Dimensional Merchant: Starting With 100 Stat Points-Chapter 134: New Millionaires

The next morning, Wade woke to the faint light of dawn slipping through the shutters.

His body still felt a bit sore from yesterday’s events, though the satisfaction of what he’d done still permeated his body.

He smiled as the memories resurfaced, taking a moment to replay the events and relieve the rush he’d felt, before getting out of bed.

He took his time bathing, letting the warm water wash away the last traces of fatigue.

Soon, he was dressed, both pauldrons attached to his shoulders, and stepped downstairs.

James was already waiting at the bottom of the stairs, hat in hand, looking both nervous and hopeful.

His eyes widened when he saw Wade. "Ah! Mr. Barrett! I— I wanted to thank you for last night. I was worried sick about the shop."

Wade gave a faint smile. "You’re welcome."

James glanced back at the shop, probably thinking about the overturned furniture and scattered goods that Wade hadn’t bothered to put back properly.

"What... happened exactly? When I came in this morning, it looked like they didn’t stop ransacking the place last night. There’s no blood or anything, but, well, it’s a mess."

Wade shrugged, his tone casual. "I talked to them," he said. "Persuaded them it wasn’t worth the trouble. They left."

James frowned, clearly skeptical. "You persuaded them?"

"Yeah," Wade said, smiling at the portly man. "They saw reason after a while."

James blinked, still uncertain, but after a moment, relief softened his expression.

"Well, however you managed it, thank you. You’ve saved my business, Mr. Barrett. I really mean that."

Wade waved it off lightly. "Just keep your doors locked next time, and don’t answer them."

"I will, I will." James bobbed his head, smiling earnestly. "You’re a good man, Mr. Barrett."

Wade didn’t answer. He simply nodded and continued on his way.

As he walked down the street, his thoughts drifted back to the night before.

To the long hours he’d spent cleaning the blood, scrubbing until the floorboards looked new again.

He’d left the place a bit wrecked, but better a trashed shop than no shop at all.

He exhaled, hands in his pockets, the faintest ghost of a smile appearing on his face.

"Yeah," he muttered to himself. "Everything worked out just fine."

And so he made his way through the cobbled streets of Hiving, the morning air feeling a bit chilly, even with the sun already in the sky.

But due to his constitution, he didn’t even feel it.

The city around him was already alive with noise, from vendors shouting their wares, to carts rattling as they took their goods from one place to the other.

He paid them no mind, scanning the streets as he walked. His destination was quieter than this.

He stopped outside a bar tucked between a weaponsmith and a leatherworker’s shop.

Its sign creaked above the door, the letters half-faded but still readable. The Golden Mug.

Perfect.

He pushed open the door. The scent of stale ale and old wood greeted him.

Inside, the place was empty save for a man behind the counter polishing a glass. He looked up at Wade’s entrance, his eyebrows lifting in mild curiosity.

"Bit early for a drink, isn’t it?" the man asked.

"I’m not here to drink," Wade said with a small smile. "I’m here to sell."

The man chuckled. "Oh? What kind of merchant shows up at dawn with no cart, no goods, and no introductions?"

"The kind who makes things worth your time."

That earned him a curious look. Wade reached into his inventory and produced a sealed glass jar of golden liquid.

The honey mead he’d brewed months ago.

"I’m selling honey mead," Wade said. "Made it myself. Thought you might want to stock something... different."

The owner leaned forward, intrigued despite himself. "Let’s see it, then."

Wade popped the airlock, releasing a faint hiss. The rich, sweet aroma of honey and fermented warmth filled the air. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The man’s expression changed immediately, his skepticism melting into genuine interest.

"Smells good," he muttered. "Mind if I taste?"

Wade poured a small measure into a glass and handed it over. The man took a sip, his eyes widening slightly as the taste hit. Then he let out a low whistle.

"That’s... damn good," he said. "Smooth, not too sweet. You said you brewed this yourself?"

Wade nodded. "From local honey. Aged it long enough to pull the bite out of the ferment. What do you think?"

"I think I’ll buy it," the man said, setting the glass down. "How much?"

"One hundred coins for the jar," Wade replied evenly.

