Chapter 343: The Heiress of Aether
The atmosphere inside the shop froze in an instant. Alexander let out a long sigh, maintaining a terrifying composure as he took a step toward the counter.
"I apologize if my companions’ comments sounded offensive to you," Alexander said in an icy tone that made the air inside the shop vibrate. "However, I would appreciate it if you watched your tongue from this moment on."
Alexander’s gaze locked directly into the merchant’s eyes. There was no chaotic rage in his expression, only the implicit promise of destructive violence. The suited man took a step back, feeling a cold sweat break across his back as he perceived the terrifying mana pressure starting to leak from Alexander’s body.
The situation was growing extremely tense when, suddenly, the curtains to the back room parted, and a young woman with vibrant red hair and refined attire stepped onto the sales floor.
"Enough, you idiot!" the red-haired woman exclaimed with a firm, authoritative voice.
The girl walked quickly to the side of the counter and delivered a sharp slap across the clerk’s face, sending him staggering backward.
"I offer my deepest apologies for the insolence of this employee, sir," the young woman said, immediately bowing in a deep, respectful gesture before Alexander. "I beg for your forgiveness. My name is Valerie, owner of this branch of Aether Supplies."
The clerk clutched his cheek, stunned and visibly upset.
"Miss Valerie!" the man protested. "I was merely defending the company’s pricing against these ignorant people!"
"Shut your mouth!" Valerie snapped, turning to him with eyes burning with anger. "Are you blind to who you are speaking to? They carry an official TMC escort, and this young man exudes mana pressure indicating he is a high-level Awakened! The last thing our family needs is to get into a direct conflict with TMC because of your arrogance. You are fired! Pack your things and get out of my shop right now!"
The man opened his mouth to talk back, but upon seeing his boss’s furious expression and Alexander’s looming presence, he had no choice but to lower his head, gather his belongings from the back room, and scurry out of the store.
Valerie turned back toward Alexander, putting on a helpful, subservient smile to ease the tension in the room.
"Once again, I offer a sincere apology for such a blatant lack of respect, valued customer," Valerie said, lacing her hands in front of her. "Tell me... is removing this individual enough to satisfy you, or is there anything more we can do for you to make up for this terrible experience? For instance... we could offer you a full year of raw provision supplies completely free of charge for your residence."
Alexander remained unbothered by the tempting offer. He unzipped the backpack slung over his shoulder—which had already drawn plenty of eyes during his debriefing with Ghost Blade, though the old man chose to say nothing about currency import regulations—and pulled out a main leather pouch attached to its strap. Inside it were several smaller pouches, each packed with one thousand spiritual stones. He had brought twenty of those pouches along just in case an expense popped up, unsure if he was supposed to declare the gems or how Earth regulated them.
Alexander pulled out fifteen of the smaller pouches and set them neatly on the marble counter. Untying one, a brilliant glow irradiated the entire shop as the dense aroma of pure Essence filled the air.
"There’s no need to give me anything for free," Alexander said in a calm yet firm tone. "Here are fifteen thousand gems. We will purchase the full year of complete service. Just make sure everything is delivered to our residence on time and with utmost discretion."
Valerie stood frozen with her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open, unable to process what she was witnessing. Behind him, Marcus, Ben, Leo, and all the women from the mansion were left completely spellbound. Fifteen thousand gems! That was the equivalent of fifteen billion dollars handed over as if it were pocket change! Alexander’s aunt nearly fainted on the spot, while Marcus blinked repeatedly, wondering at what point Alexander had become ridiculously wealthy.
The only ones who didn’t even blink were Sydney, Paige, and the fake Brianna. To them, fifteen thousand gems was nothing. Was such a sum supposed to impress the man who commanded the most important and lucrative business in all of Plyaro City?
Valerie took a few seconds to snap out of her state of shock. She swallowed hard, regained her composure with dazzling professional agility, and pulled out a high-end holographic brochure, spreading it across the counter as her eyes gleamed with renewed enthusiasm.
"Of course, my lord! Thank you so much for your incredible sponsorship!" Valerie exclaimed, proving herself to be a true master saleswoman. "To demonstrate our gratitude to a client of your stature, we will assign a certified chef at no extra charge to manage and prepare your meals directly on your own property."
Valerie began highlighting key features on the promotional brochure with practiced gestures.
"You see, if we deliver fully prepared meals from our central kitchen, the commute could cause them to lose some of their magical properties and original freshness," the red-haired woman explained smoothly. "Furthermore, the fifteen thousand gem package doesn’t just cover top-tier raw ingredients—it also includes the installation of a specialized mana-thermal oven in your kitchen to cook spiritual ingredients, along with an exclusive set of spiritual ceramic dinnerware. These plates don’t just retain heat, they enhance and highlight the flavor of beast meat to its fullest potential!"
Alexander listened to Valerie’s explanation with an approving nod.
"Sounds good to me," Alexander said, turning toward his assistant. "Helena, coordinate the entire procedure with the young lady."
"Of course, Master Alex," Helena replied stepping forward.
Demonstrating her characteristic, flawless professional efficiency, Helena took control of the transaction within seconds. She exchanged encrypted frequencies with Valerie’s console, signed the digital annual supply contract, and provided the exact security coordinates of the mansion for the installation of the mana oven and the arrival of the certified chef.
Valerie carefully stored the fifteen leather pouches containing the spiritual gems, offering a deep final bow as Helena finalized the logistical details.
"Everything has been properly processed and logged, Master," Helena reported, tucking away her terminal.
Alexander looked back at his group, noting the stunned expressions on his family’s faces as they still tried to process the sheer magnitude of money spent in a single transaction.
"I think we’ve accomplished what we came here to do," Alexander stated gesturing toward the exit. "Let’s head back."