Chapter 447: Mana Liquid

By sunrise, the line outside the Guild Shop had reached the Grand Guild Hall.

Sage stood behind the counter with his arms folded and wondered which part of yesterday’s announcement had convinced half the Capital’s Knights that arriving before dawn would somehow create more Mana Liquid.

The Guild had released only a limited number of bottles, yet Warriors had started gathering while the Headquarters was still quiet.

Some wore the insignia of Knight Orders, others belonged to noble Houses, and more than a few were independent Warriors who looked as though they had brought every gold coin they owned.

Several merchants had appeared as well, although Irene had already informed them that standing in line wouldn’t magically turn them into eligible bulk buyers.

Boren looked through the doorway at the crowd and shook his head. "You should have charged more."

Irene, standing beside the sales ledger, immediately turned toward him. "Yesterday you said the price was already high."

"I’ve received new information," Boren replied, pointing toward the line. "Look at them."

Sage followed his finger. Two Knights near the front had apparently arrived in the middle of the night and were arguing about which of them had technically reached the doors first. Behind them stood an older Warrior wrapped in a blanket, eating breakfast from a wooden bowl while refusing to surrender his place.

"The price isn’t changing today," Sage decided. "Anyone who arrived expecting yesterday’s price gets yesterday’s price."

Boren sighed. "Your commitment to fairness continues costing us money."

Sage glanced at him. "I thought you were supposed to be helping."

"I am helping," Boren replied with a perfectly serious expression. "I’m identifying lost profit."

The reason for the excitement sat inside a locked display case between them. Mana Liquid looked unimpressive compared to the weapons and Skill Stones surrounding it.

Each bottle contained clear liquid carrying only a faint bluish shimmer when mana passed through it.

Sage remembered seeing far more of the substance in its natural environment, back when the Guild had still been young enough that every major discovery felt capable of changing its future.

The first dungeon they entered in Evergreen had contained Mana Liquid, and at the time, even bringing it back safely had felt like an enormous victory.

They had preserved much of what they recovered instead of immediately selling everything. Months later, those bottles had traveled from Evergreen to the Royal Capital.

Now the Capital had discovered them.

Sage understood why Knights cared. Mana Liquid wasn’t merely water containing mana. The naturally concentrated substance could assist cultivation, replenish mana and, when used correctly, help Warriors strengthen their foundations.

Its value varied depending on purity, quantity and the user’s own strength, so Sage had never treated it as some miraculous potion capable of granting effortless breakthroughs. Nevertheless, a resource that could directly assist mana cultivation would always attract Warriors.

The doors opened.

Within minutes, the Guild Shop became loud enough that Sage reconsidered whether selling anything had been a good idea.

A broad Knight reached the counter first and placed a heavy pouch down before asking, "How many bottles can I buy?"

Irene didn’t even look at the pouch. "One."

The Knight frowned. "I can afford ten."

Irene maintained the same expression. "Then you’ll have enough money left to enjoy the rest of your day."

Several people behind him laughed.

The Knight looked toward Sage instead. "Guildmaster, I’m willing to pay above the listed price."

Sage shook his head. "The limit is one bottle per person during this release. Paying more doesn’t change it."

The Knight glanced back at the enormous line before reluctantly accepting his bottle. He held it with both hands as though someone might attempt to steal it before he reached the doors.

The next buyer was worse.

He represented a noble household and arrived carrying a written order requesting twenty bottles for the House’s Knights. Sage read the beautifully sealed parchment, returned it and informed the representative that his master was welcome to purchase one bottle under the same rules as everyone else. The man looked stunned.

"Guildmaster Alistair, perhaps you don’t understand," the representative said carefully. "My lord isn’t asking for a discount. House Velmora will pay the full price for all twenty."

Sage leaned against the counter. "I understand perfectly. The answer is still no."

The representative glanced toward the bottles. "May I ask why?"

"Because if I let the richest House buy twenty, the next House asks for thirty, a Knight Order asks for fifty, and by noon ordinary Warriors have no chance of purchasing anything," Sage explained. "I’m selling Mana Liquid, not deciding which noble family has the largest purse."

The representative clearly disliked the answer, but he bowed and left without causing trouble.

Leon arrived shortly afterward and found several Ardent Sun Knights already in line. One noticed his Captain and immediately looked guilty until Leon reminded him, with visible amusement, "You’re spending your own gold. Stop looking at me like you stole it."

The Knight relaxed, then asked whether Leon intended to purchase a bottle too.

Leon studied the display before shaking his head. "Not today. If the supply is this limited, someone who needs it more can have mine."

Sage heard him and asked, "You’re giving up a cultivation resource voluntarily?"

Leon approached the counter. "I’m a Six-Star Grandmaster. One bottle might benefit me, but probably less than it benefits a Knight struggling through an earlier stage. Besides, I’m more interested in where you found it."

"Dungeon," Sage replied.

Leon waited.

Sage smiled. "Nice attempt."

