Chapter 28

“Of course! Ask away!”

Algrim didn’t hesitate to use the term Pioneer.

That, in itself, was revealing.

Repeating the previously ignored question, Justin asked—

“You claim to be a merchant. So what exactly are you selling? Weapons? Armor?”

“A fine question indeed!”

Algrim grinned and snapped his fingers.

A golden window appeared before Justin.

It was similar to a status window, but the color and format were different.

“What the hell? A status screen?”

“No… this isn’t a status window.”

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

It wasn’t just Justin—others had received the same display.

Clapping his hands, Algrim beamed.

“This is my current inventory! As time passes, I’ll be able to stock even more goods, but for now, this is what I have. Please, take a look!”

The window was essentially a catalog.

It listed weapons, armor, supplies, and even construction materials for upgrading housing.

Naturally, Justin opened the weapons tab first.

[Weapons]

• Dagger – 20 Mana Stones
• Scorched Staff – 50 Mana Stones
• Novice Warrior’s Sword – 150 Mana Stones
• Apprentice’s Staff – 200 Mana Stones

“Nothing here beats the quest rewards.”

The highest-tier weapons available were equal to the ones given as final quest rewards.

Even the Apprentice’s Staff, which Justin had already earned, was listed as a top-tier item.

That fact brought a smile to his face.

“Good. That means my reward was actually worth something.”

If stronger items had been immediately available, it would have undermined his effort.

After all, if someone could just buy their way to power, then even latecomers could catch up.

But now?

The Pioneers had a clear advantage.

For anyone else to match them, they’d have to work just as hard.

And even then, catching up would be impossible without equal effort.

“Mana Stones?”

For the first time, Justin focused on the currency.

As he processed this, Algrim raised his voice.

“As you can see, I only accept Mana Stones! And what are Mana Stones, you ask?”

While Algrim launched into an explanation, Justin already knew the answer.

Mana Stones—small gems found near the hearts of monsters.

In the game, they were loot that could be collected after battle.

They were mainly used to exchange for rare items with traveling merchants.

“But no one really farmed them.”

Extracting Mana Stones was time-consuming.

If you were grinding for experience, it was more efficient to kill another monster instead of spending time retrieving them.

And if you wanted wealth, increasing the town’s productivity was a better investment.

Because of that, Mana Stones were a neglected mechanic in the game.

But here?

They had become the primary currency.

“Makes sense. There’s no tax system yet. Without an economy, Mana Stones are the only viable medium of exchange.”

As he finished rationalizing it, Algrim suddenly clapped his hands.

“Now! Pay attention, everyone! This next part is crucial! If you don’t listen, you will regret it!”

The survivors tensed.

“Open the Food section!”

Food?

Come to think of it, he hadn’t checked that tab yet.

Considering how vital food was, it should have been the first thing he looked at.

He opened the Food tab—

And froze.

The list was nearly empty.

[Food]

• Bottled Water (500ml) – Free
• Steamed Potato (Complete Meal) – Free

“…Is that it?”

Someone voiced everyone’s thoughts.

Free or not, water and steamed potatoes weren’t a sustainable diet.

Algrim chuckled.

“Of course not! If you’re willing to pay, you can buy any food from the old world!”

The basic rations were just water and potatoes.

If they wanted anything else—

They had to buy it.

“However,” Algrim continued, “Prices vary depending on the dish. A hearty meat stew, for example, would cost around 10 Mana Stones.”

“…Are you kidding me?”

A shocked survivor shouted.

“That’s absurd! That’s the price of a high-end weapon!”

Even Justin was surprised.

“Fifteen bowls of stew… would be worth a top-tier weapon?”

“Now, now!” Algrim quickly waved his hands.

“That’s only for lavish meals. More simple foods—like sandwiches or hamburgers—are much cheaper.”

Different ingredients and preparation methods affected the price.

Simpler dishes cost between 1 to 3 Mana Stones.

As the crowd finally calmed down—

A new question was forming.

One that no one wanted to ask—but everyone was thinking.

Who here even had Mana Stones?

And if they didn’t…

How long would they last on just water and potatoes?

A man stepped forward, face twisted in frustration.

Derek—the tattooed thug—who had been silent until now, finally spoke.

“Hey, merchant! Don’t you think this is a little unfair?”

Algrim tilted his head.

“Unfair? Whatever do you mean?”

“The food, goddamn it! The difference between people who prepared and those who didn’t is way too big!”

Derek pointed wildly around the village, voice rising.

“The guys who stocked up before all this happened—those bastards get to eat well while the rest of us are stuck with steamed potatoes! How the hell is that fair?!”

For once, Justin actually found himself agreeing.

He turned toward the thug in surprise.

“This pig actually made a good point?”

Because this wasn’t just about taste.

Food affects morale.

“If another village stocked up on long-lasting, delicious food… while we’re stuck choking down flavorless potatoes…”

It could lead to resentment.

More than that—it could affect efficiency.

A well-fed village would be happier, more productive.

A hungry village?

Miserable. Inefficient.

And that difference would only widen over time.

But despite Derek’s argument, Algrim merely smiled.

“Hmm… I’m afraid I won’t follow.”

His tone was innocent.

As if he truly didn’t understand.

“What do you mean, ‘people who stocked up on food’?”

Derek froze.

“…What?”

“Such food does not exist. No one has any stored food.”

The words hung in the air.

Then—”Are you screwing with me?!”

Fury flashed in Derek’s eyes.

The other survivors also stiffened, their faces darkening.

“Is he mocking us?”

But Justin’s eyes suddenly widened.

He understood.

“No stored food? …That can’t be literal.”

Without hesitation, he opened his inventory.

Inside was a small bag—his own emergency rations.

Not much, just two days’ worth of survival food.

But when he reached in—

His fingers met something hard.

Confused, he pulled out a stone.

A perfectly solid rock.

“…What the hell?”

He dropped it to the ground.