Chapter 42 – Starting up (End)
After half a month, the town of Ricca’s first drugstore was finally opening. Bearing the weight of everyone’s well wishes and under numerous amounts of curious gazes, it was ceremoniously opened.
All in all, within this half a month period, Rumont’s store could be said to have whet everyone’s appetite. Even those self-reliant, the so-called dignified personage that wouldn’t go to Rumont’s place to buy medicines, were also curious about his mysterious activities.
Originally, the town of Ricca was a remote area, with a scarcity of entertainment. Even more so was that it was currently a winter filled with heavy snow days. Therefore, Rumont’s strange actions allowed the townsfolk to generate, after finishing their meals and during their tea times, quite the amount of discussions in this short period.
With the period of renovating the store in an obvious mysterious fashion and along with the delayed opening, it had already attracted the majority of people’s outlook.
Moreover, this was still the small town of Ricca’s first drugstore.
As a result, the pre-set time of holding the opening ceremony was originally at 9 o’clock in the morning. Only, from 8 o’clock onwards, a countless amount of people, who loved excitement, had already gathered by the side to observe.
“Rumont, I think I finally understand you ideas.” Merchant Banner stood next to Rumont on the stage, showing at once a suddenly realizing expression as he saw the scene.
“You understand?” giving a glance, Rumont gave off a sigh. Looking at his current appearance, to have understood would have been strange.
“Yeah, using a scheme to arouse everyone’s interest. This is the most favoured method of merchants. However……” there was something Banner still didn’t understand, giving Rumont a look. “For a single drugstore, is it necessary for such a display of fanfare? Yours is the only one around here, even without doing all this would it really affect your business?”
Rumont again gave another sigh. Said to have understood, but have you really understood? His real scheme wasn’t just that……a single drugstore, would it really need such a display of fanfare? Rumont inwardly gave out the solution in his mind, yes, it was necessary.
A drugstore was unlike those other stores. Nowadays, under the circumstances of there being increasingly more Adventurers, a single drugstore was clearly insufficient to supply the entire demand.
Demands would require supplies. In the future, he feared that there wouldn’t only be the one drugstore that appeared here?
In the past nobody had opened it. One, was because no one in the meantime had realized such a business opportunity. Two, was that the people in this field weren’t many and three, was that the demands weren’t high enough.
As for now……once the first person appeared to eat a crab, in that way, a second, a third……would appear quite quickly right? The other businesses stores being few was because the demands were low. But a drugstore was different. There was no limit, at least for the common medicines that didn’t need the combining of spells……
Thinking of the matters he had heard of the Adventurers mention, Rumont had long since planned for it. Wouldn’t the Adventurers only increase in the future?
As it looked, opening this store well would have no small amount of assistance for his future!
“Rumont!” at this moment, two males and a female appeared in the distance. They were heading directly towards him. Among them, the youngest male was in the process of waving to him, Nick’s family was heading over.
“Nick, you’re looking good, looks like you’re recovering quickly ey.” Rumont busily jumped down from the stage and hugged the youth.
Being hugged by Rumont, Nick, the kid’s face surprisingly turned red. “Rumont, you’ve also changed greatly, I barely recognized you ah.”
It could be assumed to be true. In recent times, Rumont was all along caught up in his own affairs, even if he did send money to Nick’s family, he still didn’t meet up with Nick often.
Once they met up, Rumont, because of the Shennong Horn’s altering, no matter if it was his aura or his physique, it all had a few changes; people that saw him frequently would not feel it at all.
Only Nick, as Rumont’s best friend who had not seen him for a long period, had naturally seen the changes with a glance.
Rumont hehe laughed, not bothering to explain. He first greeted his friend, Nick’s parents, before inviting them up onto the store stage. The simple and honest couple duo, till death were unwilling to stand together by Rumont’s side. The current Rumont was already a Rank 2 Druid, his status was distantly higher than theirs; they did not dare do something so lacking in respect like this.
“Rumont, can……I stand over there?” Nick was also no longer the empty headed youth from back then. Seeing such heavy extravagance, even though he would not be uncomfortable because of Rumont’s status, yet he would also not feel good at that location either.
