Chapter 29: The Birth of a Craze

“Good morning, Bernard!”  

“Welcome, Fabir.”  

Bernard greeted me with a smile.  

“You brought quite a few boxes today?”  

“I’ve got a new product.”  

Bernard raised an eyebrow. I pulled a glass bottle from one of the boxes.  

“A new product, you say…?”  

“A digestive aid.”  

“A digestive aid?”  

“Sounds unfamiliar, right? It works wonders for indigestion. I named it Gas Vitality Water.”  

“Great name! It’s something you won’t find in alchemy shops. Really gives off an apothecary vibe.”  

“This is just the start. We’ll keep expanding our flagship products. Let’s price it at one small silver coin to begin.”  

“That price sounds about right. I’ll label and display them right away.”  

As Bernard moved the boxes behind the counter—  

Ding.  

The bell rang, and an elderly man walked in.  

“Welcome!”  

The old man slowly looked around the shop. I approached him in Bernard’s place.  

“Looking for something, sir?”  

“What’s that?”  

He seemed hard of hearing. I raised my voice and spoke clearly.  

“Are you looking for something specific?”  

“Oh, that thing… I heard you sell a health food here that gives you energy?”  

“You mean the vitality drink? One moment, please.”  

I grabbed a bottle from the shelf and showed it to him.  

“This is what you’re looking for.”  

“Does this really make you feel lighter? I heard adventurers swear by it.”  

“Absolutely. Drink this, and you’ll feel full of energy.”  

“I hope so. My digestion’s been bad lately, so I need something to give me strength.”  

“Trouble with digestion? Then how about trying this too?”  

“What’s this?”  

“It’s a new product called Gas Vitality Water. It helps with digestion.”  

“It’s good for digestion?”  

“Yes. If you buy a vitality drink, I’ll throw this in as a free sample. Give it a try.”  

“I’ve been coming to this apothecary my whole life, but I’ve never seen a medicine like this. If it works, I’ll spread the word.”  

The old man paid for the vitality drink and left the shop happily.  

“He’s a long-time regular. Hard of hearing, isn’t he?”  

“That’s why you put detailed labels on everything, Bernard?”  

“Partly, but labels also make it easier to explain the products clearly.”  

“I should look into herbs that improve hearing later.”  

“Good idea. Hearing aids are ridiculously expensive. There are alchemical potions that enhance physical abilities or senses, so you could use those as a reference.”  

“I’ll do that.”  

Magical devices were only affordable for the ultra-wealthy. 

If I could create a substitute, it might attract a lot of demand. 

Something to think about later.  

Since I’m out, maybe I’ll buy some seeds.  

I was getting hooked on developing new products.  

I left the shop and headed straight for the market.  

Murmur murmur.  

Why were so many people gathered?  

The plaza was buzzing with noise on my way to the market.  

“Come one, come all, the contest is about to begin! Hurry if you want to participate! Entry fee is one silver coin! First place wins a whopping gold coin!”  

Curiosity got the better of me, and I peeked into the plaza. 

Squeezing through the crowd, I watched the event unfold.  

“Let the competition begin! Participants, please stand at the table.”  

Ten burly contestants lined up at a long table.  

“Hand out the bowls!”  

The event staff placed bowls filled with steamed potatoes in front of each participant.  

“You have 30 minutes. The person who eats the most steamed potatoes wins. Ready, start!”  

“Fight!”  

“Eat them all!”  

“Do your best!”  

The arena erupted in excitement.  

Munch munch.  

The participants shoved steamed potatoes into their mouths, barely chewing, swallowing them with gulps of water.  

That’s a ton of food. 

Will they be okay?  

I was more worried than curious about the outcome.  

Flash.  

“Wait a second!”  

A brilliant idea struck me.  

Am I born to be a merchant? My brain works overtime for this stuff.  

Slam.  

I burst back into the apothecary, and Bernard looked at me, startled.  

“What’s wrong?!”  

“We need to grab all the Gas Vitality Water and head to the plaza, now!”  

“What?”  

“No time to explain! Hurry!”  

I grabbed the boxes and rushed to the plaza. The contest was nearing its end.  

“They’re slowing down! We’re seeing dropouts!”  

The participants were panting, struggling. 

Yet, unwilling to give up, they kept eyeing each other, shoving one more potato in.  

“Five minutes left!”  

They pushed themselves to cram in more potatoes until the very end.  

“Huff, huff. Fabir?”  

“Bernard? Why’d you follow me? What about the shop?”  

“You ran out so fast, I thought something big happened.”  

“Since you’re here, help me promote.”  

“Promote? Here?”  

“Yes. We’re promoting the new product right here.”  

