With my merchant's license secured, I faced my next challenge: finding the perfect location. My infinite inventory was stocked with products this world had never seen—chips, sodas, chocolates, beauty products, and so much more. Now I just needed somewhere to sell them.
I wandered through Aiso's winding streets, searching for anything resembling a real estate office. After an hour of exploration, I spotted a building with a painted sign depicting parcels of land.
Inside, a middle-aged clerk sat behind a simple wooden desk, surrounded by hand-drawn maps and property documents.
"Good afternoon," I said. "I'm looking to purchase land for a commercial venture."
His eyes lit up—clearly, business had been slow. "Excellent timing! We have several prime locations available." He spread out a detailed map of the town. "This plot near the central plaza catches my eye. High foot traffic, spacious lot, and the price is quite reasonable."
"How much?"
"Fifty gold coins, or we offer payment plans. Sign a contract promising payment within one month, and you can begin construction immediately."
I studied the location. The plaza was indeed bustling with activity—perfect for a convenience store revolution. "I'll take the payment plan."
After signing the contract and receiving the deed, I stood on my new property, envisioning the transformation ahead. Instead of copying 7-Eleven exactly, I decided to create something uniquely suited to this world. I'd call it "C7 Convenience."
Using my material creation abilities, I began construction. Rather than simply willing walls into existence, I crafted each element carefully—sturdy stone foundations, wooden frames, large glass windows that would seem magical to the locals. I installed the first air conditioning system this world had ever seen, along with electric lighting powered by a concealed generator system I'd built underground.
The interior layout followed modern convenience store principles: clear sightlines, intuitive product placement, and a central checkout counter. I crafted shelving systems, a cash register (simplified but functional), refrigeration units, and freezers for ice cream and frozen goods.
As I stocked the shelves using my float ability, I felt a surge of excitement. Energy drinks sat beside healing potions. Potato chips shared space with dried fantasy fruits. The fusion of two worlds was about to begin.
Opening day arrived faster than expected. I'd barely finished the final touches when a crowd gathered outside, drawn by curiosity about the strange new building. Through the windows, I could see their puzzled expressions as they tried to understand what they were looking at.
I flipped the sign from "Closed" to "Open" and stepped back.
The first customer, a middle-aged woman, entered cautiously. The moment she felt the air conditioning, she gasped.
"By the spirits! What manner of cooling enchantment is this?"
"Climate control magic," I replied with a straight face. "Keeps products fresh and customers comfortable."
More people flooded in, their amazement palpable. A young man picked up a bag of chips, examining the colorful packaging.
"What are these 'potato chips'? And only five copper coins?"
"Try them," I encouraged. "If you don't like them, I'll refund your money."
He bit into a chip, and his eyes widened. "Incredible! The crunch, the flavor—nothing like this exists!"
Word spread through the plaza like wildfire. By afternoon, I had a steady stream of customers, each one marveling at products they'd never imagined. The refrigerated section was particularly popular—cold drinks on a warm day seemed like pure magic to them.
A group of academy students discovered the chocolate bars and became instant converts. "These are better than the finest noble confections!" one declared, buying six bars.
By evening, my coin purse was heavy with silver and copper. I'd made more in one day than most merchants made in a week.
Three days later, a familiar face appeared: Lyra, the pink-haired healer who'd helped me get started.
"John!" she exclaimed, looking around in wonder. "Everyone in town is talking about your store. They say you're selling food from the gods themselves."
I laughed. "Just some products from... far away. How about I give you a tour?"
I showed her through the store, explaining each section. She was particularly fascinated by the beauty products—moisturizers, shampoos, and soaps with fragrances unlike anything available locally.
"This could revolutionize personal care in Aiso," she murmured, examining a bottle of conditioner.
"That's the idea. But this is just the beginning."
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity. "What do you mean?"
I gestured toward the empty lot next to my store. "I'm thinking bigger. Much bigger."
Within two weeks, my little convenience store had become the talk of not just Aiso, but neighboring settlements as well. Merchants came from distant towns to see what all the fuss was about. Some tried to buy my products wholesale, but I politely declined—I wasn't ready to franchise just yet.
The success allowed me to expand rapidly. I purchased the adjacent lots and began construction on what would become Aiso's first shopping center. This time, I hired local workers for the conventional construction while secretly handling the more advanced elements myself.
The new building would have two floors connected by the town's first escalator—which I disguised as an "automated stair enchantment." The ground floor would house an expanded convenience store, a clothing boutique featuring modern designs, and a café serving burgers, fries, and other foods this world had never tasted.
The second floor would contain luxury items: refrigerators and air conditioning units for wealthy customers, along with a small electronics section selling modified devices powered by magic crystals.
I also established a small hiring office. Managing everything alone was exhausting, and I needed trustworthy employees. To my surprise, applications poured in. The novelty of working in such an advanced establishment attracted many qualified candidates.
Grand opening day for the shopping center was a spectacle. A crowd of hundreds gathered, including nobles from distant duchies who'd traveled specifically to see the "merchant wizard's wonder palace."
Duke Alice von Aiso herself attended, accompanied by a small retinue. She was younger than I'd expected, with short silver hair and the bearing of a seasoned warrior.
"So you're the mysterious merchant everyone's been talking about," she said, her voice carrying authority tempered with curiosity. "I'm impressed by what you've built here. Aiso hasn't seen this level of innovation in... well, ever."
"Thank you, Your Grace. I hope to bring prosperity to your lands."
She nodded approvingly. "Continue as you have, and you'll find my support. Innovation benefits everyone."
As customers explored the center, their reactions were everything I'd hoped for. Children rode the escalator repeatedly, laughing with delight. Adults marveled at the electric lighting and climate control. The café was packed with people trying hamburgers for the first time.
By day's end, I'd earned over a hundred gold coins—more than enough to pay off my land debt and begin planning the next expansion.
Not everyone was pleased with my success, however. As I was closing up that evening, a group of hooded figures approached the building. One of them raised his staff, launching chunks of stone at my windows.
The magical barriers I'd discretely installed held firm, but the message was clear: I had enemies.
I stepped outside, and the lead attacker sneered. "Foreign magic doesn't belong here, outlander! You'll poison our traditions with your strange ways!"
Without thinking, I gestured dismissively. A wave of force sent all three attackers tumbling backward like leaves in a hurricane. They scrambled to their feet and fled into the night.
I stared at my hand in shock. I'd barely exerted any effort, yet the result was overwhelming. The gods hadn't just blessed me—they'd made me into something far beyond human limitations.
Standing there in the lamplight, I realized my journey was just beginning. If traditional merchants felt threatened by a simple convenience store, what would happen when I really started changing things?
The thought was both thrilling and terrifying.
To be continued...