Chapter 5 Business Hours
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
In *Beyond the Deep Darkness*, the original protagonist wasn’t a hero but a shopkeeper—a Crafter who solved problems by making whatever people needed.
Shops could grow into bases, farmland, even hot springs, and players could expand them into tycoon-style empires.
Running a shop meant more than selling: you needed Appraisal to avoid scams, guild membership for certification and insurance, and the price lists to keep from undercutting the market.
Gear ranged across thirteen weapon types, light and heavy armor, shields, accessories, and even Arcane Armor—magical power suits that demanded rare materials far beyond my current reach.
Repairs and commissions rounded out the work, though guild rules meant I only took material-supplied jobs from newcomers, while veterans stuck to their trusted Crafters.
I wasn’t famous yet. A few of my parents’ old Explorer friends gave me business, and the girl was my only real regular.
My dream was to become the go-to Crafter for an entire party. But until I cleared floor 30—the benchmark for being taken seriously—I was just another rookie.
As for her, people whispered she was my pet, carried along by me. In truth, she was growing strong, but her Skill Slots chained her down with stacked Mana Boosts.
With only her Arcane Gun and one offensive skill, she could handle up to floor 20, but anything deeper was too dangerous. The Ogre boss there could heal, meaning she needed a critical hit to win—or more levels to unlock new skills.
Our real target was Mithril from the mid floors, but dragging her down that far would be suicide. Until she gained new options, I’d have to shoulder the risk myself.
So I stayed behind the counter, polishing stock and waiting for customers, when an Explorer burst in shouting for potions.
”Everything you’ve got!”
I checked inventory. “1,748 in stock.”
The man paled. “…Just twenty, please.”
”Three thousand total,” I said with a smile. Business as usual.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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