. The empty sidewalk mocked his efforts. Not a single soul had wandered by, not even the goblin.
He yawned, stretching his arms overhead until his spine popped satisfyingly. "Forget it. That's enough for now. I need some sleep. I'm still a mortal after all."
Noah lifted the chair, preparing to close up shop, when movement in the periphery caught his attention. Two figures had emerged from the alley across the street. One supported the other, who limped heavily, head hanging low.
His heart leapt to his throat as moonlight revealed a gleam of metal—armor?—on the injured figure. Blood stained the man's leg, leaving a dark trail behind him.
Oh hell no.
Noah slammed the door shut, twisting the lock with trembling fingers.
Whatever attacked that knight could come for me next. No way. Not happening.
He pressed his back against the door. But then his gaze fell on the lonely loaf of bread and his eyes widened.
The bread heals. This is... an opportunity.
Noah unlocked the door, pulled it open once more. Their eyes met across the quiet street—Noah's wide with nervous calculation, the injured man's glazed with pain.
"Hey!" Noah called, pitching his voice low enough not to attract whatever had injured the man, just in case. "You look like you could use some help. Come in."
The lightly injured man hesitated, supporting his friend's weight with visible strain. They exchanged hushed words before slowly crossing toward the bakery, suspicion evident in their cautious approach.
"Your friend's hurt," Noah observed as they reached the door. "I might have something that can help."
Under the shop's light, Noah realized his error. The man wasn't a knight at all—just an adventurer in leather armor with metal shoulder guards. Blood soaked through a makeshift bandage on his thigh, and his face had gone pale beneath a layer of dirt and sweat.
"Thanks," the friend said, helping the wounded man to a chair. "He was jumped by thieves near Blackwater Bridge."
The wounded man—Gil—grimaced. "Wasn't even worth it. Idiots got themselves injured too,"
Noah seized his chance. "I have something that can help." He retrieved the loaf from the shelf, presenting it with all the ceremony of a sacred relic. "This bread has healing properties. It can accelerate recovery by thirty percent."
Gil's friend narrowed his eyes. "Healing bread? Is this some kind of joke?"
"No joke," Noah assured them, channeling his best salesman voice. "Only three gold coins, and it'll have you back on your feet in no time."
Gil snorted, wincing as the movement jostled his injured leg. "Three gold? For bread? Tomas, let's go. This guy's a scammer."
"Wait!" Noah stepped forward, blocking their path to the door. "The princess herself bought from me just this morning!"
Gil and Tomas exchanged incredulous looks.
"The princess," Tomas repeated flatly. "Came to this tiny bakery. In this back-alley part of the town."
"Yes. She came with one of her friends, a guild master named Valeria."
Gil actually laughed despite his pain. "And I'm the king's personal guard. Come on, Tomas."
"Look, why don't you try it first. If it doesn't help, you don't pay a single coin. Don't judge a cover by its book."
[Host. It's don't judge a book by its cover.]
'Same thing,'
As if on cue, Gil's stomach growled audibly. His eyes flicked to the bread, and Noah recognized the look. The bread did look appetising—perfectly golden brown, with an aroma that filled the small shop.
"One gold at most," Gil muttered. "And that's if it's the best damn bread I've ever eaten."
Tomas sighed.
Seeing that Tomas might intervene to block his sale, Noah intervened.
Noah said quickly. "Just try it."
Gil's expression remained suspicious, but the pain in his leg and the emptiness in his stomach made the decision for him. He extended a hand. "Fine."
Noah passed him the loaf, watching intently as Gil broke off a piece and popped it into his mouth.
The change was immediate and impossible to miss. Gil's eyes widened, a low moan of appreciation escaping him.
"Oh great god," he breathed, taking another, larger bite. "This is—"
He froze mid-sentence, attention shifting to his injured leg. The three men watched in stunned silence as the bloodstain on his bandage stopped spreading. Gil flexed his leg experimentally, his expression turned grim as the pain hasn't subsided. But it was still better than before.
"The pain... It's fading," he whispered, looking from the bread to Noah with newfound respect.
Tomas leaned forward, examining his friend's injury. "The bleeding's stopped!"
"Told you," Noah said, fighting to keep the smugness from his voice. "It's magical bread with healing properties."
Gil devoured the rest of the loaf in four giant bites, color returning to his cheeks with each mouthful. When he finished, he stood up—tentatively at first, then with growing confidence.
"I can walk," he announced, testing his weight on the injured leg. "It still hurts, but... it's like a day-old injury now, not a fresh wound."
Tomas stared at Noah with undisguised awe. "How much did you say?"
"Three gold coins," Noah replied smoothly.
Gil reached into a hidden pocket in his boot, producing a small leather pouch. "I'm sorry, I didn't believe that your bread was good. So I thought that you deserved to be scammed for trying to scam me."
The adventurer's face softened with genuine remorse as he emptied the contents onto the wooden counter. Two gold coins clinked against the surface, surrounded by a scattering of smaller silver pieces.
"This is all we have left. The thieves didn't find it." His fingers lingered over the coins. "I will come back another time to pay you the rest."
Noah watched the meagre pile of currency glinting under the lantern light. His gaze flicked to Gil's mending leg, then back to the man's earnest expression.
Customers for life or a quick profit?
"I suppose I could make an exception." He swept the money into his palm, feeling their satisfying weight.
Gil's shoulders slumped with relief.
"Here, you can keep the silver." Noah pushed the smaller coins back across the counter. "In regard to the gold coin, don't worry about it. But I do have a favor to ask you."
Gil nodded gratefully. "Thank you. Of course, I can't say no to my benefactor."
"You flatter me." Noah's smile felt surprisingly genuine. "Can you just spread word about my shop? You know any injured friends around the area—just let them know about my shop, and I will be grateful."
The adventurer's eyebrows shot up. "That's it?"
"That's it."
"Of course, I will do that."
Gil glanced around the bakery, his gaze lingering on the empty shelves. "But, do you have any more?"
"Fresh batch tomorrow," Noah promised, mentally calculating how many hours the auto-baker would need.
Tomas clapped a hand on Noah's shoulder. "We'll tell everyone. The healing properties of that bread are incredibly potent, and it's much cheaper than those alchemists or healers who charge tens of gold coins."
"Just doing my part," he replied with a modest shrug.
The adventurers departed with enthusiastic promises to return. Noah watched through the window as they made their way down the street, Gil's limp almost imperceptible now.
Noah locked the door behind them.
'Word of mouth advertising from grateful customers. The oldest marketing trick in the book.'
IDLE TYCOON SYSTEM
Host: Noah Carter
Age: 28
Shops: 1
Daily Revenue: $300
Current Assets: $1850.56
Shop Points: 70
Attributes: Strength: 4, Vitality: 4, Intelligence: 6, Agility: 3
Skills: Programming (Level 2), Finance (Level 1), Surviving on Ramen (Level 3)