Chapter 2: Magical Bread? For the next few hours, Noah kept asking the system several questions. He tried everything he could to make sure that he wasn’t insane, including a test he found in an online video. "Fuck it, this world is boring anyways. Let’s see what a magical medieval world has in store for me." He smiled as he stepped through the portal into a new world and a new life. The transition was instant. One moment, Noah was standing in his bedroom—the next, he was somewhere else entirely. "What the—?" His first impression was how small the place was. Barely larger than his apartment’s room, the shop consisted of four stone walls, a wooden counter, and several empty wooden shelves. The only light came from old-fashioned oil lamps hanging from hooks on the ceiling. And there, on the single shelf that wasn’t completely empty, sat two perfect loaves of bread. Noah approached it. The bread looked like something from an artisanal bakery ad. It had a golden-brown crust, perfectly shaped, with a dusting of flour on top. It broke all benchmarks for what looked like a delicious loaf of bread. The smell was intoxicating, rich, and somehow filling. [Shop Established. Congratulations on your first product! Please proceed with the initial transaction to activate Idle Income Stream.] "Right," Noah muttered, looking around the empty shop. "And who exactly am I supposed to sell to in this magical medieval place?" Before the system could respond, the door to the shop swung open with a creak that could wake the dead. Noah spun around, nearly knocking over a rickety stool. A woman stood in the doorway, silhouetted against the golden sunlight filtering through the streets outside. And what a woman she was. She stepped into the light, and Noah’s breath caught. Long red hair pulled back in a braid. Piercing green eyes that scanned the shop with military precision. A face that would have graced magazine covers in his world, now marked with a thin scar across one cheek that somehow only enhanced her beauty. She wore what looked like leather armour reinforced with metal plates, multiple weapon holsters. The most immediate concern, however, was the very large, very sharp sword she was pointing directly at his throat. "Don’t move," she said, her voice surprisingly melodic despite the threatening tone. "Who are you and what are you doing in my guild’s territory?" Noah raised his hands slowly. "Hi! I’m, uh... new here? Just opened this shop. I come in peace?" She narrowed her eyes, keeping the sword in his direction. "There was no shop here yesterday. I patrolled this entire place." "Would you believe... overnight construction?" Noah attempted a winning smile. She wasn’t buying it. "You’re either crazy, stupid, or dangerous." She took a step closer, her sword pointing in his direction. "Probably all three." "I prefer ’entrepreneur,’" Noah quipped, then immediately regretted it when the sword edged closer to his Adam’s apple. "Funny guy, huh?" She glanced around the empty shop. "What kind of shop has nothing to sell except—" "Two loaves of bread?" "Yes." ’System is there anything good about this bread? At all?’ [The bread increases the consumer’s natural healing rate by a third.] After hearing the system’s response, Noah was ecstatic. "Fun fact. This bread is not your average Joe in the oven. It’s magical bread. It increases your natural healing rate by a third." "Bull. Shit." She circled around him, keeping the sword ready. "Nobody makes health potions anymore, we are lacking supply. The demons have the whole kingdom surrounded." "I have my sources," Noah said vaguely. She sniffed the air, her expression shifting between suspicion and interest. "It smells completely normal." "That’s what makes it good." "Don’t move," she ordered, backing toward the shelf while keeping her eyes on him. With her free hand, she poked the bread. Noah saw his chance. "Want to try it? First taste is on the house." "Why should I believe you? What if this is a conspiracy to take over my guild?" she asked bluntly, though her eyes never left the loaf. Noah’s mouth twitched at her imagination. ’This woman...is very creative.’ "Um...I don’t know what to say to that. If you don’t want it...then don’t buy it. But if it makes you feel better, I can have a bite." She squinted her eyes. "I’ll prove it, give me some," She picked up the loaf, examining it from all angles before breaking off a small piece and handed it to him. "Eat it." He placed the small piece of bread in his mouth and his eyes widened immediately. "Yoooh! This is good." <+1 Vitality> ’The bread actually increased my attributes!’ He thought with shock, as he looked at his new status. The woman’s eyes raised at his reaction. ’Is he faking it?’ "This is so...delicious!" He muttered, eyeing the bread in her hand. It was so good that he no longer wanted to sell it. "Uhm...So..if you don’t want to buy it. You...know. You can give it to me." ... After seeing that he was unaffected for a few minutes, the guild leader finally decided to have some. ’He would have used an antidote if it had been poisoned by now. Besides, I can’t sense any poison or anything of that sort.’ She thought. "I’m buying it, how much do you want?" "10 Gold coins!" ’A medieval world. They work on coins, since she is a guild master, a few golden coins wouldn’t hurt her...’ She stared at him blankly for a few seconds, her long eyelashes fluttering. "Take your bread back." She said, placing the bread on the table and acting like she was about to leave. ’Eh? Eh???’ Noah did not expect the woman to overreact so quickly. ’At least bargain with me, damn it!’ He thought grimly, before putting a smile on his face and following her with the bread. "Calm down, beautiful lady. I was just joking with you. 5 gold coins, and you can have it." "No. I’m good." She refused, still walking out of the store. As she arrived at the door, Noah was sweating buckets. "FINE!" "1 Gold Coin. I’m not going lower than that. Take it or leave it. Just know that this bread is not normal, and this is a one-time offer!" ’I just need one sale, I can’t become greedy yet.’ He thought, trying to make himself feel better after giving the woman a 90% discount. The woman stopped in her tracks, turning to face him with a small grin on her face. ’I just got...scammed. She would have probably bought it for higher if i didn’t show my desperation.’ "Okay, I will buy it off you this time." She took out the pouch from her side and opened it. She then placed a gold coin just like they had agreed on the wooden counter. She took her first bite. A small one. The transformation was instant. Her eyes widened, then closed in what could only be described as ecstasy. A small moan escaped her lips. "Oh my God," she whispered, before ripping the bread, and taking larger bite. "It’s... It’s really warm and it’s so delicious." Noah couldn’t help grinning. "Good, right?" As she devoured another bite, something strange happened. A soft golden glow briefly pulsed beneath her skin, subtle enough that Noah almost thought he’d imagined it. The woman froze mid-chew, her free hand flying to her forearm, squeezing the muscle there with obvious surprise. "Wait..you weren’t lying?" "Of course, not." The woman set the remainder of the loaf on the counter and touched her arm. "I can feel it. My vitality... It’s different." "I feel better. Alot better."