The next morning brought an unexpected summons to the throne room. King Raph von Ats sat regally upon his throne, with Prince Lucian and Princess Elara flanking him on either side. The formal atmosphere was palpable as I approached and bowed respectfully.
"John Guilbert," the king began, his voice carrying the weight of authority, "yesterday you saved my children from certain death. Such an act cannot go unrewarded."
I straightened, meeting his gaze. "Your Majesty, I require no reward. I simply did what any decent person would do."
The king's expression hardened slightly. "When a king offers gratitude, it is not a request but a royal decree. You will accept what I offer."
"Of course, Your Majesty. I apologize for my presumption."
King Raph's stern expression softened into something approaching a smile. "Very good. Now, I have been giving considerable thought to your... unique talents. My children speak highly of your shopping center in Aiso, and I confess, I am intrigued by the possibilities such innovation could bring to Ats."
Princess Elara stepped forward eagerly. "Father, you should have seen it! The organization, the products, the sheer efficiency—it's revolutionizing commerce in Havel."
"Indeed," the king nodded. "Which brings me to my proposal. I am granting you a substantial tract of land on the outskirts of our capital, along with exclusive merchant privileges that supersede normal guild restrictions. In return, I want you to build something magnificent here—something that will make Ats the commercial center of the eastern kingdoms."
My pulse quickened. This was beyond my wildest expectations. "Your Majesty, I'm honored by your trust. May I ask what specific vision you have in mind?"
"Something that will dwarf your Aiso establishment," the king replied. "I want to transform Ats into a destination that draws merchants, nobles, and common folk from across the continent. Can you deliver such a vision?"
"I believe so, Your Majesty. But I must ask—what has prompted this ambitious undertaking?"
King Raph leaned forward, his expression becoming more serious. "The political landscape is shifting, young merchant. Neighboring kingdoms grow stronger through trade alliances and technological advancement. Ats must evolve or risk being left behind. Your innovations represent an opportunity to secure our kingdom's future prosperity."
I nodded, understanding the deeper implications. "Then I accept your commission with gratitude and determination to exceed your expectations."
"Excellent." The king gestured to a distinguished man in formal attire. "Javier, my chief butler, will escort you to the land and provide you with the necessary documentation."
Javier stepped forward with a crisp bow. "It would be my honor, sir. Shall we depart immediately?"
The royal carriage was a masterpiece of craftsmanship—polished mahogany with gold trim, velvet cushions, and magical runes providing a smooth, silent ride. As we traveled through the city and into the countryside, Javier proved to be an excellent source of information about local customs and business practices.
"Sir," he said in his refined voice, "if I may offer some counsel—the nobles here are quite traditional in their ways. Change, even beneficial change, must be introduced delicately."
"Thank you for the advice, Javier. I'll keep that in mind."
After thirty minutes of travel, the carriage crested a hill, and I saw my new domain spread out before us. The land was absolutely massive—easily ten times larger than my Aiso property. Rolling hills, mature trees, and a small river running through the center created a perfect natural landscape for development.
"By the gods," I breathed, "this is incredible!"
Javier smiled with evident pride. "His Majesty was quite generous. This tract encompasses nearly five hundred acres, with direct road access to the capital and excellent proximity to major trade routes."
As I stepped out to survey the property, my mind was already racing with possibilities. This wasn't just land for a shopping center—this was space for an entire commercial district.
"One more thing," Javier said, producing an ornate black card from his coat. "His Majesty instructed me to present you with this—a Royal Merchant's License of the highest order. It grants you privileges normally reserved for duchy-level nobility, including exemption from most trade regulations and protection under royal decree."
I examined the card with amazement. The craftsmanship was exquisite, with the royal seal embossed in gold. "I've never seen anything like this."
"Nor will you elsewhere," Javier replied. "Only three such licenses exist in the kingdom. You now hold the fourth."
After Javier departed, I spent hours walking the property, planning and designing. My vision was ambitious beyond anything I'd attempted before—not just a shopping center, but a complete commercial complex that would redefine retail experience in this world.
I began with the entrance, creating a grand plaza with fountains, gardens, and covered pavilions where local merchants could establish stalls during festivals and market days. The main building would be a multi-story marvel, featuring an atrium with a glass ceiling that would seem impossible to local architects.
For the next two weeks, I worked tirelessly, using my divine abilities to construct what I privately called the "Supermall." The building rose from the landscape like a crystal palace, its architecture blending classical elegance with subtle modern innovations.
The ground floor would house luxury retailers, restaurants featuring cuisine from multiple kingdoms, and a large general store stocking everything from household goods to magical supplies. The second floor would contain specialty shops, a bookstore with texts from across the continent, and entertainment venues.
