The old man Jerry's smile remained as he reached out to collect the three bowls of taro, stowing them away in his storage ring for later. With a nod of satisfaction, he addressed Julius: "All right, that's settled then. I'll give your dish a try, and I'll let you know my thoughts when I'm done."
Julius reciprocated with a nod of acknowledgment, and as the old man slowly closed the door, Julius made his way back to his bustling stall.
As he observed the line of eager customers, he couldn't help but notice that it had thinned somewhat. Most of the nearby residents had already purchased their servings and exhausted their available mana stones. However, Julius understood that this was just the beginning, and his culinary venture was off to a promising start. The curiosity sparked by his unique dish had only scratched the surface, and there were bound to be more customers to come.
In a burst of enthusiasm, the son of the village chief, Jake, returned to his home, eager to share his newfound discovery with his father. Bursting into the room, he couldn't contain his excitement as he called out, "Father! Father! I've brought something for you, and I think you'll absolutely love it!"
The elder, a dignified figure dressed in simple blue attire, had been seated with his legs crossed, engrossed in his cultivation practice. Slowly, he opened his eyes, casting a warm and inquisitive gaze at his son.
He inquired with a fond smile. "What is it, Jake? What gift do you have for me this time?"
Jake, his eyes shining with pride and enthusiasm, stepped forward. He carefully retrieved the 29 servings of taro and placed them in front of his father, the village chief. With an evident sense of accomplishment, he spoke with conviction: "Father, take a look at this. It's the most extraordinary dish I've ever tasted, and I'm certain you'll adore it. Its flavor is truly otherworldly."
The old man, known for his love of new culinary experiences, felt a surge of curiosity wash over him. His eyes fixed on the wooden cup, where a white, creamy liquid surrounded cubes of taro, mirroring the same astonished expression his son had worn upon first encountering the dish.
With keen interest, he turned to Jake and inquired: "What is the name of this dish?"
Jake, the son of the village chief, replied: "It's called taro, Father. It's made from taro, but as for the white substance resembling milk, I'm not entirely sure. You should give it a try; I'm certain you'll enjoy it."
The old man nodded in agreement, his gaze returning to the cup in his hand: "Indeed, I see it's taro. I'm just surprised to see it prepared in this manner."
Jake chimed in, sharing his initial thoughts: "I thought the same at first. Taro is typically boiled or grilled, but this is quite different." His eyes filled with eagerness as he urged his father, "Father, please, give it a taste. You'll soon understand how wonderful it is."
As the old man observed his son's proud smile and heard his enthusiastic description, he couldn't resist the temptation any longer. With anticipation, he lifted the cup to his lips and took a bite of the dish. The moment the flavors exploded in his mouth, his eyes widened in surprise.
he exclaimed in genuine astonishment: "Goodness, this dish is exquisite! I never expected to savor such a delightful creation crafted from such ordinary ingredients!" Turning to Jake, he inquired: "Where did you buy this, my son?"
Jake, still beaming with pride, replied: "I purchased it from a street vendor. I saw someone selling this extraordinary dish, and my curiosity got the better of me. I decided to try it, and I was utterly amazed by its taste. What's even more surprising is that it was only 20 low-grade mana stones, as they were offering a 50% discount for today."
The old man's eyes widened in disbelief: "You mean to tell me that this cup of delectable goodness only cost you 20 low-grade mana stones?" he asked incredulously. "Based on my experience, a dish like this should easily fetch between 500 to 1000 low-grade mana stones!"
Upon hearing the astonishing valuation of the dish from his father, Jake was genuinely taken aback. He hadn't expected that a seemingly humble street vendor's offering would hold such significant value.
As the father and son continued their discussion, the middle-aged man who had been the first customer reappeared in the line, patiently awaiting his turn. Julius, ever observant, noticed this development and couldn't help but smile. He knew that the day's business was about to conclude, and it appeared that things were ending on an exceptionally high note.