The announcer shouted,  

“One minute left! Give it your all! A gold coin awaits!”  

“Keep going!”  

“Don’t give up!”  

“Swallow! Swallow it!”  

The participants stuffed potatoes into their mouths.  

Bernard, overwhelmed by the chaos, looked around frantically.  

“Isn’t this a potato-eating contest? You’re promoting here?”  

“Look at their faces. They’re pale, like they’re about to puke.”  

“Oh… I see!”  

Bernard’s eyes lit up.  

“Three, two, one! Stop! Applause for the winner, who ate 35 potatoes!”  

Clap clap clap.  

The crowd cheered for the champion, but the winner’s face was grim. 

The other participants weren’t faring much better.  

“Ugh, my stomach…”  

“Huff, I… can’t breathe.”  

“Someone help me up.”  

The contestants staggered, unable to stand properly.  

Some vomited, others gasped for air, and some lay motionless.  

“Hey, you okay?”  

“Isn’t this dangerous?”  

Their friends started worrying. 

They realized the seriousness but had no solution.  

Swoosh.  

I approached them quietly.  

“Digestive aid for sale! Get your digestive aid!”  

My soft pitch caught their attention.  

“Digestive aid?”  

“A miracle cure that makes even a stuffed dragon burp! It’s called Gas Vitality Water! Just one small silver coin! Instant relief!”  

Boom.  

“Hey! People are suffering here, and you’re peddling quack medicine?”  

“Yeah! Never heard of a ‘digestive aid’!”  

As expected, they were skeptical. 

Never having heard of a digestive aid, their reaction was natural.  

But a thirsty man will find a well.  

“Hey, over here! One bottle!”  

A dazed contestant, fearing for his life, called out to me.  

“Coming right up!”  

Pop.  

I uncorked a bottle and handed it to the gasping man.  

“Chug it in one go.”  

Gulp gulp.  

His throat bobbed.  

And then—  

BURRRRRP!  

A thunderous burp echoed through the plaza.  

“Whew! I feel alive! This stuff is amazing!”  

The noisy plaza fell silent. Everyone froze, blinking in disbelief.  

“What the…?”  

“He was gasping a moment ago! He’s fine already?”  

“Did he really digest it that fast after drinking that?”  

“It’s not quack medicine? I can’t believe my eyes.”  

Five seconds.  

That’s how long it took him to digest the potatoes.  

“A miracle cure that makes even a stuffed dragon burp! Gas Vitality Water! Just one small silver coin!”  

“Me too!”  

“Here, please!”  

People started calling out from all directions.  

“Coming! Have one small silver coin ready, no change!”  

Pop. Gulp. BURRRRRP.  

Pop. Gulp. BURRRRRP.  

Pop. Gulp. BURRRRRP.  

Roaring burps echoed one after another across the plaza.  

“The apothecary’s new product! For indigestion, Gas Vitality Water! Visit the apothecary!”  

“This is incredible. I need to remember this.”  

“The only apothecary in Alburton, right? I’ll visit next time I’m stuffed.”  

The crowd started talking about the digestive aid and the apothecary.  

Bernard’s voice was elated.  

“Fabir, it’s a huge success! Gas Vitality Water is etched in their minds!”  

“Of course. My products are top-notch!”  

I gave a thumbs-up and grinned.  

That day, Gas Vitality Water sparked a new craze in Alburton.  

***

“Yawn, slept so well!”  

I stretched wide. 

Starting the day on fluffy bedding felt like a blessing.  

Amazingly, the bedding stayed soft without ever losing its fluff.  

It really felt like the Floating Island was truly mine now.  

An island that bonds with me.  

But then—  

Ding.  

[The Floating Island is complaining of a toothache.]  

[Mission! Enter the Floating Island’s interior and remove the contaminated ore.]  

“A toothache?”  

I was dumbfounded by the sudden alert.  

“What’s wrong?”  

“The Floating Island says it has a toothache and wants me to go inside to remove contaminated ore. Does the island have teeth?”  

“It’s a metaphor the ancients used for the island’s underground. Just like cavities form, debris builds up inside.”  

“Is it serious?”  

“Not really. It’s just byproducts from using cosmic energy. You just need to dig them out. Grab a pickaxe.”  

I went to the village, bought an iron pickaxe, and filled my canteen with watermelon juice.  

“Won’t it be dark inside?”  

“There are luminescent stones, so it won’t be a problem.”  

“Seems like I’m ready. How do I get inside?”  

“Ask the Floating Island, and it’ll open a passage.”  

“Floating Island, let me inside.”  

Ding.  

[Opening the passage.]  

Rumble.  

The ground vibrated, split open, and revealed a staircase descending underground.