Spies, Commotion

Among the stream of regular customers, several individuals stood out to Elias's discerning eye. They moved differently, observed more carefully, and their purchases seemed secondary to their blatant surveillance of the products and set-up of the shop. Although they attempted to blend in, Elias could easily identify their true nature.

—These were no ordinary patrons.

A middle-aged man in a merchant's clothes caught his attention first. Despite his costume, his military bearing was unmistakable. He sampled a Honey Spiral with deliberate slowness, his eyes methodically scanning the shop's interior as if memorizing every detail.

An elegant woman provided the second point of interest. Her simple dress couldn't disguise her refined manners, and she purchased several pastries while asking detailed questions about ingredients and preparation methods, inquiries that went far beyond casual curiosity.

The third observer was a young man masquerading as a common laborer, yet his hands bore no calluses from hard work. He lingered near the counter, attempting to glimpse the back storage area whenever the door opened, but felt disappointed. 

—He couldn't see anything other than boxes with no emblem.

Finally, an elderly woman with sharp, calculating eyes that missed nothing. She engaged Amanda in a seemingly innocent conversation. Her questions, however, probed for information about the shop's owner and daily operations.

Spies. The aristocratic families work quickly. 

Elias thought with dark amusement. 

He had expected this scrutiny after yesterday's success, but their swift response revealed how seriously the established powers regarded any disruption to the status quo. The Goldmere, Silverton, Thornwick, and Ravencrest families, each of these renowned families, undoubtedly want to understand this new player in their city. 

Still, Elias felt no concern. He had already devised countermeasures, having researched Sun City's aristocratic families thoroughly to anticipate and address any potential conflicts. 

The morning's steady business was suddenly disrupted by a commotion outside. Raised voices and the sound of people being roughly pushed aside drew everyone's attention to the door.

"Move aside, commoners! Young Lord Damien requires passage!"

Through the shop's windows, Elias observed a group of well-dressed individuals forcing their way through the customer line. Their leader was a young man whose arrogant bearing and expensive attire marked him as nobility. The flame emblem on his cloak was unmistakable.

—The Blaze Family crest.

Damien. What unfortunate timing. I wonder what brings him here. 

Elias thought, recognizing his cousin. 

Damien Blaze swept into the shop as if he owned it, his entourage flanking him. His eyes scanned the interior dismissively before focusing on the masked figure behind the counter.

"You there." 

Damien called out imperiously. 

"Are you the proprietor of this establishment?"

Elias stepped forward, his voice carefully muffled behind the mask. The moment he saw Damien, Elias instructed Selina to hide in the storage to avoid any complications. Although his face was covered and couldn't be recognized, Selina, on the other hand, was without a mask and could easily be identified by Damien and his entourage.

"I am. What business do you have with Mama's Pastry? And why are you disrupting my establishment?"

"Business? Disruption?" 

Damien laughed derisively and said: 

"I'm not here to wait in line like some commoner. I require your finest pastries immediately. My time is valuable."

"All customers are served in order of arrival. You're welcome to join the line." 

Elias replied calmly. 

Silence fell over the shop. Even the aristocratic spies who watched surreptitiously from outside, curious to see how this confrontation would unfold, were surprised by the scene that unfolded.

Damien's face flushed with anger. 

"Do you have any idea who I am? I am Damien Blaze, heir to the Blaze Family of the Grand Lion Kingdom! How dare you speak to me this way?"

"I don't care if you're the emperor himself. In this shop, everyone waits for their turn. Join the line or leave." 

Elias responded, his tone unchanged. 

The tension in the air was palpable. Damien's hands clenched into fists, his chest beginning to glow with an inner light as his Thaumaturge Sigil activated. The temperature in the shop rose noticeably.

"You dare—" 

Damien bellowed, then suddenly lunged forward with shocking speed.

His movement was lightning-fast. The speed of a Ninth Stratum Neophyte Thaumaturgist was formidable. Even with only a Lesser Sigil, Damien remained a dangerous opponent to those of the same level of power as him. To most observers, he appeared as nothing but a blur, his fist aimed directly at Elias's mask to unmask and humiliate this insolent shopkeeper.

But Elias was no ordinary shopkeeper. 

Behind his mask, Elias's eyes flickered with golden light as he activated his Quantum Sight. The world slowed to a crawl in his perception, rendering Damien's attack predictable and telegraphed. With minimal effort, he tilted his head slightly aside.

Damien's fist whistled past Elias's head, missing by mere inches. The young noble's eyes widened in shock at the effortless dodge.

"Impossible!" 

He barked, his anger intensifying when he saw that Elias hadn't even shifted from his position. 

"You dare make a fool of me? You're seeking death!"

His chest erupted with brilliant light as he channeled flame energy into his fist, employing the Blaze Family's signature technique, the Blazing Lotus Art. This deadly ability could conjure a blazing and enchanting fire lotus above the head of the user, blessing them with the power to melt steel upon contact. This time, his attack carried killing intent.

The spies from the aristocratic families tensed, ready to intervene. They couldn't allow a member of a foreign noble family to murder a Sun City merchant, but they also wanted to see what this mysterious shopkeeper was capable of.

As the fist inched closer, Elias's eyes dimmed behind his mask as he made a decision. As Damien's flaming fist approached, he raised his own hand to meet it.

BANG!

The collision should have been catastrophic. Damien's flame-wreathed fist met Elias's bare palm with thunderous impact. Yet instead of the expected explosion of fire and flesh, something extraordinary occurred.

The flames dispersed into motes of light, dissipating harmlessly into the air. Elias stood unmoved, his hand completely unharmed, still gripping Damien's fist with casual ease.

The shop fell into stunned silence.

"H-How?" 

Damien stammered, struggling unsuccessfully to pull his hand free from Elias's iron grip.

The aristocratic spies exchanged meaningful glances, sharp interest flashing in their eyes. To neutralize an Elemental Thaumaturgist's direct attack so effortlessly with bare hands, employing no visible spell or technique, was beyond shocking.

This was no ordinary shopkeeper. 

They all reached the same conclusion with solemn expressions.

Their reports to their respective Family Lords would be more intriguing. Initially, they had expected only to sample pastries and gather basic intelligence, but the actions of the pompous Young Lord from a foreign nation had inadvertently revealed a glimpse of the mysterious shopkeeper's true capabilities.