Rumont hehe laughed, patting his shoulder and said: “of course you can.”
Although he didn’t force Nick’s parents to stand with himself, he couldn’t let Nick be opposed to it, firmly dragging him over. Seeing that there was no point in struggling, Nick gave a bitter laugh before also standing well on top.
At this moment, the time of the grand opening quickly arrived. Taking a gander at the surrounding curious and inquisitive people, Rumont laughed self-confidently. Afterwards, he let the people open the entrance to the store.
However, this still wasn’t the most significant. The thing that attracted everyone’s attention, which followed after, were the rows of cute looking red lanterns hanging outside of the store. Lots of colourful confetti was fluttering about in the wind. Within this white coloured snow world, it was exceedingly beautiful.
With this action, it immediately caused everyone to watch with rapt attention. Rumont at this moment, really could be said to be impressive without limit. The townsfolk that he had drifted apart from, due to some reasons in the past, their visions towards him now already carried a slight desire to win his favour and reverence. This was the direct results of a change in status.
As for Banner, who was standing by Rumont’s side, at this moment he had already cleverly gone down the stage. Currently on the high stage, remained the pair of Rumont and Nick. Rumont shifted well to speak, after all, he was today’s primary host. Only, everyone couldn’t help but guess why Nick appeared. However quite quickly, the lanterns were lighted and dispersed everyone’s attention.
“Wah! So pretty, what kind of lamp is this ah!” this was a voice of admiration.
“It’s a lantern!” Rumont laughed out.
Practically everyone was suppressed by this type of beautiful scenery. However, after beholding, the question everyone cared about the most, was asked.
“Rumont, the drugstore is opening today right?” this was the inquiry. “The medicines sold, are they expensive?”
Rumont first laughed facing the applauding people, before answering with a serious expression: “that’s right, a grand opening today.”
Saying this, he went and stood higher still, directly standing on the stage’s highest point, before loudly stating: “ladies and gentlemen, for the purpose of thanking everybody’s cheering, everyone that purchases at my store, will only need to pay half the regular price today! “
Once it was sounded out, many people displayed a joyous expression.
However, something unexpected also happened.
“How much will the medicines cost in the end, it’s not just whatever you choose right?” yelled someone from within the crowd.
Rumont slightly wrinkled his eyebrows, but still without anger, he only said in a loud voice: “rest assured everyone, that the store medicines will be clearly marked. If the prices ever change, it would also be announced clearly. If nobody believes it, wait until the grand opening ceremony is finished, and you can freely at leisure look around the store!”
Saying with a wave, the well prepared in advance, something in this world that was similar to fireworks on Earth, was lit by people before festively initiating the grand opening of the store.
Rumont had prepared in advance a simple shack at the front of the store. The inside was filled with a dozen long tables that were temporarily borrowed from the storage within Mort’s Inn, covered on top was beer. At this stage, there were already people placing the warm beer into mugs.
The spilt beer foam, as well the fragrance of the beer suffused in the air, allowed everyone’s eye’s to brighten up at once.
This kind of grand opening ceremony truly did please the crowd!
Rumont as expected, during this moment of opening said a few words: “everyone please drink as much as you like!”
It immediately cause the mood to have reached the highest point.
In reality, although the beer prepared wasn’t few and wasn’t considered a small expenditure, Rumont still believed that it was worth it.
Firstly, the majority that came today were Adventurers, and having associated with them, there was no harm in it.
What Rumont wore today was a set of brand new clothings, the clothes were light blue in hue. Wearing it on his body made his stature seem all the more taller and straighter, with an out of the ordinary feel.
Probably due to the Shennong Horn, his current stature was a head taller wearing these clothes. And with the way he was standing amidst the crowd, shortly, a type of crane among birds feeling allowed the constantly paying attention to his every movement Nick, who was cheerful in place of his good friend, to have feelings of envy and misery.
Seeing that everyone had crowded around, placing Rumont within the centre, Nick who was at the same time feeling happy for Rumont, was increasingly clueless of his own future.