When the old man finally reached the front of the line, he made his intentions clear without hesitation: "I want to buy it all," he declared confidently.
Steve and Mark, utterly surprised by the request, were momentarily speechless, while Julius maintained a subtle, knowing smile.
Steve sought clarification, asking the old man: "You mean you want to purchase every single serving?"
The old man answered without hesitation: "Yes, I want all of it. Money is no concern; I can afford it."
With a quick exchange of glances between Steve and Julius, the unspoken agreement was reached. Steve instructed Mark to prepare all 185 cups of the dish. Mark swiftly and efficiently readied the servings, and in a matter of minutes, they were all set.
Steve, turning his attention back to the middle-aged man, disclosed the total cost of this monumental purchase: "The total is 3 middle-grade mana stones and 700 low-grade mana stones."
The middle-aged man, undeterred by the considerable sum, promptly produced 3,700 low-grade mana stones and handed them over to Steve. Steve meticulously counted the mana stones, confirming that the payment was accurate. A nod of approval signaled to the middle-aged man that his payment had been accepted. Grinning with satisfaction, he proceeded to transfer all 185 cups of taro into his storage ring before departing, visibly delighted with his purchase.
As the remaining customers in line learned of the massive transaction, a sense of mild disappointment washed over them. However, their curiosity about the unique dish prevailed, and they didn't dwell on it for long.
With their day's work concluded, Julius, Mark, and Steve made their way back to their residence. Meanwhile, old man Jerry sat comfortably in his chair, a cup of taro and a bowl of cooked rice before him. With a metal spoon in hand, he carefully placed a taro cube on top of the rice. Upon taking a bite, he was met with a harmonious blend of creaminess, saltiness, and sweetness from the cream and rice. His eyes lit up with delight, and he savored each mouthful as if there were no tomorrow.
Sitting together at the table, Julius couldn't contain his curiosity about their day's earnings. He turned to Steve and he asks: "Uncle Steve, how much did we earn today?"
Steve, sporting a satisfied smile, responded, "We've amassed a total of 26 middle-grade mana stones and 840 low-grade mana stones."
Julius, nodding thoughtfully, remarked, "That's quite a significant sum, a clean 26 middle-grade and 840 low-grade mana stones, all from our own labor, without any investment." His mind then shifted to their future plans. "Do you have an idea of how much it would cost to purchase a permanent place for us to set up a shop so that we don't have to sell on the street anymore?"
Mark, who had been quietly listening, chimed in with some insight: "It could be somewhere between 1 to 3 high-grade mana stones, or 1,000 to 3,000 middle-grade mana stones, depending on the location and the type of place we want to buy."
Hearing this, Julius nodded in understanding and he said: "We still have a long way to go, but once we can acquire our own shop, things will undoubtedly become better and easier and tomorrow, we'll begin selling meat."
As they discussed their plans for the future, Julio suddenly appeared, curious about how their day had gone. He asked: "How did it go?"
Steve responded to Julio's inquiry with a smile: "It went pretty well."
Julio, already having a sense of their success, simply smiled in response. However, Julius had something more on his mind. He remembered the children who were diligently cultivating and understood the importance of mana stones for their progress. Turning to Steve, he made a generous proposal and he said: "Uncle Steve, you can give 2,000 low-grade mana stones to Uncle Julio. He can use them as cultivation resources for the children. Their growth is vital because they will play a crucial role in maintaining our shop in the future."
The unexpected generosity from Julius surprised Mark, Steve, and Julio. They were touched by his selflessness and realized that they were following the right leader.
Steve, wearing the storage ring, retrieved 2,000 low-grade mana stones and handed them to Julio. Julio accepted them with an excited smile, knowing that these resources would greatly benefit the children. He had cared for them as if they were his own since they were rescued, and they regarded him as their father.
This act of generosity strengthened the bond among them and reinforced their commitment to building a better future for themselves and the children they cared for.