But the crown jewel would be the third floor—the automotive gallery.
Using my knowledge from Earth combined with this world's magical systems, I designed vehicles that ran on mana-powered engines. They looked like elegant carriages but moved without horses, powered by wind and fire runes that converted magical energy into motion. The fuel system required either mana crystals or visits to charging stations I planned to establish throughout the kingdom.
I created three vehicle tiers: basic models for 500 gold coins (roughly equivalent to a decent horse and carriage), luxury carriages for 2,000 gold coins, and premium vehicles with enhanced comfort and speed for 5,000 gold coins. Each price point was carefully calculated to seem expensive but achievable for different social classes.
The engineering team I recruited consisted of the kingdom's most talented scholars and artificers. When I showed them the blueprints, their reactions ranged from amazement to disbelief.
"Master Guilbert," said Henrik, the lead engineer, "these runic configurations are unlike anything in our technical libraries. How did you devise such innovations?"
"Years of experimentation and... inspiration from distant lands," I replied diplomatically. "Can your team execute these designs?"
"With the proper materials and time, absolutely. The magical theory is sound, though revolutionary."
Opening day arrived with unprecedented fanfare. Word had spread throughout the kingdom and beyond—nobles from neighboring realms had traveled specifically to witness this "commercial wonder" that King Raph himself had commissioned.
Princess Elara and Prince Lucian cut the ceremonial ribbon as crowds of thousands gathered in the plaza. The moment the doors opened, the flood of visitors was overwhelming.
"Incredible!" gasped a duchess from a neighboring kingdom as she entered the atrium. "The ceiling—it's like being outdoors but inside!"
Children ran laughing through the fountain plaza while their parents marveled at shop windows displaying goods they'd never imagined. The automotive gallery drew massive crowds, with nobles clustering around the vehicles in fascination.
"These carriages move without horses?" asked a merchant, running his hands along the sleek exterior of a basic model.
"Indeed," replied Henrik, who was managing the vehicle demonstrations. "They're powered by magical energy, making them faster, more reliable, and more comfortable than traditional transport."
The first sale came within an hour—a wealthy spice merchant purchased a luxury model after a brief test drive around the plaza. By evening, we'd sold twelve vehicles and taken orders for thirty more.
The general store was equally successful. Products that had made me famous in Aiso—chocolates, innovative beauty supplies, preserved foods with incredible shelf life—flew off the shelves. The restaurants were packed, with waiting lists extending hours into the evening.
But perhaps most satisfying was watching families enjoy the plaza's gardens and fountains, children playing while parents relaxed in the covered pavilions. I'd created more than a commercial space—I'd built a community gathering place.
As the day ended and the crowds finally dispersed, I stood in my office overlooking the plaza, watching the magical street lamps illuminate the fountains. In a single day, we'd generated over 10,000 gold coins in revenue—more than most kingdoms collected in taxes over months.
King Raph had gotten his wish. Ats was now positioned to become the commercial heart of the eastern continent.
But as I reviewed the day's success, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was still just the beginning. The sacred sword incident, my overwhelming divine abilities, and now this unprecedented commercial success—the gods had given me power far beyond what any normal merchant would need.
What were they preparing me for?
Three days after opening, my question received a disturbing partial answer. A group of hooded figures gathered outside the complex after closing, their intentions clearly hostile.
From my office window, I watched them attempt to damage the vehicles in the plaza using earth magic. My defensive enchantments held easily, but their message was clear: not everyone welcomed the changes I was bringing to this world.
I stepped outside to confront them, and immediately recognized the lead figure's voice.
"Foreign corruption!" he shouted. "These mechanical demons will destroy our sacred traditions!"
"And you are?" I asked calmly.
"Brother Marcus of the Purist Order. We reject all innovations that contaminate our ancient ways."
"Including innovations that bring prosperity and comfort to ordinary people?"
"Especially those," he snarled. "They make people weak, dependent on unnatural conveniences."
I sighed, realizing this wouldn't be resolved through discussion. "Then we have nothing more to talk about."
When Marcus raised his staff to launch another attack, I simply gestured. A wall of force sent him and his followers tumbling backward harmlessly but decisively. They fled into the night, but I knew this wouldn't be their last attempt.
Change always had enemies. But looking back at my magnificent complex, its magical lights reflecting in the fountain waters, I felt a deep satisfaction. Despite the challenges ahead, I was building something truly worthwhile.
Tomorrow would bring new opportunities, new challenges, and new steps toward whatever destiny the gods had planned for me.
To be continued...