Taking the advantage of the lack of attention, he went to the outside of the crowd.
“Nick, what are you thinking of?” another good friend of Rumont. Fafnir and his family was also invited over, seeing Nick coming out with a sad expression, was feeling worried and followed him over.
Nick seeing the similarly newly dressed Fafnir, promptly covered up his grieving feelings, before laughing with difficulty: “my body can’t tolerate liquor, naturally I would have ran outside to take a break!”
The snow was still falling at this time, only it was already much less. Only a few partial snowflakes fluttered in the sky along with the wind.
Fafnir nevertheless understood his feelings, patting Nick on the shoulders and trying to console him, only there was nothing say but only to sigh. Afterwards, he accompanied him in watching the snowflakes flutter about.
Suddenly, the crowd yonder cried out.
Afterwards, everyone’s vision suddenly looked over by the side of the two youths. To be more precise, the vision was sighted on top of Nick’s self.
All of a sudden, being watched attentively by however many people, caused Nick to shortly have a burst of irregular heart-beats. Without waiting for him to speak, the crowd separated to either side, exposing the already standing amidst them, Rumont.
“The owner of the drugstore, I plan to invite Nick to assume this position. Everyone, please welcome Nick to say a few words!” Rumont beckoned to Nick.
A thunderous like feeling. Not only Nick, even his parents, were standing foolishly amongst the crowd of townsfolk since the beginning; once they had also heard about this matter, had shown an expression of shock.
“This, is this real?” this was what they inquired.
“Of course it’s real.” Rumont faintly laughed and said to them. Afterwards, he saw that Nick was surprisingly still standing blankly where he was. He needed to go over and pull him over himself.
“I declare as of this moment, from this day forth, Nick will become the manager of this drugstore. Because the weather is relatively cold, I therefore won’t speak too much nonsense. Everyone, please enter the store!” saying this, he pulled Nick into the drugstore.
Everyone that heard, some were astonished, some didn’t understand, some disdained. However, even more people were full of curiosity towards this drugstore.
Seeing Rumont taking the lead to enter, everyone also followed shortly. As a result, countless of gasping sounds within this following period of time, were endlessly emitted within this store.
It was different to everyone’s imagination. Rumont’s store, all the surrounding decorations deployed, was imitating the layout from a psychological institute back on Earth.
A warm clean hue, neat wooden floors that wasn’t slippery, along with several rows of soft supple chairs. Allowing everyone that saw it, to feel it to be utterly convenient for use.
And at the store’s central point, a row of long tables, as well as walls from the small city, had appeared within this tiny store.
Countless of medicines of different varieties, of different efficacies were distinguishably arranged, with distinct classifications. The front of each kind of medicine, all had a small plaque, with a detailed explanation of the medicine’s price, method of use, as well as the applicable crowd. It could only be said that everything had toppled over everyone’s imagination. Permitting everyone that saw it hereafter, to be endlessly amazed.
As a result, Rumont’s first day of opening had obtained praises from countless people. Many people had rushed towards the cheap pricings, buying a few to store away back home. The day’s worth of business, in honest, was quite good; even if the pricing was halved. Yet to Rumont, it was all profit without loss. After all, the manufacturing costs of the herbs could basically be ignored.
As for Nick’s parents, upon learning that Nick really could obtain such a job, with a decent salary, they were even more unusually grateful towards Rumont.
Nick was even more than willing, affirming with determination to operate this drugstore business greatly for Rumont; he was once again brimming with vitality. This kind of result allowed Fafnir and others to also be endlessly cheerful.
And at the same time Rumont’s drugstore was passionately selling medicines, a figure suddenly appeared outside of the small store.
This person’s body was wrapped snugly in a gown, even if it looked old, it still gave people a type of comfortable feeling. It wasn’t a stranger. It was Rumont’s once former teacher, Druid Jeff.
However, this Rank 5 Druid did not at all enter to congratulate him. He only watched from afar. After a certain moment, he silently departed.
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Author: recommend, please don’t forget now, thanks
Bo~ 