Leon laughed. "I had to ask."

Iris Dawncaster arrived carrying three notebooks.

Sage saw them and immediately pointed at the stack. "No."

Iris stopped. "I haven’t asked anything."

"You brought three notebooks."

"Four," Iris corrected him, revealing another tucked beneath her arm. "And I’m buying a bottle."

Boren started laughing.

Iris ignored him and placed her payment on the counter. Once Irene confirmed the amount, Iris received one bottle and held it up toward the light. Her entire expression changed as she examined the faint mana movement within.

Sage watched her for several seconds before warning, "You’re not opening that in the middle of my shop."

Iris lowered the bottle and looked offended. "Do you think I have no control?"

"Yes," Sage answered.

Iris narrowed her eyes. "That was unnecessarily quick."

Iris carefully stored the bottle before explaining what she intended to test.

She wanted to compare its mana density against ordinary mana-infused water, observe how quickly the contained mana dispersed after exposure to air, determine whether its composition changed over time and examine whether different elemental affinities affected absorption.

Sage listened until she paused for breath. "You’re allowed to study the bottle you purchased. You’re not allowed to destroy half the Guild trying to understand it."

Iris looked insulted. "When have I ever destroyed half the Guild?"

Boren leaned toward Sage. "She emphasized half."

"I heard it."

The Warriors weren’t the only people interested.

By late morning, merchants had begun arriving with proposals.

One offered to purchase every future bottle the Guild recovered. Another wanted exclusive distribution rights within the Capital. A third proposed transporting Mana Liquid to other cities in exchange for a percentage of sales.

Two merchant houses separately offered advance payments for supplies Sage didn’t currently intend to release.

Then Garen Holtweiss appeared.

Unlike the others, Garen didn’t immediately approach Sage. He spent almost fifteen minutes walking around the shop, observing the buyers, asking employees how quickly bottles were selling and counting how many people left disappointed.

When he finally reached Sage, his expression was disturbingly happy.

"My friend," Garen said, placing both hands on Sage’s shoulders, "do you understand what you have?"

"Mana Liquid."

Garen closed his eyes as though suffering. "Sometimes speaking to you physically hurts me."

Sage removed Garen’s hands. "Then explain."

Garen leaned closer. "You have scarcity, demand and Warriors with money. That combination has built merchant fortunes for centuries. People arrived before sunrise for a bottle! Do you know what merchants dream about?"

"Profit?" Sage guessed.

Garen slapped the counter. "Customers fighting to give us profit!"

Boren called from nearby, "There is no us."

Garen immediately turned toward him. "Brother Boren, don’t limit your dreams!"

Boren’s expression soured. "My dream currently involves you leaving."

Garen ignored him and returned to Sage. His proposal was considerably smarter than the others. Instead of demanding exclusive ownership of all Mana Liquid, Holtweiss Consortium would transport future Guild goods between Regions, handle secure caravans and help distribute limited quantities wherever Guild branches existed.

The Guild would retain ownership and determine prices, while Holtweiss earned transportation and handling fees.

Sage considered it. "Better than asking me to hand you everything."

Garen looked offended. "I am a respectable merchant."

Boren snorted loudly.

Garen pointed toward him without looking away from Sage. "Ignore my jealous brother."

"We’re still not brothers!" Boren shouted.

The crowd continued throughout the afternoon. By then, Irene had begun maintaining a separate record of attempted bulk purchases, merchant proposals and noble inquiries. Sage noticed something important among the numbers.

The Mana Liquid wasn’t merely generating sales. It was pulling people into the Guild who otherwise might never have visited. Knights came for Mana Liquid and discovered Skill Stones.

Merchants came seeking distribution agreements and noticed the Exchange. Noble representatives arrived to purchase bottles and left carrying information about the Guild.

The product had become an attraction.

That made controlling it more important, not less.

Near evening, Irene approached Sage with the remaining count and quietly informed him, "If we continue at today’s rate, the quantity you approved for this release will be gone tomorrow."

Sage looked toward the customers still waiting. "Then tomorrow it runs out."

Irene raised an eyebrow. "You’re not releasing more?"

"Not immediately," Sage replied. "Scarcity is real. I’m not draining our reserves because people are impatient."

Garen overheard him and looked almost emotional. "Brother Sage, those may be the most beautiful words you’ve ever spoken."

Sage stared at him. "Don’t call me Brother Sage."

Boren laughed from across the shop. "Now you understand."

By sunset, another batch of Mana Liquid had disappeared into the hands of Warriors, researchers and wealthy buyers. Some would drink it immediately. Iris would probably spend days studying hers before allowing a single drop near her mouth.

Merchants would continue calculating how much gold could be made if the Guild ever released larger quantities.

Sage cared about something else.

The bottles had begun their journey in a dungeon near Evergreen, back when the Adventurer Guild had been little more than an impossible idea struggling to survive.

Now people in the Royal Capital were lining up before sunrise for them.

And Sage still controlled the supply.