The man frowned. "Seems a bit steep."

"Consider it an investment," Wade said. "I’m letting you have it cheap this time, so you can test it. When I come back with barrels, the price won’t be this low again."

That got a chuckle out of the owner. "Confident, aren’t you? Fine. A hundred it is."

They shook hands, sealing the deal. The man slides the jar towards himself, counting out 100 gold coins for Wade.

Wade slid them off the bar top, sending them into his inventory.

As he walked out, a familiar chime rang in his head.

Ding!

[Trade recorded.]

[Jar of Honey Mead: 100 gold coins]

[Cosmic Value Points: 0]

[Make bigger and more impactful trades, merchant. You’ll find yourself going nowhere with these petty trades.]

[Balance: 0]

Wade paused mid-step, then laughed softly under his breath. "Petty, huh?" he murmured.

He tucked his hands into his pockets, smirking as he walked down the street. "Guess I’ll just have to make bigger deals, then."

He continued on his way, and minutes later, he was walking through the familiar doors of the guild building.

Unlike before, the place felt like a graveyard.

There would normally be a few sounds travelling through the building, like the faint echo of boots clicking on stone or the low murmur of voices, but this time, there was nothing.

The energy that once filled the building was gone.

He made his way to the cafeteria and picked up a plate of food from the counter.

The smell of warm bread and broth was comforting in a dull, routine way.

As he turned, his eyes found their usual table. Rowan and Ingrid were already there.

They both looked tired. Rowan kept picking at his food, slowly taking a bite, and Ingrid sat there with her hair tied back more loosely than usual, her bow resting against the bench beside her.

"Morning," Wade greeted, giving a small smile.

Rowan grunted a greeting. Ingrid gave a faint nod before returning to her food.

Wade sat down, the wooden bench creaking beneath him.

The clatter of utensils was the only sound between them for a long while.

Around them, the cafeteria was nearly empty, with barely fifty adventurers scattered across the tables.

Once, this hall had been filled with laughter, clinking mugs, and exaggerated stories of dungeon runs. Now, the emptiness screamed louder than any noise could.

Each empty chair was a reminder of someone who hadn’t made it back.

Wade’s gaze drifted to the far wall, where the guild’s banner hung proudly. Even that seemed to shine less in the morning light.

When they finished eating, they sat for a moment longer, none of them really wanting to be the first to stand.

Finally, Rowan exhaled and pushed his plate away.

"Let’s go," he said quietly. "Time to collect our reward."

Ingrid rose without a word, slinging her bow over her shoulder.

Wade followed, the three of them leaving the silent cafeteria behind as they made their way towards the guild hall.

When they arrived, the hall was quieter than Wade had ever seen it.

The usual bustle of adventurers coming and going was gone, replaced by a somber hush. Only a few attendants stood behind their counters, and a short line of survivors waited to collect their rewards.

They joined the line without a word. Only the faint scratching of quills against paper filled the silence.

Wade glanced around. He recognized a few faces from the battlefield.

Some were bandaged, limping, or missing pieces of armor. Others bore no visible wounds, but the look in their eyes said enough.

When it was their turn, they stepped up to the counter.

A guild official in neat uniform glanced between them, then asked for their guild badges.

After confirming their identity, he shook hands with them, activating Exchange and giving them their rewards.

[Exchange Complete.]

[Reward Received: 2,200,000 Gold Coins.]

The coins sat quietly in Wade’s inventory, looking like it wasn’t real. Wade felt no thrill at the sight, almost like he couldn’t believe it was actually there.

Rowan let out a low whistle beside him. "Guess that’s one way to make a fortune."

"Doesn’t feel like much," Ingrid murmured.

Wade silently agreed. All the money in the world couldn’t balance the faces of the ones who’d died.

They stepped away from the counter, letting the next survivors take their place.

Wade was about to suggest they go for a drink when a familiar voice called out.

"Wade. Rowan. Ingrid."

They turned to see Handler Calista walking towards them, her long coat fluttering as she moved.

Her expression was unreadable. It was neither stern nor warm, just... serious.

"Guys," she said quietly, "we need to talk."